Posts on ‘November 2nd, 2009’

Edward Vickerman was told he’d never make a teacher, because of his dyslexia. But to him, that’s not a disadvantage - it’s a gift. He explains why to Martin Wainwright
The first thing that new students learn from Edward Vickerman is that he won’t be writing on the classroom board. And that marking of their work [...]

• Plan to scrap £40m budget is requested by Mandelson• Colleges ask for time to find new cash sources
Prestigious universities face a £40m funding cut under government-backed plans to scrap a budget that pays for the maintenance of their historic buildings.
Oxford, Cambridge and King’s College London will be worst affected by the proposals, which are [...]

Research shows most families welcome help, but critics attack ‘nationalising’ of parenting
Half of all schools have hired a member of staff to provide support for its pupils’ parents, it has emerged. New figures from the Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA) show that a few months after the post of parent support adviser was [...]

Students to be given better information about quality of courses before starting a degree
University courses are to be tagged with their drop-out rates, graduates’ future earnings and the number of contact hours students can expect with tutors. The move, which will be modelled on a food-labelling system, is part of a consumer revolution in higher [...]

Teaching unions ballot members to gauge level of support for a boycott aimed at forcing government to drop the tests for 11-year-olds
More than 100,000 teachers in England were today asked to support a boycott of Sats this summer, in a bid to force the government to drop the tests for 11-year-olds.
The National Union of Teachers [...]

Initial statistics suggest there will again be strong demand for a place at university in the UK next year.
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More than 25,000 people have signed a petition calling for the end of Sats, it was announced today, as industrial action over the tests moved a step closer.

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Tougher action is urged against the thousands of parents who lie to get their children into popular schools every year.
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• Report reveals 1,100 children whose parents had lied • Tougher sanctions needed as deterrent, says watchdog
Thousands of families are colluding in elaborate lies to cheat their way into the top state schools, according to a report from the chief schools adjudicator, who today accused those parents of “thieving” school places and recommended [...]

Early application figures indicate that competition for university places next year will be fierce
Teenagers face record competition for places at top universities and on popular courses next autumn, figures published today reveal.
The news has sparked renewed calls for ministers to increase the number of places available.
Applications for undergraduate degrees at Oxford and Cambridge universities have [...]