Archive for September, 2008
Teachers’ verdicts on the three parties’ education policies
Posted by Pete Quentin in Education on 19/09/2008
Whilst the Liberal Democrats are having to work hard for coverage of their policy proposals this week, amidst a storm of financial and political crises, their education policies do appear to have caught the attention of teachers, according to a Times Education Supplement (TES) poll published today, writes Anastasia de Waal.
In the Graduation Olympics, Is Britain Ready for the High Jump?
Posted by Nick Cowen in Education on 16/09/2008
According to a recent OECD report, Britain has slipped down the international league table showing the graduation rates of different industrialised countries: that is, the proportion of their 25-34 year olds with degrees. Whereas eight years ago, Britain lay in fourth place, now it lies in 12th place.
How much should we care?
For broadcaster and self-styled ‘education-expert’ Mike Baker, Britain’s fall in the international rankings comes close to a national catastrophe, akin to Britain not winning any gold medals at the Olympics. On the BBC News website, he responds to the slippage by lamenting: ‘If the present [trend] … continues, countries such as the Czech and Slovak republics and Hungary will soon overtake UK graduation rates.’
Money matters
Posted by Pete Quentin in European Union on 15/09/2008
The EU is eager to prove itself as a geo-political force, most recently by leading negotiations to appease the troubles between Russia and Georgia. (That is if you discount the genius of the original peace deal constructed to enable Russia to legally continue its military force…)
But there is certainly a new, closer-to-home, battle which the EU still has to negotiate its way out of – it’s the economy stupid!
Especially for EU
Posted by Pete Quentin in Uncategorized on 10/09/2008
Valery Giscard d’Estaing explored the idea that Britain should be offered a ‘special status’ within the EU at a conference held in Westminster on Monday, writes Laura Kelleher. The former French President and author of the EU constitution reaffirmed his commitment to European integration, but suggested that British opt-out clauses should take the form of a ‘special status’ in future.
A 4-year sentence for a competely unprovoked killing
Posted by Claire Daley in Crime on 10/09/2008
Via Freeborn John, here is a haunting article by an anonymous police detective describing one violent death and our criminal justice system’s terrifyingly inadequate response.
Critical Mass: Government’s ‘Small’ Infant Classes Too Big
Posted by Claire Daley in Education on 09/09/2008
Infant classes of 20 or under needed to close the achievement gap
OECD figures out today show how poorly the UK continues to compare internationally on class size. Primary class sizes rank 4th largest at 25.8 (compared to the OECD average of 21.5). Additional government figures reveal that in England’s primary schools in 2007/08 the average class size was even higher, at 26.2 pupils per class. According to the evidence, this matters most in infant classes (for 4-7 year-olds, Reception to Year 2), which rose from 25.6 in 2006/07 to an average of 25.7 pupils per class.