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Now, by merely typing in the text you can do it too!
It's so easy even 7 year old children can do it. If you are able to move a mouse, click a few buttons and string a few sentences together you can maintain a cutting edge site.
We'll give you all the training you'll need, support you on the phone or with email, all to make sure you get the best out of your investment.
Our killer features are:
Superb content management and blog software. Excellent Google optimisation.
An email to weblog interface, making updating your school blog a doddle.
Top draw support and feedback.
Try a demo or build your
30 day free trial
school website yourself. What will you write today's school news to be?Education news
Robots and humans
Children being failed by progressive teaching, say Tories:
Maybe it's because it's the Guardian, but this opening paragraph sounds absurd IMHO. Make all-round humans or regurgitating robots?
"Generations of children have been let down by so-called progressive education policies which have taught skills and "empathy" instead of bodies of knowledge, the shadow education secretary, Michael Gove, said yesterday."
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Maybe it's because it's the Guardian, but this opening paragraph sounds absurd IMHO. Make all-round humans or regurgitating robots?
Grove went on, "if you come from a poorer household where you don't have your own bedroom, where the only printed material is the Daily Star, then school is the only place you learn, and progressive methods let you down."Sounds like a snob. I wonder if Michael Grove was Eton educated? A quick look around Google draws a blank. Though, I have a feeling that he was privately educated.
Schools minister Jim Knight claimed the Tories were "out of touch" with reality. "This artificial distinction between trendy teaching and learning dates, events and places bears no relation to what actually happens in today's classrooms," he said.
Going to be quiet here today?
Teacher strike shuts out 1m children: "At least a million children at 8,000 schools will be barred from lessons today as striking teachers trigger acute shortages across the country.
Headteachers and teaching assistants have been drafted in to take the place of striking colleagues after school authorities failed to avert widespread school closures. A third of schools will be turning some pupils away and one in six will close entirely."
Headteachers and teaching assistants have been drafted in to take the place of striking colleagues after school authorities failed to avert widespread school closures. A third of schools will be turning some pupils away and one in six will close entirely."
Think I'll go out and take the dog for a walk.
Strike to disrupt 6,000 schools
BBC: Strike to disrupt 6,000 schools:
"Warnings to parents from 88 local authorities - half of the total - show that 28% of schools are expected to face disruption.
The one-day pay strike is being staged on Thursday by members of the National Union of Teachers."
No more homework anymore
Homework for primary schoolchildren 'is complete waste of time', claims study "Researchers struggled to find a link between how well the children do in national tests and the amount of extra tasks they are set.
It is thought that young pupils tire too quickly, do not have the skills to study effectively, and are too easily distracted.
This is in contrast to secondary school students, who perform better academically if they regularly do homework."
Only the best will do
Religious state schools accused of fuelling social segregation:
"Anne West of the London School of Economics told MPs, "where schools are responsible for their own admissions ... Some are likely to use whatever means they can to select their own intake." Some schools were circumventing the rules by "renaming" interviews as "admissions meetings".
Church leaders addressing the same committee challenged the findings and hit back at claims by MPs that faith schools "are adept" at keeping out children from low income families and those with special educational needs."
Research by Rebecca Allen, from the Institute of Education, submitted to the Commons education committee yesterday suggests that schools which used six or more "potentially selective" criteria admitted over 50% more pupils in the top quarter of the ability distribution in Key Stage 2 tests than they would if they recruited a locally representative intake. They also admitted half the number of pupils on free school meals than a locally recruited representative intake.The criteria the researchers are concerned about include vetting siblings' academic achievement, assessing family connections, religious criteria and interviewing pupils.
Ed Balls used the word 'horrified'
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Fewer pupils offered preferred school place: "Abuses included schools asking parents to commit to making financial contributions [of many hundreds of pounds per term] as a condition of admission, asking [banned questions] about the marital, occupational or financial status of parents, and ignoring the priority for admission that schools are legally obliged to give to looked after children.Other cases uncovered included schools giving priority of places to family members who are not siblings and interviewing children before making an admissions decision."
Shock over schools 'breaking law': "The general secretary of the NASUWT teachers' union, Chris Keates, added: "It is also likely, and entirely understandable, that parents of pupils past and present at these schools may seek legal redress to recover monies inappropriately taken from them.""
Ministers in a mess as schools flout admission rules: From the public comments:"Count the schools where the uniform is available only from one shop, and where it is `preferred' that sports gear is embroidered with the child's name, so removing at a stroke any second-hand value or even the ability to pass it to siblings."
