Update on the work of Exam Central

Exam Central is proud to announce yet another successful finish to the Easter Booster Classes at KEFW. Over 100 students attended the sessions which covered subjects such as English, Maths, Sciences, Geography, History, and Languages. In addition there was an exclusive session held with a principal examiner focusing on exam technique and revision skills. Overall the scheme was such a success that over 90% of student feedback was termed ‘excellent’.

Exam Central has also been busy by providing extra maths sessions at Turves Green Boys School. For the last few months, Exam Central has been providing Turve’s Green Boy’s School with young, bright and talented undergraduates and postgraduates to lead maths tuition.

The university students have been acting as role models in order to raise achievements and aspirations of young students, regardless of their background. The extra maths tuition classes have supported struggling students as well as gifted and talented students to excel. 

In addition Exam Central has been busy delivering a project at Four Dwellings High School. The project aimed at raising student aspiration which is very important for students who come from deprived areas such as those students at Four Dwellings High School. It delivered university master classes which introduced a whole new range of careers to students, specifically targeting year 11 gifted and talented students.

The sessions were delivered by professionals with careers in the fields of Business, Textiles and Fashion as well as Law.

If that list wasn’t exhausting enough Exam Central is also planning an intervention at Stuart Bathurst Catholic High School. It has designed a programme of study to ensure that students’ progress and that this progress is monitored throughout the eight week programme. In order to asses if progress has been made, exam central will assess the students at the beginning and at the end of the programme. The project is mainly designed to target free school meal students. Depending on the success of the pilot scheme, Exam Central hopes to extend the project over two to three terms during the next academic year.

Young people lack the social skills required to get their first job.

The Work Foundation think tank research concludes that more than 450,000 NEETS (youngsters not in education, employment or training) have never had a regular job. The organisation identifies the main reason for this is that people lack the social skills required for the jobs available to them in the service sector.

As first jobs are less likely to be in manufacturing and increasingly likely to be in the service sector, the think tank warns that steps must be taken to prevent a long-term trend of NEETS who struggle to get a first job because they lack ‘soft skills’ such as ‘communication, team working and customer service’. Young people often lack the social skills required to get their first job.

Dr Sissons, Head of Research, says such youngsters need "personalised guidance, workplace mentors and introductions to business networks, as well as work experience which leads to paid employment".

As youth unemployment has now hit an all-time low, the government should concentrate on helping such young adults, especially as this can lead to a reduction of youth unemployment.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-18162433

Business leaders express doubts on the value of GCSE qualifications

The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) fears the exams, taken by 16-year-olds, force pupils to narrow their options too early and with the school leaving age set to rise to 18 by 2015, the organisation calls to reconsider the current exam system. The organisation states that it has concerns that many youngsters may not be getting the breadth of education, the core subjects and employability skills they will need later in life.

Neil Carberry, Director for Education at the CBI, said: "We are questioning whether we have the structure right at secondary [school], whether the current arrangement of exams at 16 is leading people to narrow their choices too early."

A Department for Education spokesman said: "We want all our exams to rank with the best in the world. Our reforms to GCSEs will mean students achieve a real and lasting understanding of a subject."

However the CBI, which speaks on behalf of 240,000 businesses, is not the first to raise concerns about GCSEs. Last year, former Education Secretary Baroness Estelle Morris suggested the exams should be scrapped and replaced with new tests at age 14.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-18172668

Exam Central delivering an intervention programme based on music

Exam Central will be introducing a non-residential, media and music week for up to sixty young people (11-18years) from a disadvantaged area in Sandwell. This project aims to empower young people as leader, decision makers and encourage creativity. It is based on the idea that ‘learning by doing’ is the best way to study and engage with disaffected young people.
The activity week will include activities on DJ businesses, art, and will conclude with a Music Showcase with performances by the young people, in order to give them an opportunity to showcase what they have learnt during the week.  In addition the programme will offer young people an opportunity to experiment with latest music equipment’s, allowing them to mix, record, edit, produce and present their own material or material which they like.
      
