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GENERAL: Starmer election launch. Sir Keir Starmer set out Labour’s election campaign by listing three reasons to vote Labour including bringing an end to chaos, the need for change, and the provision of a long-term plan to rebuild Britain. Back to work. The government announced a number of measures to help get the job market moving including setting up a new taskforce to help fill vacancies in key sectors like construction, encouraging employers to tap into their local JobCentre, using AI to support work coaches, and promoting the use of Skills Bootcamps. Economic Outlook. The IMF published its latest economic outlook for the UK pointing to a slight improvement in growth for this year but some ‘upward pressure’ on inflation later in the year and concerns about continuing economic inactivity, overall spending plans and the lack of investment in public services.
SCHOOLS: Financial education. The Education Committee published its report into financial education in schools, highlighting its importance to young people of all ages and calling for more time in schools to be given to its delivery and for more trained teachers to be recruited. Oak review. The government appointed LocalED chief executive Lara Newman to lead to lead a review of the Oak National Academy, looking in particular at issues such as efficiency, governance, accountability and efficacy, with an initial report due this July and a more detailed report to follow in September. Education Manifesto. The NAHT launched its Education Election Manifesto listing three areas of ‘major crisis’ (Recruitment and Retention, SEND, School Buildings) along with a list of actions the next government should undertake, including reforming the pay structure, reviewing placements and services in SEND, and ending high-stakes performance measures.
FE/SKILLS: Apprenticeships. The Onward think tank questioned whether a Growth and Skills Levy as proposed by Labour and others would help stem the drop in apprenticeship numbers, calling instead for a better system of incentives to encourage businesses to participate and for a fully funded system for 16-18 yr old apprenticeships. Youth apprenticeships. CIPD and the Youth Futures Foundation reported on their apprenticeship survey, pointing to familiar concerns about the operation of the current Levy especially for failing to help young people, calling instead for a more flexible Skills Levy generally and an Apprenticeship Guarantee for young people. Apprenticeship tariff points. UCAS called for views on its proposed model of allocating tariff points for L3 apprenticeships, based on programme duration and pass achievement, enabling the recipient to use the qualification for HE entry.
HE: International students. The government outlined measures to tighten up the system around international students including notably the use of ‘rogue recruitment agents,’ the levels of financial maintenance requirements and compliance standards as it endorsed the continuation of the graduate route following last week’s Migration Advisory Committee report. Regulator’s fees. The Office for Students (OfS) published the registration fees for approved providers for 2024/5, based as before on FTE student numbers and ranging from £14,220 to £214,485, but with no increase for the year ahead. Stern speech. Chief executive of Universities UK Vivienne Stern reflected on international students and other issues such as the value of degrees and the number of people going to university in a keynote speech to a UCAS Conference, providing robust defence arguments in each case.
Dissolution of Parliament ahead of the general election (Thursday 30 May). Ofqual release of provisional entries for this summer’s GCSE/AS/A levels (Thursday 30 May). Consultation closes on Ofsted’s Big Listen (Friday 31 May).
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MONDAY 27 MAY On this day in 1679 the Habeas Corpus Act was passed in England strengthening a person's right to challenge unlawful arrest and imprisonment. On this day in 1851 the world's first chess tournament was held in London. On this day in 1940 British and Allied forces began 'Operation Dynamo', the evacuation of Dunkirk during World War II.
TUESDAY 28 MAY On this day in 1936 British computer pioneer Alan Turing submitted his landmark paper 'On Computable Numbers' for publication. On this day in 1998 Pakistan detonated five nuclear devices in response to India's nuclear weapon tests just days earlier. On this day in 2014 celebrated American poet, author and civil rights activist Maya Angelou died at her home in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
WEDNESDAY 29 MAY On this day in 1453 the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire, Constantinople, fell signalling the end of the Byzantine Empire. On this day in 1886 American pharmacist John Pemberton began to advertise his patent medicine Coca-Cola in Atlanta, Georgia. On this day in 1953 Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay reached the summit of Mount Everest.
