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Katie Finlayson @learnwhatyoulive.bsky.social · 15h

And absolutely that is a concern. But also there are children for whom aspects of school are the ongoing trauma and parents are desperately trying to mitigate that but limited by resource options. Navigating a system that works for both those cases is always difficult.

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Katie Finlayson @learnwhatyoulive.bsky.social · 21h

I tend to think more info is always good, but someone still has to choose which outcome will be prioritised, in the (common) case where it basically comes down to different preferences. So underlying anything like this is a political question on whether family or state preferences take priority.

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Katie Finlayson @learnwhatyoulive.bsky.social · 21h

Oh completely!

Katie Finlayson @learnwhatyoulive.bsky.social · 21h

It def does vary quite considerably on the EOTAS/PB side. Constantly fielding comments from someone saying “oh my LA just gives us a PB for that” and pointing out that generally it is not that straightforward…

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Katie Finlayson @learnwhatyoulive.bsky.social · 22h

But linked to the particular provision specified and how much of it can be provided by the current setting’s basic funding? Or literally £x? Either way my understanding is it links to the setting - which might be EOTAS - not the child explicitly iyswim. (Other than PB)

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Katie Finlayson @learnwhatyoulive.bsky.social · 22h

I guess that would be part of the parameters of a trial - what level of ‘strings attached’ helps vs harms. Again it comes down to who generally makes better decisions - there is no particular reason to assume it will be “us” rather than “them” without evidence to support that.

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Katie Finlayson @learnwhatyoulive.bsky.social · 22h

If that was my comment, I meant it as a common parental misconception, not a thing that happens (afaik). EHCPs are often understood as something that unlocks funding, although the actual mechanisms behind that are more complicated.

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Katie Finlayson @learnwhatyoulive.bsky.social · 1d

(I also would not argue that parents will make 100% ‘good’ decisions. There is no point searching for perfection, it doesn’t exist.)

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Katie Finlayson @learnwhatyoulive.bsky.social · 1d

ie - if parents make 90% good decisions and the system makes 80% good decisions (assuming we could all agree on ‘good’ which I very much doubt) then while we still need a consideration for the 10%, it would be an improvement. It is v hard to argue that the current system makes 100% good decisions.

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Katie Finlayson @learnwhatyoulive.bsky.social · 1d

(I have some answers to this too but as ever it is a balance of trade-offs.)

Katie Finlayson @learnwhatyoulive.bsky.social · 1d

V often we get people who have given up fighting the school system and moved to home ed and start asking why they can’t then directly access the EHCP money for similar provision - where did it go? (The answer is “it doesn’t work like that” but there is another question of why not?)

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Katie Finlayson @learnwhatyoulive.bsky.social · 1d

Personal budgets are an option within EOTAS. Often v hard to obtain though. There is quite a variation in how this area is used currently (and it all sits outside the school system) which might be worth investigating for themes.

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Katie Finlayson @learnwhatyoulive.bsky.social · 1d

Whatever the ratio is, surely a key question is whether it is better or worse than the systemic outcomes?

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Reposted by Katie Finlayson

Jim Lauder @mrjlauder.bsky.social · 1d

EEF RCT proposal: give EHCP money as a direct cash transfer to families.

Reckon there's a good chance that would lead to better outcomes.

Worth finding out - this would tell us a lot about a lot.

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Katie Finlayson @learnwhatyoulive.bsky.social · 1d

Axiom Maths have done some work around this recently: axiommaths.com/blog/england...

England’s Missing Mathematicians — Axiom Maths

This post first appeared in TES magazine here. It is reproduced with their permission. New research from UCL shows only 9% of disadvantaged pupils with strong maths scores at the end of primary school...

axiommaths.com

Reposted by Katie Finlayson

Oliver Mills @olivermills.bsky.social · 1d

She's getting too big for her boots now.

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Reposted by Katie Finlayson

Rachel Coldicutt @rachelcoldicutt.bsky.social · 1d

Excellent Guardian piece on Aadhar, India's digital ID system, that captures the dilemma extremely well. Digital-by-default methods create huge convenience for some, double-down on social exclusion for others, and it is easy for their scope to rapidly expand www.theguardian.com/world/2025/o...

‘Your basis to live is checked at each and every step’: India’s ID system divides opinion

Keir Starmer is considering Aadhaar as model for UK, but detractors warn of ‘digital coercion’ and security breaches

www.theguardian.com

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Katie Finlayson @learnwhatyoulive.bsky.social · 1d

Plus London is the wrong market for this surely, high quality state schools abound.

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Reposted by Katie Finlayson

Charlotte McFarlan @charlottemaths.bsky.social · 1d

I don’t suppose anyone has a scheme of work for AQA Level 2 Further Maths they would be willing to share with me? #MathsToday

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Katie Finlayson @learnwhatyoulive.bsky.social · 1d

Yes, Cambridge specs are the specs - availability is different in different admin zones but there are no UK special rules on their side.

It is the government refusing to fund them as an option (which is their right as the provider of money ofc) which means English state schools don’t use them.

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Katie Finlayson @learnwhatyoulive.bsky.social · 1d

I did A level back in the days when we could write notes on the texts we brought into the exam as well!

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Katie Finlayson @learnwhatyoulive.bsky.social · 1d

Edexcel IGCSE English Lit has been open book on paper 2 for the history of the spec. Tbh having a child who did it they didn’t find it useful at all and I’m not sure she even took the books in - it is one of those pros and cons things.

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Katie Finlayson @learnwhatyoulive.bsky.social · 1d

I’m naturally very sympathetic to the idea of more choice and a broadening of available options, as you know - but it’s the exact opposite of saying “x should be taught in schools” and meaning taught ‘to everyone’.

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Katie Finlayson @learnwhatyoulive.bsky.social · 2d

Sure, but these are all quite different discussions to whether one topic or another should be within the curriculum that requires everyone to participate in it - which farming already is. And if “more farming” were either required or as an option it would necessitate something else coming out.

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Katie Finlayson @learnwhatyoulive.bsky.social · 2d

Again it’s a vocational vs generalist discussion mostly. Wales is introducing VCSEs (Vocational quals at an equivalent level to GCSEs) which will include Agriculture, Horticulture and Forestry; Animal Care and Nature Restoration. Remains to be seen how generally available they will be.

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