Extended Schools

Students with an interest in the impact of Extended Schools should take a look at a new, in-depth publication from the DCSF. <a href="http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/research/data/uploadfiles/DCSF-RR068.pdf" target="_blank"><span style="font-style: italic;">Extended Schools Survey of Schools, Pupils and Parents</span></a> is a detailed report which contains the results from a survey examining all aspects of extended schools and those who use them. In addition to an impressive range of statistics, the report also contains analysis of the findings from the study.

Extended Schools

Students with an interest in the impact of Extended Schools should take a look at a new, in-depth publication from the DCSF. Extended School...

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The Cost of Childcare

The Daycare Trust has just published <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.daycaretrust.org.uk/mod/fileman/files/Costs_survey_2009.pdf" target="_blank">Childcare Costs Survey 2009</a>, it's eighth annual survey examining the cost of nursery places, childminders or out-of-school clubs up and down the country. A summary of the main points is available <a href="http://www.daycaretrust.org.uk/mod.php?mod=userpage&page_id=416" target="_blank">here</a>.<br /><br />Further analysis of the survey's findings is provided by this <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2009/jan/28/childcare-reforms-cost" target="_blank">Guardian article</a>, while this <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/talking_point/7855861.stm" target="_blank">BBC article</a> asks four different parents how they manage to pay for the childcare services which they use.

The Cost of Childcare

The Daycare Trust has just published Childcare Costs Survey 2009 , it's eighth annual survey examining the cost of nursery places, child...

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Circling in Space

I got a new laptop computer for Christmas. It was my attempt to place all of my university media files on a personal computer. I love this new device and just had it all set up the way I wanted it. I was using it for my current courses and was thrilled with its performance. Well, on Tuesday the monitor went out. It's a month old!! My son, the computer expert, checked it out and told me it was history. So I took it back and got a new one. Fortunately, I was able to salvage all my files (I think). Today I went to teach a class using my work laptop (which I have used in the past few years and contains all my university files). My entire file for that course was missing from my documents. Boy, do we rely on technology. Somewhere in cyberspace there is a file for International Childrens Literature floating around. If it should end up on your computer, please let me know. Oh well, next week has to better! :-)

Circling in Space

I got a new laptop computer for Christmas. It was my attempt to place all of my university media files on a personal computer. I love this n...

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Funding for Phonics

The DCSF has recently announced that local authorities are to receive £9m of funding to deliver <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2009/jan/26/phonics-teaching-funding" target="_blank">phonics programmes for young children</a>. The use of synthetic phonics as a method to develop literacy skills has been increasing since the publication of the <a href="http://www.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/phonics/report.pdf" target="_blank">Rose Review</a> in 2006.<br /><br />For further information on phonics, try looking at this <a href="http://bcftcschildhoodeducation.blogspot.com/2007/06/phonics.html" target="_blank">previous post</a> which contains links to useful materials, or <a href="http://bcftcschildhoodeducation.blogspot.com/2007/09/ready-to-read-new-phonics-research.html" target="_blank">this one</a> which contains a programme on the topic from Teachers TV.

Funding for Phonics

The DCSF has recently announced that local authorities are to receive £9m of funding to deliver phonics programmes for young children . The ...

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BMJ Journals

The BMJ Journals site (available on Athens) has recently made a couple of changes which make it a little trickier to use. You can still access the full content of articles on the site - provided that they are more than 12 months old - but you will first need to create a free account. To do this, follow the 'BMJ Journals' link from Athens, and select the journal you wish to look at from the site homepage (popular choices are <span style="font-style: italic;">BMJ</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">Archives of Disease in Childhood</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">StudentBMJ</span>). Next, click on 'Subscribe', fill out the short form that appears, and you will now have an account. You will need to log in with the details you've given yourself each time that you want to access full text material from the site.

BMJ Journals

The BMJ Journals site (available on Athens) has recently made a couple of changes which make it a little trickier to use. You can still acce...

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Who Cares About The White Working Class?

<a href="http://www.runnymedetrust.org/" target="_blank">The Runnymede Trust</a> is an independent organisation which seeks to promote a multi-ethnic Britain, so its latest publication (containing short essays from eight prominent thinkers on race, class and inequality) makes for interesting reading. Entitled <a href="http://www.runnymedetrust.org/uploads/publications/pdfs/WhoCaresAboutTheWhiteWorkingClass-2009.pdf" target="_blank"><span style="font-style: italic;">Who Cares About The White Working Class?</span></a>, the report explores social issues ranging from education to housing, and concludes that <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/7843007.stm" target="_blank">white working class children are considered more likely to fail</a> and face more barriers to high achievement. However, the Trust is also keen to emphasise that class, rather than race, remains the biggest factor in whether individuals are likely to be victims of discrimination.

