“Life itseLf”

the newsletter of the Education SIG of British Mensa

Autumn 2019

John Dewey Quotes. (n.d.). BrainyQuote.com. Retrieved January 31, 2019, from BrainyQuote.com Web site:
https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/john_dewey_154060

SIGSec & Editor: Peter Gordon

educationsigsec@gmail.com

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EDITORIAL
Hello, and welcome to your third edition of “Life Itself”, the newsletter of the Education
SIG. I was originally hoping to get this to you in October but held back a month so I
could include the various contributions submitted by SIG members.
Thanks to the contributors. We have two articles from Young Mensans, one is a follow-
up piece to an article published in the main Mensa magazine and the other an account
of an exciting school project and the ensuing media experience. The other writer is a
regular SIG newsletter author and she responds to the previous edition concerning
Grade Inflation. There is also an account of an education conference at Middlesex
University and you are invited to think about what you would talk about if you had the
Secretary of State for Education as a captive audience. Of course, we’ve no idea who
that might be after the election …
I, and other SIG members would really welcome your contributions to future
newsletters. You could:
• Respond to what you’ve read in this newletter
• Send in an educational news item that has caught your eye
• Write a brief description about a project in which you’ve been
involved
• Introduce yourself to the group and let us know what your
interest is in education
• Write a longer piece about an educational topic that you feel
strongly about
I look forward to hearing from EducationSIG members with your
ideas, suggestions, comments and contributions. Even if you have a half formed idea,
get in touch and we could develop it together. Contact me at
educationsigsec@gmail.com . In February’s edition, I’m hoping to include an article by
Lyn Kendall, Mensa’s Gifted Child Consultant.
I hope you enjoy reading this edition and that it prompts you to put finger to keyboard
in response!

The deadline for submissions for the winter edition is 31st January 2020.

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 Editorial
Peter Gordon 2

“Classrooms in Crisis: A follow up”

C Natashya-Millie Becks 4

“The three ‘Es’:-where has it left us?

O Do higher grades necessarily reflect
a better education system”
N Ros Groves 8

T “Millennium Point grant helps

grammar school enhance STEM
E facilities”
Aditya Muthukumar 12
N “Middlesex University Learning
T & Teaching Conference”
Peter Gordon 14
S “Ok, Secretary of State for
Education, let’s talk about …”
Peter Gordon 15

Education in the News 17

Copyright & Disclaimer 19

3
Classrooms in Crisis: A follow up
Natashya-Millie Becks

In the September issue of Mensa Magazine, Natashya-Millie Becks wrote an article entitled
“Action needed now on the classrooms in crisis”. She is a young Mensan who feels passionate
about education. I invited her to write a follow up article for the Education SIG newsletter.
In my previous article [Mensa Magazine and often lifeless ordeal abruptly closed to
September 2019], I highlighted the less privileged students at age sixteen.
unacceptable state that our Education Who do not have the money, yet out of
system finds itself in. Hundreds of desperation then buy into a student loan
thousands of aspiring young people are scheme, mortgaging their own future and
being left behind by the government. What restricting society as a whole. In this article,
should be the pride of any nation, their I will suggest some real solutions, a
institutions which shape the minds and lives blueprint from which the education system
of the next generation who will inherit the could start to extricate itself from the
planet, are instead be failed and denied the situation it now finds itself in.
right to the education we deserve. Schools
Will the funding announced in the recent
lack the facilities, teachers, time, funding,
spending review really save the system,
and even basics such as textbooks, and are
or is money just being poured down a
so being forced to slash services,
hole?
compromising their students. Particularly
those with Special needs, or whom may be The Chancellor Sajid Javid spending review
struggling socially or academically. promised big things. Relating to education,
an increase in schools spending of a
What’s more, lack of organization and
staggering £7.1 billion over three years was
councilors is making education a restricted
announced. Along with an additional £700

