Parents are invited into a primary school to watch the disruptive behaviour of their covertly filmed children in Classroom Secrets, being aired on BBC1 tonight. Toby Young (@toadmeister) and I are reviewing it on Radio 4's Front Row this evening - I'd be interested to hear readers' opinions tomorrow.
As you'll already be listening to Radio 4 tonight, stick around for The Report, on this summer's exam errors, in which Ofqual admits: "It does look on the face of it as if someone hasn't done their job." And that job is actually sitting the paper, instead of just proofreading it. The Telegraph reports today that ministers are planning to give Ofqual new powers to punish those who allow errors to creep into test papers. They could be fined hundreds of thousands of pounds for the worst mistakes.
Education news from the Guardian
• As we learn that Middlesex University is to become the most expensive higher education establishment in England, Suzanne Moore and fellow alumni talk about how much they value the time they spent there. But can it really offer more than Oxbridge?
"I was taught by fine minds to think for myself. To question, and yes, to question Oxbridge notions of excellence.
I know people look down their noses at my education because it does not belong to the establishment. Well, it is that establishment with its moral and intellectual superiority (?) that now governs this fine mess and it would not educate the likes of me.
I never benefited from the contacts that Oxbridge gives you. I just relied on my own capacity for chaos. You see, Middlesex Polyversity, as I like to call it, taught me critical thinking."
• GCSE pupils are being forced to change courses midstream to boost their chances of getting an ebacc - and ensure their school doesn't slip down the league tables. Often they're being made to switch to languages, which they then have less than a year to prepare for. Meanwhile younger pupils making their subject choices are being steered away from non-ebacc courses. A Nasuwt survey shows design and technology down 17%, while information and computer technology has dropped 15%. Won't employers be thrilled.
• Schoolchildren selling wonky carrots and soil-encrusted radishes will be trying to tempt Waitrose shoppers to reject its washed, bagged versions and instead stock up on fresh produce grown by local schools, Rebecca Smithers reports.
• There is no mainstream political resistance to the privatisation of education, so we've no alternative but to try to break the coalition, argues Michael Chessum, a campaigner against tuition fees and university funding cuts. He points to a swell of discord and protest and warns of big national student demonstrations in the autumn.
Education news from around the web
• An online entrepreneur, Charles Duncombe, says poor spelling is costing the UK millions of pounds in lost revenue for internet businesses, the BBC reports. Duncombe, who says the big problem for online firms isn't technology but finding staff who can spell, claims figures show a single spelling mistake can cut online sales in half. Phonics, people, phonics.
• More than half of students with the best A-level grades are concentrated in just 12 elite institutions, the Telegraph reports. Some 26,121 out of 50,712 students who gained at least two As and a B took up places at a dozen of the country's top universities, including Manchester, Durham, Oxford, Cambridge and Nottingham. The remainder are shared between some 145 other universities, further education colleges, and specialist art and music institutions, according to data published by the Higher Education Funding Council for England.
• Oxford University has set itself the target of recruiting one in four of its UK undergraduates from a list of 2,276 schools and 96 colleges which have a poor record of applying to or securing a place there, the Independent reports. Meanwhile the THE reports that Oxford says the scandal engulfing News International will not prompt a rethink of its relationship with the company, which funds five academic posts including a Rupert Murdoch professor of language and communication.
• Ones to Watch media (@ones_to_watch), which brings together the best writing from student publications, features a University of Southampton piece on why marijuana should be legalised, and one from the University of Birmingham on why said city is the most boring and least romantic in Europe.
Tweet I like best
Deputy head @Kalinski1970 paints a picture:
"Today I will mainly be a PE teacher... whistle - check, massive ring of keys - check, sarcasm turned to 11 - check."
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.
Education seminars from Guardian Professional
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.
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.
4-5 October, London.
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