Cribsheet 07.09.11

Teenagers teenage boys playing computer games — It's still unclear what subjects World of Warcraft is teaching. Photograph: Getty

A solution to truancy?

• In Monday's Cribsheet we asked if free schools would deprive other schools of funding. David Cameron has referred to the Swedish free school system in the past, as a model for his plans for UK schools, so it may be worth pondering a method of teaching applied by the Ross Tensta state school in Sweden.

When a school inspection team visited the sixth form they were surprised to find that 20 students were studying from home by playing World of Warcraft every day from 9am to 3pm, with their teacher connected to them via the internet. Their PE teacher had been replaced by an Xbox and an exercise mat. This educational programme had been going almost a year and, according to the council, it was aimed at students with a strong interest in computers, who wouldn't otherwise attend school.

The inspectors are still in the dark as to what kind of knowledge those attending the course have gained.

• Would your secondary school like a visit from a member of the House of Lords? The parliament sent out a tweet yesterday asking this very question, with a link to where you can go to arrange a visit.

Education news from the Guardian

• New research shows those without degrees are 90% more likely than graduates to see their pay fall as they get older

• Today's Guardian editorial focuses on the facts of free schools. Will they increase segregation, and will the mere prospect of competition from force education authorities to raise their game?

• Excluding religious education will impoverish young people, writes Andrew Jones

Education news from around the web

• Three separate studies presented to the British Educational Research Association's annual conference show teachers routinely falsify pupils marks to inflate their schools' results, The Telegraph reports.

• What's in a name? According to a pool of 3,000 teachers, pupils named Connor or Chelsea are most likely to be naughty, writes the Independent. More than 49 per cent of the teachers surveyed admitted to making assumptions about a child based on their name.

• Not knowing the required addition and subtraction facts between 0 and 20 is no hindrance for primary school pupils when it comes to doing well at maths, according to a recent study of eight and nine-year-olds.

Education seminars from Guardian Professional

Thinking about doing a PhD?

This seminar will provide independent advice and information on framing a research proposal, the process and pitfalls of a research degree and career prospects.

9 September, London.

Making the most of media opportunities to enhance your school's profile

Whether it's sharing good news or handling a crisis, headteachers and school management teams need to be able to handle the media in all of its forms. This one-day seminar in association with the NAHT is essential for new and aspiring heads as well as established school leaders who wish to update their knowledge. It includes a session on social media.

20 September, London.

Using social media to enhance the student experience

As tuition fees rise, so too do student expectations. Social media is an effective, low-cost way to manage this challenge. This seminar will explore newly conceived best practice, techniques and strategy for all higher education staff: academic, communications, recruitment, marketing and strategy.

22 September, London.

Life after a PhD

Whether it's getting published, convincing an employer that you have transferable skills, or securing an academic post, you need to be fully prepared to achieve your goals. This course will help you identify career opportunities for those with research skills and specialist knowledge.

28 September, London.