Conservative Education Policies 2015-
Links only
As of August 2016 all links on this page will be presented firstly in chronological order and secondly allocated to the categories listed below. I shall update this page fairly regularly
| Related Link: Coalition Education Policies 2010-15 |
The following links are taken mainly to the websites of the Times Educational Supplement, the Guardian Education Section , the BBC , Schools Week .
You may find Warwick Mansell's Guardian articles particularly useful
This list of links has already lengthened considerably and in the hope of making the page more "user friendly" I have retained the chronological list but have also now allocated all of the links to the categories listed below.
Nevertheless I think that I should warn students against spending too much time on what is a relatively small albeit important element in the new Advanced Level Sociology Specifications . Your teachers will no doubt provide excellent information and guidance as to appropriate time allocation but I hope that once you have covered the requisite textbook materials you might find it useful to look occasionally at a few of the links provided here in order to update your materials on this sub-topic.
CHRONOLOGICAL LINKS
March 2017
The Gaming of League Tables [Guardian]
2017 Budget and Vocational Education
Click here for recent Guardian article in support of selection
Click here for BBC coverage of most recent education policy plans. [Article also has links to the "grammar school debate"]
Click here critical assessment of selection by Professor Simon Burgess [from The Conversation]
Click here for a critical assessment of selective education by Simon Jenkins. [The Guardian]
February 2017
Higher Education and Private Schools
Bristol University Changes to admissions policy
Degree apprenticeships "on verge of significant success"
January 2017
Apprenticeship Targets "Poor Value for Money" says IFS
December
Bristol University Changes to admissions policy
PISA test results [Schools Week]
Grammar Schools and Disabled Students [Guardian]
November
Grammar Schools [Education Select Committee evidence session: video]
October 2016
Click here for BBC coverage of scrapped Education Bill including Academy conversion plans
Click here for Guardian coverage of scrapped Education Bill including Academy conversion plans
Click here for Estelle Morris on Comprehensive Education
Click here for the Guardian vies of A Level Changes [Archaeology, History of Art, Classical Civilisation]
Click here for abandoning of Year 7 Maths and reading resits [Schools Week]
Click here for Justine Greening's Conservative Party conference Speech
September 2016
Click here for report on Grammar Schools from Education Policy Institute
Click here for summary of above report [Schools Week]
Click here for summary of above report [Buzzfeed]
Click here for summary of above report [Guardian]
Click here for report on possibility of selective academies [BBC]
Click here for research brief on Grammar Schools [education datalab]
Click here for Faith Schools [BBC]
Click here for Faith Schools [New Statesman]
Click here for Faith Schools [House of Commons]
Click here for Grammar Schools [The Conversation]
Click here for Grammar Schools and social mobility [The Conversation]
Click here for Schools Week on Grammar Schools
Click here for Private Schools and Grammar Schools [Observer]
Click here for Grammar Schools [Observer]
Click here for Grammar Schools [Observer]
Click here for Grammar Schools [Observer]
Click here for Grammar Schools [Observer]
Click here for Grammar Schools [Guardian]
Click here for Grammar Schools [Guardian]
Click here for Grammar Schools [Schools Week]]
Click here for Grammar Schools [BBC]
Click here for Grammar Schools [Nicky Morgan Facebook]
Click here for Schools Week coverage of Schools that work for everyone
Click here for Grammar Schools [Guardian]
Click here for PM. May's full speech on Education [YouTube]
AUGUST 2016
Click here for item on graduate employment prospects [Cambridge Assessment]
Click here for Student regrets about attending University [Guardian}
Click here for abolition of Student Maintenance Grants [Guardian]
Click here for Apprenticeships [Guardian]
Click here for Multi-Academy Trusts [Guardian]
Click here for Sir Michael Wilshaw on Grammar Schools [Schools Week]
Click here for higher Higher Education Tuition Fees [BBC}
Click here and follow links for media coverage A Level Results and for GCSE Results 2016
Click here for Guardian article by Richard Adams on Progress 8 and GCSEs
Click here for Guardian article on graduate employment prospects
Click here for Guardian article by Frances Ryan on Grammar Schools
