Comments for You gov? No. Me gov! http://megov.wordpress.com A governors view of the English education system Tue, 17 Mar 2009 14:42:04 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 Comment on Republish: The Importance of ICT – Oftsed by The Importance of ICT « You gov? No. Me gov! http://megov.wordpress.com/2009/03/04/republish-the-importance-of-ict-oftsed/#comment-32 The Importance of ICT « You gov? No. Me gov! Tue, 17 Mar 2009 14:42:04 +0000 http://megov.wordpress.com/?p=48#comment-32 [...] it available as vanilla HTML? I have extracted the Executive Summary from the report and blogged it in HTML.  Is there a good reason that cOfsted ould not have done something similar? Apart from the [...] [...] it available as vanilla HTML? I have extracted the Executive Summary from the report and blogged it in HTML.  Is there a good reason that cOfsted ould not have done something similar? Apart from the [...]

]]> Comment on Is my school closed? by Don’t stagnate. Innovate. « You gov? No. Me gov! http://megov.wordpress.com/2009/02/03/is-my-school-closed/#comment-24 Don’t stagnate. Innovate. « You gov? No. Me gov! Wed, 04 Feb 2009 07:45:19 +0000 http://megov.wordpress.com/2009/02/03/is-my-school-closed/#comment-24 [...] megov A message to govt/civil service/whitehall: You can do it! In direct response (obviously) to my plea yesterday, Direct.gov.uk launched [...] [...] megov A message to govt/civil service/whitehall: You can do it! In direct response (obviously) to my plea yesterday, Direct.gov.uk launched [...]

]]> Comment on A different style of government by megov http://megov.wordpress.com/2009/02/02/a-different-style-of-government/#comment-23 megov Tue, 03 Feb 2009 07:26:05 +0000 http://megov.wordpress.com/?p=31#comment-23 Nick I think I missed <b>you</b>. In fact I missed the whole thing, which was a real pity. There's always next year. I had seen (briefly) bigcitytalk, and I know it's raising a lot of admiring commentary. I like the vision of engagement that it portrays but I think that it will still leave a large swathe of unengaged citizens out there. Sure, engagement will be better than previously, but many people will still not find it accessible. That's not meant as a criticism; more of a "there's-more-to-be-done" comment. It's still highly impressive. It will be very useful to the rest of the country as a marker for future similar initiatives. Nick
I think I missed you. In fact I missed the whole thing, which was a real pity. There’s always next year.

I had seen (briefly) bigcitytalk, and I know it’s raising a lot of admiring commentary. I like the vision of engagement that it portrays but I think that it will still leave a large swathe of unengaged citizens out there. Sure, engagement will be better than previously, but many people will still not find it accessible.

That’s not meant as a criticism; more of a “there’s-more-to-be-done” comment. It’s still highly impressive. It will be very useful to the rest of the country as a marker for future similar initiatives.

]]> Comment on A different style of government by Nick Booth http://megov.wordpress.com/2009/02/02/a-different-style-of-government/#comment-22 Nick Booth Mon, 02 Feb 2009 09:24:35 +0000 http://megov.wordpress.com/?p=31#comment-22 Thanks very much for the link Feargal, did I miss you at the ukgovcamp this weekend? You make a good point about LMS and governors - but I think that in this case governors are often providing citizen cover to allow professionals to get on with what they do. Governing boards are rarely as in control as the citizens who get involved in government work like this example: http://bigcitytalk.org.uk/about/ However we will already have examples of how government does adapt size and effort to organise around self organising citizens - we just don't yet have a culture which assumes this will need to be done. Thanks very much for the link Feargal, did I miss you at the ukgovcamp this weekend?

You make a good point about LMS and governors – but I think that in this case governors are often providing citizen cover to allow professionals to get on with what they do. Governing boards are rarely as in control as the citizens who get involved in government work like this example:

http://bigcitytalk.org.uk/about/

However we will already have examples of how government does adapt size and effort to organise around self organising citizens – we just don’t yet have a culture which assumes this will need to be done.

