Archive for the ‘Education’ Category
Why should the state bail out failing private schools?
More than a hundred private schools are predicted to make the move in the state sector in the next decade according to former schools minister Lord Adonis. Should we be delighted, or dismayed? Most people would probably think any reduction in the number of “fee charging” schools in our highly stratified education system is a […]
The bitterest pill of all
It is just over three years since I helped to set up the Local Schools Network. Originally intended as a forum to celebrate the successes of local state schools, the LSN has become much more than that. The contributions of parents, teachers and governors across the country mean it has become a place to discuss […]
The policy boys – who is behind the big ideas?
The furore surrounding the departure of Michael Gove adviser Dominic Cummings may have died down. But his parting shot – a 250 page tract on everything from genetics to school effectiveness and teacher quality – raised interesting questions about who makes education policy, and how. Quizzed on Mr Cummings’ influence recently, the Secretary of State […]
Just say no to more grammars
If I were Michael Gove, the decision I would least relish at the moment would be having to rule on the fate of the Sevenoaks grammar school. This little time bomb was lobbed into the Secretary of State’s court around 18 months ago when the county council in fully selective Kent decided to approve the […]
The future of London schools
I was educated in London state schools, all my children have been educated in London state schools and I have been actively involved in those schools as a parent and governor for over 20 years. I care passionately about the future of London education and am proud of what we have achieved in the last […]
Private schools see themselves as businesses. Lets treat them that way.
Every so often I check in on one of the longest running sagas in the education world – that of the charitable status of fee-charging schools. It is an epic tale going back 800 years to the foundation of charity schools like Eton and Winchester. The intricate web of endowments enjoyed by some of these […]
A new model of parent power for the future and an idea for Labour
This article first appeared in the Guardian All eyes will be on Labour leader Ed Miliband today. With just over eighteen months to go until the General Election, expectations are high that he will use his conference speech to flesh out a programme for government. It is a year since the announcement of the “Tech […]
Radical action is needed now to stop cheating
If I were a head who did everything strictly by the book, I think one of the things that I would resent more than anything else is the suggestion that others are less scrupulous. There is no doubt that many schools do an excellent job of building and sustaining improvement over time. But some have […]
Planning of school places should rest with local, not central, government
Children packed like sardines, foreigners flooding in, temporary classrooms crowding out play space. The language used to illustrate the current chronic shortage of primary school places in England is emotive. And understandably so. The fear of not getting a school place for your child strikes at the heart at every parent. The fact that we […]
