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Education Policy

Welcome to the news section of our website where you will find news stories which we hope will be of interest to you. Below you will find the latest news entries but if you would like to look back further, please feel free to search our news archive.

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Schools minister wants bigger role for state boarding schools

Speaking at a State Boarding Schools' Association event in London, schools minister Lord Nash has called for state boarding schools to be opened up to more pupils....

Posted on 13/06/2013 - [Read More...]

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Michael Gove outlines new GCSE system

GCSEs are going to be overhauled in England, with the introduction of a new grading system and a move away from coursework....

Posted on 12/06/2013 - [Read More...]

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Improvements being made in GCSE marking

Various improvement to GCSE marking have been identified by exams regulator Ofqual....

Posted on 10/06/2013 - [Read More...]

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Govt reveals school funding system overhaul

David Laws has outlined the government's plan for the future of the school funding system, which will target a fairer and more open scheme....

Posted on 05/06/2013 - [Read More...]

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Ex-Paralympian issues warning over school sport for disabled pupils

Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson has told the House of Commons Education Committee that schools are failing to include disabled pupils in their PE lessons....

Posted on 28/05/2013 - [Read More...]

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Welsh parents facing truancy fines

Parents in Wales whose children are regular truants will be issued with fixed penalty notices of £60, which will double if they do not pay these fines within 28 days....

Posted on 21/05/2013 - [Read More...]

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Michael Gove vows to defend pupil premium

Michael Gove has said that while some future cuts could be made from the education budget, he wants funding for the pupil premium programme to remain intact....

Posted on 14/05/2013 - [Read More...]

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Exams group wants GCSE grades scrapped

Exam board owner Cambridge Assessments has advocated that GCSE papers be given numerical scores rather than the "arbitrary categories" of grades....

Posted on 10/05/2013 - [Read More...]

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Children's commissioner says exclusions should be by the book

The children's commissioner has estimated that thousands of children across hundreds of schools are being excluded without due processes being followed....

Posted on 29/04/2013 - [Read More...]

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Laws demands improvement on pupil premium usage

David Laws has called on schools located in more affluent parts of the country to make better use of the pupil premium in aiding disadvantaged children....

Posted on 24/04/2013 - [Read More...]

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Labour criticises government over schools repair backlog

A Labour freedom of information request has revealed that 89 local authorities are facing a £3.61 billion backlog of school repair work....

Posted on 16/04/2013 - [Read More...]

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ADCS chief deems academies debate over

The new ADCS president has said that it is the question of what children are taught, rather than where, which really needs to be addressed....

Posted on 15/04/2013 - [Read More...]

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UNICEF issues warning on wellbeing of UK children

UNICEF has ranked the UK as 16th in a league table of child well-being in the world's richest countries, faring particularly poorly on issues of education....

Posted on 10/04/2013 - [Read More...]

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Academic warns of privatisation of state education

Professor Stephen Ball has warned that education has become increasingly "commodified" and predicted that state schools run for profit will be the next step....

Posted on 25/03/2013 - [Read More...]

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Andrews calls on education professionals to tackle failing Welsh schools

Leighton Andrews has called on education professionals in Wales to "get a grip on the situation" after Estyn labelled five local education authorities as failing....

Posted on 22/03/2013 - [Read More...]

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LGA stresses need for school rebuilding to start soon

The LGA has said that nine months after funding was allocated to rebuild 261 schools, many head teachers are unsure of when this work will start....

Posted on 15/03/2013 - [Read More...]

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Laws warns that schools must close achievement gap

David Laws has said schools must raise expectations of pupils and utilise their pupil premiums wisely to close the country's attainment gap....

Posted on 11/03/2013 - [Read More...]

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Funding allocated for new school places

The government has allocated £4 billion of new funding to support the provision of new school places and the maintenance and repair of school buildings....

Posted on 07/03/2013 - [Read More...]

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Estyn brands two more Welsh local education authorities unsatisfactory

Estyn has advocated that education services in both Monmouthshire and Methyr Tydfil should be taken into special measures....

Posted on 22/02/2013 - [Read More...]

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Ofsted highlights key to pupil premium success

Schools that make best use of pupil premiums tend to share characteristics such as allocating their best teachers to teach intervention groups, Ofsted has said....

Posted on 15/02/2013 - [Read More...]

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Ofsted plans local authority inspections

Ofsted has launched a consultation over the possibility of it carrying out inspections into local authorities whose schools are underperforming....

Posted on 08/02/2013 - [Read More...]

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Report highlights discrepancies in global education rankings

A new report by the Sutton Trust has highlighted inconsistencies between global education league tables such as those compiled by the OECD and Pearson....