Who Cares About The White Working Class?

The Runnymede Trust is an independent organisation which seeks to promote a multi-ethnic Britain, so its latest publication (containing sho...

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Male Nursery Staff

New research commissioned by the <a href="http://www.cwdcouncil.org.uk/" target="_blank">Children's Workforce Development Council</a> seems to have created a bit of a stir. The study examined the issue of male childcare workers, and found a huge discrepancy between parents' wishes for their children to have access to good male role models, and the number of men who actually work in the childcare sector.<br /><br />The full text of the report doesn't appear to be online at present. However, you can read about some of the statistics and conclusions it contains in this <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/7838273.stm" target="_blank">BBC story</a>. Further analysis of the research's implications is available from this <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/7838538.stm" target="_blank">interview with a male nursery manager</a>, and a provocative opinion piece in the Guardian entitled <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/jan/21/need-male-role-models" target="_blank"><span style="font-style: italic;">This is a Job for the Boys</span></a>.

Male Nursery Staff

New research commissioned by the Children's Workforce Development Council seems to have created a bit of a stir. The study examined the...

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Stuck In The Middle

A new report from <a href="http://www.actionforchildren.org.uk/" target="_blank">Action for Children</a> argues that the 'middle years of youth' (6-13 years old) are a period in which not enough support is offered to children, who can suffer <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2009/jan/19/child-mental-health-wellbeing" target="_blank">problems of loneliness and self-esteem</a> during this time in their lives. The research that was carried out suggests that a child's emotional health at age 10 is directly linked to their life chances by the age of 30.<br /><br />You can read the full text of the report, entitled <a href="http://www.actionforchildren.org.uk/uploads/media/36/4442.pdf" target="_blank"><span style="font-style: italic;">Stuck in the Middle</span></a>, online now. The report is just the first stage of a national campaign to improve support for children between these ages - you can find out more by <a href="http://www.actionforchildren.org.uk/content.aspx?CategoryID=62&ArticleID=437&" target="_blank">clicking here</a>.

Stuck In The Middle

A new report from Action for Children argues that the 'middle years of youth' (6-13 years old) are a period in which not enough sup...

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A-Z of Legislation

Recently I posted about some guides on CCInform which are useful for giving you an overview of various legislation relating to children and families (<a href="http://bcftcschildhoodeducation.blogspot.com/2009/01/legislation-guides-on-ccinform.html" target="_blank">click here</a> for details). Now it seems that the Guardian is doing something similar, by offering an <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/series/a-z-of-legislation" target="_blank">A-Z of Legislation</a> for laws relating to civil liberties. 25 different Acts are covered by the series, which provides information to the background, aims and criticism of each Act, and encompasses topics such as asylum, domestic violence and human rights.

A-Z of Legislation

Recently I posted about some guides on CCInform which are useful for giving you an overview of various legislation relating to children and ...

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The Fridge is Full Again

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9ZbyU6SMxaBqe-qbGsRnsVnHKCTw_eTm3aTHMGckUIjkqTuZJU-3JbBG9a77C5p2lbj0mW-Z2qMlgu6hlrr0HzSEHiFq6kTIc2B0P0u5utsoLcqguTU1y1ifsgcRfeUXWdx9ksOlLuY8/s1600-h/011.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5292840895181571010" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9ZbyU6SMxaBqe-qbGsRnsVnHKCTw_eTm3aTHMGckUIjkqTuZJU-3JbBG9a77C5p2lbj0mW-Z2qMlgu6hlrr0HzSEHiFq6kTIc2B0P0u5utsoLcqguTU1y1ifsgcRfeUXWdx9ksOlLuY8/s200/011.JPG" style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" /></a>Three of my grandchildren just had a sleepover at our house this week. I love having them stay! We always have such a great time. My two granddaughters love to draw new pictures to display on the fridge. We have some new <a href="http://www.discountschoolsupply.com/Product/ProductDetail.aspx?product=15435&keyword=Silky%20Stick&es=10490500000" target="_blank">Silky Stick crayons</a> that glide on easier than regular crayons. The two were excited about the new materials for drawing and coloring. As teachers, it is always a challenge to find new ways of teaching basic concepts. It is not unlike grandparents thinking of new ways to entertain. Thank goodness my early childhood years have given me a treasure chest to rely upon. Without those resources I may not have a well-decorate refrigerator door!

The Fridge is Full Again

Three of my grandchildren just had a sleepover at our house this week. I love having them stay! We always have such a great time. My two gra...