In addition to the creative part, students will also gain insight into the administrative and managerial side to music and arts. They will have the opportunity to organise themselves into teams and will be given a practical scenario in which they will develop the knowledge and skills needed for business and enterprise. They will learn how to work in, and contribute to, a team, how to make decisions and how to motivate themselves and others.
For more details of this and similar interventions, please contact Exam Central:

www.examcentral.co.uk/contact.php

Alternatively email on : beninshaw@examcentral.co.uk

Exam Central to deliver a French Programme

Following the success of the Easter Booster classes, Exam Central has also secured funding for the delivery of a 25 hour French programme at Turves Green School. The project will encompass not just the French Language, but the culture, cuisine and the French way of life, in order for students to gain a deeper insight into France.

The programme has been organised into three parts, in which the first part will include the introduction of French as a language. The second week will encompass individual sessions designed to enhance the speaking and writing of French amongst students, which will be themed on topics inspired by France. These sessions will by lead by fluent French speakers, with experience in coaching young people. Finally the third week will bring together a community showcase, in which the young attendees will plan, organise and deliver a community day to celebrate, along with other citizens in the community, what they have learned during the activity weeks.

This project will broaden the horizons of the students, challenging parochial preconceptions and give an opportunity for students to gain confidence and project management skills. 

The scale of private school dominance of top jobs in Britain is “morally indefensible”, states Gove

In a speech made to one of the country’s top performing co-educational private school (Brighton College), Michael Gove criticised the private school dominance of top jobs as ‘morally indefensible’. He said it was “remarkable” how many of the positions of wealth, influence, celebrity and power in Britain were held by former independent school pupils.

To support this view, Mr Gove referred to many famous names in the field of entertainment, such as, Hugh Laurie, Dominic West, Damian Lewis, Tom Hiddleston and Eddie Redmayne who were all old Etonians. He went further to state that former private school pupils dominated the media, too, with The Guardian being managed by privately educated men for the last 60 years.

“The sheer scale, the breadth and the depth of private school dominance of our society points to a deep problem in our country – one we all acknowledge but have still failed to tackle with anything like the radicalism required,” Mr Gove added.

Gove went further and stated that we live in an unequal society; ‘Those who are born poor are more likely to stay poor and those who inherit privilege are more likely to pass on privilege in England than in any comparable country’.

As a result Gove proposed that the recent coalition education reforms, such as changing schools into academies, would help close this gap. However his policies have consistently been criticised.

Chris Keates, general secretary of the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers, said the Government’s “flawed ideological policies” were “creating a lost generation of children and young people and plunging millions into poverty”.

Stephen Twigg, Labour’s education spokesman, added: “The worry is that progress could stall as a result of the Government’s approach. With school buildings in dire need of investment, support for a few satellite grammar schools and money being targeted on pet projects is not real need,-it is clear that the Government is not backing the vast majority of schools and pupils in England”.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/private-school-dominance-of-top-jobs-is-morally-indefensible-says-gove-7733437.html

The basics of 11+ examinations

What are 11+ exams?

The 11+ is the entrance exam procedure which children take to gain a place in a grammar school.  Although the 11+ is found in both the state system and in the independent schools sector, much of the country abolished the 11+ system several decades ago, meaning that the 11+ system found in most of the country exists in tandem with non-selective (comprehensive) schools.

Grammar schools are schools which select their pupils based on their strength and ability of their performance in the11+ examination.

What is tested?

The 11 Plus exam usually consists of an assessment in English, Mathematics, Non-verbal Reasoning and Verbal Reasoning.

The 11 Plus exam usually consists of one or more of these four subjects:-
English, Mathematics, Non-verbal Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning.

