Sixth of pupils 'streamed young'

15 June 2011 Last updated at 11:22 GMT Girls are often put in higher streams than boys at a young age One in six children is being streamed by ability by the age of seven, according to research by the Institute of Education.

The researchers found boys were more likely to be placed in the bottom stream than girls.

They also found children born in the autumn are statistically more likely to be in the top classes than those with birthdays in spring or summer.

Ethnicity is not linked to stream placement, the researchers suggest.

'Limited movement opportunities'

Professor Susan Hallam, the research project's leader, said: "Given the current emphasis on social mobility it is surprising that so many children are streamed at such a young age.

"We know that once in a stream the opportunities for movement to another stream are limited so life chances are being determined at a very early age."

She drew the distinction between setting - where children in mixed ability classes are grouped for different subjects according to their level in that particular discipline - and streaming, where pupils are placed into different classes on the basis of a judgement about their overall academic ability.

Report author Professor Susan Hallam: "Children and their parents and teachers have lower expectations of those who are in streams"

Prof Hallam described streaming as a "blunt instrument" which she thought had "pretty much died out".

She said it could lower parents', teachers' and children's own expectations, which could then become "self-fulfilling prophesies".

But she did acknowledge it made teaching easier.

Former chief inspector of schools Sir Chris Woodhead said he was surprised and delighted schools were streaming children again.

"It seems to me that streaming is rather a good thing," he told the BBC's Today programme.

"The narrower the spread of abilities in the class, the more effective the teaching can be.

"If you have got children who can hardly read and children reading Lord of the Rings at the top end of primary school, then you have got a very tough job trying to challenge the most able and support the least able."

Child poverty

This Institute of Education report, based on information from 8,875 children, said one in six children in the UK was placed in ability classes by the age of seven.

In Wales, one in five (19.5%) is assigned a stream at an early age while the figure is 17% in England, 16% in Scotland and 11% in Northern Ireland, it said.

Children in larger, mixed-sex, non-faith, non-fee paying schools were more likely to be in streams than pupils in small, independent, single-sex or faith schools, the researchers said.

"Children at schools with mixed-year groups and those attending larger primary schools were more likely to be streamed than their peers in smaller primary schools," says the report.

"Particular groups were found to be over-represented in certain streams. Children in the bottom stream had experienced more consistent poverty and were more likely to have behavioural problems and mothers with fewer qualifications," it added.

"Girls were over-represented in the middle streams, boys in the bottom stream. Autumn-born children were over-represented in the top stream, summer-born in the middle and bottom streams."

The children are included in the Millennium Cohort Study, which is managed by the Centre for Longitudinal Studies at the Institute of Education.

A more extensive analysis of the data will be presented to the British Educational Research Association Conference in September.

View the original article here

Many young offenders 'from care'

26 May 2011 Last updated at 11:45 GMT The Prison Reform Trust says the youth prison system is "simply not working" A quarter of the 1,600 children held in young offenders' institutions (YOIs) in England and Wales have been in care, a report by prison inspectors has found.

Chief inspector Nick Hardwick said the figures were of "real concern" and showed a lack of progress over care.

His report also found that of 10 random detainees interviewed on their release, seven reoffended within three months.

The Ministry of Justice said the government would outline its youth justice reform plans shortly.

The report found many youngsters were being released with inadequate support and, in some cases, without an address to go to.

Three of the 10 detainees interviewed as part of the inspectors' research were back in custody within a month, the report added.

'Abuse and neglect'

"Accommodation was often not confirmed until close to the young person's release or, occasionally, even the day of release," Mr Hardwick said.

"This affected young people's opportunity for early release and meant that some ended up in unsuitable accommodation.

"The most common reasons for children going into care are abuse, neglect or family dysfunction. It is perhaps unsurprising that in our survey, those who said they had spent time in care reported more vulnerability and greater need than those who had not.

"Our very limited follow-up information suggests that many looked-after young people leave custody with inadequate support."

Penelope Gibbs, director of the Prison Reform Trust's Out of Trouble programme, said the findings showed the system was "simply not working".

"Children in care who end up in custody should be visited by their social worker. They should know where they will be living on release and should have a training or education place set up," she said.

The report polled young people and staff at seven institutions from May to October last year.

A Ministry of Justice spokesman said the government recognised youngsters in custody were among the most vulnerable in society and that support was essential to break the "cycle of offending".

"There are already a range of statutory obligations on the part of local authorities to provide safe accommodation and related support, this includes young people who have been in care," the spokesman said.

"We recently announced new financial support for social workers in young offender institutions, which should ensure better links to support in the community."

Frances Done, who chairs the Youth Justice Board (YJB), said: "From April 2012 we shall be directly funding dedicated social workers in YOIs to help meet the needs of 'looked after' young people in custody and address many of the concerns in the report.

"The 22 social workers will act as the bridge between custody and the home local authority to ensure that young people receive all the help and support they need.

