Concern for workforce quality after new league tables show low school standards January 12, 2011 BUSINESS leaders expressed concern at the standard of education yesterday, as figures revealed that one in six students failed to meet new “English baccalaureate” standards. “This is very worrying and underlines the continuing need for radical reform in education,” said Miles Templeman of the Institute of Directors. An estimated 216 state comprehensive schools are failing [...]
Margaret Beckett named as president of No 2 AV campaign November 25, 2010 MARGARET Beckett, the former Labour foreign secretary, will today be named as the president of the “No to AV” campaign, which aims to secure a “No” vote in next May’s referendum on the alternative vote. The decision to appoint a Labour stalwart – Beckett was party leader for a short spell in 1994– will be [...]
CBI welcomes schools plans November 24, 2010 THE business community welcomed the government’s white paper proposals aimed at reforming education policy yesterday, saying the government was right to focus on driving up quality and standards. Susan Anderson, director for education and public services policy at the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) said: “The government is right to focus on raising standards in [...]
Free up enterprise education November 25, 2010 TEACHERS were blamed for holding children back from becoming entrepreneurs last week during Global Entrepreneurs Week (GEW). Peter Jones, the entrepreneur and founder of Britain’s first National Enterprise Academy (NEA), used the occasion to call on the government to make NEA qualifications available in every school. But this week, the Education Secretary Michael Gove issued [...]
Schools becoming academies at rate of one a day, says Gove October 11, 2010 STATE schools are converting to academies at a rate of one a day, education secretary Michael Gove said yesterday, as the government’s plan to free headteachers from local government control gathers pace. In total, 121 academies have opened since the election, bringing the total number to 324. A further 90 schools will get academy status [...]
Schools becoming academies at rate of one a day, says Gove October 11, 2010 STATE schools are converting to academies at a rate of one a day, education secretary Michael Gove said yesterday, as the government’s plan to free headteachers from local government control gathers pace. In total, 121 academies have opened since the election, bringing the total number to 324. A further 90 schools will get academy status [...]
Head teachers gain power to discipline outside school October 5, 2010 HEAD TEACHERS are to be given sweeping new powers to discipline pupils who misbehave outside of school gates, as part of new plans to crack down on anti-social behaviour. Currently, heads have no authority over pupils when they are off of school premises, making it difficult to punish them when they misbehave in the local [...]
Cameron hints at softer migrant cap October 25, 2010 DAVID Cameron yesterday gave his strongest hint yet that a new immigration cap would not stop firms from recruiting highly-skilled foreign talent. Business leaders have been lobbying the government relentlessly over the issue, after a temporary cap – which put a limit of 24,000 on non-EU workers – caused huge problems for firms. In his [...]
The cabinet’s winners and losers October 20, 2010 WINNER | MICHAEL GOVE WINNER | ANDREW LANSLEY LOSER | VINCE CABLE LOSER | THERESA MAY ANALYSIS Education: After Health and Overseas Aid, Education has got the best settlement, with cuts of just three per cent. The schools budget will increase in real terms from £35bn to £39bn. The capital budget, which was allocated to [...]
CBI criticises migrant cap September 30, 2010 EMPLOYERS’ group the CBI has thrown its weight behind Vince Cable, the business secretary, by warning that government plans to cap non-EU immigration could hamper the economic recovery. The government is consulting on plans to introduce a permanent cap next spring, and has put a temporary limit in place until then. Home secretary Theresa May [...]