What's happening? I'm horrified at what sharp elbowed parents will do, or have to do. Anything to keep the oiks out?
It was 'homo' in my day
Homophobic abuse endemic in schools, says teacher survey:
"The word "gay" was reported to be the most frequently used term to put someone down, followed by "bitch" and "slag".
Half of teachers have also witnessed gossiping or the spreading of rumours about other pupils' sexuality."
I don't get this 'big news.' It's old hat. Change the name and it's all the same as 30 years ago. I bet you change the name again and it would have been the same 60 years ago.
[Disclosure:] I went to an all boys grammar school in the South Wales Valleys.
Virtual worlds, virtual education
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Sussex University Gets A Second Life: "Every user creates a virtual version of themselves, called an avatar, which they can transport to different locations, including the Sussex campus.Once they have arrived, they can fly around the university's main square to visit the library, attend online seminars, call into the students' union or the Meeting House or just admire the campus views."
This is interesting, for the future. I've never been to Second Life, plan never to go. There's a learning curve, which I don't want to downtime on.
However, the idea behind this is cool. Certainly, it's a VLE, potentially, on steroids.
No more homework anymore
Union calls for homework to be scrapped:
"Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) general secretary, Mary Bousted: "Middle-class children can go home and get help with their homework; disadvantaged children can't and then they get in trouble," she added. "I think it sets up a cycle of resistance to school because they don't have access to the cultural and emotional and learning support which middle-class children can get.""
Right from wrong
School is 'the last moral force':
"Long working hours, chaotic home backgrounds and a lack of positive adult influences in children's lives, meant schools were being expected to patch up social problems rather than focus on educational issues."
Make believe choice
Fewer parents getting secondary school of their choice for children: "John Dunford, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: "Parents' expectations are wrongly being raised by the political rhetoric of parental choice when in fact all parents are able to expect is to express a preference of which school they attend.""
Testing, testing. One, two, three
There's a cuffufle in the news today with a report from Cambridge University-led Primary Review. Too much on literacy and numeracy and too much teaching to the tests in primaries. By the time they're 14, they're switched off from the joy of learning.
The Guardian has picked on underfunding: Underfunded primary schools fail to teach basic literacy, says key review: "Although more money has been spent on education since 1997 than at any other period in history, primary schools receive only 80% of the funding given to secondaries. In comparison, some Scandinavian countries, which have far better literacy rates, allocate more than 100%. Spending varies wildly across the country: in Northumberland primary school budgets are 94% of the secondary school budget a pupil, while in Middlesbrough it is 66%."
The BBC gets comments from everybody. A state theory of learning. Tests seemingly take priority while other subjects or teaching around a subject take a back seat.
The Guardian has picked on underfunding: Underfunded primary schools fail to teach basic literacy, says key review: "Although more money has been spent on education since 1997 than at any other period in history, primary schools receive only 80% of the funding given to secondaries. In comparison, some Scandinavian countries, which have far better literacy rates, allocate more than 100%. Spending varies wildly across the country: in Northumberland primary school budgets are 94% of the secondary school budget a pupil, while in Middlesbrough it is 66%."
The BBC gets comments from everybody. A state theory of learning. Tests seemingly take priority while other subjects or teaching around a subject take a back seat.
I was 29 when I first touched a mouse
Girls 'more skilled on computers': "By the age of seven, nearly three quarters (73%) could use search engines and well over half (62%) were able to edit documents, the research found,
It also showed the level of skills among teenagers meant 70% could confidently create a social networking profile, 59% could download music and more than a third (35%) were able to edit and manipulate photography."
It also showed the level of skills among teenagers meant 70% could confidently create a social networking profile, 59% could download music and more than a third (35%) were able to edit and manipulate photography."
Esme, my 9 year old daughter, can easily create Word documents. She learnt this at school. I think the next thing will be for me to teacher her more Photoshop!
To whom it may concern
Children's mags 'damage writing': "The report said these pupils read lightweight fiction and magazines at home for pleasure, which some teachers regarded as "comfort reading".
Teachers said they were concerned about the impact on pupils' writing, which tended to be "inappropriately colloquial" when the task required a little more formal style.
This could be addressed by making pupils realise that writing is not simply "talk written down", the report added."
Teachers said they were concerned about the impact on pupils' writing, which tended to be "inappropriately colloquial" when the task required a little more formal style.
This could be addressed by making pupils realise that writing is not simply "talk written down", the report added."
