Category: 14-19

Turning the Tables?

  The publication of the 2011 league tables sees a substantial increase in the amount of data on school performance – in particular, figures for ‘low’, ‘medium’ and ‘high performers.’ This year’s tables also include more statistics for the English Baccalaureate – with many inner city multi-cultural schools finding that despite continuing to improve their … Continue reading Turning the Tables? →

Dodgy examiners for dodgy exams. But what is our alternative?

Michael Gove has launched an inquiry into the Daily Telegraph’s accusations about examiners giving too much help to teachers attending their briefings. Anyone who attends these type of events, will soon recognise their primary role is about providing information about the techniques required to gain top marks, rather than improving students understanding of the subject. … Continue reading Dodgy examiners for dodgy exams. But what is our alternative? →

Post-14 education: what next after 13 years New Labour?

Martin Allen and Patrick Ainley BERA social justice seminar  Birmingham City University 10/06/10 Despite the continued administrative separation of schools under the resurrected Department of Education from post-compulsory provision (17+ in 2013 and 18+ after 2015) with F&HE plus adult and training still funded from the Department for Business Innovation and Skills, English education and … Continue reading Post-14 education: what next after 13 years New Labour? →

A-level: From ‘academic and vocational’, to ‘soft and hard’.

  Martin Allen                                                                                                                                                                                                               NUT 14-19  discussion paper  (For an update on A-level developments see https://radicaled.wordpress.com/2012/09/17/a-level-of-expediency/) Comprehensive schools have fought hard to build up their sixth-forms. The early comprehensive reformers were critical of A-level- an examination designed for a small minority of post-war school students. Yet  as Caroline Benn and Clyde Chitty recognised Thirty-years on comprehensive schools ‘accommodated … Continue reading A-level: From ‘academic and vocational’, to ‘soft and hard’. →

The Tories and the Diplomas

  Martin Allen TES  letter 18/09/09   I’m no fan of the diplomas, but I do have some sympathy for those teachers and lecturers working hard to deliver them. Rather than being genuine alternatives, the diplomas have ended up being the ‘worst of both worlds’ mimicking the academic qualifications they seek equality of status with … Continue reading The Tories and the Diplomas →

14-19 Education: Ten years New Labour

  Martin Allen NUT   Teacher to Teacher   supplement  Autumn 2009                                                                                                                         New Labour has devoted considerable time and resources to reforming  the 14-19 curriculum. It’s almost a decade since ‘Curriculum 2000’ when A-levels were reinvented - divided into AS and A2- and  GNVQs   were rebranded  -first   as   ‘vocational’  and then ‘applied’  A-levels  and GCSEs.   Since then,  A levels and … Continue reading 14-19 Education: Ten years New Labour →

The Pre-U Won’t Do

                                                                 Martin Allen  *                                                                                                                           Proponents of Tomlinson style reform of 14-19 education may have been encouraged by last year’s   announcement of new diploma lines in more traditionally academic subjects - humanities, science and languages- alongside the original 11 diplomas in more directly vocational areas[1], yet there is still no evidence of the … Continue reading The Pre-U Won’t Do →