Latest Educational News
Royal College of Teaching proposed
by BBC, April 30, 2013
The creation of a Royal College of Teaching is under discussion as a way of creating an independent professional voice for teachers in England.
The AQA exam board has published a collection of essays on how such a professional body might operate.
MPs on the Education Select Committee have backed calls for setting up a royal college.
But committee member Charlotte Leslie says it must be created by the teaching profession and not the government.
Children 'should be allowed to learn from own mistakes'
by BBC, April 30, 2013
Children should be encouraged to take risks and make their own mistakes while they are still young enough to learn from them, a heads' leader says.
They should have time to play poker, drive go-karts and climb trees, says Christian Heinrich, chairman of the Boarding Schools' Association.
He also warns against hurrying children "into the rest of their lives".
He will tell his association's annual conference to remember there is more to school than classrooms and exams.
New exam materials for Scots fourth year pupils published
by BBC, April 30, 2013
More support materials for new qualifications being introduced in Scottish secondary schools are due to be published later.
From June, fourth year pupils will study the National 4 and 5 courses which are replacing Standard Grades.
Some teachers had expressed concern that they did not have enough resources to plan new lessons.
Government agency Education Scotland has produced additional course materials and sample lessons.
'Big rise' in pupils taking IGCSEs
by Buxton Advertiser, April 29, 2013
Soaring numbers of pupils are being entered for a qualification that is often seen as a tougher alternative to GCSEs, with 205 schools in the east of England are now offering it, new figures suggest.
Schools have made more than 115,000 entries for international GCSE exams - known as IGCSEs - this year, double the number made a year ago, according to Cambridge International Examinations' (CIE) latest data.
The exams have long been favoured by many private schools, who argue that they are tougher than traditional GCSEs.
But the figures suggest that IGCSEs are also becoming increasingly popular with state schools after a decision by ministers in June 2010 to allow these schools to offer the qualifications.
Tutoring's downside
by Guardian, April 29, 2013
It is worrying that parents are paying for extra tutoring in the hope that their children will reach the required A-level grades for a university course (Poorer parents digging deep to fund boom in private tutoring, 27 April).
Such students, even if successful, are being set up to struggle once they get to university, where class contact time will be minimal and teaching does not focus on passing exams.
University teachers are increasingly seeing a mismatch between our incoming students' perceptions of education and our own.
Helen Mann inquest: Head teacher 'worried over Ofsted review'
by BBC, April 29, 2013
A head teacher found dead at her school was concerned it would lose its top Ofsted rating, an inquest has heard.
Helen Mann, 43, was found hanged at Sytchampton Endowed First School, near Stourport-on-Severn, Worcestershire, in November.
Mrs Mann had been head of the school for less than six months when she died.
The inquest in Stourport was told Mrs Mann was appointed after the school had been without a permanent head teacher for five terms.
Parents are sending children as young as two for elocution lessons so they won't pick up their foreign nanny's accent
by Daily Mail, April 29, 2013
.Parents hope the lessons will secure a place at top infant school for their child
.But campaigners have criticised the move by saying it puts too much pressure on children
Children aged two are taking elocution lessons to prevent them picking up a foreign accent from their nannies or parents.
The action is being taken by wealthy families who believe their child will stand a better chance of securing a place at a highly sought-after infant school.
But campaigners have criticised the move by saying it puts too much pressure on the youngsters.
Busy parents 'failing to teach children right from wrong'
by Telegraph, April 29, 2013
Busy middle-class parents are abdicating moral responsibility for their sons and daughters because of the mounting pressure of work, a leading author has warned.
Girls' school holds 'blow your own trumpet' week
by BBC, April 29, 2013
An independent girls' school is holding a "blow your own trumpet" week to help over-pressured, high-achieving pupils who find it difficult to accept that they have been successful.
"Some teenagers will continue to push themselves, never recognising when they've done enough," said Heather Hanbury, head of Wimbledon High School.
Last year the school ran a "failure week" to help girls cope with setbacks.
Now the London day school says it wants to raise girls' sense of "self-worth".
Cambridge beats Oxford in major university league table
by Telegraph, April 29, 2013
Cambridge maintained its lead over Oxford to be named as the top university in Britain in an authoritative league table published today.
Measles Risk Claim angers private schools
by Telegraph, April 29, 2013
One of Britain’s most senior doctors has been accused of “peddling chaotic misinformation” about MMR and the risks of measles in private schools.
. and Headmistresses' Conference, said the importance of vaccination had been undermined by an “ill-founded attack on independent education”. Prof Ashton ...
Students: how to take notes in lectures
by Guardian, April 29, 2013
You spend an awful lot of time gathering information from teachers and books – so sort out a strategy that makes note-taking simple
Put everything into perspective and university is 95% note-taking, 5% all the other stuff. If you can take good notes, you're on track to make the academic side of things much easier for yourself.
