History > 2007 > UK > Education (II)
 

11.15am

Schools warned

to improve or face closure

Wednesday October 31, 2007
EducationGuardian.co.uk
Anthea Lipsett


Gordon Brown today warned that schools that fail to meet targets on GCSE pass rates could face closure.

In his first major education speech as prime minister, Mr Brown signalled a return to a more punitive approach to education policy.

Every school must ensure 30% of their pupils achieve five grade A* to C GCSE passes within six years, he said.

In schools where fewer than three in 10 leavers have five good GCSEs - including maths and English - local authorities will be told to use the powers available to them to turn schools into academies, bring in private support or close them down altogether.

In 1997, more than 600 secondary schools had less than 25% of children getting five or more good GCSEs, compared with 26 schools in 2007. But the latest figures still show that in 670 schools less than 30% of pupils get 5 A* to C grades at GCSE (including English and maths).

"In the next five years, we will work to get all schools above 30%," Mr Brown said in a speech at the University of Greenwich.

There will be annual improvement targets for all schools that fall below the threshold, new incentives to get the best teachers to teach in the toughest schools and good schools will be brought in to help poorer schools improve.

Warning notices will trigger intervention powers, including new interim executive boards to take over the school management, and schools could face complete closure or takeover by a successful neighbouring school - including independents. Schools could also be transferred to academy status.

Mr Brown set out his ambition for Britain to have the best teachers in the world within a generation and said parents were vital to raising attainment.

He said Britain should learn from the best education systems in south-east Asia and Scandinavia, where competition for training places is often much stronger.

There will be a new focus on recruiting "the brightest and the best" to the teaching profession and nurturing career development.

"Ofsted say we now have the best teachers ever in our schools today. They should be valued and applauded for their work. Now our goal should be even bolder: to have a world-class teaching profession for all our pupils within a generation."

This will be done through raising the quality of recruits into teaching training and recruiting more talented people in mid- and late-career, he said. There will be more opportunities for teachers to do professional training and development, linked to performance assessment.

"We have improved standards in schools in disadvantaged areas. But we have not made enough progress in closing the gaps between individual pupils from different backgrounds.

In primary education, every child should reach the expected level in literacy and numeracy. For secondary education, it means all pupils making good progress with setting by ability and stronger classroom discipline.

This means more personalised learning, with more one-to-one tuition, small group teaching, a personal studies tutor for secondary school pupils, and more support for innovative teaching and learning strategies, he said.

"As we start to move to personalised testing, we must keep assessment under review to ensure that it supports learning and achievement and does not dominate teaching."

But Mr Brown said the single biggest factor in children's performance at school is parental involvement and interest. Schools will have to engage more regularly with parents, emailing on progress and holding more frequent meetings. Parents will have to reinforce the good discipline and behaviour set by headteachers.

The shadow children's secretary, Michael Gove, said he was pleased that the prime minister had "finally admitted we have a crisis in our schools".

He added it was "a tragedy" that children were leaving primary school at 11 without basic reading, writing, and maths skills.

"The need to sort our state education system is urgent, but he won't give schools the powers they need to deal with disruptive children and he won't focus on the fundamentals such as the fact that thousands of children aren't taught to read properly. Above all, he won't give every parent the right that now only the rich have - to take their child out of a failing school and put them in a better one, which is what the top performing countries in the world do and what Britain should do," he said.

Liberal Democrat shadow schools secretary, David Laws, said: "Crude threats of closure are not a replacement for good policy. Indeed, the threat of closure could deter good teachers and school leaders from taking posts in these challenging schools.

"Changes in policy, not aspirations masquerading as a strategy, are required if Britain's education system is going to meet the needs of all our young people.

"In particular, we need a 'pupil premium' to get funding to the most disadvantaged pupils, more real devolution of power allowing all schools to innovate, and immediate action to tackle the shortage of school leadership and specialist teachers."

Higher education

Mr Brown also called today for all young people to go on to higher education or an apprenticeship, promising substantial financial support to those who take either route.

Every 18-year-old who finds an employer to take them on for an apprenticeship will be entitled to an advance credit to meet the training costs, ranging from £3,000 for some skilled jobs up to £15,000 for a high-cost sector like engineering.

Mr Brown said Labour's ten years in power had moved the education system from "below average to above average" but more needed to be done.

"Our ambition must be nothing less than to be world class in education and to move to the top of the global education league.

"It is time to say not just that we will aim high, but that we can no longer tolerate failure, that no longer will it be acceptable for any child to fall behind, any school to fail its pupils, for young people to drop out of education without good qualifications without us acting," he said.

Mr Brown said boys' aspirations had to be raised through "personalised" learning that would give children "a thirst for education and knowledge that will stay with them long after they have left school".

He said the gifted and talented programme would be expanded to one million children. The numbers of student ambassadors from universities working in schools to promote higher education to younger pupils would be increased from 4,500 in 2003 to 7,200 now and the Aim Higher programme built on.

The recently established National Council for Educational Excellence will also report back to government on how to raise applications to university from comprehensives in disadvantaged areas.

Mr Brown said more people would be entitled to free nursery education and improved quality of childcare and early learning.

