- Nick Gibb steps down as schools minister
- Switching sectors to boost Oxbridge chances a 'foolhardy gamble', warns education expert
- Rise in STIs being driven by schools' fear of teaching sex education, says children's commissioner
- Half of UK teens have witnessed or been victims of violence, landmark knife crime survey reveals
- Graduates with vocational degrees earning higher salaries than peers from Russell Group universities, research suggests
- Specific SEND diagnosis more likely in wealthier areas
- 'The aim of equity in education is to celebrate and embrace students’ working-class roots'
- Chancellor under pressure to increase childcare funding
Nick Gibb steps down as schools minister
Education policyNick Gibb has announced that he is resigning as schools minister amid the prime minister's government reshuffle. Mr Gibb plans to take up a diplomatic role after the next general election. By Jasmine Norden and Matilda Martin, Tes.
Schools Week has published Mr Gibb's resignation letter in full. By Freddie Whittaker.
Switching sectors to boost Oxbridge chances a 'foolhardy gamble', warns education expert
Independent sectorAccording to The Telegraph, pupils at some Asian schools may have a better chance of securing a place at Oxbridge than their counterparts at many British schools. Analysis by the paper in 2022 found that the Oxbridge success rate of top independent schools had dropped by a third in five years as the top universities sought to expand their intake from the state sector. Managing editor of The Good Schools Guide Melanie Sanderson warns that since applicants must still state the school where they took their GCSEs on their UCAS form, there are no guarantees that switching sectors will secure an Oxbridge place. By Rosa Silverman.
Rise in STIs being driven by schools' fear of teaching sex education, says children's commissioner
Teaching and learningSchools’ concerns over teaching relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) is accelerating a rise in sexually transmitted diseases (STIs), Dame Rachel De Souza has said. The children’s commissioner for England warned that a lack of guidance for teachers around RSHE has meant it has not always been taught consistently, with some headteachers “outsourcing” the subject. By Louisa Clarence-Smith, The Telegraph.
Half of UK teens have witnessed or been victims of violence, landmark knife crime survey reveals
Child welfareHalf of all teenagers witnessed or were victims of violence in England and Wales last year, the UK's largest-ever knife crime survey has found. Some 358,000 teenagers were physically injured during the last year, with one in five teenagers admitting they had skipped school because they felt unsafe, according to the Youth Endowment Fund (YEF). By Mark Townsend, The Observer.
Graduates with vocational degrees earning higher salaries than peers from Russell Group universities, research suggests
Higher educationStudents graduating from former polytechnics with vocational degrees are earning higher salaries than peers with some academic degrees from Russell Group universities, according to data analysis released by Discover Uni. Vocational degrees including games art, virtual production and e-sports production can lead to better-paid employment within five years of graduating than traditional courses such as English literature and law. By Louisa Clarence-Smith and Ben Butcher, The Telegraph.
Specific SEND diagnosis more likely in wealthier areas
SENDPrimary pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) living in more affluent areas have a higher chance of having their disability or condition diagnosed than their peers in poorer areas, research by the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) has found. Pupils attending primaries in wealthier areas are also more likely to have an education, health and care plan (EHCP), which is a higher-level SEND provision. By Cerys Turner, Tes.
A survey conducted by the Anti-Bullying Alliance (ABA) and analysed by Goldsmiths, University of London, found that 29 per cent of pupils with SEND reported being bullied face-to-face frequently "in recent weeks" before taking part in the research. By Matilda Martin, Tes.
Anti-Bullying Week is taking place from today until 17 November.
'The aim of equity in education is to celebrate and embrace students’ working-class roots'
Social mobilityMatt Bromley and Andy Griffith are calling for schools to do more to raise standards among disadvantaged pupils. The education consultants and authors of new book The Working Classroom also say children should learn about social progress by talking to successful working-class adults. By Nicola Woolcock, The Times.
Chancellor under pressure to increase childcare funding
Primary education and early yearsChancellor Jeremy Hunt is facing calls to boost childcare funding in the Autumn Statement after new figures revealed parents risk having to pay an additional £1,000 a year in hidden fees. Analysis of official figures by the Liberal Democrats has shown around 85 per cent of councils currently have a shortfall between the government's funding of childcare provision and the fees charged by nurseries, prompting calls for ministers to tackle the "gaping hole" in childcare costs. By Jane Merrick, iNews.
The Observer looks at why many UK families are missing out on a £2,000 childcare benefit and outlines how those who are eligible can sign up. By Rebecca Goodman.