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You may have seen reports recently in the press about scrapping GCSEs. GCSEs were designed to show a standard of education at 16, consequently an assessment of a youngster’s capability for life beyond school. But now the school leaving age is 18 are GCSEs relevant? And do they equip youngsters with what they need for […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
It’s exciting to hear that New Zealand are to stop standardised testing in schools from an early age. Paul Goulter, the general secretary for primary heads and staff in New Zealand, explains in this short video. He says how they now feel that there is no merit in testing children in a linear way throughout […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
According to this author Fidget Spinners are the answer to what she describes as an epidemic of boredom! An epidemic, it’s said, that leads us to pursue unhealthy activities whilst we’re bored like shopping on Ebay (and consequently overspending). And maybe even boredom eating would come into that category, contributing to another epidemic that gets a […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
Read about the latest updates in the UK education system from our respected authors. Curriculum changes, examination boards, and OFSTED latest news.
Along with the changes in the way budget is allocated to schools (see post here) there are other changes that will affect the children’s education which at first glance means that vocational and technical training is to receive a huge injection of cash. This funding will streamline courses available for students at 16 – 19 […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
Fewer than 3,500 pupils sat Further Mathematics GCSE in 2013. The qualification is aimed, as one of the exam boards puts it, at ‘students who have high ability in, or are motivated by mathematics’. These talented pupils may be few and far between – but there are surely many more of them than 3,500? Incidentally, […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
There has been much coverage in the news about the government making all schools into academies and the re-emergence of Grammar schools. Academy status means that schools as we know them now; overseen and funded by councils, will instead have their funding go directly from the government to private bodies, independently of councils, and these […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
Those of you that enjoy TEDx may have come across an interesting video by Louise-Amélie Cougnon from UC Louvain, who tells us how she sees the Classroom of Tomorrow. We are pleased to Louise-Amélie to share some of her ideas with us. Over to Louise-Amélie: I have always been tightly linked to education. I come from a family of women […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
Mysteriously, when the GCSE results are presented every year, the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) lumps together the results for law, sociology and psychology GCSEs into one ‘range of related subjects,’ which it calls Social Science Subjects. The numbers of entrants are admittedly not large – 42,637 students sat these social science GCSEs in 2014. […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
Sociology was in the top ten A Level subjects taken in 2014, with 30,594 students sitting the exam. It was one of only four subjects where the proportion of students getting both A* and A star grades rose this year. The numbers taking Sociology A Level remain fairly static, despite the fact that it is […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
You may have seen in the news that a new website has been launched by the government called Educate Against Hate. This is an approach by Nicky Morgan to counteract extremism and radicalisation, both very sensitive issues featured in the news fairly frequently recently, and to give parents, teachers and educators advice on protecting children […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
Recently the Government has proposed that GCSE Home Economics, along with various other GCSEs which have also been branded too ‘soft’, should be scrapped. It has stated that GCSE Home Economics will be discontinued from 2016, because it is reportedly not only too ‘soft’ but has too much overlap with GCSE Food Technology, a comparatively […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
The great philosopher Aristotle once proclaimed that music has the power of forming the character and should therefore be introduced into the education of the young. However, many teachers and parents are put off by the expense and amount of time required for musical progression. A recent report by the Royal School of Music revealed […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
Imagine the scenario. You’ve spent a considerable amount of time preparing for your history exam, pouring through the set textbooks and learning about a variety of key debates. You’re extremely nervous when the day of the exam arrives. After all, your mark could make the difference between an open or closed door to your university […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
Interactive games and models are a powerful tool, which can be used for various purposes, not limited to the realms of pleasure, recreation and leisure. Active or kinaesthetic learning using interactive models and games is an immediate, engaging and effective teaching method. It is also a very practical method as it teaches transferrable skills that […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
As an education blogger, I read lots of articles that try and explain what’s wrong with our education system. Recently I came across one that is some of the best journalism I have ever read. In a piece for the Telegraph, Peter Tait – headmaster of Sherborne Preparatory School – has truly hit the nail on the […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 4 minutes to read
It’s very saddening to read of yet another report about the pressures of our exam system pushing children to depression, self harm and thoughts of suicide. Professor Merryn Hutchings from the London Metropolitan University says that pupils are becoming anxious, stressed and disaffected because of the intensity of the academic structure forced upon them. And […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
