Earlier today, at the Annual Learning and Technology World Forum, Gordon Brown announced that from 2012 paper school reports would be a thing of the past.
Along with pledging £300 million to ensuring all families rich or poor, had a computer and internet access, Brown promised:
“…from 2010 all secondary schools – and from 2012 all primary schools – will guarantee reporting online to parents.”
He illustrated his point by saying that if a father missed a parents evening because he had to work late then he would be able to catch up on how his children were doing at a convenient time for him simply by going online and linking up to the school’s website.
Mr. Brown also pointed out that it would make teaching and learning in the home easier as parents could be told which subjects their children potentially need to work harder at.
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On the same topic, Ed Balls, the schools secretary, told the BBC Radio 4’S Today programme:
“The evidence shows that it improves their learning, it raises their exam grades, it’s about delivering a more socially just society in which every child can learn.”
Although online reporting is here to stay. Parents and students alike are concerned parents might become a little too involved. Parents will and do use online reports to control and monitor their children’s every move. Maintaining some form of balance is going to be key. How long before parents get access to school CCTV footage and are able to watch their kids every move from home?
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