Posted on 07/02/2013 - [Read More...]

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School building improvements to take place

A total of £100 million is to be spent on building new and renovating existing 15 schools in the north-east, Yorkshire and the West Midlands....

Posted on 06/02/2013 - [Read More...]

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Estyn: More help needed for Wales' ablest pupils

Wales' schools inspection body Estyn has reported that fewer of the country's schools achieved good or excellent ratings in inspections last year....

Posted on 04/02/2013 - [Read More...]

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High performing Welsh schools to provide leadership to others

The Lead and Emerging Practitioner Schools programme will see Wales' leading schools work with others for 18 months to help them improve performance....

Posted on 18/01/2013 - [Read More...]

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Broadband boost for Welsh schools

The Welsh government has allocated £27 million to help the country's primary and secondary schools upgrade their internet connections....

Posted on 17/01/2013 - [Read More...]

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Girls 'should be encouraged to make their own choices'

The incoming president of the GSA believes girls are still being raised to be homemakers....

Posted on 02/01/2013 - [Read More...]

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Government announces new school revenue funding plans

Details of school funding for 2013-14 have been announced by the government....

Posted on 20/12/2012 - [Read More...]

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Sports chiefs fear for future of PE under Ebacc system

The Sport and Recreation Alliance fears for the future of PE at schools....

Posted on 20/12/2012 - [Read More...]

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Looking at the reaction to proposed new SEN legislation

MPs broadly support the direction in which the government wishes to take SEN provision....

Posted on 20/12/2012 - [Read More...]

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Projects to instill military ethos in 'disengaged' students

The government will provide £1.9 million of funding for a selection of programmes that aim to instill a military ethos in children....

Posted on 10/12/2012 - [Read More...]

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Whitehall squeezed as schools receive cash boost

Government plans to squeeze spending in Whitehall and use the money to build new schools....

Posted on 05/12/2012 - [Read More...]

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Schools 'failing to build' Olympic legacy

The majority of parents feel growing enthusiasm for sport among children is not being matched by schools....

Posted on 20/11/2012 - [Read More...]

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Exam success 'key to child wellbeing'

Mr Gove believes that more rigorous testing standards are required in England....

Posted on 14/11/2012 - [Read More...]

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New pressure group outlines education reforms

A number of professionals in education teaching jobs have joined forces via Twitter to outline their alternatives to government policy...

Posted on 23/10/2012 - [Read More...]

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Ed Miliband praises his school in conference speech

Labour leader Ed Miliband delivers his vision for the future of education in Britain during conference speech in Manchester...

Posted on 03/10/2012 - [Read More...]

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Danish teachers bemused by 'backward-looking' exam reforms

Danish teachers left baffled on a visit to the UK after head teacher explains the coalition's examination reforms to them ...

Posted on 25/09/2012 - [Read More...]

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Teachers, not exams key to improving education, says expert

The director of the Institute of Education has said that teachers are central to improving education and restoring 'rigour'...

Posted on 25/09/2012 - [Read More...]

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Concerns raised over how those with SEN will handle new EBaccs

BDA warns that dyslexic pupils would be disadvantaged by a move away from modular and coursework-based approach to examinations...

Posted on 19/09/2012 - [Read More...]

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David Laws returns as education minister

Former chief secretary to the treasury David Laws returns from expenses-scandal exile to take up education minister role...

Posted on 05/09/2012 - [Read More...]

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What will GCSE courses look like in the future?

GCSE results reveal a lot of trends that could shape future education policy and help teachers shape their offering to pupils...

Posted on 31/08/2012 - [Read More...]

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NAHT: Olympic legacy shouldn't just involve sports

National Association of Head Teachers wants government to ensure that Olympic legacy includes more than just improved sports provision...

Posted on 17/08/2012 - [Read More...]

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Outdoor space at centre of latest school sports row

News that the government has scrapped the minimum requirement for outdoor space at schools has caused further controversy...

Posted on 16/08/2012 - [Read More...]

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Boris Johnson calls for compulsory sport

The Mayor of London contradicts David Cameron on sport...

Posted on 09/08/2012 - [Read More...]

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Choice the key in education today

The coalition government is establishing an increasing number of options for teachers, parents and pupils for the next school year and beyond ...

Posted on 31/07/2012 - [Read More...]

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Free meals boost pupil performance

Free school meals and surrounding activities shown to boost pupils attainment in school, especially those from poorer backgrounds...

Posted on 27/07/2012 - [Read More...]

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New teaching jobs on offer as Gove announces more Studio Schools

15 new Studio Schools announced...

