The Primary Review is an independent, non-party political and fully transparent project that actively encourages debate about the future of primary education in England.

Members of the press will be supplied with regular news releases concerning the progress of the enquiry throughout its lifetime.

The Primary Review has its own dedicated press operation that will be delighted to answer queries from the media and any requests for additional information, interviews or photography.

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Click here to see a selection of press coverage of the Primary Review.

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Click here to see press releases made by the Primary Review.

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Members of the media with enquiries concerning the Primary Review – including requests for comment and interviews from the principal participants – should in the first instance contact the Review’s Director of Communications, Richard Margrave:
Email: richard@margrave.co.uk
Mobile: 07789 692360

Other media contact points:

About Cambridge University
Head of Communications, Cambridge University Press Office: Gregory Hayman
Email: gh302@admin.cam.ac.uk
Tel: 01223 339670

About Esmée Fairbairn Foundation
Policy and Communications Manager: James Wragg
Email: james.wragg@esmeefairbairn.org.uk
Tel: 020 7297 4700

A full listing of press releases issued will appear here throughout the course of the Primary Review.

• Reference 0805: 16 May 2008 - Learning and Teaching in Primary Schools: processes and contexts
  Covers the release of a group of three interim reports consisting of:
  i) Research Survey 2/4: Learning and Teaching in Primary Schools: insights from TLRP (Mary James and Andrew Pollard)
  ii) Research Survey 6/1: Primary Schools: the built environment (Karl Wall, Julie Dockrell and Nick Peacey)
  iii) Research Suvey 9/2: Classes, Groups and Transitions: structures for teaching and learning (Peter Blatchford, Susan Hallam, Judith Ireson and Peter Kutnick, with Andrea Creech)
  
  
• Reference 0804: 18 April 2008 - Primary Teachers: training, development, leadership and workforce reform
  Covers the release of a group of three interim reports consisting of:
  i) Research Survey 6/2: Primary Schools: the professional environment (Liz Jones, Andy Pickard and Ian Stronach)
  ii) Research Survey 6/3: Primary Teachers: initial teacher education, continuing professional development and school leadership development (Olwen McNamara, Rosemary Webb and Mark Brundrett)
  iii) Research Survey 6/4: Primary Workforce Management and Reform (Hilary Burgess)
  
  
• Reference 0803: 29 February 2008 - Governing, funding and reforming primary education: four more research reports from the Primary Review
  Covers the release of a group of four interim reports consisting of:
  i) Research Survey 3/2: The Trajectory and Impact of National Reform: curriculum and assessment in English primary schools (Dominic Wyse, Elaine McCreery and Harry Torrance)
  ii) Research Survey 4/3: Quality Assurance in English Primary Education (Peter Cunningham and Philip Raymont)
  iii) Research Survey 10/1: The Funding of English Primary Education (Philip Noden and Anne West)
  iv) Research Survey 10/2: The Governance and Administration of English Primary Education (Maria Balarin and Hugh Lauder)
  
  
• Reference 0802: 08 February 2008 - Other primary schools and ours: what can we learn from international comparison?
  Covers the release of a group of three interim reports consisting of:
  i) Research Survey 9/1: The Structure of Primary Education: England and other countries (Anna Riggall and Caroline Sharp)
  ii) Research Survey 3/1: Primary Curriculum and Assessment: England and other countries (Kathy Hall and Kamil Øzerk)
  iii) Research Survey 3/3: Primary Curriculum Futures (James Conroy, Moira Hulme and Ian Menter)
  
  
• Reference 0801: 18 January 2008 - What is primary education for? Fundamental questions from the Primary Review's latest research reports
  Covers the release of a group of four interim reports consisting of:
  i) Research Survey 1/1: Aims as Policy in English Primary Education (John White)
  ii) Research Survey 1/2: Aims and Values in Primary Education: England and other countries (Maha Shuayb and Sharon O’Donnell)
  iii) Research Survey 1/3: Aims for Primary Education: the changing national context (Stephen Machin and Sandra McNally)
  iv) Research Survey 1/4: Aims for Primary Education: changing global contexts (Hugh Lauder, John Lowe and Rita Chawla-Duggan)
  
  
• Reference 0705: 11 December 2007 - Comment on today's announcement about the Children's Plan
  Professor Robin Alexander, Director to the Primary Review, responds to the announcement by Ed Balls, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, about the Government's Children's Plan.
  See here for the Department for Children, Schools and Families page on the Children's Plan.
  
