Hundreds of teachers in Haringey, north London, will take to the streets to protest this afternoon about school budget cuts that have prompted fears of staff job losses.
According to a report in the Haringey Independent, schools face a 5.5% reduction to their budgets, and the council will provide only "minimal support" to schools. Worst affected will be support jobs for children with special educational needs, and those requiring early intervention.
Tony Brockman, Haringey NUT chairman, says: "This government simply does not understand how school improvement works. They are cutting all but the most minimal support for Haringey schools.
"Their approach runs counter to all research and evidence on school improvement. It will dissipate the expertise and local experience of highly respected school professionals in Haringey."
In Cambridge, a midday silent demonstration is about to get underway, against the "devastating" changes to higher education funding. Jessica Shepherd tells Cribsheet that the academics will assemble opposite the university's Senate House for three minutes' silence, dressed in black gowns and hoods.
Organisers of the protest said they wanted to show "discontent" with the government's plans to introduce higher tuition fees, to cut state funding of higher education and to promote the "marketisation" of universities. They are also unhappy that their university has "maintained a silence" about the changes.
Meanwhile niversities and colleges in London, including Imperial College and King's, are being asked to report to police on the organisation of student demonstrations on their campuses, Matthew Taylor and Jeevan Vasagar report:
"In an email, an officer from Counter Terrorism Command working on the Prevent programme, which aims to tackle extremism, said the Met anticipated a "renewed vigour" at protests that could target finance departments to highlight concern over funding cuts. It advises drafting contingency plans against student occupations.
The officer adds: "I would be grateful if in your capacity at your various colleges that should you pick up any relevant information that would be helpful to all of us to anticipate possible demonstrations or occupations, please forward it onto me."
More education news from the Guardian and Observer
• Critics of proposals for a "free school" in Wandsworth, south London, say it will benefit wealthy families at the expense of the poor. Critics allege that the new school will exclude children from poorer neighbourhoods and waste valuable public resources at a time of fierce public spending cuts.
Similarly, Francis Gilbert, writing for the Local Schools Network, reveals that "a bankers' school" with "a Christian ethos" has been given the go-ahead at Canary Wharf.
• The numbers of European students at Scottish universities are soaring, Severin Carrell reports. Scottish ministers claim that thousands of Europeans are exploiting Scotland's free university system to avoid paying escalating fees in their home countries.
• Are music services in schools going to be scrapped? Tom Service's excellent blog updates us.
Education news from around the web
• More on the scrapping of the Education Maintenance Allowance from the BBC: It's abolition will affect some students' ability to reach class, college principals say, especially those in rural areas, some of whom travel up to 35 miles to get to college.
Simon Hughes, apparently opposed to the cutting of the EMA, could vote with Labour when it is debated in parliament, according to the Telegraph.
• The government is considering overhauling the timing of A-level exams and results so pupils can apply to universities with their grades. The BBC suggests this would benefit students from poor families particularly, as they tend to receive lower predicted grades from teachers.
• The Daily Mail decrees that public school accents are back and thoughtfully furnishes its aspirant readers with a list of 50 powerful posh people who also have that other desirable quality, youth. Top of the pile is:
"Eleanor Shawcross, 27, economic adviser to George Osborne. Grandfather Hartley was lead prosecutor at Nuremberg war crimes tribunal. Royal biographer William is her father. Educated at St Paul's Girls' School and Oxford. Teased for looking like Kate Middleton. Bright."
Blogger's view
Richard Spencer "teacher, writer and pug dog owner" has thoughtfully analysed the good, bad and ugly aspects of the Ebacc in his blog:
"Mr Gove realised at some point in November that he is the ultimate master of the data, and that he could use it to construct a narrative supporting his perception of academic decline and failure in state schools.
The Ebacc statistic of 15% nationally is alarmingly low at a simple glance and Gove knows that a glance is all that most casual observers will take. The damage is done."
Calling all university administrators…
We need you to check we have the right codes for your institution's courses so that we can reflect your position accurately in our University Guide 2012. Please consult our dedicated website - there's a deadline looming for any changes you may wish to make.
Competition
Children aged between seven and 14 can now enter the Young Human Rights reporter of the year competition, run by learnnewsdesk, the Guardian's online news service for schools, and Amnesty International. A winner and two runners-up in the primary and secondary school categories will win a trip to Amnesty International and the Guardian headquarters in London as well as an MP3 recorder. The closing date for entries is 14 February.
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