Education & schools work update

Headlines from the world of education and schools work:

Graduates ‘to pay back double’ on loans: Graduates could be forced to pay back double their original student loans under the new fees system in England.

80,000 children denied place at first choice secondary school: One in three children in London was denied a place at their first choice secondary school this year, as almost 80,000 pupils across the country missed out.

First News helps children to read: Teachers believe that the weekly newspaper First News is improving children’s literacy. A survey of 735 schoolteachers found that 87% of their pupils are more likely to read if they have access to the paper.

Brightest pupils may be allowed to skip GCSE and start A-levels early: Michael Gove is considering plans to allow the brightest pupils to skip GCSEs and start studying for A-levels at 14.  The education secretary wants to encourage schools to fast-track their cleverest students on to the most taxing courses as soon as they are ready. At the moment a school would fall down the league tables if some of its brightest pupils did not take GCSEs.

European Court of Human Rights rules crucifixes are allowed in state schools: The European Court of Human Rights has ruled that crucifixes are acceptable in the continent’s state school classrooms, describing them as an “essentially passive symbol” with no obvious religious influence. In its judgment, handed down in Strasbourg, the court found that while the crucifix was “above all a religious symbol” there was no evidence that its display on classroom walls might have an influence on pupils.

Michael Gove: schools should be ranked by number of pupils getting degrees: Schools could be ranked by the number of pupils gaining university degrees under Coalition plans to drive up education standards.

Religious leaders are out of touch with issues of sexuality, survey reveals: Results also indicate young people are finding it difficult to combine their religion with their sexuality.

Free schools will not teach creationism, says Department for Education: The Department for Education has said Michael Gove is “crystal clear that teaching creationism is at odds with scientific fact” after a warning that the government’s new free schools could be exploited by churches looking to promote a literal interpretation of the Bible.

Children ‘should read 50 books a year’, says Gove: Children as young as 11 should be expected to read 50 books a year as part of a national drive to improve literacy standards, according to Michael Gove. But authors raise doubts over Gove’s 50-book challenge.

Number of foreign students to be cut by 25%: The number of foreign students and their dependants coming to Britain could be cut by around 100,000 a year under plans unveiled by the government.

TAGS: education, news, schools work, politics