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 →
Teachers and Time by Dr. Bethany Kelly
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 →
Why are English schools not using textbooks? By Professor Barnaby Lenon
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 →
Whose job is it to care about staff morale and what can we learn from chocolate? By Dr. Bethany Kelly
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 →
Why have we cancelled exams? By Barnaby Lenon
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 →
UCAS reforms: PQA by Barnaby Lenon
Should we move to a system whereby pupils only apply to universities once they have got their results? This is called PQA – post-qualification admissions. There are two obvious models which are the subject of the DfE consultation, open to 13 May. International students are excluded from these models. Model 1) Post-qualification applications….apply... Continue Reading →
The Motivation Mystery by Laura Purser
What if we could tap into a child’s inner desire to learn? How could a parent promote learning when their child appears disinterested and unengaged? How could using coaching of self-efficacy, increase internal motivation to learn? Exams are off, schools are ‘closed’ to the majority, and parents are expecting themselves to step into the shoes... Continue Reading →
Let’s get rid of exams by Barnaby Lenon
The best argument for getting rid of exams is that they having a bad effect on society by strongly suggesting that the only way of being successful in life is doing well in academic qualifications. They prioritise the cognitive elite at the expense of those who have completely different talents, especially those David Goodhart calls... Continue Reading →
Liz Truss and the woke equalities agenda by Barnaby Lenon
This week, Liz Truss (who turns out to be the Women and Equalities Minister when she is not being the Trade Minister) made a speech repositioning the Government’s approach to equality. Essentially, she said that there has been too much emphasis on race and gender at the expense of the more important issues of socio-economic... Continue Reading →