Training of Teachers

Entry requirements for teacher training in England are too low and damage the status of the profession, according to this report by the Commons education select committee. It concludes that major reforms must be introduced to help newly qualified teachers make the transition from their initial training to their first teaching post.

Deaf Children And Social Care Provision

Research commissioned for the National Deaf Children's Society by the University of Manchester, and published in Every Child Journal, has revealed that social care and child protection services across England are failing deaf children and their families. As a result, deaf children are more likely to be abused, suffer mental health problems, struggle learning to read and become unemployed.

Reaching Disadvantaged Groups and Individuals

By the end of this year, all schools in England will be expected to offer access to a wide range of extended services (ES) from 8am - 6pm, 48 weeks a year, including school holidays. This DCSF report is aimed at uncovering some of the issues around extended services and disadvantaged groups and individuals.

World Religions In Schools In England

The national framework for RE insists that students should ‘learn from’ – not just ‘learn about’ - religions. This research summarises the findings from a study commissioned by the DCSF and carried out by the Warwick Religions and Education Research Unit to investigate the materials used in schools to teach about world religions as part of Religious Education (RE).

Illegal admission criteria for religious schools

This year's annual report by the chief schools adjudicator, Sir Philip Hunter, has confirmed that a disproportionally high number of faith schools failed to fully implement the government's new code on admissions. Yet, whilst the statistics are high, how many of the complaints made by parents are justified?

Back-room sponsors for new academy schools

The Government has been accused in court by parents of breaking European competition law in its 'back room' method of choosing sponsors for new academy schools. They fear that some sponsors are big profit-making companies whose best interests may not be shared by the schools they run. Since the 'open to tender' rules which govern sponsorship of schools generally do not apply to academies, is the government guilty of disregarding the basic principles of fairness, openness and equity of treatment in laying down the foundations of a new academy school?

Schools should think like supermarkets

There is currently much discussion about the importance of individual learning targets. Gareth Philips, Business Development Director of Education Development International, discusses the benefits of online assessment learning programmes to understand how each individual pupil learns in different subjects.

The first hundred days

Starting a new headship this term? Don’t leave first impressions to chance – take Jody Goldsworthy’s tips and set the right tone for your leadership from the start.