Last updated 24/05/2006
SCHOOLS
Academies fail to improve results, study says
The Guardian - 22/05/2006
Schools in the Government's £5bn academy programme have failed to improve results compared with the comprehensives they replaced, according to a report.
Fees-probe schools to pay out £3m
BBC News - 19/05/2006
Fifty independent schools investigated for fee-fixing have agreed to pay a penalty of £10,000 each, plus an average of £50,000 to charity.
Inquiry rejects high-security schools
Independent - 23/05/2006
The head of a Government inquiry into pupil behaviour has rejected demands for airport-style security to be set up in schools in the wake of the murder of 15-year-old schoolboy Kiyan Prince.
School reforms facing rocky ride
BBC News - 23/05/2006
Tony Blair's flagship Education Bill for England is facing another rebellion by Labour backbenchers as it returns to the Commons for its final stages.
School rules and human rights
New Law Journal - 12.05.06
Rona Epstein explains why the House of Lords struck the right balance when it upheld the right of schools to impose disciplinary measures on pupils in two recent cases.
Teachers welcome pension changes
The Guardian - 17.05.06
Teachers' leaders today welcomed changes to the teachers' pension scheme proposed by the Government, calling it a "seriously good deal". With the Government desperate to reduce the escalating bill for public sector pensions, the unions believe they have been able to strike a good bargain in exchange for a £5.4bn cut in long-term costs.
HIGHER EDUCATION
£60m investment and 1,000 jobs for Keele
Sentinel (Stoke) - 18/05/2006
Plans to almost double the size of Keele University by building a four-star hotel, student halls, academic teaching blocks and offices have been approved in principle by councillors. The development - phase three of the University's expansion plan - is predicted to attract more than £60 million of investment and create at least 1,000 jobs.
Council calls for Ellis to be sacked
THES - 19/05/2006
Activists from the Association of University Teachers swept aside concerns that they were abandoning the union's fundamental commitment to academic freedom last week when they called for the sacking of Frank Ellis, the Leeds University academic whose views on race, gender and sexuality have caused outrage.
Islamic teaching to be scrutinised
THES - 19/05/2006
The Government has launched a major review of the teaching of Islam in colleges and universities in an effort to stamp out extremism on campuses.
Oxford seeks animal protests ban
BBC News - 18.05.06
Oxford University is seeking an injunction against animal rights protesters who campaign against its biomedical research centre. The university says since building of the £20m centre resumed last November, threats and criminal damage have risen.
Staff not software will trap cheats
THES - 19/05/2006
Universities must stop looking for a quick fix to tackle student cheating and instead properly support academics as their frontline defence, a plagiarism prevention expert has warned.
Students to choose their university after A level
The Times - 22/05/2006
Pupils who achieve higher than predicted A-level grades will be encouraged to apply for places at better universities under reforms to be announced by the Government today.
University entrance reforms to reduce 'lucky dip' effect
Independent - 19/05/2006
A radical shake-up of university admissions to help bright students from poor backgrounds get into elite institutions will be given the green light by ministers next week.
Sector gives mixed reaction to HE application changes
The Guardian - 22/05/2006
The Government's watered-down proposals on university admissions has received a muted welcome from headteachers and condemnation from students.
LECTURERS' DISPUTE
Commons intervention fails to break lecturers' pay deadlock
The Guardian - 17.05.06
Striking lecturers and employers summoned to an emergency Commons inquiry into the pay dispute today made it clear to MPs that neither had any intention of backing down.
Students plan to sue over exams chaos
Birmingham Post - 17.05.06
Midland universities are braced for a wave of court cases from students whose studies are disrupted by industrial action.
Student unions threaten to withhold NUS fees
The Guardian - 18/05/2006
Several student unions are planning to withhold affiliation fees from the National Union of Students in protest over its support for the striking lecturers, it emerged yesterday.
Weary Ucea set to pull offer
THES - 19/05/2006
Employers are poised to withdraw their national 12.6 per cent pay offer to academics and leave universities to settle the pay dispute locally, it emerged this week.
Exams disrupted at 'one in five' universities
The Times - 22/05/2006
Exams have been cancelled or postponed at one in five universities because of industrial action by academics in pursuit of their pay claim, according to a survey.
University pay talks resume
The Guardian - 23/05/2006
Striking lecturers and university employers are to meet for an urgent mediation session today in an effort to end the escalating pay dispute that is threatening to delay graduations.
