New education white paper – will it be met?
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The recent release of the ‘Opportunity for all’ schools white paper has raised some queries and its benefits. Let’s discuss.
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Reforms
Changes and cancellations hit exams in Scotland
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Exams in Scotland are to be adjusted or cancelled in 2021, the Education Secretary has announced.
The biggest announcement has seen National 5 exams cancelled and replaced with teacher assessments and coursework.
John Swinney said it was likely students would face disruption and that the Covid-19 pandemic was “too big a risk“.
Here is what you need to know.
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Having a positive alternative provision where students are learning
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A positive alternative provision provides students with meaningful learning activities with meaningful learning activities which improves self esteem, engagement and subsequently quality of life and their relationship with those around them.
A positive alternative provision backs EDClass’ ethos of education for all. By providing a one-to-one support with a person or through a system they like, they are more likely to engage in education, learn and develop.
This blog post takes a look at the benefits of having a positive alternative provision where students are learning.
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Inclusive education: what can be done to make the system more inclusive
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Should GCSEs be changed to create a more inclusive education?
The flawed exam algorithm may have established a flaw in the goal of an inclusive education.
With pupils automatically disadvantaged based on where they are from, the system could be the strongest indicator yet that pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds have to work harder to achieve in the education system.
Experts have wade in on the debate about whether there need to be a revamp, including of the GCSE system, in order to make learning more inclusive.
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Racist bullying in England hits record high
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Racist bullying is endemic in our schools in the UK, according to a report on racism in schools released this week.
Analysis of Government figures by campaigners Hope Not Hate – and published in the London Evening Standard – found that English schools suspended or permanently excluded students 4,904 times for racist abuse in 2018-19.
It marks a 13% increase from 4,329 which was record in 2017-18 – and it is the highest number since records began in 2006.
Why is racist bullying so high and what can be done about it? This blog post explains.
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Behavioural repair – a quick guide
Reading time: 7 minutes
There is a wide range of research on the ramifications of poor pupil behaviour and behavioural repair.
Though there may be a common perception that the younger generation is “worse than their predecessors“, due to behaviour repair the opposite is true.
When surveyed, 70-76% of teachers say that behaviour is good or better in their school. How is behavioural repair contributing to this and what can you do to ensure behaviour support in your classroom?
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700,000 children excluded from education
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700,000 children do not have a laptop or tablet for home learning – as the coronavirus has widens the attainment gap between pupils.
Children’s commissioner, Anne Longfield, said the outcome of the pandemic on vulnerable pupils creates a ‘a stark risk of them falling behind their peers’.
What has been the impact of Covid-19 on the attainment gap?
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What did we learn from the new GCSE results?
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Pay attention at the back – the papers are marked, the grades are in. The long-awaited year of the GCSE shakeup can now be dissected and analysed.
The question is – what did we learn from the new GCSE results?
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KS1 SATs could be replaced by assessments. Is this a good idea?
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At the end of March, 2017, the government announced that they were looking to replace KS1 SATs with teacher assessments.
For years, teachers and parents alike have been pressuring the government to scrap SATs for seven-year-olds because they felt that these tests placed unnecessary stress on everyone involved, and were not reliable indicators of a student’s ability.
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The new GCSE grade scale: what does the change to 1-9 mean?
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As is commonplace for those in the education system, the past 24 months have marked much change, not least of which is the new GCSE grade scale.
Teachers, parents and pupils alike have faced a transition from the old scale of U – A*, to U to 9. Let’s explore what this change means and why it has been put in place.
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School league tables – what do they really mean?
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League tables could be said to be a snapshot of the quality of a school; a grade which represents every lesson, each extra pastoral support meeting and the blood, sweat and tears of every teacher and pupil within a school over the past 12 months.
But can league tables could ever represent all of these elements? This question has been at the heart of a 2017 revolution in how the league tables are calculated. Let’s look at the before, the after and the impact of both.
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The drop in GCSE results – what went wrong?
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This year’s overall A* to C pass rate has suffered its sharpest decline since GCSEs were first sat in 1988, down 2.1 percentage points from 69% in 2015, to 66.9%.
A browse through the many column inches of blame-laying reveals two popular culprits: the new requirement for pupils to resit Maths and English if they don’t secure a grade C in Year 11, and the English Baccalaureate (EBacc).
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The Outstanding Ofsted: What a difference half a decade makes
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In past blog articles we’ve taken a close look at just what it means to be an ‘outstanding’ or ‘good’ school, as defined by the all-powerful Ofsted organisation. If you’ve been reading with us, then you’ll appreciate that these grades are anything but clear cut.
In this, our third instalment on Ofsted grades, we hone in on the differences that are today faced by schools aiming for that coveted outstanding rating.
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In the news: 5 EBacc GCSEs to be studied by all pupils
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Yesterday, news emerged on the plans due to be put forward by Nick Gibb, schools minister, that all secondary school pupils in England will be expected to take five GCSEs in EBacc subjects: English, maths, science, a language and history or geography.
The Conservatives’ election manifesto stated that if schools did not offer these, they would not be eligible for a top Ofsted rating (BBC).
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Creating an Inclusive Environment
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Appropriate learning and a positive experience mean that it is now very possible to offer totally inclusive schools.
Placing particular attention on improving attainment and progress of pupils who face particular challenges in their learning journey means they can enjoy the same success as other students.
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Textbooks in the classroom
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With the rise of the use of technology in the classroom – in particular handheld devices such as tablets – there are questions being increasingly raised as to the future of the printed textbook and whether it has a place in the classroom now or in the near future.
Textbooks have been the mainstay of teaching for over a hundred years and give structure to teaching sessions and markers for pupil progress and achievement.
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5 Simple Strategies…for Overcoming External Barriers
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Routines will help in so many ways. They reduce stress levels in pupils on the Autistic Spectrum. They provide containment and structure for pupils with ADHD or social issues. They speed up your planning because you will know what type of task you are doing and when ahead of time: everyone’s a winner!
You may choose to have specific types of lessons on specific days, or to have a bank of structures that you draw on, which can be signposted to the class either ahead of time or at the start of the lesson. Find the system that suits you and your group(s).
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Supporting Pupils with Medical Conditions
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Many children experience debilitating illnesses that allow them to attend school, but find it difficult to participate fully in classroom activities such as excursions. Over one million children suffer from long term medical conditions such as asthma, heart disease, cancer, Type 1 diabetes, stroke, celiac disease and anaphylaxis.
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What will the SEN Reformations mean for you?
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Our attitude to SEN has always been the same: more should be done. With the government’s reformations due to be implemented in September, we look at what the changes will mean.
You only need to hear two words to incite a wince on most of our faces: government reformation. The pending reformation in the way SEN support is delivered in schools and colleges in England is no exception; bringing with it confusion for parents, young people, teachers and other education, health and care practitioners.
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