Liberal Democrat shadow universities secretary, Sarah Teather, said more work needed to be done to raise the status of vocational courses in schools so that pupils had the basic skills to become apprentices in the first place.

"The current learning grant of £30 a week, hailed by the prime minister, is clearly not enough to live on. It is outrageous that many of these people will be better off living on benefits rather than returning to education."

Schools warned to improve or face closure, G, 31.10.2007, http://education.guardian.co.uk/schools/story/0,,2202242,00.html

12.15pm update

More pupils achieve

top GCSE grades

Thursday October 18, 2007
EducationGuardian.co.uk
Anthea Lipsett


The government today said it had passed its target of increasing the number of pupils achieving A* to C grades in their GCSEs.

According to new figures from the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF), 61.5% of pupils in England scored at least five A* to C grades in their exams this summer, up 2.3 percentage points. Three years ago, the government set a target of 60% by 2008.

Some 46.5% of pupils achieved at least five A* to C grades, including maths and English, up 0.7 percentage points on last year. But those getting five A* to G grades, with maths and English, fell by 0.1 percentage points to 87.7% this year. The DCSF said this was "statistically insignificant" in a slow but gradually upwards-moving trend.

Jim Knight, the schools minister, said the government needed to do "roughly twice as well" as it had been doing. He vowed to increase the pace of improvement and to continue to narrow the gap between the highest and lowest attainers.

He added that to reach the target of at least 53% of young people getting five good GCSEs, including English and maths, by 2011 would require "a doubling of the current rate of improvement [1% a year on average]".

"Whatever the carping from the usual doom-mongers, 470,000 more young people since 1997 have got a better start in life," he said.

"There's been significant progress after inheriting a dire legacy - over half of schools had less than three in 10 pupils getting five GCSEs, including English and maths, 10 years ago. We've slashed that shocking figure to under a quarter."

Local authorities in disadvantaged areas are among those with the greatest improvements since 2006, according to the DSCF figures.

The numbers getting five A* to C-grade GCSEs, including English and maths, rose 4.7 percentage points since last year in Hackney and Southend, and 7.3 percentage points in Halton.

Between 1998 and 2007, pupils getting five A* to C grades in Tower Hamlets improved the most - by 30.1 percentage points - while in Hackney the number rose by 24.0 percentage points.

Mr Knight said he was pleased schools in local authorities with challenging circumstances, such as large numbers of children from disadvantaged backgrounds, were among those making the most progress.

He said: "Local authorities have got a responsibility to help drive up standards by intervening early to address slow or poor performance. I am challenging all LAs to do what the best are doing."

But he said eight failing schools would be turned into academies and one would be closed.

Commenting on the gloomy picture of English schools painted by the schools watchdog Ofsted yesterday, Mr Knight said: "The trend is clear and we are being successful in narrowing the gap in attainment between advantaged and disadvantaged schools. But when you look at it on per-pupil basis, the gap isn't widening - but it's not narrowing either.

"We're not doing badly to keep the gap as it is, but that's not good enough for us and we want to do better."

He said academies had performed better than their predecessor schools. "They continue to outperform their predecessor schools and show significant rates of improvement," he said.

Girls continued to outperform boys in their GCSEs, particularly at the higher grades: 66% of girls got five A* to C-grade GCSEs, compared to 57.1% of boys.

Mr Knight also defended his government's decision to make foreign languages no longer compulsory at key stage 4, which has resulted in fewer pupils taking language GCSEs. "Not as many numbers are getting an A* to C GSCE, but those who do remain are doing better," he said.

Steve Sinnott, general secretary of the National Union of Teachers, said the results were cause for celebration after the gloom generated by Ofsted yesterday.

He said: "The results paint an accurate picture of the very real efforts being made by secondary schools to improve the achievements and lives of their pupils.

"What we don't get with such a narrow attainment measure is a picture of the successes of other young people who do not hit the magic target of five A* to Cs at GCSE. We really do need a much more comprehensive way of highlighting the achievements of all young people in public examinations."

But shadow schools minister Nick Gibb said: "With fewer than half of children achieving this basic standard at GCSE, the government is complacent to be content with an annual improvement of below one per cent.

"After this week's Ofsted report showing that half of our secondary schools are not good enough, this is yet more evidence that the government is failing to deliver the quality of education that parents demand and children need.

"The government needs to focus its energies on spreading best practice, ensuring rigour in the curriculum, setting and streaming in all academic subjects and a real improvement in behaviour and discipline."

    More pupils achieve top GCSE grades, G, 18.10.2007, http://education.guardian.co.uk/schools/story/0,,2193611,00.html

Analysis:

Ofsted report

exposes social problems

October 17, 2007
From Times Online
Alexandra Frean
Education Editor

Ofsted’s annual report on education and children’s services in England highlights a number of seemingly intractable problems that extend far beyond the school gates.

The first is the huge social class divide between rich and poor children. Youngsters at the bottom of the pile, those in local authority care, are five times less likely than the average and eight times less likely than affluent children to achieve five or more good GCSEs, the report finds.

