Weekly Round Up - 10/11/2024

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LOOKING BACK AT THE WEEK THAT WAS

Three of the week's headlines ...

Fewer 18-year-olds from UK apply to most selective universities and courses

Phillipson to ask schools to end exam ‘tunnel vision’ and look to wellbeing

Schools lost track of ‘great many’ young people during pandemic, inquiry hears

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Three pieces of policy news - by phase

Follow this link to view the full version of Steve Besley's popular policy round-up - including an overview of all the important stories, his top headlines of the week, tweets and posts of note, the most memorable quotes, not-to-be-missed statistics and what to look out for next week.
As your starter for ten, we've chosen three items from each phase below ...

GENERAL:
AI Assurance. The government reported on the state of the AI assurance market in the UK and challenges and opportunities within it, listing 4 actions including collaborating closely with the AI Safety Institute, to help drive things forward.
Economic Outlook. The Bank of England published its latest Economic Outlook suggesting that CPI inflation is likely to increase to ‘around 2 ½% by year end,’ growth is expected to fall back to ‘around ¼ % per quarter over the second half of the year’ and the ‘combined measures of the Budget are provisionally expected to boost the level of GDP by around ¾% at their peak in a year’s time.’
Global education. UNESCO published its latest report on progress in global education painting a largely gloomy picture with participation rates improving in some parts of the world but equally 251m children globally not in education, the number of schools under attack from warfare rising, national and international investment in education declining and outcomes in some regions falling.

SCHOOLS:
Education secretary’s speech. Bridget Phillipson addressed the Confederation of School Trusts Annual Conference where she confirmed new steps in tackling SEND concerns with the appointment of a new strategic adviser and group of experts.
Reading for pleasure. The National Literacy Trust pointed to a ‘shocking’ decline in the numbers of children and young people reporting enjoying reading in their free time as they published the results from their latest Annual Literacy Survey conducted earlier this year.
Phonics screening. The Education Policy Institute called for ‘a fresh review’ of the phonics screening check as it published a new report suggesting that there was no evidence that it had helped improve reading results or narrowed attainment gaps.

FE/SKILLS:
Lifelong learning. The Learning and Work Institute published its latest annual survey of adult participation in learning showing an increase in the number of adults actively engaged either currently or recently, many via online learning but underlining that ‘stark inequalities in participation by social grade remain.’
Post-16 maths. The OECD highlighted the importance of maths beyond the age 16 in a new, comprehensive study of maths in England, arguing that level expectations here remain high and that alternative, less demanding options should be made available to encourage greater take-up and success.
Inspections. The Edge Foundation reported on its work with UCL looking into the impact of Ofsted and the inspection framework generally on FE, finding a perhaps inevitable mix of views with calls for them to be less high stakes and more developmental to enable the sector to better understand strengths and weaknesses.

HE:
Tuition fees. The education secretary formally announced an inflation-based increase for tuition fees and maintenance loans for the next academic year, coupling it will an expectation of a programme of reform in areas such as value for money, access, skill development and civic responsibility.
Tuition fee response. The IfS argued that the planned increase in tuition fees will bring relief to many universities but that a similar inflation-based increase to maintenance loans would not reverse recent years of ‘real-term cuts’ leaving poorer students considerably less well off than their peers of a few years ago.
2025 entry. UCAS published the figures on applications for early deadline courses including Oxbridge, medicine, dentistry and veterinary courses, showing a 1.3% increase in applications overall compared to last year but down for medicine courses and in the number of UK 18-year-olds.

