School curriculum and subject choice: the new battleground for social mobility
“[In] a system in which an unequal start is a given [vocational subject] choices all too easily cement underlying inequality…” Chris Hall argues that the left’s focus on improving vocational education might help to preserve social inequality rather than challenge it.
2016 accountability measures: the next battle for CEIAG in schools
“…the inclusion (or not) of destination data in these new accountability measures …will have a greater impact on school leaders consideration of CEIAG in their planning.” Russell George examines the Government’s proposed changes to school accountability measures - and the implications for those involved in careers education and guidance.
Methods for attaining league table altitude
“The problems start when the numbers required are beyond the capabilities of the local system, here subject leaders are faced with three choices: cheat, tell the truth and face the consequences or chase the target while, arguably, doing the wrong thing by the students.” Leonard James explains how schools can game the league table system.
Two hundred and eighty six thousand, five hundred and thirty four
“Two hundred and eighty six thousand, five hundred and thirty four. It’s a big number. It’s way too big. It needs to be reduced. Quickly.” Mike Cameron argues that the number of young people who fail to get a grade C in GCSE maths needs to be reduced - and suggests how it can be done.
OfQual insights: More thoughts on exams
“If ministers continue to insist on using blunt data instruments to hold us to account based on exams that are not designed for that purpose, we’ll never get the level of intelligent behaviour and integrity in the system that we need.” Tom Sherrington calls for a new way of thinking about school examinations and marking.
Assessment, standards and the bell curve
After announcements about new proposals for KS2 assessment, the issues around relative and absolute standards are getting a working over. Director of The Institute of Education, Chris Husbands, has written a thoughtful blog on some of the issues. I’ve had personal reasons to engage recently as the parent of a Year 6 student who has just received […]
Is this an education?
“What should they do, when they realise that their education is limited?” Tessa Matthews challenges an education system that allows young people to receive a narrow education - and which subsequently narrows their educational and career opportunities.
Why does London outperform England?
“For decades, London schools had some of the worst exam results in the country. Recently, though, education in London has been hailed as a triumph. …So I began asking: what changed?”Joe Kirby looks at the reasons for the improvements in London’s schools - and draws out the surprisingly simple implications for education policy generally.
Why isn’t our education system working?
‘Educational inequality is the civil rights issue of our time’ - Barack Obama, 2011 Our retention, training, curriculum and assessment aren’t strong enough In 1807, radical journalist William Cobbett used an analogy to suggest that, just as his hunting dogs in training had lost the scent because he’d laid a false trail of red herrings, politics had […]
Some final words on the English GCSE farrago
It’s probably worth mentioning how the regrading lobby have reacted to the high court judgement that OFQUAL acted fairly. The main response I have encountered has been along the lines of “I/We know what a C grade looks like and our students should have got C grades”. This is the same argument that I have […]
Ofqual and GCSE English marking fiasco: are teachers being blamed or not?
Reflecting on “the ridiculously high expectations that force teachers to cheat and over-inflate grades just to keep their jobs and careers”, The Edu dicator wonders whether calling teachers ‘cheats’ - and then ‘over-defensive’ for contesting this - amounts to ‘teacher bashing squared’.
Ofqual’s absolute error
“The procedures were followed in schools. The exam boards agreed that the controlled assessments were marked to their own standards. And yet Ofqual still claim that it is the fault of us teachers, who prepared our students so well for the controlled assessment that we are being called cheats.” Teaching Science examines the GCSE exams fiasco using some classroom knowledge about statistical errors - and uses the analysis to put responsibility where it belongs.