Christine Gilbert, Ofsted’s chief inspector, today boldly pointed out the “stark” relationship between poverty and educational achievement, warning that poorer children still have the "odds stacked against them” and highlighting the fact that a large proportion of the failing schools are to be found in the most deprived areas.

Only 12 per cent of 16-year-olds in care and just 33 per cent of pupils on free school meals (FSM, the proxy measure for poverty) gained five or more good GCSE’s, compared to 61 per cent of non-FSM youngsters.

Ms Gilbert is brave too to draw attention to another running sore in the Government’s record - the ten per cent of 16 to 18-year-olds not in education, employment or training, known as NEETs.

“The risk to young lives behind these statistics is alarming and unacceptable: over 200,000 young people without a foot in the door to the world of work,” she said.

Any suggestion that things might be improving for this group is squashed by her comment that “it is, frankly, hard to find encouragement” from Ofsted’s inspection service.

These two massive social problems are linked and depend on factors that extend far beyond the school gates, to cover a range of factors including family background and health.

Ms Gilbert hopes that Ofsted’s new responsibilities (it has taken over the inspection of children’s services and adult education in the last year) will give it greater leverage across a wide range of services to effect change in these areas.

It should be a lot easier, however, to solve another of the problems highlighted in today’s report: the lack of enthusiasm in many schools and colleges for vocational learning.

Indeed, Ms Gilbert notes that students often seem far more enthusiastic about such opportunities than some of their teachers. She blames this divide on a misguided tendency among teachers to associate vocational teaching with the least able students.

    Analysis: Ofsted report exposes social problems, Ts Online, 17.10.2007, http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/education/article2678574.ece

3.15pm update

Half of secondary schools must do better

Wednesday October 17, 2007
EducationGuardian.co.uk
Anthea Lipsett


Nearly half of England's secondary schools do not give pupils a good enough education, the schools watchdog warned today.

Her majesty's chief inspector of education, children's services and skills, Christine Gilbert, called for renewed efforts to close the gap between disadvantaged children and their better off peers.

Ofsted inspectors found 49% of secondaries were rated no better than "satisfactory", which is no longer deemed good enough.

Ms Gilbert said: "I make no apology for emphasising our ambition and our sense of urgency."

"I see no reason why every school should not now aspire to be a good school."

Launching the Ofsted annual report today, Ms Gilbert said not enough was being done to raise achievement and aspirations, particularly among children in care, but there was evidence that the gap could be narrowed.

Ms Gilbert said: "The gap between outcomes for those with advantages in life and those with the least is not reducing quickly enough. Only 12% of 16-year-olds in care achieved five or more good GCSEs in 2006 compared with 59% of all 16-year-olds.

"This cannot be right and we need to do more. There is no quick fix but providers should learn from what works."

The report warned that the relationship between poverty and outcomes for young people was "stark", suggesting the impaired performance of disadvantaged children was reflected in their test results.

Schools in deprived areas are more likely to be judged inadequate than those in more affluent areas. Children who are eligible for free school meals are unlikely to be in employment, education or training when they reach adulthood, said the report.

But Ms Gilbert said the overall picture for schools was a good one. Of 6,848 schools inspected in 2006-07, 14% were deemed to be outstanding, up from 11% last year. A further 46% were judged to be good and 34% satisfactory.

The proportion of schools judged inadequate in 2006-07 fell from 8% to 6% and the proportion of inadequate secondary schools fell from 13% to 10%.

However, the chief inspector said the proportion of inadequate schools - 5% of primary and 10% of secondary - was "a significant concern".

"In many of these schools pupils progress is hampered by poor basic skills in literacy and numeracy. It cannot be right that 20% of pupils leave primary schools without a solid foundation in literacy and numeracy," she said.

More "focused inspection" could help improve schools and Ofsted would continue to concentrate on schools where outcomes for children are deemed not good enough.

Attendance in schools inspected in 2006-07 was better than the previous year. Behaviour was found to be good or outstanding in 88% of schools and only satisfactory in 29%.

Ed Balls, the children and schools secretary, expressed concern over Ofsted's conclusion that there was still a clear gap between the achievements of the majority of children and those from disadvantaged families.

"The relationship between poverty and outcomes for young people set out in today's report is stark - the poor performance of children in disadvantaged areas is seen in early learning, national curriculum tests and GCSEs. It is a rallying call to us to redouble our efforts," he told the annual conference of Directors of Children's Services/Directors of Adult Social Services in Bournemouth.

"No child should be held back because of poverty and disadvantage, or deterred from going to the best school because of where they live or their family background, their ethnicity or their disability," he added.

The schools minister Lord Adonis called the annual report "the most positive and encouraging assessment that we have seen of our schools".

"It highlights the great progress we have made, but also the scale of the challenge ahead of us to create world class standards in every school and college in every part of the country," he said.

The National Union of Teachers said the report would be welcomed in the sector for the "generally positive picture painted of schools". But the general secretary, Steve Sinnott, said Ms Gilbert was "right to highlight the impact of poverty on socially deprived youngsters".

