Scratch the surface of British life and you will see the country is as class divided as ever. There have been some positive changes over the years but as the rich poor and north south, divide in the UK increases to a record modern high reports indicate that many children never have a chance to improve their lot. Some subjects children study for examination purposes are necessary to secure a place in further education or a half-decent job. Schools in Britain are just another public sector industry plagued by government league tables and statistics. That means that in order to be classed as a successful school, retain funding and avoid being put under special measures schools must deliver good examination results. While we would all say that good education standards and examinations results should be a given what if that is meaning poorer children are excluded? The Open Public Services Network has been looking at school examination results and has released some shocking though not unexpected news. "Pupils in some parts of England are unlikely to take exams that could be vital to their job prospects - such as sciences and languages - due to a subject "desert", a study has found says BBC News Wednesday. BBC News shows the example of science subjects as: • Triple science: pupils study physics, chemistry and biology as separate subjects, gain three GCSEs (one in each subject) and can progress to science A-levels • Double science: pupils take a combination of physics, chemistry and biology and gain two science GCSEs. They can still progress to science A-levels, but the Association of Science Educators says there is evidence they are less likely to do so In response to today's news the Tory led coalition government said thousands more pupils were now taking core subjects. But news that some subjects are simply not available at poorer schools as managers fear poor and damaging results is shocking. The Tories like to talk up social mobility but restricting education will ruin any prospects of moving on. Education should be viewed as a vital resource and one that is equally available for all but it is not in the UK. The above study was funded by Leeds City Council and shows that in four authorities - Hartlepool, Barnsley, Kingston-upon-Hull and Knowsley - fewer than 15% of pupils took triple science. As a resident of Kingston-upon-Hull that news disgusts. Kids from this northern city face a tough time. Jobs are scarce in this city and having an education that will allow for social mobility is a must. But education in this city was much better not that long ago. When Labour introduced a comprehensive education system children across the country and the city benefited. This writer had to change school but her new school offered a range of subjects and examination possibilities. Learning Latin was a challenge; learning German but only from the age of 14 was not easy but a grade one examination pass a couple of years later showed it was worth the effort; and learning science as a novice even at age 14 was fascinating.
The 1960's Comprehensive system of education is often derided these days but having a system that educates according to league tables and to meet government demands is depriving poor children of equal opportunities in school in 2015. Read a full report at the BBC here
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I love Daffodils, do you? They are so bright and signal that spring is on the way. Saturday however Public Health in the UK have issued a warning that Daffodils can be dangerous. We wondered if it was the nanny state gone mad but there have been a number of cases of severe sickness after the consumption of daffs. Why would you eat a Daffodil in the first place? Supermarkets have been warned to make sure that spring Daffs are not located close to food. When they are placed close to food it seems some customers assume they are edible and proceed to buy for eating. The bulbs apparently are confused with onions and the green stems with a type of Chinese green vegetable. Perhaps the daffodil bulbs could be confused with onions but the cut flowers? Surely not. Flowers however are often on sale in bud before the bright yellow glow is visible possibly resembling a type of spring onion. This health issue was unheard off in the UK prior 2012 but last year there were at least 27 cases of daffodil poisoning. So in 2015 Prof Paul Cosford, director for health protection at Public Health England has written a letter to supermarkets and other shops headed "steps to avoid daffodil poisonings this spring".
He said: "Each spring stores such as yours provide a wide selection of flowers, particularly cut daffodils and daffodil bulbs. "Unfortunately there are rare occasions when the bulbs are mistaken for onions, and the stems or leaves are mistaken for a type of vegetable popular in China. "As I'm sure you are aware, daffodils are dangerous if eaten and poisoning can occur as a result." He continued: "We are asking you, along with all other major supermarkets, to ensure that daffodils, both the bulbs from which they sprout and the cut variety too, are displayed well away from the produce or fruit and vegetable area" reports the BBC. But the UK has had a strong Chinese community for years so why is it suddenly a problem? Is it the growth of supermarkets and their product placing aimed at getting customers to make snap purchases? How to grow daffodils Labour leader Ed Miliband has gone on record to say that a future Labour government would take on tax havens. Outlining Labour's plans Miliband said outlying UK territories would be expected to co-operate or be blacklisted. Mr MIliband has written to the leaders of these countries issuing a warning; if the electorate in the UK return a Labour government with Miliband as leader they will have six months to get their houses in order. PM David Cameron claimed months ago that he was working on getting tax havens to be more transparent but little if anything has changed. The Labour press team said in a statement "not one of the tax havens linked to Britain as Overseas Territories or Crown Dependencies have yet delivered on Cameron’s promise that they would publish a register showing who owns the companies registered there – and some have explicitly refused to do so." Will Mr Miliband have the power to enforce real change? The "Labour government will withdraw the protection they [the countries] get from international scrutiny and ask the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development to place them on its tax haven blacklist" continues the press statement. But with six months from May as a deadline, if Labour win, there will be time for tax avoiders to move money elsewhere. As the election draws near Miliband is finally talking Labour plans. This could mean others stealing his thunder or scuppering plans but he needs to make bold moves to win over the electorate. With the Tories vowing more austerity cuts if they are re-elected they will continue to protect the uber wealthy and hit the poor and vulnerable. How many in high office have links to these tax dodging dominions and countries? Who they are will be interesting but will this information really be revealed? British people who suspect that austerity is all a set up may have a point. In 2012 the Guardian reported £13tn hoard hidden from taxman by global elite. A global super-rich elite has exploited gaps in cross-border tax rules to hide an extraordinary £13 trillion ($21tn) of wealth offshore – as much as the American and Japanese GDPs put together – according to research commissioned by the campaign group Tax Justice Network. Local news from Kingston-Upon-Hull: A man charged with murder has been found dead at Hull prison. Early reports are that he died at his own hands. "He was found in his cell at Hull Prison at 05:50 GMT having hanged himself, Det Ch Insp Matthew Baldwin told the court." Hull Prison Service issued a statement via a spokesman which said: "Every self-inflicted death is a tragedy and we make strenuous efforts to learn from each one. As with all deaths, the Independent Prisons and Probation Ombudsman will conduct an investigation." John Heald, 53, was in Hull Prison awaiting the jury's verdict regarding the murder of a woman in Yorkshire seaside resort Bridlington. He was charged with stabbing to death Bridlington guest house owner Bei Carter, 49, a married mother of two, on July 18, 2014. Heald went on the run following the death of Carter. A week following the murder police apprehended him in forest near Rotherham, his home town. In Hull court Heald did not deny the murder but claimed it was an accident. He told the court he had been depressed and that led him to Bridlington. He also claimed men wanting to "slash" him had visited the Bridlington guest house; as he tried to leave the guest house Heald said Mrs Carter tapped him on the shoulder and he panicked. He said he swung round lashing out and Mrs Carter tried to grab the knife he was brandishing. According to Heald Mrs Carter was stabbed in the struggle. He is also accused of committing three rapes in Yorkshire also in July. The rapes took place in Sheffield five days before Bei Carter was murdered. In court he was accused of being a proficient liar and manipulator who could usually wriggle out of trouble. During the trial prosecutor Graham Reeds QC said "After attacking her, stifling her screams and stabbing her, you put her to the floor and you stamped on her face three times. That would explain all her injuries wouldn't it?" Heald accepted responsibility for her death but denied stamping on her face. One single stab wound to the heart killed Mrs Carter. Her body was found later the same day by her husband. Heald had fled the scene. |