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Ofsted Tells Schools to Push Pupils for Entry into Leading Universities
The education watchdog is set to publish two landmark reports next month to tackle important issues in secondary education. This move is part of initiatives designed to prevent gifted children between the age of 11 and 16 from underperforming, following an Ofsted inquiry which found that state comprehensives were failing a lot of our brightest […]
Separation of Qualifications for England, Wales and Northern Ireland Proposed
Education secretary Michael Gove deems it time to have separate exams systems for GCSE and A-levels in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Mr Gove has already written to his counterparts in the two countries regarding the proposal. He mentions in his letter how the differences in structure, grading and content of these qualifications are becoming […]
Contextual Data in University Screening Questioned by School Leaders Association Head
The use of contextual data in making background checks on university applicants is being questioned by a school head and school leaders association president. Some universities are using such data which may lead to the bias on social background and away from academic ability as objective criteria, the concerned leader points out. At the Higher […]
Renowned Assessment Agency Proposes Change of GCSE Grades to Scores
In a published report, Cambridge Assessment presents why they favour replacing the use of grade scale to scores in the reformed GCSEs. They propose reporting the results using scores or a numerical scale using much larger number of points. According to the document from the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate which goes by the […]
Number of Chinese Language Assistants in Schools Increase
Education is identified once again as a catalyst for national growth. This time, it is in Scotland’s building and fortifying the foundation of stronger engagement with China. The British Council Scotland reported that the number of Chinese language assistants requested by schools in the country have doubled. The development is good for the country’s 2006 […]
A-level Alternative to Boost Status of Vocational Courses Announced
A new structure that will raise the status of vocational courses in sixth forms and colleges throughout England and make them “on a par” with A-levels, according to ministers was launched Monday. The “technical baccalaureate” is taken from bundling together new and existing qualifications to create a measure schools can use to gauge performance. It […]
Should Universities Ban Country-Specific Student Groups?
Citing that nationality exclusive groups may hinder the intercultural interaction of students which is an important component of international education, University of Sheffield pro vice-chancellor for learning and teaching Paul White says that universities should highly consider banning student societies which are nation specific. He asserted in the Westminster Higher Education Conference which had as […]
Going to University is Still the Best Means to be Successful in Career
The changing times may have resulted in university degrees not being enough to secure a fulfilling career or a job itself for a graduate. However, the academe has coped with the shifting requirements of the job market thereby making formal education still the best means of achieving success in clenching the highly contested vacancy and, […]
Fund Created to Raise Teaching Standards in London Schools
London Mayor Boris Johnson has announced the creation of a £24m fund to help drive up teaching standards in the capital. The London Schools Excellence Fund mostly came from the Department for Education (£20m), with the mayor contributing £4.25m. It will support programmes that encourage teaching excellence and professional development for teachers across London, and […]
Education Secretary Plans Changes to Curriculum in English Schools
In a speech delivered Tuesday, Education secretary Michael Gove believes UK pupils should learn from a robust “core knowledge” of information and facts instead of “vapid happy talk” so that they are ensured of a structured “stock of knowledge”. These principles underlie his plans for putting forth new curricula for English primary and secondary schools, […]
Cambridge Thinking About Reintroducing Entrance Tests As Replacement for AS-Level Grade Requirement
Cambridge University is considering changes to its admissions procedures by reintroducing universal and generalised entrance exams to be taken by all candidates to better gauge the academic abilities of its prospective students. Entrance tests are making a comeback in the admissions process after 27 years. The AS-level grades of university applicants is one factor that […]
Damage on Students’ Essay Writing Skills Due to Heavy Use of Twitter and Facebook
Professor David Abulafia, a leading Cambridge don says that said teenagers’ essay writing skills were “going down the plug hole” because much of their writing today is done online via social networks, wherein the accepted standards for use of language is vastly different compared to acceptable levels in academic institutions. Prof Abulafia cites Twitter as […]
Underprivileged, Expelled Children to be Given Military-Style Training
Four projects aimed towards teaching teamwork, discipline and leadership skills to underprivileged children and those expelled from mainstream schools have recently received government funding to develop a programme that will raise education standards among ‘difficult’ students. Former military serviceman will serve as facilitators. Under the scheme, children will undergo one-to-one mentoring to address behavioural issues, […]
Exams Regulator Ofqual Expresses Concern Over Changes to England’s Exams System
The exams watchdog has asked Education Secretary Michael Gove through a letter to rethink the changes he will bring in, which will have English Baccalaureate Certificates (EBC) replacing GCSE qualifications. Mr Gove responded by saying he will be conducting meetings next week with officials to talk about these concerns. In the letter, Ofqual expressed their […]
UK Education Ranked Sixth Best Globally, Second Best in Europe
A new independent league table ranking universities globally has placed the UK education system at sixth best in the developed world. The study called The Learning Curve was conducted by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) for Pearson, the education firm. It aims to help policymakers, school leaders and academics tell which key factors will help […]
400 Poor-Performing Primary Schools to Become Academies
The government seeks to institute another education reform by turning the 400 weakest primary schools in England and Wales out of the control of their local authorities and into academies. Prime Minister David Cameron announced that by the end of next year he wants to pair the schools with sponsors in a bid to improve […]
GCSE Exams to be Discontinued, Replaced by English Baccalaureate Qualification
Education secretary Michael Gove has revealed a major shakeup of the exam system for secondary schools in England. The GCSE would be phased out in favour of an English Baccalaureate qualification. This move is meant to end the highly criticised aspect of GCSE wherein exam boards compete with one another to offer the easiest exams […]
GCSEs to be Replaced by More Rigorous O-Level Style Qualifications, Education Secretary Confirms
Education Secretary Michael Gove has confirmed that a qualification similar to O-levels is proposed to replace GCSEs. The proposal came after Mr Gove admitted that students who had taken the latest GCSEs this summer were treated ‘unfairly’ and that it reinforces the need for reform in the GCSE exams system. O-levels were previously in force […]
English GCSE Marks Lowered Due to Grade Boundary Changes, Exam Boards May Face Legal Action
A survey of 800 schools by the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) found that 87% had complaints about the GCSE English results, which saw a huge majority of secondary school students unable to get C grade passes due to last minute changes to the English GCSE grade boundaries. The strong reaction was due […]
Average Tuition Fees in England to Rise Next Year
University entrants next year can expect to pay higher tuition fees of over £8,500 on average, greater than the latest estimate of £8,385 for 2012/13. In addition a third of English institutions will be charging the £9,000 maximum amount as standard for a degree. Around three in four will also charge the top rate for […]