Educate, educate, educate
Microsoft exec tells MPs pre-installed security filters would mark a return to the 'dark ages' ""Illegal content is easy [to define and regulate] while harmful is difficult," said Davies, the chief executive of Childnet International, a charitable body that promotes online safety for children. "We need to recognise there is 'grey'. There is black and white but also grey."
He also pointed out that legislation against such a "grey" area could result in curbs of freedom of expression and that in a web 2.0 world of user-generated content it can often be young people themselves - those often seen as "passive victims" - who can perpetrate cyber bullying online.
Davies suggested the answer might lie in a three-pronged approach. He said this strategy would involve self-regulation by the industry; empowering, supporting and educating schools; and making sure that parents help children so they are savvy enough and "equipped just as how they are when they walk down the high street"."
The problem with pre installed filters, that parents don't understand, is that it's fairly simple for geeky children to switch off. It becomes a false sense of security. Pretty soon, word would be out how to get through these filers. While, downstairs non-geeky parents would feel secure, while upstairs...
The answer must be better educated kids and parents.
He also pointed out that legislation against such a "grey" area could result in curbs of freedom of expression and that in a web 2.0 world of user-generated content it can often be young people themselves - those often seen as "passive victims" - who can perpetrate cyber bullying online.
Davies suggested the answer might lie in a three-pronged approach. He said this strategy would involve self-regulation by the industry; empowering, supporting and educating schools; and making sure that parents help children so they are savvy enough and "equipped just as how they are when they walk down the high street"."
The problem with pre installed filters, that parents don't understand, is that it's fairly simple for geeky children to switch off. It becomes a false sense of security. Pretty soon, word would be out how to get through these filers. While, downstairs non-geeky parents would feel secure, while upstairs...
The answer must be better educated kids and parents.
A different world
Sack bad staff and expel worst pupils, says academy chairman: "The government should make it easier for academies to sack poorly performing teachers and exclude the worst-behaved pupils, according to an academy chairman. Academy staff should also be paid as if they work in businesses, with bonuses linked to academic improvements."
Change or die
Balls may send in elite teaching teams to turn around failing schools: "Analysis of school results by the Guardian reveals that all but 15 local authorities have at least one school with results below the 30% mark. Birmingham has more than 20 failing schools, as do local authorities with large numbers of grammar schools. There are more than 30 low-performing schools in Kent, which also has the highest number of grammar schools
Balls, "I don't accept there should be a link between poverty and educational attainment. A culture of excusing poor performing pupils on the basis of deprivation will let another generation of pupils fail."
Balls, "I don't accept there should be a link between poverty and educational attainment. A culture of excusing poor performing pupils on the basis of deprivation will let another generation of pupils fail."
'taint so bad
White middle-class children not held back by poorer state schools " Children from white middle-class homes suffer no academic disadvantage from going to badly performing state schools."
But you really need to be a governor and pals with the Head.
Rich or poor mortgage
State schools are being 'divided along class lines into grammars or ghettos': "All the children in a rich neighbourhood go to school together, and all the children in a poor neighbourhood go to school together.
Such differences arise not because of the freedom for parents and pupils to choose schools, but because of a lack of choice, given where a pupil lives.
Segregation by ability was more marked for church schools.
Better peer groups may provide other benefits - physical safety, emotional security, familiarity, lifetime friendship networks or simply exclusivity - which make schools very desirable, even if they offer only slight academic advantages. Perhaps it is here that individuals really win or lose out."
Such differences arise not because of the freedom for parents and pupils to choose schools, but because of a lack of choice, given where a pupil lives.
Segregation by ability was more marked for church schools.
Better peer groups may provide other benefits - physical safety, emotional security, familiarity, lifetime friendship networks or simply exclusivity - which make schools very desirable, even if they offer only slight academic advantages. Perhaps it is here that individuals really win or lose out."
News for schools
Annual inspections on the way for half of schools, says Ofsted: "The best schools would be visited once every six years while those rated no better than satisfactory - currently 45% of all secondaries - could face annual visits from inspectors until they improve, the education inspectors Ofsted said"
State schools shunned for home education: "Home-educated children perform better and that children from disadvantaged backgrounds can improve disproportionately. Home-educated pupils are less likely to watch TV or spend hours on computers."
State schools shunned for home education: "Home-educated children perform better and that children from disadvantaged backgrounds can improve disproportionately. Home-educated pupils are less likely to watch TV or spend hours on computers."
It's the politicians that decide
BBC: School closures in Cumbria: The uphill battle against closure: "You get a group of teenagers together from this area and they don't know each other because they're all scattered around in different schools.
