Monthly Archives: January 2013

Internships: Slave labour or vital foot in the door?

Posted on January 29, 2013 by joeashby

With high levels of unemployment among 16-24 year olds, the rise of the dreaded NEET and Uni leavers facing rising tuition fee debt, bagging the job you want is a tough gig these days. We’ve all been there – trapped … Continue reading →

Posted in Academic, Parenting | Tagged CV, education, education students, Government, internship, internships, Learning, Parents, School, student, students, UCAS, university, work experience | Leave a comment

Votes for sixteen year olds? Aye, say I

Posted on January 25, 2013 by joeashby

Yesterday, in a rare showing of common sense in the, err, commons, Labour and Lib Dem MPs cosied up to vote in favour of a proposal to lower the voting age in all UK elections from 18 to 16. After … Continue reading →

Posted in Votes | Tagged referendum, Scotland, tuition fees, UK government, voter reform, votes for 16 and 17 year olds, youth unemployment | Leave a comment

Choices, choices, choices – how’s a pupil to pick their subjects?

Posted on January 24, 2013 by Ellen Arnison

My son is 13 and in the next few weeks he’s going to have to make some decisions that potentially will affect the rest of his life. It’s time for him to make his subject choices at high school. To … Continue reading →

Posted in School | Tagged A level options, Bacc options, choices, EBacc options, education, GCSE options, options, pupil., School, subjects, year 9 options | 4 Comments

Eh? Levels: Gove’s reforms draw fire from critics

Posted on January 23, 2013 by joeashby

I don’t know what made me wince more as I roused, goosebumped from my pit this morning. Was it the frosting of brilliant-white snow blown in by a stiff nor’ easterly that pierced my inky eyeballs and seared into my … Continue reading →

Posted in School | Tagged Alevel, ASlevel, education, education students, exam, exam stress, exams, Government, grades, high school, Kids, Learning, Michael Gove, Parents, School, student, students, teacher, Teachers, Teaching, UCAS, university | 1 Comment

Praise and Reward: How should we incentivise our kids?

Posted on January 22, 2013 by joeashby

In a characteristically cutting piece for this week’s Telegraph the anonymous Very Private Tutor reminds us of the power of praise and reward when it comes to encouraging our kids with school work, through a cautionary tale of perceived neglect. … Continue reading →

Posted in Parenting, Tuition | Tagged kids bad behaviour, parenting skills, praising kids for good behaviour, punishing kids for behaving badly, rewarding kids, rewarding kids for good behaviour | Leave a comment

Top Ten: Educational game websites for students and teachers

Posted on January 21, 2013 by joeashby

You don’t need me to tell you that everything is moving online. Habits in the way we bank, shop, play games and (perversely) socialise have all moved into the virtual realm and the same is becoming ever-truer in education. A … Continue reading →

Posted in Academic, Distance Learning, Parenting, Revision, School | Tagged education, education students, education websites, educational games, exam, exams, future of the classroom, gaming, grades, high school, Homework, homework help, iPad, iPhone, Kids, Learning, student, students, teacher, Teachers, Teaching, Technology | 4 Comments

Top Ten: Educational Apps for iPads

Posted on January 17, 2013 by joeashby

Last week it was interesting to see this video clip from the BBC highlighting the tech-savvy story of The Essa Academy in Bolton, a place that’s taken a huge step towards creating a ‘bookless school’. Every student and member of … Continue reading →

Posted in Academic, Distance Learning, Edtech, Homework, Parenting, Revision, School | Tagged App, Apps, exam, exams, grades, high school, Homework, homework help, iPads, Learning, School, student, students, teacher, Teachers, Teaching, Technology, Top Ten, work | 3 Comments

New DBS checks replace CRB’s – a summary of the changes

Posted on January 14, 2013 by Jon Ellis

It was highly publicised child murder and abuse cases such as the murder of two pupils, Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman by a school caretaker that led to the establishment and development of the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB), covering England and … Continue reading →

Posted in Safety | Tagged changes to CRB checks, changes to CRB checks 2013, CRB, CRB changes 2013, CRB changes under 16, CRB checks, CRB's, Criminal Records Bureau, DBS, DBS certificates, DBS checks, DBS replacing CRB, Disclosure & Barring Service, do private tutors need DBS check, do tutors need CRB checks, what has replaced CRB in england | 4 Comments

MOOCs: What will dramatic changes in further education mean for me?

Posted on January 9, 2013 by Ellen Arnison

Do you know what MOOCs are? It’s probably time you learned, because there’s every chance they will have a huge effect on university education. They aren’t bovine noises, something Simon Cowell keeps in his shirt or another new type of … Continue reading →

Posted in Academic, Distance Learning | Tagged Coursera., edX, FutureLearn, MOOC, MOOCs, Udicity | 1 Comment

How to tell if your child is having problems at school

Posted on January 8, 2013 by joeashby

It’s perfectly natural that at some point or another, most kids will go through a problematic period at school. As they hit secondary level, the impact of moving into the more challenging, both academically and socially, can generate problems, worries, … Continue reading →