Archive for the ‘Public Affairs’ Category

SEN provision for children of service families

We were delighted on 13th October 2011 with the announcement of Nick Harvey (the Minister for the Armed Forces). After a careful review of the Continuity of Education Allowance, the government affirmed its commitment to supporting service personnel and their…

The 2011 ISC Annual Conference: enlightening and inspiring

Central Hall Westminster was the stunning venue chosen for the 2011 ISC Annual Conference. The location, within very close proximity to Parliament, seemed very apt given that we have been in a coalition government for just under a year and…

Vetting and Barring Scheme abolished

The Vetting and Barring Scheme is to be abolished before it starts. Law abiding professionals working in schools will not, after all, have to be “registered” * and “subject to monitoring” by the state. It will not, after all, become…

Cyberspace: facing up to reality (Part 2)

Part 1 of this blog discussed some recent trends in children’s behaviour online, and some of the risks they are exposed to in cyberspace. These issues are germane to schools. We live in an increasingly digitised society, and to be…

Cyberspace: facing up to reality (I)

At 13, I spent most of my free time loitering in the shopping centre, browsing shop windows and trying on clothes that I had no real intention of purchasing, but now the average 13 year old is much more likely…

Building Teachers For The Future

With last week’s announcement of the ending of the ‘Building Schools for the Future’ programme, the backlash against the ‘taking milk from mouths of poor infants’ Secretary of State for Education is well and truly underway.

The MPs in whose…

After the election

The British electorate has spoken. But what have we said? If you believe many commentators it is that we want a hung parliament with a coalition or minority government. Whatever the merits of that argument the fact is that no…

Why Schools are Charities

Most of us will have opinions about independent schools. It’s also very likely that we think we know what charity means.  Put together these two preconceptions, and it’s easy to see why there is such a spectrum of views about whether schools…

Blogging from the DCSF Influential Heads’ Forum

Joan Deslandes, Headteacher of Kingsford Community School started the day off with a keynote speech about why it is so important to work together for the good of all children. She is actively involved with a key partnership initiative with…

Private schools and charitable status

Since time immemorial ‘advancing education’ has been a charitable purpose and independent schools do exactly that. In recent times, some have assumed that to be charitable, relief of poverty needs to be a purpose of the charity in question. However…