Laura McInerney
@missmc.bsky.social
Co-Founder of TeacherTapp, daily poll of 12k teachers. Former editor of Schools Week & Guardian columnist. Once a teacher, always a teacher. SAY: Laura 'Mack & Ernie' (like there's 3 of us!)
Folks: these days the England system has BTECs, T-Levels, degree apprenticeships, a whole load of other apprenticeship assessments, and very flexible HE entry across a broad range of providers, including foundation years for those without L3. We already *have* a lot of pathways!
Smaller class sizes, absolute top quality teaching, strong pastoral support, and tasks that are just difficult enough to be hard yet do-able. If you get those right, it often doesn’t really matter that the subject is. The question of how to achieve that for such students is the real conversation.
The genuine nerd question about Covid lockdowns is what could be changed out the policy process so that it would have come to a different outcome. Otherwise it’s just a case of saying ‘now, with perfect hindsight, I’d prefer elected folks had decided something different’. Which is fine, but also 🤷♀️
I have major issues with Devolution but I’ll give it this… It’s nice not to be talking about Brexit. And it gives the country something to do, think and argue about which isn’t about the past.
Graduate engineers seem to see earning plateau much later (and higher), which is why long term returns are so good. In other words, in the past, apprenticeships pay off earlier but especially in engineering, degrees pay off more over the long term. No guarantees, of course.
Fair play. This past week I’ve been pondering why knobheads playing music on the tube always play the same kind of crap rap music. Do they have a forum where they plan it together? But tonight’s pillocks seems to be playing Michael Boulton mixed with jazz. And I take it all back. This is worse.
I fear for what I call The Inevitable Doom Loop of Vocational Education: - it starts off hard to get parity of esteem - loads of kids fail - it’s made easier - it’s seen as a doss and schools lump kids in to game outcomes - numbers drop - it gets cancelled
The question for any serious new reform is how you will avoid this doom loop. Burnham’s answer is, I think, ‘local employers’. To which my checkmate is the employer-led local-consortium diplomas of 2008. Next move please, grand master.
Laura McInerney@missmc.bsky.social · last wk.I fear for what I call The Inevitable Doom Loop of Vocational Education: - it starts off hard to get parity of esteem - loads of kids fail - it’s made easier - it’s seen as a doss and schools lump kids in to game outcomes - numbers drop - it gets cancelled
Well at least the focus on vocational education will distract the talk radio shows from talking about immigrants for a few weeks. Let’s call that a win.
In a new foi release. There have been 0 complaints regarding pride displays prior to Essex county council's ban on pride displays in Essex.
Bedwellj101@alyx.whatthetrans.com · 3w agoA reminder that this protest is tomorrow!
This. I would add: a lot of employment regulations, safeguarding (both well-meant, and important!) and liability risks put an unsustainable load on work placement creation. (Our Y12's work experience folks this summer had *so many* hoops to go through for 5 days "work".)
I'm a massive fan of taking on apprentices (currently have 3) but the insurance and young person rules make it very hard to consider anyone under 17. These are good rules by the way, but it doesn't work for business.
I think about this routine work bit a lot. There’s something about a job where you can do a similar thing over and over that’s really satisfying, and being able to know that it you do it, someone will pay you, brings a lot of calm. It’s that certain which I think students are sometimes hankering for
Laura McInerney@missmc.bsky.social · last wk.And the main reason is the disaffection before 16 point. You lose a certain number by 16 who you may have been able to keep with something more job-oriented. (I would argue it’s not actually because it’s a job, it’s that it’s more routinised and more certainly and quickly related to reward).
But Laura, 2028 is ages away! How long can it really take to cook a new teacher?
Laura McInerney@missmc.bsky.social · last wk.To have teachers ready for September 2028 you’d need to start recruiting for the course in about - *checks watch* - 8 weeks. And to have the course spec and the tutors ready for the course you’d need to have started… *steps into time machine*
Just to check: are hairdressing and social care also going to be technical qualifications? If we could get a referee ruling that would really help with the debate. Ta.
Working out how to inspect something we don't yet know how to accomplish? Not the first step.
The answer is: some. In truth, there’s always a trade off between youth unemployment & the social mobility of academic routes. It may be that labour market change wobbles the balance. It may be that we think youth unemployment is so bad it’s worth the trade off. But this IS the trade-off.
Scott Davidson@scottify.bsky.social · last wk.How many bright 14 yr old working class kids are going to get pressured out of the academic path …it’s not for you…not for someone from around here
Is there a risk that if you do a house-valuation council tax you worsen NIMBYism? When a developer turns up and says we will Improve your area, people just hear ‘our taxes will go up’? Gosh this stuff is thorny.
I’m also sure loads of PGCE places will be available next year to get enough QTS-trained specialists for this and it won’t just be given to random teachers with spare timetable slots.
Laura McInerney@missmc.bsky.social · last wk.Don’t worry, I’m sure they’ve thought through how this will be staffed, funded, and the class size implications for GCSE options. They learned that from the last time, right? RIGHT? www.tes.com/magazine/new...
Don’t worry, I’m sure they’ve thought through how this will be staffed, funded, and the class size implications for GCSE options. They learned that from the last time, right? RIGHT? www.tes.com/magazine/new...
I have a modest proposal for a new tax. It involves a deck of cards and a monkey throwing darts. Here are the rules:
So nice to see Warrington getting attention. It’s a lovely place.
Richard Partington@rjpartington.bsky.social · 2w agoWhen the editor of the Guardian finds out her econ correspondent is from the same Warrington suburb as the new Prime Minister… A pleasure, yet daunting to write. Hope I’ve done Culcheth justice: I grew up near Andy Burnham. This is what shaped the UK’s new PM www.theguardian.com/news/ng-inte...
@leedon1982.bsky.social two “made up” lines in this one!
Richard Partington@rjpartington.bsky.social · 2w agoWhen the editor of the Guardian finds out her econ correspondent is from the same Warrington suburb as the new Prime Minister… A pleasure, yet daunting to write. Hope I’ve done Culcheth justice: I grew up near Andy Burnham. This is what shaped the UK’s new PM www.theguardian.com/news/ng-inte...
Yes! Audible cheer from me for @pollymackenzie.bsky.social on Any Question saying we should bring the Regional Development Agencies back! (Much more sensible than random No10v2)
And this is why I pay attention to things like politicians clothes and the way they stand. It makes a difference! Most people aren’t listening to detailed policy issues. They’re making snap visual judgements!
Luke Tryl@luketryl.bsky.social · 2w agoAm struck from focus groups this week how much the lack of lectern for Burnham’s No10 speech has cut through and as a Starmer contrast, psychologically seems to have landed as bolder/removing a barrier.
This is all so weird in Manchester today, crowds of people stood round looking at a generic 1980s office block, Slug and Lettuce doing a roaring trade, plus a fake No 10 door, what a time to be alive
Former journalist Paul Waugh has been appointed as a DfE minister while Olivia Bailey is out as early education minister
Who are the new DfE ministers?
The DfE team has been reshuffled, with Lucy Powell now taking the helm as education secretary. But who will she be working with?
tes.com
Every time I go to Euston station, with the sensible info screens restored, I think I’ll vote Labour just for that. I t makes *such* a difference when you’re photosensitive not to have screens flashing adverts around. Shopping centres, one of my first loves, are becoming no-go these days. 😭