  
• Reference 0704: 14 December 2007 - Latest Primary Review research surveys question assumptions about how young children think and learn; and how their specific needs are identified and met
  Covers the release of a group of four interim reports consisting of:
  i) Research Survey 2/1a: Children's Cognitive Development and Learning (Usha Goswami and Peter Bryant)
  ii) Research Survey 2/1b: Children's Social Development, Peer Interaction and Classroom Learning (Christine Howe and Neil Mercer)
  iii) Research Survey 5/1: Children in Primary Education: demography, culture, diversity and inclusion (Mel Ainscow, Jean Conteh, Alan Dyson and Francis Gallanaugh)
  iv) Research Survey 5/2: Learning Needs and Difficulties Among Children of Primary School Age: definition, identification, provision and issues (Harry Daniels and Jill Porter)
  
  
• Reference 0703: 23 November 2007 - Striking the Balance: Support vulnerable children and families and tackle childhood poverty, but listen to children and don't take over their lives.
  Covers the release of a group of four interim reports consisting of:
  i) Research Survey 5/3: Children and their Primary Schools: pupils' voices (Carol Robinson and Michael Fielding)
  ii) Research Survey 7/1: Parenting, Caring and Educating (Yolande Muschamp, Felicity Wikeley, Tess Ridge and Maria Balarin)
  iii) Research Survey 8/1: Children's Lives Outside School and their Educational Impact (Berry Mayall)
  iv) Research Survey 8/2: Primary Schools and Other Agencies (Ian Barron, Rachel Holmes, Maggie MacLure and Katherine Runswick-Cole)
  
  
• Reference 0702: 02 November 2007 - Further questions about standards and testing from the Primary Review.
  Covers the release of a group of three interim reports consisting of:
  i) Research Survey 3/4: The quality of learning: assessment alternatives for primary education (Wynne Harlen)
  ii) Research Survey 4/1: Standards and quality in English primary schools over time: the national evidence (Peter Tymms and Christine Merrell)
  iii) Research Survey 4/2: Standards in English primary education: the international evidence (Chris Whetton, Graham Ruddock and Liz Twist) 
  
  
• Reference 0701: 12 October 2007 - Taking the Educational Temperature: First interim report from the Primary Review.
  
  
• Reference 0601: 13 October 2006 - Spotlight on Primary Education in England in Biggest Independent Review for 40 Years.
  
  
  

The interim report series has created a large amount of media coverage, some of which can be found through the relevant links below. Click here for a list of the interim reports released to date.

We want these interim reports both to provide information and to provoke discussion which can be fed back into the Review. We would therefore be glad to hear what you think about the issues raised. Please contact the Review's Administrator with your views on these reports. We stress that these reports are interim rather than final, and that they arise from some but not all of the Review’s various strands of evidence.

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General press coverage beyond the interim report releases
Click here to see a selection of media coverage not specific to a single interim report release, or to the interim reports in general.

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May 2008 - Click here to see a selection of the media coverage from May's interim reports:

• The ninth group of interim reports published by the Primary Review: Learning and teaching in primary schools: processes and contexts (published 16.05.08).

April 2008 - Click here to see a selection of the media coverage from April's interim reports:

• The eighth group of interim reports published by the Primary Review: Primary teachers: training, development, leadership and workforce reform (published 18.04.08).

February 2008 - Click here to see a selection of the media coverage from February's interim reports:

• The seventh group of interim reports published by the Primary Review: Governance, Funding, Reform and Quality Assurance: policy frameworks for English primary education (published 29.02.08).

• The sixth group of interim reports published by the Primary Review: The Structure and Content of English Primary Education: international perspectives (published 08.02.08).

January 2008 - Click here to see a selection of the media coverage from January's interim reports:

• The fifth group of interim reports published by the Primary Review: Aims, values and contexts for primary education: national and international research perspectives (published 18.01.08).

