Archive for the ‘Guardian article’ Category
Why are we following the US into a schools policy disaster?
Posted by: melissabenn on: November 28, 2011
It is amazing how quickly you can discourage a nation. Just 18 months ago, Michael Gove kicked off his controversial tenure at the Department for Education with apparently definitive claims, backed by international test evidence, of UK state school failure and the need for a radical new approach. Last year, Sweden was the model for [...]
The Sorcerer’s Apprentices
Posted by: melissabenn on: October 24, 2011
Check out this piece for the Guardian’s comment page tomorrow – but published already – on the move among today’s students towards apprenticeships.
The Big Debate
Posted by: melissabenn on: September 4, 2011
How do we make our schools fit to face the 21st century?
Five experts explore the future of British education in this round-table discussion, as the government initiative for free schools is launched
Some more debate……
Posted by: melissabenn on: August 27, 2011
Some of my recent articles, largely debating the issues that arise out of School Wars. New Statesman: round up of left thinkers’ views on the riots and family values Prospect magazine: debate with Rachel Wolf, director of the New Schools Network, on the merits or otherwise of free schools. Financial Times: commentary on Toby Young [...]
Britain’s Education Divide
Posted by: melissabenn on: August 18, 2011
Below, a link to my G2 cover feature on Britain’s continuing education divide, which promoted some lively comments on the twittersphere yesterday. 99% of the tweets were positive but there were some odd criticisms, in every sense, that I plan to address in a post over the next day or so. In the meantime, I [...]
……….and this………….
Posted by: melissabenn on: September 21, 2010
And another excellent piece on unchristian practices in successful faith schools…….
The Miller’s Tale
Posted by: melissabenn on: August 29, 2010
The opening sentence of Jane Miller’s new book is stark. “I am old and I feel and look old.” In person, however, she seems anything but. As we saunter along Kings Road in London, she in her light grey Converse trainers and short black coat, I am struck by how raffishly youthful she appears. A [...]
Indeed they do….
Posted by: melissabenn on: August 20, 2010
‘Stop knocking comprehensives. They work’. Bloody hell. That was my first thought on discovering the author of this spirited post on comprehensives on the Guardian website. I don’t agree with everything in it but it’s such a rare genre, the pro comprehensive piece, that I have to reproduce it, even if it does come from [...]
Meet the Wife
Posted by: melissabenn on: August 8, 2010
Read Melissa Benn’s latest review, of Laura Bush’s autobiography Spoken from the Heart, published in yesterday’s Guardian Review.
Five ways Labour might change
Posted by: melissabenn on: June 3, 2010
Read my latest Comment is Free post on the Guardian website about ways Labour might change following its electon defeat. The idea for the piece first came to me after I went to a local Labour Party meeting, following the election; like many people, the election itself and Labour’s relatively narrow defeat reminded me of [...]
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