News in brief
- The most able students in state secondary schools in England are not being stretched, according to Ofsted. The watchdog found that gifted pupils are not keeping up with their clever counterparts in independent and grammar schools.
- The Communities Empowerment Network charity has claimed that a significant number of schools illegally expel students, using discriminatory practices that disproportionately affect the most vulnerable children.
- Impending changes to the exam system could cause problems in schools, according to headteachers. The National Association of Head Teachers fears a period of volatility could follow reforms, with students unsure of which exams and subjects to take.
- Changes to school admissions rules in England are unlikely to help pupils from deprived backgrounds gain places at the best state schools, according to a new report. The study by Research and Information on State Education (Rise) found that regulation alone will not make sure that schools have a diverse intake.
- Cosmetic giant L’Oreal Paris is changing an advert after a numeracy charity challenged a throwaway boast about not being good at maths. National Numeracy took against British actress Dame Helen Mirren’s comment: “Age is just a number. And maths was never my thing.”
Research of the week
Girls lack confidence in maths and science
A major international study, based on the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development’s (OECD) tests and surveys, suggests girls lack confidence in their ability to solve maths and science problems. The research found that girls do worse than boys in maths, despite outperforming them overall. Boys come out top even among high-performing students.
But girls were found to have a more positive attitude to school in general; many read for pleasure and were less likely to play video games. The OECD said: “Even many high-achieving girls have low levels of confidence in their ability to solve science and mathematics problems.”
Read more about the OECD report here.
Weekly snapshot
Thanks for all your World Book Day pictures, and yes @missc3009 the resemblance is uncanny.
The resemblance is uncanny! #WorldBookDay #HarryPotter #ProfessorTrelawney #TeacherPerks @GuardianTeach pic.twitter.com/k6KqfDS6Cb
— Miss Cook (@missc3009) March 5, 2015
The week in numbers
- Almost a third of families in London did not get their first choice of secondary schools on National Offer Day. Just 68% of applicants in the capital got their first preference, fewer than in the previous two years.
- As many as 1,500 teachers and support staff could be made redundant by September as part of changes to the education budget in Northern Ireland.
Dates to remember
It’s Global Money Week from Monday 9 March and the theme this year is “Save today. Safe tomorrow”. No Smoking Day is on Thursday 12 March and National Science and Engineering Week starts the day after. And don’t forget Mothering Sunday on Sunday 15 March.
Teaching resources
- A small amount of money saved regularly can build up over time. Use this worksheet to encourage your students to start saving.
- Understand the impact of smoking and how it affects our health with this lesson plan, which includes an interview with former England goalkeeper David James.
- Get students thinking about science, technology, engineering and maths (Stem) with these interesting and unusual facts.
- Spoil your mum on Mothering Sunday with this tasty crespella (a cross between a crepe and a pancake) recipe.
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