Schools and business launch ‘fair education’ alliance
The BBC is reporting that a campaign to tackle educational inequality is being launched by an alliance of employers, teachers’ organisations and children’s charities… The Fair Education Alliance will...
View ArticlePupils who can’t read properly by 11 destined for lives of underachievement
The Independent is reporting a new study that suggests thousands of pupils who fail to read properly by the age of 11 will be sentenced to a lifetime of underachievement… Figures show that only one in...
View ArticlePupil Premium Awards celebrate success at leading schools
The TES is reporting that three schools which have pioneered innovative uses of the Pupil Premium have been honoured at an awards ceremony… Millfield Science and Performing Arts College in Thornton...
View ArticleOfsted: top schools ‘downgraded’ for failing poor pupils
The Telegraph is reporting that top schools are being stripped of their “outstanding” status by Ofsted for failing to close the gap between rich and poor pupils… For the first time, the education...
View ArticleFree school meals will break down classroom social divides and boost...
The Telegraph is reporting that trials have suggested giving free meals to primary school children will help poorer pupils get better exam results and break down social barriers in the classroom…...
View ArticleGuest post: An inconvenient truth – grouping children by ability is iniquitous
School senior leader and mother of three Mary Meredith argues that those organising classes by ability groupings are ignoring years of research that suggests it will only end up making the gaps bigger…...
View ArticleSutton Trust: Proportion of pupil premium should go towards vouchers for...
The Independent is reporting suggestions from the Sutton Trust that part of the pupil premium should be used to provide vouchers to low income families to widen the range of extra-curricular options...
View ArticleMillions ‘wasted’ trying to close attainment gap between rich and poor with...
The TES is reporting a leading education academic as suggesting politicians should not throw money at “broad policies”, such as providing free school meals for every infant, as they do little to...
View ArticleToday’s poll: Would a 12 hour school day help close the gap for disadvantaged...
The DfE has said schools should consider a longer day, claiming pupils from poor backgrounds would benefit the most. Ignoring practical aspects of hour it is done, do you agree that it would help close...
View ArticleToday’s poll: Is it unrealistic to expect schools to be able to close the gap...
A study is suggesting that children on free school meals (FSM) lag just as far behind their richer peers in good schools as in bad schools, meaning “even if we improved all ‘inadequate’ schools to the...
View ArticleEven excellent schools ‘don’t help poor kids to catch rich’
The Independent is reporting that researchers have found the gap in performance between poor and better-off pupils is just as high in schools ranked “outstanding” as those labelled “inadequate”… A...
View ArticleStreaming ‘widens rich-poor achievement gap’
The BBC is reporting a study that suggests streaming children by ability in early primary school widens the achievement gap between rich and disadvantaged youngsters… One in six pupils in England is...
View ArticleToday’s poll: Would you support an initiative that resulted in all groups...
Yesterday we ran a report on streaming which concluded whilst it improves performance at the top end, it reduces it at the bottom end and increases the attainment gap. However, just say it improved...
View ArticleReforms are keeping achievement gap from closing, says pupil premium tsar
The TES is reporting warnings from the government’s pupil premium champion that efforts to help children on free school meals are being undermined by ministers’ own reforms… Sir John Dunford said...
View ArticleToday’s poll: Parenting classes to help close the gap – good idea?
Social mobility tsar Alan Milburn has suggested it should be “the norm” for families to be given advice on issues such as reading to their children, imposing discipline and restricting TV viewing to...
View ArticleTempt teachers into tough schools with 25 per cent pay rise, report says
In its report on Alan Milburn’s “State of the Nation”, the TES has focussed on calls for top-flight teachers to be paid 25 per cent more to work in schools in some of the country’s most disadvantaged...
View ArticleBenefits of free nursery education ‘not lasting’
The BBC is reporting a study that suggests free part-time pre-school education in England has not led to lasting educational benefits… The greatest impact, it indicates, was on the poorest children,...
View ArticleSupport for campaign tackling ‘time bomb’ of low literacy
The Telegraph is reporting that a campaign that aims to tackle the “dangerously” low literacy levels in the UK has received backing from all three political parties who have pledged to tackle the issue...
View ArticleGulf between schools in rich and poor Scotland revealed
The Telegraph is reporting that SNP ministers are under pressure to stop “ducking” reform of Scotland’s education system as official figures suggest a vast gulf between state schools in the wealthiest...
View ArticlePrimary schools handed £22.5m extra pupil premium cash
The TES is reporting that primary schools are to receive an extra £22.5 million to help close the gap between disadvantaged children and their better-off class mates… The increase in pupil premium...
View Article
