The Verso website is doing a great job of tracking the impact of School Wars, and also summarising the main reviews so far. Below, the latest schedule for talks and debates 20-Sep School Wars New Statesman/Liberal Democrat Conference 21-Sep School Wars University of Leicester debate: Comprehensive School Education – Policy Mistake, Lost Ideal or Model… Continue Reading
Category Archives: Writings
School wars heat up
Things get a little heated on Woman’s Hour this morning. Me v Anne McElvoy. Decide for yourself. And Michael Gove personally attacks founders of Local Schools Network in the Evening Standard. Continue Reading
Two reviews of School Wars
Anthony Seldon in today’s Observer Andy Beckett in The Guardian yesterday Continue Reading
The Big Debate
How do we make our schools fit to face the 21st century?
Five experts explore the future of British education in this round-table discussion, as the government initiative for free schools is launched Continue Reading
Mirror, mirror…….
Yup, I go tabloid at last. Love David Cameron’s Mr Chips hat.. Continue Reading
Keeping faith in comprehensives
Melissa Benn still believes the public can see the benefits of the classic comprehensive school system
Education has the potential to create a “common culture” according to Melissa Benn. Continue Reading
Free Schools, Exams And The Battle For Britain’s Education
Interview in the Huffington Post Continue Reading
Follow me on Twitter
@Melissa_Benn I am a reluctant convert – but my publishers ordered me onto the twittersphere in preparation for publication. But already, I am finding it a really useful source of information and an interesting forum for a certain kind of debate. Good for literacy skills too! Continue Reading
Some more debate……
Some of my recent articles, largely debating the issues that arise out of School Wars. New Statesman: round up of left thinkers’ views on the riots and family values Prospect magazine: debate with Rachel Wolf, director of the New Schools Network, on the merits or otherwise of free schools. Financial Times: commentary on Toby Young… Continue Reading
School Wars: upcoming events
Some of the events I will be doing over the next few weeks and months. September 21, 2011 / The Court Room, Glaziers Hall Melissa Benn: Comprehensive School Education – Policy Mistake, Lost Ideal or Model for the Future? Part of the University of Leicester ‘The Floor is Yours’ debate series September 25, 2011… Continue Reading
Latest writing
THE CRISIS OF THE MERITOCRACY
The crisis of the meritocracy: Britain’s transition to mass education since the Second World War PETER MANDLER, 2020 Oxford: Oxford University Press 361pp, hardback, £25, ISBN 9780198840145 Cambridge historian Peter Mandler has a fundamentally optimistic story to tell about the growth of universal education in Britain over the last seventy years and one can sense… Continue reading…
Latest news & events
A Cold War Tragedy
Melissa will be in conversation with Anne Sebba about her new book, ‘Ethel Rosenberg – A Cold War Tragedy.’ Weds 15th September 2021, 5-6pm, in the Robert Graves Tent at the Wimbledon Book Festival. More information here. Continue reading…
