Two Reading Journals Essay Example for Free

Two Reading Journals Essay â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find† by Flannery O’Connor is a story which utilizes caricatures of people to reveal some aspects of character that all readers can identify with.   While the characters on the literal level seem too unreasonably stereotyped to be real, some of their behaviors and responses are actually very similar to those of all humanity.   For example, the Grandmother begins as the quintessential nagging, hyper-critical, self-absorbed old woman that everyone prefers to ignore. However, her constant spouting of religious maxims and her ability to use her holier-than-thou attitude for guilt purposes is a trait that many readers recognize in their own family members or even themselves, perhaps as the oppressed son, even.    After the initial encounter with the Misfit, these stereotypical demeanors fade away, and the real personality of the characters can come through.    This is similar to the concept that people’s true selves come through in times of great trial or emergency.   The bratty children clam up in fear, and the grandmother begins to treat the Misfit with an almost caring respect, which he doesn’t buy, of course.   Her ultimate attempt to â€Å"save† the Misfit from sin fails, just as her attempt to win loyalty from her son by guilting him into doing her bidding fails.   However, she is forced into thinking about someone else, in this case the Misfit.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   â€Å"Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?† by Joyce Carol Oates tells the story of a tough talking teen girl who is constantly concerned with the appearance she projects to the outside world.   Her tough exterior is extremely believable, as many teens suffer from this underlying lack of confidence. However, her pursuit by the psychotic Arnold Friend forces her t realize that not everyone will fall for the tough and cool exterior. Arnold’s friendly exterior keeps her off guard just long enough for him to draw her in.  Ã‚   He knows that deep inside she is scared and eager to please; this is how he wins her ultimate and fatal compliance.   He had forced her to realize that she was not the tough chick she wanted to be, and she notes that she just felt empty.   The shell was cracked, and there was nothing inside.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Both of these stories contrast the exterior of a person with his or her interior.   In the face of a perilous situation, both the Grandmother and Connie realize they cannot fall back on their usual game.   Both, then allow themselves to be victimized in the absence of any other choices.

Faulkner’s Relationship with his Daughter in the Film, William Faulkner

Faulkner’s Relationship with his Daughter in the Film, William Faulkner: A Life on Paper William Faulkner: A Life on Paper presents Faulkner as a struggling writer, father, and human being. He was moody, a periodic alcoholic, often in debt, affected in manner, and seemingly unable to make and retain significant relationships. Yet despite his apparent failings as a man (or perhaps because of them), Faulkner is perhaps the most successful and influential American literary artist of the 20th-century. Faulkner paved the way for many women writers to take up their pens and continue his literary quest into humankind’s psyche and the truth of our existence. His fathering of the many writers we will be reading this semester was a significant one; however, I am unsure if Jill Faulkner Sommers is able to forgive her father for his apparent neglect of fathering his true daughter. It is a commonly supposed that geniuses are able to produce their masterpieces because they are geniuses - because they do not act according to the customary social expectations of â€Å"average† human beings. They ...

The Tony Ferguson Weight Management Diet

The Tony Ferguson Weight Management Diet: An Information Fact Sheet for Community Members Overview: The Tony Ferguson Diet is a weight loss and management diet, which is based on specialized shakes, soups, bars and muesli. The diet is advertised as low GI and low carbohydrate. The diet is designed to induce the individual into a state of ketosis, ‘Ketone bodies are produced mainly in the mitochondria of liver cells. Its synthesis occurs in response to low glucose levels in the blood, and after exhaustion of cellular carbohydrate stores, such as glycogen.The production of ketone bodies is then initiated to make available energy that is stored as fatty acids. ’ (Wikipedia, 2012). The individual is advised to consume 2 specialized meals per day along with two servings of fruit, 3 servings of vegetables and 2 servings of lean meat. Advice: Advice to the consumer is that of caution. The human body requires carbohydrates to survive. Many functions of the body require carbohydr ates to function effectively. The Tony Ferguson diet effectively induces the body into a mode of starvation, can develop into disease.Ketosis is the desired state of the Tony Ferguson diet, this is where ‘Ketone bodies provide an alternative fuel source during starvation, but when their production exceeds their use, they accumulate in the blood, causing ketosis, a condition that disturbs the body’s normal acid-base balance. ’ (Whitney et al, 2011). When the body is in a state of starvation and it is experiencing a lower than required amount of carbohydrates, ‘the body finds a way to use its fat to fuel the brain.It adapts by combining acetyl COA fragments derived from fatty acids to produce an alternative energy source, ketone bodies. ’ (Whitney et al, 2011). This state can change the normal pH of the blood. ‘This is ketosis, a sign that the body’s chemistry is going away’. (Whitney et al, 2011). The blood glucose of the human bod y is maintained by homeostasis and is extremely important for many of the body’s major functions. ‘When a person eats, blood glucose rises. High blood glucose stimulates the pancreas to release insulin.Insulin stimulates the uptake of glucose into cells and storage as glycogen in the liver and muscles. Insulin also stimulates the conversion of excess glucose into fat for storage. As the body’s cells use glucose, blood levels decline. Low blood glucose stimulates the pancreas to release glucagon into the bloodstream. Glucagon stimulates liver cells to break down glycogen and release glucose into the blood. Blood glucose begins to rise. ’ (Whitney et al, 2011). Carbohydrates are essential for human nutrition and as such, this extreme diet may cause extremely adverse effects.It is recommended that a varied and nutritionally sound diet and exercise program be implemented and that extreme diets such as Tony Ferguson be implemented only as a last resort and alwa ys under medical advice. Reference List: Author Unknown, 2012, Wikipedia, Viewed: 11 April 2012, http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Ketogenesis. Whitney, E. Rolfes, S. Crowe, T. Cameron-Smith, D. Walsh, A. 2011, Understanding Nutrition, 1st Ed, Cengage Learning, Melbourne. Chosen Diet: http://us. tonyferguson. com/1448. aspx

Who Was the Inventor of Hoover Vacuum Cleaners

It might stand to reason that the Hoover vacuum cleaner was invented by someone named Hoover, but that’s surprisingly not the case. It was an inventor named James Spangler who invented the first portable electric vacuum cleaner in 1907. The Janitor With a Better Idea   Spangler was working as a janitor working at the Zollinger Department Store in Ohio when the idea of a portable electric vacuum cleaner first came to him. The carpet sweeper he used on the job was making him cough a lot and this was dangerous because Spangler was an asthmatic. Unfortunately, he didn’t have many other options because standard â€Å"vacuum cleaners† at the time were large, unwieldy affairs pulled by horses and not exactly conducive to indoor cleaning. Spangler decided to come up with his own version of a vacuum cleaner, one that wouldnt  endanger his health. He wasn’t new to inventing, as  he’d already patented a grain harvester in 1897 and a form of hay rake in 1893. He began tinkering with an old fan motor, which he attached it to a soap box stapled to a broom handle. He then converted an old pillowcase into a dust collector and attached that as well. Spanglers contraption eventually became the first vacuum cleaner to use both a cloth filter bag and cleaning attachments as he improved his basic model. He received a patent for it in 1908. Spangler’s asthma was better, but his vacuum got off to a somewhat shaky start. He wanted to manufacture what he called his â€Å"suction sweeper† on his own and  formed the Electric Suction Sweeper Company to make it happen. Unfortunately, investors were hard to come by and manufacturing was at a virtual standstill until he happened to demonstrate his new vacuum cleaner to his cousin. William Hoover Takes Over Spangler’s cousin Susan Hoover was married  to businessman William Hoover, who was suffering some of his own financial frustrations at the time. Hoover made and sold saddles, harnesses, and other leather products for horses, just as automobiles were steadfastly beginning to replace horses. Hoover was itching for a new business opportunity when his wife told him about Spangler’s vacuum cleaner and arranged for a demonstration. Hoover was so impressed with the vacuum cleaner that he promptly bought Spanglers business and his patents. He became the president of the Electric Suction Sweeper Company and renamed it the Hoover Company. Production was initially limited to an average of six vacuums a day that no one particularly wanted to buy. Hoover wasn’t discouraged and began offering customers free trials and signed up a slew of door-to-door salesmen who could take the invention into homes and show the housewives at the time how well they worked. Sales began to boom.  Eventually, there was a Hoover vacuum in nearly every American home. Hoover made further improvements to Spanglers vacuum cleaner over the years, as its often said that Spanglers original model resembled a bagpipe attached to a cake box.  Spangler stayed on with the Hoover Company as its superintendent, never officially retiring. His wife, son, and daughter all worked for the company as well. Spangler died in January 1914, the night before he was scheduled to take his first vacation.

Albert Einstein Essay - 500 Words

This German born physicist is considered one of the world’s greatest thinkers in history. Not only did he shape the way people think of time, space, matter, energy, and gravity but he also was a supporter of Zionism and peaceful living. Einstein was born on March 14, 1879 in Ulm Germany, and spent most of his youth living in Munich, where his family owned a small electric machinery shop. He attended schooling in Munich, which he found unimaginative and dull. In addition to this he taught himself Euclidean geometry at the age of 12. Later his family was forced to move to Milan, Italy where he then decided to withdraw from school at the age of 15. Eventually he realized that he had to finish secondary school, which he took in Arrau,†¦show more content†¦Which is unlike me. On the other hand he did publish five major research papers at the age of 26. The first one getting him his doctorate in 1905. The first paper was on Brownian motion, which is a zigzag motion of microscopic particles in suspension. He suggested that the movement was the result of the random motion of molecules of the suspension medium as they rebound off suspended particles. The second paper laid the base of the photon, or quantum theory of light. It said that light is made off separate packets of energy, titled quanta or photons. The paper remade the theory of light. Also explaining the emissions of electrons from some solid objects when they are struck by light. Televisions are practical applications of Einstein’s discoveries. The third paper, which he began as an essay at age 16, contained the â€Å"special theory of relativity.† He showed that time and motion are relative to the observer, if the speed of light is constant and natural laws are the same everywhere in the universe. The fourth was a mathematical addition to the special theory of relativity. This is where he presents his famous E=mc ², also known as the energy mass equivalence. Compton’s Interactive Encyclopedia translates it as â€Å"(E) inherent in mass (m) equals the mass multiplied by the velocity of light squared (c ²).† His fifth paper was his general theory ofShow MoreRelatedThe Contributions Of Albert Einstein1197 Words   |  5 PagesNovember 6, 2016 2nd Period Mrs. Watson Albert Einstein Research Paper There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle. (Einstein). Through Albert Einstein s eyes, everything that exists in the world is a miracle. Einstein s discoveries have proved the science world that the elements which make up the earth are indeed miracles. Albert Einstein is one of the most accomplished mathematicians and scientistsRead More Albert Einstein Essays842 Words   |  4 Pages Albert Einstein Albert Einstein was born on March 14, 1879 in Ulm. He was raised in Munich, where his family owned a small electrical machinery shop. Though he did not even begin to speak until he was three, he showed a great curiosity of nature and even taught himself Euclidean geometry at the age of 12. Albert despised school life, thinking it dull and boring, so when his family decided to move to Milan, Italy, Einstein took the opportunity to drop out of school, only 15 at the time. AfterRead MoreEssay on Albert Einstein985 Words   |  4 PagesEducation The only thing that interferes with my learning is