As election fever heats up I fear that education is being used as a manipulative tool to gain votes. But at what cost to schools, teachers and particularly our kids? Education is a concern for all parents. And of course all teaching staff and other educational professionals. We are bound to be interested in any […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
It would appear that even in his private life, David Cameron has been not too far away from the headlines. The PM has apparently handed himself in hot water over his choice of school for his child Nancy – who will be starting secondary school in September at Grey Coat Hospital school. Bet you can’t […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 4 minutes to read
With all the squabbling in the government here in England, I bet the Welsh Assembly breathes a sigh of relief every time English teachers protest and fall to their knees at every half-baked idea to come out of the Gove/Morgan era. As one idea comes and goes, there’s been such inconsistency in English schools that […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 5 minutes to read
The affordability of university education has been hotly debated in recent times. This is hardly surprising given that the average student is expected to graduate with a debt of over £44,000. Of course, there is the financial safeguard of not having to start repayments before earning over £21,000 per year; and an estimated 74% of […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
Some of the UK’s most widely respected historians, novelists and technological innovators have studied at Eton and Harrow over the years. The teachers at these esteemed institutions have placed great emphasis upon the importance of outstanding academic achievement. However, there has been widespread surprise among the educational fraternity as such respected private schools have been […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
Picture this: you work incredibly hard for your first year and get your AS results. You begin the long-winded process of applying to universities through the UCAS system and begin the long hard slog through your A2s… Eventually, your UCAS is submitted and you begin that long wait. Then, joy – you get that lovely […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 5 minutes to read
As election fever increases it’s inevitable that education is going to be used for leverage and the latest from the education secretary Nicky Morgan is a good indication. In the news at the weekend she says that all primary children should know their times tables up to twelve times and have knowledge of the correct […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
‘Boring’ and ‘irrelevant’ were two of the words to emerge from a Department for Education (DfE) focus group looking at opinions of teenagers towards STEM subjects – science, technology, engineering and maths. It seems that this lack of interest has very real consequences, with too few candidates for STEM places at our universities. A survey […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
Push aside international placements and the like for a minute… You’d think it would be rather tricky to study abroad for the entirety of a degree programme. Truth be told, being an international student can be a potential minefield – you’ve got to think about visas and local languages, cultures and the various academic requirements […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 4 minutes to read
Read something funny for Christmas; pop over to this article in the Guardian and have a laugh! It’s a light-hearted look at what Ofsted could do to Christmas. It’ll be familiar to many teachers! The comments are enlightening too! Light-hearted it may be, but it certainly makes you look at the way in which we measure […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
This year has flown by, I have to admit. It’s been, from an educational perspective, quite dramatic and remarkable for me. I’ve been and studied in Grenoble and embarked on the final year of my degree. I even managed to sort out the one part of my work that was in some way lacking: the […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 4 minutes to read
Obtaining an education is about much more than learning to read and write; in the digital age, younger generations are being called upon to make a significantly greater number of financial decisions than in past years, which means that we need to ensure that our children understand the nature and consequences of the financial decisions […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 4 minutes to read
Education has been the focus of political reform in the UK. Despite the introduction of Academies which seemingly are starting to drive up student performance, a landmark report published by the OECD has found that young people in the UK are lagging behind in literacy and numeracy skills. This situation needs to be rectified if we are to remain competitive […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 4 minutes to read
A recent report is calling for more to be done by schools in order to see that children are able to swim and stay safe around water. Swimming is part of the national curriculum but according to the Amateur Swimming Association many schools are failing to ensure that children have enough opportunity to become safe […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
In the world of education, it’s sadly predictable that we seem to have several warring factions. We’ve got the government fighting with the unions, parents and kids… Safe to say no-one is safe really. One of the ones I wasn’t expecting to flare up is Ofsted and school heads. You’d think that they’d just be […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 4 minutes to read
Children come already primed to learn, although many educators disregard that fact and therefore miss out on this potential. They are primed by their natural curiosity. Which is why they do all those irritating things when they’re toddlers like opening cupboard doors, pressing keys and tapping the Ipad when you’re using it. They don’t do […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
Children going back to school will be learning with a new curriculum that according to the Prime Minister is “rigorous, engaging and tough” (see BBC report) But I’m worried, after looking at some of the components,whether it is more likely to put children off learning than it is to engage them. It may also be […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
