Author Archives: Eddie Playfair

About Eddie Playfair

Principal of Newham Sixth Form College (NewVIc) East London. Blogging about education, politics and culture in a personal capacity. I also tweet at @eddieplayfair

My NewVIc story: Nathan Coulson

Posted on July 6, 2018

My NewVIc story: Nathan Coulson When I started at NewVIc , I was sixteen and I didn’t really know what I wanted to do. This was probably obvious from my A-level choices: Philosophy, English Literature, Classical Civilisations, Maths and Further … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Guest blogs, NewVIc, Students | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

My NewVIc story: Joseph Adelakun

Posted on July 5, 2018

My NewVIc story: Joseph Adelakun Former NewVIc student Joseph Adelakun is a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company and performed in the new RSC productions of Julius Caesar, Titus Andronicus and Antony and Cleopatra. At NewVIc, Joseph studied A-level Drama, A-level … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Guest blogs, NewVIc, Students | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Creating the conditions for a successful FE system

Posted on April 29, 2018

This week saw the launch of The FE and Skills System, a study by The Policy Consortium. Subtitled ‘The consequences of policy decisions – lessons for policymakers and stakeholders’, this thorough survey reaches deep into the heart of FE; drawing … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Education policy | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

2017 sees further increase in sixth form student research.

Posted on March 19, 2018

The steady rise in Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) entries in England’s sixth forms suggests that student research is increasingly valued. 8% of all advanced sixth form completers in publicly funded sixth forms are entered for it, however many are studying … Continue reading →

Posted in Education | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Pathologically wrong: Humours and Miasma.

Posted on March 18, 2018

Humours and Miasma: Science in Society 8. Humoral theory and miasma theory: two long-lasting medical paradigms now consigned to the history of human error but which shaped our ideas about health and disease and the development of medical practice and … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Science in Society, Students | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

My islands – by Line Mariani Playfair

Posted on March 11, 2018

I have always had a strong affinity for atlases and islands. Whether a single volcanic rock or one likely to fragment or disappear underwater, each one seems to be calling me, speaking to my imagination. I was fascinated by Thor … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Guest blogs, History | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Sixth form hopes for 2018.

Posted on January 1, 2018

I’ve been posting new year’s wishes for sixth form education since January 2015. This started with 5 ‘modest, realistic and realisable’ hopes. By 2016 the list had been cut to 4 and was then further reduced to 3 a year … Continue reading →

Posted in Education Futures, Education policy | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment