Author Archives: Eddie Playfair

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About Eddie Playfair

I am a Senior Policy Manager at the Association of Colleges (AoC) having previously been a college principal for 16 years and a teacher before that. I live in East London and I blog in a personal capacity about education and culture. I also tweet at @eddieplayfair

2017 sees further increase in sixth form student research.

Posted on March 19, 2018 by Eddie Playfair

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 →

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Pathologically wrong: Humours and Miasma.

Posted on March 18, 2018 by Eddie Playfair

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 by Eddie Playfair

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 by Eddie Playfair

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 →

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Top posts of 2017.

Posted on January 1, 2018 by Eddie Playfair

Most popular posts of 2017 Of the posts I published on this site in 2017, the most read were: Sixth form resolutions for 2017: 3 modest resolutions to make 2017 better than its predecessor. 10 things which could improve education: … Continue reading →

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The narrative of the ‘poor bright child’.

Posted on December 30, 2017 by Eddie Playfair

The good we secure for ourselves is precarious and uncertain until it is secured for all of us and incorporated into our common life. Jane Addams. Earlier this month the government announced a £23m ‘future talent fund’ targeted at ‘bright’ … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Education policy | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Education is a human right

Posted on December 10, 2017 by Eddie Playfair

We mark Human Rights Day on December 10th and this year it is 69 years since the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) was adopted in Paris at a United Nations (UN) General Assembly in a post-conflict spirit of international … Continue reading →

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‘What if?’ – dystopias in fiction.

Posted on December 3, 2017 by Eddie Playfair

Fictional dystopias use the power of ‘what if?’ to change something or extrapolate particular social or technological trends and imagine the impact on people’s lives. The best ones are also good stories, well told, about people; their hopes, fears, feelings … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Fiction, Learning resources, Reviews, Students | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Learning through conflict.

Posted on November 19, 2017 by Eddie Playfair

Education, like all human endeavour, requires conflict, struggle, challenge, disagreement, argument, difference, dialectic, dialogue. If we want to learn or make anything new, we need to reach towards what we don’t know, to seek out the unknown. Education, and life … Continue reading →

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The East End’s ‘engine of progression’.

Posted on November 5, 2017 by Eddie Playfair

The East End’s ‘engine of progression’. In September, the Mail Online and others published articles extolling the achievements of the ‘Eton of the East End’, one of the highly selective sixth forms in Newham which have opened in recent years. … Continue reading →

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Being honoured

Posted on November 4, 2017 by Eddie Playfair

I was honoured to attend the 2017 Graduation ceremony for University of East London’s Sir John Cass School of Education and Communities on 1st November 2017. The ceremony granted UEL degrees in Early Childhood Studies, Education Studies, Social Work , … Continue reading →

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NewVIc class of 2017 progress to university.

Posted on October 29, 2017 by Eddie Playfair

The NewVIc class of 2017. Our class of 2017 was a diverse and ambitious cohort, full of great young people preparing to make a positive contribution by acquiring a range of professional skills and qualifications: 661 students progressed to higher … Continue reading →

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L’innovation pedagogique

Posted on October 28, 2017 by Eddie Playfair

Je suis chef d’établissement d’un Sixth Form College polyvalent du Centre-Est de Londres, c’est-à-dire un lycée pour les étudiants de première et de terminale qui préparent l’université. Nous offrons des programmes généraux, professionnels et des classes de rattrapage. Ça fait … Continue reading →

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Oxbridge admissions – time for action.

Posted on October 24, 2017 by Eddie Playfair

Last week’s news that Oxford and Cambridge universities are failing to diversify and broaden their undergraduate intakes to reflect British society was deeply depressing for anyone who believes in university access and participation as a social good. The story broke … Continue reading →

Posted in Education | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Life in the sixth form funding canyon

Posted on October 18, 2017 by Eddie Playfair

The chancellor is currently pondering his priorities for the forthcoming autumn statement on public spending and given the critical state of our public services there are plenty of worthy calls on resources. Without minimising the case for spending more on … Continue reading →

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