Posted on 20/07/2012 - [Read More...]

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Cardiff schools to get their hands on touchscreen teaching devices

Wales pushing digital teaching agenda...

Posted on 18/07/2012 - [Read More...]

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Schools commissioner sings praises of Lancashire academy

Dr Liz Sidwell wants more academies...

Posted on 12/07/2012 - [Read More...]

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Govt announces catch-up lessons for disadvantaged pupils

£10m government fund to help disadvantaged pupils who have not attained expected level of English by the end of primary school ...

Posted on 11/07/2012 - [Read More...]

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Labour proposes 'Service Schools'

Labour wants military influence for some pupils...

Posted on 10/07/2012 - [Read More...]

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Labour proposes 'Service Schools'

Labour wants military influence for some pupils...

Posted on 10/07/2012 - [Read More...]

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Parents to get more say in early years education

Children's minister Sarah Teather has opened up a discussion on how parents could be given a bigger say in their children's early education...

Posted on 28/05/2012 - [Read More...]

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Validity of rising GCSEs cast into doubt

A-level and GCSE grades may be rising, but student performance appears static when measured against international benchmarks....

Posted on 24/05/2012 - [Read More...]

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Independent schools support ICT curriculum

New research suggests that independent schools are more positive than state schools about the government's ICT curriculum reforms...

Posted on 16/05/2012 - [Read More...]

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Welsh-medium teaching gets £5 million funding boost

The government in Wales has announced annual funding of more than £5 million for Welsh-medium teaching across the country...

Posted on 15/05/2012 - [Read More...]

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Gove rejects 'low expectations' for poorest children

Mr Gove believes more should be done in England to close the achievement gap....

Posted on 10/05/2012 - [Read More...]

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A-levels set for overhaul, Ofqual says

The examinations watchdog Ofqual has indicated that A-levels could get a major overhaul following reports of grade inflation...

Posted on 30/04/2012 - [Read More...]

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Government cracking down on bad behaviour

The Department for Education has announced plans to crack down on disruptive pupils by giving head teachers stronger powers of exclusion...

Posted on 23/04/2012 - [Read More...]

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Government gets tough on school absence

Following an independent review into school absence, the government has announced new measures will be taken to track absenteeism and crack down on the parents of absent children...

Posted on 18/04/2012 - [Read More...]

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Teach children skills not facts, union says

Teachers should focus on educating pupils in general skills rather than teaching them facts that they can look up on their smartphone, according to the ATL...

Posted on 11/04/2012 - [Read More...]

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Govt to give universities control over A-levels

Michael Gove and examinations watchdog Ofqual are backing a move that will see universities take a leading role in setting A-level syllabuses amid fears that the courses do not prepare students for degree programmes...

Posted on 03/04/2012 - [Read More...]

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400,000 children persistently absent from school

New figures released by the Department for Education reveal that last year nearly 400,000 children missed at least one month of school...

Posted on 29/03/2012 - [Read More...]

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Lords call for compulsory language teaching

There could be a rush to recruit for language teaching jobs after a Lords committee called on the government to teach languages to every child in the UK...

Posted on 22/03/2012 - [Read More...]

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DfE plans new qualifications for early years education jobs

The Department for Education has published Professor Nutbrown's interim report into early education teaching and childcare...

Posted on 14/03/2012 - [Read More...]

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New teachers get behaviour management training

As part of new proposals outlined by the government's behaviour tsar, trainee teachers will be allowed to take part in specialist behaviour management training at pupil referral units...

Posted on 08/03/2012 - [Read More...]

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Homework guidelines scrapped by government

Head teachers will now be responsible for determining the amount of homework their pupils are set after Michael Gove scrapped the guidelines introduced by Labour in 1998

Education secretary Michael Gove has scrapped national homework ...

Posted on 05/03/2012 - [Read More...]

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Osborne urged to budget for ICT teacher training

With a consultation into the ICT curriculum underway, a group of leading industry and educational bodies has written a letter to chancellor George Osborne urging him to fund ICT teaching infrastructure in his 2012 budget...

Posted on 01/03/2012 - [Read More...]

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Government announces £15m cultural education fund

Following an independent review into England's cultural education, the government has announced investment of £15m designed to give children from all backgrounds access to the arts...

Posted on 29/02/2012 - [Read More...]

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Major teacher shortages forecast for the UK and Europe

A recent study by the European Commission has revealed that several leading EU countries are on the brink of a major shortfall in teachers, but what is being done about it?...

Posted on 23/02/2012 - [Read More...]

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Michael Gove set to abolish term-time holidays

The education secretary Michael Gove is to ban parents from taking children on holidays during term-time as part of a crack down on school absence...