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Firefox Tips

A quick internet tip: an increasing number of Web users are switching from Internet Explorer to Firefox as their browser of choice as it offers a number of additional options while surfing - particularly popular is the tabbed browsing feature.<br /><br />If you're a Firefox user, you may be interested in this list of <a href="http://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/Keyboard+shortcuts" target="_blank">keyboard shortcuts</a>, which shows all of the fast ways of completing operations without using the mouse. A useful one that I've discovered is the ability to reopen a tab which you've closed by mistake by pressing Ctrl + Shift + T.<br /><br />Also worth a look is the <a href="http://adblockplus.org/en/" target="_blank">Adblock Plus</a> application, which you can install to block almost all of the pop-up adverts that litter so many websites, making your web surfing much more pleasurable.

Firefox Tips

A quick internet tip: an increasing number of Web users are switching from Internet Explorer to Firefox as their browser of choice as it off...

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Virtual Learning

A new report from Ofsted states that many schools and colleges have been <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/7824736.stm" target="_blank">slow to embrace online materials</a>, with examples of good practice often springing from the enthusiasm of individual teachers. In particular, primary schools have to date made only "very limited" use of the technology to date. You can choose from either a PDF or Word version of the report, entitled <span style="font-style: italic;">Virtual Learning Environments: An Evaluation of their Developments in a Sample of Educational Settings</span> by <a href="http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/Ofsted-home/Publications-and-research/Browse-all-by/Documents-by-type/Thematic-reports/Virtual-learning-environments-an-evaluation-of-their-development-in-a-sample-of-educational-settings" target="_blank">clicking here</a>.

Virtual Learning

A new report from Ofsted states that many schools and colleges have been slow to embrace online materials , with examples of good practice o...

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Social Mobility

Today sees the launch of the government's <a href="http://www.hmg.gov.uk/media/9102/NewOpportunities.pdf" target="_blank"><span style="font-style: italic;">New Opportunities</span></a> white paper, which contains proposals to increase social mobility in the UK. The key themes of the paper are education and skills, with an emphasis on enabling people from all backgrounds to gain entry to top professions. <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/7824959.stm" target="_blank">Extra incentives for teachers who work in Britain's toughest schools</a> is another proposal which has made the headlines.<br /><br />Social mobility has been somehing of a hot topic in recent months. Only yesterday the Liberal Democrats' Social Mobility Commission published <a href="http://www.libdems.org.uk/assets/0001/0256/Social_Mobility_Report_Final.pdf" target="_blank">a report</a> which argued that success in life in the UK is still largely determined by <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7823372.stm" target="_blank">parents' background and earnings</a>. Other reports that have covered this subject include <a href="http://www.socialmobilitycommission.org/ippr-social-mobility.pdf" target="_blank"><span style="font-style: italic;">Social Mobility: A Background Review</span></a> (an excellent introduction to the topic) and <a href="http://www.lse.ac.uk/collections/pressAndInformationOffice/PDF/Recent%20Changes%20in%20Intergenerational%20Mobility%20in%20Britain.pdf" target="_blank"><span style="font-style: italic;">Recent Changes in Intergenerational Mobility in Britain</span></a>.

Social Mobility

Today sees the launch of the government's New Opportunities white paper, which contains proposals to increase social mobility in the UK...

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A New Group

Today was the first day of classes at the university. The one fun thing about teaching on the college level is that you get fresh faces in the middle of the year. When I look out at all the new faces, I wonder what is in store for the semester. I love that feeling and always hope that I can make a difference in their lives. We have such a teacher shortage in our area and we need great teachers for our young children. I'm encouraged that the new administration will make education more attractive to sharp people. Our nation can only be as good as we are educated.

A New Group

Today was the first day of classes at the university. The one fun thing about teaching on the college level is that you get fresh faces in ...

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Young People in the Media

A new piece of research from the National Children's Bureau (NCB) investigates how young people feel about their treatment at the hands of the media, concluding that many <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/7820245.stm" target="_blank">youngsters are unhappy about their negative portrayal</a>. Stories about crime, sex and drugs were regarded by a large majority as unhelpful, while it was felt that positive stories were only written in exceptional cases.<br /><br />The full report, entitled <a href="http://www.ncb.org.uk/youngncb/images/mediaresearchers/final_report.pdf" target="_blank"><span style="font-style: italic;">Media Portrayal of Young People – Impact and Influences</span></a> is available online now. A <a href="http://www.ncb.org.uk/youngncb/images/mediaresearchers/summary_report.pdf" target="_blank">summary version</a> is also available.

Young People in the Media

A new piece of research from the National Children's Bureau (NCB) investigates how young people feel about their treatment at the hands ...

