C.E. Jottings

Evolving role of local authorities in education - interim research report

In case, like me, you missed this recent publication, joint research from DfE and Local Government Association: "Interim research report (PDF, 31 pages, 768KB) "This interim research report identifies the key issues facing councils and schools in nine council areas as increasing numbers of schools become academies. It explores how councils are adapting to greater school autonomy in three areas for which they are responsible: Ensuring a sufficient supply of school places. Tackling underperformance in schools and ensuring high standards.... Read more →

David Cameron again on reducing the big state - but what of SEN?

Recently (The 3rd lesson David Cameron learned ... ), I drew attention here to statements by David Cameron in 2009; the five lessons he had learned as a parent of a disabled child. In particular: "The third lesson is that we've got to make it easier for parents to get the right education for children with disabilities" and going on to say "We're seriously looking at how we can resolve that [structural] conflict of interest so that parents don't have... Read more →

The Autism Education Trust - impressed, I want one for #CondEd

The Autism Education Trust: I'm impressed with what can be achieved, though since it was set up in 2007, I suspect I should have known of them. Is this what we need for Conductive Education in the UK? "The AET was launched in parliament in November 2007 with support and funding from the government. It is the only umbrella organisation working specifically on autism education across the voluntary, public and private sectors. The Autism Education Trust (AET) is funded by... Read more →

Fulfilling potential or potential unfulfilled? Discovering Jenny Morris's blog

Delighted this evening to have stumbled across Jenny Morris's blog If I am correct, this must be the sameJenny Morris who wrote the 1999 Joseph Rowntree research publication "Hurtling into a Void?", which inspired us to call Paces' young adult group "Leaping the Void". Here's an extract from her latet posting "Fulfilling potential or potential unfulfilled?" Two funding streams, aimed at helping disabled people into and to keep paid employment, are part of the Right to Control trailblazers. Disabled people... Read more →

First report of Labour SEN review - and actually there was something interesting

Special Needs Jungle reports "Special needs experts offer views for Labour's SEN plicy review". There are no surprises, but there was indeed one something worth a moment's attention which I copy below. First, the event itself - as Andrew Sutton recently wrote on Facebook "UK: SEN CHEWING OVER THE SAME OLD NOURISHMENT-FREE GRISTLE The Labour Party is holding yet another weary review of 'special educational needs'. Look at its agenda, if you can bear to: http://www.nasen.org.uk/latestnews/?news=109 Not a hint that... Read more →

The 3rd lesson David Cameron learned as a parent of a disabled child: July 2009

As we wait for the Department of Education to publish the SEN White Paper, here is an echo from July 2009, an article in The Independent "David Cameron: the five lessons I learned as a father of a disabled child - and intend to put into practice". This was his third lesson: "The third lesson is that we've got to make it easier for parents to get the right education for children with disabilities. So many parents get stuck on... Read more →

Why isn't Paces one of the best 100 not-for-profit organisations to work for?

The Sunday Times yesterday produced a supplement "100 Best not-for-profit organisations to work for". Paces wasn't listed. Why not? A simple answer would be that we are not big enough. The smallest organisation in the top 100 has 57 employees. Or another reason could be that we were not one of the "254 organisations that took part in the survey" (You've got to be in it to win it!). Or we were not the right sort of organisation: 7 of... Read more →

Are we being crazy enough? #CondEd

My last post, following Steve Hilton's departure from Number 10, asked "Why aren't we being more radical?" I was thinking of Paces, of course, but also of conductive education in the UK in general. We had two workshops at Paces this week. I tried on both days to remind Trustees, managers, staff and parents that conductive education is not just another "alternative therapy", one option among many, but a radical departure, a quantum leap forward in the understanding and practice... Read more →

A radical of Hungarian ancestry quits No 10

Steve Hilton has quit Number 10 for California. David Cameron's "oldest friend in politics" and his "blue skies thinker" is taking a sabbatical to "spend more time with his family". Actually, my point in drawing your attention to this story is not to irritate friends of either Left or Right political persuasions. Rather, my own attention was caught by two utterly insignificant details in the story. Steve Hilton was of Hungarian ancestry. His parents, family name Hircsák, came to Britain... Read more →