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The article traces the debate over the need for a national school curriculum, which began in 1988 with local authorities and teachers' unions opposing the idea. However, by 2008, while most agree that a national curriculum is necessary for an effective education system, there is no consensus on curriculum content.

A report on primary education reveals the inadequacy of the national testing regime and the system of league tables.

The scrupulous analysis of pupils' exam papers possible by Edexcel exam technology is discussed. It has given rise to concerns over misleading inferences on teaching quality and litigation.

The road show to promote the benefits of the new diploma qualifications to be introduced in five subjects in five selected areas of England from September 2008 is discussed.

The changes allowed in curriculum and timetables of secondaries are discussed. This would enable free time to enhance basic skills of struggling students.

The retention of ancient history as a free-standing A-level course owing to public protests even as other non-mainstream exams are being scrapped is discussed.

The seminars by examiners for training the teachers to improve the performance of students are outlined. The teachers are asked to give the students the answers to all possible questions and to be indulgent in the evaluation.

Analysis of government figures reveal that more children are turning into commuters as parents want to send them to England's most popular school. Schools in rural Rutland emerge as most popular as they attract proportionally more pupils from outside its boundaries than any other schools in England and other council areas.

The abandonment of a pioneering e-assessment scheme costing Pound Sterling 26 million has adversely affected plans for the computerization of national curriculum tests. The statutory scheme was faced with doubts from teachers on its design that offered insufficient scope for higher-ability pupils to demonstrate their abilities.

A pilot scheme to be launched in September 2007 might enable the government to replace the prevalent national curriculum tests by shorter tests. An attempt is made to analyze the doubts and questions raised about the pattern and efficiency of this assessment plan, through which pupils take the test twice a year when the teacher believes they are ready to take them.

Drama can help put the fun back into lessons and the Drama for Learning and Creativity scheme aims to achieve this. The scheme has been running in 60 primary, secondary and special schools in Norfolk for over a year and may now be extended to other areas of the country.

Controversy surrounds new science GCSEs, both in terms of content and how they are assessed. Both AQA and Edexcel are introducing courses as multiple-choice exams with a coursework element and under Edexcel, pupils can gain two GCSEs on the basis of multiple choice and internal assessment.

Trials will begin in a new generation of vocational qualifications in September 2006. According to headteachers, the opportunity to offer better levels of vocational education must not be lost.

The UK government is planning to adopt a back-to-basics approach in primary school mathematics teaching. While some experts say that the move will make maths less confusing, there has been a broad outcry against the move by teachers, sen ior academics and numeracy consultan ts.

Schools currently at the bottom of the new GCSE league tables face an uncertain future but many of these schools are determined to survive. On the current tables, a total of 35 schools face an uncertain future after failing to achieve government targets of 20 percent of pupils achieveing five or more GCSEs at grades A*-C in 2005.

Questions are being raised about the extent to which inner-city schools are abandoning acedemic study to boost league table places. In league tables, popular vocational courses count as four GCSEs and this may be encouraging schools to avoid more academic courses.

An overview of the 27 academies established under the Government's academies programme and the schools they replaced is made in the light of an analysis which reveals that none of the schools closed to make way for the academies were actually failing when they were closed down.

The government will introduce new vocational diplomas in schools and colleges from 2008, as part of plans to raise the low proportion of teenagers staying on at school after 16. However, the diplomas are not exactly as specified in the vocational education review published for the government by Sir Mike Tomlinson.

A government task force led by Professor Adrian Smith has published its report into the future of maths teaching. The report recommends extra pay for maths teachers, the appointment of a maths tsar and the introduction of a double maths GCSE as soon as possible. The report has been criticised by unions, claiming that the proposal to improve pay for maths teachers would be difficult to justify.

Comprehensive schools have outperformed grammar schools in the latest value-added league tables for GCSE. Only three grammar schools were ranked in the top 100 secondary schools measured according to pupil progress at key stage 4. The latest league tables represent a boost for opponents of selective secondary education.

With a general election expected within two years, the government will need to deal with a number of problems within the education sector during 2004. In particular, the problems with tuition fees and funding will need to be resolved in a way which does not alienate the general public or the teaching profession. The Department for Skills & Education will be aiming to avoid a repeat of the school budget crisis of 2003, while the government will need to convince the public that increased spending on public services is reaping rewards.

