Can society ever have a completely levelled out system of educational opportunity? It seems unlikely – given that it would need a sociological earthquake to remove those stubborn, historical lumps and bumps. Research shows that family background has always had a profound effect on educational success. Is it always going to be inevitable that children…

I’ve just read an exciting article in the Times (October 27th) that makes me feel I am not so stupid and ‘out on a limb’ after all. For years I have also wished that politicians would crawl out from under their ‘partyist’ shells and see the bigger picture. I love the title of Rachel Sylvester’s…

A recent post from Special Needs Jungle, focusing on Education Otherwise Than At School (EOTAS), considered what parents can expect from their child’s Education, Health and Care Plan. This post caused me to further consider why the parents of any child, not just those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) – choose to home…

The article in the Times (15.10.20) by Iain Martin, makes a brave statement: that ‘white working class males in Britain have traded places with ethnic minorities and are now the group most likely to fail educationally and to struggle in life’. Why is this? Is social class therefore as big an issue now – as…

Schools and society talk a lot about diversity in learning: but how often do we focus on celebrating learning differences, as well as merely accepting them? A recent article in the Times (8.10.20, Nicola Woolcock) is entitled ‘Dyslexia can be a blessing, teachers told in training drive.’ The article suggests that teachers should ‘promote the…