Annual expenditure in primary schools and share of small schools by degree of urbanisation (average), England (UK)

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (13) ◽  
pp. 7086
Author(s):  
Martina Maněnová ◽  
Janet Wolf ◽  
Martin Skutil ◽  
Jitka Vítová

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the issue of distance education in primary schools has become a much-discussed topic. It is therefore no surprise that the issues related to it have come to the forefront of many researchers. There is, however, at least one group that has stayed relatively unnoticed, and it is so-called small schools. Thus, we conducted a qualitative study based on the phenomenological approach, searching for answers to our research question: What has been the experience of the directors of small schools with distance education during the pandemic? Our findings offer an in-depth insight into the life of six schools through the eyes of their directors. Semi-structural interviews with school directors helped us reveal three key factors that, in our opinion, had the greatest influence on the form of distance education. These are (1) the factor of ICT competence of all actors, (2) the factor of organization of educational settings, and (3) the factor of the teaching methods and forms used in education. Furthermore, we conclude the result section with a subchapter that captures the positive aspects of distance education as perceived by the addressed school directors.


Author(s):  
Azlin Norhaini Mansor ◽  
Aida Hanim A Hamid ◽  
Nitce Isa Medina ◽  
Sharmini Siva Vikaraman ◽  
Jamalul Lail Abdul Wahab ◽  
...  

This research examined leadership practices in the unique context of primary schools with smaller levels of enrolment, specifically small schools in Malaysia. These are schools with an enrolment of up to 150 students that are primarily located in rural areas. This study explored the challenges encountered by experienced head teachers of such schools and, more importantly, identified the strategies head teachers employed to overcome these challenges. This was achieved through a qualitative analysis of interviews conducted with experienced head teachers from five small schools. The findings demonstrate that all five schools faced similar challenges: financial constraints, a dilapidated infrastructure, lack of human resources, and competence-related issues among teachers. All respondents overcame these challenges with creativity and passion. They found alternative methods with which to generate school funds, adopted the role of learner leaders by developing their information and communication technology skills, and served as role models for instructional leadership. The findings will enable policymakers and school leaders, particularly those involved in small schools, to provide quality education for every child. Nevertheless, further studies involving a greater number of respondents are needed to understand the complex challenges involved in managing small schools and the optimal ways of overcoming these.


2014 ◽  
Vol 1 (2-3) ◽  
pp. 204-207
Author(s):  
Liubov Prokopiv

This article is about the rural schools in the Carpathians. The author speaks about theproblems and prospects of the school in the Carpathians. In Ukraine today in the mountainousregion large quantity of rural schools are with low occupancy. Reduction of the number of schoolage children in rural areas leads to poor occupancy of schools and inability to maintain themproperly by local authorities. Today in Ukraine within rural schools there are primary schools,educational complexes “School-Kindergarten”, numerically small schools etc. The author speaksabout a problem: how to give qualitative education to a student in the countryside? This articleanalyzes the problem of quality education in minority School Mountain, search teacher who wouldwork in the village.


Educatio ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 409-424
Author(s):  
Helga Andl

Összefoglaló. A tanulmány a kisiskolák magyarországi helyzetével foglalkozik, azok komplex társadalmi beágyazottságával, a hátrányos helyzet, a méltányosság és az inklúzió kérdéskörével, oktatáspolitikai és pedagógiai kérdésekkel. Területi és oktatás-statisztikai adatokra támaszkodva bemutatjuk az alacsony létszámmal működő baranyai iskolák egyes jellemzőit, az elmúlt másfél évtizedben lezajlott történéseket. Az intézményi kört érintők között hangsúlyosan jelenik meg az iskolabezárás, melynek folyamatát két iskola közelmúltban zajló megszűnésével foglalkozó esettanulmányunkra építve mutatjuk be. Működő gyakorlatokat keresünk arra, hogy a tanulók támogatásának, az inkluzív tanítási környezet kialakításának milyen lehetőségeit rejtik a – nem egy esetben összevont tanulócsoportos – kisiskolák. Summary. This study attempts to uncover and understand the many different factors of small schools in Hungary: the role of disadvantage, how and if equity and inclusion can be realised, and the complex ways in which society perceives these institutions. For these social determinants are multifaceted, further aspects of pedagogy and education policy will be discussed too. Based on regional and education statistics related data, the paper explores the main features and the recent history of those primary schools in Baranya which operate with a low number of students. In this recent history of small schools, there is a clear emphasis on school closures, a process that we will focus on through our case study of two contemporary school closures in the area. With this analysis, our goal is to present several examples of embedded, functioning practices in small schools – many of which operate with multigraded study groups – that aim to support pupils and create an inclusive environment.


