The transfer trap

Parents are damaging children’s education if they use placing requests to transfer them between schools in the early primary years, a study into literacy in Glasgow reveals. But psychologist Alan McLean’s study backs the view that early intervention is starting to eliminate disadvantage. As many as one in three P1-5 children moves between schools.

Curriculum blamed for `school is crap’ generation

Mike Baughan, Learning and Teaching Scotland chief executive, has admitted the curriculum may be the cause of underachievement. He said pupils, as consumers, had a right to know how the curriculum was preparing them for the future. If they were unconvinced of school’s value, indiscipline was “inevitable”. Their disengagement was evidenced by “statements we sometimes hear, for example `school is crap’”.

Disappointed and disillusioned

I read your article “McCrone blow to mature students” and was very disappointed to find all probationers would be starting at pound;16,743. I am a mature student who gave up a job this year at a salary slightly higher. I have friends (of the same age and with the same degree) who graduated three months before I did who have entered teaching with a salary of pound;25,644.

Letter - H Meldrum

“High-octane” computers no match for dynamic teaching

There is no hard evidence that cutting class sizes, sorting pupils by ability or testing them more makes much difference to improvements in education, Mary Simpson, professor of classroom learning at Edinburgh University, told the Education Horizons conference in Glasgow. What mattered most was the teacher-pupil dynamic. There was no guarantee that “high-octane fuel in the form of powerful computers in classrooms” would help.

Teacher’s pet gets pat on head

A dog may be a teacher’s best friend in class, University of Vienna research has found. It examined the effect of taking a dog into a class of six and seven-year-olds from diverse ethnic backgrounds. The presence of the pet will calm over-active children, stimulate quiet ones and generate respect for the teacher, researchers claim.