Agenda 2019

http://www.theguardian.com/education/2015/feb/01/primary-school-maths-grammar-nicky-morgan-education#comment-47016794 Primary school pupils face new maths and grammar tests under Tories   Why is this latest "set of punitive policies" labeled as a new initiative from the Conservatives? Teaching children multiplication tables and how to read by the age of 11 is not new, neither is it unique. Some years ago, more in fact that I care to remember, I attended the Ruby Street Primary School in London. The classroom of 1B, my first year class under Miss Cox, had posters around the walls with "Times Tables" on each of the posters ranging from 2 to 12, which had to be learned. Every child in the class (classes usually had 48 or more children at that time) had to learn by heart each of the tables and then had the daunting challenge of standing in front of Miss Cox, (and the assembled class) and reciting 2x2=4 and so on through to 12x12=144. Not all at t...

http://www.theguardian.com/education/2014/apr/26/school-meals-policy-epidemic-child-obesity-diet?guni=Keyword:news-grid%20main-1%20Main%20trailblock:Editable%20trailblock%20-%20news:Position2:anchor%20image   Top doctor slams schools policy for fueling epidemic of child obesity Children queue for healthy school lunches   Perhaps it is about time that the concept of "parental responsibility" was introduced into this seemingly circular debate. It may reasonably be assumed that the major number of meals, snacks etc are in fact consumed by "children" at home. It is all too easy to lump the responsibility for food selection onto the schools, academies or other institutions where children spend less than 10% of their time. True, these institutions have a role to play in the health of children specifically in the selection of food for the school canteen menu, but it is ridiculous to blame schools for the obesity of children, when as soon as "little Jo...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2013/may/17/primary-schools-supersize Number of primary schools with more than 1,000 pupils has risen by 60% in past three year     It wasn't so long ago that we were being told that there were too many primary school "places" and that some should be closed and the teachers made redundant. This "wave" of children will soon be seeking secondary education places and then university places. Some people have been critical for years of the lunacy of successive government closing schools of all levels , with the preposterous logic there were too many places for the existing demand and that advances in new technology and efficiency savings would ensure a higher standard of education. (Everyone knew of course that it was all about the government saving money as is usually the motive). The chickens now seem to be coming home to roost. Big is usually not better.