Three levels of terror risk
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All colleges are going to have to assess what risk they face from violent extremism and terrorism, according to guidance issued by the Department for Innovation Universities and Skills (Dius) yesterday.However, universities, which were recently issued with similar guidance, are not required to carry out risk assessments. This is not because universities are in a [...]
The signs are not good
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When her daughter, Isabella, was born profoundly deaf, Polly Burton made the decision to communicate with her using British Sign Language (BSL).Every Wednesday, mother and daughter made the journey from south to north London to attend the nursery drop-in centre at Frank Barnes school for deaf children in Camden, where Isabella could mix with other [...]
The long march towards common ground
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In public, the government can sound pretty single-minded about what it wants from further education.The notion that colleges are engines of “social inclusion”, which used to feature high in every ministerial speech, has had less of a hard plug lately. But it hasn’t gone away. In fact it is quietly making a comeback, with a [...]
Graduates to guide bright children to university
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Graduate trainee teachers are to help ‘gifted and talented’ pupils get into sought-after universities under new plans announced today by the schools minister, Lord Adonis.Graduates on the two-year Teach First scheme will help mentor bright children in London, the Black Country and Greater Manchester to get into top universities, under the City Challenge scheme.They will [...]
Compulsory home computers are an intrusion too far
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You report education minister Jim Knight as being in talks with companies such as Microsoft, BT, Sky and Virgin to help close the widening achievement gap between pupils from the richest and poorest families (Plan to give every child internet access at home, January 4). It may become compulsory for parents “to provide their children [...]
Crib sheet
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Stan’s Facebook page looks much like any other thirtysomething man. He enjoys Holby City and snorkelling, has “very liberal” political views and lists “women” as his main interest. But Stan’s interchangeable genitals, ability to become pregnant and the fact that he dies on a regular basis mark him out as no ordinary social networker.Stan is [...]
This will rip the heart out of our community
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Ten years ago a rising star in the Labour government made a promise that resonated with millions of people.’Closing a village school can be a death blow to the community,’ said Stephen Byers, then Education Minister. ‘Today I am announcing tough new protection for village schools to end this stream of closures.’ Village schools, he [...]
Hundreds of village schools face axe
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Hundreds of village schools across Britain are being closed, despite a long-term pledge by the government to maintain education in the countryside. The policy U-turn will affect 30,000 children in up to 300 schools in its first stage, The Observer has learnt. Campaigners warned last night that the ‘nightmare scenario’ would see more than 1,000 [...]
12000 students miss chance of bursaries worth up to #163;12m
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Up to 12,000 of the poorest students missed out on bursaries worth on average %26pound;1,000 each last year after data protection laws stopped their universities contacting them, a watchdog has revealed.Institutions are being asked to track down the unpaid students and hand out the bursaries retrospectively, according to the Office for Fair Access (Offa), which [...]
New guidance calls on universities to reject separatism and ban those who preach violence
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Universities with large numbers of Muslim students should consider rejecting demands for separate prayer and washing facilities to prevent their campuses segregating along religious lines and risking a climate where illegal extremist views can flourish, the government will suggest today.Institutions are also being advised to consider sharing information on violent Islamist speakers who should be [...]
