English Education: Recent Developments and Current Issues

1. English Education:Recent Developments and Current Issues

3. English Education System?

4. Key features of UK education system The UK shares many of the elements of GERM (Global Education Reform Movement) that are common to most Western European countries, the USA, Canada and Australia: Standardizing teaching and learning: Setting clear, high and centrally prescribed performance expectations for all schools, teachers and students to improve the quality and equity of outcomes.

5. Key features of UK education system Focus on literacy and numeracy: Basic knowledge and skills in reading, writing, mathematics and sciences serve as prime targets of education reform. Teaching prescribed curriculum: Reaching higher standards as a criterion for success and good performance. Results are judged by standardized and externally administrated tests.

6. Key features of UK education system Borrowing market-orientated reform ideas: Sources of educational change are management and administration models brought to schools from the corporate world through legislation or national programmes. Schools and local authorities aligned to operational logic of private corporations. Test-based accountability and control: School performance and raising achievement are closely tied to processes of promotion, inspection, and ultimately rewarding schools and teaches. Winners are rewarded, whereas struggling schools and individuals are punished.

7. Michael Gove – Secretary of State for Education 2010-14

8. Current role holder:The Rt Hon Justine Greening MP • Justine Greening was appointed Secretary of State for Education and Minister for Women and Equalities on 14 July 2016. She was elected Conservative MP for Putney, Roehampton and Southfields on 5 May 2005.

9. Intro 1: The English Education System

10. National Curriculum KS2 and KS3 English Maths Science Computing Modern Foreign Languages History Geography Religious Education Design Technology Physical Education PSHCE (Personal Social Health Citizenship Education) Art Music

11. National Curriculum KS4 English Maths Science Computing Religious Education Physical Education PSHCE (Personal Social Health Citizenship Education)

12. Intro 2: Types of Secondary School

13. Control of schools Local authority school have no control over which pupils are admitted to the school and teachers pay and conditions.

14. Academies (over 5000 schools are now open academies) Publicly funded independent schools that: receive funding directly from government rather than a local authority are able to set pay and conditions for staff are free from following the National Curriculum are able to set the length of terms and the schools day have more freedoms over employing unqualified teachers.

15. Free Schools Free schools are state-funded, independently-run schools which can be set up by various groups, including businesses, parents, teachers and charities. They are independent of local authorities and are funded directly from central government, with increased control over their curriculum and teachers' pay and conditions. As of June 2015 there are 254 open free schools and the government is committed to opening at least another 500 this parliament.

18. Multi Academy Trusts (MATS) Two-thirds of academies are run by Multi-Academy Trusts. There are about 389 chains with three or more academies, the largest one governing 56 academies. Some features of MAT’s: Each has their own governance arrangements ‘Executive Headteachers’ may work across several schools Common policies / ethos / branding

19. Vocational Colleges • Vocational schools teach practical, job-related subjects. The most common exam-based qualifications are BTEC (Business & Technology Education Council) exams organised by EdExcel (http://www.edexcel.org.uk): BTEC First Diploma (level 2), BTEC National (level 3), HNCs (BTEC Higher National Certificates, level 4) which usually take 1 year to complete, and HNDs (BTEC Higher National Diplomas) which usually take 2 years to complete, or VCEs (Vocational Certificates of Education, either Vocational AS Levels or Vocational A Levels).

20. Vocational Colleges • Modern Apprenticeships are a mixture of work-based training and education. There are two types: FMAs (Foundation Modern Apprenticeship, which last at least 1 year) and AMAs (Advanced Modern Apprenticeships, which last at least 2 years). NVQs (National Vocational Qualifications) or the Scottish equivalents SVQs (Scottish Vocational Qualifications) are qualifications which can be obtained while working (see: http://www.dfes.gov.uk/nvq).

21. Intro 3: The Education ‘Market’ • Key features: • Money is provided ‘per pupil’ on roll. • Standard testing gives information • about students that allow schools to • be compared. • Free choice of school (up to a limit) • Power in the hands of individual schools • to change how they teach. Standardised Information about Schools Schools gains or loses students Free Choice of school places School gains or loses money

22. Main secondary school performance accountability measures (prior to 2017) % of pupils achieving 5 GCSE grades A*-C (including English and Maths) Expected progress in English and Maths (based on a measurement of progress from Key Stage 2 test scores – sat at the age of 11) VA - Value added: A measurement of progress across a range of subjects in comparison with national averages. 1000 = National Average EBAC: % of pupils achieving GCSE grades A*-C in English, Maths, Science, a language and a humanities subject (History or Geography)

23. Main secondary school performance accountability measures from 2017 Progress 8 measures the progress a student makes from the end of primary school to the end of secondary school, comparing their results with the achievement of others who have the same prior attainment. Under this measure, ‘average’ progress is measured as zero.