Click here for Schools Week on Grammar Schools
Click here for Guardian on Grammar Schools
JULY 2016
Click here for Schools Week article on academy trust problems
Click here for Schools Week article on investigation of multi-academy trusts
Click here for BBC item on possible return of grammar schools
Click here for Guardian item on possible return of grammar schools
Click here for BBC item on return of grammar schools
Click here for BBC item on assessment of grammar schools
Click here for advice to Justine Greening from The Conversation
Click here for Independent article calling for resignation of Nicky Morgan
Click here for Schools Week article on Sats Results
Click here for BBC article on Sats results
Click here for Schools Week article on Ebacc and the decline of D and T
Click here for BBC article on Academy Trusts and Councils
JUNE 2016
Click here for article on Academies and Business June
Amanda Spielman named new Ofsted Chief Inspector June
Return of national tests for 14 year olds? June
Academy Conversions June
Getting rid of parent governors is a mistake June
MAY 2016
Click here for mistaken publication online of SATs question papers and answers May
Click here for most recent DfE data on numbers of academies and free schools as at April 2016 May
Click here for further analysis of current policy on academisation [from Centre Forum] May
Click here and here for reports of U turn on academisation and Queen's Speech May
APRIL 2016
Click here for Guardian article suggesting compulsory academisation will be dropped from Queen's Speech April
Click here for BBC coverage of scrapping of primary school spelling test April
Click here for BBC coverage of alleged administrative problems at the DFE April
Click here for Guardian article [Aditya Chakraborrty] on graduates, high debt and low pay April
Click here for Guardian article {Laura McInerney] on academisation and lack of accountability April
Click here for primary school allocation and inequality of opportunity [BBC coverage of Teach First survey] April
Click here for Full Fact assessment of Academy effectiveness April
Click here for BBC coverage of popular schools and over-subscription criteria April
Click here for Guardian article [Mary O'Hara] on underfunding of education April
Click here for Guardian article on scrapping of baseline tests for 4 year olds April
MARCH 2016
Click here for article by Peter Wilby on compulsory academisation March 23rd
Click here for article by Jonathan MS Pearce on academisation March 23rd
Click here for article on compulsory academisation by Andrew Eyles and Steve Machin March 17th
Click here for London Review of Books article By Dawn Evans on free schools and academies March 17th
Click here for Guardian article on compulsory academisation March 17th
Click here and here for BBC coverage of compulsory academisation March 17th
Click here for Schoolsweek article by Laura McInerney ion the nature of academies March 17th
Click here for Guardian article by John Goldthorpe on education and social mobility March 13th
Click here for Guardian coverage of John Goldthorpe's upcoming lecture on education and social mobility March 13th
FEBRUARY 2016
Click here for BBC coverage and here and here for Guardian coverage of plans to improve access to Higher Education. February 13th
Click here for BBC coverage of OFSTED criticisms of E-ACT academies chain February 11th
Click here for BBC coverage and here for Guardian coverage of OFSTED criticisms of AET academies chain February 11th
JANUARY 2016
Click here for speech by Sir Michael Wilshaw: Ambitions for English Education: Video] January 24th
Click here for Guardian coverage of above speech January 24th
Click here for Guardian article: England schools :10,000 sidelined due to league table pressure January 21st
Click here for DfE publication; Revised GCSE and equivalent results in England 2014-15 [DFE] January 21st
Click here for Guardian coverage of DfE publication of revised GCSE results. January 21st
Click here for BBC item: Future changes to School league Tables January 21st
Click here for BBC item: School league tables explained January 20th
Click here for BBC coverage of Academy scrutiny weaknesses January 19th
Click here for BBC coverage of Labour challenge to ending of student maintenance grants January 19th
Click here for Observer coverage of ending of student maintenance grants January 16th
Click here for Guardian coverage of House of Commons ending of student maintenance grants January 13th 2016
Click here for BBC item on student nurses' and midwives' protest against grant cuts January 9th 2016
Click here for Guardian coverage of new requirement that pupils know times tables by age 11 January 3rd 2016