December 2007 - Click here to see a selection of the media coverage from December's interim reports:

• The fourth group of interim reports published by the Primary Review: Children in primary schools: research on development, learning, diversity and educational needs (published 14.12.07).

November 2007 - Click here to see a selection of the media coverage from November's interim reports:

• The third group of interim reports published by the Primary Review: Children's Lives and Voices: Research on children at home and school (published 23.11.07).

• The second group of interim reports published by the Primary Review: How well are we doing? Research on standards, quality and assessment in English primary education (published 2.11.07).

October 2007 - Click here to see a selection of the media coverage from October 2007's release of the Community Soundings interim reports:

• The first interim report published by the Primary Review: Community Soundings: report on the Primary Review regional witness sessions (published 12.10.07).

• Put the fun back into first lessons, urge heads - The Observer, Anushka Asthana (7.10.07).

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October 2006 - Launch of the Primary Review - Click here to see a selection of the media coverage from the launch.

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A selection of press coverage of this ninth release of interim reports (16.05.08):

• The Independent: 'Setting harms education of some young children' - Sarah Cassidy.

• The Telegraph: 'Teachers "undermined by classes of over 25"' - Graeme Paton.

• The Times: 'Sets in primary classes can blight a child's school life' - Nicola Woolcock.

• Times Educational Supplement: 'Where pupils are brighter, naturally' - Adi Bloom.

• Times Educational Supplement: 'Teachers' technique can ease burden of spelling and fractions' - Adi Bloom.

• Times Educational Supplement: 'Switch on to the power of Babel in the classroom' - Helen Ward.

• Times Educational Supplement: 'Streaming and setting do not affect results' - Helen Ward.

• Times Educational Supplement: 'Classroom modernisation gives pupils a new outlook on learning' - Helen Ward.

• Times Educational Supplement: 'A week in education' - William Stewart.

• Press Association: 'Learning "suffers in humid, noisy classrooms"' - Tim Ross.

• Press Association: 'Call to cut class sizes to improve reading skills' - Tim Ross.

• BBC News: 'No "clear advantage to setting"'

• Ananova.com: 'Smaller classes could boost reading'

• New Zealand Herald: 'School streaming "hurts" less-academic students'

• Children Now: 'Analysis: Schools - A fresh vision for primary education'

• admin.cam.ac.uk: 'Setting children by ability could harm their education'

A selection of press coverage of this eighth release of interim reports (18.04.08):

• The Independent: '"Moral panic" and "policy hysteria" harming primary schools, report says' - Sarah Cassidy.

• The Independent: 'Fads, and a sense of failure'

• Times Educational Supplement: 'A marking revolution' - Warwick Mansell.

• Times Educational Supplement: 'Strategy without style'

• Press Association: 'Special needs pupils "need more time with teachers"' - Tim Ross.

• Press Association: 'Researchers lament impersonal primary education' - Tim Ross.

• Guardian: 'Government policy has created "impersonalised education"' - Anthea Lipsett.

• Daily Mail: 'Over a third of bosses say staff lack the three Rs'

• Literacy Trust: 'New reports from the Primary Review'

• NUT: press release on primary workforce reform

• Yorkshire Post: 'Children "reduced to status of targets"'

A selection of press coverage of this seventh release of interim reports (29.02.08):

• The Times Educational Supplement - 'Historic funding gap persists' - Helen Ward.

• The Times Educational Supplement - 'Inspections conflict with values of teachers' - Dorothy Lepkowska.

• BBC News - 'Primary schools "have got worse"'.

• ePolitix.com - National Union of Teachers' response to the release.

• The Press Association - 'Labour damaged education - study'.

• The Independent - 'Leading Article: A shattering failure for our masters'.

• The Independent - 'Failed: Political interference is damaging children's education, report claims' - Sarah Cassidy, Education Correspondent.

• The Independent - 'Balls rejects claims that political interference damages schooling' - Colin Brown, Deputy Political Editor (01.03.08).

• The Guardian - 'Underfunded primary schools fail to teach basic literacy, says key review' - Polly Curtis, Education Editor.

• University of Cambridge - Press release and summary.

