EDUCATION
Handling Allegations of Abuse made against Adults who Work with Children and Young People
DCSF
13/05/2009
Consultation on additional practice guidance following the review of the implementation of guidance on handling allegations of abuse against those who work with children or young people. The guidance is supplementary to that contained in Appendix 5 of Working Together to Safeguard Children and Chapter 5 of Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in Education. It sets out the statutory framework and underlying principles of handling allegations of abuse for those involved in dealing with allegations. It covers practical issues surrounding exercising professional judgement along with information sharing and record keeping. It also sets out the allegations process through to referral to the Independent Safeguarding Authority.
Sector Skills Councils Relicensing: First decisions announced
DIUS
11/05/2009
Four Sector Skills Councils (SSCs) have been relicensed. The Financial Services Skills Council was judged to have not met the required standard. The SSCs are:
1) Cogent (chemicals and pharmaceuticals, nuclear, oil and gas, petroleum and polymers),
2) People 1st (hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism industries),
3) Semta (aerospace, automotive, electrical, electronics, maintenance, mechanical, engineering, marine, metals and engineered metal products, bioscience, science and mathematics),
4) Skillset (broadcast, film, video, interactive media, publishing and photo imaging).
EDUCATION - FURTHER EDUCATION
Capital projects to shrink to pass five-point scrutiny
Times Educational Supplement
08/05/2009
The LSC is looking to downsize building projects to fund more from the additional £300m Budget windfall. It has announced that independent consultants will score colleges' applications.
Colleges urging Government to give new legal protection to the 'college' name
Association of Colleges
11/05/2009
The UK Council of Colleges has written to Business Secretary Lord Mandelson, asking him to use the powers of the 2006 Companies Act to restrict the use of the word ‘college’ in business titles.
Concerns over Train to Gain budget restraints
Times Educational Supplement
15/05/2009
Learning providers fear places will be restricted, although the programme's funding has increased.
Fewer colleges after visa purge
BBC
12/05/2009
The approved list of colleges for UK student visas has shrunk by more than 90%, after a crackdown on bogus colleges.
Further education capital programme
LSC
30/04/2009
The Learning and Skills Council have published minutes from the Capital Reference Group meeting and slides from a PWC presentation on the proposed criteria and timetable for the additional funding allocation for the FE capital building programme.
Government invites bids for a share of £20m to fund adult learning
DIUS
12/05/2009
Organisations can bid for a share of £20 million in Government cash from today to open up and promote informal learning for adults and young people across the country.
Minister calls for better sexual health services at all Colleges
DIUS
07/05/2009
Further Education Minister Sion Simon has urged colleges to improve their sexual health services and announced the Government will provide £2m in 2009/10 under the Healthy FE Programme to support colleges in developing their sexual health services.
Performance criteria to decide funding allocation
Times Educational Supplement
15/05/2009
Poorly performing colleges will have their funding cut and given to those that meet or exceed their educational targets under plans to make further education more efficient and responsive to learner needs.
We ignored warnings about college building fiasco, admits quango head
Guardian
13/05/2009
A Commons Committee has heard that warnings that the multi-billion pound programme to rebuild further education colleges was heading for financial disaster were ignored by the LSC.
EDUCATION - HIGHER EDUCATION
Ballot challenged over inaccuracy
Times Higher Education
07/05/2009
More than 60 universities have formally challenged the University and College Union's ballot for industrial action.
'Blacklist' fear remains despite EPSRC's moves
Times Higher Education
14/05/2009
The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council have watered down plans to bar researchers who make a number of unsuccessful bids from applying for further research council grants.
Budget cuts could herald a price war for students
Times Higher Education
07/05/2009
Universities will be forced by Budget cuts to compete for student numbers on price, vice-chancellors fear. There is speculation that the sector could face a 10 per cent cut in the number of fully funded student places and that institutions would have to compete for a tenth of total numbers on price.
Consultation on protecting animals used in scientific research
Home Office
08/05/2009
Consultation on the European Commission's proposed new directive on protecting animals used for scientific research. Ministers have shortened the consultation period to ensure responses can be considered when the government develops its negotiating position before consideration of the draft directive starts in July.