What student does not dread exams? To quote that famous educationalist (err, maybe not) Eminem “His palms are sweaty, knees weak”, and that certainly sums up how I feel about exams. As somebody still stuck in the education system, enduring important exams every summer, and taking time to enjoy what’s left of my long summer holiday […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
We may be slowly recovering from the economic crisis but there could be another one looming as many businesses are finding it hard to recruit youngsters with the right sort of education and skills they need. Recent findings from the Prince’s Trust, (see the BBC’s report), suggests that this gap in skilled young people could seriously […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
One way or another, the education system we’ve come to love/loathe isn’t going to stick about unchanged for very long. It would appear that this Government are trying their utmost to put their mark on British educational history, with Nicky Morgan now picking up the cudgel following the exit of Michael Gove. No sooner than Gove had […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 4 minutes to read
I have not come across anyone involved in education who had any respect for Michael Gove. Or the effect he’s had on education. No teachers, no tutors, not even a parent – but maybe that just means I’m mixing in the wrong circles! But it says something about the policies people make if people in […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
It’s only natural. You are there as tutor to focus on helping a student get to grips with a difficult subject or topic. You are so focused on this that you forget the importance of praise. Praising students in a sincere and meaningful way can provide the extra push students need to do their very best. It can also show […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 4 minutes to read
It would appear that the initial case that we’ve all been following here at Superprof is drawing to a close. For now, at least. The Trojan Horse case, as it’s being known, as gripped educational analysts and commentators for the last few months now, as the Department for Education investigates claims of religious takeovers and […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 5 minutes to read
Blimey, there are so many teaching union conferences in April, maybe it’s the hint of some Spring sunshine. The National Union of Teachers (NUT) had their annual event at the beach in Brighton and the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT) holding their conference in the somewhat less glamorous location of Birmingham. I mean, it’s […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 4 minutes to read
“Augmented reality, what the heck is that?” Yep, I had the same reaction when I first heard about Augmented Reality (AR) and how it was effecting education. The purpose of this blog post is to put you in the picture about what AR is, how it’s already impacting the way that we learn. Over the […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 5 minutes to read
Just when parents thought that school wasn’t so expensive enough, schools manage to find a way. don’t they? School uniforms are vastly overpriced – the blazers and jackets and ties are all painfully expensive from my experience, not to mention the fact I was a growing boy who didn’t mind sliding about on the grass […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 4 minutes to read
I’ve long used the term ‘exam factories’ to describe our education system. You go in one end, you learn all the exam-related material, you sit the exam, you leave. Your life seems to be simply preparing for the next exam, the next assessment. Suddenly, before you know it… whoops, 7 years have passed and you […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 4 minutes to read
I think it’s safe to say that teachers do need a bit of protection nowadays. The stresses of the job, the unruly kids (if we believe the reports saying that exclusions and the like are always on the rise), the constant pressure of Ofstead, exams, militant parents…. I could go on. Naturally, teachers find some […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
Ever since Year 7, when I walked into secondary school as a fresh-faced 11 year old, I managed to get the knack for learning foreign languages. It just seemed to click for me. Vocabulary and verb structures all just seemed to make sense – on my last day of Year 7 my French teacher gave […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 4 minutes to read
Every time we hear about the newest set of GCSE and A Level results, we find it is a time for reflection and celebration. Our kids have done well, cementing their legacy on their school and setting themselves up for the future. It’s really quite a memorable time for everyone. I can remember some of […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 4 minutes to read
Those with an eye on the education news may have noticed that it was announced that as part of the overhaul of the exam system the Arts subjects were going to be made more ‘rigorous and demanding’ This is the education secretary, Mr Gove’s attempt to make schools ‘nurture creative talent in every child’. This […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
It would be safe to assume that, whatever your religious beliefs, Britain has managed to keep it fairly neutral for us. With philosophy lessons, comprehensive science lessons covering all aspects of the curriculum, freedom of expression and so on, it’s reasonable to say that whatever you believe in, you’re going to be well catered-for. After […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 4 minutes to read
Schools desperately try to be more than just about providing education and knowledge for exams. Despite my assertion that many school systems are little more than exam factories, I will say that many do give it a fair bash at trying to make sure that your kids leave not just educated, but also wiser about […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 4 minutes to read
