Athens UpdateAs of today, if you log onto Athens, you may notice a difference. When you try clicking on the Blackwell-Synergy site, you are instead directed to a site headed 'Wiley InterScience'. This is because the Blackwell site has been taken over and closed by it's new owners.In future, all of the journals w…
Web DomainsFor those of you who find it difficult to navigate the internet smoothly, things may be about to get harder. From next year, the way in which web addresses (URLs) are regulated will change radically.Until then, why not improve your knowlege of the internet by learning what some of the common suffixe…
National Children's BureauI'm sure that most readers of this blog don't need me to explain what the National Children's Bureau is and what it does. Their website is excellent but also very large, which means that some of the useful material it contains can sometimes be hidden. Also, the NCB is responsible for maintaining a n…
Early Learning Partnership ProjectThe Early Learning Partnership Project has been running for some time and has been coordinated by the Family and Parenting Institute. Bringing together many charities and related partners, the project was designed to examine how best early learning for pre-school children can be encouraged at home. …
Byron Review Action PlanA few months ago I wrote about the Byron Review (click here for details), which was commissioned by the DCSF to examine the possible effects on children of exposure to inappropriate material in computer games or on the internet.Following the publication of the initial report, the DCSF agreed to acce…
How Many Ways...I was recently at the headquarters of Discount School Supply and was able to see many new products that are coming out this year in their catalog. This meeting is always a treat and I get excited to see new ways of doing things. We do know what early childhood children need to support their growth,…
Web inSuggestToday's post is about a new(ish) online tool called Web inSuggest, which is based on a simple but effective idea. Basically, if you have an interest in a particular topic and already use a number of websites which are relevant, simply type their addresses into the space provided and Web inSuggest wi…
Mathematics TeachingLast year the DCSF asked Sir Peter Williams to carry out a review which would look at how mathematics is taught in primary schools and early-years settings. Among the issues that were to be addressed were to find out what is the most effective pedagogy in this area, and what levels of knowledge shou…
More from OnTheWebThe latest issue of the NFER's OnTheWeb service (see previous post for details) contains its usual excellent mixture of links to new research and reports. Here are just some of the highlights:Person- or Place-Based Policies to Tackle Disadvantage?: a Joseph Rowntree publication looking at the effect…
Special Measures / Wasted TalentTwo reports have been released today which may interest some of you:Sustaining Improvement: the Journey from Special Measures is an Ofsted survey which examines the actions that schools can take to improve their performance, once they have been labelled as 'failing'. You can read some of the main po…
Media LiteracyLast month saw the publication of a Children's Media Literacy Audit by Ofcom. This report takes a holistic view of how children are interacting with various technologies, such as television, social networking websites, and mobile phones. A summary of the main points is also available.…
Could you be an Innovative Teacher?The General Teaching Council has recently collaborated on a new report entitled Teachers as Innovative Professionals. This document examines developments within ten schools which have introduced innovative practices, as well as looking at the experiences of 35 teachers that have taken a personal app…
Secondary Schools Staff SurveyThe DCSF has just published its latest Secondary School Curriculum and Staffing Survey (SSCSS). This is a report which has been published every four to six years since 1965, and examines the make-up of the teaching workforce in terms of qualifications and the subjects that they teach.The survey make…
Children and Young People's PlansSince April 2006 all local authorities have been required to publish an annual Children and Young People's Plan (CYPP). These documents are intended to describe the services for children which each authority provides, and also cover how they will be managed or developed in the future.The NFER has re…
Childcare & Early Years SurveyLast week the DCSF published Childcare and Early Years Survey 2007: Parents’ Use, Views and Experiences. This is an annual report which looks at the services which are available for families, and evaluates their performance. You can read some of the reaction to the latest survey by clicking here.…