school children

Missing Out. A report on children at risk of missing out on educational opportunities

This report aims to highlight characteristics of good practice, raise issues and suggest further ways of improving the overall performance of pupils. As well as revealing some good practice, the findings highlight a number of issues including a lack of consistency and clarity across Scotland in identifying, measuring, and tackling underachievement for the lowest-attaining pupils.

Parent power

Report surveying the state of the school education system in Scotland and advocating greater power for parents and autonomy for schools as a means of improving standards in school education.

Where next for pupils excluded from special schools and Pupil Referral Units?

Report of a study which looked at routes, destinations and outcomes for pupils permanently excluded from special schools and Pupil Referral Units. The study arose out of concerns over the quality of educational provision for young people with behavioural, emotional and social difficulties in England voiced by the Steer Report.

The exclusion from school of children aged four to seven

The number of children aged seven and under who are excluded from primary schools is very small but some children of this age are receiving fixed-period exclusions, occasionally leading to permanent exclusion. This study investigated the reasons for this and the ways some schools manage to avoid using exclusion. Sixty nine schools participated in a survey. Thirty schools had excluded several young children. Another 27 schools, each near to one of the first 30 schools, had not excluded any children in the same period. Twelve schools had only excluded one child, but on several occasions.

The public inquiry into the shootings at Dunblane Primary School on 13 March 1996 : the government response

This report sets out the government response to the findings and recommendations of the Cullen Inquiry following the shootings at Dunblane Primary School by Thomas Hamilton on 13 March 1996. Comment is made on: recommendations on the certification system relating to Section 1 firearms; police powers and the legal responsibilities of licensed gun or firearms clubs; restriction of the availability of Section 1 firearms and amendment of existing firearms legislation accordingly.

The public inquiry into the shootings at Dunblane Primary School on 13 March 1996

This report sets out the findings of the Cullen Inquiry following the shootings at Dunblane Primary School by Thomas Hamilton on 13 March 1996. The aim of the Inquiry was to clarify the exact circumstances leading up to and surrounding the incident, and to provide recommendations to safeguard the public against the misuse of firearms and other issues raised by the investigation.

Key recommendations include improved school security; the certification of firearms; and the vetting and supervision of adults working with children.

OU on the BBC: School Day

This resource looks at the UK education system. On January 15th 2004 a dozen film crews from the BBC in Bristol went out across the length and breadth of the country to capture a day in the life of education. Each crew followed a single person over their normal day.

Gay bullying (Radio 4 series: Woman's Hour)

How can homophobic bullying be stopped? It is estimated that there are 60,000 lesbians and gay teenagers subjected to homophobic bullying at any one time. Gay rights charity, Stonewall, has launched a campaign called Education for All which highlights the problems of this type of bullying in schools. Jenni hears from a lesbian who endured bullying at school for many years.

She also finds out what is being done to eradicate this neglected aspect of bullying and why despite government guidelines, schools still don't seem to know how to deal with this problem.