Click here for UCAS Report on Access to HE by Ethnicity, Gender, FSM Eligibility December 17th
Click here for summary, [inc.link to the full research paper], of research from University of Manchester on Children and the Bedroom Tax. December17th
Click here for BBC coverage of call for council-run schools to sponsor academies November 7th
Click here for Guardian report of Government plans to allow "better" universities to charge higher fees November 6th
Click here for Guardian coverage of school budget deficits November 6th
Click here for BBC coverage and here for Guardian coverage of S.S. Nicola Morgan's education policies speech November 3rd
Click here for a detailed report on Apprenticeships from the House of Commons Education Select Committee [March 2015]
Click here for Mr Cameron's pre-General Election comments on new apprenticeships schemes
Click here for a critical assessment of current apprenticeship schemes from the Independent [August 2015]
Click here for critical comment on apprenticeship schemes BBC. October 20th
BBC Radio 4: File on 4: Colleges in Crisis [Important implications for delivery of vocational education] October 14th
GCSE and A level Provisional Results 2014-15 : Click here for DFE Press Release and follow links for data October 19th
Click here and here for BBC coverage of Grammar School Policy October 15th
Click here and here for Daily Telegraph coverage of Grammar School Policy October 15th
Click here and here and here and here and here for Guardian coverage of Grammar School policy October 15th
BBC coverage, schoolsweek coverage Public Accounts Committee Report October 10th
Public Accounts Committee Report on Funding for Disadvantaged Pupils October 10th
Click here for Labour criticisms of Conservative Education Policies September 26th
Click here for BBC coverage of latest EBacc Policy September 25th
Click here for Fiona Millar on Free Schools September 22nd
Click here for appointment of new Ofsted Head{ an Academy Chain trustee]
Click here for BBC profile of Nicky Morgan
Click here for Guardian article on Academy trusts failing disadvantaged children
Click here and here and here for articles on Academies from The Conversation
Click here for Guardian coverage and here for BBC coverage of DFE report on Academy Chains
Click here for Guardian article on Nicky Morgan and Coasting Schools
Click here for BBC item on end of student maintenance grants
Click here for a critical assessment of Academies from the Guardian
Click here for Guardian article on withdrawal of AS levels and University entrance
Click here for Guardian report that Nicky Morgan asks more businesses to sponsor academies
Click here for Guardian article on the possibility of a new "Satellite Grammar School" for Kent
CATEGORISED LINKS
Early Years and Primary Education
Click here for abandoning of Year 7 Maths and reading resits [Schools Week] October
Click here for Schools Week article on Sats Results
Click here for BBC article on Sats results
Click here for mistaken publication online of SATs question papers and answers May
Click here for BBC coverage of scrapping of primary school spelling test April
Click here for primary school allocation and inequality of opportunity [BBC coverage of Teach First survey] April
Click here for BBC coverage of popular schools and over-subscription criteria April
Click here for BBC coverage of popular schools and over-subscription criteria April
Click here for Guardian article on scrapping of baseline tests for 4 year olds April
Click here for Guardian coverage of new requirement that pupils know times tables by age 11 January 3rd 2016
GCSE and GCE Advanced Level Examinations 2016
Click here and follow links for media coverage A Level Results and for GCSE Results 2016
Click here for Guardian article by Richard Adams on Progress 8 and GCSEs
Grammar Schools [**= perhaps most useful]
Impact of 2017 Budget March 2017
Click here for recent Guardian article in support of selection March 2017
Click here for BBC coverage of most recent education policy plans. [Article also has links to the "grammar school debate"] March 2017
Click here critical assessment of selection by Professor Simon Burgess [from The Conversation] March 2017
Grammar Schools and Disabled Students [Guardian]
Grammar Schools [Education Select Committee evidence session: video] ** November
Click here for report on Grammar Schools from Education Policy Institute** September
Click here for summary of above report [Schools Week] September
Click here for summary of above report [Buzzfeed] **September
Click here for summary of above report [Guardian] September
Click here for Grammar Schools and Social Mobility [Guardian] ** September