When does the 11+ take place:

The date of a particular selection test to a grammar school varies from area to area, but generally speaking most state grammar schools have their entrance tests between the months of October and February. However, some schools such as the King Edwards foundation of schools in Birmingham have formed themselves into consortia so that your child sits one exam which is then used as an application to a whole group of schools. It must be stressed though that certain independent grammar schools may set their tests during other times of the year.

How to apply for the 11+ exam:

Most local authorities send out details of the 11+ exam in their area to every Year 6 child via the child’s primary school. There will be a deadline for the application to be handed in by which will depend upon your local authority, therefore it is generally a good idea to contact your local authority. If the grammar school you wish you child to apply to is in another area from which you live, it would be advisable to contact the grammar school direct.

As places at the existing grammar schools are at a premium, the only way of securing a place is through your child reaching a high enough mark in the selection test, which each grammar school sets. It is estimated that approximately 100,000 children sit the 11 Plus exam in England each year for around 15,000 places, giving each child a 1 in 6 chance of gaining a place. 

In addition there is no set date to when the results of the 11+ are published- it all depends on the local authority, but since 2004, the name of the secondary school your child has been offered a place at, is sent out on the 1^st of March.

How do I prepare my child?

Your child will be tested in Maths and English with which you can help by practising questions and activities at home.  However many parents choose to hire tutors, as research and results have shown that one to one sessions brings increased focus, attention and attainment for the child.

Interested parents might wish to contact Exam Central for more advice and support:

www.examcentral.co.uk/contact.php

0121 456 4766

beninshaw@examcentral.co.uk 

Source: http://www.goodschoolsguide.co.uk/help-and-advice/your-child/the-eleven-plus-11/340/understanding-the-eleven-plus-11

Gove reforms of A-level courses given mixed reception by teachers and universities

Education Secretary Michael Gove has recently raised concerns that A-levels were failing to stretch pupils and suggested that a greater control of A-Level content should be handed to universities.

The proposal from Mr Gove comes as a study suggested universities wanted A-levels to be more intellectually stretching with less spoon-feeding from teachers. Cambridge Assessment, which runs the OCR exam board, found many lecturers believed students arrived unprepared for degree-level work, with three-in-five lecturers saying that their institutions had to run catch-up classes.

It repeats a commitment made to head teachers last week that A-levels should be strengthened by the greater involvement of universities.

These proposals, which could be implemented from September 2014, would apply to the English exam system - but exam boards also set A-levels for pupils in Wales and Northern Ireland.

Mr Gove's proposal would continue to allow exam boards to design courses, but they would need to show that universities had been involved.

However Mr Gove’s plans have been given a mixed reception. The NUT ‘is very disappointed that Michael Gove has approached Ofqual without consulting the profession as well’, while ATL teachers union accused the government of acting on a "whim" rather than on evidence. They state:

"Of course universities have a useful role to play in deciding what should be tested at A level, but A levels need to test more than just the ability to go to university," said Dr Bousted.

There was also caution from the leader of the private school group, the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference. They state that,

 "Michael Gove is right to want university input into the much-needed review of A levels, but it would be most unwise to give universities total control," said Peter Hamilton, chairman of the group's academic policy committee.

Source : http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-17595345

Increasing the social mix in schools is the way to close performance gap

Nick Clegg is reported to be planning to set targets for schools to narrow the performance gap between disadvantaged children and other pupils, as a way of promoting social mobility. He is right to identify this as a yawning gap that urgently needs tackling but setting targets for schools will not get to the root of the problem because new research shows that in the UK it is the socio-economic background of a school's pupils that determines performance.

A special report from the OECD on the UK says that in Britain "both the within and between-school impact of socio-economic background on educational attainment are well above the OECD average".

The significance of these findings are therefore enormous. In disadvantaged areas a "no excuses" culture is required. Clegg's target-setting plan will only intensify the culture of blame, diverting attention from the social and systemic causes of inequality.

If politicians were serious about their oft-stated concern for the poor – and their claim to want to match the world's best – they would do more to ensure that there is a better mix of pupils within schools, which the OECD has consistently urged. It has found that increasing the social mix within schools boosts the performance of disadvantaged students without any apparent negative effect on overall performance.

