Wild Search Education news roundup
28th February 2020
Could Universities scrap the use of predicted grades in their admissions process?
In a move which could help to reverse the growing trend of unconditional offers, options for reform laid out by the Office for Students (OfS) stipulate that universities could withhold offers until students have received their A-level results. It has been argued that a revised entry-system could be fairer for incoming students from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds who may not receive as much support with personal statements and UCAS applications. However, there are questions as to how a post-qualification admissions process would affect the current timetable, as results are currently released in August with most universities’ academic year typically starting in September. A growing number of university vice-chancellors have welcomed the proposed changes. However, Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, has expressed concerns that final A-level exams would have to take place before the summer term, thus leaving students with less time to prepare and study. A review of the system is currently underway and several options to reform the process are being explored.
University Strikes
News of the upcoming university strikes have dominated education news this week. Tens of thousands of academic and support staff are set to strike throughout February and March over pay, pensions and working conditions. Staff from a total of 74 universities across the country will be taking part in what has been described as the “biggest ever wave of strikes” by the Guardian. Students from several universities have expressed solidarity with those striking while also pushing for compensation over cancelled classes and lectures.
The debate surrounding three-year GCSEs
The Education Endowment Foundation has commissioned research into whether a three-year GCSE curriculum would be more effective in enhancing grades than the traditional two-year approach. The National Foundation for Education Research has been enlisted to undertake the research. Secondary schools across the UK will be invited to take part in the research project by answering a survey which will look into how schools organise their Key Stage 4 curriculum. Although many schools, particularly MATs, start GCSE studies in Year 9, others have argued that the three-year option forces a narrower curriculum on students too early and thus runs the risk of pushing out subjects in the humanities and creative arts.
MAT bosses salary debate
Our 2019 report, A Sum Greater than its Parts?: Making Education Groups Work, on MAT governance and its intricacies can be downloaded here.
A debate has been sparked this week on the topic of multi-academy trust executive salaries. Earlier this week William Stewart wrote for Tes that MAT “fat cats” have been receiving pay increases of up to 23 per cent in a single year. Mr Stewart went on to argue that excessive annual salaries send the wrong signal that our state education system could be seen as a lucrative way to earn a high salary as a MAT boss, when on the other hand teacher pay freezes and school spending cuts are still very much a point of contention.
Ed Dorrell, deputy editor of Tes, responded that Chief Executives of large MATs deserve a handsome salary due to the array of responsibilities they hold in a complex and multi-faceted organisation. Mr Dorrell also suggested that it would be more helpful to argue for salary increases for teachers rather than single out MAT bosses.