4
 …people’s opinions are slow to change…
million to support children with special
needs, an increase of teachers’ starting
salaries to £30,000 by 2022-2023 and a
£400 million increase in funding for further
education, a lot has been promised. Yet
while some might rejoice at the notion, are
these just empty fantasies recklessly
paraded by the government in an election
stunt?
Given the Brexit climate, this would make
perfect sense, and with the history of
broken promises, unsurprising. School
funding has only been significantly cut,
despite verbal contradictions, teachers and
staff numbers are plummeting, class sizes
are rising, and even the school buildings
themselves are becoming dilapidated. It’s
the same story in all public sectors; the
NHS is on the brink of collapse, the Tories
austerity policies have failed -the swing
towards Labour shown in the 2017 election
is really no surprise. So, in the scheme of
things, why should we trust our Politicians?
Another factor to consider is that increases
in funding do not change the current
attitude of both students and teachers.
Many disheartened teachers are quitting
the profession as they are unable to fulfill
their job, since most of the children are
absorbed in the poisonous world of social
media. The government’s own statistics in
2015 reported 4,000 dedicated teachers
leaving every month, while 50,000
thousand abandoned the profession in
2014. Most millennials these days simply
do not appreciate the importance of a good
education [though this of course does not
include Young Mensans being one myself!],
hence slip through the cracks of the
5
system, being labelled as struggling pupils.
When in fact with a little more maturity,
there is a treasure trove of untapped
potential waiting to be developed and
explored. Thus, I believe the very fabric of
our current education structure needs to
change.
For many students our education system
simply is not fit for purpose. Mechanical and
standardized, it is not hard to see that the
system desperately needs to be injected
with reform and innovation. Learning should
be a diverse and flexible opportunity, and
arguably pouring more money into it may
not solve the root of the issue. One size
does not fit all, and yet Education has been
shown to be desperately lacking in evolving
the meet individual and unique needs of
students, often stuck in a conventional
approach. For some, traditional
accreditation of GCSEs just won’t cut it.
Especially with the ever-accelerating pace
of global change, is our current school
system sustainable? In my opinion, it is
most certainly not.
However, people’s opinions are slow to
change, and convincing the public that
freeing ourselves from traditional
hierarchies is a necessity for the future will
require much effort and media campaigning
[funding]. Also, reform will be at some initial
economic cost, which although imperative
in the long-term, for this reason may not
see the light of day when proposed to
typical short-term minded politicians.
Climate change is another example of
obstinate disbelief which only gives way
when the inevitable catastrophe has
occurred. In conclusion, I believe initial

funding is vital groundwork from which to
build.
So, are there any real solutions?
The government has shown that it cannot
commit to any long-term plan of
significance. So even with an initial injection
of funding from the government, that
unfortunately will not suffice. A complete
overhaul of the funding system is required,
with new sources found. As mentioned,
even with such a review, the current
organization of our schools simply isn’t fit
for purpose.
So, what is? I personally am
homeschooled, and this is becoming a
widespread trend across the world, as
general frustration with our institutions is
growing. Around 48,000 children learn at
home in the UK as of 2016-2017, while in
the USA this is about a staggering 2 million.
This has allowed me and so many others to
academically flourish and break free from a
restrictive system. Which does nothing but
stifle academic potential and hold gifted
youngsters. Hence, I am a strong advocate
for this as a way out and a beacon of hope
in the current situation.
Now imagine if this formula was scaled up.
My suggestion for the crisis would thus be
using the homeschooling model as a
blueprint, to embed it in a stable institution.
As not everyone is suited to home-learning,
especially if they don’t have the right family
set-up.
I had a very interesting email along similar
lines from a fellow Mensa, advocating
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…using the homeschooling
model as a blueprint…
‘shared lifelong learning incubators’ funded
by employers wishing to deliver the new
skills required at the ever-accelerating
pace.
Unfortunately, as mentioned above,
convincing the public to also adopt such a
radical yet brilliant solution is perhaps not
practical. Hence, I believe a slight
adaptation is required. A series of ‘hubs’
[government founded or independent]
which collaborate with online learning
providers, and diverting funds from adult-
learners, to deliver tailor-made courses as a
package to the hubs. These would then act
more as regulatory centres. Normal school
hours would remain, and the same/similar
accreditation would be delivered, to provide
a feeling of security and structure to the
public.
Every hub would be interconnected, unlike
our current fragmentary individual schools,
hence could ferry resources to those that
were lacking. Going digital would also be
another imperative, to evolve and provide
students with access to the ever-growing
knowledge base and changing curriculum,
instead of having to update every hard
resource and textbook to stay in line with
the syllabus each year. However, this is not
to underestimate the value of paper
resources and books, being an avid reader
myself.
Conclusion
Amid the current crisis, there is no clear
straight forward solution. Dedication, effort
and campaigning will be required to turn the
situation around. Yet this is something we should not be afraid of. It only takes one voice to
stand up and cause the ripple which creates the tsunami of change. Why should we settle for
mediocre? Especially with an issue of this magnitude. Shaping the lives and minds of the next
generation. Is that really how we value our young people? So, to everyone, please engage,
campaign, be proactive and never stop.
However small your contribution may seem; it will take all of us working together to realize a
solution. The future is coming. The only question is will we be ready to meet it.