Posted on 21/02/2012 - [Read More...]

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MPs form parliamentary group to support RE

A new all party parliamentary group of MPs has been formed to advance the cause of religious education after it was omitted from the English Baccalaureate...

Posted on 17/02/2012 - [Read More...]

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DfE data reveals need for core subject teachers

Data released by the Department for Education has revealed that thousands of pupils across England are missing out on the chance to study core academic subjects in languages and humanities...

Posted on 14/02/2012 - [Read More...]

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Shouting out answers 'helps pupils learn'

Children should be encouraged to shout out answers, new research indicates....

Posted on 06/02/2012 - [Read More...]

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League tables 'should reflect what is happening in schools'

An expert has called for changes to the way schools' performances are assessed....

Posted on 24/01/2012 - [Read More...]

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Ofsted to scrap 'satisfactory' inspections

Education watchdog Ofsted is to abandon 'satisfactory' inspections in favour of a 'requires improvement' judgement in a bid to tackle the 3,000 coasting schools ...

Posted on 17/01/2012 - [Read More...]

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Gove hands schools greater freedom to manage teachers

New plans coming into effect in September will give schools increased freedom when it comes to managing teaching staff...

Posted on 16/01/2012 - [Read More...]

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Half a million children are unhappy, charity says

Research from The Children's Society reinforces the importance of teaching jobs with the revelation that half a million children in the UK are unhappy...

Posted on 12/01/2012 - [Read More...]

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Government urged to increase primary class sizes

A council leader in London has advised the government to increase primary school class sizes to 32 to help reduce costs, claiming it would not have a detrimental impact on children's education...

Posted on 06/01/2012 - [Read More...]

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Twigg calls for longer school day

Shadow education secretary Stephen Twigg has proposed extending the school day to help children achieve more and avoid trouble outside of school...

Posted on 06/01/2012 - [Read More...]

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Exams damaging children's enjoyment of education

The former director of the national curriculum has hit out the examinations system, saying continuous testing erodes children's enjoyment of education...

Posted on 04/01/2012 - [Read More...]

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National Curriculum reform postponed following in-depth review

Following the publication of a major review into the National Curriculum, education secretary Michael Gove has announced that reforms will be postponed until 2014 ahead of a widespread consultation...

Posted on 03/01/2012 - [Read More...]

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Secondary teachers learn of GCSE reforms

Ofqual and the Department for Education have announced reforms to the GCSE examinations system which effectively end modular exams in a bid to cut 'teaching to the test'...

Posted on 16/12/2011 - [Read More...]

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Review team proposes recognition of 'Master Teachers'

Great teachers would be recognised as 'Master Teachers' under a new standard recommended in an independent review commissioned by the government...

Posted on 13/12/2011 - [Read More...]

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School budgets get boost with widened pupil premium

Around 500,000 extra children will become eligible for the £488 pupil premium when the government widens availability to the scheme...

Posted on 12/12/2011 - [Read More...]

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Gibb: Phonics the 'proven method' to improve reading ability

Schools minister Nick Gibb has said that using phonics to teach reading is the best way to improve the reading ability in the 20 per cent of children who do not meet expectations ...

Posted on 09/12/2011 - [Read More...]

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DfE plans overhaul of head teacher qualification

The NPQH is to become non mandatory as part of Department for Education plans to overhaul the national head teacher training qualification...

Posted on 07/12/2011 - [Read More...]

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Free nursery places increased in Autumn Statement

During his Autumn Statement, the Chancellor has revealed plans to almost double the number of free early years education places from the figures released earlier this month...

Posted on 30/11/2011 - [Read More...]

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MP: 'Sat Nav' generation too reliant on calculators

Ahead of a parliamentary debate on the maths curriculum, a Conservative MP has said that the use of calculators in primary schools should be restricted...

Posted on 30/11/2011 - [Read More...]

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IT teaching needs reform, government says

The government has said that IT teaching in England needs to be better suited to modern technology and needs...

Posted on 29/11/2011 - [Read More...]

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Primary teachers to get music training under new proposals

A new national music plan is to make a music teaching module compulsory for all trainee primary teachers, while giving all children the chance to learn an instrument for at least one term...

Posted on 28/11/2011 - [Read More...]

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Make history compulsory, professor urges

History teacher jobs could get a boost if the Department for Education takes the advice of a leading Princeton University professor, who has called for the subject to be compulsory to the age of 16....

Posted on 22/11/2011 - [Read More...]

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EC report says teachers need more support from policy-makers

People in maths and science teaching jobs need more support from government policy-makers to help improve achievement levels, new reports from the European Commission claim...

