Delighted to have returned home to find the NOTW has become NOWT and Hugh Grant is prime minister. Again.
Andy Burnham will tell us how Labour thinks our children should be educated tomorrow. We have a bit of a preview from the Observer, which says he will set out a clear vocational route for pupils not wishing to go to university. Burnham says the curriculum needs to be broader and more modern than anything Michael Gove is planning.
"Gove repeatedly talks about facts. Kings, queens, rivers, capital cities, history in chronological order. We are not saying these are not important, but all the evidence that our policy commission is coming up with suggests employers often want something else."
Tomorrow will also see an announcement from Offa about which universities are to be allowed to charge more than £6,000 and on what conditions.
Education news from the Guardian and Observer
• David Willetts has had to go to Brazil to find someone who can afford to go to a British university. According to the Observer, the Brazilian government will cough up £18k for each of the 10,000 students that will be found places at UK universities. Universities UK has welcomed the plan, saying it promises "rich rewards".
• Liam Burns, the new president of the NUS, says he's not buying into the idea that turning students into consumers will make them feel more powerful. In a video, he says the organisation is going to focus on how to put more money into student pockets.
• Ucas says schools are pushing students to apply to university way too early. They're making choices without having visited universities and aren't taking strategic decisions about insurance choices.
• Polly Curtis reports that ministers have been privately advised they'll need to allow schools to fail if the overhaul of public services is to succeed:
"Documents obtained by the Guardian under the Freedom of Information Act reveal research by civil servants warning that markets are susceptible to 'failure' and costs could in fact rise unless a true market is created by allowing public services to collapse if they are unsuccessful.
It opens up the potential for schools, hospitals, social care systems and nurseries to fold without the government stepping in to prop them up. Labour called it an 'appalling revelation'."
Education news from around the web
• Staff in England should use "reasonable" measures to remove disruptive children from classrooms, break-up fights and stop pupils attacking other teachers or classmates, the Telegraph reports. New guidance published today says it "may not always be possible to avoid injuring pupils" while using restraining techniques in the most extreme circumstances.
• Children from the poorest homes are doing worse in basic literacy tests than three years ago, according to research by Sir Peter Lampl's new Education Endowment Fund.
• The Aga Khan is planning to build a university and cultural centre in Kings Cross, says the Financial Times.
• The Mail says high interest rates on student loans mean that by the time students graduate, their debt will already have increased by £6k.
Blog of the day
A fascinating blog on the chances of achieving a C grade at GCSE is being retweeted by all sorts of people. Honestly, it's more interesting than it sounds, not least because it's written by Chris Wheadon (@chris_b_wheadon), head of scientific research and development at AQA's centre for education research and policy, who concludes:
"Examinations are inherently inaccurate measures that sample ability. Let's stop pretending that grade C represents anything more than one mark above grade D and switch to a mean GCSE measure rather than a hurdle measure."
Tell the Guardian about your school's A-level and GCSE achievements
The Guardian would like to highlight your pupils' GCSE and A-level success this summer. We are asking schools to respond to a few quick questions about their pupils' results as soon as you receive them - on 18 August for A-levels and 25 August for GCSEs. Please take a note of the following web pages and return to them to fill in your results on those days:
We want to tell our readers how well your pupils have performed and are looking forward to mapping the success of young people across the country.
Private view for teachers
The Saatchi gallery is holding a private view for teachers to see its exhibition The Shape of Things to Come: New Sculpture on Friday 1 July from 7-9pm. It'll include a free guided tour, exhibition guides and refreshments. Please email admin@saatchigallery.com to book, providing your name and school contact details.
Guardian Education Centre seminars for teachers
This half-day conference for primary school teachers will help you inspire students to read with pleasure and maintain the reading habit. Andy Stanton, author of the Mr Gum series, will be joined by Julia Eccleshare, Guardian children's books editor, and reading development experts.
Time: 1 July, 9.15-12.45.
Cost: £48, including refreshments and resources.
Insight into Journalism: investigative and features journalism
This seminar, part of our popular Insight into Journalism series, gives secondary school teachers and college tutors the chance to spend a day at the Guardian. You'll meet specialist journalists from the investigations team, find out from writers what makes a good features article and learn about commissioning, editing and interview techniques.
Time: 8 July, 9.15-4.30.
Cost: £72, including lunch and resources.
Education seminars from Guardian Professional
Distinctiveness and branding in higher education
Higher education institutions will struggle in the marketplace unless they stand out from competitors and make sense to stakeholders. The Guardian's half-day seminar in partnership with the Leadership Foundation for Higher Education will explore what it takes to develop and maintain a distinctive brand that attracts students, staff and funders. Participants will hear from experts, examine case studies and have the opportunity to network with peers.
28 June, 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.
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