Monthly Archives: April 2015

The Big Hairy Bacc

Posted on April 29, 2015 by Eddie Playfair

Those political metaphors are great aren’t they? When he was an opposition spokesperson on education, Boris Johnson used to speak about the importance of ‘crunchy’ subjects, by which he meant Science and Maths, presumably in contrast to the soggy gruel … Continue reading →

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Young people and the election

Posted on April 27, 2015 by Eddie Playfair

Are young people turned off politics? Will they vote? Do they care who wins the election? Are all parties the same? Are the candidates just hacks mindlessly parroting their parties’ approved slogans? This week’s general election hustings at Newham sixth … Continue reading →

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Is social mobility enough?

Posted on April 24, 2015 by Eddie Playfair

Analysing the data in the recently published Sutton Trust Social Mobility Index* has made me reflect a bit on ‘social mobility’ as a goal of public policy. My conclusion: it’s a worthy but inadequate response to the many injustices and … Continue reading →

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From free school meals to university

Posted on April 19, 2015 by Eddie Playfair

The proportion of key stage 5 (KS5) advanced students eligible for free school meals (FSM) progressing to university is seen as a measure of social mobility. It’s clearly a statistic of interest, even if the data raise more questions than … Continue reading →

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Social Mobility measure ignores 62% of students

Posted on April 18, 2015 by Eddie Playfair

There seems to be a major flaw in the Sutton Trust Social Mobility measure which means that the university progression of 62% of disadvantaged advanced sixth formers studying in colleges has been excluded. The data is therefore only based on … Continue reading →

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Many colleges in one

Posted on April 16, 2015 by Eddie Playfair

A science college, an engineering technical college, a media technical college, a music industry college and several super-selective A-level providers offering a narrow range of subjects to high-achieving students. These are just some of the new sixth forms which have … Continue reading →

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Roberto Unger on school as the ‘voice of the future’

Posted on April 15, 2015 by Eddie Playfair

In his excellent book ‘The Left Alternative’ the Brazilian philosopher and politician Roberto Unger proposes a new way for progressives to think about the future and start creating the good society. Unger suggests we should not give up on the central promise … Continue reading →

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Which public service?

Posted on April 13, 2015 by Eddie Playfair

All 3 major parties are trying to outbid each other in pledging to increase spending on a key public service. They clearly recognise the vital importance of investing in this service for our future economic and social well-being. They also know … Continue reading →

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Nazim Hikmet: Hiroshima and Strontium 90

Posted on April 12, 2015 by Eddie Playfair

            I Come and Stand at Every Door (Hiroshima) I come and stand at every door But no one hears my silent tread I knock and yet remain unseen For I am dead, for I … Continue reading →

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Learning is dialectical

Posted on April 9, 2015 by Eddie Playfair

An attempt to start from first principles… There is now, there is before and there is after. Whatever time is, our awareness of it helps us distinguish between past and future. Within our own lived experience we understand the difference … Continue reading →

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Democratic emotions in the face of barbarism – Philippe Meirieu

Posted on April 8, 2015 by Eddie Playfair

In the aftermath of the massacre of 147 people at Garissa University College in Kenya on 2 April it is difficult to find any positive emotions to draw on. The slaughter of young people in their place of learning shocks … Continue reading →

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L’autonomie: pourquoi?

Posted on April 7, 2015 by Eddie Playfair

J’ai participé récemment au colloque organisé par l’AFAE (Association Française des Acteurs de l’Education) sur le thème de « l’autonomie pourquoi faire ? ». J’y ai présenté ma perspective en tant que chef d’établissement d’un lycée anglais: Avant 1992, les lycées anglais (les … Continue reading →

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