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The sixth group of interim reports was on the theme of The Structure and Content of English Primary Education: international perspectives, and was published February 8, 2008.  This group consisted of:

• Research Survey 3/1 -  Primary Curriculum and Assessment: England and other countries, Kathy Hall and Kamil Øzerk.
• Research Survey 3/3 -  Primary Curriculum Futures, James  Conroy, Moira Hulme and Ian Menter.
• Research Survey 9/1 - The Structure of Primary Education: England and other countries, Anna Riggall and Caroline Sharp.

A selection of press coverage of this sixth release of interim reports (08.02.08):

• BBC News - 'Call to raise school starting age'.

• BBC News - 'Is five too young to start school?' - Sean Coughlan, BBC News education reporter.

• BBC News - England young "among most tested"'.

• The Press Assocation - 'School system "test-obsessed"'.

• ePolitix.com - National Union of Teachers' response to the release.

• The Independent - 'Leading article: An oppressive system that is failing our children'.

• The Independent - 'Our children tested to destruction' - Sarah Cassidy, Education Correspondent.

• The Telegraph - 'Does early schooling harm our children?' - Elizabeth Hartley-Brewer.

• The Telegraph - 'Starting school at 4 "no help to children" - Graeme Paton, Education Editor.

• The Guardian - 'State schools shunned for home education' - Polly Curtis, Education Editor.

• The Herald - 'Four years old is too young for school, warn experts' - Andrew Denholm, Education Correspondent.

• AFP - 'Primary schools exert unnecessary pressure on students: report'.

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A selection of press coverage of this fifth release of interim reports (18.01.08):

• The Telegraph - 'Failure to teach three Rs "damaging economy"' - Graeme Paton, Education Editor.

• The Telegraph - 'Selection by lottery could be just the ticket'.

• BBC News website - 'Call for ban on catchment areas' - "School catchment areas should be banned to stop richer parents buying their way into good schools through the housing market, researchers have said."

• The Times - 'Middle class "monopolise" the best schools' - "A report is calling for the best-rated primary schools to hold lotteries for places to prevent eager parents from manipulating the system."

• The Guardian - 'Scrapping admissions system would "reduce inequality"' - Anthea Lipsett.

• Evening Standard website - "Catchment areas should be abolished in an attempt to stop middle class parents buying their way into the most popular schools, a major report has said."

• NUT website - 'Review calls for admissions reform'.

The fourth group of interim reports was on the theme of Children in primary schools: research on development, learning, diversity and educational needs, and was published December 14, 2007.  This group consisted of:

• Research Survey 2/1a - Children’s cognitive development and learning, Usha Goswami and Peter Bryant.
• Research Survey 2/1b - Children’s social development, peer interaction and classroom learning, Christine Howe and Neil Mercer.
• Research Survey 5/1 - Children in primary education: demography, culture, diversity and inclusion, Mel Ainscow, Alan Dyson, Peter Farrell and Jean Conteh.
• Research Survey 5/2 - Learning needs and difficulties among children of primary school age: definition, identification, provision and issues, Harry Daniels and Jill Porter.

A selection of press coverage of this fourth release of interim reports (14.12.07):

• BBC News website - 'Talk more in class, experts say' - "Children should be allowed to talk more in class, education experts have argued, despite the traditional view that chatter can be disruptive."

• Times Educational Supplement - 'Tests drive harms links with parents' - Helen Ward and Adi Bloom.

• Times Educational Supplement - 'Pretend play helps children learn' - Helen Ward.

• Times Educational Supplement - 'Let's hear it for the chattering classes' - Adi Bloom.

• The Telegraph - 'Studies fault competition in primary schools' - Graeme Paton, Education Editor.

• Independent - 'The key to your child doing well at school? Conversation in the home' - Richard Garner, Education Editor.

• Guardian - 'Help for special needs children "matter of class, race and gender"' - Polly Curtis, education editor.

• Guardian - 'Study calls for more play and talk' - Press Association.

• National Association for the Teaching of English (NATE) website - 'Primary Review publishes compelling reports: Inclusion in schools and "learning styles" challenged'

• Evening Standard - 'A competitive atmosphere in class can be bad for children's education, according to new research published as part of the biggest review of primary schooling for 40 years'.

