Following a student's request for information on faith schools, and having discovered a couple of resources that were new to me, it seems to make sense to share them with any other readers of the blog who may have an interest in this hotly debated area.
First of all, a couple of reports which have been mentioned on here before: Right to Divide? Faith Schools and Community Cohesion is a 2008 publication from the Runnymede Trust, which asks if faith schools are becoming a mechanism for preserving privilege in society. Similar ground is covered by a 2006 report entitled Faith Primary Schools: Better Schools or Better Pupils?, and some NFER research from 2002 - The Impact of Specialist and Faith Schools on Performance.
Elsewhere on the web, the Teachernet website has a section of its website devoted to faith schools, while the Guardian has an area where news stories and features on this topic are collected. The UK Parliamentary site has recently issued statistics on Faith Schools: Admissions and Performance, or if you've got half an hour to spare, then Teachers TV has a 30 minute episode of its series Talking Point devoted to the subject.
As far as our own library resources go, a search on the InformaWorld and Sage services within Athens has revealed quite a number of articles which can be accessed in full and which provide different perspectives on the issue. At present we don't have too many relevant books, but this will be rectified with the arrival of several up-to-date titles over the summer.
Friday, 29 May 2009
Wednesday, 27 May 2009
Creative Classrooms
A new article on the BBC website by education columnist Mike Baker talks about the benefits of creative classrooms. This has been prompted by the publishing of new research by the Creativity, Culture & Education charity, which examines the exam results of pupils who have taken part in the Creative Partnerships programme, compared with those that have not been involved. According to several documents which make up the research (click here to access them), "the results of this study suggest that Creative Partnerships is contributing to improved levels of attainment."
The Creative Partnerships programme was partially born out of the landmark 1999 report All Our Futures; this too, is available online.
The Creative Partnerships programme was partially born out of the landmark 1999 report All Our Futures; this too, is available online.
Friday, 22 May 2009
Low Levels of Attainment
A recent report from the Centre for Research on the Wider Benefits of Learning examines what factors can influence low educational attainment in children, based on a literature review of existing research. The full publication, with the (somewhat lengthy) title Influences and Leverages on Low Levels of Attainment: a Review of Literature and Policy Initiatives is online now.
Wednesday, 20 May 2009
ContactPoint
This week has seen the initial launch of ContactPoint, a national database which holds the details of every child in England. The service was conceived in the wake of the Victoria Climbie Inquiry and created under the Children Act 2004, with the intention of making important information about children accessible to at least childcare professionals in all sectors.
However, the service has proved controversial, with critics arguing that ContactPoint raises many questions about safety (the system has already been delayed twice due to security fears) and an individual's right to privacy. Both opposition parties have pledged to scrap the database should they come to power.
What do readers think? Is ContactPoint likely to make the work of childcare professionals easier, with the added benefit of improving child welfare, or is this a further example of the 'Big Brother' society impinging on civil liberties? The case for the new service is made in this Times column, while a Guardian piece entitled Losing Contact argues that it is flawed. You can vote in the poll on the right of this page, or leave a comment in response to this post - here's how.
However, the service has proved controversial, with critics arguing that ContactPoint raises many questions about safety (the system has already been delayed twice due to security fears) and an individual's right to privacy. Both opposition parties have pledged to scrap the database should they come to power.
What do readers think? Is ContactPoint likely to make the work of childcare professionals easier, with the added benefit of improving child welfare, or is this a further example of the 'Big Brother' society impinging on civil liberties? The case for the new service is made in this Times column, while a Guardian piece entitled Losing Contact argues that it is flawed. You can vote in the poll on the right of this page, or leave a comment in response to this post - here's how.
Monday, 18 May 2009
Interesting Features
No big news stories today, so here are a couple of links to some interesting recent features in the Guardian.
Last week the newspaper carried a lengthy story with the headline Life after Baby P, which details a reporter's experiences of working with a child protection unit in North London for a week. The article doesn't always make for pleasant reading, but is an interesting insight into the sort of tasks which people in this type of work have to carry out on a daily basis.
On a more light-hearted note, following the news that many schools are switching to clip-on ties for health and safety reasons, the Guardian has provided a gallery of pictures entitled School Uniforms through the Ages.
Don't forget that interesting news items, commentary and features can always be accessed from this site via the 'Useful Articles' section on the right of the page. This area is updated on most days so there should usually be something new for you to check whenever you visit.
Last week the newspaper carried a lengthy story with the headline Life after Baby P, which details a reporter's experiences of working with a child protection unit in North London for a week. The article doesn't always make for pleasant reading, but is an interesting insight into the sort of tasks which people in this type of work have to carry out on a daily basis.
On a more light-hearted note, following the news that many schools are switching to clip-on ties for health and safety reasons, the Guardian has provided a gallery of pictures entitled School Uniforms through the Ages.
Don't forget that interesting news items, commentary and features can always be accessed from this site via the 'Useful Articles' section on the right of the page. This area is updated on most days so there should usually be something new for you to check whenever you visit.
