BBC · Brian Lightman · Sounds-Write · Stephen Twigg

Lightman fails to dispel gloom

The BBC has just broken the news that ‘just one in 15 (6.5%) pupils starting secondary school in England “behind” for their age goes on to get five good GCSEs including English and maths’. Moreover, only 34% of children classified as disadvantaged (children entitled to free school dinners or in care) reached the government benchmark.… Continue reading Lightman fails to dispel gloom

Daily Telegraph · Graeme Paton · match-funding

Take-up of match funding

Since the government launched its scheme to encourage schools to train teaching staffs in how to teach phonics, only 1,000 primaries have booked such training. Graeme Paton, writing in the Telegraph, reported last week that in many areas of the country in which pupils are failing to reach the national average in reading, schools are… Continue reading Take-up of match funding

Harry Potter · Nick Gibb · teaching of phonics · Y1 check

Reading Harry Potter by 11

Graeme Paton in yesterday’s Telegraph has headlined Nick Gibb’s latest attempts to raise standards in reading by reporting him as saying that ‘all children should read Harry Potter by 11’. At first blush, it sounds nauseatingly off-putting. Another prescriptive injunction delivered in a tweetable sound-bite by a government minister! Actually, as you read on, you… Continue reading Reading Harry Potter by 11