An article offered a chronological account and critical appraisal of changes to early childhood education and care services in England over the previous 20 years. It covered four key areas: policies designed to reduce social inequality; the professionalization of the children's workforce and changing status of adults employed in pre-school education and care settings; changes to early years pedagogy and the early years curriculum; and how major research programmes had informed the understanding of the effects of social disadvantage and how high-quality pre-school provision could alleviate this. There was now 'persuasive evidence' that investment in state-maintained early education was highly cost effective, particularly for disadvantaged children. The coalition government, however, was shifting the burden of funding for professional training and high-quality integrated services for children and families from the state to the private and voluntary sectors.
Source: Dorothy Faulkner and Elizabeth Coates, 'Early childhood policy and practice in England: twenty years of change', International Journal of Early Years Education, Volume 21 Issue 2-3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2013-Dec
An article examined how students on Initial Teacher Training courses understood and conceptualized discourses of 'race', diversity and inclusion. It said that students' understandings of 'race', diversity and inclusion were complex. It recommended more training to ensure teachers' understanding of diversity, and their ability to address issues around racism in the classroom.
Source: Kalwant Bhopal and Jasmine Rhamie, 'Initial teacher training: understanding race, diversity and inclusion', Race, Ethnicity and Education, Online first
Links: Abstract
Date: 2013-Nov
The government announced changes to the bursaries and scholarships for graduates who train to teach in 2014-15.
Source: Press release 17 October 2013, Department for Education
Links: DE press release
Date: 2013-Oct
A report examined the value and accessibility of available information about the quality of teaching in secondary schools in England.
Source: Empowering Parents, Improving Accountability, Open Public Services Network
Links: Report | Summary | RSA blog post
Date: 2013-Sep
A paper examined whether the placement of inexperienced new teachers into deprived secondary schools in England under the Teach First scheme had altered the educational outcomes of pupils at the age of 16. It was found that the programme had not been damaging to schools that joined the scheme, and that it had probably produced school-wide gains in exam results.
Source: Rebecca Allen and Jay Allnutt, Matched Panel Data Estimates of the Impact of Teach First on School and Departmental Performance, Working Paper 13-11, Department of Quantitative Social Science, Institute of Education (University of London)
Links: Paper | IOE press release
Date: 2013-Sep
A think-tank report said that the introduction of performance-related pay for teachers could raise school standards. But some schools might find it more challenging to maximize the benefits of performance-related pay, particularly where existing leadership was weak.
Source: Lauren Thorpe, Kimberley Trewhitt, and James Zuccollo, The Merit of Teacher Pay Reform, Reform
Links: Report
Date: 2013-Aug
An article examined state-prescribed teaching standards in England from 1984 to 2012, focusing on issues of equality.
Source: Heather Jane Smith, 'A critique of the teaching standards in England (1984-2012): discourses of equality and maintaining the status quo', Journal of Education Policy, Volume 28 Number 4
Links: Abstract
Date: 2013-Jun
A think-tank report said that the contribution teachers made to improving exam and test results was the most reliable way to predict a teacher's long-term success. Improvements in pupils test scores were nearly twice as effective as student surveys, and nearly three times more effective than classroom observations – even by independent, well-trained assessors.
Source: Richard Murphy, Testing Teachers: What works best for teacher evaluation and appraisal, Sutton Trust
Links: Report | Sutton Trust press release | ATL press release | Telegraph report
Date: 2013-Mar
An article said that there was clear evidence of a statistically significant wage penalty associated with working in some caring occupations. Those occupations requiring lower levels of educational qualification, such as nursing assistants and auxiliaries, were particularly hard hit by the wage penalty. On the other hand, some occupations, such as medicine and teaching, had fared better than comparable non-caring occupations over the same period. The authors discussed the implications for the gender gap in pay, poverty, social inequality, and the future supply of caring workers.
Source: David Barron and Elizabeth West, 'The financial costs of caring in the British labour market: is there a wage penalty for workers in caring occupations?', British Journal of Industrial Relations, Volume 51 Issue 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2013-Feb
An article examined the future of teacher discipline in England following the abolition of the General Teaching Council. It said that the reforms would further move teachers from being 'occupational professionals' to being 'organizational professionals', marking them apart from comparable professions in medicine and law.
Source: Damien Page, 'The abolition of the General Teaching Council for England and the future of teacher discipline', Journal of Education Policy, Volume 28 Number 2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2013-Jan
