Welfare Reform on the Web (November 2006): Education - UK - Schools

Ethnicity and education: the evidence on minority ethnic pupils aged 5-16

Department for Education and Skills, 2006

This report looks in detail at the educational attainment and development of minority ethnic pupils in schools in England. It examines the evidence in detail and avoids generalising about minority ethnic children as a homogeneous group. It emphasises variations between groups as well as in comparison to the majority group, “white British”.

Evaluating the effectiveness of specialist schools in England

R. Levacic and A. Jenkins

School Effectiveness and School Improvement, vol.17, 2006, p.229-254

The New Labour government in the UK has promoted diversity of provision through the specialist schools programme inherited from the Conservatives, which it has turned into a flagship policy. This paper provides an assessment of the relative effectiveness of specialist schools. Attending a specialist school is found to add 1.4 grades on average to a pupil’s GCSE points score. Effectiveness differed according to subject specialism and length of time specialist.

Improving transition planning for young people with special educational needs

L. Dee

Maidenhead: Open University Press, 2006

In recent years policy makers have turned their attention to the quality of support that is available to young people with special educational needs and their families during the transition from school. The book offers practical advice on managing transition planning for young people with special educational needs as they prepare to leave school. It aims to:

• Provide insights into the experiences and perspectives of young people, their parents or carers and the professionals who support them during the transition period;
• Explore influences on the decision-making process and the involvement of young people and their parents or carers;
• Suggest practical ways in which they can be supported during the transition to adulthood.

New Community Schools and the measurement of transformation

R. Remedios and J. Allan

International Journal of Inclusive Education, vol.10, 2006, p.615-625

In 1998, the Scottish Executive launched its New Community Schools initiative. This made funds available to councils to develop collaborative school-based services offering health and social care alongside education. Schemes also aimed to promote social inclusion and citizenship and to improve links between agencies and families. This article discusses issues around the measuring whether the implementation of NCS initiatives was leading to significant positive changes or transformations in the community.

School uniform revisited: procedure, pressure and equality

D. Carney and A. Sinclair

Education and the Law, vol.18, 2006, p.131-148

The House of Lords has given judgement in favour of Denbigh High School in the case of R (on the application of Begum) v the Headteacher and Governors of Denbigh High School). The Lords ruled that the school’s refusal to allow Shabina Begum to wear the jilbab did not infringe her right to manifest her religion under Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights. This article reviews the case and considers how the decision will impact on the ability of schools to dictate school uniform.