What do you feel about Natashya-Millie Becks’ solution? Have you been home schooled? Do
you feel that your education benefited from this approach? Do write in and let us know.

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The three ‘Es’:-where has it left us? Do higher grades
necessarily reflect a better education system?
Ros Groves

Ros retired some six years ago, having spent all her working life in music education. Her final
appointment before retirement was as Head of Strings at a state school. In this article, Ros
responds to the previous edition of “Life Itself”.
“Education, education, education!”
Such was Tony Blair’s pledge on first
coming to office as Prime Minister in 1997.
His vision was that 50% of school leavers
would attend University (as opposed
around 5% in 1960 and showing only
gradual increases over the next thirty years)
with the effect that Great Britain would
become a “global trailblazer in setting
higher and higher ceilings for educational
attainment.”
But did it? And what have been the
consequences? [Ed’s note – see
“Education In The News”]
Some of the more obvious effects are that
universities have had to expand in both
staff recruitment and infrastructure in order
8
to accommodate this huge increase. As the
cost was way beyond the Government
budget, the consequence was that students
had to contribute financially with tuition fees
rising from £1,000 p.a. per student in 1998
to over £9,000 by 2015.
It also meant that as well as being
establishments for learning, universities
took on a more business-orientated status,
it being in their best interests to attract more
students, thus leading to a more profitable
income. Students, now heavily into debt by
the conclusion of their course, effectively
became ‘customers.’ And customers
demand value for money. Hence we are
now seeing reports of students suing their
university if they feel that they have not
been awarded a sufficiently high grade.
Universities, keen to attract students and at
…a knee-jerk reaction that standards have slipped.
the same time not incur legal costs, are with the increase in First and Upper Second
therefore handing out Firsts and Upper degree awards is a matter for debate.
Seconds like sweets; some universities
Simon Baker’s report in the Times Higher
more than others. Less academic students,
Education Supplement implies that
becoming savvy to this practice, will
universities are to be held to account for the
naturally eke out the universities from which
manner in which they award degree
they are more likely to walk away with a
classifications which may go some way in
First, as opposed to a more stringent
explaining this huge rise in Firsts and Upper
alternative.
Seconds. What this may well do however is
What this has done is to at least play some to make marking standards more stringent;
part in creating a hierarchy among degree classifications falling as a result.
universities which I do not recall as being
Unfortunately this means that it will be
the case in the past, except for Oxford and
extremely difficult for future employers to
Cambridge colleges, both of which have
compare like with like when they have so
always carried the gold standard of higher
many permutations and combinations to
education. The former polytechnic is now
compare. Which university did this applicant
officially a university while universities with
go to? Was the degree classification
a high status are now deemed to be
awarded during an era of inflation or when
Redbrick; or belonging to the Russell
that particular university was under scrutiny
Group; or both. It would appear that
which led to a rigorous reassessment of
students are now defined more by where
marking schemes? The problem does not
they have obtained their degree rather than
lie solely with universities however. One
the fact that they are a degree holder.
only has to look back at the contributory
Of course, both degree inflation and history.
(possibly future) deflation, being on
In 1988, the Ordinary (‘O’) level and the
opposite sides of the same coin, conspire in
Certificate of Secondary Education (CSE)
their own individual ways to engineer a
were combined into one examination: the
knee-jerk reaction that standards have
General Certificate of Secondary Education
slipped. I would say that it is unfair on hard-
(GCSE). Prior to that, in an era of greater
working students to tarnish them all with the
selectiveness in secondary education,
same brush of laziness in comparison with
CSEs were undertaken largely by pupils in
bygone days. This is certainly not the case.
secondary modern schools who had not
Students on the whole appear to have a
succeeded in the 11 plus exam whereas ‘O’
highly conscientious work ethic particularly
levels were largely undertaken by those
in view of the increasingly competitive job
attending grammar schools. There was a
market; the influx of talented overseas
marginal overlap in that a Grade 1 at CSE
students paying full fees adding as a spur
level was deemed equivalent to a bottom
to studiousness. However, whether this
grade pass at ‘O’ level.
elevated work ethic is in a ratio consistent

