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Perhaps “high flyers” in maths and science should consider doing apprenticeships in engineering ? I think so. |
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By Fusive on
Monday, August 28, 2006
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Students who earned good grades in maths and science at GCSE should consider taking apprenticeships rather than traditional academic career paths, a leading scientist has advised. Rather than following the traditional route to A-levels then university, students could join an apprenticeship program straight after their GCSEs, train to become an engineer, for example, and then study for a degree or a diploma while working. And they would have a job and be earning money – seems like a really good idea.
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Limits should be made on the number of GCSEs taken by students |
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By Fusive on
Thursday, August 24, 2006
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A headteacher of one of the major independent schools asks for schools to cut the number of GCSEs taken by pupils – he wants education to benefit students and not league tables. At a time when top grades are increasing many people fear that this is because schools sit pupils for “easy” subjects where students can get high grades and thus boost the school’s tables. This is backed up by news that results of grades C+ in Maths and English and other key major academic subjects are not particularly good.
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Major universities advises students to not study “soft option” A level subjects and concentrate on academic subjects |
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By Fusive on
Wednesday, August 23, 2006
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As many astute “A” level tutors would already have known, major universities are not willing to accept high grades in “soft option” A levels as entry requirements to their courses, but prefer lower grades in academic subjects. Cambridge, the London School of Economics and Manchester are advising students to concentrate of academic A levels and Cambridge has gone so far as to post a notice on its website advising young people of acceptable and unacceptable combinations of subjects for entry to its courses.
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Schools choose “easier” GCSEs than Maths and English to boost exam pass rate |
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By Fusive on
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
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It appears that there is a gap in performance of 16 year olds in Maths and English at GCSE as compared with other GCSEs, prompting critics to say that schools are putting young people into programmes of subjects where it is easier for them to get higher grades, so as to boost the school’s performance in the tables. New % 5 Grade A-C passes standards will have to include Maths and English by 2008 – so the results will fall unless socks are pulled up smartly.
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“A” Levels results are up but University student numbers likely to go down. |
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By Fusive on
Sunday, August 20, 2006
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Fewer students are likely to go to university this autumn despite a record year for A-level results, prompting fears that new "top-up" fees have put young people off higher education. Although critics of fees predicted poorer students would be hit hardest, the UCAS figures say the decrease was similar across the different social groups. Perhaps “A” level students are also looking at entering the job market whilst they can, earning money and work experience whilst the job market is buoyant enough for them to do so. If they’re worried about the money then this would be a really wise move instead of looking forward to increasing loans or bankrupting their parents.
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Four good websites for teachers (or interested parents) |
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By Fusive on
Tuesday, August 15, 2006
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Here are four subject association websites in maths, languages, geography and science, that are set up mainly for teachers, but can be useful for more advanced students and parents for resources and information – plus they themselves are linked to other good sites in the same area.
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Schools’ Reading lists are to be thinned out in more ways than one. |
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By Fusive on
Friday, August 11, 2006
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I can’t say that I believe that, for the last 20 years at least, that schools’ reading lists have meant that children have left school with a feeling for the rich literacy heritage of English. Some may well have done, but I bet that the majority of these would have been, in the main, supported and role modelled by their parents literacy and the books on their shelves. However, there will have been some who were stimulated by their English curriculum. Now being accused of a “Dumbing down” of the Key Stage 3 curriculum Alan Johnson, the Schools minister says that the place of “heritage” novels has been secured. Though, it appears, very little else is sure to remain. What it does mean is that, it appears, modern novels (modern say, after the first world war !) seem to be likely to disappear as do novels written in English by writers from other ethnic heritages.
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Structure of the new vocational diplomas released by government |
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By Fusive on
Saturday, August 05, 2006
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Details of what 14-19 year olds will study in the new specialist diplomas were disclosed at the end of July. The Diplomas for 14 to 19-year-olds, which have been developed jointly by the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) and industry representatives, will be a blend of general education and work-related study in a special subject
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Did you know about “cyberbullying” in schools ? |
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By Fusive on
Thursday, August 03, 2006
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Schools were this week being requested to stamp out "cyberbullying" as new research revealed that up to one in five children are being bullied via their mobile phone or through the internet. New Government guidelines say that teachers should ensure all e-mails sent from computers on site are monitored and internet use is restricted where necessary
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Research evidence about “Brain Based Learning” identifies “neuromyths” |
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By Fusive on
Sunday, July 30, 2006
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Over the last ten years “brain-based learning” has been a subject of considerable interest to teachersa. Neuroscience is informing the education industry about brain disorders (eg. ADHD and Dyslexia) there is precious little evidence for the current enthusiasm of basing classroom practice on a so-called neuroscientific basis. So says new Scottish Research.
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