Technology is doing a lot to sort out our note-taking. One big advance is that lecture presentations are usually uploaded to a university's intranet for all to see.
On the downside, this guarantee of availability gives you an excuse to zone out and let the lecturer's words drift over you. While this is tempting, it's better to listen out for the in-depth explanations that aren't on the presentation – the bits you can't access later are usually the most valuable.
British exam papers 'being sent to India to be marked'
by Telegraph, April 29, 2013
Prof Alan Smithers, director of the Centre for Education and Employment Research at Buckingham University, said: “It is very concerning because exams are not ...
Connecting the dots: experiences of headship in all-through schools
by Guardian, April 28, 2013
Primary head Liz Astley discusses the importance of early years and foundation stage and responds to Elizabeth Truss's comments about "chaotic nurseries"
Did you always plan to go into headship?
Yes, I did. I realise this might be an unusual experience but I was helped along the way by an Ofsted inspector when I was at Great Meols primary in the days when individual teachers still got Outstanding certificates. The lead inspector was a really lovely man and made an effort to come and talk to me at the end of the week. When he found out I was about to go to Abu Dhabi he advised me to stay away for only short amount of time if I wanted to go further in my career as it was such a time of change in primary education.
Headteachers mock Jesse Norman's claim Eton breeds best public servants
by Guardian, April 28, 2013
Tory MP says number of old Etonians in government is due to other schools not having same 'commitment to public service'
An attempt by one of David Cameron's policy advisers to defend the number of old Etonians in government backfired when he was lampooned by headteachers for claiming that Eton was better than other schools at promoting a "commitment to public service".
Jesse Norman, the Tory MP for Hereford and South Herefordshire, himself an old Etonian, suggested on Saturday that its pupils received the best grooming for office because of the values the school instils in them. "Other schools don't have the same commitment to public service. They do other things," said Norman, who was one of two old Etonians to be promoted to top policy roles by Cameron last week.
Parent groups join nurseries to fight new carer ratios
by Guardian, April 28, 2013
Mumsnet and Netmums unite with nursery providers to demand government plan to decrease carer-to-child limits be abandoned
Parents are joining forces with Britain's top nursery chains in a revolt against plans to reduce the number of carers required to look after babies and toddlers – amid stark warnings the safety of children would be compromised.
The two leading internet forums for mothers – Mumsnet and Netmums – unite this weekend with top private and voluntary sector nurseries to demand the reforms be abandoned.
Graduate 'rich list' reveals universities that will make you a millionaire: Oxford comes top but Manchester is also in 'super wealthy' elite
by Daily Mail, April 26, 2013
.Oxford has 401 super-rich graduates but Cambridge has more billionaires
.Three London universities complete top five on new graduate rich list
.Manchester, Nottingham and Birmingham also make it into top 10
.More than 90% of ultra-wealthy university graduates are men
A new graduate 'rich list' has revealed the universities where students are most likely to become multi-millionaires.
Oxford comes top after producing 401 alumni worth £20million or more, and Cambridge is in second place with 361 - but Cambridge has the most billionaires.
The average super-rich graduate from Cambridge has a fortune of £169million, more than twice as much as Oxford's ultra-wealthy ex-students.
More Pupils Taking 'Tougher' IGCSEs, Figures Suggest
by Huffington Post, April 26, 2013
Soaring numbers of pupils are being entered for a qualification that is often seen as a tougher alternative to GCSEs, new figures suggest.
Schools have made more than 115,000 entries for international GCSE exams - known as IGCSEs - this year, double the number made a year ago, according to Cambridge International Examinations' (CIE) latest data.
Over-protected children 'more likely to be bullied'
by BBC, April 26, 2013
Children who have over-protective parents are more likely to be bullied by their peers, research suggests.
A review of 70 studies looking at 200,000 children suggests parents who "buffer" children from negative experiences make them more vulnerable.
But children who have harsh or negative parents are most likely to be bullied, it finds.
Professor Dieter Wolke said everyone looked at schools, but his study says bullying really starts at home.
Literacy in Scotland, dyslexia training gap and more: research in brief
by Guardian, April 26, 2013
Our weekly round up of the latest research papers, methods and ideas related to teaching and learning
Literacy levels in Scotland
A survey of literacy levels in Scotland has found most pupils performing well in reading and have an enjoyment of reading from a young age; but their classmates from deprived areas didn't perform so well, especially in writing.
The Scottish Survey of Literacy and Numeracy, published this week, assessed 10,100 pupils from primary four (P4), primary seven( P7) and the second year of secondary school (S2) in May last year. It looked at pupils' performance in reading, writing, listening and talking. The survey found the majority of pupils in all stages were performing well or very well at the relevant Curriculum for Excellence level in reading; 83% in P4, 90% in P7 and 84% in S2.