24. Issues: The Problems in Schools In pairs, discuss and write down 3 major problems in the education system in your country.

25. A summary of key issues Standards Grade inflation: Exam results – 23 years of improving results (until 2012!) Basic skills (literacy and numeracy) International comparisons Attainment of children from poor backgrounds School standards / accountability The curriculum What subjects should be taught? Decline in languages Content v Skills Vocational courses Assessing pupil progress Testing Teacher assessment Coursework

26. A summary of key issues Post 16 participation in education Status and quality of vocational education University Technical Colleges Funding for schools Budget cuts Pupil premium Buildings (Building Schools for the Future) Shortages of school places in some areas Teacher recruitment and training Core subjects Teaching schools The role of universities Well-being Increase in mental health issues Radicalisation / British values

28. The attainment gap between disadvantaged and other pupils (2013-14)

30. International comparisons of education achievement(OEDC Survey of 57 countries)

31. International comparisons of education achievement(OEDC Survey of 57 countries)

33. National KS2 results in Maths and English

34. SATS – the debate? • Raising standards or narrowing the curriculum? • Accountability of schools to parents, or a narrow (and often • inaccurate) measure of pupil progress? • Too much pressure on pupils? • Too much pressure on teachers and schools? • KS3 tests scrapped in 2009 • KS2 test boycott in 2011

35. Whatever level of attainment they start from, disadvantaged pupils currently make slower progress than their more affluent peers in primary and secondary schools. The achievement gap starts early. Despite overall increases in attainment, there is little evidence that the achievement gap narrowed. Pupils eligible for FSM are seven times more likely to be permanently excluded from primary school than those who are not eligible, and three and a half times as likely to be permanently excluded from secondary school. On average only 45 students each year with FSM get a place at Oxford or Cambridge Universities. During the 1980’s and 90’s the proportion of people from the poorest 20% of society getting a degree rose from 6% to 9%, but for the wealthiest 20% it rose from 20% to 47%. The better off have benefitted disproportionately from increased educational opportunity. The ‘achievement gap’

36. Key government education reforms since 2010 • School re-organisation • - Growth of Academies programme (all secondary schools to become academies by 2022 • - Free schools (all new schools should be free schools) • - Technical Colleges (14-19) • Curriculum Reform • - Slimmed down National Curriculum • - Emphasis on the ‘basics’ e.g. spelling, punctuation and grammar in KS2 • - English Baccalaureate • Reform of examination system (GCSE’s and SAT’s) • - More emphasis on ‘final’ rather than modular exams at GCSE • and A Level • - Less on-going coursework • - Greater academic rigour • - New grading system: 1-9 replacing A*-G

37. Key government education reforms since 2010 • New accountability measures • - ‘Progress 8 replacing 5A*-C incEn&Ma • - EBAC • Additional funding for disadvantaged pupils (Pupil Premium) • Performance related pay for teachers • Improve teacher training – more school based; growth of Teaching Schools • Establishment of College of Teaching • NEW GRAMMAR SCHOOLS – recently announced by new Prime Minister

38. The English Baccalaureate Subjects: English Maths Science Modern Foreign Language Humanity – History or Geography When introduced as an accountability measure in 2013 only 15% of pupils nationally achieved GCSE Grade C or above in this combination of subjects.

39. What does government policy mean for schools? • Expectation of continuous innovation; multiple changes to exam requirements • Significant cuts to per-pupil funding; reduction in the variation between areas • Unwillingness to pay more without a rise in standards • Therefore doing more with less, value for money, fund raising role • Further decreases in external support for schools • No school in isolation: formal partnerships the norm • Increased international comparisons – ‘world-class schools’ • Some reduction in the oppressiveness of the OFSTED regime • Pupil premium/social mobility big issues – why do some schools send more students to top universities than others?

40. Impact of ??? • Restrictions of non-British staff? • Reduced migration relieves pressure on school places in some areas? • Falling GDP / public spending cuts / cuts to school budgets? • Planned policy changes scrapped or delayed? • ????

42. Undergraduate teacher training Batchelor of Education (BEd) – 4 years Bachelor of arts or science with QTS (BA or BSc) – 4 years Postgraduate teacher training Postgraduate certificate in education (PGCE) – 1 year School-centred initial teacher training (SCITT) - 1 year Employment-based teacher training School Direct (Salaried and non-salaried routes) – 1 year Teach First – 2 years Ways to become a teacher in the UK

43. UK Teacher Salaries (2015-16)