C.E. Jottings

Creating an enterprising conductive community. Possible?

What does it mean to be "conductive"? Can an organisation be "conductive"? Should an organisation that practices conductive education reflect conductively upon its own self? I have pondered this before. The SAHK model is instructive, for instance. This morning I was reminded of this when I read a blog posting by MIke Chitty. I have mentioned Mike in this context before. Asking what a 'real enterprise zone' would look like, Mike proposes that it would be a place where: People... Read more →

A pointer of things to come? But what do they know of Conductive Education?

On Twitter, @Wrestwood of St.Mary's School and College, Bexhill, asks: "Is this a pointer of things to come in a consolidating world?" and without further comment provides a link to a news story from GI Partners, a private equity company, about their acquisition of Advanced Childcare. LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM, March 18, 2011 – GI Partners (“GI”), a leading private equity firm focused on investments in asset-intensive businesses and real estate platforms, is pleased to announce the £28 million acquisition of... Read more →

Parent founded special schools. How many, ever?

Does anyone know how many special schools in the UK are run by charities that were originally founded by parents? Or where I can find out? On twitter @newmanswords posted: #freeschools - loadsa money, tailor-made for the chattering classes, now big expensive consultancies to create more.. http://bit.ly/hlgBIM To make @newmansworld's point, his link is to just such a consultancy. Following his tweet, we had an interesting exchange of thoughts. However, our exchange led me to ponder this: the Free School... Read more →

Reaction to SEN Green Paper: former Principal of Treloar's #SENGP

If I get a moment this weekend, I'll post an up-dated listing of media et al responses to the SEN Green Paper. Meanwhile, one that is more considered than most I have read; this from Graham Jowett, a former principal of Treloar College interviewed for BBC News: "Special School's view - Getting the system right". Graham Jowett's view is of particular interest as Treloar School and College, as you may well know, works with children and young people with cerebral... Read more →

David Cameron and the SEN Green Paper #SENGP

As I read the SEN Green Paper, these words of David Cameron stick on my mind and act as a kind of touchstone: "I think that what we need is very simple legislation that basically gives people the right to chose. In the end, trust the parents, .... and then I think you'll find that you'll have a system where money follows the child and follows the parents' decision and then you shouldn't have such a problem in funding your... Read more →

SEN Green paper: First responses #SENGP

I was intending a summary of first responses to the SEN GreenPaper "Support and Aspiration" but find Sean Whetstone on his blog "School Governing" has got there beforeme, late last night: "Summary of Special Educational Needs (SEN) Green Paper & Links". So rather than merely copy his list here, I simply urge you to follow the above link to his post. You'll find the list beneath his comments about School Governors and the Green Paper. If you know of other... Read more →

SEN Green Paper and Free Schools #SENGP

For those who might be interested or who are following the progress of Paces' proposal to DfE to set up a Free School, the Green Paper has this to say: 3.67 The Department for Education will streamline the process for applying to open a Free School and will publish details in due course. September 2012 will be the first opportunity from which special Free Schools can be established. Initially we intend to focus on proposals to establish special Free Schools... Read more →

SEN Green Paper published

The SEN Green Paper "Support and Aspiration: A new approach to special educational needs" is published this morning by DfE. Not so new an approach, though, as to dispense with the term "special educational needs"? Nevertheless, I shall read it with great interest. Read more →

Wolf review of vocational education

With the uncatchy title "Review of Vocational - The Wolf Report", DfE has announced the publication of the review of vocational education by Professor Alison Wolf. The report "considers how vocational education for 14- to 19-year-olds can be improved in order to promote successful progression into the labour market and into higher level education and training routes, and provides practical recommendations to help inform future policy direction, taking into account current financial constraints." Secretary of State, Michael Gove's widely reported... Read more →

Etherington on Pickles speech to NCVO conference

Members of the Nat Council for Voluntary Organisations received the following email from CEO Sir Stuart Etherington today, alerting members to Eric Pickles speech at the NCVO conference: Dear Norman I know that many of you could not be with us at our Annual Conference today. However, I thought it important to let you know that Eric Pickles, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, made an announcement in his speech that he expects local authorities to behave... Read more →