"The YJB is determined that these young people should go on to lead useful and productive lives and to become law abiding citizens."

View the original article here

Young, keen and jobless

18 May 2011 Last updated at 09:50 GMT By Danielle Codd Business reporter, BBC News Rebecca says getting a job as a shop assistant is proving difficult in the current economic climate Young people have been hit hard by the economic downturn.

Among the steady stream of people walking in and out of the Jobcentre on the corner of Kennington Park Road in south London is a smart young woman.

On the face of it, Liyana Solomon looks like she has the world at her feet.

Twelve months ago, the eloquent 22-year-old spent her time applying for graduate-level jobs in business development, but as time has passed she has lowered her aspirations.

She has recently been filling in applications for customer service roles and even made inquiries at her local coffee shop.

Now, Miss Solomon has been forced to sign on for the first time in her life.

"I've put it off for nearly a year now but I really, really need the money," she says.

"I'm such a proud person. I hate the idea of depending on the state for benefits."

Since the recession began, the number of unemployed recent graduates has doubled to 20%, according to the Office for National Statistics.

Graduate unemployment is now at its highest level in over a decade.

And it is not just university graduates who are finding it difficult to get work. More than one in five of all 16-24-year-olds is currently jobless.

The government's policy is to retrain unemployed people, both young and old, on courses provided by the private sector.

A4e is one such company and at its flagship centre in Brixton, around 100 youngsters currently attend classes to learn vocational skills including hairdressing and beauty, bricklaying and hospitality.

"The aim is to equip them with skills for entry level roles, for example in restaurants or in a hotel," says Denise Leander, the operations manager.

While Miss Leander admits they have yet to get anyone into such a job since the centre opened last June, she insists: "We have got a couple of young people who are waiting to move onto apprenticeships as a result of their experience here."

But a lack of qualifications and training is not something Miss Solomon has.

Nathan Morrison says despite applying for more than 100 jobs he has had only five interviews

She says she has been to more than 20 interviews since the new year and applied for countless other jobs.

"I've been looking for a job now for almost a year and it brings you down. It's all very, very stressful."

She insists she remains optimistic, citing a recent advert she has seen for a six-month internship at a medium-sized IT company, which she intends to apply for.

Miss Solomon knows that, at best, the internship would pay her lunch and travel expenses, but she believes it would be a foot in the door if she were lucky enough to get it.

"Sitting at home doing nothing is mind-numbing. I just want to work."

She plans to fund herself by getting jobseeker's allowance, but admits she is not sure that it will be allowed.

To get the benefits, she says she has been told she will have to sign on at the Jobcentre every two weeks and prove she is committed to getting a paid job.

"I think long term this internship could stand me in good stead to get a job I am qualified to do, but whether the system will actually fund me to do it is another thing."

Cutting back

Nathan Morrison, who is 21, has the added pressure of providing for his young child and partner, who recently lost her job.

The well-presented young man finished his IT diploma last summer and managed to find work straight away.

But he said he had to quit in December because the four-hour round-trip commute was too much of a strain.

Unemployed youngsters at A4e's centre in Brixton are able to learn how to run a hotel-style kitchen

Since then the young father reckons he has applied for more than 100 jobs.

"It's not only IT jobs I've been applying for. I've been looking at all types of work, including shop work.

"My strong point is my communication and personal skills but employers don't get to see that unless I get an interview. And I haven't been getting very many of them - maybe five since December."

Mr Morrison says making ends meet is a real struggle. He claims he has not had a night out in over a year because he simply cannot afford it, while "snacks and treats are strictly off limit".

It is difficult to imagine how the unemployed will not adversely be affected by the government's recent plan to close 22 Jobcentre Plus offices.

Ministers insisted the decision would not affect front-line services, but the PCS union condemned the move as "deeply flawed and dangerous".

Meanwhile, busy working away in A4e's fashion workshop is 17-year-old Rebecca, who is cutting material for one of her designs.

"I love fashion and retail, but I can't even get a job as a shop assistant," says the teenager.

Continue reading the main story

The government should give firms money to help subsidise the cost of employing graduates like me, so that we can get the experience we so desperately need”

End Quote Liyana Solomon "I've applied for around 100 jobs since the new year. Not many shops will take your CV anymore but I still walk in and ask them if they've got any work going, especially the smaller ones."

Rebecca says that once she turns 18, she is going to leave the country.

"I can't get a job here so I'm going to go to Greece to live and hopefully get a bar job out there for three months. I feel I need to get away and reboot myself."

She might not have much luck though, because Greece's unemployment rate is 16%, which is double that of the UK.

As an economics graduate, Miss Solomon understands the financial predicament the government is in with regard to bringing down the budget deficit.

She accepts it cannot afford to create thousands of public sector jobs to keep people like herself employed, but she does believe more could be done.

"The government should give firms money to help subsidise the cost of employing graduates like me, so that we can get the experience we so desperately need.

"Everyone says I've got the qualifications, I just need an opportunity to gain the work skills."

View the original article here