my education -Albert Einstein Albert Einstein was born on March 14, 1879 in Germany to a Jewish couple. While having initial complications with a misshapen head during child birth, he grew normally. However it was commented by Albert Einsteins relatives that he was a little slow. Einsteins lack of intelligent was shown by his late age of learning how to speak. His first formal education (besides the private education he receivedRead MoreThe Life Of Albert Einstein923 Words   |  4 Pages 2015 5th Period The Life of Albert Einstein Albert Einstein, the son of Hermann and Pauline Einstein, was born on March 14, 1879, at Ulm, in Wurttemberg, Germany. Shortly after his birth, his family moved to Munich, where he would begin his schooling at the Luitpold Gymnasium. In 1894, his parents decide to move to Pavia, Italy, but Einstein wanted to finish the school year. He only stayed for six months and then joined his family in Italy. One year later, Einstein took the entrance exam for theRead More Albert Einstein Essay1645 Words   |  7 Pagesmiracle. Albert Einstein was the first child born to Hermann and Pauline Einstein, Jewish, middle-class Germans, on March 14, 1879 at Ulm, in Wurttemberg, Germany. Alberts sister, Maria, was born in November of 1881. They remained close throughout their lives.Einstein and sister 1 The Einstein family moved to Munich in 1880 to start their own business. Albert began his secondary schooling at Luitpold-Gymnasium. In 1894, the family business failed and the family moved to Milan, Italy. Albert stayedRead MoreThe Physics Of Albert Einstein1284 Words   |  6 PagesRobbie Patio BIO 101 Professor Dartley 4/16/15 Albert Einstein Most people know who Albert Einstein is and how great of a physicist he was, yet many aren’t aware that Albert Einstein had not even finished high school! Most would think that a person who doesn’t complete high school is dumb, and lazy. The fact is, Einstein did not complete high school, not because he was dumb or lazy. At the age of 15, he quit high school because he did not agree with the way the teachers taught. He thought that theRead More Albert Einstein Essay678 Words   |  3 PagesAlbert Einstein Einstein was born in 1879 in Germany. When he was a small child he didn’t show any high intelligence. In fact he even took a while to learn how to speak. He was a smart kid but it took a while for people to notice his intelligence. He would ask questions his own teachers couldn’t answer and he even taught himself calculus. He took an entrance exam for Swiss Federal Polytechnic School and failed. He failed but he was still admitted a year later. While doing his regular work heRead MoreAlbert Einstein Essay1763 Words   |  8 PagesAlbert Einstein is looked at as one of the most magnificent scientific thinkers throughout history. His theories on the nature and dimensions of time and space immensely changed the way people thought of the physical world and established many of the major fundamental foundations for a tremendous amount of the our scientific discoveries and inventions in the 21st century. Albert Einstein was born on March 14, 1879 in Wà ¼rttemberg, Germany, into a middle-class Jewish family that owned a small electricalRead More Albert Einstein Essay1047 Words   |  5 Pages Albert Einstein was born in Ulm, Wà ¼ttemberg, Germany, on March 14, 1879. While he was still an infant, the family moved to Munich. Albert’s father was plagued with business failures throughout his life, and after one such failure, he moved his family to Milan, Italy. Einstein was, at first, left behind to finish his schooling at the Luitpold Gymnasium, but he disapproved of this choice, and followed his family to Milan. Albert decided to attempt to skip the rest of gymnasium and tried to passRead MoreAlbert Einstein Essay942 Words   |  4 PagesAlbert Einstein was born on March 14, 1879 in Ulm, the first child of the Jewish couple Hermann and Pauline Einstein. In June 1880 the family moved to Munich where Hermann Einstein and his brother Jakob founded the electrical engineering company Einstein Cie. Albert Einsteins sister Maria was born on November 18, 1881. Einsteins childhood was a normal one, except that to his familys irritation, he learned to speak later than most. In 1884 he received some tutoring in order to get prepared for

To Start Off, I Thought I Had Signed Up For Group Dynamics,

To start off, I thought I had signed up for group dynamics, I know that sounds dumb, but when rushing to find six classes that fit your schedule so that you’re able to graduate on time, it happens. The first day of class, I was expecting something completely different. One of our first instructions was to make a name tag and when asked to put the pronouns we preferred I was incredibly confused. I thought, â€Å"isn’t that obvious? I’m a female.† As I looked around the room I realized it was not only rude to believe that, it was ignorant of me to believe that. As I read others name tags, I realized that this was an incredibly important assignment, because half the pronouns I assumed for some of my classmates would have been incorrect. The next†¦show more content†¦After that first class, we had to read the APA Transgender pamphlet, I not only read the pamphlet, I sent it to my family because they were not as blessed as I was to actually take this c lass. Furthermore, I have learned how many genders there actually are! For that I have The Gender Book to thank. Within the book it discusses multiple gender such as asexual, cisgender, transgender, intersex and so forth. One of the best and most important parts of this class was truly learning the definitions and proper words for certain genders. As I had stated in a previous journal, I had never known the proper word for intersex, the words I knew that were suppose to represent an individual who was intersex were cruel and hurtful and I had only heard of this gender in sick jokes. Through interviews and readings, I learned how common it is for an individual to be intersex. I learned about individuals who had their genders decided for them at birth, which was usually actually a mistake on the surgeons part. I learned that multiple individuals had to live a lie and had to feel confused and lost due to a doctor making the wrong call such as David from As Nature Made Him. A poor young man who was not able to live his life to the fullest because of the mental scars he was left with due to a botched surgery. After the multiple readings about David and the main book we had to read, but especially theShow MoreRelatedSummary Of Deaf By Mark Drolsbaugh Essay1674 Words   |  7 Pagesbecoming deaf in both a hearing and deaf world. It includes the awkwardness and un-comfortability he felt in hearing environments, within is personal family dynamic and in deaf safe havens where he learned to adjust, and grow for the betterment of him learning