New year, new cabinet… Justine Greening’s out as education secretary, Jo Johnson’s been ‘demoted’ from his position as Universities minister, and there’s a new Office for Students (which, thankfully, will not include Toby Young). So what does it all mean for schools and universities? Well, Justine Greening quit her role in the government, refusing a job as work and pensions … Read More
Education News Weekly – 21st December, 2017
LGBTQ+ issues on the school curriculum, Sesame Street helping Syrian refugees and an alternative Christmas message from the children survivors of Grenfell. Grenfell survivor children to give alternative Christmas message – BBC Five children who survived the Grenfell Tower fire will deliver this year’s alternative Christmas message. The message, broadcast on Channel 4 on Christmas Day, will urge people … Read More
Education News Weekly – 13th December, 2017
Two-year degrees, the danger of energy drinks and, of course, a national failure to deal with snow… Schools close due to snow (obviously) – Telegraph As some reading this will surely know, many, many schools have been closed recently due to the snow. Over 2700 schools were closed on Monday – including all council-run schools in Birmingham – with … Read More
Education News Weekly – 24th November, 2017
Tory childcare blunders, a glitter freeze at nurseries and… Is Mein Kampf back on the curriculum? Government failing families on childcare – Independent The cost of childcare for young children has risen more than four times faster than wages since 2008, research shows. New analysis published by the Trades Union Congress (TUC) reveals that in England the average wages … Read More
Education News Weekly – 7th November, 2017
CCTV in school toilets, a comedian advocating teachers and some good ol’ fashioned Ofsted-bashing Time to put Ofsted in ‘special measures’? – TES Ofsted has come under attack this week, with a leading education academic claiming the regulatory board’s methods are “invalid, unreliable and unjust.” Frank Coffield, emeritus professor of education at the UCL Institute of Education, was scathing … Read More
How unfair is the university admissions process?
Suffice to say, the answer goes far beyond just Oxbridge… We have probably by now seen all seen the recent – and damning – statistics about Oxbridge admissions, and how significant ethnic, class and geographical factors can be. If you haven’t, you can see them here. Such is the difference in chances of receiving a place at one of Britain’s … Read More
Education News Weekly – 24th October, 2017
Alarm clocks, term-time holidays and a shocking lack of diversity at Oxbridge… MP David Lammy criticises Oxbridge lack of diversity – BBC The former education secretary was dismayed at data released after a Freedom of Information request about admissions statistics for Britain’s top two universities, amid news that as many as 16 Oxbridge colleges failed to offer any places … Read More
Education News Weekly – 11th October, 2017
Robot teachers, a backlash against social media and the vital importance of parental involvement… Parental involvement ‘more important’ than schooling for child’s success – Independent Research from North Carolina State University, Brigham Young University, and the University of California, Irvine finds that parental involvement is a more significant factor in a child’s academic success than the qualities of the … Read More
Education News Weekly – 27th September, 2017
A new mental health initiative, Labour’s National Education Service and why teachers are now having to pay to stock their classrooms… Education funding crisis – Tes, BBC, Guardian The long-running education funding crisis has shown no sign of abating, with recent research revealing that one third (over 9,400) of state schools are now operating with a cash deficit. A … Read More
Education News Weekly – 11th June, 2017
Dangerous smartphones, a school fight club and what a hung parliament could mean for education Election news – Guardian, Independent, BBC Well, well, well. That was exhilarating, wasn’t it? Who saw that coming, eh? Certainly, there’s a good chance the education vote swung heavily towards Labour, given Jeremy Corbyn’s plan to increase per-pupil spending by 6% over the next … Read More
