Archive for 2011

SEN provision for children of service families

We were delighted on 13th October 2011 with the announcement of Nick Harvey (the Minister for the Armed Forces). After a careful review of the Continuity of Education Allowance, the government affirmed its commitment to supporting service personnel and their…

Welcome one, welcome all

Independent schools have always welcomed students from outside the UK and today is no different. This thriving sector is continuing to welcome students from all over the world providing innovative ways of delivering a British education to thousands of students…

Have a look round the classroom of the future…

We often hear stories of pupils educated in the independent sector trekking off to a far flung destination on a field trip or charity expedition but what really goes on inside the classroom back here in the UK? With many…

GAP years for the twitter generation

After what seems like an eternity of exams you can’t blame the average 18 year old for wanting to take a year out before embarking on university life or the world of work. Many may scoff at the idea of…

Forget the gold rush, now it’s time for the green rush!

The green agenda seems to dominate the press these days with energy efficiency at the top of the political agenda so it’s hardly surprising that independent schools are no different with sustainability and conservation featuring prominently both inside and outside…

The many dangers of sector-based discrimination

Last weekend, the Telegraph released a brief report on Oxford University’s maintained sector intake being dominated by a small group of non-selective schools. The data revealed that of the places given to students from non-selective state schools, 25% came from…

Calling all jobseekers!!

As the prolonged recession takes hold it seems that interest in working in the independent sector remains strong as page views for the ISC Job Zone consistently showing around 100,000 views a month.

ISC’s Job Zone is open to all…

A public school education for my child?

You’d be forgiven if the thought of ‘public schools’ still conjured up images of severe headmasters and stodgy lumpy custard but step into an independent school today and you might find yourself pleasantly surprised.

Public school education has evolved into…

Teaching under-fives lawful in schools again, says shock report

Dame Clare Tickell’s report into the EYFS makes interesting reading. Frankly, my expectations of government-commissioned “independent” reports are quite low, written, as they tend to be, in formulaic colourless jargon. You read pages and wonder at the end what they have really…

Admissions Conference 2011 – Equality Act technical issues

This year’s admissions conference included much technical content (registrars and admissions staff have a lot to deal with – from complying with the professional Code of Practice for Schools, to the ever changing Tier 4 regime, to the Equality Act…