• GMTV website - 'More playtime: Find out why there are calls for more talk and playtime in the classroom'.

• thisislondon.co.uk - "Sending children with severe special needs to ordinary schools condems many to a poor education and disrupts lessons..."

• ATL website - 'Special needs concerns raised'.

• ananova.com - 'Study calls for more play and talk'.

The third group of interim reports was on the theme of Children's lives and voices: research on children at home and school, and was published November 23, 2007.  This group consisted of:

• Research Survey 5/3 - Children and their Primary Schools: pupils' voices, Carol Robinson and Michael Fielding.
• Research Survey 7/1 - Parenting, Caring and Educating, Yolande Muschamp, Felicity Wikeley, Tess Ridge and Maria Balarin.
• Research Survey 8/1 - Children's Lives Outside School and their Educational Impact, Berry Mayall.
• Research Survey 8/2 - Primary Schools and Other Agencies, Ian Barron, Rachel Holmes, Maggie MacLure and Katherine Runswick-Cole.

A selection of press coverage of this third release of interim reports (23.11.07):

• General Teaching Council for England (GTC) website: 'Pupil voice and the Primary Review'.

• The Guardian: 'Don't teach to the test, say children' - Donald Macleod.

• The Guardian: 'Hard-pressed parents struggle to help with schoolwork' - Polly Curtis, Education Editor.

• Meltwater News: 'Children's lives more "scholarised"'.

• National Primary Headteachers' Association (NPhA): 'Primary Review: children's lives and their primary schools'.

• ePolitix.com: 'Primary Review - Children's lives and voices' - NUT response.

• Scholastic Magazine: 'Respect children's views, says new report'.

• Times Educational Supplement: 'Extended schools chip away at play' - Irena Barker.

• Times Educational Supplement: 'Mixture of ability is popular with pupils' - Adi Bloom.

• Times Educational Supplement: 'Test culture takes toll on young' - Adi Bloom.

• The Press Association: 'Children's lives more "scholarised"'.

• The Telegraph: 'All work and no play for today's pupils' - Graeme Paton, Education Editor.

• Times Online: 'Extra tuition and clubs give pupils no rest from learning' - Alexandra Frean, Education Editor.

• The Guardian: 'In praise of ... child's play'.

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The second group of interim reports was on the theme of How well are we doing? Research on standards, quality and assessment in English primary education, and was published November 2, 2007.  This group consisted of:

• Research Survey 3/4 - The Quality of Learning: assessment alternatives for primary education, Wynne Harlen.
• Research Survey 4/1 - Standards and quality in English primary schools over time: the national evidence, Peter Tymms and Christine Merrell.
• Research Survey 4/2 - Standards in English primary schools: the international evidence, Chris Whetton, Graham Ruddock and Liz Twist.

A selection of press coverage of this second release of interim reports (02.11.07):

• Times Educational Supplement : 'Testing times for primary assessment' - piece by Robin Alexander to mark the release of the second group of interim reports.

• BBC news: 'School literacy scheme attacked: Costly literacy schemes in England have not paid off, with children's reading skills barely improved since the 1950s, an independent inquiry suggests'.

• Times Educational Supplement : 'Test regime must change' - Warwick Mansell.

• ePolitix.com: 'Literacy drive has had "almost no effect"'.

• The Guardian: 'Test results for third of primary students wrong, says study' - Polly Curtis, Education Editor.

• The Guardian: 'Literacy drive has almost no impact' - Press Association.

• ictheWharf.co.uk: 'Literacy drive has almost no impact'.

• The Independent: 'Thousands of pupils given wrong grade in 3R tests' - Richard Garner, Education Editor.

• Inthenews.co.uk: 'Report: Literacy growth statistic'.

• Liberal Democrats website: 'Primary education in danger of teaching to the test - Laws' - reporting comment by Mr David Laws MP.

• Northern Echo: 'Cash boost fails to lift standards in reading' - Tony Kearney.

• Sky News: 'Primary school tests blasted by experts'.

• The Telegraph: 'Too much testing "harms primary school pupils"' - Graeme Paton, Education Editor.

• Times Online: '£500m literacy drive is a flop, say experts' - Alexandra Frean, Education Editor.