9
 …a numerical grading system will have avoided
the need for more and more asterisks…
The gradual abandonment of grammar
schools (due to increasing concerns about
the poor level of teaching in secondary
modern schools) and the consequent move
towards mixed ability teaching meant that a
new, all inclusive exam had to be
formulated. Thus the GCSE was born.
Simultaneously in the same year, the
National Curriculum too came into
existence, ostensibly giving equal chances
to all pupils as there had been much - and
very justified - criticism of secondary
modern teaching in the past.
Four years later saw the introduction of the
National School League Tables where
schools were rated merely on exam results.
The need for schools to achieve higher and
higher grades became compelling as they
became locked into competition with one
another. And like all efficient businesses,
schools developed a number of strategies
in order to be seen to be up there at the top
of the tree. Disallowing a pupil who was not
capable of achieving a good grade to take
the exam in the first place; or selecting an
exam board which promised optimum
results (yes; exam boards too became
business rivals) were two such tactics
commonly used.
Possibly as a result of less academic pupils
finding GCSEs too challenging and leading
to a quest to find something more
accessible to all; a combination of ‘teaching
to the test,’ multiple choice questions
(where the answer ‘lay in there
somewhere’) and a gradual easing up of
standards including the lowering of the pass
10
mark and all grade boundaries meant that
over the next few years, overall grade
inflation took over. It became the exam “you
could not fail.” (Conveniently, it also
doubled as a means for governments to
declare how educational standards were
“rising” under their watch, tactically
augmented by TV footage of misled
students embracing each other on results
day).
The consequence was that the top grade
(or ‘A’) became regarded by more
academically gifted students as the
unofficial pass mark and so as more and
more students gained ‘A’ grades,
something had to be done to distinguish
between them. Enter the A*. At the time of
writing, yet a further division of the ‘A’ grade
has appeared. That is, letters have now
become numbers so that the top grade is
now 9; equivalent to what would otherwise
have become A**:- again, to sort out the
“very brightest” from the mere “talented.”
Barnaby Lenon, head of the Independent
Schools Council has already intimated the
need for a grade 10 as pupils at some of
the country’s top fee-paying schools are
achieving grade 9s as a matter of course.
Whatever next: 11 and 12? If anything, a
numerical grading system will have avoided
the need for more and more asterisks,
especially as higher achievement is now
represented by an ascent in grading
numbers rather than the reverse. We can
therefore go on subdividing the ‘A’ grade
forever.
 …we have to change the mindset…
And so it goes on. As I see it, all this is
doing is merely setting a one-size-fits-all
exam: an exam in content suited to a more
elementary standard of pupil, which the
more able student will be able to complete
with greater speed and accuracy and thus
bid an earlier exit from the exam room. It
does nothing to separate out students who
can think outside the box or who are
prepared to read around the prescribed
content matter and who therefore can
supply a degree of objectivity and wider
context to their work. Results at both GCSE
and ‘A’ Level have both been subject to
grade inflation; scrutiny and subsequent
deflation over the years. Again, how can
further education establishments and
employers tease out the difference in
standard between two candidates of equal
ability but with results differing by a grade
or two merely through having taken similar
exams one or two years apart from each
other? This constant yo-yoing of standards
and perpetual change must surely be
confusing to any employer attempting to
make a decision on the most suitable
candidate for a workplace position.
What has occurred - and at the expense of
our younger generation - is that in
recognition of the appalling ‘bog standard‘
of secondary modern teaching, it was
rightfully deemed that changes were
necessary. To the detriment of pupils,
education and exams have turned into
something of an experiment with their
multitudinous and rapid changes.
Unfortunately, the pendulum has now
Do you agree with Ros’ analysis of how the current system has developed? Do you agree that
our youngsters are becoming experimental collateral? Do send in your ideas.