    Half of secondary schools must do better, G, 17.10.2007, http://education.guardian.co.uk/schools/story/0,,2192924,00.html

The primary cause for concern

Our young children are anxious, badly behaved, stressed, depressed and obsessed with the cult of celebrity, according to the first in-depth report into primary schooling for four decades

Published: 12 October 2007
The Independent
By Richard Garner, Education Editor

Primary schools have been engulfed by a wave of "anti-social behaviour, materialism and the cult of celebrity", according to the most in-depth study for 40 years.

The study, the first major investigation into primary schooling since the Plowden report in 1967, paints a grim dystopian picture of a "loss of childhood" among the 3.5 million children in state primary schools.

It also reveals a decline in mutual respect for fellow pupils and teachers and warns of a growing lack of cohesion and family life.

"Today's children, it was generally felt, are being forced to grow up too soon and the prospects for society and the world they will inhabit look increasingly perilous," it states.

The study was conducted by a team of researchers headed by the Cambridge-based academic Professor Robin Alexander, who is also professor of education emeritus at Warwick University. Advisers to the inquiry, which is funded by a leading charity involved in the world of education – the Esme Fairbairn Foundation, include Dame Gillian Pugh, former head of the National Children's Bureau,

Its conclusions echo the findings of a report by Unicef earlier this year which found children in the UK were the unhappiest in the Western world as a result of tensions brought about by the lack of social cohesion in the country.

Those findings were given short shrift by government ministers who claimed they were based on out-of-date statistics. However, sources for the Alexander review stressed that its findings were based on more than 750 interviews conducted with parents, teachers, heads and pupils throughout the past year.

The study said it had found a surprising level of unanimity amongst its witnesses over the bleak world inhabited by pupils attending today's primary schools.

Throughout the country, children interviewed expressed similar fears which plague their everyday lives outside school – traffic, the lack of safe play areas, rubbish, graffiti and gangs of older children. Inside the classroom, the recent proliferation of tests, particularly SATs, were frequently described as "scary" and stressful.

Teachers sounded the alarm over pupils' frequent access at home to internet and games consoles material ranging from the "unsuitable" to the "pernicious", and an obsession with celebrity, learnt through all forms of media.

Witnesses told researchers of their concern that pupils were fed a diet of "wall-to-wall television" outside of school – which had led them to see TV stars and celebrities as their idols.

They also spoke of parents having "little control" over their children's demands for new gadgetry – such as their own TV sets, mobile phones, the internet and games consoles.

They also criticised a rampant consumerism among the very young, a result of many parents succumbing to children's demands for new gadgetry.

Antisocial behaviour was also a major concern for interviewees, who cited "pervasive and threatening levels of aggression among older children", as well as an unacceptable presence of knives, drugs and guns, particularly in urban areas.

The authors of the study said the cumulative evidence had shown "deep anxiety about the condition of childhood today and the society and world in which children are growing up". Anxiety was also expressed, particularly by pupils, about what they termed the "growing crisis of climate change".

The study warned that the pressures of constant testing at school was also exacerbating antisocial behaviour in the classroom with pupils bored by constant teaching to the test and a narrow and rigid curriculum based on the the three Rs.

"We were increasingly told that children were under intense pressure – and perhaps excessive pressure – from the policy-driven demands of their schools and the commercially driven demands of the wider society," the report says.

Witnesses also claimed the primary school curriculum was "too narrow and rigid" and "the curriculum and children's educational careers are being compromised by the national tests (especially for 11-year-olds)".

The review is the first since the 1967 report by Lady Plowden ushered in a new era of child-centred education. During the 1980s and 1990s, successive Conservative and Labour administrations reined back on its findings to return to a more formal era of education.

The study also reports widespread dissatisfaction with the standards of modern parenting. It complains of parents' low aspirations for children and said many were "passing the buck for their children's socialisation to schools".

Teaching assistants, in particular, were concerned about "what is summed up as the 'loss of childhood', a combination of pressures from school, parents, peers, media and commerce combined with the increase in marital breakdown and family instability".

Measures to combat the problems included an increase in parenting classes. In addition, the report will go on to look at whether children in the UK start formal schooling at too young an age and could benefit through more learning through play up to the age of six – as happens in many other European countries.

Steve Sinnott, general secretary of the National Union of Teachers, said: "From the evidence, it is quite obvious that a review of the primary curriculum and national curriculum testing is long overdue."

A spokeswoman for the Department for Children, Families and Schools said: "The vast majority of children go to better schools, enjoy better health, live in better housing and in more affluent households than they did 10 years ago."

She added: "The Government does not share the view that children are over-tested. Tests help parents and teachers monitor the progress of children and ensure they get the help they need."

The Parent

Katie Appleyard, 24, Hempland Primary School, York

I have two boys, aged seven and two, and walk to school with them. I know the seven-year-old would love to walk to school on his own and it's only 10 minutes away butI wouldn't allow that. You never know who's about and you can't take that sort of risk at such a young age. I like to know that he's safe on his way in, and the only way to ensure that is to take him myself. Maybe I'll let him go alone when he's 10 or 11.

Children as young as seven now know so much about gadgets that it is impossible to satisfy all their demands. I allow them for a birthday or Christmas present but the demands come every day. They know what's on the market, they see adverts on telly, and they talk about it with their mates. Rather than make do with what they have, they want more and more. Mobile phones, iPods and PlayStations are all incredibly expensive, and within no time they're out of date.

