Why do schools bother with uniforms? The more boring the outfits they devise, the more inventive pupils become at customising them.
Now Northgate school in Ipswich has decided to ban its own school skirt because the girls roll it over at the waist. They will have to wear trousers, declares the head, "which will enable my staff to focus their time and effort on providing pupils with the best education possible". Perhaps he's not heard about the schools that've banned certain brands of trousers for being "too tightly cut".
Supply teacher Rick Jones says policing uniform rules is a huge waste of time:
"Tuck your shirt in … do your tie up properly … top button please … Adidas jackets are not part of the uniform …why are you wearing trainers? … pull your trousers up … don't put makeup on in class … sort your skirt out …"
As a teacher, I find hassling students about their appearance tiring, thankless and ultimately futile. Students who flout the rules comply reluctantly. "Hang on, man," a student will say as if there is something else more urgent he or she needs to attend to. It can take 15 minutes to get a top button fastened - and you might have half the class offending."
Education news from the Guardian
• Top scientists are advising new graduates to seek work abroad. Prof Keith Campbell, part of the Dolly the sheep cloning team, says:
"If I have 50 sheep for six months with housing, it costs me £85,000 and that's without staff. Research is not cheap. In Singapore not only can you do the research but you get paid a salary too. Being able to eat is quite useful."
• Here's a beautiful picture gallery: The Royal College of Art is showcasing the work of 23 African and African-Caribbean graduates, including Chris Ofili and Frank Bowling, in a show called RCA Black. Curator Ekua McMorris explains:
"There have only been 85 black students in the last five years ... out of over 800 per year. We wanted to showcase these hidden people."
• Lots of readers have posted interesting comments on Louise Tickle's article about the loss of careers advice services for young people.
Careers adviser emac writes:
"For years opposition to Connexions said it 'was patchy and inconsistent'. Under new arrangements schools will have to buy in their own careers provision.
Now schools are now being targeted by organisations offering them private arrangements for careers advisers ranging from £150 to £200+ a day. Schools are having to choose between buying in a adviser and retaining teachers, admin staff and TAs.
Many of the schools in my area are working with a deficit in the budget, so how they are supposed to buy in impartial advice with no extra funding when they are balancing these other demands?
The richer schools will be able to buy in advisers, while the poorer ones will have minimal provision. This will result in a service which is 'patchy and inconsistent'. Where have I heard that before?"
On the Guardian higher education network
• Should higher education institutions train students for life or give them skills for work? François Thérin offers a business school perspective.
• How to get ahead in academic publishing: the best bits of our Q&A with experts has advice on how to market your manuscript and how to transform your thesis into a book.
Education news from around the web
• Welsh universities are being urged to be "predatory" in attracting star academics to boost research funding, the BBC reports. The call comes from chief scientific adviser, John Harries:
"Universities in Wales need to target 'star' research teams complementary to their areas of research strength and, by this predatory approach, signal to the world outside Wales that we are determined to make a success of our commitment to the science base in underpinning economic growth."
• This is great: the NUS (@Nusuk) has been collecting tweeted recipes for students:
"Last week we asked you for Tweecipes, quick and easy recipes in 140 characters, here are the results."
The link takes you to heaps of good ideas, like this one from @devonwalshe:
"1 can chick p's, 3 cloves garlic, 2 tbsp tahini, 1 squeezed lemon and ¼ cup olive oil. Blend or hand mash for instant awesome hummus."
The Guardian has an online student cookbook with slightly more sophisticated recipes - but still on a tight budget.
• Too few young people with learning difficulties and disabilities progress from school to complete programmes that will help them live independently, undertake further study, or gain employment, says an Ofsted report.
• Salford City College is going to pay students £20 a week to attend classes after the age of 16, to make up for the scrapping of the EMA. It's a good story from the Mail Online, but they can't resist reporting it as a case of "giving away £1million of taxpayers' money".
• That clever Martin Lewis (@martinslewis), has put a whizzy calculator on his Money Saving Expert blog, that works out how quickly you'll pay off your loan according to your earnings. @ucu tweets:
"So basically the faster and higher your salary grows, the less you repay."
• A very interesting blog by Mark Leach (@markmleach) on wonkhe.com warns of a new threat that could ignite campus tensions and lead to a realignment of the relationship between student union and university management.
And two wonderful videos
• Jarvis Cocker, in a mortarboard, accepts an honorary degree from the University of the Arts London with an inspirational speech to graduating students about the benefits of an arts education.
• Clementine Wade (@ladyclementinew) has put together an entertaining video about how to raise money to cover your university costs, from the conventional (student grants) to the less well-known (charity scholarships) to the downright wacky (email the agent of someone you admire!). It's full of good ideas - and ice-cream.
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.
28 September, London.
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