Maybe it Mutters
Martin’s completely random muttering, musing, rants, thoughts and life on the Isle of Wight.
Child Protection Racket must be stopped
I’ve just heard the latest on Kerry Robertson and the thought of social services virtually wrenching her baby from it’s mothers breast leads me feeling numb. I’m not one for trial by newspaper, especially where the Daily Mail is concerned, but Fife council’s behaviour has all the hallmarks of our current statistic approach to child protection. Compassion is gone,... »
M6 Troll
Who’s that trip-trapping over my toll motorway? A people carrier? Yum, extra money from them. The delightful people at Midland Expressway Limited have come up with an ingenious pricing system. I looked up their prices online and decided that while they were rather high at £4.70 for a car decided I would stomach the cost... »
Who ruined sellotape?
What has happened to sellotape in recent years? It used to be that if you brought “own brand” sticky tape you took your chances, but sellotape could be trusted to do the job, albeit at a price. Now though the sellotape brand is a guarantee of complete sticktastic failure. I spent 20 minutes earlier... »
Freedom of Disinformation – a Government Charter for deceit
I have recently delved into the world of the Freedom of Information Act. Under the act the people of this country have the right to request the release of information held by public bodies. It’s all about transparency. For apparently obvious reasons, the government added in a number of safeguards, under which public departments... »
The Great Educational Balls Up – Series Overview
Over the last few days I have been posting a series of blog articles looking at the Badman review of home education, and proposals to introduce new legislation on the back of it. If you don’t know about the review, or the catastrophic effects it could have on educational freedoms and family rights in... »
Death by a thousand plans? – The Great Educational Balls up – Part 10
This is the last post in my series. I may blog more on the subject of Badman (click on the keyword to see!) but in even more random fashion. I have saved what for us could be the worst until last. This could spell the end of autonomous or child led home education... »
Where’s the fire? – The Great Educational Balls up – Part 9
OK, this is a biggy for democracy lovers out there. Anyone who holds to the principle “legislate at haste, repent at leisure” (he says mangling a quotation, sorry, but it was good enough for the Spectator…). Why is new legislation being rushed through? First off, why am I claiming that legislation is being rushed in? ... »
Government Maths – The Great Educational Balls up – Part 8 (or maybe 27)
OK, the following was released after a Freedom of Information request. 5. Known to social care 25 of the 90 LAs asked responded (28% response rate). • Based on the data we have from the 25 LAs, the average (median) proportion of EHE children per LA known to social care is approximately 7%. We estimate there are... »
But there’s more support for home educators isn’t there? – The Great Educational Balls up -Part 7
Erm yes. Except, no. The Badman review makes some recommendations for extra support for home educators. It also dresses up some unnecessary and intrusive interventions as support. Some of the support suggested are actually things a lot of home educators would like access to, and would cost little or nothing to offer (such as access... »
The Danger of Defining Education – The Great Educational Balls up – Part 6
The Badman review calls for a new definition of what constitutes a suitable and efficient education: “Recommendation 2 That the DCSF review the current statutory definition of what constitutes a “suitable” and “efficient” education in the light of the Rose review of the primary curriculum, and other changes to curriculum assessment and definition throughout statutory... »