Get 'em while they're young - State indoctrination for the under 5's

From The TimesMay 26, 2008

Schools in revolt over under-5s curriculum
Requirements for teachers to give written observations of each child will distract teachers, independent schools say

Alexandra Frean, Education Editor
A powerful coalition of England’s leading independent schools is demanding that the Government scale back its new national curriculum for the under-fives, claiming that it violates parents’ human rights by denying them the freedom to choose how they educate their children.

The Independent Schools Council (ISC), which represents 1,280 fee-paying schools educating more than 500,000 children, has written a blistering letter to Beverley Hughes, the Children’s Minister, complaining that the new curriculum will mean that the education of under-fives is subject to greater government interference than that of any other age group.

A leaked copy of the letter, seen by The Times, says that the curriculum, known as the Early Years Foundation Stage framework, will compromise its member schools’ independence. “This clumsy intrusion into the early years’ curriculum of independent schools is both unjustified and unnecessary. More importantly, this interference conflicts with the rights of parents to privacy in their home life, which includes the freedom to choose how they educate their children and to educate them free from the control of the state,” the letter states.

The letter, copied to the Schools Secretary, Ed Balls, also complains that the framework is likely to hold back children’s progress and to lower standards. George Marsh, who is headmaster of Dulwich College Preparatory School in South London and chairman of the Independent Association of Prep Schools, said he was concerned that the framework might eventually herald greater interference in the curriculum for older children.

The framework becomes law in the autumn and will affect all 25,000 nurseries and childcare settings in England, whether they are run by the state, charities or private companies. It sets out up to 500 developmental milestones between birth and primary school and requires under-fives to be assessed on 69 writing, problem solving and numeracy skills.

Funny how so many illiterates are leaving school isn't it?

I'm no longer taking Peter Hitchens to bed with me

Phew! I can put my feet up for a bit :-)

Christian fundamentalists

These sad, scary people, here.

Apparently 'spreading the word' is most productive in socially deprived areas and they are fundamentally driven by a fear of death -> going to hell. They liken homosexuals with muderers and peadophiles, saying there is no hierarchy of sin. One 29 yr old virgin, John Pearce, says he has masturbated and that it is a sin, like homosexuality is a sin, and having lustful thoughts is a sin. No dear, that's how God made you, if He exists - you're a mammal that has a natural desire to reproduce. Their faith schools teach that evolution is wrong and that the earth is about 6000 years old. But they are not told it's a belief. Christopher Hitchens really has a point doesn't he?

Stephen Green teaches, to his followers, that Allah is satan, Islam is hell. He gets very aggresive when 'blessed' by a pidgeon and decides the bird poo was a message from God telling him not to do the interview. Andrea Williams is the public policy director of the Lawyers Christian Fellowship. A charity. Scary hypocrite, she's very media savvy. Funding partly(?) comes from America. She agrees with every wierdo nutter but sugar-coats the message. 'It seems less about saving and more about intimidating and persecuting people' is the impression of the interviewer. Green feels that if he doesn't campaign against Islam and homosexuals etc. that God will continue to abandon this country and we drive them out that God will return and... I don't know, bluebirds sing? Andrea is working closely with Nadine Dorries and is a welcome part of the Conservative MP's team.

Now why would I be thinking of sad scary christian fundamentalists?

Net break

I have to be away for a couple of weeks so please miss me terribly and pine, I have an essay to finish and half term. Have a great time at Blue Eyes' social event on thursday - pop by his blog to see details. x

Eat my shorts!

I just had to soundtrack this image, from EK's blog, here.

Catzzz

On The Ropes

I've caught some episodes of John Humphries' prog on R4 'On The Ropes' which interviews folk who've overcome adversity. I like Humphries and think he's a good interviewer. It's being repeated tonight at 9:30pm I think, but it's Terry Pratchet next week - 9am, Tuesday, R4.

What next, a degree in backgammon, bowls or blogging?

Contrary to reports from the BBC in 2004 it seems a degree in surfing, this time offered by Plymouth Uni, is still afloat.

According to their website:

BSc (Hons) Surf Science and Technology
Course summary

This course provides an opportunity for those with an interest in surfing to pursue rigorous academic study of the scientific, technical and business aspects of the international surfing industries. Each year of the course is complemented with opportunities for practical surfing.

(PS: you have to wait a bit for the soundtrack to get interesting)

''THE WORLD 'S SHORTEST FAIRY TALE!"

Once upon a time, a guy asked a girl "Will you marry
me?" The girl said: "NO!" And the girl lived happily
ever-after and went shopping, dancing, camping, drank
margaritas, always had a clean house, never had to
cook, did whatever the hell she wanted, never argued,
didn't get fat, traveled more, had many lovers, didn't
save money, and had all the hot water to herself. She
went to the theater, never watched sports, never wore
friggin' lacy lingerie that went up her ass, had high
self esteem, never cried or yelled, felt and looked
fabulous in sweat pants and was pleasant all the time.

The End

Courtesy of my fabulous sister.

I'm not a fan of Ramsey but he has a point

Chef Gordon Ramsay has called for legislation to ban restaurants from selling fruit and vegetables which are out of season. Hefty fines should be given to eateries which flout the rule, he said in an interview.

"There should be stringent laws - licensing laws - to make sure produce is only used in season," he told Radio 5 Live.

"The quicker we get legislation pushed through the Houses of Parliament, the more unique this country will become in terms of its sourcing and level of inspiration.

"Fruit and veg should be seasonal. Chefs should be fined if they haven't got ingredients in season on the menu."

Ramsay said he wanted to see home-grown produce on menus, not asparagus in December or Kenyan strawberries in March.

"When we haven't got it, take it off the menu," he said.

"Understanding these seasonal aspects makes it 10 times more exciting for punters."

Ramsay said he felt "really concerned" about the subject but admitted he "didn't touch on it too much" when he spoke to Prime Minister Gordon Brown recently.

See the news links; here, here and here.

Pip says: It may be that Gordon Ramsey has just opened a new restaurant but.. I think there is a definate issue around cooking, nutrition and home grown produce:

*firstly there is the green issue surrounding the air miles of your food - but let's ignore the green campaigners who march on a morning and sit down to strawberries in december on an afternoon. What I want to flag up here are the plight of farmers in this country - they are fighting against cheap labour and dreadful chemicals growing your food in kenya and beyond. The bags of salad you buy are washed in sewage water if they come from Spain, so I'm told.

*then there's cooking issue - bring back cookery classes in schools. We have a generation who can't cook and exist on processed food.

*let us also rediscover long forgotton skills and dishes - import the same stuff all year round? Let us please have a change, seasonal, fresh and NOT eaten after being stored in refrigerated warehouses and planes for a month. We're worth it.

*Let us STOP the stranglehold the supermarkets have on our farming industry and reinstate local markets both arable and livestock.

The pursuit of happiness

"I think there is something that prevents her from being a serious matrimonial prospect, Sir" said Jeeves (or something like it) "how so, Jeeves, How so??" answered Bertie. "She has a tendancy toward the frivolous" replied Jeeves "and such a woman requires a man of considerable strength of character and personality". "Quite so, Jeeves, Quite so" said Bertie, confidently.

Is finding happiness simply a matter of finding the right butler?

Gotta keep going..

(watch it to the end..)

I'm back!

It was a good weekend, surrounded by the welsh hills. What did y'all do? Hope you had a great time.

Bubble and fizz on the comments please..

.. I have two essays to do so please let your imagination loose on my comments, yeah. Many thanks dudes and I'll pop by..