University of Buckingham
The other day I asked an experienced university tutor whether the nature of undergraduates had changed in the past ten years. Without hesitation she replied ‘Yes, they are much more needy. They ask for, and expect to get, help with simple academic tasks. What is more, half of them feel they have mental health issues and our university... Continue Reading →
For forty years I was a classroom teacher and a head teacher. I recruited hundreds of teachers, observed thousands of lessons and I am confident I know what good teaching looks like. As Jonathan Smith, the former head of English at Tonbridge School, once said, the characteristics of good teaching are pretty obvious, but it... Continue Reading →
“It takes as much energy to wish as it does to plan’’ Eleanor Roosevelt I am not sure if I am organised or have OCD, but either way, I love a tidy desk, numerous planners, and colour coding. We are well into the academic year; time is flying literally (or maybe it feels this way,... Continue Reading →
“I am always ready to learn although I do not always like being taught.” — Winston Churchill How can teachers create a supportive environment conducive to learning? Support is an intricate part of teaching, and this became more apparent during the pandemic with multiple articles discussing several ways that teachers can support their students: “8... Continue Reading →
As I excitedly started my new role at the University of Buckingham in leading the Physical Education PGCE course last week, I have been drawn to the numerous tweets on twitter by trainee teachers seeking advice for their upcoming PGCE year. So, what better position as a new Head of cohort to offer some guidance... Continue Reading →
The Skills for Jobs White Paper published in early 2021 and the Lifetime Loan Entitlement (LLE) consultation (closes May 2022) set out the government’s plan for how people will be provided with a loan entitlement equivalent to four years of post-18 education to use over their lifetime This February saw a further raft of changes... Continue Reading →
Two years in a row the Government has cancelled public exams. But last year schools could have run those exams in June and this year all pupils are now back in school early in March. So, the question is – was it wrong to cancel exams? Most schools have been able to keep exam-year pupils... Continue Reading →
All universities are required by the Office for Students to increase the proportion of students they take from ‘low participation’ areas. One of the main ways they do this is to flag up on applications the ‘Polar quintile’ the applicants live in. POLAR is an acronym which stands for Participation of Local Areas. The UK... Continue Reading →