EDUCATION
Colleges look to Open for higher education lifeline
Times Higher Education
02/03/2010
The Association of Colleges has opened negotiations with The Open University in an attempt to come up with a more sustainable model to help them continue degree provision at FE institutions. There is evidence that funding cuts and the cap on student numbers is leading universities to reduce involvement with colleges.
Teaching profession most likely to work overtime
Times Educational Supplement
26/02/2010
A report by the TUC on unpaid overtime reveals that teachers are the more likely to do overtime than any other professional group.
EDUCATION - FURTHER EDUCATION
Cash cuts may fuel "expensive" course cull
Times Educational Supplement
26/02/2010
A survey by the Association of Colleges has revealed that two-thirds of colleges will see their actual funding rates per student cut next year as student numbers have soared.
Qualifications 'to be scrapped'
BBC
01/03/2010
The government has announced that it will scrap some qualifications for 14 to 19 year-olds in England, but has not yet confirmed which qualifications with a low take up are likely to be removed. The earliest qualifications will be removed is September 2011.
RPG trial fires warning shot for regional autonomy
Times Educational Supplement
26/02/2010
This article examines the work of the LSC's 14-19 London Regional Planning Group, ahead of local authorities taking control of 14-19 education planning and funding.
Skills Commission demands single teaching qualification
Times Educational Supplement
26/02/2010
The Skills Commission inquiry recommends that a single, universal teaching qualification should be created for staff in FE and schools to prepare for a growing demand for vocational education.
UK student visa system fraud exposed
BBC
24/02/2010
In an undercover investigation for BBC Newsnight a reporter was able to buy bogus visa documents which would have virtually guaranteed entry to the UK. The investigation focused on Gateway2uk Education, a private college in London with a campus at Hayes which has an A rating from the UK Border Agency.
EDUCATION - HIGHER EDUCATION
A capital idea: what better way to boost your income?
Times Higher Education
25/02/2010
Increasing numbers of regional universities are setting up London campuses, leading unions to express concerns about working conditions for academics.
HEA cuts threaten future of subject centres
Times Higher Education
25/02/2010
The Higher Education Academy, the national body for university teaching, is facing a reduction in core funding of about a third over the next two to three years.
Higher education workforce framework 2010
Hefce
25/02/2010
A Hefce report considers the major considerations and challenges for the workforce of English higher education and provides evidence to inform future policy decisions and to assist in institutional strategic planning. It says the HE workforce needs to be more flexible and agile to respond to financial and competitive pressures. Hefce also said debate is needed over whether arrangements such as contracts that limit teaching hours, national bargaining and the single pay spine are hindering or helping the sector.
Part-time "juggling act" no panacea for the future
Times Higher Education
25/02/2010
Bahram Bekhradnia, director of the Higher Education Policy Institute, has warned that the Government should not view part-time higher education as a "substitute" for full-time study. He also draws attention to a little-noticed Hefce report that revealed more than half of part-time students fail to complete their degrees.
Postgraduate funding fears widen rift
Guardian
02/03/2010
A report by Million+ think-tank suggests that business, the economy and equal opportunities will suffer if elite universities grab the bulk of postgraduate research money.
Pressure grows on national bargaining
Times Higher Education
25/02/2010
Other universities may withhold the nationally negotiated 0.5 per cent pay rise.
QAA works with higher education institutions to support the experiences of disabled students
Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education
23/02/2010
The QAA has published a revised version of the Code of Practice Section 3: Disabled students, which covers how UK universities and colleges make their courses and premises accessible to disabled students.
Welsh grant reduced to fund Assembly priorities
Times Higher Education
25/02/2010
The Higher Education Funding Council for Wales has confirmed that grant funding for 2010-11 will be reduced by 3.25% in order to release £4 million to fund research and widening participation.
EDUCATION - SCHOOLS
Conservatives "to rush in new law on academies"
BBC
01/03/2010
The Conservatives would publish a new education bill within days of winning a general election that would remove the need for schools to consult local councils before becoming independent, thus allowing hundreds more schools in England to become academies.
Ed Balls and Diana Johnson launch action plan on special educational needs
DCSF
24/02/2010
Children's Secretary Ed Balls and Schools Minister Diana Johnson have published plans to implement all the recommendations in Brian Lamb's review on special educational needs (SEN). In addition ministers also announced training for all school governors on SEN law.
Faith schools opt-out gets approval
Guardian
24/02/2010
MPs have passed the controversial amendment to the Children, Schools and Families Bill that allows faith schools to teach personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) lessons "in a way that reflects the school's religious character".
Gove promises best schools an Ofsted-free future
Guardian
01/03/2010
The Conservative shadow education secretary has announced that schools already judged to be outstanding would be spared further Ofsted inspections under a Conservative government, unless their results fell dramatically, scores of teachers left, or huge numbers of parents complained.
Incompetent staff go free as heads judge GTC "pointless"
Times Educational Supplement
26/02/2010
A report commissioned by the General Teaching Council for England (GTC) reveals that head teachers avoid reporting the worst staff as the process takes too long and they believe the GTC has "no teeth".
These children are at primary, but academy heads want to take over their education
Times Educational Supplement
26/02/2010
The Independent Academies Association is lobbying ministers for a change in the law to enable academies to form federations with primary schools.
Zero-carbon role for Becta
Education Now (February 2010)
24/02/2010
The government agency for technology in education has published a new framework for ICT technical support to help schools improve the management of ICT services and reduce carbon emissions.