Parents need to exert control over how much time their children spend with technology. But there is only so much I can do: even with parent-control software, the internet is full of lurking dangers. I do sometimes worry that adults like me are projecting their own fears onto children. It's a constant challenge as a parent to stay positive rather than paranoid.

The Pupil

George Bolton, 10, Bonneville School, London

Children should be allowed to have more fun in schools. Whether or not playtime is safe depends on what time of day it is – me and my friends do worry about playing in the dark, but otherwise generally don't care.

In all schools I think there should be different rules for children of different ages. So if the children are under five they shouldn't be allowed to play certain sports, but older than five they should be allowed to try most things.

The majority of the kids are well behaved in my class. There will always be clowns in every classroom, it's just important to ignore them.

I think we should be taught less ancient history, which seems irrelevant, and more about what's going on in our local community, and how we can contribute.

Children my age love exciting ideas, and like to be taken seriously. But sometimes in school you hear about things that adults should keep to themselves. That's how I feel about climate change. Me and my mates should be thinking about day-to-day things, not saving the world – that's what politicians are for. I do sometimes feel in class like the people teaching me are just teaching me to worry. But I've got years to worry about their problems, so why should I now?

The Year 6 Teacher

Michael Dinsmore, 41, Hillbrook School, London

We are becoming more risk-averse in our attitude to childhood. As a teacher, I do worry about exposing children to even small dangers because I'm very worried about litigation. You become professionally cautious about doing something that involves risks in case it comes back to you, justin case something goes wrong. I'm lucky in that I work at a school which will protect me.

A culture of targets and testing is inhibiting what teachers can do. In Year 6 this makes teaching less enjoyable, as children aren't being stimulated like they could be. The aim of the curriculum now is to ensure kids pass tests in a few key areas, rather than produce rounded pupils by harnessing potential. But I'm dubious about the validity of test results, because all they show is that pupils are trained to answer questions effectively.

Education is increasingly bureaucratic, with interference at various levels. The curriculum itself is too focused on English, maths, and science. This means that what we're required to teach children can end up being dull and restricted, when teachers should be given licence to explore anything and everything. We need to give teachers the flexibility to excite children's minds, rather than train them to be replicas of each other.

    The primary cause for concern, I, 12.10.2007, http://news.independent.co.uk/education/education_news/article3052345.ece

6pm update

Darling announces extra education spend

Tuesday October 9, 2007
EducationGuardian.co.uk
Anthea Lipsett

The education budget will rise to £74bn in 2010, the chancellor, Alistair Darling, has announced.

The chancellor told the Commons in today's pre-budget report that an extra £2bn would be invested in health and education.

The proposed budget will mean a rise in education and skills spending as a percentage of GDP to 5.6%, compared with 4.5% 10 years ago. Education spending in England will rise on average by 2.8% a year in real terms between 2007-08 and 2010-11.

The extra money will include plans for a new primary school in every "local area" by 2010, Mr Darling said. He also announced £250m to fund personalised learning support for all schoolchildren.

Mr Darling said there will be additional spending by 2010-11 of £14.5bn on education and £900m on science.

The government also promised to improve the population's skills and promote world-class science, innovation and research in the UK.

The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills' budget on higher education and skills will rise from £14.2bn in 2007-08 to £16.4bn by 2010-11 to implement the recommendations of the Leitch review.

There will also be increasing public investment in the science base from £5.4bn in 2007-08 to £6.3bn by 2010-11 to implement the recommendations of the Sainsbury review.

Total public support for business innovation through the Technology Strategy, amounting to over £1bn, will aim to ensure the UK's continued success in generating new ideas and using them in wealth creation.

The schools secretary, Ed Balls, said the £200m new capital investment, together with further funding of £550m available within the existing settlement for the Department of Children, Schools and Families, would be used to accelerate the renewal primary school buildings.

A total of 275 primary schools - at least one in every local authority - would be rebuilt or refurbished starting by 2010-11, he said. This is on top of the 400 primary schools covered by previously announced primary capital plans.

The money comes on top of £1.15bn set out in the department's spending review settlement announced as part of last year's budget, making a grand total of £1.9bn to rebuild, remodel and refurbish primary schools over the next three years.

Chris Keates, general secretary of teaching union NASUWT, said: "The school workforce has responded magnificently to what has been a punishing agenda of change and has more than justified the high level of investment received to date.

"Even though the settlement exceeds the budget predications, schools have to look carefully at their priorities.

"As there are no signs of the pace of change abating, pay, working conditions and job security of teachers must be at the top of the list if the government's ambition to continue to raise standards and narrow achievement gap are to be realised. But clearly, the government will need to support schools by rationalising and prioritising its own ambitious programme for education."

She said the union was keen to discuss plans for a new primary school in every local authority and how the money would be distributed.

"Any new-builds will need to reflect the changing nature of schools and meet the needs of the more diverse workforce," she said.

Alan Smithers, professor of education at Buckingham University, said the budget for education was "tight" and would be "experienced as a cut" by schools.