Click here for research brief on Grammar Schools [education datalab] ** September
Click here for Grammar Schools [The Conversation]** September
Click here for Grammar Schools and social mobility [The Conversation]**September
Click here for Private Schools and Grammar Schools [Observer] September
Click here for Grammar Schools [Observer] September
Click here for Grammar Schools [Observer] September
Click here for Grammar Schools [Observer]September
Click here for Grammar Schools [Observer] September
Click here for Grammar Schools [Guardian] September
Click here for Grammar Schools [Guardian]September
Click here for Grammar Schools [Schools Week]] September
Click here for Grammar Schools [BBC] September
Click here for Grammar Schools [Nicky Morgan Facebook] September
Click here for Grammar Schools [Guardian] September
Click here for PM. May's full speech on Education [YouTube]September**
Click here for Sir Michael Wilshaw on Grammar Schools [Schools Week] August**
Click here for Guardian article by Frances Ryan on Grammar Schools August
Click here for Schools Week on Grammar Schools August 2016**
Click here for Guardian on Grammar Schools August 2016
Click here for BBC item on possible return of grammar schools July 2016**
Click here for Guardian item on possible return of grammar schools July 2016
Click here for BBC item on return of grammar schools July 2016**
Click here for BBC item on assessment of grammar schools July 2016**
Click here for advice to Justine Greening from The Conversation July 2016
Click here and here for BBC coverage of Grammar School Policy October 15th
Click here and here for Daily Telegraph coverage of Grammar School Policy October 15th
Click here and here and here and here and here for Guardian coverage of Grammar School policy October 15th
Click here for Guardian article on the possibility of a new "Satellite Grammar School" for Kent
Academies, Academy Trusts and Free Schools
Click here for BBC coverage of scrapped Academy conversion plans [October]
Click here for report on possibility of selective academies [BBC] September
Click here for Multi-Academy Trusts [Guardian] August
Academy Conversions June
Click here for article on Academies and Business June
Click here for Schools Week article on academy trust problems
Click here for Schools Week article on investigation of multi-academy trusts
Click here for most recent DfE data on numbers of academies and free schools as at April 2016 May
Click here for further analysis of current policy on academisation [from Centre Forum] May
Click here and here for reports of U turn on academisation and Queen's Speech May
Click here for Guardian article suggesting compulsory academisation will be dropped from Queen's Speech April
Click here for Guardian article {Laura McInerney] on academisation and lack of accountability April
Click here for Full Fact assessment of Academy effectiveness April
Click here for article by Peter Wilby on compulsory academisation March 23rd
Click here for article by Jonathan MS Pearce on academisation March 23rd
Click here for article on compulsory academisation by Andrew Eyles and Steve Machin March 17th
Click here for London Review of Books article By Dawn Evans on free schools and academies March 17th
Click here for Guardian article on compulsory academisation March 17th
Click here and here for BBC coverage of compulsory academisation March 17th
Click here for Schoolsweek article by Laura McInerney ion the nature of academies March 17th
Click here for BBC coverage of OFSTED criticisms of E-ACT academies chain February 11th
Click here for BBC coverage and here for Guardian coverage of OFSTED criticisms of AET academies chain February 11th
Click here for BBC coverage of Academy scrutiny weaknesses January 19th
Click here for BBC coverage of call for council-run schools to sponsor academies November 7th
Click here for Guardian article on Academy trusts failing disadvantaged children
Click here and here and here for articles on Academies from The Conversation
Click here for Guardian coverage and here for BBC coverage of DfE report on Academy Chains
Click here for a critical assessment of Academies from the Guardian
Click here for Guardian report that Nicky Morgan asks more businesses to sponsor academies
Faith Schools
Click here for Faith Schools [BBC]
Click here for Faith Schools [New Statesman]
EBacc
Click here for Schools Week article on Ebacc and the decline of D and T
Click here for BBC coverage of latest EBacc Policy September 25th
League Tables
Click here for Schools Week article explaining new league tables August 2016
Click here for Guardian article: England schools :10,000 sidelined due to league table pressure January 21st
