We have compiled the most important education news nationwide to keep you up-to-date on the most pressing issues affecting children and their schooling. Whether it’s reports on the benefits of learning a language, university rankings, the expansion of grammar schools or hard-hitting journalism about the social aspects of education in the UK, you’ll be the first to know!
w.c. 28th May
Parents ‘not involved’ in new free schools – BBC News
Researchers have found that parents groups have been behind only one in five of the free schools that have been opened. This goes against the policy’s intention to give parents more choice and more control over their children’s education. Instead, the majority of new free schools have been opened by academy trusts. The report done by the social mobility charity the Sutton Trust says that the government needs to clarify its mission and re-assess how free schools are funded and supervised. The Department for Education commented that free schools were part of its efforts to raise standards and that that has largely been successful.
Free schools boost for England’s worst-performing areas – BBC News
Following criticism that the free school programme has focused on the wealthier South East, the government is redirecting it towards the worst-performing areas such as the North East. The government claim that this move will put free schools where they are most needed. Free schools are run by private groups but are directly funded by the Department for Education. They must also approve the schools. Included in this policy, is an increase of £50m in funding for new school places for children with special needs. This follows increasing concerns that schools are struggling to meet the demands for special needs services.
Britain slipping in university world rankings – The Times
UK universities are at risk of losing their global prestige according to the Times Higher Education World Reputation Rankings. The UK previously had ten entrants in the top 100 institutions but Durham has failed to make the cut, leaving just nine British universities. Cambridge is the highest ranked at fourth place, but Oxford has slipped from joint fourth to fifth. The rankings are made from a globally representative survey of 10,000 academics from the world’s most-renowned institutions. It makes worrying reading for the UK university sector with all of London’s universities losing ground.
Tenfold rise in primary pupil obesity – The Times
New figures show that more than 22,000 children leave primary school “severely obese” leading to an increased risk of weight-related health problems. There has been a tenfold rise in the proportion of obese children since 1990, from 0.4% to 4.1% of 10 and 11-year-olds today. The Local Government Association said that these child obesity rates were “contributing to a multibillion-pound ill-health time bomb”. The problem became more severe in Year 6 compared to reception classes.
w.c. 21st May
Ethnically mixed schools lessen hostility – BBC News
Schools that are more diverse produce pupils that are more positive about people of different ethnicities, research has found. The study looked at pupils’ attitudes towards people of other races including whether they had friends of a different ethnic group. Attitudes were most likely to shift among white British pupils. The results showed that ethnic diversity was more important in schools than in the local area. The everyday experiences of school life including working together, helped to remove barriers.
Schools to let students study technical qualifications instead of A-levels – Telegraph
In what is considered one of the biggest overhauls of the education system in decades, schools are to let students study course such as construction, digital skills and childcare from September 2020. Other courses such as finance and accounting, and engineering and manufacturing will be launched from 2021. Students starting their GCSEs this September will be the first to be able to choose between A-levels and these new qualifications under this timetable. These courses will be available at 52 locations spread around the country and including further education colleges, training centres, community colleges and schools.
w.c. 14th May
Cuts put deaf children’s education at ‘breaking point’ – BBC News
The National Deaf Children’s Society reports that one in 10 teachers of the deaf having their jobs axed in the past four years. The charity has also obtained figures under Freedom of association that suggest that cuts are expected to get worse. These expected cuts amount to each council losing about 10% from vital specialist education support services, leaving support at “breaking point” according to the charity. They also point out that cuts are already having an effect with deaf children’s GCSE results in decline. However, the government claim that the special educational needs budget is the highest on record at £6bn.
w.c. 7th May
Grammar schools and faith schools get green light to expand – BBC News
Disadvantaged pupils will be targeted by an expansion in selective school places. Grammar schools have been given the chance to create thousands of new places. There are also plans for new faith schools that involve ministers inviting councils to join with religious groups to open new faith schools. These schools will be able to recruit 100% of pupils from particular faith groups as with other faith schools in the state sector. The move has been criticised by teacher’s unions as a misuse of school spending at a time when school budgets were tight.
‘Helicopter mums’ may hinder child’s homework – The Times
Mums who try too hard to help a child with their homework may inhibit their ability to work by themselves. New research has found that ‘helicopter mums’ who correct every error their child makes may be having a negative impact. The study conducted in Finland suggested that mothers who created the most opportunities for autonomous work resulted in their children becoming more independent and persistent with their school work later on in their school careers.
w.c. 30th April
Want to learn a foreign language fluently? Start before 10, study finds –Telegraph
Scientists have found that if children ever hope to become fluent in a second language then they must start learning before the age of 10. The report found that there is a “critical period” up to the age of 18 where the brain is most receptive. Although this is a longer period than previously thought, the report establishes a relatively young cut-off point by which children should start learning. It is well-known that children learn languages quicker than adults, but this study is the first to put a definitive time-frame on it.
Teachers offered a year’s paid leave to boost recruitment – The Times
In an attempt to make the teaching profession more attractive and to prevent further departures, teachers will be offered paid sabbaticals for the first time. The education secretary Damian Hinds said the he wanted to compete with other graduate careers by offering more flexible working. Teaching is well-known for its generous holidays of 13 weeks a year but is inflexible in other ways such as part-time working and job-shares. The number of teachers leaving has risen from 6% in 2011 to 8.1% in 2016 with particularly high numbers of secondary school teachers.
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