Hi Sue, Fresh Start is very suitable for use working one to one with a pupil. I work as a private tutor and have adapted it to fit in with the structure of my lessons and it has been highly successful so far. Ideally, FS is meant to be used for an hour 5 times a week. However, I only see my pupils f...

I've been keeping an eye on the DfE website, as important new announcements are being posted on there. This is the latest: http://www.education.gov.uk/news/news/mg-invites-public The article says that they are publishing a new type of document called a Structural Reform Plan. You can download it fro...

It is very interesting to read your experiences, Little Red Dragon. I am a little confused thought as you say that you think Synthetic Phonics is great but that it isn't a cure-all as it didn't teach you to read. You refer to Ruth Miskin's programme (was it Read Write Inc or an earlier programme)? A...

Hi Geraldine, Just to respond to your enquiry. It wasn't me who tutored Ilk's daughter. I am very pleased to read how well she has done. It is a great programme and I achieve similar results. I am also using Fresh Start with a few older pupils and find that excellent too, for those who need a slight...

Hi all, I just read this speech on the Department of Education website and thought it was important to flag it up. Nick Gibb talks about child-centred education, bureacracy and very explicitly about the importance of synthetic phonics. No specifics as yet but he says that will come in the following ...

Link to the statement on the DFE website about Free Schools. There is further info on the website.

http://www.education.gov.uk/freeschools

Link from DfE website to Michael Gove's speech to the National College for Leadership of Schools Very interesting - esp relationing to the propossed slimmed down 'core curriculum', 'free shcools' and cutting bureaucracy. :cool: http://www.education.gov.uk/news/speeches/nationalcollegeannualconference

Today I received the Hertfordshire magazine with news from the county. They are describing a new scheme of 1:1 support with (you guessed it) specially trained reading recovery teachers. It says that after trials at one school, the programme is to be expanded to the whole county. Apparently 'by 2011 ...

More detail is to be announced shortly, so it may answer some of our questions about how the government intent to implement SP teaching.

Along with today’s significant qualifications announcements, ministers also confirmed that they will not proceed with the last Government’s proposed new primary curriculum, which was based on a review led by Sir Jim Rose. The new curriculum was due to be taught in schools from September 2011, but th...

Hi Elizabeth. It's on the page outlining the Education Bill, as part of the Queen's speech. Not sure how to make this a hyperlink.

http://www.number10.gov.uk/queens-speec ... bill-50848

I have just looked at the Number 10 website and it says 6-year olds. Hopefully they'll have a spelling test too.

I look forward to watching when I have a chance - house in disarray with DIY projects currently! Why do they always schedule these education-related Dispatches programmes in school holidays, when teachers and families are away or otherwise busy. They did it with the programme on Adult Literacy and I...

Just flagging up this article from last week's Sunday Times. I thought it was a very important piece.

Ofsted's Hidden Cult of Failure.

http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/ ... 936090.ece

I've done quite a lot of research into books to recommend to my tutees and books which they tell me they enjoy once they are reading confidently. I actually think that if anything things have gone the other way and there is more modern fiction which is targetted more at boys than girls (apart from t...