FlyTheNest

Morning all.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-47149808


Tory MP in sensible idea shocker!

Seriously, though, he's completely right. As soon as Labour made education to 18 compulsory, GCSEs became obsolete. The next step was obviously to scrap them and introduce a new qualification at 18, so naturally Gove reformed GCSEs to make them even less relevant to the 21st century and left "A" levels untouched. So instead of learning and developing, children spend two out of four years from 14 - 18 preparing for exams. Such a waste of time.

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“Find a nice, self sufficient hilltop, and fortify it.” - The Kraken Wakes

Good-morning, everyone

From the G:

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“Find a nice, self sufficient hilltop, and fortify it.” - The Kraken Wakes

Morning all.

Re the suggestion about ditching GCSEs altogether - not sure I'd go that far. many schools don't have a Sixth Form so their accountability measure which they have right now would disappear completely. I would:

1. Retain Maths/English GCSE. In this way the fairly absurd Progress 8 which tries to measure progress from KS2 English/Maths to 8 different subjects (including E/M) would go and you could have a direct 1:1 comparison between the subjects in which everyone must have a basic grounding.

2. Make the new GCSE English/Maths criteria-referenced and not norm referenced. The way that Progress 8 measures criteria-referenced KS2 against norm-referenced GCSEs is another absurdity of the current system.

By ditching the non English/Maths GCSes the scope for a decent five-year curriculum in other subjects would be amazing.

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FTN's supplier of tedious, pedantic education policy waffle; and Pedant-in-Chief generally.

Yes, the fact that some schools don't have a "sixth form" has come up elsewhere and your idea is an interesting work around, but ultimately as all children are now in education until 18, the current provision is already long overdue for a complete overhaul. Why compromise children's education because some schools don't currently have space? Surely we should be expanding schools and creating links to the small numbers of further education colleges that are left to ensure all schools can provide an education to 18.

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“Find a nice, self sufficient hilltop, and fortify it.” - The Kraken Wakes

Really, the issue about making sure there are accountability measures for 11-16 schools shouldn't drive this when the core point - that having key qualifications at 16 and at 18 - doesn't really make sense. A lack of formal accountability didn't stop some areas of the country running 'middle schools' - usually KS2 and KS3 schools - after the demise of KS3 SATS. ROT's suggestions are good - rewriting 16-18 qualifications would help too. It's interesting that Labour started to go down this path with subject-streamed diplomas, backed by literacy and numeracy core qualifications, to move smoothly from 14-19 ten years ago that the coalition ripped up completely.

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... and if I die clutching your photograph / don't call me boring, it's just 'cause I like you...

'worse than expected'

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One world, like it or not - John Martyn

But.....but the Express said just the other day that "Brexit Britain" was BOOMING!!

IMO that is indeed what many people think is happening.

https://twitter.com/resfoundation/statu ... 4041060353

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One world, like it or not - John Martyn

Great quote on 'The Two Year Hunt for the Brexit Unicorn'

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... and if I die clutching your photograph / don't call me boring, it's just 'cause I like you...

Any line that Labour takes on Brexit is a risk (though the same is of course true for other parties)

But one of the objections some have to a strong pro-remain position is not just its potential for losing those who disagree (though that is certainly there) but whether it would make any actual difference given that the Tories are actually in charge of things. Taking an electoral hit for something you genuinely believe is right is one thing, but if it has no chance of happening anyway you risk entering "virtue signalling" territory (something that historically Corbyn's wing of the party has not infrequently been accused of)

So 'Yes', then.
LSE Brexit Blog - Voting with their money: Brexit and outward investment by UK firms

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... and if I die clutching your photograph / don't call me boring, it's just 'cause I like you...

That means you're stuck with the backstop then. They'll still be going round in circles on 28 March, God help us.

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One world, like it or not - John Martyn

Government are going this thing with their eyes wide open; they know the ramifications and the detrimental consequences already happening. God help us indeed. This government doesn't give a damn.

Warmongering minister? Womanising villa in ruins (5,10).

Lethality = the capacity to cause death or serious harm or damage
I think Williamson is an emotionally damaged individual

We are told a significant number of the cabinet disagree with May running the clock down willy-nilly. Maybe they should get a move on and act, then?

Minister admitting Universal Credit causes increased food bank use is bad bad murder (5,4).

Rightly or wrongly, am pretty sure Labour are going to take an electoral hit for non-remain position.

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LET'S FACE IT I'M JUST 'KIN' SEETHIN'

I acknowledge you're probably right. I feel angry. People need to know what's in their best interests. I think our collective best interests included a Miliband Labour government in 2015. We're not there now and I must move on. I'm frightened for us all. Collective bad decisions result in lives adversely affected. Most of us are losing time and resources we'll never get back.

May considers protecting workers' rights too onerous a burden for her Tory government
May and I got off to a bad start in 2012
She's gotten worse

My post above wasn't a swipe at Corbyn
I know what's in the best interests of most people given the UK electoral system as it currently exists
Vote Labour

Goodnight, everyone
love,
cJA

They might well take as big a hit for a "continuity remain" one, many in the leadership see the present strategy as the most unifying one.

(in the sense of whilst few are enthusiastic about it, fewer are absolutely mad about it, they could yet be right)

And even now another referendum is not ruled out, though personally I could only see the party swinging behind it if no deal was literally the ONLY other choice.

High stakes game here.