ISC Daily News Summary

26 May 2009


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Independent sector

Pupils at leading schools warned against applying to top universities because of 'bias'

Sunday Times, Daily Mail
The Sunday Times has reported that "some of the country's most academic schools are discouraging pupils from applying to Durham University in protest at what they see as an admissions system "fixed" against them". Andrew Grant, chairman of HMC, and Barnaby Lennon, headmaster of Harrow School, are quoted.
Top schools boycott ‘biased' Durham (Sunday Times)
Pupils at leading schools warned against applying to top universities because of 'bias' (Daily Mail)

Independent sector

Sutton Trust publishes report on experiences of pupils on assisted places

Daily Telegraph
The Sutton Trust has published a new report on the experience of children on assisted places at schools.
Working class children 'alienated' in private schools, says The Sutton Trust (Daily Telegraph)

Independent sector

Parents priced out of private schools 'moving near good comprehensives instead'

Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph reports that more parents are attempting to buy homes in the catchment areas of leading comprehensives ‘as the recession drives families from private schools'.
ISC is preparing a letter to the Daily Telegraph in response to the article.
Parents priced out of private schools 'moving near good comprehensives instead' (Daily Telegraph)

Letters

Designing alternatives to A-levels

Guardian
Patrick Derham, Headmaster at Rugby School has written to the Guardian recommending the use of extended projects to enhance A-levels.
Designing alternatives to A-levels (Guardian)

General education

Less than one in three pupils taking history GCSE

Independent, Guardian, Daily Telegraph, Times, Daily Mail
Less than a third of teenagers took a GCSE in history last year, according to official figures revealed by the Conservatives today. Last summer a total of 202,482 pupils entered for the exam, leaving 451,410 children who did not. The Conservatives blame the figures on the government's policy of publishing league tables.
Less than one in three pupils taking history GCSE (Guardian)
Pupils give up on history lessons (Independent)
Fewer taking history GCSE as pupils abandon traditional subjects (Daily Telegraph)
I'll sue to get my son a proper education, says father after school limits academic subjects (Daily Mail)
History out of favour (Times - not online)

General education

A-levels must be revamped, says head of exam board

Independent
A major review of the A-level grading system is necessary to maintain public confidence in the exam, the head of Edexcel has said.
A-levels must be revamped, says head of exam board (Independent)

General education

Graduates and school leavers face jobs crunch

Guardian
A report published by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development says that nearly 50% of employers it surveyed were not planning to recruit school leavers or graduates this summer.
Graduates and school leavers face jobs crunch (Guardian)

General education

Ofsted 'a waste of public money'

Times
The former head of Ofsted, Chris Woodhead, has denounced the schools inspection body as a waste of public money and an "irrelevance".
Ofsted 'a waste of public money' (Times)

General education

Schools to share heads

Daily Express
The Daily Express reports that state schools may have to begin to share headteachers to combat a growing crisis after one-in-five advertisements for staff failed to recruit a head.
Schools to share heads (Daily Express)

General education

Schools left open despite repeated warnings over standards

Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph reports that some schools are repeatedly being classed as "failing" by Ofsted. Following a series of parliamentary questions by the Conservatives, figures indicate that that the number of children in English schools described as failing has barely altered under the Labour government.
Schools left open despite repeated warnings over standards (Daily Telegraph)

Higher education

Middle East applications to study in UK rise

Financial Times
According to Financial Times research, the number of undergraduates applying to British universities has doubled in three years, as increasing numbers are drawn by the international reputation of UK higher education.
Middle East applications to study in UK rise (Financial Times)

Higher education

Languages feel the squeeze at universities

Scotsman
It is reported that language departments at leading Scottish universities are being forced to make substantial cuts due to lack of government funding.
Languages feel the squeeze at universities (Scotsman)

Higher education

Lecturers may boycott 'snooper' rules on foreign students

Guardian
University lecturers are considering a boycott of government rules that they say would turn them into "immigration snoopers" on foreign students. Ministers introduced a new points-based immigration system for non-EU staff and students in April as part of its drive to combat terrorism. Students will have to carry biometric identity cards, while universities must check on students and monitor and report any unexplained absences to the Home Office.
Lecturers may boycott 'snooper' rules on foreign students (Guardian)

Hobbies and culture

Recession may force museums and galleries to charge visitors entrance fees

Sunday Telegraph
David Barrie, Director of The Art Fund, fears that national museums and galleries could be forced to reintroduce admission fees to survive the recession.
Recession may force museums and galleries to charge visitors entrance fees (Sunday Telegraph)

Health

Mumps cases double in three months with students being hit hardest

Daily Telegraph
Official figures indicate that cases of mumps have doubled, with almost 1,700 cases identified in the past three months. Cases are mostly among teenagers and students in their early twenties as they were too old to have received the MMR vaccines as babies or only received one of the two doses required for full protection.
Mumps cases double in three months with students being hit hardest (Daily Telegraph)

Education supplements

Guardian education supplement

Here is a selection of articles from the Guardian education supplement:
Admitting defeat (Guardian)
What do universities want? (Guardian)
Creativity in schools? (Guardian)
The human cost of exam success (Guardian)

And finally...

Nearly 150,000 pupils join garden campaign

Independent
Child-friendly horticulture is one of the big hits of the Chelsea Flower Show this year, as primary schools take up a challenge to get planting.
Nearly 150,000 pupils join our garden campaign (Independent)

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