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Latest research, reports and studies

Around one-third of students worry their university could go bust and one-half expect the Government to take over if it does | HEPI
Adult Participation in Learning Survey 2024 | Learning & Work Institute
What can quantitative analyses tell us about the national impact of the phonics screening check? | EPI
Pupil absence at the start of Autumn Term 2024 | FFT Education Datalab
Experiential learning benefits students’ progress in science and general academic skills | IOE
Mathematics for life and work: A comparative perspective on mathematics to inform upper secondary reform in England | OECD
Strategies for moving freely: The Finnish approach to vocational education and training | AoC
The enjoyment and impact of immersive learning | CfEY
Is cognitive science enough to transform your teaching? | Teacher Toolkit
Ofsted Inspection in the general Further Education and Skills sector in England | Edge Foundation
Next-gen governance | CST UK
Flourishing together | CST UK
Deeper collaboration key to securing the future of UK higher education | Jisc
Progression at age 16 of young people from underrepresented backgrounds towards careers in STEM | CfEY
Grouping schools to tackle disadvantage | School Dash
Neuroaesthetics: Conceiving alternative ways for learning | Teacher Toolkit
Positive impact of school-based tutoring revealed in ImpactEd’s Final Evaluation Report of the National Tutoring Programme | EDT
Opportunity for all? Which pupils are studying languages in England and why? | IOE
Progression at age 16 of young people from underrepresented backgrounds towards careers in STEM | EPI

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COMING UP IN THE NEXT WEEK

Parliament and elsewhere

Association of Colleges (AoC) Annual Conference (Tuesday 12 – Wednesday 13 November)
OECD report on Lifelong Learning (Wednesday 13 November)
The Chancellor’s Mansion House speech (Thursday 14 November)

Events and CPD opportunities

Tuesday 12 - Wednesday 13 November: Festival of Higher Education | Wonkhe (in-person event)
Tuesday 12 - Wednesday 13 November: AoC Annual Conference and Exhibition 2024 | AoC (in-person event)
Wednesday 13 November: Most Able Pupils Conference 2024: Supporting and Fulfilling Potential | Government Events (online event)
Wednesday 13 & Wednesday 20 November: Leading Inclusive Learning | Optimus Education (online event)
Friday 15 November: Mental Health & Wellbeing in Schools | Optimus Education (in-person event)

Running an education-related event that you'd like to see included in our calendar? Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with details and a link to the booking info.

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Three interesting daily facts

MONDAY 11 NOVEMBER
On this day in 1675 German mathematician Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz demonstrated integral calculus for the first time to find the area under the graph of y = f(x) function.
On this day in 1745 Bonnie Prince Charlie's Jacobite army invaded England in an attempt to restore the House of Stuart to the British throne.
On this day in 1992 the Church of England's General Synod approved the ordination of female priests.

TUESDAY 12 NOVEMBER
On this day in 1880 the best-selling American novel 'Ben-Hur: A Tale of The Christ' written by soldier Lew Wallace was published.
On this day in 1912 the body of British explorer Robert Falcon Scott was found in his tent in Antarctica after having frozen to death.
On this day in 1966 the crew of Gemini 12 which included Edwin Eugene 'Buzz' Aldrin were able to view and take pictures of a total solar eclipse from space.

WEDNESDAY 13 NOVEMBER
On this day in 1856 the Great Bell of Big Ben first chimed at the foot of the still unfinished clock tower outside the Palace of Westminster.
On this day in 1994 Sweden voted to join the EU with over half of Swedish citizens voting in the referendum.
On this day in 2017 evidence of the world's earliest winemaking was uncovered in Georgia in clay pots dating from 6,000 BC.

THURSDAY 14 NOVEMBER
On this day in 1856 American inventor Gail Borden was issued a patent for technology related to his invention of condensed milk.
On this day in 1889 New York World reporter Nellie Bly began her successful attempt to surpass the fictitious journey of Jules Verne's Phileas Fogg by travelling around the world in under 80 days.
On this day in 1908 Albert Einstein presented his Quantum Theory of Light.

FRIDAY 15 NOVEMBER
On this day in 1891 World War II Field Marshall Erwin Rommel, popularly known as the Desert Fox, was born in Heidenheim, Germany.
On this day in 1979 Sir Anthony Blunt was exposed as the mysterious fourth man in the Burgess-Maclean-Philby Soviet spy ring.
On this day in 2017 Leonardo da Vinci's painting 'Salvator Mundi' sold for $450.3 million at auction in New York.