ASL and in general, becoming emerged within Deaf culture. Drolsbaugh starts the book off by introducing how life for deaf people, even when giving birth, can be a struggle (due to society not being well informed on how to effectively communicateRead MoreA Research Study On Bullies And Victims1301 Words   |  6 Pagesbullying may seem like something that should not be taken seriously. It is quite often taken as part of growing u p, joking, and as not having lasting effects. Many times we brush it off as nothing serious and look the other way. If you place yourself in the shoes of the victim, the issue is in fact not a joke, but surreally serious. I have been bullied in junior high school when I moved from Thailand to United States and did not know how to speak English. Being personally targeted by othersRead MoreThe Aesthetic Qualities Of A Musical Selection From Space Odyssey1568 Words   |  7 PagesI’ve had a great interest in all sorts of music. I appreciate and enjoy listening to classical, opera, rap, hip-hop, country, contemporary and Mexican music. When I signed up for Music Appreciation, I was excited to learn more about the history of music and the instruments used. I wanted to learn what to listen for and how to understand the different types of music. There are many styles of music from different eras. 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Guys go down next to James year after year, yet very little has stopped the party since 2007 -- and not at all since 2010. And while a whole lot of people got their knickers twisted when Cleveland temporarily braked the deal, the end result was as good as anyone in Northern Ohio could expect, given the complete lack of leverage the Cavaliers had once Irving’sRead MoreNegotiating-Across-the-Pacific3050 Words   |  13 Pagesstyles of doing business, and also individual parties not conforming to the business methodology that they were accustomed to, i.e. Mr. Tang should have informed Mrs. Ming that he was not dealing directly with the manufacturer and Mr. Smith should have signed a contract with Dr. Fisher. 3.1.1 Relationship Building Relationship building is the process of getting to know the people whom you are dealing with or plan to deal with, and also build a mutual trust before starting on business discussions andRead MoreManaging and leading people3089 Words   |  13 Pagesindividual level The group level The organisational level * Distinguishing between Leadership and Management Managers and leaders are they different? How can managers maximize the output of the organisation? What do leaders really do? * The essence of Organisational behaviour Human resource What makes managing people so difficult? Their impact on the organisation Why have they become a key part of the modern age manager/leader? * Success in business and the dynamics of cultural change Read MoreMilitary 3000 Word Rbi on Parking Your Military Police Patrol Vehicle3053 Words   |  13 Pages3000 word RBI on why I should back my vehicle into a parking spot Here is what happened. I pv2 stein was on patrol in Schweinfurt Germany on 19 April 2010. I went to work at 1345 like usual for a swing shift. We started guard mount and then we went out to PMCS our vehicles as we always do. I had vehicle 753 for the day so I started my PMCS on that vehicle. I started by checking all of the fluids in the vehicle. I checked all the fluids including the oil and windshield washer fluid. 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Due to these factors, Americans and American teachers, in particular, need to educate themselves and become aware of the Asian American students’ needs in terms of success and happiness. Before beginning my research, I felt I had an easy subject: studying Asian Americans in relation

Education System in England free essay sample

The pre-school sector includes a patchwork quilt of places provided by state, voluntary and private nurseries, childminders and playgroups available to children between the ages of two and five. At the end of 2000 there were 937,000 pre-school places available 264,000 in day nurseries, 353,000 in playgroups and other settings and 320,000 with childminders. The government has promised to improve the quality of education available for this age group and to increase the quantity of available places. All four year olds are now promised a part-time place of five morning or fternoon sessions per week, and the government has set a target of providing a place for two thirds of three year olds by 2002. Downside The push to make more pre-school places available has prompted many primary schools to open nursery classes, offering parents a free place in classes that often become feeder classes to the first formal year of school. While this has benefited the budgets of primary schools, there have been claims that this has forced thousands of playgroups to close. Between 2000 and 2001 provisional official statistics show there were 300 more day nurseries a rise of 3%. These accounted for 0,900 more places (8% more). Playgroups declined by the same number, 300 or 2% of the total a loss of 22,900 places (6%). And there were 3,300 (4%) fewer childminders, who had provided places for 15,800 children (a 5% fall). Five hundred more out-of-school clubs (11%) are reported. Overall, more places are being created than are lost. Early learning goals The governments efforts to raise levels of education in the pre-school sector have met with a mixed reception. The publication of the level of skills that should be achieved brought criticisms that this was putting unnecessary pressure on the very oung. It contributed to a debate over whether children benefited from an early start to learning or whether there were greater advantages to not beginning formal lessons until children were older, as happens in some other countries. The move to upgrade educational standards is part of the trend towards greater regulation in the pre-school sector. There have also been calls for improved training for those working with pre-school children, tighter checks on the suitability of staff and Ofsted inspections of playgroups. But this will still have to contend with the great diversity of re-school provision and many informal arrangements based around the needs of working parents as much as the educational needs of children. Primary schools provide all children with a school place no later than the start of the term after their fifth birthday. The precise age at which schools take children varies from one area to another, but it is common for children to go to school at the start of the term in which they will become five. A growing trend is for schools to admit new pupils at Just one point in the year, which often sees them take children who will be five within the oming school year September to August; under this system, summer-born children start school in the autumn, not long after their fourth birthdays. Structure Primary schools consist mainly of infant schools for children aged five to seven, Junior schools for those aged seven to 1 1, and combined Junior and infant schools for both age groups. First schools in some parts of England cater for ages five to 10 as the first stage of a three-tier system: First, middle and secondary. Middle schools cover different age ranges between eight and 14 and usually lead on to comprehensive upper schools. Class sizes The government says research evidence suggests that smaller infant classes enable teachers to spend more time identifying each childs individual needs and difficulties, and offering the help they need to master the basics. IAverage infant class sizes, 2001 | Near 1: 26. 