11
swung entirely in the opposite direction;
towards the “all must have prizes” way of
thinking. While it is clear that more and
more Firsts and Upper Seconds are being
handed out at university degree
ceremonies, the problem had its roots years
earlier with the clumsy way in which poor
secondary modern teaching was handled. A
more ideal educational system would
involve setting (or streaming per subject) in
academic areas while mixed ability teaching
could work successfully in drama, arts and
sport.
But first, we have to change the mindset of
academic ability as being the gold standard
of a person’s worth. We have to
acknowledge the value of each individual’s
strengths, be they academic, technical,
intrapersonal or practical and provide them
with a more bespoke and high quality type
of education. Apprenticeships are certainly
one way of going in the right direction and
are now taking on a greater popularity
among youngsters and employers.
The development of business skills is also a
valuable tool for those seeking more
practical work: yes - it is possible to earn a
lucrative living without a university degree.
Furthermore, should education be political?
Every political party will have its own ideas
and seek to make drastic changes.
Unfortunately, many of these changes
serve merely to muddy the waters of
consistency and comparison.
Our youngsters are becoming experimental
collateral. They deserve better.
 Millennium Point grant
helps grammar school
Aditya Muthukumar enhance STEM facilities
Adi is a Young Mensan, still at school, who has wanted for some time to contribute an article to
the newsletter but has found it difficult with the timing due to exams and other deadlines. Here,
Adi tells us about a school project that attracted a significant grant and how she was involved
in the ensuing media coverage.
Robotics is an ever-growing important
industry in our lives today and is shaping
the future to make the world a better place.
This field goes under the category of STEM
(for those not aware, Science, Technology,
Engineering and Mathematics) subjects.
Last year, the Millennium Point Charitable
Trust had a grand sum of £4.8 million to
distribute in grants to develop STEM
projects. Bishop Vesey’s Grammar School
is a secondary school in Birmingham. We
have a dedicated robotics lab in our 3-year-
old Richards-Randon STEM Block.
Millennium Point offered us a £21,000 grant
to purchase Lego MINDSTORMS robot and
a 3D printer. On 15 May, BBC visited our
school for a feature on their 6:30 pm
Midlands Today show on BBC 1. I was
individually interviewed and even had my
own 10 seconds segment on their show!
As a member of the Robotics Club at
school, I have first-hand experience in how
beneficial these robots have been. Building
these LEGO robots have been as fun as
programming. So many options, so many
possibilities. I think the robots have
certainly served its purpose: to inspire the
next generation to pursue a career in STEM
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subjects. I am not sure if it has massively
impacted me but it has surely made me
more interested in computing and the world
of technology. With the direction planet
Earth is progressing in, there will be
thousands of opportunities in the future to
work in and be a part of this extremely
fascinating sector.
My actual TV exposure was a very new
experience. I had been in newspapers
before but being broadcasted on a channel
that could, potentially, be viewed worldwide
was exciting. I was one of 2 selected for a
separate interview so it was a huge honour.
On the other hand, as the famous saying
goes, with great power comes great
responsibility. Representing Vesey’s, an
institution with immense, rich and deep
history, on a stage watched by hundreds
was a massive duty. I must admit, however,
that speaking at a huge microphone with a
camera as tall as yourself focused on you
and a reporter waiting eagerly for a reply, is
not a walk in the park.
Finally, I would like to end by encouraging
you to build a LEGO MINDSTORMS robot
and perhaps request a grant from the
charitable trust. If you are part of this SIG,
you are probably
a pupil or a teacher at a school. If you believe that your school will benefit from a grant from
Millennium Point then urge your teacher to apply for a grant. Or if you are a teacher, take the
initiative and apply for a grant. I can assure you that your school will benefit from this. As you
will hear in the video clip below, Millennium Point has a pot of the same amount or maybe,
even more, this year.

