University of Buckingham
How are things looking for school leavers this summer? 1) A-level grades We know that A-level grades will be pegged in the midway point between the grade distribution of each subject in 2019 (the last year before COVID) and that of last year. So, grades will on average be lower than last year. Each subject... Continue Reading →
The Times Education Commission, 15th June 2022 They propose: 1) A British Baccalaureate, offering broader academic and vocational qualifications at 18, with parity in funding per pupil in both routes, and a slimmed-down set of exams at 16 to bring out the best in every child. Score out of 10: 3 The Government has only... Continue Reading →
This year's theme for Mental Health Awareness Week is "Loneliness". Spear-headed by the Mental Health Foundation, their press release published earlier in the year stated, "Loneliness affects millions of people in the UK every year and is a key driver of poor mental health. The Foundation’s Mental Health in the Pandemic research has found that... Continue Reading →
It is a strange phenomenon, particularly in Education that coaching and mentoring are always lumped together. It is not unlike the pairing together of Science and Maths as if they have exactly the same thinking processes, but don’t get me started on that. However, with coaching and mentoring we can even see people/institutions/courses declaring to... Continue Reading →
Nick Gibb departed last week but had been Schools Minister since 2010 with one short break. There are numerous reasons to be grateful to him. 1) He had a clear agenda based on an understanding of what works. In his famous 1953 essay, The Hedgehog and the Fox, Isaiah Berlin wrote that ‘a fox knows... Continue Reading →
Methods to Explain Memory When studying what memory is and how to advise teachers to enhance their pupils’ memories, there are two approaches which can be used: Neuroscience: the ways in which the brain accommodates and represents memory (localisation of function, neurons, neurotransmitters, etc.) Cognitive Psychology: representations or models that explain how information is absorbed... Continue Reading →
The most remarkable fact about this summer's GCSE results was the dominance of girls. 33% of girls gained a grade 7 or better compared to only 24% of boys, a widening of the gap since 2020. If one looks at subjects which require more coursework, the gap was huge. In Design Technology (traditionally thought of... Continue Reading →
One thing you can be certain of is that, within seconds of schools breaking up, shops will be taken over by huge advertising campaigns proclaiming that we should all be thinking about going ‘Back to School’. What this means in reality is piles of neat white socks, Teflon coated indestructible trousers and pinafores, endless rows... Continue Reading →
On 5 July the Government published a consultation on reforms to initial teacher training in England. The proposals, which come from a panel of only five people, represent a radical change to the current system and envisage all teacher trainers having to apply for reaccreditation early next year. In common with many universities we are... Continue Reading →