Awareness days from around the world

NOVEMBER IS
UK:
Mouth Cancer Action Month, Lung Cancer Awareness Month, Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month.
WORLDWIDE:
Adopt A Senior Pet Month, Adopt a Turkey Month, Aviation History Month, Banana Pudding Lovers Month, Bladder Health Month, COPD Awareness Month, Diabetic Eye Disease Month, Epilepsy Awareness Month, Erectile Dysfunction Awareness Month, Eye Donor Awareness Month, Family Stories Month, Gluten-Free Diet Awareness Month, Historic Bridge Awareness Month, Inspirational Role Models Month, Long-term Care Awareness Month, Lung Cancer Awareness Month, Manatee Awareness Month, Men’s Health Awareness Month (Movember), Military Family Month, Mouth Cancer Action Month, National Adoption Month, National Alzheimer's Disease Month, National Career Development Month, National Children’s Month, National Diabetes Month, National Entrepreneurship Month, National Family Caregivers Month, National Family Literacy Month, National Fondue Month, National Fun with Fondue Month, National Gratitude Month, National Healthy Skin Month, National Home Care and Hospice Month, National Impotency Month, National Inspirational Role Models Month, National Life Writing Month, National Marrow Awareness Month, National Medical Science Liaison (MSL), National Military Family Month, National Native American Heritage Month, National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), National Peanut Butter Lovers Month, National Pepper Month, National Pet Cancer Awareness Month, National Pinhole Gum Rejuvenation Month, National Pomegranate Month, National PPSI Aids Awareness Month, National Raisin Bread Month, National Repair Done Right Month, National Rice Awareness Month, National Roasting Month, National Scholarship Month, Native American Heritage Month, Noshavember, Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month, Pet Cancer Awareness Month, Pet Diabetes Month, Prematurity Awareness Month, PTA Healthy Lifestyles Month, Spinach And Squash Month, Stomach Cancer Awareness Month, Sweet Potato Awareness Month, Veg Pledge, World Vegan Month, Worldwide Bereaved Siblings Month.

THIS WEEK IS
UK:
Anti Bullying Week.
WORLDWIDE:
Book Award Week, Cairo International Film Festival, Dear Santa Letter Week, Enterprise Week, Geography Awareness Week, Human-Animal Relationship Awareness Week, Nurse Practitioner Week, Perioperative Nurse Week, Pushkar Camel Fair, Recycling Week, Science Week Ireland, Split Pea Soup Week, Transgender Awareness Week, Web Summit Lisbon, Young Readers Week.

MONDAY 11 NOVEMBER
UK:
Armistice Day.
WORLDWIDE:
Armistice Day in France, Data Governance Day, Death/Duty Day, Indiana Day, Metal Day, National Education Day, Origami Day, Orphans Day, Pocky Day, Poland’s Independence Day, Remembrance Day, Singles Day, Sundae Day, Veterans Day.

TUESDAY 12 NOVEMBER
UK:
Purple Tuesday.
WORLDWIDE:
Chicken Soup for the Soul Day, Fancy Rat & Mouse Day, French Dip Day, Happy Hour Day, Odd Socks Day, Pizza With The Works Except Anchovies Day, Pneumonia Day, Survivors’ Day.

WEDNESDAY 13 NOVEMBER
WORLDWIDE:
Hug a Musician Day, Indian Pudding Day, Roast Dinner Day, Sadie Hawkins Day, Social Media Kindness Day, Symphonic Metal Day, World Kindness Day.

THURSDAY 14 NOVEMBER
WORLDWIDE:
American Teddy Bear Day, Children’s Day, Family PJ Day, Loosen Up Lighten Up Day, Operating Room Nurse Day, Pickle Day, Quality Day, Seat Belt Day, Spicy Guacamole Day, World Diabetes Day.

FRIDAY 15 NOVEMBER
UK:
BBC Children in Need.
WORLDWIDE:
America Recycles Day, Bundt Day, Camp T-Shirt Day, Children in Need, Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day, Direct-To-Consumer (DTC) Friday, Drummer Day, I Love to Write Day, Kartika Purnima, Loy Krathong, Philanthropy Day, Raisin Bran Cereal Day, Recycling Day, Republic Day in Brazil, Spicy Hermit Cookie Day, Steve Irwin Day.

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