Former Tory advisor Paul Kirby has suggested that the future for national greatness is to increase the length of school days and cut school holidays. He believes that a 45-hour week and a 45-week year would be just the ticket to economic success and academic greatness. It would instantly do away with the need for […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
Say whatever you like about school dinners, it does seem that our government has a lot of optimism on the subject. It is argued that gone are the days of poor food, terrible value for money and turkey twizzlers (the latter is definitely true – they were actually banned a few years ago) and in […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 4 minutes to read
One of the more popular ways back into education or work is through the use of the vocational qualifications that are on offer. At present, there are quite a staggering number on offer, so you’re never short of different options, depending on your experiences, tastes and other previous qualifications. The actual number is quite staggering […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 4 minutes to read
School admissions are one of the great mysteries of the modern education system, along with where sports science graduates actually end up, the results of students coming out of private schools… and how Michael Gove still has his job. Political commentary aside, it does remain an interesting area of debate. How do schools assign places […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 5 minutes to read
How many times did you ask yourself this question when you were at school? For many teachers, it should come as no surprise. After all, many kids find themselves in lessons that they don’t want to be in for much of their education and have no intention later in life of using certain things they […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 4 minutes to read
One of the many reasons cited by parents as influencing their decision to home educate is their concern over the narrow focus of the curriculum in school on purely academic outcomes. Many feel that this neglects the wider education of their young people, particularly with regard to personal skills, character development, the ability to diversify […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
Around the time kids are 14 or 15 years old, they are probably getting some rough ideas in their head as to what they want to do when they leave school. After all, those GCSE choices will open and close several doors for them – and that’s when they pick them and have been accepted. […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 5 minutes to read
Finding the best way to connect with a student is a skill. The purpose of this blog post is to provide tutors with information on the various teaching strategies available, and provide some practical advice. Make learning relevant: For many students, subjects such as calculus, physics or even literature have little connection to their lives. […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 4 minutes to read
It seemed so easy, didn’t it? The government would encourage schools to become academies – they would be free of local authority control, be backed by external sponsors and have much more say in their operation: Staff pay and conditions are managed by the school, not by the local authorities. The national curriculum can be […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
Being an Erasmus student has got so many advantages to it. Beyond the stereotype of meeting people from all over the world, learning new skills, travelling throughout Europe… I also get a first-hand experience of they way the education system is run over here. And yes, there are some differences – key differences to the education […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
It is a peculiar and somewhat unnerving prospect, isn’t it? You pack your bags as a Fresher and head off for three or more years of what people call the greatest time of your life. They’ll be parties and laughs along the way, just so long as at the end of it you leave with […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 4 minutes to read
There are many ways to educate a child. This is one of a series of articles in which we will be exploring alternative ways of learning outside the traditional state education system, and explaining what makes them different, and unique. This series starts with an in-depth look at a Montessori education. So where did the Montessori movement […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
Some new research and a couple of policy announcements have caught my eye just recently and it’s about time had my tuppence worth on the important issues raised. First off, a new report has found that one in five young people in the UK say they have ‘abandoned their ambitions’ because of poor grades. The […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
When I was at school, some 30 years ago, it was all about sitting quietly at desks with chewing gum under them and listening while the teacher talked. Occasionally we’d copy stuff down and sometimes there would be exercises to do. The most important thing, when it came to exams, was ramming facts into our […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
When exams loom heavy on the horizon students do what they can to prepare themselves for the mental strain ahead: revising, re-revising, chewing at fingernails and pulling at hair. Happily, for screenagers everywhere the abundance of digital help on offer means revision is becoming easier and more accessible than ever before. For this two-part blog […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
News hit us in May that the Centre for Market Reform of Education had come up with proposals for the introduction of The Tutors Association. Its focus would be to improve industry standards and provide guidance for those procuring tutoring services. The Tutors Association has started its industry-wide consultation. It’s looking to gain input on its proposals for […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
To the sound of cheers from industry professionals, parents and teachers the Centre for Market Reform of Education (CRME) is launching a consultation on plans for a new national association for tutors in an effort to push forward with plans to develop industry standards and improve the consistency of the private tutoring market. In recent […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
