News in brief
- Exam boards have been told to change new GCSE maths papers just a few months before students are due to study them, amid concerns they are too tough. An investigation into the difficulty of the GCSE maths sample papers, led by Ofqual, found there was a “significant risk” that three out of four of the main exam boards’ assessments would be too hard for students across a broad range of abilities.
- Sir Anthony Seldon, the departing headteacher of Wellington College, has criticised his colleagues, saying that private schools are flinching in the face of government, aggressive parents and universities. In an address expected on Saturday, the head is expected to bemoan the state of the independent sector, saying: “The crushing burdens of state requirements, league tables and inspection regimes have squeezed the lifeblood and originality out of much of the sector.”
- Girls continue to outpace boys in their enthusiasm for reading for pleasure, according to a National Literacy Trust study. The snapshot – based on responses from 32,000 pupils at more than 130 schools in the UK – also found that girls have more firmly embraced digital literacy and formats such as Facebook, whereas boys prefer print media.
- Pushy parents are putting more pressure on students, according to the head of Eton. There has been a rise in the number of parents “living their lives through their ambitions for their children”, Tony Little, who is leaving the school, said.
Research of the week
A survey of 6,000 schoolchildren has revealed misunderstandings about the number of immigrants in Britain, and negative attitudes towards Muslims and those born overseas.
According to research by the charity Show Racism the Red Card (SRTRC), 60% of the children questioned believed it was true that “asylum seekers and immigrants are stealing our jobs”, while 35% agreed or partly agreed “Muslims are taking over our country”.
The research, believed to be the largest of its kind carried out in the UK, was based on questionnaires sent to more than 60 schools around the country from 2012 to 2014.
The chief executive of SRTRC, Ged Grebby, said the findings raised serious questions about the information young people were receiving.
Read more about the research here.
Snapshot of the week
This picture certainly caught our eye this week. It was sent by the Fishers Mobile Farm crew who bring farm animals to schools.
@GuardianTeach Annie the #Ayrshire at a School in #Accrington yesterday - rain, rain, rain - dry under our gazebos pic.twitter.com/egThrK6RWI
— Fishers Mobile Farm (@themobilefarm) May 19, 2015
The week in numbers
Research by The London School of Economics showed that test scores of 16-year-old students were 6.4% higher after schools banned students from using mobile phones. The effect of banning mobiles was the equivalent of an extra week’s schooling over the academic year, according to the study.
Dates to remember
World Hunger Day (Thursday 28 May) is challenging you to “do something great” such as living on £1 for the day. June is within our reach and Oxfam Water Week (Saturday 6 June to Wednesday 10 June) encourages young people to learn about water issues.
Teaching resources
- Dig deeper into the causes and challenges of hunger.
- Get involved with Oxfam Water Week with these activities, also available for students with special educational needs.
- Did you know that there are 18 different types of catfish? Here’s a guide to tropical fish.
- Teaching the time? Use these posters to teach “half past” the hour.
Latest blogs and comments
- ‘There are a lot more quietly Tory teachers than you think’
- Schools are facing an asbestos timebomb
- Nicky Morgan: olive branches or burning bridges?
- Time to stop tinkering with structures and invest in teachers?
- What are the do’s and don’ts of professional development?
