Archive for September, 2007
The debate must go on
Posted by David Conway in Education on 28/09/2007
In August we published a report questioning the value of higher national achievement at A-level. We were interested in examining whether yet another year of rising grades were a useful indicator of achievement and in particular, how these record grades were being obtained. One of the main ways that A-level grades have been increased has been through the introduction of the AS-level re-takes. This in itself tells us that the rise in A-level grades is not straightforwardly down to greater knowledge and skills amongst A-level students.
Where, oh, where are the reforms going?
Posted by James Gubb in Health on 27/09/2007
The ambiguous messages coming out of the government on the NHS have the potential to be highly damaging. Happily munching my cereal yesterday morning, the Today programme introduced a discussion with the Health Secretary, Alan Johnson, and I confess my initial reaction was, oh no, ‘here we go again’. But, while there was the compulsory dose of ministerial squirming, I actually came away reasonably optimistic that the reforms in the NHS weren’t going to be rolled back after all. Even the reverse?!
‘Independent’ QCA to be made… independent again
Posted by Nick Cowen in Education on 26/09/2007
Ed Balls, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families has just announced that the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority will be overhauled into an independent watchdog equivalent to the Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of England or the Food Standards Agency. This rather raises the question of what exactly the QCA is at the moment, considering that it is barely ever mentioned by ministers without the accompanying authoritative claim that it is an independent ‘guardian of standards’, and that an even more independent international panel has described the resulting exam system as one of the most tightly regulated in the world. Just how much more independent can you get? Apparently, much more.
Gord on Blighty
Posted by Nick Cowen in Immigration on 25/09/2007
‘Every citizen who answer[s] the call of the country – policemen and women, our security and emergency services, our health services – all le[ave] their mark on this island’s story by keeping us safe. They are the pride of Britain.
‘Just as our armed services with bravery and heroism every single day also make us proud. We mourn those who have been lost and we honour all those who in distant places of danger give so much to our country.’
So spoke Gordon Brown yesterday at the Labour Party conference in Bournemouth.
In response to the patriotic sentiments here expressed, one feels tempted to respond:
continued on the Centre for Social Cohesion blog.
‘Citizens’ jury’ or show trial?!
Posted by James Gubb in Health on 24/09/2007
The HSJ runs a headline article on Lord Darzi’s series of citizens’ juries, the first of which was held last week and attended by both the PM, Gordon Brown, and Alan Johnson, the Health Secretary. On the subject of these consultations, the enlightened Mr. Johnson said: “our principle aim is to get away from this view that the NHS is Whitehall – and DH-led – we want to get away from this top-down approach”. And then: “we want to create a healthcare system that is completely focused on patient care and moves away from structural change”. About time, one might think.
But then comes the shocking story narrated to a colleague of the consultant blogger, Dr Ray, who managed to attend this first ‘citizens’ jury’. Turns out it’s not a ‘citizens’ jury’ at all, more of a show trial for the NHS staged by the government. Afraid of something coming up you don’t like, what better solution than to hand-pick the audience and pay the ‘jury’ to say what you want to hear? One can only hope that Lord Darzi, a new-comer to the shady world of NHS politics, didn’t know this was happening.
Put to the test
Posted by James Gubb in Education on 21/09/2007
‘Pressure to reform tests’ runs the headline on the front of today’s Times Education Supplement (TES). The article reports that newly published evidence presented to the House of Commons Education and Skills Select Committee shows that criticism of current testing arrangements in schools have reached a climax. The TES reveals that out of the 52 submissions to the Committee, just one depicted today’s testing regime favourably. Needless to say, that one submission came from the old DfES.