]]> Comment on The fourth estate are a little annoyed with the DCSF by Feargal Hogan http://megov.wordpress.com/2009/01/11/the-fourth-estate-are-a-little-annoyed-with-the-dcsf/#comment-20 Feargal Hogan Tue, 20 Jan 2009 09:59:17 +0000 http://megov.wordpress.com/?p=19#comment-20 Harry Metcalfe has made a very valid point about data formats. http://www.thedextrousweb.com/2009/01/dcsf-statistical-releases-bbc-better-data-formats/ Harry Metcalfe has made a very valid point about data formats.
http://www.thedextrousweb.com/2009/01/dcsf-statistical-releases-bbc-better-data-formats/

]]> Comment on Safeguarding: What is a ‘regulated activity’? by Safeguarding and ISA - will it work? « You gov? No. Me gov! http://megov.wordpress.com/2009/01/14/what-is-a-%e2%80%98regulated-activity%e2%80%99/#comment-18 Safeguarding and ISA - will it work? « You gov? No. Me gov! Wed, 14 Jan 2009 22:53:10 +0000 http://megov.wordpress.com/2009/01/14/what-is-a-%e2%80%98regulated-activity%e2%80%99/#comment-18 [...] the ISA site, I needed to open one of their pdfs (groan!), so I quickblogged the relevant parts to here and here. When you think and read about it, I think you’ll agree there is some heavy duty [...] [...] the ISA site, I needed to open one of their pdfs (groan!), so I quickblogged the relevant parts to here and here. When you think and read about it, I think you’ll agree there is some heavy duty [...]

]]> Comment on The fourth estate are a little annoyed with the DCSF by MeGov http://megov.wordpress.com/2009/01/11/the-fourth-estate-are-a-little-annoyed-with-the-dcsf/#comment-17 MeGov Mon, 12 Jan 2009 16:02:46 +0000 http://megov.wordpress.com/?p=19#comment-17 And Ed Balls doesn't seem to grasp the fact that this is about sales and not results. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/7821030.stm And Ed Balls doesn’t seem to grasp the fact that this is about sales and not results.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/7821030.stm

]]> Comment on I’m steaming by Nick Booth http://megov.wordpress.com/2008/05/09/im-steaming/#comment-15 Nick Booth Fri, 09 May 2008 22:48:03 +0000 http://megov.wordpress.com/?p=12#comment-15 I'm learning that school boards are not really places for detailed or robust conversation. I think there has been a long standing (and rather obvious) culture of pedagogues becoming heads - and that reflects how they seek to "guide" their governors. I do admire the professionalism of many of the teachers I meet, so suspect that this is a complex problem to solve. However my starting point is to remove any pretense of hierarchy when it comes to boards of governors and cultivate a culture of honest open, mature conversation. I’m learning that school boards are not really places for detailed or robust conversation. I think there has been a long standing (and rather obvious) culture of pedagogues becoming heads – and that reflects how they seek to “guide” their governors.

I do admire the professionalism of many of the teachers I meet, so suspect that this is a complex problem to solve. However my starting point is to remove any pretense of hierarchy when it comes to boards of governors and cultivate a culture of honest open, mature conversation.

]]> Comment on I’m steaming by megov http://megov.wordpress.com/2008/05/09/im-steaming/#comment-10 megov Fri, 09 May 2008 08:14:25 +0000 http://megov.wordpress.com/?p=12#comment-10 Tim Certainly in previous changes to GB structures the govt have included a requirement to consult . When Trust Schools were introduced it became a statutory requirement to have a Parent Council if the Trust reduced the number of elected Parent Governors. There is already a heavy emphasis on consulting the Student Voice. But that is different from having student governors. I guess the answer to your question is that it might! Tim
Certainly in previous changes to GB structures the govt have included a requirement to consult . When Trust Schools were introduced it became a statutory requirement to have a Parent Council if the Trust reduced the number of elected Parent Governors. There is already a heavy emphasis on consulting the Student Voice. But that is different from having student governors.
I guess the answer to your question is that it might!

]]> Comment on I’m steaming by Tim Davies http://megov.wordpress.com/2008/05/09/im-steaming/#comment-9 Tim Davies Fri, 09 May 2008 07:45:28 +0000 http://megov.wordpress.com/?p=12#comment-9 Would this review take any account of young people's participation on governing boards and whether boards should be mandated to have a representative from their school councils? Or would the reduction in board size be likely to pretty much rule out the possibility of young people being a statutory part of their own schools governing bodies do you reckon? Would this review take any account of young people’s participation on governing boards and whether boards should be mandated to have a representative from their school councils?

Or would the reduction in board size be likely to pretty much rule out the possibility of young people being a statutory part of their own schools governing bodies do you reckon?

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