"It represents somewhere between [a] 2.5% and 2.8% [rise] after allowing for inflation and in the recent past, 2000-03, the rate of increase was over 7% a year, and most recently it has been 4.4%."

The slower growth rate would make it hard for schools to find the money for the various government schemes, such as helping children falling behind in literacy and numeracy to catch up, he said.

"To find money for all that will bear down quite heavily on teachers' salaries," Prof Smithers suggested. There will be no room for a more generous pay settlement in this budget, he said.

The general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, John Dunford, agreed that funding will be tight. "Although education has a more generous settlement than other departments, funding will be tight and increases in school and college budgets will not match new demands in some parts of the country. Education ministers will have to put a stop to the torrent of initiatives that we have had in recent years, so that schools can use their funding on the core business of teaching and learning.

"There are real concerns about the allocation of funds to meet the additional costs of the new diplomas. Starting a new curriculum is always costly in the first few years, until it is established, especially when the take-up is very patchy as it will inevitably be with the diplomas."

The Association of Teachers and Lecturers described the announcement as a "mixed blessing".

Its acting deputy general secretary, Martin Johnson, said: "We are very pleased nearly £1bn is being allocated to fund the refurbishing and rebuilding of primary schools. This will help make all schools and classrooms fit for use, and finally put an end to children having classes in leaking and rotting huts.

"It is good the government has recognised the impact of social class on children's achievement. Breaking the link between class and achievement is the biggest challenge facing schools today. We hope to work with the government to agree measures to help lift the achievement of all children - particularly those from deprived backgrounds."

Steve Sinnott, general secretary of the National Union of Teachers, said: "Many of the measures such as increased funding for personalised learning and new investment for primary schools honour previous government commitments. Maintaining growth has got to be a good message for the education service.

"I want the chancellor now to announce when he intends to meet the target of raising state education funding to private school levels. In order to maintain teaching as an attractive profession there has to be sufficient funding to enable teachers' salaries to at least keep pace with inflation."

The University and College Union warned that unless the government commits itself to at least matching the spending on further and higher education that competitor countries enjoy then the UK risks being left behind.

UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: "It is of course encouraging that the chancellor set out his support for education in his statement today. However, we need clear commitments from government for greater public investment in post-school education. All politicians tell us that education is a priority but rhetoric alone cannot support our universities and colleges."

Total capital investment in schools will rise over the CSR period from £6.4bn today to over £8bn by 2010-11 - a sevenfold increase in real terms since 1997. The schools minister, Jim Knight, will set out detailed school capital allocations for each local authority shortly.

Details on how the additional £250m will be spent to help ensure that all children at school are ready to learn and can benefit from personalised services and support will be announced as part of the Children's Plan expected towards the end of the year.

Mr Balls said: "Our task in the next decade is for our education system to become world class. We need to transform national aspirations and expectations for the school system so that we can continue to raise standards year on year.

"Our forthcoming Children's Plan will ensure that every child has the chance to make the most of their talents and fulfil their potential, and deliver genuine opportunity for every child with the best possible start in life and all the support they need to be happy, healthy and successful.

"Today's settlement guarantees that we can continue to work towards a prosperous, fair and cohesive society, where no child is held back by the circumstances of their birth and every child is able to fulfil their potential."

    Darling announces extra education spend, NYT, 9.10.2007, http://education.guardian.co.uk/schools/story/0,,2187137,00.html

Parents must keep barred pupils at home

· £50 fine each time an excluded child roams
· New law part of drive to improve school discipline

Wednesday September 5, 2007
Guardian
Owen Bowcott and James Meikle


Parents whose children are suspended from school because of bad behaviour will be required to keep them indoors or face fines of up to £1,000. Laws coming into force this week will compel parents to put excluded pupils under home detention and prevent them from roaming the streets during the first five days of an exclusion order.

Introduced under the Education and Inspection Act 2006, the powers reinforce the government's "respect" agenda and reflect its determination to improve classroom discipline.

Announcing the changes, the schools secretary, Ed Balls, said: "It is important that parents take a central role when a child is excluded - making sure they are at home working, rather than treating the exclusion as a holiday or an excuse to wander the streets."

Parents will face a £50 fixed penalty every time an excluded pupil is found in a public place without justification. If the fine is not paid within 42 days, parents could face prosecution and a fine of up to £1,000.

The regulations also require parents to attend "reintegration interviews" with a headteacher where they will discuss strategies for improving the child's behaviour. Pupils will have to be given full-time schooling after the first five days of any exclusion; previous rules required this only after 15 days.

Mr Balls also urged more schools to begin teaching children about emotional wellbeing, social interaction and how to be graceful losers.

He said he hoped that secondary schools would take up the social and emotional aspects of learning (Seal) programme, which has been successful in primary schools. "Good discipline and strong leadership are vital for driving up standards in our schools," said Mr Balls. "But schools can only do so much in isolation. Parents have to be responsible for instilling right and wrong too."

The proposals on exclusions were broadly welcomed by the Liberal Democrats, but the party's education spokesman, David Laws, said that "the devil is going to be in the detail. Single parents who go out to work will not always find it easy to check up on their children throughout the day."

