Here is this week’s collection of education news stories:
- I seem to have mentioned lots of stories about academies in recent weeks. However, the TES is now reporting that ‘the government will be forced to slash the number of academies it had hoped to create by September due to a lack of time and resources’. This BBC report also reports on the possible loss of services for children with special educational needs because of the academy scheme.
- The 2010 Teaching Awards in Northern Ireland took place this week, rewarding a number of teachers and headteachers for their work.
- Ofsted’s latest survey on religious education found that in many of the schools visited RE was no better than satisfactory. They believe that this is because ‘teachers are unsure about what they are trying to achieve in the subject.’
- Ministers are still refusing to confirm their spending plans, which could threaten a programme to build new schools in England.
Image – Focus
- Research shows that children to learn to read from a very young age perform no better by the age of 5 than those who learn later. A report from the National Literacy Trust also has some interesting findings, including this statement that ‘a significant number of parents are either unconvinced of the benefits of supporting their child’s literacy, don’t prioritise it or don’t have the skills to do so.’
- The government has ordered an independent review of child protection and social work in England, prompted by a number of high-profile abuse cases.
- Ministers are shelving a scheme to widen entitlement to free meals to more low income families, prompting complaints from campaigners against child poverty.
- State school pupils will be able to take a tougher International GCSE (IGCSE) after the Government has announced that it was introducing the qualification.
- New technology could allow students to complete exams from the comfort of their own rooms, according to this BBC article.
- The universities minister, David Willetts, has said that ‘England’s university system needs a radical overhaul to give more value to students and taxpayers’. He said that universities need to find cheaper and more flexible ways to teach.
- Despite Ofsted’s crackdown on pupil safety, it appears that some inspectors are not always following their own rules.
- Headteachers at boarding schools are demanding the right to give cake to their pupils as ‘children should be allowed access to “homely food” after school.’
- The popular PurpleMash site has received a makeover this week, with some handy new tabs which make it easier for teachers and children to find ‘app-tivities’ to use.
- The World Cup 2010 has begun and lots of schools are using the event as part of their lessons. This BBC video shows a school involved in a soccer-themed project. Don’t forget the World Cup resources on Teaching Ideas if you would like to try something similar!
