education – Page 8

Still disadvantaged? The educational attainment of ethnic minority groups

By Kitty Lymperopoulou Filed Under: Ethnicity, Featured Posted: May 14, 2015

Despite the educational attainment gap between ethnic minority groups and the White British group narrowing, some ethnic minority groups continue to experience inequalities in education, explains Dr Kitty Lymperopoulou, who has contributed to a book on Ethnic identity and inequalities in Britain which has just been published. Education policy under successive governments in the UK has been […]

Clearing up the mess in the English school system

By Mel Ainscow and Alan Dyson Filed Under: All posts, Featured Posted: April 29, 2015

New proposals for the reform of the English education system are outlined in a report written by Mel Ainscow CBE and Alan Dyson, Professors of Education and co-directors of the Centre for Equity in Education at The University of Manchester, and their colleagues Sue Goldrick and Dr Kirstin Kerr. The English school system is in […]

Academy Schools: Where Should Policy go Next?

By Steve Courtney Filed Under: All posts, Featured Posted: March 19, 2015

The academisation of the English state school system has arguably been the most significant structural reform since comprehensivisation hit its peak in the 1970s. The academies programme had its roots in the City Colleges programme, legislated in 1988 but with only 15 opening owing to considerable expectations of investment from the private sector. Its failure […]

The coalition’s record on schools

By Ruth Lupton Filed Under: All posts, Featured, Westminster Watch Posted: February 10, 2015

Last week’s topic in the pre-election debate was schools. The Conservative party announced that it would protect spending on schools in cash terms, but not keep pace with inflation. It would also convert more schools to Academies, including those adjudged ‘requiring improvement’ by Ofsted. Labour retaliated by accusing the Coalition of failing to tackle educational […]

Decoupling education from party politics

By Andrew Howes Filed Under: Featured Posted: December 16, 2014

Dr Andy Howes, of the Manchester Institute of Education at The University of Manchester, discusses possible changes to the exam system, as discussed at an Education Select Committee meeting earlier this month. The select committee is arguably a high point of democratic accountability within the Westminster system. The Education Select Committee earlier this month was […]

Where next for education policy?

By Kirstin Kerr Filed Under: Featured Posted: November 24, 2014

This year’s Manchester Policy Week witnessed a lively debate on how we can close the socio-economic attainment gap in education. Dr Kirstin Kerr heard some clear recommendations emerge. If there’s one thing the major political parties agree on, it is that the link between poverty and poor educational outcomes must be broken. Ever since Tony Blair set out his priorities […]

Where next for Labour’s schools policy?

By Ruth Lupton Filed Under: Featured Posted: September 29, 2014

With the Labour Party conference in town, Manchester Institute of Education (MIE) invited four leading figures in education to join teachers, academics, teacher educators, parents and others in a public debate on what a future Labour government should do on schools. Prof Ruth Lupton considers some of their key ideas. Panel members were Rt. Hon David […]

Trust Teachers – The first Manchester Education Debate

By Andrew Howes Filed Under: All posts Posted: June 30, 2014

Educationalists, teachers and academics have taken part in the first of a series of debates about the future of our schools in the run up to the 2015 election. Dr Andrew Howes pulls together some key strands from the discussion. If one in four good, trained teachers is saying ‘I’m leaving teaching, I need a […]

Consultants still playing a big role in government

By Helen Gunter Filed Under: All posts, Featured Posted: June 2, 2014

Four years on from the bonfire of the quangos, non-elected consultants are still playing a significant role within government, says Prof Helen Gunter. The focus on leadership as the solution for improving public services continues to dominate reform. And aligned to this is the whole concept of ‘consultocracy’, a term first coined by Hood and Jackson to underline the […]

What is the impact of the ‘bedroom tax’ on children and schools?

By Ruth Lupton Filed Under: Featured Posted: April 15, 2014

A year on from the introduction of the ‘bedroom tax’, Prof Ruth Lupton argues that reducing the incomes of poor families and creating instability for poor children is a nonsensical policy for a government committed to closing the socio-economic attainment gap. One of the Coalition government’s most controversial welfare reform policies, the so-called ‘bedroom tax’, […]