Steve Sinnott, general secretary of the National Union of Teachers, said: "Schools will welcome this positive message on tackling unacceptable pupil behaviour."

The shadow children's secretary, Michael Gove, said: "Let's not kid ourselves that these measures, welcome as they are, do anything like enough to solve the behaviour problem in our schools."

Margaret Morrissey, spokeswoman for the National Confederation of Parent Teacher Associations, said: "We have had the same kind of orders used by local authorities in terms of truancy, and there's no evidence to show they have been effective."

The government also announced yesterday that it would pay high-performing primary and secondary schools up to £300,000 in extra funding to merge or federate with weaker ones as part of a drive to raise standards.

Schools which take on the lead role in a new programme will automatically become semi-independent academies or trust schools.

    Parents must keep barred pupils at home, G, 5.9.2007, http://education.guardian.co.uk/pupilbehaviour/story/0,,2162622,00.html

1pm

Writing standards in primaries fall again

Thursday August 30, 2007
EducationGuardian.co.uk
Donald MacLeod

Standards in basic maths and reading among seven-year olds in England showed no improvement this year while fewer reached the expected writing skills for the second year running.

Although there are no government targets for seven-year-olds, the results call into question the improvements in primary schools ministers claim to have brought about by introducing policies such the literacy and numeracy hours.

Lord Adonis, the schools minister, said high standards had been maintained at this crucial stage in education.

Assessments by primary school teachers across England saw writing results fall again with 80% of seven-year-olds reaching the standard expected of their age group, down from 82% in 2005.

There were no improvements in results for assessments in reading, speaking and listening, maths or science.

Boys lag behind girls in all subjects, including mathematics, although the gap is smaller than in reading and writing.

By the age of seven children are expected to have reached level 2 in the subjects assessed.

Today's figures showed:

- In writing, 80% of pupils reached level 2, compared with 82% in 2005;

- In maths, 90% reached level 2, the same as last year but one point down from 2005;
In science, 89% of children reached the expected level, also no improvement from 2006 and one point down on 2005.

- In writing, 86% of girls reached level 2 - down one point on last year. But for boys the figure was far lower, with just 75% able to make the grade in writing this year.

Speaking and listening skills also suffered, with standards lower this year than two years ago.

Lord Adonis said: "While there has been real progress over the last 10 years, we need to continue to push for year-on-year improvement because it is vital that all children gain a thorough understanding of the basics. That is why we are doing much more to support early reading, writing and maths."

"From this September phonics will be central to the teaching of early reading for all children and six-year-olds who struggle with reading will get extra support through intensive, daily tuition. Early findings show that pilot schools involved in the Every Child A Reader programme are already seeing improvements in reading," he said.

The government has asked Sir Peter Williams to conduct a review of primary maths and from this year children will focus more on mental arithmetic, including learning times tables one year earlier.

The Liberal Democrat spokesman on children, schools and families, David Laws, said it was a "national disgrace" that one in four boys did not have the basic writing skills at the age of seven.

"These figures will be very disappointing for ministers as boys continue to perform far worse than girls, and improvement overall has stalled or in some cases is even going backwards. The government has lost the momentum of improvement in primary school standards and is now unlikely to meet its targets," he said.

The test results were not as hyped up as other key stages because the assessment was done by teachers but they could still narrow the curriculum, said Martin Johnson, acting deputy general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL).

He said evidence from other developed countries showed those with the highest attainment overall start their formal education when children are older. "All our feedback shows that young children learn best through play," said Mr Johnson.

He added: "We need politicians to rethink their blind devotion to external tests and statistics and listen to education professionals and parents, who know the current system of endless national testing is narrowing the curriculum and putting children off learning."

    Writing standards in primaries fall again, G, 30.8.2007, http://education.guardian.co.uk/schools/story/0,,2159016,00.html

Another rise in top GCSE grades

Thursday, 23 August 2007
12:41 GMT 13:41 UK
BBC News

Top grades have improved again on average in the GCSE exam entries across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

More than 600,000 students have been getting results, almost one in five of which were an A* or A - up 0.4 percentage point to 19.5%.

The proportion of entries getting grades of A* to C rose from 62.4% to 63.3%, a rise of 0.9.

The gender gap narrowed, but with girls still ahead. There were more science entries but fewer in French and German.

A head teachers' leader accused businesses of failing to signal languages as a priority in order to make them an attractive option for youngsters - which industry leaders denied.

However, there was a 3% increase in the number of entries for Spanish and other modern languages as a whole - these include such things as Chinese, Arabic and Polish - were up 5%.

The statistics were published by the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) - representing the main examination boards.

The total number of full course GCSE entries rose a little to just over 5.8 million.

About 70% of those were taken by 16-year-olds, with 14% taken by those aged under 16, 11% by those aged 16 to 18 and 5% by students aged over 18 - of whom there were some 50,000.

Results in both English and maths improved slightly, with more pupils scoring at least a grade C in these two key subjects than last year.

In English, the proportion being graded from A* to C went up from 61.6% to 62.2%. For maths, the proportion rose from 54.3% to 55.2%.

Girls still outshine boys at almost every subject, but boys continue to catch up across the grades, narrowing the gap.