Dealing with bullying and harassment in higher education
Equal Opportunities Review
15/05/2009
Discusses the available guidance on how to deal with bullying and harassment in higher education workplaces.
Diplomas invalid for many top university courses
Guardian
06/05/2009
New entry requirements published by Ucas show that diplomas will be accepted by around 80% of courses at all British universities. However only 40% of courses at Russell Group universities will accept diplomas for entry.
Economy to benefit from £60 million of new higher education capital projects
Hefce
11/05/2009
A further £60 million of capital funding has been approved by HEFCE with some projects able to start as soon as this month. This makes up the second round of a programme to accelerate capital spending for projects in universities and colleges that have the greatest impact on economic recovery. 47 projects are being funded at 26 higher education institutions supported by £61.75 million of capital funding.
Generation of graduates to pay 0% interest on student loans
Guardian
14/05/2009
The Government has announced that more than 2.5 million students will pay 0% rate of interest on their loans from September.
Guardian's 2010 university guide
Guardian
12/05/2009
The Guardian has published its annual university league tables.
HEFCE statement following the Secretary of State's letter of 6 May
Hefce
13/05/2009
The HEFCE Board at its meeting on 7 May considered the implications for universities and colleges of the Secretary of State’s letter of 6 May. The Board has concluded that it is necessary to review the allocations for the 2009-10 academic year and agreed that efficiency savings for 2010-11 should be spread across the whole range of recurrent funding.
Impact of the Budget Statement on higher education 2010-11
Hefce
07/05/2009
Full details of the letter from John Denham, Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, on how the Budget Statement of 22 April 2009 affects higher education and how he expects HEFCE to respond.
Models to help UK universities face financial uncertainty
Guardian
13/05/2009
Prof Nigel Thrift, Warwick University's vice-chancellor, suggests new models to help UK universities face financial uncertainty and more overseas competition in future. These include the possibility of the top 30 research-intensive institutions merging either with each other or overseas universities; collaborating and specialising more, and private ownership.
Money, mentors and markets
Times Higher Education
14/05/2009
The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) has enlisted an external fund management company to distribute £2 million to get universities to commercialise their research.
QAA reveals guidelines to counter ‘dumbing-down’ fears
Times Higher Education
11/05/2009
Watchdog outlines national proposals for external examiners, student-tutor contact and English-language proficiency.
RCUK research integrity plans are watered down
Times Higher Education
07/05/2009
The Research Councils UK's proposal for a national body for research integrity with powers to investigate allegations of misconduct has been dealt a blow after universities showed little appetite for it.
Universities told to cut admin costs, not teaching or research
Guardian
07/05/2009
Letters from the universities secretary, John Denham, to the Higher Education Funding Council for England and the Learning and Skills Council confirm that savings should be made in administration costs, rather than the core university business of teaching and research.
EDUCATION - SCHOOLS
"Rarely cover" rule to hit leave of absence
Times Educational Supplement
08/05/2009
A new rule meaning teachers will rarely have to cover for absent colleagues could also lead to them being denied time off for funerals and medical appointments.
Building Schools for the Future minimum design standard launched
DCSF
13/05/2009
The Minimum Design Standard for BSF will mean that designs which do not meet the rigorous standard will not be able to proceed through procurement.
Impartial Careers Education: Statutory Guidance
DCSF
07/05/2009
The Education and Skills Act 2008 requires schools to have regard to guidance issued by the Secretary of State when complying with their careers education and guidance duties. This consultation invites comment on the draft guidance.
New law would make exclusion of SEN children more difficult
Times Educational Supplement
15/05/2009
New powers to make it harder for teachers to expel children with special educational needs could become law if the Special Educational Needs and Disability (Support) Bill makes it on to the statute book.
What is a Safer School Partnership?
Youth Justice Board
12/05/2009
Guidance note to help teachers, police and communities work together to keep young people safe and improve behaviour by forming Safer School Partnerships (SSPs).