1 Near 2: 25. Near 3: 27. 8 The average class sizes of five, six and seven year olds suggest that the government is on target to fulfil its promise of classes of 30 or below. But some parents have complained that reducing class sizes has worsened the problem of trying to get places for their children in popular, over-subscribed schools. Test targets The government has also set targets for levels of literary and numeracy, on the grounds that a child who does n ot learn to read well and handle numbers early on runs the risk of falling further behind in all subjects. So, in England, by 2002: On average 80% of 1 1 year olds should be reaching the standard expected for their age in English and 75% in maths. In 2000, the equivalent fgures were 75% (English) and 72% (maths). There are also wide variations between local education authorities across England. Since September 1998, all primary schools in England have been trongly recommended it is not mandatory to devote at least an hour each day to literacy, with a similar daily numeracy session from September 1999. Secondary schools In England, children must continue in full-time education until they are 16 though now a majority stay on after that. The modernisation of the comprehensive system has been one of the key themes of the governments campaign to raise standards in education. In state-sector secondary schools there has been increasing diversification, with the emergence of beacon schools, specialist schools and the etting up of action zones in areas of educational underachievement. ISecondary schools in England I pupils 187% pupils attend comprehensive I I schools | 1,000 specialist schools by 2004 | 1788 independent schools I A-level reforms introduced I I September 2000 I Revised curriculum introduced I I from September 2000 By February 2001 there were 536 specialist schools in England out of a total of 3,500 schools offering advanced teaching in languages, technology, sports and arts with a further 72 given the go-ahead. To qualify, they must raise E50,OOO in sponsorship, repare four-year plans with targets in teaching and learning in the specialist subject area, and involve other schools and the wider community. New specialisms added to the initiative in 2001 were business and enterprise, science, and engineering. The government intends that almost half of all secondary schools should specialise by 2006. There has been particular attention paid to under- performing schools, with groups of primary and secondary schools being brought together with business and community partners in education action zones. These are given extra funding and support to pioneer ways of making improvements. Schools which are seen to be beyond recovery have been closed and given a fresh start, in which a new institution is opened on the site of the failing school usually with a new name, headteacher and staff. The new emphasis is on raising standards for 11 to 14 year olds, with the literacy and numeracy strategies that have been used in primary schools being extended to the lower secondary years. The governments targets are that, by 2004, 75% of 14 year olds will be expected to reach Level 5 the level expected for their age in English, maths, and information and communication technology (CT). The figure for science is 70%. By 2007, ministers want to see 85% of pupils achieving Level 5 in English, maths and CT, and 80% in science. Selection A large majority of the three million secondary school pupils in England attend non- selective comprehensives, but there are a number of ongoing disputes concerning selection. There are 164 grammar schools in England, taking pupils who have passed an 11-plus exam. But in response to calls for the abolition of these remaining grammars, the government introduced regulations for local ballots of parents that will determine whether schools remain selective. So far there has been only one ballot, early in 2000 when parents in Ripon voted to keep their grammar school. A ballot can be triggered only when there are enough names of parents gathered in a petition, with the threshold number calculated by a complicated (and disputed) formula laid down by the government. Schools that have partial selection where a proportion of pupils are admitted on the grounds of ability have also been the subject of disputes. These are settled by the school admissions watchdog the Office of the Schools Adjudicator which itself has been the subject of legal challenges. New categories September 1999. In a reform that removed the opted-out grant-maintained sector, the government introduced four new categories of school. Community schools the largest category of mainstream comprehensives, largely under the control of the local education authority. Foundation schools exercising a greater degree of independence, the governing body is the employer and sets admissions policies. Voluntary-aided schools such as church schools, in which the governing body sets admissions policies and in which the charitable foundation which owns the school makes a financial contribution to its running. Voluntary-controlled schools these are owned by charitable foundations, but the local authority employs staff and sets admissions policies. In 2000 the government came up with another scheme to revive flagging schools: City academies. They are being established with substantial capital investment from business or voluntary, religious or private foundations. The state pays the running costs. They have the right to operate their own curriculum, and freedom to reinvent the school day and pay their teachers more. The government said they would be distinguishable from the Conservatives 1 5 city echnology colleges though created under the same legislation by a wider range of sponsors. Private In addition to state schools, there are around 790 fee-paying independent secondary schools, which are not required to follow the national curriculum, but which must register with the Department for Education and which are subject to inspections for the purposes of registration. Pupils in state