Here are links to some of this week’s education-related news:
Pensions - The strike over pensions dominated education news this week. Here are some articles which cover what happened:
- At least 12,000 schools are known to have been closed or partly closed as part of the industrial action.
- This BBC report shares opinions from parents and teachers linked to a school in West London.
- Millions of parents had to take time off work or make other arrangements to look after children who could not go to school.
- Members of the NUT and ATL have said that ‘the government is not listening’ to their concerns. However, Michael Gove expressed his ‘disappointment’ about the strike. Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said negotiations are the only way to resolve differences over changes to public sector pensions.
- An estimated 40,000 public sector workers in Wales joined the strike.
- This report from the Telegraph labels the strike ‘a respectable, but not sensational, success.’
- The Guardian asked for readers comments about the strike… here are some of them.
Schools:
- Education Secretary Michael Gove says he would like to see the “vast majority” of pupils in England studying maths to the age of 18 within a decade.
- Students will not be allowed to enter teacher training in England if they fail basic numeracy and literacy tests three times, under tougher rules to raise teaching standards.
- New teachers will be given back-to-basics training in dealing with unruly pupils under Government plans to crackdown on bad behaviour in the classroom.
- One-in-five schoolchildren are labelled as having special needs, following claims that problems are being over-diagnosed to disguise poor results.
- Five and six-year-olds are being taught in pupil referral units, normally used for teenagers, according to this report in the TES.
Exams:
- Exams regulator Ofqual has launched an inquiry into a string of errors in this summer’s exam papers.
- An ICT qualification with coursework tasks so difficult that even experienced teachers find them “impossible” is leading many schools to quit the subject altogether.
- Education Secretary Michael Gove says modular GCSEs are to be phased out, with students starting in 2012 taking all exams at the end of the course.
Universities:
- Two teenagers have been given the right to mount a High Court challenge to plans to increase tuition fees at England’s universities.
- Two universities are “actively considering” going private amid concerns over a loss of income in the wake of the Government’s higher education reforms, it has emerged.
- Scottish universities will be able to charge annual fees of up to £9,000 for students coming to study from other parts of the UK, under new plans.
Other News:
- Sir Terry Leahy, the former chief executive of Tesco, issued a warning about poor standards in Britain’s schools and universities which leave youngsters ill-prepared for work.
- This report in the Telegraph questions if texting and other ‘modern messaging’ can enhance children’s literacy skills.
Next week’s Teaching Events include:
- 20th June to 3rd July - Wimbledon
- 27th June to 3rd July - My Money Week
- 2nd July - International Co-operative Day
- 2nd July to 24th July - Tour de France
- 4th July - Independence Day
- 4th to 10th July – Move It Week
