THIS WEEK
17-23 MARCH 2012SATURDAY
You don’t say
Letting out a chuckle, teachers said, “What, really?” Ofsted chief Sir Michael Wilshaw admitted that inspections may damage lesson quality owing to staff desperation. “Death by 1,000 worksheets,” he called it.
SUNDAY
The best of friends must part
According to that bastion of truth, The Mail on Sunday, British primary teachers are dissuading pupils from making best friends and instead want them to play in groups. Or it may be journalistic hyperbole. Take your pick.
MONDAY
watercooler moment
Forget the “Who killed Frank?” storyline, the Corrie plot really inflating the ratings came to a climax at the start of the week and included home education, Ofsted and healthy school dinners. Watch the omnibus to find out more.
TUESDAY
Cottoning on to the crisis
After months, possibly years, of warnings, the Labour Party got its knickers in a twist about the disaster looming in England’s primaries. We’re in need of nearly 500,000 extra places by 2015, apparently. Don’t panic.
WEDNESDAY
Bad news in the budget
The boy-chancellor rose at the Dispatch Box to silence. It was budget day and the mood was sombre. Then there was lots of shouting over the 50 per cent top tax rate, while George quietly dismembered national pay bargaining.
THURSDAY
It never rains - or pours
World Water Day came and went with a little extra resonance given England’s forthcoming drought. Such statistics as the 15,000l required to produce 1kg of beef were rolled out in the nation’s classrooms.
FRIDAY
A religious education
God’s emissaries on earth pronounced: this was the Church of England’s vision for the church school of the future. Resembling existing schools, there may be a few more of them, with a little more Jesus being taught.
NEXT WEEK 24-30 MARCH 2012
SATURDAY
Dissension expected
On Saturday morning, M. Gove Esq will address the Association of School and College Leaders conference in Birmingham. Normally he manages to charm the crowd, but this time, well, they’re revolting.
SUNDAY
Why did i come in here again?
Science writer David Bainbridge will give a lecture at The Prince’s Teaching Institute residential maths and science course entitled “Being Young and Getting Old: Why Ageing is Confusing”. Time to retire.
MONDAY
A sovereign’s story
Victoria Revealed, a permanent exhibition exploring Queen Victoria’s life and reign, will open at Kensington Palace. Visitors will learn about, among other things, the romance of her early relationship with Prince Albert.
TUESDAY
pause in proceedings
And they complain that teachers have long holidays. Today Parliament rises - some three days before most schools break up - not to return for the best part of three weeks. Shocking behaviour.
WEDNESDAY
So long, farewell
This is surely one for both history and music, and the behaviour management team. ‘Tis 25 years to the day since the death aged 82 of Maria von Trapp, whose pre-war experiences in Austria inspired The Sound of Music.
THURSDAY
UNI funds are handed out
Spare a thought for your educational cousins in the world of higher education. For today is Hefce day, when the research funding quango announces who’s getting what share of the #163;6.5 billion pot.
FRIDAY
Antarctic endeavour
Bonhams will auction one of the final letters written by Captain Scott as he lay near death in the Antarctic. The letter, estimated to fetch more than #163;100,000, was to Sir Edgar Speyer, who had raised funds for the expedition.