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/apr/19/increasing-social-mix-schools-improve-performance

Truancy fines to be deducted from child benefit

Education secretary Michael Gove announced a review of sanctions for truancy in a speech made after the riots, last year. Gove said policing of the existing sanctions was "weak".

"When fines are imposed, they are often reduced to take account of an adult's expenditure on satellite TV, alcohol and cigarettes. And many appear to shrug off fines and avoid existing sanctions, refusing to take responsibility for their actions," he said.

As a result, proposals published on Monday by the government's expert adviser on behaviour, Charlie Taylor, would allow head-teachers to impose fines of £60 for truancy, rising to £120 if they are not paid within 28 days which will be docked automatically from child benefit. Parents who do not receive child benefit and fail to pay fines would have the money recovered through county courts. Currently, parents of children who play truant face a fine of £50, rising to £100 if unpaid after 28 days.

Taylor's review of truancy will call for a crackdown on term-time holiday, with absence only allowed in "exceptional circumstances". In the past school year, term-time holiday was the reason for 9.5% of absences from school, up from 9.3% the previous year.

The education watchdog, Ofsted, will also be urged to set timed targets for improving attendance in schools where there are high rates of truancy.

A report on the effectiveness of fines, commissioned by the last government, found that 79% of local authorities said penalty notices were "very successful" or "fairly successful" in improving school attendance, but councils felt court action was often a long-winded process that achieved little. In 2010, out of 9,147 parents taken to court and found guilty over their children's truancy, only 6,591 received a fine or a more serious sanction..

Fines for school absence were introduced by the Labour government in 2004 and the levels of the fines have not been revised since then.

More than 32,600 penalty notices for school absence were issued to parents last year, and more than 127,000 have been issued since their introduction in 2004. However, about half of all notices have gone unpaid or been withdrawn; schools or local authorities have to withdraw the penalty notice if it is unpaid after 42 days. The only further option is to prosecute parents.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2012/apr/16/truancy-fines-deducted-from-child-benefit

Local authorities and schools still awaitng a reponse for school building plans, a year since the publication of the James Review

The cancellation of Building Schools for the Future (BSF) in 2010 brought an abrupt end to the building plans of around 1,000 schools  in England. In the immediate aftermath of the decision, the secretary of state for education, Michael Gove, announced that there would be a "complete overhaul" of school capital, starting with a review led by retail executive Sebastian James, to rethink how school building is financed and managed.

However, although the James Review published its report and recommendations a year ago, local authorities and schools are still awaiting a response.

In the meantime, money devolved directly to schools for capital spending has been cut by 80%, and local authority capital streams by about 60%, leaving only the Priority School Building Programme – a £2bn investment fund for schools in the worst physical condition to be privately funded – as the sole source of large-scale capital investment.

The Department for Education (DfE) is not able to give reasons for the delay or indeed to say how many schools might qualify for the BSF. A spokesperson explained that every bid was being re-examined by the new Education Funding Agency:

 "We can't say when the final announcement will be. It is important that every application is treated fairly".

However, the PSBP bids may only be the tip of a huge iceberg. Some estimates suggest that over £8bn may be required to meet schools' basic needs before "suitability" (development of the buildings to meet curriculum and school improvement need) can be addressed.

David Simmonds, a Conservative councillor who chairs the Local Government Association's children and young people board, admitted this could be a potential political problem for the government in the run up to the next election.

"There have been a number of false dawns, and it is frustrating for mums and dads waiting to hear about their children's schools," he says. "If Whitehall says it is going to step into the role of the local authority and be the Big Brother for schools, they need to be putting in place resources so they can do it effectively. You can't pull the rug from under schools, and then say nothing is available when schools are having to deal with asbestos, leaking roofs and inadequate toilets."

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2012/apr/30/tories-fail-funds-school-building?newsfeed=true