ISC Daily News Summary

19 May 2009

In a hurry? Click on a link to go straight to a story.

Traditional school subjects 'no longer fashionable'
Children's database launched amid concerns
Specialist schools accused of failing their specialist subjects
University complaints 'soar by a quarter'
Why nursery schools are bad for little boys
Guardian education supplement
A single school entry date will cause long-term damage to education
Independent Schools Golf Association
School's out for adventure

Teaching methods

Traditional school subjects 'no longer fashionable'

Daily Telegraph
Traditional subject teaching is no longer "fashionable" as schools are encouraged to provide trendy skills classes, according to Bernice McCabe, head of North London Collegiate School. Mrs McCabe said teenagers increasingly left school with little factual knowledge, meaning many required remedial courses at university to bring them up to scratch.
Traditional school subjects 'no longer fashionable' (Daily Telegraph)

Child welfare

Children's database launched amid concerns

Financial Times
ContactPoint, a database with details on every child in England, began operating yesterday, amid criticisms that the government cannot be trusted to amass large amounts of information without it falling into the wrong hands. Nervousness over ContactPoint, which has been delayed twice while ministers met security concerns, has risen following a string of data losses from government departments.
Children's database launched amid concerns (Financial Times)

General education

Specialist schools accused of failing their specialist subjects

Independent
Specialist schools face being overhauled if Labour loses power at the next general election, because both the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats believe they are failing to raise standards in the subjects they specialise in, the Independent reports.
Specialist schools accused of failing their specialist subjects (Independent)

Higher education

University complaints 'soar by a quarter'

Daily Telegraph, Guardian
An increasing number of students are complaining about their universities, mainly with grievances about institutions' appeals processes, or their handling of mitigating circumstances or misconduct matters such as plagiarism, the higher education watchdog will reveal today.
Universities' crackdown on cheating sparks record number of student complaints (Guardian)
University complaints 'soar by a quarter' (Daily Telegraph)

Early years

Why nursery schools are bad for little boys

Times
The Times reports that nurseries are rearing ‘sadder, more stressed and aggressive children'. Young boys in particular need more personal attention.
Why nursery schools are bad for little boys (Times)

Education supplements

Guardian education supplement

Guardian
Here is a selection of articles from the Guardian education supplement:
Profile - Barry Sheerman (Guardian)
Fight to attend a mainstream school for Down's syndrome children (Guardian)
Colleges set to bear the brunt of cuts (Guardian)

Letters

A single school entry date will cause long-term damage to education

Guardian
John Wadsworth, a lecturer in early childhood education at Goldsmiths, writes on the importance of addressing the needs of summer-born children.
A single school entry date will cause long-term damage to education (Guardian)

Messages from other organisations

Independent Schools Golf Association

Schools Match Play Tournament 09/10
After a hugely successful finals at St Andrews applications are now open for next years knockout.
The entry form can be found at http://www.isga.org.uk/

And finally...

School's out for adventure

Daily Mail
With the summer holidays looming, many parents are considering residential and day summer camps for their children, which can provide entertaining and structured days for kids, and help parents juggle their responsibilities.
School's out for adventure (Sun - not online)