Category: National Curriculum

The Chancellor’s Budget reference that no-one is talking about

The Chancellor’s Budget reference that no-one is talking about

Amidst all the commentary about the Chancellor’s Budget, one point he made has largely been ignored. Jeremy Hunt made reference to the improving educational standards in England by pointing out how the country has risen up the Pisa rankings. These put England in 14th place out of 81 countries – and show how its curriculum…

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We were right – curriculum changes have been a success

We were right – curriculum changes have been a success

Former schools and education minister Nick Gibb has penned an article in the Telegraph in which he rightly points out the success of curriculum changes. He notes: “We have now had the results of the international PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) survey of the maths, reading and science attainment of 15-year-olds across 81 countries. It…

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System to blame for bad behaviour in Scots’ schools

System to blame for bad behaviour in Scots’ schools

The standard of behaviour among children in Scotland’s schools is plummeting, a conference has been told. Delegates attending this year’s Scottish Secondary Teachers’ Association (SSTA) conference spoke in doom-laden terms about the nation’s education. We can agree that the educational system is under pressure in Scotland due to Covid lockdowns and the problems of ‘unmotivated students with…

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SATs – the test that tells us nothing

SATs – the test that tells us nothing

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…

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