Proportional Representation
I must admit I am not convinced by proportional representation, amongst other things I cannot quite see how it could be achieved without breaking the link between MPs and the localities they represent. At the moment, we vote for people, not parties.
However, both Labour (Blaenau Gwent, Erith and Thamesmead) and the Conservatives (South [...]
This week the submissions to the select committee inquiry have been made public. Many ppl have blogged their shock about some of the contents, or their pleasure in reading some of the reasoned arguments against the Badman review. Ppl have also wondered why the whole thing hasn’t just been thrown out – but I don’t [...]
“It takes a village to raise a child.” – An African proverb, brought into every day western language by Hillary Clinton. I’ve never read her book (despite it sitting on a bookcase in old house for some years!) so I don’t know what she meant by it, but I know what I think it means.
I [...]
School v education.
Homeschool v home education.
Different images aren’t they? To me anyway, although mainstream media and politicians in this country for some reason do not seem to see this. Setting aside the implied discourtesy in using a term not in use by the ppl concerned, is this because they don’t want to accept the distinction [...]
A very short while ago I rejoined an email group that I was last a member of over 10 years ago. It’s the list that I met Tim on (awww…) and hence Big is known to them as listbabe
After a suitable pause, I brought up the topic of home education there, hoping that [...]
The consultation is available for responses online.
My response follows. I was submission 2042, my understanding is that the usual type of number responding to these things is around 300. Wouldn’t it be great if we could get ten times that number? Please, pass it on to your friends, your relatives, your home ed groups and [...]
Inspired by Helen’s letter to Ed Balls from her blog.
Dear Mr Balls
I will not give up this fight. These are my children, not yours, not the state’s. I will choose with them what they learn, and we will not follow any curriculum determined by remote politicians in Westminster, even though we may appear to follow [...]
with the flood of press releases today.
We’ve had the government’s full response to the Graham Badman review.
We’ve had the announcement of a forthcoming review into the definition of suitable education for home educated children.
We’ve seen Graham Badman’s latest attempt at proving that home educated children are more at risk than those in school [...]
If you haven’t seen the list of witnesses for the select committee the phrase read it and weep comes to mind.
From Home Education Forums
The Children, Schools and Families Committee will be taking formal oral evidence as follows:
Monday 12 October 2009 at 4.45pm
Wilson Room, Portcullis House
Witnesses:
Graham Badman CBE;
Ms Diana R Johnson MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary [...]
Recently, when I was looking for statistics for my post unwarranted government intrusion into family life I came across the RoSPA website, with the slogan “As safe as necessary, not as safe as possible.” This seemed to me to be a balanced attitude to risk and set me thinking, what does this mean in terms [...]
I was watching the local news tonight, and it turns out that the two policewomen banned from looking after each other’s children live in this area, so were interviewed on the show. They were doing each other a favour – job sharing and childcare sharing, in much the same way women in communities have done [...]
You know, us home educators who are ranting and raving about invasion of privacy following the Badman review of home education, are we just fringe nutters?
I admit we’ve made some unusual choices in our life. It isn’t standard to home educate your children after all. And if you don’t home educate them, finding a montessori [...]
By birth, and by preference, I’m a northerner. Born in Durham, grew up in Yorkshire, went back to university in Durham, and stayed there until I moved for a better job, as so many ppl have had to do over the years.
Since then, as a family we’ve just sort of drifted about Derbyshire/ Yorkshire as [...]
The Select Committee day of investigation into the conduct and findings of Graham Badman’s Home Education review is fast approaching. Someone has now found this little gem:
Please see the attached letter from Graham Badman.
Graham would like to make local authorities aware of the forthcoming Select Committee hearing in early October which is likely to examine [...]
The introduction of a compulsory annual visit by a health visitor or trained advocate is suggested to ensure that the most at-risk children (about 68 per cent of cases involved children from birth to four) can express concerns to a professional.
No, it’s not scaremongering or thought provoking posting from a home ed related blog trying [...]
Tonight I am feeling betrayed and let down by a man who in all reality has no responsibility to me at all.
Lord Lucas has placed an amendment against the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Bill as follows:
311 Insert the following new Clause—
“Support for home education
Support for home education
(1) The Secretary of State [...]
I am not convinced by the existing research studies on the outcomes for home educated children both in this country and elsewhere. Although some (but not all) studies have found that home educated children outperform schooled children on a range of indicators, the results may be attributable to parental characteristics (e.g. better educated parents [...]
EO has produced a pdf for the review which you can read here
I would like to state for the record that I am not now a member of EO although we were during our first year or so of home ed, as I think many ppl are. My understanding of the organisation and of this [...]
in the Telegraph, Revealed: new teaching methods that are producing dramatic results
Innovative headteachers at schools around the country are abandoning traditional chalk and talk teaching methods in favour of widely differing visions of an educational future. Judith Woods enters a world of spaced learning, praise pods, flexible Fridays and sixth-formers in business suits.
This doesn’t seem [...]
My MP has forwarded a letter from Sarah McCarthy-Fry that I’ve seen dotted about the internet. It’s a standard letter and doesn’t address any of our individual concerns. My MP says “if there are any points you would like me to pursue further, please let me know”.
Oh, where to start. How about the first paragraph?
Thank [...]