Video Clip: www.tinyurl.com/edusig

I would like to hear what you think. Is STEM the way to go for the future? Are you
interested in applying for a grant? Let me know by emailing me at
adityamuthukumar05@gmail.com or SIGSec Peter at educationsigsec@gmail.com . Hope
you enjoyed reading!

13
 Middlesex University
Learning & Teaching
Peter Gordon
Conference
In September, I attended this year’s Annual Teaching and Learning Conference at Middlesex
University. For several years I have been involved in lecturing, tutoring and researching in
higher education and continue to be a postgraduate External Examiner. I like to keep up with
current issues, hence the conference.
This year’s theme was “Learning for Life – Professor Tim Blackman, Vice Chancellor
meaningful assessment for the changing at Middlesex University, delivered a
world of tomorrow”. The conference presentation on “Diversity as a resource for
explored the ways that active, practice teaching and learning” with an emphasis on
based learning is facilitated and assessed. how diverse perspectives enhance the
There were three keynote speakers. Amati learning context.
Doku, former Vice President Higher
In between the keynote addresses, there
Education and Deputy President of the
were parallel ‘tracks’ which offered a whole
National Union of Students, presented a
range of specialist inputs from various
talk entitled “Consumers or co-producers?
disciplines. At events like this I try to learn
Unpacking student voice in active practice
about areas with which I am less familiar so
based learning”. He advocated that the
I opted for sessions on “Inquiry-based
learning outcomes for the students are
approach in laboratory classes”, “The use
based on the success of the collaboration
of team based learning in veterinary
between the host settings, the college and
education”, “Using student submitted case
the student themselves.
studies to support midwifery education”,
Gareth Loudon, Professor of Creativity at “The use of visualization technology to
the Cardiff School of Art and Design, advance nursing students’ knowledge and
Cardiff Metropolitan University and Director skills in venipuncture and cannulation”,
and co-founder of the Centre for Creativity “Game-based learning as a platform for
Ltd, gave a talk on “Learning through formative assessment in higher education”
creativity: developing key skills for the and “Animating special needs to assess
future workforce”. He placed great empathy”.
emphasis on the so-called ‘soft’ skills which
By the end of the day, my mind was in free-
many employers look for in new recruits
fall and I had a great deal to think about on
such as resilience and interpersonal skills.
the long drive home.

Have you been anywhere interesting to do with Education and would like to tell us about your
visit? Have you read an educational book that you would like to review? Do send in your ideas.

14
 Ok, Secretary of State
for Education, let’s
talk about …
Peter Gordon

Have you ever wondered what you would talk about if you had the Secretary of State
for Education in your car for fifteen minutes? I found myself in this position some
years ago.

