Here are links to some of this week’s education-related news:
- Primary school heads are warning more than 12,000 jobs could be lost from schools during the next year.
- Teachers have voted for a widespread campaign of industrial action against cuts to public sector pensions.
- Students at universities and colleges across the UK are also facing disruption to their studies as lecturers strike over pay and changes to their pensions.
- The NASUWT teachers’ union annual conference has passed a motion saying it has “no confidence” in government policies for education in England.
- The Coalition has been accused of wasting at least £21m on education consultants, just as school budgets are cut in the downturn.
- Teachers are to step up the pressure on the government over its plans to rapidly expand the number of academies in England over the next few years.
- Members of Scotland’s largest teachers’ union have voted to accept a controversial pay and conditions package.
- “Minimal” funding for the Government’s flagship “teaching school” initiative will leave headteachers unable to take on the major tasks given to them by ministers, heads’ leaders have warned.
- Thousands of primary heads should be balloted over a further boycott of key stage 2 Sats tests if the Government does not revamp the assessment system as early as next year, school leaders will be told this weekend.
- The Department for Education is looking at the induction arrangements for newly qualified teachers to see how they can be refined, improved and updated to better meet the needs of teachers and schools.
- Teachers say that parents cannot “abandon responsibility” for their children’s behaviour at school.
Image – scream and shout
- Pupil behaviour is no better than satisfactory in almost a fifth of England’s secondary schools, government figures show. A report claims that head teachers are “recklessly abandoning responsibility” for behaviour after failing to crack down on low-level disorder in the classroom.
- Head teachers should have to publish their salaries as increasing numbers are thought to be earning six figure sums, a teachers’ leader says.
- The English Baccalaureate is the first of many more performance measures to come, says Schools Minister Nick Gibb.
- Private schools are weathering the recession, according to a body representing more than 1,200 of them.
- Teaching union, the NASUWT, claims some schools are flouting the law by using untrained staff to take classes.
- The Church of England is considering changing the admissions policy for its schools to include more children whose families do not worship regularly.
- Intelligence tests are as much a measure of motivation as they are of mental ability, says research from the US.
- A 15-year-old boy was given a standing ovation at a teachers’ conference after his speech on the axing of the education maintenance allowance (EMA).
- The Guardian has a report about how some schools have celebrated the Royal Wedding.
Next week’s Teaching Events include:
- 2nd April to 2nd May - National Pet Month
- 23rd April to 8th May - Shakespeare’s Birthday Celebrations
- 2nd May to 8th May - RSPCA Week