and independent schools are required to stay at school until the age of 16 with the starting age of secondary school usually at the age of 1 1 . Where local authorities operate a middle school system, pupils begin econdary school at the age of 12 or 13. Special needs Children deemed to have special educational needs may be most obviously those with a condition that hinders or prevents them from making use of the facilities provided for pupils of their age. But in the broadest sense it covers all those whom the school considers could benefit from extra help with their studies. The great majority are educated in mainstream primary and secondary schools, which are required to publish their policies on pupils with special needs. A government code of practice offers practical guidance to all local education authorities and state schools n England on how to identify, assess and monitor these pupils. Statements An estimated one in five children has some form of special educational need, ranging from mild dyslexia to behavioural problems to complex medical conditions. In most cases this is dealt with in schools through an individual action plan. But some need more support than their school can provide. For these children, the local authority draws up a statement of special educational needs, which in most cases provides extra help of some kind in the school. Just over 3% of children in England and Wales have a statement. Provision varies between authorities. Parents have a right to appeal to a Special Educational Needs Tribunal if they disagree with the statement. The Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001, which applies to England and behavioural problems to be taught in mainstream classes. It was backed by the promise of money to improve access in schools and colleges. The new law makes it illegal to treat disabled pupils less favourably than other pupils and requires schools to make reasonable adjustments so that disabled pupils are not put at a substantial disadvantage. Inclusion policy The government has made it clear that it wishes to see more special needs children entering mainstream schools. As a result, special schools for children with moderate difficulties are being closed in many areas. In 2000, 60% of pupils with statements were in maintained mainstream schools, 35% were in special schools and 5% were in independent schools. There are about 2,000 special schools (both day and boarding) for pupils with special educational needs. Some of these are run by voluntary organisations and some are in hospitals. The pupil-teacher ratio in special schools is 6. 5 : 1 compared to 18. : 1 in mainstream state schools and 9. 9 : 1 in independent schools. Some independent schools provide education wholly or mainly for children with special educational needs, and are required to meet similar standards to those for maintained special schools. It is intended that pupils should have access to as much of the national curriculum as possible. Religious schools At first, education was largely conducted by the religious establishment. The cornerstone of the modern system was laid by the Elementary Education Act of 1870, which enshrined the principle that the system of elementary schools should be the esponsibility of the state. The 1944 Education Act continued this work, although Church of England and other religious schools have remained in operation. The 1944 Act required every state-aided primary and secondary school to begin the day with collective worship on the part of all pupils, and with religious instruction in every such school. Religious instruction continues to be given in both fully maintained and state-aided voluntary schools, and opportunities exist for religious training beyond the daily worship and minimum required instruction. In many schools, the religious ffering has become non-denominational, and in areas of high non-Christian immigration, consideration may be given to alternative religious provision. For example, in the summer term of 1998, Islamia primary school in Brent became the first Muslim school to Join the state sector. The government has decided that proposals from independent promoters to set up schools in the maintained sector will be considered on a number of grounds, including: provision ofa good standard of education delivery of the national curriculum the appointment of qualified staff equal opportunities for girls and boys Ђ competent management and viable finance suitable buildings for the school the extent of parental demand and the need for new places in an area cost implications. Methodist, Jewish, Muslim and Sikh. The government has said it is happy to see more single faith secondary schools. The Church of England is hoping to create 100. Independent schools Fee-charging schools are sometimes described as private schools or traditionally in England (somewhat confusingly) public schools. Independent schools receive no grants from public funds and are owned and managed under special trusts. Most ndependent schools offer a similar range of courses to state schools and enter pupils for the same public examinations. The independent sector is not obliged to teach the National Curriculum and comply with the associated education targets. Independent primary schools fall into two main categories: pre-preparatory, for ages two to seven, and Junior or preparatory (prep) schools, for ages seven to 11 or 13. The preparatory title is used because the last two years in the school are often devoted to preparation for the Common Entrance examination; a pass is required for admittance to many independent secondary schools. Fee-charging schools come in a variety of forms. Some are privately owned and run for profit, others are charitable foundations. The Independent Schools Information Service offers a guide giving the name and addresses of schools, as well as entry requirements. According to ISS, the average class size for preparatory schools is 15 to 20 pupils per teacher. Fees range from about E600 to El , 100 per term for ages two to seven and E950 to E2,500 for day pupils aged seven to 13 E2,300 to E3,500 per term for boarders. Secondary schools The majority of independent secondary schools have classes or teaching groups of etween 20 and 25 pupils, even lower at sixth form level. They admit pupils at any age from 1 1 . Many will require them to take an examination. Sometimes the school sets its own examination, but many use the Common Entrance Examination, which can be taken for entry to the school at 11, 12 or 13. The exam is set centrally and marked individually by the senior school. Each school has its own pass mark. All independent schools in the UK are open to inspection by approved inspectors and must register with the appropriate government education department. The education departments lay down certain minimum standards and can make schools emedy any unacceptable features of their building or instruction, as well as excluding any unsuitable teacher or proprietor. Fees at independent schools vary widely. They depend on whether schools are educating older children or younger ones, day or boarding and, sometimes, on the part of the country in which they are situated. The figures below are the latest figures for 1997-98. They are broad ranges: some schools will be lower or higher. In 1998 they will increase, possibly by about 5 per cent. The approximate range of fees per term is from El ,300 to E2,700 for girls ay schools, E2,700 to E4,400 for boarding girls; El ,300 to E3,200 for day boys and E2,800 to E4,600 for boarders. More than five children out of six at independent schools are day pupils. They often come from a wider catchment area than those at state schools, and sometimes the children live 15 or 20 miles away from their school. In 1997 boarders accounted for 6. 