Education and Me

The Butler Act

Aug 6, 1944

The Act established a nationwide system of free, compulsory schooling from age 5 to 15 (Gillard 2007).
Side effect was the tripartite system; Grammar schools for the most abled, modern schools for the less abled, and technical modern schools for those with specific technical or scientific aptitude.

Labour Elected

Jul 26, 1945

Shock landslide victory for Clement Atlee against Tory party led by Churchill.

Conservatives elected

Oct 25, 1951

Tories led by Churchill defeat Atlee's Labour.

Birth of GCE, O and A level

Dec 31, 1951

General Certificate of Education (GCE) O-levels and A-levels are introduced, replacing the School Certificate and the Higher School Certificate. Source:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/3499119.stm

Labour adopt Comprehensive principles

Jan 1, 1952

Labour adopts a policy of comprehensive schooling.

Conservatives Re-elected

May 26, 1955

Referred to as the 'dull election' as nothing of note was happening in the country at the time

Conservatives re-elected 3rd time

Oct 8, 1959

The Conservatives, now led by Macmillan increased their majority over Labour, led by Gaitskell, to over 100 seats.

Certificate for Secondary Education exams introduced

Jan 1, 1962

The Certificate of Secondary Education (CSE) is introduced for secondary modern pupils, to cater for those not sitting O-levels. Source:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/3499119.stm

LEAs to provide grants for HE

Oct 6, 1962

Students going into Higher education are to be given grants to cover the cost of tuition fees and living costs.

Robbins Report Higher Education

Oct 6, 1963

The report rejected the prevailing notion that there was a limited pool of ability in the population, and recommended the expansion of higher education to cater for up to 17 per cent of young people (Tomlinson 2005, p. 19).

Labour elected

Oct 15, 1964

Harold Wilson's newly-elected Labour government promises to set up comprehensive schools, combining pupils of all ability levels. Source:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/3499119.stm

Circular 10/65 Comprehensive or bust

Oct 6, 1965

Circular 10/65 requested LEAs to reorganise their schools on Labour's comprehensive principles.

Labour elected

Mar 31, 1966

Labour increase their small majority from 4 to 96!

Conservatives elected

Jun 18, 1970

A surprise win for the Ted Heath and the Conservatives in the general election.

Circular 10/70 issued

Oct 6, 1970

10/65 withdrawn; LEAs no longer expected to go comprehensive.

School leaving age raised to 16

Oct 6, 1972

Leaving age raised from 15 to 16, as recommended in 1944 Act.

Labour elected

Oct 10, 1974

Harold Wilson returns to office with a marginal victory over Ted Heath. Later that year, the centre for policy studies set up by Keith Joseph and Margaret Thatcher.

Sex descrimination Act

Oct 6, 1975

The Sex Discrimination Act outlaws discrimination based on gender.

Auld Report on William Tyndale School Affair

Oct 6, 1976

Auld Report on William Tyndale School Affair

Labour Government's education Bill

Jan 1, 1979

The Labour Education Bill suggests admission by parental choice and parents and teachers on governing body.

Conservatives Elected, First Woman Prime Minister

May 3, 1979

Conservatives win the election. Margaret Thatcher becomes Britain's first woman Prime Minister and the Labour Education Bill Falls.

My Birth

Aug 10, 1979

I was born in Marston Green Hospital in Solihull.

Education Act 1980

Oct 7, 1980

Parents are given freedom to choose a preferred school.
Schools to form a board of governors consisting of 2 parents and at least 1 teacher.
Milk taken away.

Conservatives Re-elected

Jun 9, 1983

Conservatives re-elected.

Reception

Sep 1, 1983

In September 1983 I started at St. Bernadette's Primary School.

Education Act 1986

Oct 7, 1986

The Education Act of 1986 awarded school governors responsibility for the conduct of the school, any funding delegated by the LEA, staff appointments and the curriculum.

GCSEs born

Oct 10, 1986

General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) replaced O levels and CSE qualifications.

Conservatives elected for 3rd time

Jun 11, 1987

Maggie Thatcher stays on for a 3rd term.

1988 Education Act

Oct 7, 1988

National Curriculum Council (NCC) and School Examinations and Assessment Council (SEAC) set up. National Curriculum dictates the range and content of subjects to be taught for children up to the age of 16.

Year 7

Sep 1, 1990

Enrolled at Archbishop Ilsley Catholic Secondary School in Acocks Green.

Education (Student Loans) Act

Oct 7, 1990

Student Loans were introduced.

Conservatives Again!

Apr 9, 1992

John Major defeats Neil Kinnock and the Labour party. "It's the Sun wot wun it".

Ofsted born

Oct 7, 1992

Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted) set up and league tables of GCSE results first published in newspapers.

SATs Boycott

Jun 1, 1993

Didn't have to sit SATs exams due to teacher boycott.

Education Act 1993

Oct 7, 1993

The largest Education Act ever! Its major purpose was to put in place the key objective of the 1992 White Paper and increase the number of GM schools (Tomlinson 2005, p. 59).

Sat my GCSEs

May 1, 1995

Took my GCSEs.

A levels

May 1, 1997

Sat my A-levels. Was severly under prepared!

University

Oct 1, 1997

Somehow managed to get into University. 4 fantastic years followed.

New Labour win the election

Oct 7, 1997

New Labour sweep to landslide victory over John Major's Conservative party.

Education Act 1997

Oct 10, 1997

New Labour oversee the new Education Act. Higher Education tuition fees now apply, and it's bye bye student grant.

Graduation

Jul 1, 2001

My time in education comes to an end.

PGCE

Sep 13, 2010

Return to Education and the PGCE in ICT!