Friday, 15 May 2009
Other Blogs
Some of the questions on the Web 2.0 survey we’re currently carrying out (see previous post for details – it’s still not too late to respond!) ask for feedback on this service, and the overwhelming response so far suggests that while our students find the information here useful, they are not generally big readers of other blogs. So today’s post will focus on some other interesting blogs which focus on the childhood and education sector.
A number of teachers use blogs to document their professional experiences and development. The Masterplan describes itself as "Musings on Maths, education, teaching, technology and other things" and is written by a maths teacher from Manchester. For different perspectives on teaching, try looking at Student Teacher which is an honest account of the experiences of a shortly-to-qualify trainee, while the Ranting Teacher does what it says on the tin, though it often includes flashes of humour too.
Perhaps not surprisingly, there are some particularly good blogs dealing with ICT in education. There are way too many to include here, but for starters, try looking at Space for Me to Explore, which is a very engaging blog written by a teacher who talks about his successes (and failures!) on using ICT in the classroom. Also worth a visit is Butterfly 42, which is written by an educational consultant, looks at how computers can be integrated into teaching and learning, and particularly deserves a mention because it provides a link to this site… :-)
For an example of how children themselves can use blogging constructively, try looking at this report of how a group of Year 6 pupils were encouraged to interact during the last Football World Cup. Oakland Junior School have a blog which serves as an excellent example of how to keep visitors up to date with activities in the school; recent posts include photos of trips, a video of an assembly performance, and information about a class project. Would any of our students be interested in doing something similar in their workplace?
There are literally thousands of relevant blogs out there on the Web, so this post is only a snapshot to give you an idea of the different types of information that they can provide, or the different purposes that they can serve. If you know of any particularly good blogs relating to any aspects of childhood and education, please leave a comment and link below to share them with other readers.
A number of teachers use blogs to document their professional experiences and development. The Masterplan describes itself as "Musings on Maths, education, teaching, technology and other things" and is written by a maths teacher from Manchester. For different perspectives on teaching, try looking at Student Teacher which is an honest account of the experiences of a shortly-to-qualify trainee, while the Ranting Teacher does what it says on the tin, though it often includes flashes of humour too.
Perhaps not surprisingly, there are some particularly good blogs dealing with ICT in education. There are way too many to include here, but for starters, try looking at Space for Me to Explore, which is a very engaging blog written by a teacher who talks about his successes (and failures!) on using ICT in the classroom. Also worth a visit is Butterfly 42, which is written by an educational consultant, looks at how computers can be integrated into teaching and learning, and particularly deserves a mention because it provides a link to this site… :-)
For an example of how children themselves can use blogging constructively, try looking at this report of how a group of Year 6 pupils were encouraged to interact during the last Football World Cup. Oakland Junior School have a blog which serves as an excellent example of how to keep visitors up to date with activities in the school; recent posts include photos of trips, a video of an assembly performance, and information about a class project. Would any of our students be interested in doing something similar in their workplace?
There are literally thousands of relevant blogs out there on the Web, so this post is only a snapshot to give you an idea of the different types of information that they can provide, or the different purposes that they can serve. If you know of any particularly good blogs relating to any aspects of childhood and education, please leave a comment and link below to share them with other readers.
Thursday, 14 May 2009
Vulnerable Children
The latest series of scoping studies from the Centre for Excellence and Outcomes in Children and Young People's Services (C4EO) (see previous posts on children's services and disabled children for details) have just been published. The theme for the latest set of reports is vulnerable children, and there are three lengthy reviews examining improving the educational outcomes of looked after children, improving the emotional and behavioural health of looked after children, and increasing the numbers of care leavers in settled, safe accommodation.
Links to the full text of each report can be found by clicking here. A list of related online resources is also available.
Links to the full text of each report can be found by clicking here. A list of related online resources is also available.
Wednesday, 13 May 2009
Nursery World
Did you know that one of the leading publications in the early years sector offers free access to articles from its back issues? Visitors to the Nursery World website can search through thousands of news stories, features, opinion pieces, reviews, articles from practice and more. You must register with the site before it will give you full access to articles, but this is free and only takes a minute.
If you are an HE student then you might be wary of using Nursery World too often in your references as it is more of a magazine than an academic publication, although it is still very useful in giving you an overview or a quick introduction to a topic with which you are not familiar. FE students should certainly consider using the material from the site in addition to information from books when writing assignments.
If you are an HE student then you might be wary of using Nursery World too often in your references as it is more of a magazine than an academic publication, although it is still very useful in giving you an overview or a quick introduction to a topic with which you are not familiar. FE students should certainly consider using the material from the site in addition to information from books when writing assignments.
Monday, 11 May 2009
Creativity Week
It's Creativity Week on Teachers TV (Freeview Channel 88), which should interest some of the many students who've made enquiries about this topic in the past. All week the channel will be showing programmes dealing with all aspects of creativity within teaching and learning, or if you can't watch them as they're being broadcast, then they are available at all times through the Teachers TV website. Click here for a full list of creativity-related programmes.
