1 The state of UK schooling

Sometimes I don’t understand this government’s way of doing things; this is one of those occasions. Last week, the department for children, schools and families released an excellent research report called Breaking the Link between disadvantage and low attainment – everyone’s business. http://publications.teachernet.gov.uk/eOrderingDownload/00357-2009.pdf In my opinion, this is the most convincing case that I have seen supporting the government’s claim that they have overseen a general improvement of schooling in the UK. In particular, it makes a strong case that significant progress having been achieved in overcoming the effects of social disadvantage within the education system. Yes, the report emphasises the successes and glosses over stubborn problems but it makes a very positive case for the success of past policies and identifies specific problem areas that now need considering. Most importantly, I think they make a convincing case that educational attainment in the most deprived areas of the country has shown the biggest improvement over the past 10 years. And yet this report is hidden away on the recent publications website of teachernet. I’d say if you are only going to read a single publication this year about schooling and disadvantage then this is it! In my opinion it should be up there in lights on the DCSF website and should have been the subject of a publicity offensive. Instead, the Minister got into a tussle over introducing American style report cards for schools and it was this that took prominence in the DCSF press release http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/pns/DisplayPN.cgi?pn_id=2009_0057 and then worse, this minor idea dominated the newspaper coverage http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1161807/School-league-tables-scrapped-replaced-wellbeing-charts.html I guess we will have another shot at this subject with the publication of the White Paper in the spring. However, I think a more aggressive and positive campaign is urgently required if only to combat the common perception that education standards are worsening http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/mar/02/education-standards-poll and that the great social divide shows little change http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1160314/Not-single-GCSE-nearly-half-UKs-poorest-children.html while there is evidence that private schools are doing better at A levels http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/education/article5871124.ece and more likely to study hard subjects http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/4957568/Private-school-pupils-four-times-as-likely-to-get-straight-As-at-A-level.html I was surprised by the report that 1 in 10 parents may be using private tutors for their children http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/4839415/Tutors-in-demand-in-race-for-grammar-schools.html negative news and analysis swamps all talk of improvement, this is a shame and not the full story.