We are now in the middle of exam results season and I’m afraid it’s a big FAIL for A Levels. The system is failing us all; students, universities and employers. This year A Levels had a pass rate of 98.4 per cent – just 1.6 per cent failing. A whopping 36.4 per cent of grades…
The Government has issued a white paper setting out the future of education and I broadly welcome it, but there is one important omission. Nadhim Zahawi, the Education Secretary, launched the document with a list of highlights including a minimum school week of 32.5 hours by the start of the next school year. Other changes…
The 2016 changes to the Key Stage 2 SATs tests grading system have been a travesty. Just as the positive 2014 changes to the curriculum saw us rise up the PISA rankings, the 2016 changes to the SATs grading system could see us fall back down. Accurate information about how children are performing means that…
The pandemic and lockdowns have had a massive impact on children’s education – and continue to do so with many students having time away from classes. For the most part schools have been back ‘properly’ this term and we can assess what needs to be done to help students catch up. Firstly, there needs to…
Having read the reaction to the Commons Education Select Committee’s report I must agree that there is prejudice and discrimination built into the education system. It wrongly values academic ability above vocational ability. Our priority in education must be to provide an education that fits each child’s needs and their particular strengths and abilities. The ‘one size fits…