As Brussels slips into what Gavin Hewitt refers to as the ‘dog days‘ (the long summer break when eurocrats disperse from the city for their vacations) the EU has slyly returned to one of its more controversial proposals – the introduction of an EU-wide tax system, writes Natalie Hamill. The aspiration is for the EU… [Read More]
Long has this blog argued the benefits of increased specialism in the way health care is delivered; that is, for example, for focused centres for operating on particular conditions and disease-specific networks that treat and help people manage chronic diseases. Evidence, contained particularly in Clayton Christensen’s brilliant book The Innovator’s Prescription, has long suggested such… [Read More]
Boris Johnson recently suggested a ‘competition’ between schools to decide which method of teaching children to read is the most effective, synthetic phonics or the medley of techniques often used in schools. Ben Goldacre of Bad Science fame was quick to castigate the mayor. Such a competition would prove nothing, only a randomised control trial… [Read More]
Fairly extraordinarily, the white stuff at the top of the contentious topics list has proven to be milk. Barely out of the ‘breast is/isn’t best’ debate reignited by a militant supermodel, and we’re onto the next milk row: free milk for under-fives.
The UN affiliated European Institute for Crime Prevention and Control has recently published the most up-to-date international comparison of crime statistics.
The concept of police forces from other EU member states being able to request personal information about citizens suspected of having committed a crime makes many people feel uncomfortable, writes Natalie Hamill. But apparently not Home Secretary Theresa May, who has decided that the UK should opt-in to such a proposal, known as the European… [Read More]
Business Secretary Vince Cable must have the gift of omniscience, as this is the only way anyone could understand the online policies of his Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS).
Released KS2 results re-ignite the debate over primary testing. However, the problem with Sats tests is their purpose, not testing itself: the Sats currently exist to prove pupils have reached the required level, rather than to gauge pupil understanding and ability.
Someone to share council tax bills and dinner with; must have an appetite for exotic holidays; GSOH (Good Salary, Own House) essential, writes Annaliese Briggs.
The coalition Government’s ‘free schools’ proposal hasn’t so much split religious believers from atheists, but more those who accept parent choice as a progressive reform, and those who reject it. Despite the fears from all sides, there is a good chance that all of Britain’s diverse belief systems will benefit if schools gain more independence.