For example, in grades A* to C, the gap narrowed by 0.6 percentage points.

Independent top grades

A JCQ presentation showed a fall in the past two years in the proportion of entries from people in independent schools awarded A* and A grades.

Exam officials said the reason for this was not clear. They dismissed the idea that it was because some 200 of the top, selective independent schools had adopted International GCSEs (IGCSEs).

The schools regard these as more rigorous qualifications - but they are not reported with the GCSE results and do not count in government league tables.

But the Independent Schools Council (ISC) said that was precisely the reason for the change.


---

GCSEs: KEY FACTS
19.5% entries graded A* or A
63.3% graded A* to C
Overall pass rate 98%
French and German entries down
Single science entries up

---

It said that the % of A* and A grades when IGCSEs were included rose from 56.9% to 57.2% last year.

"We fully anticipate it will rise again this year."

It accused the JCQ of trying to distract the media's attention from the "hard subject" debate.

Last year 84% of pupils taking GCSEs or IGSCEs at ISC schools achieved five A*-C grades including maths, English, one science and one foreign language, it said. In state schools the figure was 44%.

Basic skills

Schools minister Jim Knight congratulated students.

He said was particularly pleased that the gap had narrowed a little further this year between boys and girls.

He acknowledged that some businesses were not happy with school leavers' basic skills.

This was why schools were being required to meet "much tougher" standards in these core areas, he said.

Shadow children, schools and families secretary Michael Gove said it was important we celebrate the achievements of young people.

"The more young people who master key skills, stay on in education and deepen their knowledge, the stronger our society and the more competitive our economy."

Another rise in top GCSE grades, BBC News, Thursday, 23 August 2007, 12:41 GMT 13:41 UK,  http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/6958992.stm

One in four A-level results

is now an A grade

August 16, 2007
From Times Online
Nico Hines and agencies

A record one in four A-level exams resulted in an A grade this year, as the pass rate rose for the 25th year in a row.

For the first time ever more than a quarter of exams were given A grades. Students in Northern Ireland scored even higher, with a third of all A-level exams warranting an A, the exam boards say.

The rising results came despite a revival in numbers of candidates sitting traditional, more difficult subjects. The fastest growing subjects included the sciences, mathematics and further mathematics.

There was evidence of increasing grade inflation across all subjects, however, with one in ten students receiving at least three A grades. With so many students achieving straight A grades, universities and employers complain that it has become increasingly difficult to differentiate between candidates.

Stephen Williams, Liberal Democrat education spokesman, responded to the record results with a renewed call for a review of A-level standards, amid fears of dumbing down.

But Jim Knight, the schools minister, said it was “a real shame” that once again critics were undermining the hard work of the students. A review of A-level standards was carried out three years ago.

As the results envelopes landed on doormats this morning, there was joy and despair - and sometimes both. One father, whose twin daughters both secured five A grades today, described the system as a “lottery”.

Tania and Mahua Bhaduri both plan to study medicine, but while Mahua has secured a place at Imperial College London, Tania - described by her father as the brighter of the two - has been rejected by all five of her university choices and will have to take a gap year before reapplying next year.

“They can’t differentiate between bright and brighter and this is a problem. The two girls both did very well but only one of them got a place to go to university," said Dr Bim Bhaduri, their father. “I’m very proud of them but I’m disappointed by the system.”

Next year A levels will be reformed to include more difficult questions, and in 2010 a new A* grade will be introduced for the best students.

Dr Mike Cresswell, director general of the AQA exam board, argued that exams were not becoming easier. He pointed to the fact that results were improving most rapidly in independent schools and grammar schools, he suggested that if exams were becoming easier there would have been improvements across all schools.

“Whatever the usual grumpy old persons want to say about how it used to be much harder in their day, what we want to say is congratulations to the students,” he said.

Overall, 96.9 per cent of candidates taking A levels this summer achieved at least a grade E pass - up from 96.6 per cent last year.

Girls continued to score better grades than boys in every major subject apart from further maths and foreign languages.

The last ten years has seen a dramatic increase in the A grades awarded. In 1997, only 15.7 per cent of A-level exam entries were given A grades, but this year the top mark comprised 25.3 per cent of the results awarded in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Michael Gove, Shadow Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families said: “I’d like to congratulate Britain’s A-level students on their successes. Securing good results in these examinations follows years of hard work and dedicated application.”

In Northern Ireland, where a higher percentage of schools are grammar schools, the record high A-level grades were attributed to improved results in the unfashionable subjects of mathematics, languages and science.

Across the country, those subjects deemed to be most difficult were taken by an increasing number of people. Political studies, the sciences and German all saw significant increases in popularity, with an 8.28 per cent increase in students taking further maths this year.

John Dunford, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said he was “delighted” more people were studying these subjects.

“I think the most likely reason is the recognition among young people that the best jobs are available for those who have got qualifications in maths, physical sciences and modern languages,” he said.

“Although these are widely recognised to be the hardest subjects, they are also the subjects in which the highest proportion get A and B grades because the brightest students take them.”

One in four A-level results is now an A grade, Ts Online, 16.8.2007, http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/education/article2270208.ece