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Education Journal No.91 (2006-1) Editorial |
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Further Education - The Neglected 'Middle Child' George Low reviews both Sir Andrew Foster's report on FE colleges and the report of an independent committee of inquiry set up by NIACE into adult learning in colleges. The reports offer political rewards as well as warnings. Will the Government Repent on Admissions? Our Children's Services Editor, Chris Waterman, examines the Government's failure on school admissions, in the light of the release of its significantly weaker Draft Code of Practice on School Admissions. Health In a new regular feature, our Reference Editor, Arabella Hargreaves, provides an overview of current news and research in the field of children's health. This issue covers such topics as parental affection and brain development, autism and mental health. Children's Services Are Developing Well Spread over five pages, we chart a series of assessments of local authorities, analysing figures for every English LEA in the APA, CPA and JAR surveys compiled by the Audit Commission working with Ofsted. The last two years have seen the introduction of one of the most radical changes within local authorities: the transformation of education and children's social services departments into the Children's Services Authorities. This year the Comprehensive Performance Assessment (CPA) for the 150 top tier local authorities in England has been made harder, and this is reflected in the table for all authorities that we publish. People David Bell's move to permanent secretary, replaced temporarily by Maurice Smith as acting HMCI England; Andrew Pinder is the new chariman of BECTa; the New Years 2006 Honours List; and the death of Labour MP, Rachel Squire. Wales Our Wales Editor, Professor Ken Reid, takes a look at the widening gulf between Welsh and English education policy, following the publication of the Government's White Paper. Letter From Scotia Our Scotland Editor, John Dobie OBE, writes following on from his attendance at the annual conference of the Association of Directors Education in Scotland (ADES). Shaping the Education Bill We look at the widely trailed alternative white paper, which largely serves to point out that the aims of the White Paper cannot be delivered by the proposals set out within it. Special Needs in Scotland A new dyslexia professorship in Aberdeen and problems with the mainstreaming of Scottish pupils with SEN. Media Report The media's pervert wars that have swirled around Ruth Kelly and her handling of the sex offender crisis and David Cameron's reversal of Tory education policy. General section Conferences Conferences covered in this issue include the North of England Education conference in Gateshead, the Association of Directors of Education in Scotland conference in Peebles and a major children's services conference in London run by The Education Network. The Fun Page Jokes, cartoons and children's quotes from essay bloomers. Opinion John Izbicki on the Government's hypocrisy in pretending to continue its opposition to all forms of selection. Malcolm Horn, General Secretary of the Socialist Education Association, on how the Government's White Paper leaves too much to market forces. Obituaries John Izbicki pays tribute to Professor Ted Wragg, who died in November. George Low writes an appreciation of the late John Tomlinson CBE, who died last year. Reference section Document reviews The documents reviewed this month are Secondary Education: Government Response to the Committee's Fifth Report of Session 2004-05 - third special report of session from the DfES, Monitoring the Implementation of Hungry for Success: A Whole School Approach to School Meals in Scotland - Report on progress from HMIE and Independent Review of the Teaching of Early Reading: interim report from Jim Rose. Document Digest Documents covered this month include Reducing Burdens in Colleges of Further Education from the Cabinet Office; The Government's Annual Report on Learning Disabilities 2005 and Local Authority Children's Services Funding: 2006-07 and 2007-08 from the Department of Health; Bullying: charter for action, Children Looked After in England (Including Adoption and Careleavers): 2004-05, Excellence in Cities: The national evaluation of a policy to raise standards in urban schools 2000-03, Evaluation of the Impact of Basic Skills Learning: Report on wave one, and Further Education, Work-based Learning for Young People and Adult and Community Learning: learner numbers in England - 2004-05 from the DfES; and Race Equality in Education: good practice in schools and local education authorities, Remodelling the School Workforce, and Skills for life in Colleges: one year on from Ofsted. Reports Digest Research section Research Digest Research notes Our Research Editor, Michael Marshall, asks what use research is to teachers. Combating the 'Healthy Eating Is Not Cool' Syndrome NFER's Sandie Shagen reports on the impact of the School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme on children's eating habits. Short Research Reports Disciplining children and poor quality research methods. White Paper Flawed by Slender Evidence Professor Ron Glatter of the Open University suggests that the Government remove elements of the White Paper which focus on the idea of independent state schools and ensuring that no more schools become their own admission authorities. Short Research Report Phonics criticism. Parliamentary section White Paper under Attack from All Sides Nick Kent, parliamentary editor, reports on the continuing scepticism in response to the Government's White Paper from both Tory and Labour MPs.. Scotland Arabella Hargreaves, editor of EPM Scotland, reports on the latest debates on education and children's services in the Scottish parliament. Wales Helen Grimmett, editor of EPM Wales, reports on debates about early years funding, ELWa and strategies to support disadvantaged pupils. Parliamentary Questions Subjects covered include those on per capita spending, sixth forms, school meals and pupils with medical needs. Phoenix Governors get a new national body. Honours for sale. People's history. Scots do it better |