Latest Educational News
Academy schools: Vocational equivalents 'inflating results'
by BBC, February 3, 2012
Classified as Academies.
The "excessive" use of vocational equivalents is "inflating" the results of England's academy schools, analysis of league table data suggests.
Thousands of the qualifications which are deemed easier than GCSEs were devalued by the government this week.
But analysis by school improvement expert Dr Terry Wrigley shows 68% of academies rely more heavily on them than the average state school.
Universities in England could train Wales' new teachers under Welsh Government plan
by Wales On Line, February 3, 2012
The Welsh Government will consider tendering its new teaching qualification to universities outside Wales, it has emerged.
Newly Qualified Teachers (NQTs) in Wales will have the opportunity to follow a masters in educational practice (MEP) as part of their induction from September.
The three-year programme is designed to strengthen standards of teaching and address variations in the nation’s Early Professional Development (EPD) offer.
Grammar school pupils awarded places at top universities
by Daily Express, February 3, 2012
Classified as 11 Plus.
A GRAMMAR school is celebrating its second highest number of students accepted into Oxford and Cambridge universities.
Colchester Royal Grammar School, in Lexden Road, saw 34 pupils receive offers from the Oxbridge colleges.
They have all received letters of acceptance following a rigorous selection process. It compares with last year’s record figure of 41 offers.
Headteacher Ken Jenkinson said: “The competition seems to get fiercer every year and the students deserve every credit in coming through a demanding selection process.”
GCSE shake-up ‘publicity stunt’
by Blackpool Gazette, February 3, 2012
A BLACKPOOL headteacher has accused the Government of “headline grabbing” as hundreds of vocational qualifications were cut out of league tables.
From 2014, more than 3,100 vocational qualifications, will no longer be recognised and only 70 “equivalents” will count on a like-for-like basis with GCSEs.
Under the current system, courses such as horse care can be worth the same as four GCSEs.
But the Government says this has created “perverse incentives” for schools to offer exams to boost their league table position.
Critics say they fear schools in the future will only offer qualifications which be included in performance tables.
School holidays are a pointless relic of the past
by Telegraph, February 3, 2012
Year-round education would be less stressful for teachers, parents and children.
Tradition is a powerful force in education. There is something about the rote and routine of early schooling – the knotting of ties, the recitation of times tables, the eager faces at morning assembly – that continues to deliver great results.
The Victorian principles of a rounded education have endured social, political and economic upheaval and remain as effective today as they were in the 19th century. What is no longer of any use, though, is their antiquated timetabling of the school year. The 9am to 3.30pm day, with six-week summer holidays, is not only no longer relevant to our lives, but also puts significant and unnecessary strain on teachers, parents and children.
Free childcare 'has limited impact on early education'
by Telegraph, February 3, 2012
A £2bn a year programme to provide free childcare is failing to have a long-term impact on education standards, according to the spending watchdog.
Officials said there had been “no improvement” in results for seven-year-olds in recent years, despite the introduction of flagship reforms to give all infants access to weekly nursery sessions.
It was claimed that up to a fifth of parents in some areas failed to take up their free state entitlement and the quality of childcare differed significantly between local authorities.
University access tsar threatens to impose 'nuclear' penalty
by Telegraph, February 3, 2012
Universities should be hit with the “nuclear” option of huge financial penalties for failing to recruit enough students from poor backgrounds, the Government’s new fair access tsar has warned.
In an outspoken attack, Prof Les Ebdon said he would use the toughest possible sanctions against institutions that consistently fall short of demanding admissions targets, including a ban on charging £9,000 tuition fees.
The academic – named as the Coalition’s preferred choice as head of the Office for Fair Access – suggested that universities belonging to the elite Russell Group faced the biggest challenges because they had a “mixed” record on admitting deprived students.
Can the teaching unions be part of the solution?
by Guardian, February 3, 2012
A new research project aims to uncover what matters to teachers
What are unions for - and what should they be for? Are they industrial lobbying groups, existing to advance the interests of their members, or professional associations driven to improve the quality of the services they provide?
The two goals can combine of course, but there's often little acknowledgment of this.
National Library Day marks a year of protests against library closures
by Guardian, February 3, 2012
Campaigners have saved some libraries from closure, and an inquiry begins next week – but councils are now under greater financial pressure than ever to cut services
In the 12 months since a surge of public protest against proposed library closures was expressed in last February's Save Our Libraries Day, campaigning bibliophiles around the country have enjoyed mixed fortunes.
There was rejoicing in Somerset and Gloucestershire, where library closures were quashed by a legal challenge, but in Brent, north-west London, despite a determined high court action and 24-hour vigils outside Kensal Rise library, the Brent SOS Libraries campaign group failed to prevent six libraries from being boarded up.
Free nursery places may not help children's education, watchdog finds
by Guardian, February 3, 2012
National Audit Office says free nursery places have improved development by age five, but results at seven are unchanged
Free nursery places for pre-school children may not have a lasting impact on their education, the government's spending watchdog has suggested.
A report by the National Audit Office (NAO) found it was not clear whether government moves to fund nursery education for three- and four-year-olds was leading to longer-term benefits.
