EDUCATION
Blurred boundaries for teachers
Guardian
23/09/2009
Following the jailing this week of Helen Goddard, the teacher who had a sexual relationship with a pupil, this detailed article considers how texting, emailing and social networking sites are radically changing the teacher-pupil relationship.
Essays to be marked by 'robots'
Times Educational Supplement
25/09/2009
Pearson, parent company of Edexcel, is to introduce artificial intelligence-based automated marking of exam essays in the UK.
Tories draft first Education Bill
Times Educational Supplement
25/09/2009
Lawyers are working on a potential Education Bill for the Conservative Party who are increasingly confident of winning the next general election. It is understood the first piece of education legislation would repeal the majority of the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Bill.
EDUCATION - FURTHER EDUCATION
"We've breathed life into FE"
Times Educational Supplement
25/09/2009
Pat McFadden the Business Innovation, and Skills Minister, discusses plans for the further education sector and the skills strategy planned for autumn.
Capital Task Group Final Report: It is all about affordability
AoC
29/09/2009
The Association Of Colleges Capital Task Group have published their final report on funding options for the FE sector. New methods to assess the affordability of building projects, a fresh look at school and colleges’ capital funding anomalies and supported borrowing as an alternative to capital grants are among the recommendations.
Colleges in Barclays talks to establish 'Bank of FE'
Times Educational Supplement
25/09/2009
Colleges are planning a scheme that will allow FE institutions with cash reserves to fund cheap loans to their struggling peers to assist them with capital projects.
Green Light for College Capital Projects
LSC
23/09/2009
The Learning and Skills Council has approved two new further education college capital projects after they had value for money and cost reduction reviews. These are at Manchester College and Lancashire, Skelmersdale and Ormskirk College, now part of Newcastle College.
IfL deals with just 16 complaints in first year
Times Educational Supplement
02/10/2009
Only sixteen complaints were made about teachers in further education to the Institute for Learning in its first year of compulsory membership.
Rise in student numbers hits college funding
Times Educational Supplement
02/10/2009
The LSC has said that only colleges that are more than 10% above their recruitment targets will be eligible for limited additional funds. Those with less than 10% will only receive funding if they are under "significant financial strain".
Training firms feel the pinch as Train to Gain money dries up
Guardian
29/09/2009
The Learning and Skills Council is facing criticism over the Train to Gain scheme, where a shortfall in funding could lead to trainers being made redundant.
Use Train to Gain cash to send young to college, urges report
Times Educational Supplement
25/09/2009
A Learning and Skills Network report to be launched at the Labour Party conference suggests employers should part-fund staff training and that much of the Train to Gain budget would be better spent on sending young people to college rather than subsidising employers to train their staff.
EDUCATION - HIGHER EDUCATION
Drayson pledge on science coverage
Times Higher Education
24/09/2009
Lord Drayson, the Science Minister, has offered to investigate the cases of scientists who feel they have been misrepresented in the press.
Hepi: voucher-style funding is not the answer
Times Higher Education
24/09/2009
A report published this week by the Higher Education Policy Institute says a "voucher" system for funding higher education would cause more problems than it would solve but remains a "serious alternative approach" to paying for university education.
Man with two brains' vision for life under Cameron
Times Higher Education
01/10/2009
An interview with David Willetts, the Shadow Universities Secretary, reveals that the sector could be asked to take teaching more seriously and become more diverse if the Conservatives win the general election.
'Pointless' university studies to be weeded out by new government panel
Guardian
23/09/2009
Universities will have to show that their research influences the economy, public policy or society in order to secure the biggest research grants. The proposals are included in Hefce's consultation on the Research Excellence Framework that will replace the Research Assessment Exercise (RAE).
RAE sequel looks strangely familiar
Times Higher Education
23/09/2009
Hefce's proposed Research Excellence Framework (REF) for assessing and funding research does not represent a radical departure from its predecessor. Hefce acknowledges that the system is very different from the controversial plans tabled 18 months ago.
There are important issues to address but no systemic failure, a review of teaching quality issues concludes
Hefce
01/10/2009
A review concludes that there is no systemic failure in quality and standards in English higher education, but there are issues needing to be addressed. The main recommendations are: - a review of the QAA audit methodology. - a review of publicly available information provided by higher education institutions. - a review of the external examiner system. - the degree classification system should be improved so that it better reflects student achievement.
UK rise in international students
BBC
24/09/2009
A study of trends in higher education by Universities UK found a 48% increase in the number of international students between the year 2000 and 2006, and that the number of non-European students has almost doubled in less than ten years.
Universities face fines over defying extra places cap
Guardian
26/09/2009
Universities face multi-million pound fines after evidence suggests they broke a government-imposed cap on student numbers by up to 22,000 places after a surge in applications this year.
Universities UK publishes guide to recruiting senior staff
Universities UK
01/10/2009
Universities UK has launched a good practice guide to appointing senior staff in higher education institutions.
EDUCATION - SCHOOLS
Balls promises tough action on failing academies
Guardian
22/09/2009
The schools secretary has promised to take tough action on failing academies, threatening to replace governors and sack sponsors in schools where standards remain consistently low.
Council pensions schemes could club together for schools investment
Education Investor
24/09/2009
Local government pension schemes could club together to provide equity and debt for the £55 billion Building Schools for the Future programme, under plans being discussed by the Local Government Association.
Dress, appearance and other issues
Education Now
29/09/2009
An examination of the dress and appearance codes for teaching staff.
New builds 'fall down' on SEN facilities
Times Educational Supplement
25/09/2009
The Alliance for Inclusive Education claims that many newly-built schools are not suitable for disabled pupils because the DCSF guidance is not statutory and is regularly flouted by BSF contractors.
Partnerships for Schools takes over delivery of all school building programmes
DCSF
01/10/2009
Partnerships for Schools has assumed responsibility for the management and delivery of all schools capital programmes. Its remit will expand to include the Primary Capital Programme as well as a range of projects funded through devolved or targeted capital programmes.
Racism inquiry may bring ban on BNP membership for teachers
Guardian
30/09/2009
Maurice Smith, a former Ofsted chief inspector, has been asked by Ed Balls to conduct a review of the provisions which prevent the promotion of racism in schools. Part of the remit is to investigate the extent of BNP action in English schools and to consider whether it would be possible to bar its members from the profession.
School budgets will be protected for five years, promises Gordon Brown
Guardian
29/09/2009
The Prime Minister has announced that school budgets will be protected for the next five years and promised to spend more money to improve education at the Labour Party conference.
Schools are wasting millions, says leaked report
Guardian
27/09/2009
A leaked government report showed that millions of pounds are wasted by the schools department, and says efficiencies of 6% could be introduced to primary and secondary schools' budgets without jeopardising services.
Schools tenders fixed
Times Educational Supplement
25/09/2009
The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) have fined more than 100 construction companies nearly £130 million after they illegally colluded in bids to secure a series of building projects, including schools.
