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The McNair Report
This report set to address the shortfall of teachers and youth leaders in Britain. It recommended three year training courses and salary increases. It stopped short of tax free bursaries and "Golden Hellos” though! -
The Fleming Report
Integrate independent schools into the state system? Fleming tried but it was never implemented. Would the idea work any better today? -
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History of Education
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1944 Education Act (Butler)
Butler's 1994 Act provided free and compulsory education for all until the age of 15 with the option to continue to 18 (free of charge) for those who wanted it.
The Schooling system was to broken down into three types of school, each catering to a different type of skill set.
The categories were Grammar Schools, Secondary Modern and Technical.
The 11+ was used to assess to which type any given pupil was most suited. -
The Crowther Report
This report recommended the school leaving age be raised to 16, something that had also been raised in 1944 by Butler. It pushed for comprehensive schools and and suggested that school leavers were being "wasted". It also questioned the value of day release type apprenticeships, but recommended an expansion of vocational training and further education, -
CSE Introduced
Certificate of Secondary Education introduced. -
Newsom Report
This key report showed that children of average or below average ability were being given far less chance to succeed. Their schools were often poorly equipped, expectations were lower and they were receiving far less funding than their peers at grammar school. The divide was very clear. -
Circular 10/65
Labour declared their intention to end the 11+ selection and stop the secondary separation that followed. Over the next few years many LEAs moved away from selection although some still resist (Kent stands out here). -
The Plowden Report
Freed from the pressures of the 11+ progressivism begins to take hold. Innovation and creativity are the order of the day and learning is tailored to the child. The premise is "each child is an individual and will learn best when treated as such". This seemed very forward thinking and came under fire from traditionalists. -
Circular 10/70
Circular 10/65 was withdrawn very quickly once the Tories assumed power and was replaced with Circular 10/70. Whilst not insisting on a revert to the old system it did allow each LEA to decide how they wanted to set up their school system. -
School Leaving Age Raised to 16
Finally, nearly 30 years after Butler first suggested it the school leaving age is raised to 16. -
Warnock Report
This report looked in depth at the best way to deal with pupils with SEN. It examined particularly the "2%" that they believed needed support above what was currently available within schools and the best way to support those children.
Mary Warnock has recently come under fire for criticising the modern use of her recommendations (2005) -
1981 Education (Special Education) Act
This act brought some of the SEN issues raised in the Warnock report of 1978 to bear. Good examples include formal assessments for children with learning difficulties and the production of "statements" outlining how their needs will be met. It also gave parents the right to dispute a statement of special need. -
Tom Bassett Was Born!
I was born! Nice one Mum. -
I Started Nursery
I think my father still has nightmares about when he was volunteered to help here. I had a nice time though. -
I Started My First Primary School
I started the local Primary School. It had a bad reputation but was the only one in the village so I went.
The only memory I have of this was being made to sit by a boy who constantly pushed me off my chair. When my mother complained the teacher told her I had to sit by him as I was the only one in the class who would push him back and she thought he would learn to stop it soon if I kept doing it.
I left shortly after.
The other boy is now in prison... -
National Vocational Qualifications
The National Council introduced NVQs as a method of accrediting competence in the "real world". They led the way for a range of more vocational awards to be offered at schools and colleges. -
I Started My Second Primary School
My second primary school only had 114 pupils at its peak with just 14 in my year (10boys and 4 girls). It was very rural and had a supportive "family feel".
I have only good memories and am still in contact with five of my class mates. -
1988 Education Reform Act (Baker)
This act facilitated some of the major changes that we still see in schools today. It took power away from the schools and dictated many aspects to them. It outlined new guidelines on collective worship, governing bodies and the local management of schools. The real headlines were saved for the introduction of the national curriculum and the introduction of school league tables and assessments. SATS were to be used for testing at 5,7 and 11. -
GCSEs Introduced
O Levels were replaced by GCSEs which utilized new methods of assessing learning through coursework and exams. -
Ofsted Established
The Office for Standards in Education is established. Their goal is not solely assessment of schools but also research into topics like teaching and learning, equality and social issues. -
The Dearing Review
Under pressure from the teaching unions and facing criticism that the National Curriculum is unwieldy, this review offered a "slimmed down" version. -
1993 Education Act
A massive piece of legislation covering many issues including provisions for 'failing' schools, new rules for pupil exclusions and funding for grant maintained schools. It also provided a legal definition of special needs. -
I Started Secondary School
My secondary school was also a small rural one, with just 450 pupils. There were around 100 in my year and they all came from a selection of very small feeder schools like mine.
I think we were all totally unprepared for the world of BIG school and felt very much like it was the proverbial big pond. -
Code of Practice for SEN
This code of practice further developed a parent’s right to appeal SEN statements and setup a tribunal system. It also identified the need for a SENCO in every school and sought clarity on exactly what was and was not a special need. -
Dyslexia Assessment
Following an identified weakness in spelling and some "difficult" behaviour, I was assessed by an educational Psychologist who established I have some learning difficulties. I don't recall ever hearing anything about me needing extra help before this date. It was just two years before I was due to finish compulsory education. -
I Started My GCSE Courses
I embarked on my GCSEs with a little trepidation. I was never aware of having taken a exam that really mattered before. Most of the subjects were my choice, although a couple such as German were not. I was placed on the German GCSE course because I was so poor at French. -
Tony Blair Delivers His Famous Speech
Education, Education, Education! -
1997 White Paper: Excellence in Schools
Schools were encouraged to become "specialist schools" allowing small degree of selection. Targets were set not only to ascertain eventual achievement but also progress made. Setting was recommended especially in science, maths and languages. -
I Finished My Compulsory Education
Last exam over - I retired for the summer. School was out for good.....or was it? -
Teaching and Higher Education Act
Students now required to contribute towards tuition fees and grants are abolished. When I started University I felt the impact of this first hand! -
I Started 6th Form
Swayed by the lack of uniform and acting on advice from teachers, family members etc, I went to a nearby 6th form to study Business, Computing and Physics A-levels. I swapped Physics in the second year for Geography. -
School Standards and Framework Act
Grant maintained schools were abolished and a system by which local communities could shut grammar schools was introduced (although it has never been utilized). LEAs are given further powers in the interest of raising standards and "failing" schools faced the threat of closure. -
I Finished 6th Form
Chalked up my A Levels which were pretty poor grades but enough to get me into Uni. Considered myself a lucky boy.