While children's development at five has improved, results at age seven remain unchanged, it says.
Academy schools: Vocational equivalents 'inflating results'
by BBC, February 3, 2012
The "excessive" use of vocational equivalents is "inflating" the results of England's academy schools, analysis of league table data suggests.
Thousands of the qualifications which are deemed easier than GCSEs were devalued by the government this week.
But analysis by school improvement expert Dr Terry Wrigley shows 68% of academies rely more heavily on them than the average state school.
The secret of winning a place to study law
by Guardian, February 2, 2012
Many applicants hate the National Admissions Test for Law even more than interviews, but you don't need legal knowledge in order to tackle either
Fifteen years on, I still shudder at the memory of my unsuccessful interview for a place to study law at Cambridge. If only my curtain-haired 18-year old self had been more like the accomplished student who excels in the mock interview video on the Oxford law faculty's website.
Hundreds of exam papers to be reviewed after marker admits fraud
by Guardian, February 2, 2012
Julia Rawlinson admits lying and using fake degrees and teaching certificates to gain employment with exam board
An exam board is to review hundreds, possibly thousands of papers after a marker and teacher admitted she forged her degree, doctorate and teaching certificate.
Julia Rawlinson, 44, lied to gain employment with the exam board Edexcel before going on to be offered a post teaching biology at a school in Devon.
The fraud emerged when the school, Westlands, in Torquay, offered her a contract and carried out a criminal records (CRB) check. It noticed her exam certificates were photocopies and contacted the universities where she claimed she had studied. They proved to be false and the police were called in.
I'll ensure our schools have no excuses for failure
by Guardian, February 2, 2012
Last year's riots proved that the schools in our most deprived areas need leaders with drive and high expectations
Those who took part in the riots last August were overwhelmingly young and from disadvantaged backgrounds. Half of those who appeared in court were under 21, and three times more likely to be entitled to free meals when they were at school.
The sad truth is that these are the very young people most likely to attend a weak school and receive a substandard education. This is not acceptable any more. If we don't give more of our young people a good education, then more will end up in jail, and more communities will fracture. If we don't give our young people the skills they need for employment, their communities can't thrive.
Degree places switch from university to FE colleges
by BBC, February 2, 2012
Further education colleges are going to play a bigger role in offering degrees in England, as colleges are awarded funding for thousands of places previously held by universities.
Universities Minister David Willetts has announced that about half of the allocation of 20,000 lower-cost places will be in further education colleges.
Places were reserved for institutions with fees of £7,500 per year or less.
How to find the perfect place for your child
by Independent, February 2, 2012
League tables are only one of many factors for parents to consider when deciding upon an independent school or college
Even though the Government is doing some tinkering with the relationship between state and independent education – in particular, allowing free schools to be run by private groups and funded by the government – the landscape has not yet experienced any seismic changes, and doesn't seem likely to in the near future. There are, after all only around 100 free schools open or due to open this year, set against well over 20,000 state-controlled ones, and the proportion of children involved in this reform remains tiny.
Tonbridge has best school in county
by Tonbridge People, February 2, 2012
Classified as 11 Plus.
TONBRIDGE is home to the highest-ranking secondary school in Kent.
Outstanding GCSE results earned by pupils at Tonbridge Grammar School has placed the Deakin Leas establishment at the number one spot in the county.
It was ranked 15th in the nationwide school and college league tables for 2011, released by the Department of Education last week.
The school achieved a 100 per cent pass rate last summer with all students earning at least five A* to C grades in their GCSE exams.
Basildon schools use elocution to help pupils' spelling
by BBC, February 2, 2012
Pupils at an Essex primary school are receiving elocution lessons - to help improve their spelling.
Staff at Cherry Tree Primary School in Basildon said some children were writing words according to how they pronounced them.
They say the lessons are not about helping them to lose their accents.
Literacy co-ordinator Terri Chudleigh said: "If you are saying 'we was' instead of 'we were' then that's what you're going to write."
Mrs Chudleigh said the lessons, from a private elocution teacher, had already led to an improvement in the children's writing skills.
Girls' grammar is 21st best in UK
by Stratford Upon Avon Herald, February 2, 2012
Classified as 11 Plus.
STRATFORD-UPON-AVON Grammar School for Girls is ranked the 21st best state school in the UK offering education to 16 to 18-year-olds in the latest Department for Education's performance tables for sixth form schools and colleges.
If you include independent schools as well as state schools, Stratford Grammar rank 36th out of all 4,490 schools in England and the school tops the table for Warwickshire.
Prepared for a bright future
by Independent, February 2, 2012
Classified as 11 Plus.
Prior practice is vital to a good entrance assessment, but pushy parents will only make it harder for their children
Once you've drawn up a shortlist of the possible schools for your child, the next hurdle to clear is securing a place. While there are never any guarantees of success, it is possible to prepare yourself and your child for the impending application process.
In fact, you could start preparing years in advance if time allows. "Parents need to think about getting their children lots of interesting experiences, so that they have something to say," recommends Paula Holloway, principal at St Clare's, Oxford. She believes that you can help your child make a good first impression when meeting potential schools by encouraging activities such as hobbies and sport, as well as having regular discussions around the dinner table.
