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Pupils are gaining marks for writing obscenities in their GCSE English exams even it has nothing to do with the question. A pupil who wrote “f*** off” has been given marks for correct spelling and successfully conveying meaning. More marks would have been given if he had put an exclamation mark after it, as this shows a grasp of very basic grammar.Peter Buckroyd, the chief examiner of English for the AQA - Assessment and Qualifications Alliance - is responsible for standards in exams taken by 780,000 candidates and for training for 3,000 examiners. He has instructed other examiners to mark in the same way adhering strictly to the mark scheme, to the extent that pupils who write only expletives on their papers should be awarded marks. 2 marks, out of a possible 27, where given for the 2- word expletive. As a marker of English papers myself, I do understand the idiosyncrasies of working to the criteria of a mark scheme and the difficulties of finding the "best fit" to mark posi...

The "papers" have varying reports of the Mandela concert on Friday, and last night's Glastonbury, of which I watched majority of both. As I have said before, I am not an Amy Winehouse fan at all, but have to say that she has a powerful and unique voice. But whilst the voice still seems to be strong, her overall appearance and demeanour does not seem to show a "well" person. The Daily Mail reporter who said that she was "glowing" must have been looking at someone different to me. What I saw at both concerts seemed to be a woman struggling with life itself. She is skeletal, plastered in make up which makes her look terribly ill (which she is) and she is clearly struggling with keeping up the facade of her "act". What are we that we watch this spectacle of a desperate, sick woman putting on a performance whilst accompanied by her doctors? I suppose we could say it's brave of her. I don't think this is the case. Her promoters have a lot t...

The old man of the village who was thought to be the wisest, had a visit from his neighbour one day, who asked to borrow his donkey. The old man didn’t like this neighbour much and not wanting to loan the donkey said, “I would love to loan you my donkey, but my brother came only yesterday and borrowed it. The donkey, sadly, is not here.” The neighbour was disappointed but thanked the old man and began to walk away. Just then the donkey, which was in the old man’s garden, let out a loud bray.The neighbour turned to the old man and said, “I thought you told me that the donkey was not here!” The old man looked at the neighbour. “My friend,” he said, “Who are you going to believe? Me or the donkey?” Living in Maltby at the moment, it is very easy to feel like that neighbour. Who are we to believe and who’s lead do we follow when we are presented with divisions and disputes which appear to increase as each day goes by ? Those who have been elected and presumably strive towards the betterme...

After the exposure of the divisions and dispute within Maltby Town Council at the Annual General Meeting on 21st May, it was difficult to believe that further disruption, accusations and splits could be possible. A letter from Kevin Barron MP, had already criticised the council for delaying a cheque to the Maltby Festival Committee and complained about the way in which the council was being run. But more allegations were possible. And they were shown at the Town Council Meeting, held on 18th June at Addison Day Centre. The meeting began with questions from the public, which were related to the Maltby Master Plan Consultation Document, Tarran estate, and the green space of the former Craggs School site. A member of the public then accused Cllr K Stringer of casting aspersions on his fellow council members, through his recent publication of a poem in a local newspaper and demanded that Cllr Stringer either resign or be dismissed. Cllr Stringer responded with the words “who gives a damn” ...

Just when we were hoping British troops might be returning from the Middle East, more are to be deployed to the south of Afghanistan bringing the total to more than 8,000 by next spring. The plan is that this increase will provide better protection and further the training of local security forces as well as developing projects already in operation. That this increase in soldiers in Afghanistan will likely coincide with less troops in Iraq, is coincidental, I think ! The move will involve troops manning new armoured vehicles and Chinook and Apache helicopters. Tornados will replace Harriers as planes and crews show the strain of almost four years of engagement. "It does not mean our mission is expanding” says the defence secretary Des Browne. “We are taking the steps necessary to take our mission forward as effectively as we can." The Taliban leadership, he says, have turned "their ambition from insurgency to terrorism" referring to the suicide attacks last week wh...

Take the eyes of Peter Andre (because he seems like he would "see" deeply into feelings), the ears of Jamie Oliver (because he seems to listen well), and the mouth of Gordon Ramsay (because he speaks openly about everything) and you have the makings of "The Perfect Father". So says a survey amongst teenagers of what they think a perfect father would be like. (Yes, I was a bit shocked at the mouth one, too!) If only it was this simple and of course the survey is not suggesting that it is, b ut it's interesting to note what most people have as their ideal. And it's not about having someone buy you the latest clothes, cd's, dvd's or games consoles - it's about feelings and emotions. Not such a revelation in itself, but perhaps an insight into what is important to our children, despite what advertising and social trends tend to tell us. That I had the best father in the world, is something that I was able to easily believe. My father was a very good ...

WOO ! I won this month's One Word Challenge on Writer's News Talkback, with this poem. The word given was "Lightning". Lightning When rain streams down on thirsty earth and tender shoots are seen, we’re grateful for what makes it so, and revel in new green. But water’s strength soon spoils the land when torrid rivers run, and drown the soils which drink no more- we yearn then for the sun. Then solar rays dry out the flood and warm the ground a-new, till fertile becomes desert plain, where teeming life once grew. As heat kills off all fruitfulness, a barren landscape there; our only hope to wait again for a force to change the air. At last it comes - a flash, a streak, a charge to cause the storm. The power that shows authority from no mortal human form. Now I am the judge of June's poetry challenge. Feel free to sign me up for your latest antholgy poetry publishers.............