Headlines from the world of education and schools work:
- GCSE students should take exams at 14, says the Sutton Trust: Education charity claims students should sit their GCSEs earlier so they can better plan their academic route to employment
- All six-year-olds to be given basic reading test: Infants will be given a reading test after just a year of school to identify children struggling the most with basic literacy.
- Chatrooms and social network sites encourage bad spelling, says study: Internet fosters belief that there is no need to correct typos or conform to rules, English Spelling Society finds
- Fifth of 18-year-olds officially not in employment, education or training: Campaigners blame sharp rise in ‘neets’ on university entrance crisis that saw hundreds of thousands of applicants rejected. A fifth of 18-year-olds were not in employment, education or training this summer, official statistics revealed – a sharp rise on last year’s figure.
- Pupil suspensions waste money and don’t work – Barnardo’s: Charity’s report shows that 40% of pupils who were suspended were punished repeatedly, with no improvement in behaviour
- David Cameron orders rethink over school sports cuts after outcry: David Cameron has ordered a rethink of the government’s controversial decision to cut funding for school sports amid unease in the cabinet and a growing campaign by British Olympic stars.
- Hostel boost for pupil after months sleeping rough: Youth at school which plans to build centre for homeless students was left on streets after row with mother.
- The parents who police the online bullies: If you knew your teenager was being attacked on Facebook, would you log on and pretend to be them? Lucy Cavendish reports .
- MPs criticise ‘unacceptable’ student loan delays: Around 100,000 undergraduates were forced to start university this year without cash for rent, books or food amid on-going delays to student grants and loans, according to MPs.
- Poor children ‘fall behind classmates after two years of school’: Children from poor families are falling up to eight months behind richer classmates after just two years of school, according to research.
- Social class has more effect on children than good parenting, study finds: Parents’ social class has a greater impact on how well their children perform at school than “good parenting” techniques such as reading bedtime stories, researchers have shown.
- British schools slump in global league table: The UK is sliding down an international table measuring reading, maths and science standards around the world, a major report revealed.
- 20,000 GCSE grades changed as queries rise: Some 20,000 GCSE grades were changed this year as the number of queries from schools rose, official figures show.
- Twelve councils ‘performing poorly’ in children’s services, says Ofsted: Government inspector Ofsted says 12 councils given ‘performing poorly’ rating are not doing enough to keep children safe
- MPs vote to increase tuition fees cap to £9,000: Motion on student funding passes narrowly with majority of 21, with six Tories and 21 Lib Dems rebelling.
