Weekly update 15/2/2014

A fairly busy week for education started with Labour nudging forward their reform agenda with an Ed Miliband speech proposing allowing parent's to "trigger" interventions in their schools.

Tristram Hunt followed up with another speech proposing that "character" be taught in schools. I liked this response from Gaby Hinsliff. (If you're interested in this area the best literature review of the evidence was recently published by the Institute of Education).

Michael Gove, meanwhile, pounced on the New Statesman's campaign to push the private/state divide further up the agenda to flaunt his progressive credentials.

In other news the School Teacher's Review Body decided to tweak teacher terms and conditions rather than take an axe to them. NASUWT used this as a convenient excuse not to join the NUT on their March strike. Michael Wilshaw made a typically lively appearance at the Education Select Committee. And the NAHT Commission on Assessment was published (here's an interesting response from David Thomas).


Other Highlights

An excellent analysis of the relationship between the 5 A*-C measure and the new Attainment 8 one by George Leckie

Peter Blatchford on the evidence of teaching assistants' effectiveness

John Tomsett argues individual lessons should never be graded again

Richard Spencer offers an alternative view that lesson judgements can be valuable

Debra Kidd on why she's leaving teaching

Alex Quigley on language, social class and curiosity

Neerav Kingsland defends school choice in New Orleans

Andy Jolley's top 10 tips for primary schools introducing universal free school meals.

Jonn Elledge wonders why we don't care the adult skills budget has been cut by 20%

Five things schools need to know about the SEN reforms by Amy Cook

Sue Cowley asks some questions about the proposed primary baseline assessments

And a special commendation has to go to Tom Bennett this week. Not only did he produce a series of beautiful blogs on his school trip to Israel and Palestine (first one here) but he also gave us a final superb review of the last episode of Tough Young Teachers. I think we all agree with Claudenia, Chloe, Oliver and Meryl....