Click here for BBC item: Future changes to School league Tables January 21st
Click here for BBC item: School league tables explained January 20th
PISA Tests
PISA test results [Schools Week]
Class, Ethnicity, Gender and Educational Attainment
Click here for BBC item on limited access to outstanding schools for poor pupils July 2016
Click here for BBC item on Private Schools and University entrance July 2016
Click here for DfE publication; Revised GCSE and equivalent results in England 2014-15 [DFE] January 21st
Click here for Guardian coverage of DfE publication of revised GCSE results. January 21st
Click here for UCAS Report on Access to HE by Ethnicity, Gender, FSM Eligibility December 17th
Click here for summary, [inc.link to the full research paper], of research from University of Manchester on Children and the Bedroom Tax. December17th
GCSE and A level Provisional Results 2014-15 : Click here for DFE Press Release and follow links for data October 19th
BBC coverage, schoolsweek coverage of Public Accounts Committee Report October 10th
Public Accounts Committee Report on Funding for Disadvantaged Pupils October 10th
Further Education, Vocational Education, Apprenticeships, Higher Education, Adult Education
Impact of 2017 Budget March 2017
2017 Budget and Vocational Education March 2017
Higher Education Applications February 2017
Higher Education and Private Schools February 2017
Degree apprenticeships "on verge of significant success" February 2017
Apprenticeship Targets "Poor Value for Money" says IFS January 2017
Bristol University Changes to admissions policy December
Apprenticeships [BBC] November
Click here for item on graduate employment prospects [Cambridge Assessment] August
Click here for Student regrets about attending University [Guardian} August
Click here for abolition of Student Maintenance Grants [Guardian]August
Click here for Apprenticeships [Guardian]August
Click here for higher Higher Education Tuition Fees [BBC}August
Click here for Guardian article on graduate employment prospects August 2016
Click here for Guardian item on reduced state school pupils entrance to HE. July 2016
Click here for Guardian article [Aditya Chakraborrty] on graduates, high debt and low pay April
Click here for BBC coverage and here and here for Guardian coverage of plans to improve access to Higher Education. February 13th
Click here for BBC coverage of Labour challenge to ending of student maintenance grants January 19th
Click here for Observer coverage of ending of student maintenance grants January 16th
Click here for Guardian coverage of House of Commons ending of student maintenance grants January 13th 2016
Click here for BBC item on student nurses' and midwives' protest against grant cuts January 9th 2016
Click here for Guardian report of Government plans to allow "better" universities to charge higher fees November 6th
Click here for a detailed report on Apprenticeships from the House of Commons Education Select Committee [March 2015]
Click here for Mr Cameron's pre-General Election comments on new apprenticeships schemes
Click here for a critical assessment of current apprenticeship schemes from the Independent [August 2015]
Click here for critical comment on apprenticeship schemes BBC. October 20th
BBC Radio 4: File on 4: Colleges in Crisis [Important implications for delivery of vocational education] October 14th
Click here for BBC item on end of student maintenance grants
Click here for Guardian article on withdrawal of AS levels and University entrance
Miscellaneous
Amanda Spielman named new Ofsted Chief Inspector June
Return of national tests for 14 year olds? June
Getting rid of parent governors is a mistake June
Click here for BBC coverage of alleged administrative problems at the DFE April
Click here for BBC coverage of popular schools and over-subscription criteria April
Click here for Guardian article [Mary O'Hara] on underfunding of education April
Click here for Guardian article by John Goldthorpe on education and social mobility March 13th
Click here for Guardian coverage of John Goldthorpe's upcoming lecture on education and social mobility March 13th
Click here for speech by Sir Michael Wilshaw: Ambitions for English Education: Video] January 24th
Click here for Guardian coverage of above speech January 24th
Click here for Guardian coverage of school budget deficits November 6th
Click here for BBC coverage and here for Guardian coverage of S.S. Nicola Morgan's education policies speech November 3rd
Click here for appointment of new Ofsted Head{ an Academy Chain trustee]
Click here for BBC profile of Nicky Morgan
Click here for Guardian article on Nicky Morgan and Coasting Schools