Category Archives: Education

A-level Drama in London.

Posted on March 6, 2016 by Eddie Playfair

Drama / Theatre Studies is an important area of study. It enriches the sixth form offer and provides students with opportunities to develop their cultural education, their understanding of the human condition, their confidence and ability to communicate well and work … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Education, Education policy | Tagged A levels, Colleges, curriculum, Drama and Theatre Studies, Education, liberal education, London, Sixth form, Sixth form college, young people | Leave a comment

Classical Capital.

Posted on March 1, 2016 by Eddie Playfair

Studying early civilizations helps us understand how people built sustainable ways of living together and made sense of the world many centuries before us. These civilizations have contributed so much to our own that studying them must form part of … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Education policy | Tagged A levels, Classical Civilization, collaboration, Colleges, curriculum, Education, Greek, history, Latin, liberal education, London, partnership, Sixth form, young people | Leave a comment

A sixth form profile for the ‘Local London’ area.

Posted on February 28, 2016 by Eddie Playfair

‘Local London‘ is one of London’s subregional local authority groupings. It consist of 8 boroughs and corresponds roughly to the East London sub-region for the post-16 area review. School sixth forms will not be part of the reviews but the … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Education policy | Tagged Area-based Reviews, Colleges, Education, Local London, London, Newham, Sixth form, Sixth form college, vocational education, young people | Leave a comment

Skill shortage, training shortage or job shortage?

Posted on February 21, 2016 by Eddie Playfair

Unpicking the ‘skills gap’ narrative. “The number of job vacancies unfilled because employers cannot find candidates with the appropriate skills has risen by 130% in 4 years” (UK Commission for Employment and Skills UKCET report, January 2016) When employers or … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Education policy | Tagged curriculum, economy, employment, liberal education, skills, skills shortage, Thijs van Rens, training, vocational education, young people | Leave a comment

A level languages in London.

Posted on February 20, 2016 by Eddie Playfair

What is the condition of A-level language provision in London’s sixth forms? Data from the 2015 performance tables show that: Over 5,500 London sixth formers entered A-levels in 19 different languages last year. Over two thirds of these were entered … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Education policy | Tagged A level languages, A levels, collaboration, Colleges, curriculum, Education, language learning, London, partnership, Sixth form | 1 Comment

Accessing the IB diploma

Posted on February 12, 2016 by Eddie Playfair

The International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma is a well-established internationally recognised qualification which provides students with an excellent grounding across a broad and balanced curriculum. It is based on a core; theory of knowledge, creativity, activity, service and an extended essay … Continue reading →

Posted in Education | Tagged citizenship education, collaboration, Critical thinking, curriculum, Education, global citizenship, IB Diploma, International Baccalaureate, liberal education, London, partnership, Post-16 funding, Tony Blair | Leave a comment

W.E.B. DuBois, black liberation and liberal education for all.

Posted on February 7, 2016 by Eddie Playfair

The great African American academic, socialist, peace and civil rights activist William Edward Burghardt DuBois (1868-1963) wrote about philosophy, sociology, history, race equality and education as well as writing fiction. He is best remembered for his The Souls of Black … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, History | Tagged African American, curriculum, Democracy, discrimination, Education, Equality, liberal education, Martin Luther King, Race equality, vocational education, W.E.B. DuBois | Leave a comment

A level minority report: Dance, Music, Philosophy.

Posted on February 5, 2016 by Eddie Playfair

I start from a belief that Dance, Music and Philosophy are wonderful A level subjects which should be accessible to sixth form students not too far from where they live as part of a broad educational offer. The published performance tables provide … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Education, Education policy, music | Tagged A levels, competition, curriculum, dance, Education, London, marketisation, music, philosophy, Sixth form, Sixth form college, young people | Leave a comment

More sixth formers doing research projects.

Posted on February 3, 2016 by Eddie Playfair

The continuing growth of Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) entries in England’s sixth forms is a sign that student research is increasingly valued. However, still only 9% of advanced level sixth formers have the opportunity to achieve it and many are … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, NewVIc | Tagged Critical thinking, curriculum, Education, England, extended project, London, National baccalaureate, Newham Sixth Form College, NewVIc, research, Sixth form, Sixth form college, Tech Bacc, Universities | 2 Comments

Jane Addams and Toynbee Hall.

Posted on January 31, 2016 by Eddie Playfair

Toynbee Hall, Commercial street, Whitechapel, 1921. Jane Addams of Chicago (aged 60) is visiting Europe. She is in conversation with a young Whitechapel schoolteacher while preparing for the arrival of four other eminent educators. If I may ask, Miss Addams, are … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, History | Tagged Chicago, Hull House, Jane Addams, London, Toynbee Hall, university settlements | Leave a comment

Is vocational education in England really ‘inadequate’?

Posted on January 30, 2016 by Eddie Playfair

The case for the prosecution: “Educational provision for the many children who do not succeed at 16 or who would prefer an alternative to higher education, is inadequate at best and non-existent at worst.” Michael Wilshaw, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector … Continue reading →

Posted in Education | Tagged Education, England, Michael Wilshaw, Newham Sixth Form College, NewVIc, Ofsted, Russell group, UCAS, university progression, vocational education | Leave a comment

Challenging Neurosexism

Posted on January 24, 2016 by Eddie Playfair

In her brilliant Royal Institution lecture last week, Professor Gina Rippon from Aston University comprehensively trashed ‘neurotrash’ and the harmful gender stereotypes which it perpetuates. The term ‘neurotrash’ refers to the inappropriate application of neuroscientific findings to everyday life. Gina … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Science | Tagged brain science, determinism, discrimination, Equality, Gina Rippon, inequality, neuroscience, neurosexism, neurotrash, Raymond Tallis, reductionism, Science, sexism | Leave a comment

Reducing London’s disadvantage gap.

Posted on January 19, 2016 by Eddie Playfair

There is much talk of the educational performance gap between disadvantaged students, eligible for free school meals (FSM), and their peers. One measure of success for sixth form students is progression to university of students reaching the end of their … Continue reading →

Posted in Education | Tagged disadvantage, Education, England, free school meals, London, Sixth form, Sixth form college, Social mobility, university progression, young people | 2 Comments

Education: what’s it all for?

Posted on January 17, 2016 by Eddie Playfair

The House of Commons Education Select Committee has launched an inquiry into the purpose of education and is asking the following 3 questions: What is the purpose of education for children of all ages in England? What measures should be … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Education policy | Tagged comprehensive education, curriculum, Education, Education select committee, evaluation, liberal education, marketisation, performance tables, purpose of education, selection | Leave a comment

Let’s celebrate vocational success!

Posted on January 16, 2016 by Eddie Playfair

I never cease to be surprised at how little most politicians and commentators know about vocational qualifications and their value. There is no shortage of people who will tell us that we need to ‘do something’ about vocational education in this country … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, NewVIc | Tagged aspiration tax, economy, Education, Newham Sixth Form College, NewVIc, Sixth form college, Universities, university progression, vocational education, young people | Leave a comment

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