Thursday, 7 May 2009
Child Protection - Response to Laming
Following Lord Laming's report and recommendations on child protection in March (see previous post for details), the government has responded by publishing an action plan containing details of changes in policy and legislation which will now be implemented. Among the eye-catching points are a promise of extra funding to recruit and retain social workers, the opportunity for members of the public to sit on child protection boards, and the establishment of a National Safeguarding Delivery Unit.
The Protection of Children in England: Action Plan is online now; further documents relating to the Laming Review and the government's response are available by clicking here.
The Protection of Children in England: Action Plan is online now; further documents relating to the Laming Review and the government's response are available by clicking here.
Wednesday, 6 May 2009
Forest Schools
Following a request for information on Forest Schools, today's post will deal with this topic.
If you're completely new to Forest Schools - who they are and what they do - then the Forest Education Initiative should serve as a useful introduction. For local information, Forest Schools Birmingham is also worth a look, while the Learning Outside the Classroom website takes a broader view of education in non-traditional settings.
The Education 3-13 journal (which students can access via Athens in the InformaWorld website) has printed a number of articles on forest schools in the last couple of years. For freely available research, take a look at A Marvellous Opportunity for Children to Learn which was published by the Forestry Commission in 2006 (a summary version is also available). Further briefings with useful information and suggestions for further reading are titled The Benefits of a Forest School Experience for Children in their Early Years, and Can Forest School Act as a Spur to Better Quality Outdoor Experiences?; the latter of these is by Sara Knight, who has just published a book on this topic which will shortly be available from the College Library.
Finally, Teachers TV have produced a 15 minute programme entitled Outdoor Learning with Forest School, which you can view by clicking here.
If you're completely new to Forest Schools - who they are and what they do - then the Forest Education Initiative should serve as a useful introduction. For local information, Forest Schools Birmingham is also worth a look, while the Learning Outside the Classroom website takes a broader view of education in non-traditional settings.
The Education 3-13 journal (which students can access via Athens in the InformaWorld website) has printed a number of articles on forest schools in the last couple of years. For freely available research, take a look at A Marvellous Opportunity for Children to Learn which was published by the Forestry Commission in 2006 (a summary version is also available). Further briefings with useful information and suggestions for further reading are titled The Benefits of a Forest School Experience for Children in their Early Years, and Can Forest School Act as a Spur to Better Quality Outdoor Experiences?; the latter of these is by Sara Knight, who has just published a book on this topic which will shortly be available from the College Library.
Finally, Teachers TV have produced a 15 minute programme entitled Outdoor Learning with Forest School, which you can view by clicking here.
Tuesday, 5 May 2009
Move Over Google?
Let's be honest, when we talk about searching the Web, we really mean using Google. In recent years it's become far and away the most popular search engine by any method of calculation - according to the stats I get from this blog, around 90% of visitors who have stumbled upon this site from an internet search have used Google to get here.
Yet could there finally be a challenger as the 'place to go' to get answers from the Web? Later this month the WolframAlpha service is set to be launched; this is not so much a search engine as a program that directly answers questions, instead of displaying a list of web pages that may contain the information you are looking for. This means that you will be able to type in questions in natural language and (hopefully!) receive accurate replies.
Not surprisingly, the promises made about the new service have got various bloggers and columnists rather excited. The more ICT-savvy types among you may want to read this article which goes into a little more detail; the rest of you would probably be advised to check the site regularly to find out when it goes live. Although of course if Wolfram Alpha really is as good as some are already claiming, then you'll surely be hearing about it again soon...
Yet could there finally be a challenger as the 'place to go' to get answers from the Web? Later this month the WolframAlpha service is set to be launched; this is not so much a search engine as a program that directly answers questions, instead of displaying a list of web pages that may contain the information you are looking for. This means that you will be able to type in questions in natural language and (hopefully!) receive accurate replies.
Not surprisingly, the promises made about the new service have got various bloggers and columnists rather excited. The more ICT-savvy types among you may want to read this article which goes into a little more detail; the rest of you would probably be advised to check the site regularly to find out when it goes live. Although of course if Wolfram Alpha really is as good as some are already claiming, then you'll surely be hearing about it again soon...
Friday, 1 May 2009
Latest DCSF Research
The DCSF often releases a collection of research reports at the end of each month; here's the pick of the latest batch:
- Drivers and Barriers to Educational Success examines why young people from poor families are more likely to experience lower achievement in school, and more likely to participate in a
range of risky behaviours as teenagers - The Impact of Adult Support Staff on Pupils and Mainstream Schools: a Systematic Review of Evidence is a brief summary of research in this area
- Those students who have recently been enquiring about safeguarding children may be interested in looking at The Child, the Family and the GP: Tensions and Conflicts of Interest in Safeguarding Children
- Following on neatly from yesterday's post, the Primary School Curriculum Omnibus Survey (March 2009) asked parents what they thought of the existing curriculum, in light of Sir Jim Rose's proposed changes.
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