Parents urged to 'teach' cookery posted by Jana on 5 February 2009, 1:31 pm, under Education

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/7869746.stm

Parents must take more responsibility for teaching their children how to prepare meals from scratch, the Children's Secretary Ed Balls has said. The onus to pass on cookery skills did not only rest with teachers, he said. Detailing a £3.3m package to recruit 750 cookery teaching assistants and boost existing teachers' skills, Mr Balls said obesity must be reduced. From 2011, cookery lessons will be compulsory in England's secondary schools for children aged 11 to 14.

Apprenticeship plan for schools posted by Jana on 5 February 2009, 1:31 pm, under Education

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/7870381.stm

Ministers say they want schools in England to take on apprentices in the role of teaching assistants. Schools Secretary Ed Balls says he wants to see 4,000 young people taking up the role next year. The National Union of Teachers has dismissed the plan as an "ill thought out idea".

Lib Dem pledge to cut class sizes posted by Jana on 5 February 2009, 1:30 pm, under Education

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7871544.stm

The Liberal Democrats say they would enable English infant schools to reduce class sizes to 15 - half the current maximum - by training more teachers. They say they would fund this by ending the Child Trust Fund, which gives every child £250 when they are born, and by redirecting other public spending.

Schools warned on parental costs posted by Jana on 4 February 2009, 7:42 am, under Education

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/7867848.stm

Schools in England are being told to limit what parents have to pay for things like uniforms and trips. The amount parents spend on school costs has increased by 4% in five years. Four in 10 say they are finding these difficult to pay. Such additional costs include uniforms, lunches and out-of-class activities. Children's Secretary Ed Balls said he was "very concerned" that some schools were not following existing guidance. Parents spend on average £683 a year on children at primary school and £1,195 at secondary school, the report says.

Schools that break admission rules to face spot checks posted by Jana on 4 February 2009, 7:42 am, under Education

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/4448109/Schools-that-break-admission-rules-to-face-spot-checks.html

Schools which break admission rules should face spot checks, according to the new chief adjudicator of schools. Ian Craig, 61, has been appointed by the schools secretary, Ed Balls, to rule in disputes over admissions and the closing and opening of new schools. The workload of the adjudicator increased last year following insurance complaints from councils about individual schools. It was revealed that half of state schools in England are flouting admissions rules, leaving
potentially thousands of children without places.

New A* grade A-level 'should be ignored' posted by Jana on 4 February 2009, 7:41 am, under Education

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/4449763/New-A-grade-A-level-should-be-ignored.html

Universities are preparing to shun elite A-level grades following claims they will lead to an influx of students from private schools. The Government said the new A* grade - introduced last September to pick out the very best sixth-formers - would not be used for several years. In a report, ministers said there were concerns it would "disproportionately impact on students from non-traditional backgrounds". Teenagers starting A-levels five months ago will be the first to be awarded an A* when they leave sixth-form in 2010.

School music lessons 'inadequate' posted by Jana on 4 February 2009, 7:41 am, under Education

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/7867627.stm

Only half of school music lessons in England are good enough, according to inspectors from the watchdog Ofsted. Its report said pupils were missing out on the positive impact music had on personal and academic development. Lessons were judged to be "good" or "outstanding" in just half of the 84 primary and 95 secondary schools seen between September 2005 and July 2008.

Exam results 'inaccurate' way to identify bright pupils posted by Jana on 3 February 2009, 2:08 pm, under Education

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/secondaryeducation/4434584/Exam-results-inaccurate-way-to-identify-bright-pupils.html

Elise Lewis, director of the Young Gifted and Talented scheme, said it was "inaccurate" to assess its success on test scores alone. She insisted schools should take a more "holistic" view of pupils instead of merely encouraging them in the exams hall. The comments were condemned as making an excuse for failure.

Vulnerable children 'should go to boarding school' posted by Jana on 3 February 2009, 2:08 pm, under Education

http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2009/feb/02/boarding-schools-care

Local councils should consider sending children at risk of being taken into care to boarding school, a government review recommends. A two- year pilot scheme found that where children who faced family breakdown were carefully matched to a suitable school, boarding offered a range of advantages.

Sats to be marked on-line following delays posted by Jana on 3 February 2009, 2:08 pm, under Education

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/4436918/Sats-to-be-marked-on-line-following-delays.html

The Government said it was considering introducing the technology next year, despite doubts over accuracy. Ministers insisted that a trial of the system led to almost all papers being marked on time. The recommendation forms part of a response to a damning official inquiry into last summer's Sats fiasco. But officials admitted contingency plans could not be introduced in time for this year's tests - raising the possibility of further disruption for schoolchildren.

Closing schools sends out 'wrong message' posted by Jana on 3 February 2009, 2:06 pm, under Education

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/closing-schools-sends-out-wrong-message-1543867.html

Closing schools because of snow is teaching children a bad lesson, a parents' group warned today. Margaret Morrissey, of the Parents Outloud campaign group, said it sent out the message that if life gets difficult you should simply stay at home. She called for an "emergency plan" to be introduced to allow more schools to stay open in the event of bad weather. Her comments come as thousands of schools across the country announced that they would be closing their doors for the
second day running.

'Reluctance' to identify gifted posted by Jana on 31 January 2009, 1:10 pm, under Education

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/7860319.stm

Many state schools are unwilling to identify gifted and talented pupils for fear of being seen as "elitist", a report says. The government-commissioned report assessed the legacy of the National
Academy for Gifted and Talented Youth as "thin and limited value for money". The Academy closed in 2007, and a new gifted and talented programme started.

Balls pushes ahead with academies posted by Jana on 31 January 2009, 1:09 pm, under Education

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/7860455.stm

The Schools Secretary Ed Balls says he will resist calls to slow the pace of the academy programme. The flagship reform received a blow this week, as a Carlisle school became the second academy to be judged as failing by inspectors. Mr Balls said it was only to be expected that there would be "variance in performance" among the academies.

Ailing private schools to become state academies in 'bail-out' posted by Jana on 31 January 2009, 1:09 pm, under Education

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/4405028/Ailing-private-schools-to-become-state-academies-in-bail-out.html

The number of ailing private schools opting to become state schools is set to rise during the recession, in what teachers' leaders said amounts to a "bail-out" by the Government. Headteachers have predicted that schools will have no choice but to convert as more parents are forced to abandon the private sector because they can no longer afford school fees. Those in areas with high demand for school places are likely to join five independent schools – including two in Bristol –
which have already jumped to the state sector, ministers confirmed.

Cost of Scots childcare 'soaring' posted by Jana on 28 January 2009, 1:24 pm, under Education

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/7854188.stm

The cost of nurseries and out-of-school childcare in Scotland has risen by almost four times the rate of inflation, a survey has found. The study by the Daycare Trust said childcare had increased in cost by 29%, while the price of a nursery place rose by 12%. These were the highest increases in the UK, the trust said.