THURSDAY 30 MAY On this day in 1431 Joan of Arc was burned at the stake after being found guilty of heresy. On this day in 1911 the first Indianapolis 500 was held. On this day in 1971 the unmanned US space probe Mariner 9 departed for Mars.
FRIDAY 31 MAY On this day in 1669 citing poor eyesight English civil servant Samuel Pepys recorded the last entry in his famous diary. On this day in 1859 Big Ben rang out over London for the first time. On this day in 1961 South Africa became an independent republic.
Awareness days from around the world
MAY IS UK: Time For A Cuppa, Make May Purple/Action On Stroke Month, National Walking Month, National Share A Story Month, Local And Community History Month, Big Asthma Bake Sale, The Big Paddle Cleanup, National Smile Month. WORLDWIDE: National Teen Self Esteem Month, Zombie Awareness Month, National Clean Air Month, Maternal Mental Health Month, May Measure Month, Skin Cancer Awareness Month, Tourettes Awareness Month, National Returning Youth Month, National Miniature Garden Month, Jewish American Heritage Month, Global Employee Health And Fitness Month, Better Speech And Language Month, Als Awareness Month, National Preservation Month, National Wildfire Awareness Month, National Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month, National Foster Care Month, Correct Your Posture Month, International Drum Month, National Dental Care Month, Coeliac Disease Awareness Month, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome Awareness Month, National Asparagus Month, National Stroke Awareness Month, National Moving Month, National Brain Tumor Awareness Month, National Mental Health Awareness Month, Sturge-weber Syndrome Awareness Month, Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month, National Military Appreciation Month, Melanoma Awareness Month, National Water Safety Month, National Chamber Music Month, Asian American And Pacific Islander Heritage Month, National Mediterranean Diet Month, National Strawberry Month, National Salsa Month, National Salad Month, National Recommitment Month, National Photography Month, National Lyme Disease Awareness Month, National Hamburger Month, Get Caught Reading Month, National Egg Month, National Blood Education Pressure Month, National Bike Month, National Barbeque Month, Older Americans Month, Date Your Mate Month, National Inventors Month, American Cheese Month. THIS WEEK IS UK: National Conversation Week, National Children’s Gardening Week, English Wine Week, National Epilepsy Week, British Tomato Fortnight. WORLDWIDE: Scripps National Spelling Bee.
MONDAY 27 MAY UK: Spring Bank Holiday, Celebration Day, Cheese Rolling Gloucester. WORLDWIDE: Memorial Day, National Grape Day, National Grape Popsicle Day, National Cellophane Tape Day, Memorial Day, Decoration Day, Nothing to Fear Day, World Marketing Day, National Cellophane Tape Day, National Sunscreen Day.
TUESDAY 28 MAY WORLDWIDE: Amnesty International Day, World Hunger Day, National Beef Burger Day, National Hamburger Day, National Brisket Day, Menstrual Hygiene Day, Thales Day, National Multiple Births Awareness Day, World Passion Fruit Martini Day.
WEDNESDAY 29 MAY UK: Oak Apple Day. WORLDWIDE: National Biscuit Day, World Digestive Health Day, International Day of UN Peacekeepers, National 529 Day, National Flip Flop Day, National Coq Au Vin Day, National Paperclip Day, National Senior Health And Fitness Day, Learn About Composting Day, End of the Middle Ages Day, World Tiger Nut Day, National Paperclip Day, National Alligator Day, National Flip Flop Day, World Otter Day, Put a Pillow on your Fridge Day, International Everest Day.
THURSDAY 30 MAY WORLDWIDE: National Mint Julep Day, World MS Day, National Creativity Day, Loomis Day, National Hole In My Bucket Day, National Water A Flower Day, Corpus Christi, National E-Bike Day, International Day of the Potato, National Water A Flower Day.
FRIDAY 31 MAY WORLDWIDE: World No Tobacco Day, National Utah Day, Necrotizing Fasciitis Awareness Day, National Smile Day, National Autonomous Vehicle Day, National Macaroon Day, National Speak In Complete Sentences Day, National Save Your Hearing Day, Web Designer Day, Infidelity Hurts Awareness Day.
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