When I was headteacher of a North intention was to get a bus to Southgate

London primary school, I was invited
by a colleague headteacher from
Southgate, Ted, to the opening of his
new computer suite. When I got to the
school I was surprised to discover that
the special guest who was going to cut
the ribbon was the then Secretary of
State for Education, Estelle Morris.
It appeared that Ted’s mum lived next
door to Estelle who had agreed to
perform the opening as a favour to her
neighbour. After the formal ceremony,
including entertainment by groups of
pupils, guests were offered drinks and
food and the opportunity to chat.
Estelle had an assistant with her who
was carrying a large folder (this was in
the days before mobile digital devices)
full of information about the locality,
including detailed data about local
schools and their staff. When I was
introduced to Estelle, she summoned
her assistant, asked me which school I
worked at and then was able to be
shown data about me and my school
and ask me a few pertinent questions.
As the event wound down, we were
told that it was time for Estelle and her
assistant to leave. As they claimed to
have come on public transport, their
station and then get the underground
back to the Department for Education.
Unfortunately, by this time, it was
raining monsoon style, so they were
contemplating getting a taxi to the
station. As I was also set to leave and
was driving back to school past the
station, I offered them a lift. I did this
really without thinking, a natural act of
kindness. I forgot that for a period I
was driving my son’s old Micra that he
had brought back from university
which didn’t have a third gear and
which had an old blanket on the back
seat full of dog hair from our pet collie.
The boot was full of junk and the car
hadn’t been cleaned, inside or out,
ever!
I didn’t actually expect them to accept
the offer but they did gratefully as they
didn’t want to hang around and wait for
a taxi (no Uber in those days). So,
while they were saying their farewells,
I nipped down to the street where the
car was parked and sorted out the
back seat as best I could and cleared
out the detritus in the front passenger

15
I found Estelle to be a good listener
seat. Estelle and her assistant, who by
this time was carrying not only her
large folder but a huge bunch of “thank
you” flowers came down and got in the
car. This was with some difficulty as I
had to tip the front seat forward so the
assistant could get into the hairy back
and the folder and flowers got in the
way. I did wonder how they would
manage these on public transport.
So then we set off in the pouring rain
towards Southgate station. Various
thoughts flashed through my mind. I
unexpectedly found myself with the
Secretary of State for Education as a
captive audience. Being a headteacher
and moving in such exalted circles, we
were always grumbling about various
aspects of education with which we
disagreed, including aspects of
government policy and
implementation. Should I raise some of
these issues? Would she take kindly to
being harangued about the fixation on
data, results, lack of recruitment,
funding etc etc etc?
It occurred to me that wherever Estelle
went she must be having her ear bent
on such things and fending off
criticism, so I pondered on what I could
usefully talk about that might make a
difference. I also wanted to distract her
from noticing that I was driving without
a third gear…
Another local school with which I
worked closely had been having
issues about its level of ‘value-added’
results when compared to similar sized
schools. However, in reality, the
comparisons were not appropriate due
to the pupil mobility in the school.
Quite a high percentage of children
16
who ended their primary education at
the school were not the same children
who started at the school. Mobility was
not something taken into account
when making judgements about a
school.
So I politely asked if this was
something which the government
intended to develop as a factor in the
assessment of a school’s performance
and we had a short, interesting
conversation about how pupil mobility
could influence comparative results for
schools. I found Estelle to be a good
listener.
I eventually dropped them off but they
seemed to disappear rather quickly
and not in the direction of the station. It
occurred to me that, although they
were trying to make a good impression
by professing to use public transport,
they had probably parked the
government limousine by the Labour
Party headquarters in Southgate. Or
maybe they just needed a loo. Who
knows?
Michael Rosen in The Guardian
(https://www.theguardian.com/educati
on/2019/oct/22/prisons-have-to-have-
library-but-schools-do-not-michael-
rosen) writes to Gavin Williamson, the
current (at time of writing) Secretary of
State for Education, “…how strange
that prisons have to have a library but
schools do not.”
What would you choose to talk about
if you had the Secretary of State for
Education as a captive audience?
 Education in the News
Here are a few recent Education stories in the news that caught my eye. Although the days of
“Education, Education, Education” from Tony Blair are long gone, it’s a topic on which
everyone seems to have a view, in many cases widely divergent views. Do you have any
comments on these or other current/recent news stories about education? Do send in your
ideas.

Clear data from devices before travelling, academics told

Ellie Bothwell in the Times Higher Education reports that academics have been advised to clear their
electronic devices of confidential research data before crossing national borders, as experts claim that
scholars are increasingly vulnerable to warrantless searches. It is suggested that academics have to
assume that there was no electronic device privacy when crossing the border. Everything, including
texts, emails, documents, photographs, contacts and search histories, may be scrutinised.