It's had a huge impact. We used to have harvest festivals in the church. The kids would perform in church.
They'd run errands for the older folk. Now that kind of thing doesn't happen any more."
It's had a huge impact. We used to have harvest festivals in the church. The kids would perform in church.
They'd run errands for the older folk. Now that kind of thing doesn't happen any more."
Fixing the roll
Grammar schools fuelling social segregation, academics find: "...A new code of admissions introduced last year is likely to prevent most corrupt admissions processes. But schools that have controlled their own admissions - instead of relying on local authorities - have been more likely to covertly select. They include voluntary-aided schools, largely faith-based schools."
I went to a grammar, in the Welsh Valleys. I know it segregated me from my friends who didn't 'make it.' I don't know if they felt they were on life's 'scrapheap.' My mam said I should go rubbing my pass of the 11 plus in their noses, so I didn't.
Trailer trash?
85% of poorer white boys fall short in GCSEs: "The vast majority of white working class boys are leaving school with too few qualifications, the government admitted yesterday, as it published a breakdown of results revealing that 85% of white boys from poorer homes fail to get five good GCSEs."
Chinese 'highest scoring of any ethnicity,' blacks 'biggest improvement.'
Missing: 800,000 school children
New plans put 1:10 secondary schools at risk: "The government's figures, published this week, suggest that the decline in the number of primary-aged pupils is stabilising, with the impact beginning to hit secondaries all over the country.
John Dunford, the general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: "Over the next five years falling [pupil] rolls are sharpest in secondary schools, [these] schools will reduce in size and some will become unviable.""
John Dunford, the general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: "Over the next five years falling [pupil] rolls are sharpest in secondary schools, [these] schools will reduce in size and some will become unviable.""
Pupils pick schools, not schools pick pupils
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Going to school
...Schools would receive a cash bonus for every deprived student that they accept, which would make poorer pupils more attractive to successful schools and poorer schools more affluent...
...The shocking truth is that half of children from deprived areas start school without basic speaking and listening skills..."
Pity it's LibDems. But perhaps the ideas will break through into the 'other' parties.
New faith class system
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Treorchy
School Board, 1886
...The class gap in participation rates in higher education is larger than ever before, despite the overall increases in participation; the poorest children, those with special educational needs, recent arrivals and those for whom English is not their mother tongue are clustered in certain schools...
...Examination of the beneficiaries of 'high quality' education shows that, however it is defined, this kind of education has always been monopolised by higher socio-economic groups with some concessions to lower-class 'gifted' individuals..."
Hey! I'm just reporting here!
Bennett: public schools should be abolished
Independent.co.uk: "His award-winning play about bright pupils at a Yorkshire grammar school, The History Boys, is enjoying its last hurrah in London's West End. But Alan Bennett, a former grammar school boy himself, has launched a scathing attack on segregation in the British education system, calling for public schools to be abolished and saying it was "wrong" that good schooling could be bought by the wealthy."
What makes a good teacher?
BBC News: "Professor Myhill did say that "a teacher who hates children may be very good at class management but they are unlikely to be very good at encouraging learning"."
Hundreds of village schools face axe
The Observer: "Shropshire, one of the most sparsely populated areas of the UK, this year received £3,551 per pupil from the government, £337 less than the England average, and half of what the City of London received, according to Owen Paterson, Tory MP for North Shropshire."
Open education, for all
Wikipedia, Ubuntu founders back 'open education': ""We have seen over the last 20 years how open-source software, which is produced collaboratively, has been used to solve individual problems but then shared to solve everyone's problems," said Shuttleworth. "Today, I hope we will launch a process that will build something similarly compelling but for the educational field. It will be extraordinary one day to have teachers in New Zealand collaborating with students in China to create documents that will be used by learners in South America.""
Think about all those lesson plans and projects you're doing in your council's VLE at the moment. Why aren't you doing it in a format that can be imported and exported into the open source Moodle? Moodle is used by millions of learners. The BBC is one of the best Internet educational publishers. I hope they'd open their files for translation, but I'm sure they bought those items in, and would have to pay lots more to have them redone in a 1,000 languages.
Here's the declaration.
It's a great idea, and I'm sure it will take off, eventually. But it's started now. All power to open education.
At this time, there's not too many signatories: 600+ individuals. And only, only 30 from the UK! I've signed up. I wish they had a logo and better branding. It would be useful to be able to add a button to my site, to get the word out better, faster.
