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1944 Education Act: Free and complusory education for all until 15
The 1944 Education Act or 'Butler' Act was driven by post war reconstruction and this new legislation sought to remove inequalities evident in secondary school education. In summary, this reconstruction resulted in a three part system to include: grammar, secondary modern and technical schools. Allocation to each of these schools was based on an 11+ test. The act also stipulated free education until 18. -
1946 Barlow Report
The 1946 Barlow Report recommended the creation of more places at university for students interested in science. -
School leaving age raised to 15
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Introduction of the 'General Certificate of Education' 1951
GCE exams are more commonly referred to as 'O' levels. -
The Crowther Report 1959
This report recommended raising the leaving age to 16, comprehensive schooling for everyone and a national system for vocational education for example. It also emphasised the importance of the provision of higher education for the 15-19 year group. -
'Certificate of Secondary Education' introduced in 1962
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1965 Circular 10/65
The 1965 circular declared the Labour government's desire to scrap the 11+ selection test, as Chitty describes: “end selection at 11-plus and to eliminate separation in secondary school education” (Chitty, 2002, p.18) -
School leaving age raised to 16
School leaving age raised to 16 - this provoked much cynicism by those who believed that the raising of the school age merely coincided with a desire to present less significant youth unemployment figures following the mid 70's post war economic boom. -
1976 Education Act
"Local education authorities shall, in the exercise and performance of their powers and duties relating to secondary education, have regard to the general principle that such education is to be provided only in schools where the arrangements for the admission of pupils are not based (wholly or partly) on selection by reference to ability or aptitude" (Section 1(1))' However, "There was no legal requirement to end selection, and the Act produced no visible effect" (Benn and Chitty 1996:11). -
1979 Education Act
This 1979 Act overturned Labours 1976 Act by giving back control to the LEA's over selection of pupils for 11+ education. -
1981 Education (Special Education) Act
This act introduced the assessment of 'Special Educational Needs' and how SEN could be accommodated:
- 'Handicapped' replaced with 'special education need'
- LEA's responsible for assessing SEN
- Children with SEN to be educated in mainstream schools providing that their needs could be accommodated within that school. -
The introduction of the GCSE
On failing to combine the GCE withe the CSE, the new GCSE replaced these two certifications for all subject areas. -
1988 Education Reform Act
Four decades following the 1944 Act, the legislation in the 1988 Education Reform act bought into place radical change. The act revolutionised education, making provision for a new national curriculum, city technology colleges and freedom for primary and secondary schools to opt out of LEA control in preference for funding by central government. The act also stipulated the introduction of national testing in the form of SATs at the ages of 5, 7 and 11 in core subjects. -
1992 Further and Higher Education Act
This act achieved the following:
1) Removed higher education institutions from the control of
LEA's
2) Abolished the CNAA
3) Established the FEFCs
4) Unified funding of higher education under HEFCs -
1992 Education (schools) Act: Establishment of OFSTED
The act of 1992 saw the establishment of Ofsted, an acronym for the 'Office for Standards in Education' Following the provision of Ofsted, the assessment of school performance would change forever. It's function being to monitor, assess and report on individual school performance but also to conduct wider research into issues such as equality. -
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St. Peters Roman Catholic Primary School
St. Peters RC Primary School marks the beginning of my educational timeline - a timeline which is ever expanding. From an infant I began absorbing knowledge and here I am starting a PGCE many years later still absorbing new and engaging ideas! Learning never stops and I am thankful for those teachers who had such an influence over my development in these young and impressionable years. -
1994 Education Act: Teacher training agency
The act of 1994 saw the provision of the TTA or 'Teacher training Agency' and also provided regulations for the operation of student unions. -
1996 Education (Student Loans) Act
This education act ensured the continued provision of student loans for higher education. -
Period: to
Aldridge Comprehensive School
After winning a music scholarship, I secured my place at Aldridge Comprehensive School. I ended my school career here after finishing my GCSEs as I felt that I needed a new challenge. Some of the best days of my school career were spent here, including winning musician of the year and a year 13 biology field trip to Gloucester. Whoever coined the phrase 'your school days are the best days of your life' really hit the nail on the head. Aldridge School represents some of the best days of mine! -
2004 Every Child Matters Act: Change for children
ECM marked a change in focus of the government to centre on five key areas which are essential for well-being in childhood and the continuation of this into later life for all pupils to include: "being healthy, staying safe, enjoying and achieving, making a positive contribution and achieving economic well-being" (Department for Education) -
Period: to
Queen Mary's High School for Girls
Having completed my 11-16 education at Aldridge Comprehensive School (as it was known then) I felt that I wanted a change in my educational environment so I moved to QMHS in Walsall for sixth form. I achieved AS levels in History and Critical Thinking followed by A-levels in Biology, Chemistry and English Literature. My results secured my first choice university and I began my undergraduate degree at the University of Sheffield on September 2008. -
Started a BSc in Molcular Biology at the University of Sheffield
This was the first day of some of the best years of my life both personally and academically. Starting University is a daunting yet exciting challenge but from the start I immersed myself in university life and my course. In my second year I was elected Vice President of the Molecular Biology and Biotechnology Society which was a great honour. Other notable highlights include working as a research assistant for a PhD student after completing my degree and of course all of the friends I made! -
Education and Skills Act 2008
An overview of this act includes the raising of the school leaving age to 17 in 2013 and 18 in 2015:
- By 2013 and 2015 all students must stay in education or training at least in a part capacity to the age of 17 and 18 respectively. -
Equality Act 2010
The Equality Act of 2010 replaced any prior anti-discrimination acts (race relations act etc) merging them into a single act. In essence it legally protects individuals from discrimination in terms of race, gender, disability and religious preference etc albeit in the work place or in the wider society. -
2010 Academies Act
The 2010 legislation made it possible for all maintained schools (maintained by the local authority) to apply to transition into academies (publicly funded schools)
- Schools rated as 'outstanding' by Ofsted would be pre-approved to go ahead with this transition into academy status.
- The act allowed academies to be set up from scratch called 'additional schools' mostly in the form of 'free schools' -
2007 Professional Standards for Teachers
The professional standards for teachers created in 2007 combined the standards for intial training, induction and ongoing professional development into a single framework. -
BSc in Molecular Biology completed
On the 11th June 2011 I had my last ever examination at the University of Sheffield. What a moment of relief! Although, paradoxically, the realisation that university had come to an end was a sad thought! -
Graduated from the University of Sheffield (July 2011)
On the 19th July 2011 I graduated from the University of Sheffield with a BSc (hons) 2:1 in Molecular Biology. This represented the culmination of three years of hard work and was a very proud moment in my educational timeline. -
Period: to
Subject Knowledge Enhancement course (Summer 2014)
I completed a science booster package course over the summer of 2014 to improve my subject knowledge in all three sciences. -
Started PGCE in Secondary Education (Biology)
On the 8th September 2014 I began my journey as a trainee teacher at Wolverhampton University. By June 2015 I hope to have completed the course and achieved QTS to enable me to pursue a career as a secondary school science teacher.
