University of Buckingham
Nick Gibb departed last week but had been Schools Minister since 2010 with one short break. There are numerous reasons to be grateful to him. 1) He had a clear agenda based on an understanding of what works. In his famous 1953 essay, The Hedgehog and the Fox, Isaiah Berlin wrote that ‘a fox knows... Continue Reading →
Methods to Explain Memory When studying what memory is and how to advise teachers to enhance their pupils’ memories, there are two approaches which can be used: Neuroscience: the ways in which the brain accommodates and represents memory (localisation of function, neurons, neurotransmitters, etc.) Cognitive Psychology: representations or models that explain how information is absorbed... Continue Reading →
The most remarkable fact about this summer's GCSE results was the dominance of girls. 33% of girls gained a grade 7 or better compared to only 24% of boys, a widening of the gap since 2020. If one looks at subjects which require more coursework, the gap was huge. In Design Technology (traditionally thought of... Continue Reading →
One thing you can be certain of is that, within seconds of schools breaking up, shops will be taken over by huge advertising campaigns proclaiming that we should all be thinking about going ‘Back to School’. What this means in reality is piles of neat white socks, Teflon coated indestructible trousers and pinafores, endless rows... Continue Reading →
On 5 July the Government published a consultation on reforms to initial teacher training in England. The proposals, which come from a panel of only five people, represent a radical change to the current system and envisage all teacher trainers having to apply for reaccreditation early next year. In common with many universities we are... Continue Reading →
There are so many sayings about time; we can have it on our hands, be running out of it, be in the nick of it, it can fly, it can heal, and it can certainly be a-changing. In schools it is a precious commodity, it is actually a place where time costs money. Our lives... Continue Reading →
In England 10% of 10-year olds are issued textbooks; in South Korea - 99%. In secondary science 8% of pupils in England are issued with textbooks compared to 88% in South Korea, 92% in Taiwan. Why are English schools not using textbooks? Cost is a factor, but as important is the growing use of copied... Continue Reading →
It’s interesting to see the difference an ‘e’ can make when added to ‘moral’, it can change pronunciation, change emphasis and create a whole dimension of leadership studies – the importance of the emotional well-being of staff. The last twelve months or so in particular have been filled with tales of teacher morale being at... Continue Reading →
Two years in a row the Government has cancelled public exams. But last year schools could have run those exams in June and this year all pupils are now back in school early in March. So, the question is – was it wrong to cancel exams? Most schools have been able to keep exam-year pupils... Continue Reading →