Posted on 17/11/2011 - [Read More...]

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'Common sense approach' proposed for school building regulations

DfE plans to cut the 5,000 pages of 'over-prescriptive' school building regulations by 75% in a bid to make building new schools quicker and better value for money...

Posted on 08/11/2011 - [Read More...]

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London borough offers launches EMA alternative

Pupils in Tower Hamlets encouraged to stay in school by with new Mayor's Education Award which offers the same level of funding as old EMA...

Posted on 04/11/2011 - [Read More...]

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School league tables face shake-up

The Department for Education has announced a shake-up of school performance tables that will see many vocational qualifications removed from the system...

Posted on 28/10/2011 - [Read More...]

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Welsh favour a return to league tables, poll shows

A poll of Welsh citizens has found over half favour a return to school league tables, despite the recent implementation of a 'banding' system which arranges schools into quality groups...

Posted on 24/10/2011 - [Read More...]

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Ofsted launches parents' online school survey

The schools watchdog has announced that the Parent View website, which allows parents to comment on their children's school, is now up and running...

Posted on 21/10/2011 - [Read More...]

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Post-16 GCSE re-sit plans for "near miss" students

The DfE has announced an overhaul of post-16 education which includes proposals to make students who narrowly miss a C grade in core subject re-take the exams...

Posted on 07/10/2011 - [Read More...]

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Teaching knowledge "absolutely essential"

A controversial teacher told the Conservative Party in a speech at its annual conference that not enough weight is placed on the teaching of knowledge...

Posted on 06/10/2011 - [Read More...]

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Teach languages from age 5, education secretary says

In a boost to primary school language teaching jobs, education secretary Michael Gove has said that he wants languages taught from the age of 5 ...

Posted on 04/10/2011 - [Read More...]

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Ofsted to emphasise teaching quality in school inspection shake-up

Focus shifts to standard of teaching and pupil behaviour as school inspection system gets major overhaul by education watchdog Ofsted...

Posted on 30/09/2011 - [Read More...]

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Review of Welsh qualifications will impact the future of teaching jobs

The Welsh Assembly is to conduct a major review of the Welsh qualifications system in the hope of simplifying it and making qualifications more valuable and relevant...

Posted on 29/09/2011 - [Read More...]

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Demand for teacher jobs could rise with plans for free early years education

The government has announced plans to extend free early years education to two-year-olds from disadvantaged backgrounds as part of a drive to help reduce inequality in education...

Posted on 20/09/2011 - [Read More...]

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Government to give teachers new powers to deal with classroom indiscipline

Education secretary Michael Gove has announced the government is to give teachers new powers to combat badly behaved students who disrupt others' education...

Posted on 16/09/2011 - [Read More...]

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Primary school teachers to conduct one to one reading tests

From next summer all primary school teachers at state schools in England will have to conduct one-to-one reading tests with their year one pupils...

Posted on 16/09/2011 - [Read More...]

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First 100 teaching schools begin their new roles

Charged with developing and improving teacher training in under-performing schools, the first 100 teaching schools began their new roles this week...

Posted on 15/09/2011 - [Read More...]

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Teachers given freedom to control school day

The government has removed bureaucratic control over the school day by giving teachers and heads the power to change school times as they see fit....

Posted on 13/09/2011 - [Read More...]

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Report calls for benefits withdrawal for parents of disruptive pupils

A government think-tank has recommended that parents refusing to take action over their children's disruptive behaviour at school should have their benefits withdrawn...

Posted on 12/09/2011 - [Read More...]

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Schools 'need to make the most of tech spending'

Schools will have to make sure their limited IT budgets go as far as possible....

Posted on 31/08/2011 - [Read More...]

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More students studying 'core' GCSEs

The EBacc is encouraging study of core subjects, according to the Department for Education....

Posted on 31/08/2011 - [Read More...]

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UK IT teaching criticised by former Google chief

Google chairman Eric Schmidt believes the UK is squandering its competitive edge in IT and technology....

Posted on 30/08/2011 - [Read More...]

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Head teachers' group welcomes report on maths SAT

Schools must focus on recruiting excellent mathematics teachers if children are to flourish....

Posted on 10/08/2011 - [Read More...]

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Education jobs news: Kibworth primary 'delighted' over status award

A primary school in Kibworth has been imbued with teaching school status, much to the approval of its head teacher....

Posted on 09/08/2011 - [Read More...]

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HMC calls for reduction in exams

The secretary of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference has called for a reduction in the amount of exams taken by pupils in the UK....

Posted on 09/08/2011 - [Read More...]

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