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Below is a list of some of the press coverage for the Primary Review's interim reports released in October.  Click here to see the interim reports and their accompanying briefings and press releases.

1. Community Soundings: report on the Primary Review regional witness sessions (released 12.10.07)

12.10.07
•   BBC Online - Primary children 'suffer stress': Primary school children and their parents are suffering from "deep anxiety" about modern life, according to a study of education in England.

• The Guardian - Study reveals stressed out 7-11 year-olds - Polly Curtis.

• The Guardian - Testing, testing - too much for our children? - Donald McLeod blog:
"When it comes to tests children themselves gave mixed messages to the Cambridge University researchers and seemed less hostile to them than teachers and parents...".

• ATL Online - 'Primary Review publishes first report'.

• The Times Online - Pressure of tests 'means primary school pupils lose their childhood' - Alexandra Frean.

• The Independent - The primary cause for concern: Our young children are anxious, badly behaved, stressed, depressed and obsessed... - Richard Gerver.

• Earthtimes.org.uk - Annual tests stressing primary school children in the UK - Jayesh P. Yadav.

• Times Educational Supplement - Our primaries are heaven - Helen Ward.

• Times Educational Supplement - Backlash against testing regime - Helen Ward.

• Times Educational Supplement - Bleak vision of our world - Jonathan Milne.

• politics.co.uk - Report author explains results.

• politics.co.uk - 'Consumerist' fear for children is common.

• Press Association – story circulated to all regional and local newspapers.

13.10.07
• The Guardian letters page - Reclaim the streets for our children.

• The Times Online - Teachers struggle to balance cultures and 'inclusiveness' - Ruth Gledhill.

• Cambridge Evening News - Report says pupils 'stressed out'.

14.10.07
• The Sunday Times - We stop our children being childish – that’s why they’re anxious - Rod Liddle.

• The Independent - The kids are perfectly all right - Tim Lott:
"Gun crime, gang violence, exam overload, traffic – these are the things said to be troubling our children. But they are never bored and are having the time of their lives..."

15.10.07
• The Telegraph - Pushy parents fuel exam stress for children - Graeme Paton.

16.10.07
• Spiked Online - The myth of stressed and depressed schoolkids: If we’re not careful, claims that young people can’t cope with the ‘intense pressure’ of exams could become a self-fulfilling prophecy - Helene Guldberg.

The launch of the Primary Review generated a large amount of interest.  Below is a selection of the coverage.

13.10.06 - Launch

Broadcast media:
• BBC R4 Today Programme – interview with Robin Alexander.
• BBC R5 Breakfast Programme – interview with Robin Alexander.
• BBC R5 Breakfast Programme – interview with Barry Sheerman MP, Chairman of the House of Commons Education and Skills Select Committee.
• BBC Radio York – interview with Robin Alexander.

Print media:
• Times Educational Supplement - Platform article by Robin Alexander.

• Independent - '...the biggest independent inquiry into primary school education for 40 years is [...] being launched today.  The investigation will be the first in-depth look at the sector since the introduction of national testing at seven and 11..."

• Daily Mail - 'The first review of primary education for 40 years is launched on Friday amid fears that schools have been landed with too many ill-conceived initiatives.

•BBC Online - '...National Union of Teachers general secretary Steve Sinnott said: "Such a review is long overdue"...'

•24dash.com - '...The two-year review aims to help shape the future of how children are taught in their first years of formal education...'

• Education Guardian - '...an independent inquiry into primary education in England is launched today. The two-year review based at Cambridge University and financed by a £350,000 grant from the Esmée Fairbairn Trust hopes to shape the future of schooling for young children for a generation, assessing the impact of political initiatives such as the national curriculum and reading and literacy drives.'

•NAHT (National Association of Head Teachers) - '...The most comprehensive such enquiry since the Plowden Report of 1967...'

•NUT (National Union of Teachers) - Press release from Steve Sinnott, NUT General Secretary at the time.

14.10.2006
• Cambridge Evening News - 'Primary Education up before the beak'
'...A massive review of primary school education was launched yesterday (Friday, 13 October) - and the man directing the inquiry is Professor Robin Alexander, a Fellow of Wolfson College, Cambridge...'