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Mixed Bag

A brief overview of various reports and documents which have appeared in recent weeks:<br /><ul><li><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.bernardvanleer.org/publication_store/publication_store_publications/early_childhood_transitions_research_a_review_of_concepts_theory_and_practice/file" target="_blank">Early Childhood Transitions Research: A Review of Concepts, Theory, and Practice</a> gathers together the findings of many studies on childhood transitions; it's well worth a read if you have an interest in this area.</li><li><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://publications.dcsf.gov.uk/eOrderingDownload/Families%20Evidence%20Paper%20v0%2032%20181202.pdf" target="_blank">Families in Britain: An Evidence Paper</a> is a DCSF publication which provides an interesting snapshot of modern family life, using a huge range of statistics and raising a number of issues for discussion</li><li><a href="http://www.scie.org.uk/publications/reports/report19.pdf" target="_blank"><span style="font-style: italic;">Learning Together to Safeguard Children: Developing a Multi-Agency Systems Approach for Case Reviews</span></a> is a detailed report from <a href="http://www.scie.org.uk/" target="_blank">SCIE</a><br /></li></ul>

Mixed Bag

A brief overview of various reports and documents which have appeared in recent weeks: Early Childhood Transitions Research: A Review of Con...

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Children's Services in Birmingham

Many of the blog readers either work for Birmingham City Council or will have children living in the Birmingham area, so you may be interested in reading <a href="http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/oxcare_providers/la_download/%28id%29/4699/%28as%29/APA/apa_2008_330.pdf" target="_blank">Ofsted's assessment of services for children and young people in Birmingham in 2008</a>. The Council is graded on 7 aspects of the services it provides with comments provided to explain the mark that has been awarded in each area. According to Ofsted, improvements could be made in the area of keeping children safe, while the Council's strengths are in making a postive contribution to children's outcomes and helping young people to achieve economic wellbeing.

Children's Services in Birmingham

Many of the blog readers either work for Birmingham City Council or will have children living in the Birmingham area, so you may be interest...

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Parenting Policy Development

The <a href="http://www.familyandparenting.org/" target="_blank">Family & Parenting Institute</a> has recently launched a simple but very effective online resource which should be of interest to most students, particularly those who are working on assignments related to contemporary issues. Entitled <a href="http://www.familyandparenting.org/Filestore//Documents/Our_work/ParentingPolicyDevelopment.pdf" target="_blank"><span style="font-style: italic;">Parenting Policy - The Last Ten Years</span></a>, the document is a simple ten page timeline of major government initiatives and policy in children's and family services since Labour came to power in 1997. This is useful in itself, but it also provides links to each of the various strategies and bodies described; well worth bookmarking!

Parenting Policy Development

The Family & Parenting Institute has recently launched a simple but very effective online resource which should be of interest to most ...

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Legislation Guides on CCInform

A slow news day so here's another plug for CCInform to which all students now have access (see <a href="http://bcftcschildhoodeducation.blogspot.com/2008/11/ccinform.html" target="_blank">previous post</a> for details on how to access the service).<br /><br />One of the enquiries which students regularly make is for information on a particular piece of legislation, as trying to make sense of an Act of Parliament can be a tricky task unless you're a legal professional. So if you're in this situation, try taking a look at the 'Legislation' section of the CCInform site; here you will find digests for 17 different Acts (at last count), which explain the meaning of each paragraph in simple terms.<br /><br />Some of the laws which have received this treatment include the <span style="font-style: italic;">Children Act 1989</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">Children Act 2004</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">Children and Adoption Act 2006</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">Childcare Act 2006</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">Carers (Equal Opportunities) Act 2004</span> and the <span style="font-style: italic;">UN Convention on the Rights of the Child</span>. You can expect to see others added to the existing list in the near future.

Legislation Guides on CCInform

A slow news day so here's another plug for CCInform to which all students now have access (see previous post for details on how to acce...

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Child Development

The work of the <a href="http://www.cls.ioe.ac.uk/studies.asp?section=000100020001" target="_blank">Millennium Cohort Study</a> has been covered before on the blog (see <a href="http://bcftcschildhoodeducation.blogspot.com/2008/10/millennium-cohort-study.html" target="_blank">previous post</a> for details), and the project is likely to generate useful research on children's lives for some years to come. The latest report to be drawn from the data that has been collected so far looks at child development, and examines the factors associated with cognitive and behavioral ability up to the age of 5. You can access the report by <a href="http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/research/data/uploadfiles/DCSF-RW077.pdf" target="_blank">clicking here</a>.

Child Development

The work of the Millennium Cohort Study has been covered before on the blog (see previous post for details), and the project is likely to ...

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