Kathryn Snowdon | Schools Week

‘Attenborough effect’ is ‘fuelling’ interest in GCSE science

The “Attenborough effect” – where pupils want to “make a difference” in the world – is fuelling an interest in science, the vice president of Pearson has said. In England, 767,722 16-year-olds took science double award this year – a rise of 5.1 per cent (37,132) from the 730,590 pupils who entered the exam last […]

GCSE results: ‘Bleak’ and ‘worrying’ drop in non-EBacc subjects

Today’s GCSE results reveal a further drop in non-English Baccalaureate (EBacc) subjects, with union heads expressing concern over the “worrying” and bleak” future of creative subjects. Across England, entries in EBacc subjects this year are up 3.8 per cent to 4,132,068, with entries in non-EBacc subjects down a huge 8.7 per cent to 943,607. However […]

DfE-approved schools ICT supplier Gaia enters administration

A major ICT supplier to schools has entered administration due to “severe cashflow issues”. Gaia Technologies describes itself on its website as “one of the leading providers of ICT solutions to UK schools” which “manages and maintains IT assets”. The firm says it has 500 education customers and is on the Department for Education’s approved […]

Pearson will issue ‘revised grades’ for some BTEC pupils who missed re-sit chance

Pearson has pledged to issue “revised grades” for some pupils who may have been disadvantaged by missing out on the opportunity to re-sit exams after its last-minute decision to hike grade boundaries. Writing exclusively for Schools Week, Cindy Rampersaud, Pearson senior vice president, and Derek Richardson, Pearson vice president, said they “apologise unreservedly” for how […]

Poorer pupils lag behind wealthier peers in all EBacc subjects

Poorer pupils lag behind their wealthier peers in all English Baccalaureate (EBacc) subjects, new research released on the eve of GCSE results day shows. The new study, by teacher trainer charity Teach First, found that in every EBacc subject, pupils going to school in disadvantaged areas were much less likely to pass compared to their […]

Fair Access Protocols: Council pleas for DfE to intervene up nearly 50%

Pleas from councils for the education secretary to intervene over admission rows soared by nearly 50 per cent last year – indicating that more schools are refusing to take in vulnerable pupils. New figures reveal the number of appeals for the government to intervene after an academy has failed to accept a child who has […]

Brexit and climate change said to be behind surge in politics A-level

Brexit and discussions around global warming have contributed to the almost 10 per cent surge in pupils studying political studies A-level, a senior figure at one of the leading exam boards has said. Political studies has seen the largest proportional increase in entries across all A-levels this year. A total of 19,729 pupils sat the […]

No sprinklers in any London schools that had fires this year

Not one London school that has had a fire so far this year had sprinklers fitted, the London Fire Brigade (LFB) has said. Firefighters have attended 46 fires in London schools since January 1, and found none of the 18 primary schools, 14 secondary schools and 14 pre-schools and nurseries visited was fitted with an […]

SENCos won’t have to prove pupils need exam reader help

Special educational needs coordinators requesting permission to use readers for pupils will no longer have to provide evidence the extra help is needed, exam boards have announced. The Joint Council for Qualifications, which represents the four GCSE and A-level exam boards, has announced that from next year, SENCos will no longer have to complete a […]