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Correction: In some newspapers the figure given at the launch for Esmée Fairbairn's grant for the Review was incorrect.  The correct figure to date is £450,000.

The Primary Review has generated media interest for more than its interim reports. This page includes links to some of these articles.

August 5, 2008: 'Jim'll fix it' - Peter Wilby, Guardian. Profile of Sir Jim and account of his Government-commissioned review of the primary curriculum, and of the relationship between this and the Primary Review. (Earlier in the same Guardian Education series Peter Wilby published an article on Professor Robin Alexander and the Primary Review - 28.11.08, here).

June 2008 - Education Journal article by Diane Hofkins. 'The quality of teachers', Education Journal 110: 13.

May 16, 2008: Times Educational Supplement - piece by Robin Alexander to mark the final release of interim reports. 'Testaments to the Power of 10'. "With today’s three research surveys on teaching, the Primary Review completes dissemination of its 30 interim reports and enters its next phase: the preparation of its main and final report. [...]

March 23, 2008:  'The NUT has cried wolf too often, but this time it's right' - Jenni Russell, The Guardian.

March 17, 2008: Several articles followed the joint conference between the Primary Review, Good Childhood Inquiry and General Teaching Council.

• 'Children have celebrity rammed down their throats, says professor' - Polly Curtis, education editor, The Guardian (18.03.08).

• 'Internet savvy children live in techno-Narnia' - Mary Riddell, The Telegraph (27.03.08)

• 'Best friends come first' - Helen Ward, The Times Educational Supplement (21.03.08).

March 11, 2008:  'The anxiety epidemic: Why are children so unhappy?' - Richard Garner, Education Editor, The Independent .

February 2008 - Education Journal article by Diane Hofkins. 'Foundation Stage principles could be extended through the infant years', Education Journal 108: 13.

November 2, 2007 - Times Educational Supplement - piece by Robin Alexander to mark the release of the second group of interim reports: 'Testing times for primary assessment'.

November 2007 - Education Journal article by Diane Hofkins. 'Primary review', Education Journal 106: 7.

March 2007 - Where there is no vision...  Contribution by Robin Alexander to the special Plowden 40th anniversary issue of Forum.

February 2007:

• 'Two decades of reform in education: do we need a review of primary education?' Education 3-13, Vol. 35, No.1, February 2007, pp1-3. (Mark Brundrett)

• Teachers' TV - focus on the Primary Review in 'The Big Debate' with Jonathan Dimbleby (7.2.07).

January 2007 -  Primary Source - ATL journal 'Report': article about the Review and profile of Robin Alexander, by Nick Blackmore.

December 2006 -  'The Primary Review: what it is, why it is needed and why NUT members should contribute' - NUT journal The Teacher, article by Robin Alexander.

November 28, 2006 -Guardian Education - article by Peter Wilby.  Interview with Professor Robin Alexander, and background to the Review.  The digital version, however, misses out a section of text; click here for the complete document (PDF).

October 17, 2006 - Guardian Education - article by Advisory Committee member, Diane Hofkins:
'What future for childhood?  The first comprehensive review of primary education in 40 years, launched last week, has three priorities: children, children, children. Or, as the Primary Review's website puts it, "children, their world, their education"...'

October 13, 2006 - Times Educational Supplement - Platform article by Robin Alexander: 'Alternative vision for primary children?'

October 2006 - Media coverage from the launch of the Primary Review

TEACHERS' TV - FOCUS ON THE PRIMARY REVIEW IN
'THE BIG DEBATE' - 7 FEBRUARY 2007

The Big Debate with Jonathan Dimbleby, and featuring Professor Robin Alexander, was aired Wednesday 7 February 2007 at 21.00. Under the title 'Too Much Too Young?', the debate took the Primary Review as its starting point for a studio discussion of controversial issues for the Review's attention - government policy, testing, curriculum, pressure on children, school starting ages, and so on.

The Primary Review web site contains all the current information concerning the progress of the project and for submissions, soundings and other events.

This section will include a selection of photographs and logos that may be downloaded and used in all forms of media, as long as they are clearly attributed “©2008 The Primary Review”.