(https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/clear-data-devices-travelling-academics-
told?utm_source=THE+Website+Users&utm_campaign=ad45cae1d8-
EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2019_10_01_01_59&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_daa7e51487-
ad45cae1d8-64204425)

Base education around pupils' genetics, schools advised

Catherine Lough reports in the TES that leading geneticist Robert Plomin tells headteachers how they
could use genotyping test scores to personalise learning. He has argued that schools should be able to
use pupils’ scores from genotyping tests as a way of tailoring education more closely to their needs.
Speaking at the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference (HMC) – an association of elite
independent schools – Professor Plomin said genotyping could be used to create “polygenic” scores
that would enable personalised learning for pupils.

(https://www.tes.com/news/base-education-around-pupils-genetics-schools-advised)

The Phonics Check needs to be independently reviewed

On the release of the Phonics Screening Test results for 6 year olds, FE News reports that Dr Mary
Bousted, Joint General Secretary of the National Education Union, said: “The over-emphasis on
Phonics has distorted the teaching of reading in schools, and has produced no discernible increase in
children’s ability to read with understanding and pleasure. The Phonics Check is another example of a
test which undermines, rather than supports, the principle of a broad and engaging curriculum in
primary schools. The Union calls for it to be independently reviewed, so that its value and effects can
be objectively evaluated.”

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(https://www.fenews.co.uk/press-releases/35678-phonics-screening-check-and-key-stage-1-
assessments-england-2019)

More than half of young people now going to university, figures show

Alison Kershaw reports in the Independent More than 50 per cent of young people are going to
university 20 years after Tony Blair’s Labour Party set the target as policy. Official figures show that in
2017/18, a record 50.2 per cent of English 17- to 30-year-olds had participated in higher education. But
as the figures were published, Gavin Williamson, the education secretary, accused universities of
“virtue signalling” and failing to prove what they are doing to recruit disadvantaged students. A billion
pounds of students’ and taxpayers’ money is spent on schemes to widen access to UK universities and
colleges each year but many institutions are not showing evidence of the impact it is having, he
warned. The new figures, which cover UK universities and colleges, show a steady rise in the “higher
education participation rate” over the last five years.

(https://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/university-students-young-people-
over-half-first-time-a9122321.html)

Female scientists ‘forced out by hostile environment’

Jack Grove in the Times Higher Education reports that early career female scientists are being forced
out of academia because they face a “hostile environment” in which their research is often rejected
owing to unconscious male bias, one of Britain’s most prominent female scientists has claimed. Dame
Athene Donald, master of Churchill College, Cambridge, said universities and research funders must
do more to listen to female PhD students who decide against a career in academia, often because they
feel unable to contend with sexist attitudes that result in their research being treated more harshly than
work produced by their male peers.

(https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/female-scientists-forced-out-hostile-
environment?utm_source=THE%20Website%20Users&utm_campaign=c937b08a09-
EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2019_09_30_02_05&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_daa7e51487-
c937b08a09-64204425)

Rise in schools’ failing to deliver Religious Education

Paul Wilkinson in the Church Times reports that THE number of schools flouting Religious Education
(RE) laws has risen, research by the National Association of Teachers of RE (NATRE) suggests.
Responses from more than 600 schools across England to a survey by NATRE found that half of
academies without a religious character, and 40 per cent of community schools, do not meet their legal
or contractual requirements to deliver RE at Key Stage 4. State schools must teach RE to all pupils,
whether they are studying it at GCSE-level or not.

(https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2019/27-september/news/uk/rise-in-schools-failing-to-deliver-
religious-education)

What are your views on any of these stories? Have you had issues with electronic devices
crossing borders? Should pupils’ genetics be used? Is phonics distorting the teaching of
reading in schools? What are the implications of over half of young people going to university?
Are sexist attitudes forcing women to abandon science? Should schools be teaching Religion?

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