This month’s high school newsletter contained an item that caught my eye. The first of the 16 pages urged us to “tweet tweet”. It said: “Over the coming months, we will be piloting the benefits of using social networking site ‘Twitter’ to further improve communication with pupils and parents at the school.” Fantastic. As a […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
Some of you may remember the story of Martha Payne, the Argyle schoolgirl who’s school dinner blog hit the headlines after she was banned from posting pictures of the lunchtime slop by Bute Council. At the time I blogged about it, Martha’s blog (NeverSeconds) had reached 300,000 hits. That number is nearly 10 million now […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
Yesterday, in a rare showing of common sense in the, err, commons, Labour and Lib Dem MPs cosied up to vote in favour of a proposal to lower the voting age in all UK elections from 18 to 16. After the deafening show of voter apathy that resulted in a hung parliament in the last […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
Sipping through my vat of tea in the post-Christmas fug of a January morning, I was transported back to my happy days at university by Radio 4’s ‘The Value of Culture’ with Melvin Bragg. The series explores the idea and evolution of culture, and (though the whole programme was thoroughly engaging) it was the mention […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
By now, most of us will be aware of the sweeping changes to the education system as schools move outside of local authority control and towards becoming publicly funded state schools – academies. Michael Gove has overseen a massive rise in schools reaching academy status It’s understandable that many parents are still unsure as to […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
What is an EBacc? It’s a proposed new educational qualification, called English Baccalaureate Certificate in full. It is going to replace the GCSEs in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. But EBacc sounds familiar? The term has been used for the past couple of years as a measure of success in core GCSE subjects. Whose idea […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
Love them or hate them, Ofsted inspections are the time-honoured way our authorities independently check to see if schools are performing well for our children. Should schools be allowed to pay through the nose for Ofsted inspection tips? I remember it well from my schoolboy days – being swept up in a confusing whirlwind of frantic reorganisation […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
Of course we want cheaper holidays and quieter beaches, but we can’t have them. It’s time to get over it. In England and Wales, education secretary Michael Gove has decided to ban parents from taking kids out of school to go on holiday during term time. He’s doing this by taking away head teachers’ existing […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
So Education Secretary Michael Gove reckons ICT is “boring and dull” and should be scrapped and replaced by computer science and more coding… brought in conjunction with technology businesses. There are already resources’ developed with Google and Microsoft. Hmm. At first glance ICT (Information and Computer Technology) sounds fairly up-to-the minute to me. But then […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
As the mother of a first year pupil, I had my first experience of secondary parents’ night last week. From the day the letter came home from school it was clear the days of perching on too-small chairs and hearing kind words about my boy were long gone. Now, the whole event ran from 4pm […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
It’s clear that education had changed greatly since I was at school. In my day the girls did domestic science and the boys did technical stuff with wood and metal. Also way back then, computers were more theoretical than anything else. My secondary had only two computers and I’m not even sure I ever saw […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
My son came home a few weeks after starting high school excitedly clutching a printed sheet headed RESIDENTIAL ACTIVITIES MAY 2012. The dog-eared state suggested it had been given much attention, as did the breathless way he discussed the contents. Now we aren’t talking about the class-wide, inclusive, outdoor activity type residential activities that are […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
Love him or loathe him, Jamie Oliver’s wide-screen face will be filling T.V sets for the next few weeks as he embarks on his next moral conquest; this time tackling education with an all-star cast and the best staffroom sarnies ever to grace a fold-out table. His new series, Jamie’s Dream School, airs tonight at 9 and shifts focus from the […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 4 minutes to read
On a day in which thousands of students across the country march in protest at swingeing cuts and rising tuition fees, Michael Gove stood up and delivered his white paper on school reform. You can read the full proposal here. College Green protest Meanwhile, around Bristol and the Jiva office, students are out in force adding […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
I’m starting to think we’re obsessed with measuring. We measure what’s good for us; we measure what’s bad for us. We measure how many calories are in the foot-long we’re about to devour and we measure our expanding waistlines. We’re about to measure the happiness of the nation. Shouldn’t be too hard then… Worst of all […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 3 minutes to read
Pretty sad to hear this week that students’ automatic right to one-to-one tuition has had its funding pulled by the coalition government. In January we blogged about the Institute of London’s initial research into the reading and numeracy programmes which were to be rolled out nationwide in 2011. Since then the programmes have gone on […]
8 June 2020 ∙ read in 1 minute
Superprof differs radically from traditional home tutoring – it puts you in control of your learning. There are no arrangements. There is no travelling. There is no hassle. Using instant messaging, Superprof puts you in contact with a tutor at the precise point when you need help – simply type in your question, select the tutor that suits […]
8 June 2020 ∙ 2 minutes to read
