Exam turmoil raises bigger question’s about young people’s futures

 Martin Allen  http://maeducationgp.wordpress.com/ If the fall in the number of top A-level grades was enough to start alarm bells ringing, it is the first ever dip in GCSE performance, particularly the down grading in English, which has been greeted with dismay by teachers.  Exam boards have been the target for much of the anger, being … Continue reading Exam turmoil raises bigger question’s about young people’s futures →

Making sense of unemployment statistics

As the Olympics fade, a fall in unemployment is good news for government ministers desperate to hang onto any feel good factor – yet it’s difficult to reconcile, or believe the validity of such a claim, when economic reality appears so different. In particular, these figures cover a three month period between April and June … Continue reading Making sense of unemployment statistics →

Soundings Issue 51

                                 Martin Allen and Patrick Ainley                                  Why young people can't get the jobs they want                                   http://www.lwbooks.co.uk/journals/soundings/current.html                                              Download  original version of   soundings article                                              Download e-book -why young people....

Gove, Lord Baker and vocational learning

Since becoming education minister, Gove has largely concentrated on  reforming  the academic curriculum, introducing an English Baccalaureate made up of five traditional curriculum areas, arguing that  A-levels have  to be made harder,  trying to reintroduce O-levels and so on. Though claiming  changes have to be made to bring the British education system more in line … Continue reading Gove, Lord Baker and vocational learning →

Education in a declining economy

Martin Allen Many assumptions about education continue to be unchallenged. Most education policy makers still operate with a ‘human capital’ model of education. This assumes the higher the level of education enjoyed by the population, the greater the national economic benefit. During the early post-war period, the content of education was largely left to teachers, … Continue reading Education in a declining economy →

Patrick Ainley Guardian letter 05/07/2012

Another ‘lost generation’ piece by Polly Toynbee  http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/jul/02/lost-generation-will-cost-more?fb=native&CMP=FBCNETTXT9038  follows UCAS announcing a 10% drop in English undergraduate applications but still leaving 100,000 without a place. Given the lack of any alternatives, it is no wonder so many still apply but the graduatisation of remaining jobs (barrister to barista etc) pushes those ‘further down the food … Continue reading Patrick Ainley Guardian letter 05/07/2012 →

Raising standards? Nothing of the sort!

Michael Gove’s ‘leaked’ plans for reinventing GCE ‘O’ levels (and ‘CSE’ alternatives for those students not able to pass them) should not be any real surprise; coming in the same week as his proposals for restoring traditional A-levels – and abolishing AS levels and course work – have been unveiled by Ofqual (www.ofqual.gov.uk/news-and-announcements/130-news-and-announcements-press-releases/914-ofqual-launches-a-level-consultation) and where … Continue reading Raising standards? Nothing of the sort! →

Young and old both suffer in a changing labour market

http://www.ier.org.uk/publications/federation-news-spring-2012-meeting-challenges-age          Martin Allen and Patrick Ainley      Federation News  Spring 2012 UK youth unemployment continues to be alarmingly high and one of the biggest issues facing government. Based on the April Office for National Statistics – figures which cover the period December 2011 to Feb 2012 – youth joblessness is well over a million, equals 22.2% … Continue reading Young and old both suffer in a changing labour market →