Search

The reduction of socio-economic inequalities in school outcomes was a major priority of the Coalition Government in England from 2010-15. In this paper we examine the Coalition's policies and spending, including an analysis of the distributional effect of its pupil premium policy. We also look at trends in outcomes up to 2014. We find that although the pupil premium had a modest overall effect of distributing more money to schools with poorer intakes, this was nested within a wider set of policies which have disadvantaged low income families and children, and that there is evidence of socio-economic gaps widening on some indicators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on the findings of a small qualitative research project that examined the experiences of a group of adult learners attending a basic skills programme in the English Midlands during the late 1990s. It explores patterns of participation on such programmes and illustrates that early life course experiences can shape changing dispositions towards learning and forms of (dis)engagement from formal provision. The concept of reflexivity is used to help describe the differing contributions that structural and agential processes make to this patterning of engagement with learning. Such an approach is posited as a development of the concepts of learning identity and learning career that have recently been used to understand participation in education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: The number of lay people willing to attempt cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in real life is increased by effective education in basic life support (BLS). However, little is known about access of general public to BLS training across the globe. This study aimed to investigate availability and key features of BLS courses proposed for lay people in India, Nigeria and the United Kingdom (UK). METHODS: A Google search was done in December 2018, using English keywords relevant for community resuscitation training. Ongoing courses addressing BLS and suitable for any adult layperson were included in the analysis. On-site training courses were limited to those provided within the country's territory. RESULTS: A total of 53, 29 and 208 eligible courses were found for India, Nigeria and the UK, respectively. In the UK, the number of courses per 10 million population (31.5) is 79 and 21 times higher than that in India (0.4) and Nigeria (1.5). Course geography is limited to 28% states and one union territory in India, 30% states and the Federal Capital Territory in Nigeria. In the UK, the training is offered in all constituent countries, with the highest prevalence in England. Courses are predominantly classroom-based, highly variable in duration, group size and instructors' qualifi cations. For India and Nigeria, mean cost of participation is exceeding the monthly minimum wage. CONCLUSION: In contrast to the UK, the availability and accessibility of BLS courses are critically limited in India and Nigeria, necessitating immediate interventions to optimize community CPR training and improve bystander CPR rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information related to special educational needs and disability (SEND) among Black and minority ethnic groups in Great Britain and mentions the impact of social justice and race discrimination on such students.

'Incorporation' in Further Education in England and Wales centralised policy control and implemented a per-pupil funding formula that promoted equity, in that colleges were paid more for enrolling 'disadvantaged' students, and for performance, in that funding was contingent on retention and student success rates. This article analyses the impact of funding policy on student success rates for adults in general further education colleges using five years of student-level administrative data from 1998/99 to 2002/03. Results from descriptive statistics show that student success rates rose by 10% during the five-year period, with the largest gains made by ethnic minorities, adult basic education students, and students from disadvantaged neighbourhoods. Logistic regression results mirror the descriptive statistic results but find especially strong gains for adult basic education students and students receiving additional learning support funding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focuses on the standards and quality in education in Great Britain. Need of the government to do something about the educational system; Poor performance in the basic skills and neglect of more traditional subjects; System required by quality assurance.