Author(s):  
Janne Beelen ◽  
Jessica E. Heffernan ◽  
Maeva Cochet-Broch ◽  
Shadia Djakovic ◽  
David Chung ◽  
...  

Children’s vegetable intakes are too low, and school canteens could provide an equitable environment to improve their intake. This study aimed to develop and apply a systematic method to quantify the proportion and variety of vegetable-containing items on primary school canteen menus and examine differences between schools of different socio-economic statuses, sizes and types. Online canteen menus from 112 primary schools in Sydney, Australia, were collected, and data were extracted on a total number of items and vegetable-containing items across different menu categories. Further, data on preparation type and variety were extracted. Differences in the proportion of vegetable items between socio-economic status, school size and type were tested. On average, 80.4 ± 34.0 items were listed, with 30% of items containing vegetables. Most sandwiches (60%) and hot foods (54%) contained no vegetables. The variety of raw vegetables (4.9 ± 1.8 types) was greater than for cooked vegetables (1.3 ± 1.2 types; p < 0.01). Limited differences were observed by socio-economic status and school type. Small schools offered fewer vegetable-containing items than large schools. While primary school canteen menus listed a large variety of items, only one-third contained vegetables. Data from this study can be used to track changes and to develop new opportunities to increase the vegetable supply in schools.


Author(s):  
Graham Collins

This article examines current educational policy in New Zealand relating to small schools, considers the impact of this policy, and reflects on whether more positive alternatives might be found. Some recent research into the nature of current policy is reported, and its impact in a selective range of small primary school settings is discussed. It is argued that the current “two-track” central policy (which attempts to strengthen some small schools and rationalise others) is failing to achieve either of these goals, basically because it misunderstands or under-estimates the nature of the local community feeling associated with many small schools, and its impact on patterns of inter-school behaviour. After more than a decade of emphasis on self-management, a one-school, one-community mindset has been created in many districts. Unless this mind set is counteracted through new policy that enhances interactions between neighbouring schools, and extends the sense of community beyond the individual school, school re-organisation in New Zealand is likely to remain problematic.


2011 ◽  
Vol 219 (2) ◽  
pp. 92-99 ◽  
Author(s):  
Babett Voigt ◽  
Ingo Aberle ◽  
Judith Schönfeld ◽  
Matthias Kliegel

The present study examined age differences in time-based prospective memory (TBPM) in primary school age children and tested the role of self-initiated memory retrieval and strategic time monitoring (TM) as possible developmental mechanisms. Fifty-four children were recruited from local primary schools (27 younger children, mean age = 7.2 ± 0.55 years, and 27 older children, mean age = 9.61 ± 0.71 years). The task was a driving game scenario in which children had to drive a vehicle (ongoing task) and to remember to refuel before the vehicle runs out of gas (TBPM task, i.e., the fuel gauge served as child-appropriate time equivalent). Fuel gauge was either displayed permanently (low level of self-initiation) or could only be viewed on demand by hitting a button (high level of self-initiation). The results revealed age-dependent TBPM differences with better performance in older children. In contrast, level of self-initiated memory retrieval did not affect TBPM performance. However, strategies of TM influenced TBPM, as more frequent time checking was related to better performance. Patterns of time checking frequency differed according to children’s age and course of the game, suggesting difficulties in maintaining initial strategic TM in younger children. Taken together, the study revealed ongoing development of TBPM across primary school age. Observed age differences seemed to be associated with the ability to maintain strategic monitoring.


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