As A-level frenzy begins in earnest, we find out that Edexcel has rounded off a summer of exam board blunders by posting students' grades on its website at the weekend and leaving them there for three hours. We were just testing, the board blushed.
All eyes are now on university clearing which kicks off when students find out their results on Thursday. Sally Hunt, leader of the UCU (@UCU) union, predicts a fraught period - it's the last chance to start a degree before the new fees regime kicks in.
"I fear that clearing will be the most frantic and stressful in living memory with thousands of young people, encouraged to aspire to university throughout their lives, left disappointed. Those who are unable to get a place this year face the prospect of having to pay the highest public university fees in the world."
Ucas's Mary Curnock Cook is keen to keep a lid on such speculation. She told the Today programme this morning she expected "a little bit more pressure" but insisted there wasn't "a huge cause for concern".
But the Telegraph says its research indicates that the number of places being offered through clearing has fallen. Many universities, including most members of the Russell Group, say courses are already closed while others report a sharp drop in the number of available places.
The Times Higher has some comfort for those forced to start in 2012 instead - finance experts say the new fees regime will save some graduates money. The Independent Student Finance Taskforce says low-earning graduates might be better off because they will only begin repaying loans when they earn over £21,000 a year, compared with the existing threshold of £15,000.
Education news from the Guardian
• A former teacher who lives in Tottenham has written a strong blog on what the government must do to change young people's life chances and give them a stake in society.
• A dramatic increase in apprenticeships - part of a government drive to tackle massive youth unemployment - has been fuelled by a surge in apprentices aged over 25, research shows.
• Morrisons is going to fund the degree studies of 1,000 A-level students in a move to recruit its future senior managers straight from school.
• More than 100 of the world's most senior chemists, including seven Nobel laureates, have written to David Cameron to warn of the impact of proposed cuts in funding for scientific research essential to industries ranging from biotechnology to agriculture.
• The student guide Push predicts debt approaching £60,000 for 2012 university freshers. Zoe Williams wonders if higher education is worth it.
Education news from around the web
• School league tables present information that is not useful for up to 40% of secondary schools, writes the FT's Chris Cook (@xtophercook), citing a paper by IoE academics who propose new ways of presenting information designed to allow parents to choose the best school for their children.
Their paper says that "if able students do very well but less able students do poorly, using the average is a poor guide for parents as to what to expect of that institution for their child".
• Dozens of Scottish students have received the wrong grades in their higher exams following an administration error, the BBC reports. The Scottish Qualifications Authority says 34 students who sat highers in religious, moral and philosophical studies have had the wrong marks entered into the central system.
• An evangelical church's bid to open a free school has passed the first round of the selection process, despite its plans to teach creationism in science lessons, the TES reports. The Everyday Champions Church's application to run a faith-based secondary in Newark, Nottinghamshire, has been accepted by the Department for Education and put through to the "interview stage" - even though the DfE published guidance in May banning the teaching of creationism as a valid theory.
• The Telegraph tells us the numbers of university applications to study subjects such as law, teaching and accounting have increased this year, while interest in English, history, classics and philosophy has fallen. And the Independent reports on an increase in A-level students doing extended projects and community work to show they can do more than get good grades.
• The THE says more students from poor families are going to university: 17% of state school pupils eligible for free school meals went into higher education by the age of 19 in 2008-09, compared to 13% in 2005-06, according to the Department for Business, Industry and Skills.
Blog of the day
Warwick Mansell (@warwickmansell), writing for the NAHT on the roots of disaffection among young people, finds himself going back to the Nuffield foundation's reports of three years ago and comes up with telling quotes such as this one:
"One of the key findings from our work with young people over the last year is the very pronounced feeling of alienation from schooling so many expressed. Many of the young people certainly have unhappy memories of schooling… However, the reasons for dropping out are far more complex. For many it is not primarily about the school curriculum, or about a lack of vocational learning opportunities, but an inability to cope with the necessary authority structures that must underpin the structure of schooling."
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.
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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.
28 September, London.
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