ISC Daily News Summary

14 December 2007


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Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Special needs pupils ‘given poor education'

Guardian, Mail
A child's chances of receiving extra help for a special educational need is dictated by geography, class, race and gender, rather than the nature of the learning difficulty, according to research by University of Bath research. Opposition MPs last night called for an overhaul of services in light of the research.
Help for special needs children 'matter of class, race and gender' (Guardian)
Special needs pupils ‘given poor education' (Mail not online)

General education

Prime Minister's public sector reforms

Times
The health, education, welfare and care services are to become more personal, Gordon Brown promised yesterday. In relation to education, he cited as examples one-to-one teaching in schools for those who needed it, from the most gifted pupils to those who were falling behind.
Personalised services promised in Gordon Brown's public sector reforms (Times)

General education

Competition ‘damages children in schools'

Daily Telegraph, Independent
Competition in the classroom may be damaging children's education, according to a review (led by Cambridge University) into primary schools. The review comes amid growing concerns over schooling, fuelled by the imposition of tests, targets and league tables.
Studies fault competition in primary schools (Daily Telegraph)
The key to your child doing well at school? Conversation in the home (Independent)

General education

Dud Sirs banned ‘forever'

Sun
Teachers sacked for incompetence will never work in British schools again, under a new Government crackdown. Ministers' reforms will force heads to report all dismissals to the General Teaching Council. The change comes after Sir Cyril Taylor, chairman of the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust said the futures of 400,000 children are at risk unless heads act to get rid of poor teachers.
Dud Sirs banned ‘forever' (Sun not online)

General education

Schools back off test trial

TES
More than one in seven schools pulled out of entering their pupils for a new form of national test this month amid fears about its impact on teachers' workloads, the TES reveals. Also in this week's TES...
In-depth analysis of the Children's Plan...
Teachers hit back at cyber-bullies...
Testing regime under scrutiny...
TES

Faith

Hindu school's admissions climbdown

Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph reports that Britain's first Hindu state school, the Krishna-Avanti school in Harrow, has been forced to back down on its vegetarians-only admissions policy after it was accused of being too strict.
Hindu school's admissions climbdown (Daily Telegraph not online)

Letters

Girlguiding UK applauds move on global education

Financial Times
Letter - Girlguiding UK applauds move on global education (Financial Times)

Letters

Poor prospects for the young

Times
Poor prospects for the young (Times)

Letters

Pack drill for the under-fives

Guardian
Letters: Pack drill for the under-fives (Guardian)

Other

Google schools

Internet search engine Google made a move into classrooms this week with the launch of a free resources service for British teachers. Visit www.google.co.uk/schools to find out more.

And finally...

An inspiring quote

"Headmasters have powers at their disposal with which Prime Ministers have never yet been invested" Winston Churchill.
Taken from this week's TES 'What they said' column.

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