Responses to Cambridge Exams Pre-U

                                                                                                Martin Allen,  letter, The Guardian  23/07/08   The real issue for Greg Watson (Cambridge exam chief...Guardian 22/07 http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2008/jul/22/alevels.gcses) is that too many young people are now passing A-levels, a qualification originally designed for the elite few. Faced with the demands of Government's 'standards agenda', teachers increasingly 'teach to test', but it is also the case that … Continue reading Responses to Cambridge Exams Pre-U →

Why we need a general diploma accessible to all

                Martin Allen and Patrick Ainley   The Guardian 15/04/08     The government's new strategy for 14-19 follows the peak in numbers of 18-year-olds entering higher education (42.5% in 2005-06), along with those achieving two A-levels (34% in 2006).   Although more than 80% remain in full-time education for … Continue reading Why we need a general diploma accessible to all →

The cruellest con of all

        Patrick Ainley    Times Higher Education Supplement  07/02/08       Widening participation is a cruel con but the people academics fool the most with it are themselves.  The government target of 50 per cent of 18-30 year-olds entering higher education by 2010 presents itself as a professionalisation of the proletariat but it … Continue reading The cruellest con of all →

Here comes the ‘Burgerluarette’ !

  Martin Allen  Campaign Teacher Spring 2008   News that McDonalds are offering  employees a  ‘training’ equivalent to A-levels  got its fair share of media attention at the end of January, particularly when it became known that QCA was recognising it - along with courses from two other major companies, the airline Flybe and Network Rail. … Continue reading Here comes the ‘Burgerluarette’ ! →

Crisis of childhood. A critique of the Children’s Plan

      Richard Murgatroyd and Martin Allen    Morning Star  04/01/08   New Labour's recently published Children's Plan sets itself the modest target of making Britain the "best place in the world to grow up." Unfortunately, the mixture of good intentions, technocratic changes and small-scale reforms on offer don't add up to sort of radical vision that … Continue reading Crisis of childhood. A critique of the Children’s Plan →

Functional for who? A quick assessment of the new functional skills

              Martin Allen Post-16 Educator  March-April 2008                      ‘Functional skills’ are being piloted in 1000 schools and colleges. Part of the Tomlinson working group proposals for 14-19 education, their introduction is a response to demands from employer representative for higher standards in literacy and numeracy amongst young people. Completing functional skills will … Continue reading Functional for who? A quick assessment of the new functional skills →

Dropping selection? UCL and the Camden Academy

Patrick Ainley   Letter   Education Guardian   27/11/07    Malcolm Grant, provost of University College London and chair of the Russell Group of universities, is sponsoring a non-selective mixed academy in his borough of Camden as a way of widening participation to elite higher education (A university is the best kind of sponsor for an academy, Education Guardian … Continue reading Dropping selection? UCL and the Camden Academy →

Desperate Diplomacy – Ed Balls announces more diplomas

                                                                                                                                                                       Martin Allen                                                                          Post-16 Educator  Nov-Dec 2007     Ed Balls' announcement of 3 new ‘subject based’ diplomas does not represent a fundamental change of heart by the Government. Neither, as Head teachers leader John Dunford correctly observes (TES, 26/10/07), does it constitute a return to the spirit of Tomlinson.     As Balls' announcement … Continue reading Desperate Diplomacy – Ed Balls announces more diplomas →

Learning for Labour: specialist diplomas and 14-19 education.

  Martin Allen    FORUM      Vol 49  No 3   2007 http://www.wwwords.co.uk/forum/content/pdfs/49/issue49_3.asp     Despite reports of ministers wanting to delay implementation, government have given the go-ahead for 5 new specialist diplomas to begin from September 2008 in a limited number of schools and colleges. The 2006 Education Act gave young people a ‘national entitlement’ to … Continue reading Learning for Labour: specialist diplomas and 14-19 education. →