Age and DevelopmentA new study carried out by the NFER has concluded that summer-born children are more likely to develop special educational needs; the literature review examined research projects from the UK and 14 other countries. Among recommendations which the report makes are age-standardised tests which could e…
Fathering / ParentingThe Joseph Rowntree Foundation has just published a collection of research reports which examine different aspects of parenting and the role of the father in contemporary Britain. If you have an interest in these topics or are considering a project in this area for your dissertation then they are we…
Birmingham for FamiliesThe next time you're passing the Central Library, try popping in for 2 minutes and picking up a copy of Birmingham for Families (see below), a free directory of services in the city for children, young people and families. Copies are available in the Centre for the Child, and the booklet contains de…
I Need to be TwinsI went to my granddaughter's class for grandparents day this past week. We had a great time. I have another little friend in my granddaughter's room. The school is year-round and my granddaugher has changed schedules (tracks) this year. With all of the that, this little friend has been in her class …
Teaching ResourcesWelcome to all of the new students on the College's PGCE programme. This post is intended to point you towards some of the Web resources that will be most helpful to you during (and hopefully beyond!) your course, so it may be worth bookmarking some of the links below if you haven't done so already.…
History of Primary SchoolsFrom Abacus to Circle Time: A Short History of the Primary School is the title of a 3 part series which begins today on Radio 4 at 4pm. Each episode is 30 minutes long, and the series will cover the changes in teaching methods from Victorian times, through the 'progressive' 1960s and 1970s, to the p…
Childcare and Early Years Survey of ParentsThe DCSF recently published its annual Childcare and Early Years Survey of Parents. This report examines information on parental childcare arrangements and opinions on childcare provision, and the impact of government policy in these areas. Among the findings in the latest edition are that more pare…
Support Staff in SchoolsA new study by the Institute of Education looks likely to prove controversial, after it concluded that pupils who are supported by teaching assistants do no better than those who are left alone. Although more positive findings from the research suggested that support staff have had a positive impact…
Guidance from OfstedThe mere mention of 'Ofsted' may strike fear into you if you work in a early years or education setting, but on this occasion it seems the organisation is keen to lend a hand; two new publications on the Ofsted website are designed to offer guidance to those working with children.Are You Ready for Y…
Doing Better for ChildrenA new publication from the OECD suggests that high public spending in the UK on child welfare and education is failing to deliver results. The report, entitled Doing Better for Children, suggests that Britain has high rates of teenage pregnancy, drunkenness, and young people not in education, employ…
The Open ClassroomI have the opportunity to supervise student teachers this school year. I've always wanted that assignment. I thought I was well-suited for it since I had numerous student teachers when I was a classroom teacher and I have supervised classroom teachers several times. One of my assignments is a school…