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Tag Archives: selection
Resisting classification
The way we use categories doesn’t do justice to the multi-layered complexity of the world. It’s often a short cut to sweeping assumptions and flawed policy. Continue reading
Posted in Education, Philosophy
Tagged agglomeration, categories, classification, complexity, disadvantage, Fyodor Dostoyevsky, inequality, Nick Sousanis, reality, reification, selection
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Why the comprehensive college?
When we talk about education, we are talking about both the personal and the social – the ‘small’ and the ‘big’. As individuals, what we know and can do goes to the very heart of our identity. We are engaged … Continue reading
The narrative of the ‘poor bright child’.
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 Education, Equality, Future Talent Fund, high, NewVIc, selection, Social mobility, university progression
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Reconstruction in an age of demolition
A national project is always a ‘work in progress’ as implied by the title of Carol Ann Duffy’s brilliant performance piece based on the words of people across the country during the EU referendum campaign. So what sort of work is … Continue reading
Dear candidates…
How to talk about post-16 education in the election campaign. Dear candidates, The general election campaign has started and you’ll be wanting to talk about all sorts of issues and hoping to win support. You can’t expect to be an … Continue reading
University Gold.
With some help from the Jackson 5: The proposal to classify English universities as Gold, Silver or Bronze is a stroke of genius. The perfect expression of the English obsession with ranking. So obvious, one wonders why we’re not already … Continue reading
Posted in Education, Education policy
Tagged class, Equality, Jackson 5, meritocracy, selection, Social mobility, university
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Your dogma, my principles.
Simplex and Sapiens are discussing the government’s plan to open more selective schools. Simplex: Our mission is to build a country that works for everyone. Sapiens: Sounds like a good starting point. Sim: Yes, it’s a vision of a truly … Continue reading
Posted in Education, Education policy, Politics
Tagged comprehensive education, dogma, Education, grammar schools, principle, schools, selection
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Arguments against selection
It looks like the ‘grammar school debate’ is about to be revived within government, so it seems a good time to dust down the case against selection. Here are links to 4 of my posts on this from last year, … Continue reading
Posted in Education policy, Politics
Tagged comprehensive education, Education, Equality, grammar schools, selection
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Life in the qualification market
‘The truth is in the whole’ and if we want to understand the impact of recent post-16 qualification reform on sixth formers’ experience of education we need to start with an overview of the whole educational landscape before analysing specific … Continue reading
Overlooked and left behind?
The latest report from the House of Lords Select Committee on Social Mobility runs to over 100 pages and makes some worthy points. However, it seems to support the idea that education in itself can improve mobility and fairness in the … Continue reading
Education: what’s it all for?
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
Tamsin Oglesby’s ‘Future Conditional’
When a play is dismissed by the Daily Mail as ‘lefty tosh’ it’s probably going to be worth seeing. I enjoyed Tamsin Oglesby’s polemical ‘Future Conditional’ which was full of debate and far from one-sided. This pacey ensemble piece which … Continue reading
Developing Labour’s vision for education
The heady summer campaign is over and a new leader has been elected. It’s time for the party to turn its attention to policy development as well as effective opposition. Across the whole spectrum of public policy, the party needs … Continue reading
Starting to think about a National Education Service
The hysterical reaction from some quarters to the election of a new Labour leader has been quite extraordinary. In his first week in post after an overwhelming victory, Jeremy Corbyn has been portrayed as ‘the most dangerous man in Britain’ … Continue reading
Russell group numbers soar in Newham
This year, more students than ever before are progressing from Newham Sixth Form College (NewVIc) to Russell group universities. Once again the college has the highest number of Russell group progressors of any Newham sixth form. 90 NewVIc students have … Continue reading
Eddie Playfair 