5% of the 223,000 girls in independent schools and years. In 1982, 27. 7% of pupils were boarders. With boarding education, parents can choose from a wider range of schools and save the trouble and expense of daily ravel, but boarding will not suit every child. Assisted places From 1981 until 1997, many independent schools in England and some in Wales offered places to children whose parents could not afford the full fees through the government-funded Assisted Places Scheme. The last pupils to benefit from these assisted places entered schools in September 1997, as the Labour government elected in May 1997 is committed to phasing out the scheme. Some schools are attempting to compensate for the loss of the scheme by increasing the number of scholarships awarded from their own resources, although these rarely cover the full ees. Scholarships are awarded as a result of a competitive examination, usually for academic, musical, artistic or all-round merit. Curriculum and testing A national curriculum is compulsory in all state schools in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and for virtually every pupil up to the age of 16. It is devised by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) and its partner authorities, the Qualifications, Curriculum and Assessment Authority for Wales (Awdurdod Cymwysterau, Cwricwlwm ac Asesu Cymru ACCAC) and the Northern Ireland Council for Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA). Although it was introduced in primary and secondary schools between autumn 1989 and autumn 1996, it is an idea that has been common in other European countries for decades. The main aim of the national curriculum is to raise standards, making sure all children have a broad and balanced education up to the age of 16. In the past, many pupils dropped key subjects such as modern languages or science at 13 or 14. A second aim is to ensure that schools in all parts of the country are following the same courses. This has particular advantages for children who change schools when families move house rom one area to another. The national curriculum specifies what children must study and what they are expected to know at different ages. This ties in with the national tests that check whether children are meeting these targets. What a child must study The core subjects of the national curriculum, which are compulsory for five- to 16- year-olds, are English, maths and science. These get priority. The second level of the curriculum is the so-called foundation subjects, which are design and technology, information and communication technology (ICT), history, geography, music, art, hysical education (PE) and, for secondary school pupils, a modern foreign language and, from 2002, citizenship. There has been an increased emphasis on ICT in recent years, to the point where it now has to be used in all subjects as well as being taught in its own right. By law, religious education is also required for all pupils and all secondary schools must provide sex education. Parents have a right to withdraw their children from these subjects. In Welsh-medium schools in Wales, Welsh is also a core subject. Nearly all primary schools in Wales teach Welsh as a first or second language nd about a quarter use Welsh as the sole or main medium of instruction. In secondary schools, Welsh is a compulsory subject for almost all 11 to 16-year-old pupils. The national curriculum is divided into four key stages, which broadly relate from 14 to 16. Changes The curriculum began changing again from the year 2000. The biggest change adding citizenship as a foundation subject in secondary schools happened in September 2002. The governments latest proposals for secondary schools would mean the compulsory subjects for 14 to 16 year olds would be mathematics, English, cience and information and communication technology, alongside citizenship, religious education, careers education, sex education, physical education and work- related learning. This would drop design and technology and a modern foreign language. pic] The curriculum at different stages: core subjects highlighted Testing Four and five-year-old children starting school are now tested on their reading, writing and use of number. This baseline assessment is designed to provide more information for teachers, as well as allowing the measurement of pupils progress as they move through the school. All children in state schools are tested in English and mathematics at the ages of seven, 11, and 14, and pupils aged 11 and 14 are also tested in science. The tests often known as SATs are intended to show whether children have reached the national curriculum learning targets. They are usually taken in May each year. All children in state schools in Northern Ireland are tested formally in this way only at the age of 14 in English, maths and science. At Key Stage 4, the national curriculum gives schools the opportunity to offer pupils aged 14 to 16 a wider choice of subjects, for example craft or drama. There are a range of GCSE and vocational courses to cater for these areas. Before they leave school, most 15 and 16 year olds also take General Certificates of Secondary Education (GCSEs) or similar qualifications. GCSEs This is the major qualification taken by pupils at the end of compulsory education at the age of 16, as a series of exams in the individual subjects they have been studying. The papers are set by the Assessment and Qualifications Alliance (formed by the Associated Examining Board, City Guilds, Southern Examining Group and the Northern Examinations and Assessment Board), OCR (formed by University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate and RSA Examinations Board), and the Edexcel foundation. They appoint examiners who mark the papers outside the schools. Results are graded A* (the highest), A, B, C, D, E, F and G, with U unclassified for those who do not meet