At least three hundred people were a constant outside Chester Town Hall this afternoon – in attendance at the strike rally, organised by Cheshire West Against the Cuts and supported by the Trades Council. Banners in evidence included NUT, PCS, UNISON, FBU, CWU and UCU.
Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category
13 Apr
The election. The Conservative manifesto on education and schools. Early Years Foundation Stage?
I’ve pledged to examine the party manifestos each day this week with relevance to the Early Years Foundation Stage and the much-criticised EYFS compulsory sixty-nine learning and development requirements – which are in danger of putting the under fives at risk of ‘teaching-to -the-test’. Today it’s the Tories turn. It’s half past ten and the [...]
2 Apr
The Early Years Foundation Stage. Parental input and early reading
Interesting that the editors at ‘Children and Young People Now’ have recently deemed criticisms of the Early Years Foundation Stage learning and development requirements important enough to warrant taking on a blogger who appears to be dedicated to the subject. It’s high time the ‘educational’ press took these matters more seriously. I’ve been wondering for quite some time why I appeared [...]
17 Feb
DCSF staff expenses cost tax payers more than 7 million
Headline in Children and Young People’s Now today. DCSF staff expenses cost tax payers more than 7 million.
29 Jan
Is testing really necessary? Blair’s place in history…
This week (as part of their series, “Winning Women’s Votes”) Radio 4′s Woman’s Hour focused on what might sway women’s vote at the general election. On Wednesday, Jenni Murray and guests (Dr Mary Bousted, General Secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers and Gillan Low, President of the Girls’ Schools Association and head of a top-performing independent girls’ school [...]
15 Dec
Happy New Year…EYFS parliamentary e-petition
I’m going to sign off from this blog over Christmas. Back in the new year with renewed vigour (I hope)… Don’t forget to sign the parliamentary e-petition (see the link on the right)…
1 Dec
Response from Sarah in the comments box (Early Years Foundation Stage Learning and Development Requirements)
I’ve lifted Sarah’s response out of the comments box. (Comments are not always easily visible – look for the word Comments in bold after the headline of each post) Thanks very much Sarah. Here it is: “Keep at it! Your refusal to lie down and let things happen without a fight is an inspiration. Loved [...]
16 Oct
The Cambridge Primary Schools Review 2009
Catching up with Professor Robin Alexander of the Cambridge Primary Schools Review on the BBC Today Programme. Listen to the BBC Today Programme yourself at this link. A great deal more to say about this so watch this space…
11 Sep
Response to West Cheshire Council Letter re: EYFS Parental exemption
Here is our response to the West Cheshire Authority letter featured in the previous post. I’m publishing this: we feel it is vital the dynamics of the process and a human experience of it are made clear (in the public interest and with due regard to issues of privacy). F.L. Copy follows: Dear xxxx, Thank you for your letter. [...]