Students are dropping science and language A-levels in favour of 'easier' non-traditional subjects such as media studies and psychology, according to annual exam figures. 2003 is the 21st consecutive year that A-level pass rates have risen, leading to demands for inconsistent standards across subjects to be addressed.

Some 36 out of 150 local education authorities in England will receive only a 3.2% rise in their core funding per pupil for 2003-2004. The rise is described as 'barely enough' to cover rising inflation and pay costs. According to Education Secretary, Charles Clarke, average spending per pupil will rise by UKPd1,000 in real terms between 1997-2006.

Unison, the public-sector union, claims that government plans to transform the way schools are staffed will not succeed unless a proper pay structure for support workers is introduced. Unison wants a new pay deal to be introduced which reflects the additional responsibilities placed on the shoulders of its members. The government plans will result in 50,000 more support staff being added between 2001-2006.

British Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown is gambling that the 15 billion pounds sterling increase to education will improve school and student performance. If the record increase fails to cause improvement, it will be a major blow to the Labor Party. Several related articles on on the budget increase are included.

An overview is presented on the recruitment of an education commissioner to address problems specific to London schools, and the qualifications of potential candidates are discussed.

The National Union of Teachers and the British Department of Education and Skills may be nearing an agreement on the hours worked by teachers. The union wants a 35 hour week and the government is currently saying it will work to reduce the average of 52 hours a week to 45.

Many teachers are pleased by government proposals for a 35-hour workweek but are uncertain of political support. Education Chancellor Gordon Brown will make the final decision this summer, which will be significantly influenced by locating sufficient funds.

This article discusses the debate over teachers' unions mergers, union leadership, and workload legislation at the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers' annual conference..

Eamonn O'Kane, new general secretary of the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers, has issued a proposal for the merger of his union with the National Union of Teachers and the Association of Teachers and Lecturers. Many delegates from across the UK are speaking out against this, although a recent survey by the Times Educational Supplement shows that 70% of union members are in favor of one union.

The article focuses on illegal exclusion of students from schools in Great Britain. It discusses the case of illegal exclusion of a child with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It also includes information on the exclusion of students with special educational needs and disability (SEND), role of Department for Education, and concerns of Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills.

The launch of the United Kingdom's government White Paper on education in autumn 2001 was dominated by the issue of privatisation. The government has opted for a partnership approach and the reality is less dramatic than predicted.

Issues relating to a shortage of teachers for British schools are examined in detail. This has affected the bargaining position of younger teachers.

The UK's Independent Schools Council is considering the possibility of independent schools creating firms to manage state schools or possibly take control of local authority services. Attention will also be given to independent schools collaborating to sponsor specialist schools, education action zones, city academies or Excellence in Cities initiatives.

Issues concerning laws and regulations enforced on teachers by the General Teaching Council in Great Britain are discussed. Particular attention is given to the benefits and detriments of the self-policing powers given by the government to the Teaching Council.

An overview is presented of the election promises of the New Labour educational policies of the United Kingdom and the extent to which they have been actioned since the 1997 election. Teacher morale and quantity of work are one of the biggest issues for teachers, but this was not included in the election promises.

The election pledges on education made by the Labour Party in its bid for reelection in 2001 are presented. The subject study choices available for 14-year-olds and the pay scales of successful headteachers are discussed.

UK primary schools improved standards of teaching dramatically from 1994-5 to 1999/2000 according to a report from the new chief inspector of schools Mike Tomlinson.

The New Opportunities Fund, a scheme sponsored by the UK government to distribute National Lottery funding to environmental, education and health projects, is providing support for childcare projects across the country. This will make it possible to provide almost 1 million new childcare places in facilities such as holiday clubs and after-school clubs. It is anticipated that half of all secondary and special schools and a quarter of primary schools will receive funding for extra-curricular clubs by 2001.

The Edexcel examination board in June 2010 reminded Sats markers to ensure that the correct marks were entered on mark-sheets. Edexcel was concerned that the confusion over the complex scoring system could lead to some errors being overlooked.

An opinion is presented that the annual report published by the schools inspectorate Ofsted seems to be aimed at bolstering its own image among the public. Several Ofsted board papers are cited to highlight that Ofsted's main function in helping teachers improve and in enabling parents understand schools' performance levels is being neglected.

The frequent changes in education policy at the whims of politicians are criticized, and it is suggested that future governments should consider the implementation of any proposed policy change carefully. Schools are already overburdened with bureaucratic requirements, leaving them with little time for imparting education to children, and any policy change would make their work more difficult.