the minimum standard. Some subjects are tiered to cater for different ability ranges. For example, those expected by a school to do best will be entered for papers covering grades A* to D; others will do papers in which the maximum possible grade would be a C. There are three tiers for maths. New GCSE short course qualifications were introduced from September 1996. These take half the time typically allotted to a full GCSE course, and are available in modern foreign languages, physical education, religious education, geography, history, design and technology, and information technology. They are popular with pupils wanting another qualification and who want the flexibility of a less intensive course, which can be studied alongside full GCSEs. GNVQs The Part One General National Vocational Qualification (GNVQ) is broadly equivalent to two GCSE courses. Initially, it covered three subject areas: business, anufacturing, and health and social care. New GNVQs introduced in 1996 were art and design, information technology, and leisure and tourism, while engineering was introduced in September 1997. New, vocational GCSEs being introduced in secondary schools from 2002 will replace GNVQs. They will mean that 14 to 16 year olds can opt to pursue work-related skills, studying part time in workplaces. Both GCSEs and GNVQs can be taken at broadly equivalent foundation and intermediate levels. National traineeships which lead on to modern apprenticeships are being replaced with new foundation apprenticeships. These will offer an alternative for those who lack the academic ability to tackle vocational GCSEs, and will be a way on to new, advanced apprenticeships. All this is being debated once more as part of a government drive to get people to think in terms of a 14-19 curriculum, with GCSEs as a mid-point assessment rather than a leaving exam, now that almost all youngsters continue in some form of education or training. Independent schools Independent schools do not have to teach the national curriculum, although many are already following all or most of it. They say it reflects the broad and balanced urriculum they have always advocated. Funding and management Local education authorities (LEAS) in England are responsible for most of the public expenditure on schools. A large amount is indirectly funded by the government through the Revenue Support Grant made to local authorities. The government has put enormous political pressure on LEAs to delegate an increasing amount of the money it intends should be spent on education to schools, to spend as they wish. There are also central government grants supporting spending by local education authorities. These focus mainly on training to improve schools performance in iteracy and numeracy, and on support for information technology. Extra resources also go to inner city schools facing particularly severe problems. The government has set up education action zones in England. These are local clusters of schools, usually a mix of primary, secondary and special schools in areas of relative deprivation, which work in a new partnership with the local education authority, parents, businesses and others. There are 73 zones, each of which receives E500,OOO per year for three years. State school funding There used to be four kinds of state school wholly or mainly supported from public unds: County schools, owned and wholly funded by local education authorities and providing primary and secondary non-denominational education. Voluntary schools, mostly established by religious denominations but financially maintained by the local education authority. Those which assumed greater financial independence and more control over admissions policies were known as Voluntary aided, as opposed to voluntary controlled schools, where the local education authority bore pay between one-half and three-quarters of the cost of building a new voluntary chool or extending an existing one, almost always a secondary school. self- governing grant-maintained (6M) schools, which had opted out of local authority control. Under the former Conservative government, all secondary and primary schools were eligible to apply for grant-maintained status, subject to a ballot of parents. These GM schools enjoyed a greater degree of independence over their admission policies. They were not financed by local education authorities but by a central funding agency. Changes Under the Schools Standards and Framework Act 1998, the government established three new categories of schools: Ђ community, very broadly based on county schools voluntary, formerly voluntary aided and voluntary controlled schools foundation, intended to replace GM schools, putting them back under local authority control to an extent. Local education authorities continue to retain responsibility for various services, including transport, school meals, and co-ordinating services for pupils with special needs. Governing bodies All publicly-maintained schools have a governing body, which is usually made up of a number of parent representatives, the head teacher and serving teachers, governors ppointed by the local education authority or church authorities, as appropriate, and others to represent the local community. Governors are responsible for the main policy decisions within schools, including academic matters. They also shoulder responsibility for school discipline, and the appointment and dismissal of staff although in practice much of this responsiblity is delegated to the head teacher. Governing bodies are responsible for implementing the recommendations of inspection reports, and are required to make those reports and their resulting action plans available to parents. Inspections The independent Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted) is a non-ministerial government department headed by Her Majestys chief inspector of schools. Ofsteds job is regularly to inspect all maintained schools and report on standards of achievement. All state schools are inspected by teams of independent inspectors on contract to Ofsted. They report on good practice in schools and other educational issues based on inspection evidence. A new inspection regime introduced in 1997 will see schools inspected once every six years, or more frequently if there is cause. A summary of the inspection report must be sent to the parents of each pupil by the school, followed by a copy of the governors plan on how they are going to act on the reports recommendations. Full reports are available on Ofsteds Website. Failing If school inspectors decide that a school is failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education, the local education authority can appoint new governors and withdraw delegated management from the school. As an alternative, central government can put the school under new management until its performance