VIEWS – Christians in Education

views-640x372-4811895

In her speech at the Conservative party conference, the education secretary, Nicky Morgan, said she would give parents a ‘right to request’ childcare from schools for the full working day and in holidays. So will headteachers be forced to become childcare providers if enough parents come clamouring at the gates? And how many will need to request provision before a school has to act? Read more

Ofsted has to inspect every mainstream school in the country in the same way – that’s the point of having a single inspection framework. But is it really sensible to look at the growing number of free schools in the same way as established institutions when a school is only part way into its development? Read more from Toby Blume who was instrumental in setting up a new community school in north London which opened its doors in September 2013.

On the bright side, writes Fiona Millar this week, we have two women, Nicky Morgan and her shadow, Lucy Powell, speaking for education. The fact they are both working mothers with young children shouldn’t matter, but in the sea of grey suits it is a relief of sorts. Both have an opportunity to reshape their party’s priorities, so can we now turn the page on Michael Gove and aim for happiness in schools? Read more

Many UK children have become less confident about succeeding in life by the time they leave school, a report says. The study by think-tank Demos says some pupils feel school is just preparing them for exam success. It urges the government to help schools and colleges explore how self-belief, perseverance and resilience can be instilled in pupils. The government said it had allocated funds to promote character education. Read more

Ministers should reinstate compulsory work experience for pupils according to the British Chamber of Commerce. Some 82% of more than 3,000 bosses polled said all pupils under 16 should be offered work placements. The coalition government scrapped compulsory work experience in England in 2012. The Department for Education said it was ‘determined’ to help teenagers make informed choices about their careers. Read more

Today’s children could live to 120 and work until they’re 100, it’s been claimed. But which occupations might they take on? Imagine you went to a football stadium and the steward who showed you to your seat was 93 years old. Today, most people might find such a sight surprising. But Rohit Talwar thinks that, within a century, this may become the norm. Read more