Alan Smithers RSS feed

A-level fears mean more universities set entrance exam

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 09:18:15 GMT

Universities are introducing extra testing for sixth-formers as fears over A-level standards grow

Record year as more pupils than ever are A-grade stars

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 05:50:50 GMT

Teenagers achieved another record crop of GCSE results today with more than ever awarded the elite A* grade

'A record for top grades but does more mean better?'

Thu, 20 Aug 2009 09:00:46 GMT

It has been a year of records. More students than ever have applied to university, more have got the grades they need, and more have been accepted at the first asking.

Rocketing pass rates 'prove dumbing-down of A-levels'

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 08:10:12 GMT

Exam pass rates over the past two decades prove that A-levels have been 'dumbed down', academics claimed as the Conservatives announced plans to overhaul school league tables

Boys fall into gender gap before they start school

Wed, 29 Jul 2009 06:22:59 GMT

Half a million children are 'given wrong grade' for Sats

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 14:47:32 GMT

Half a million children are given the wrong grades in school tests every year, an official report suggests

Cambridge to take only those with at least 90% in one A level

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 14:33:21 GMT

Pupils hoping to win a place at Cambridge face a tougher task in future after the university announced tighter entry rules

Half of pupils leave school unable to read, write or add properly

Wed, 14 Jan 2009 14:47:36 GMT

Half of teenagers left school unable to read, write and add up to the standard expected by employers last year, GCSE results show

Borat cultural learnings make better than in UK

Tue, 09 Dec 2008 14:19:39 GMT

England has been beaten by Kazakhstan in a new international league table for education

Less than half of 16-year-olds meet key GCSE targets

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 13:30:41 GMT

More teenagers left school this year unable to read, write and add up, figures show

Anger as schools are told to drill pupils for SATs

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 13:26:43 GMT

Children face mounting pressure to pass their primary school Sats after the Government told teachers to drill pupils for exams

Education

Thu, 02 Oct 2008 14:27:43 GMT

The struggle to turn around some failing institutions has seen community leaders and politicians willing to embrace radical new teaching and funding methods.

City victims of crunch could ease teacher shortage

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 09:50:37 GMT

City workers facing redundancy could help ease a shortage of teachers in London

Sats results show decline in writing skills at age seven

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 15:25:11 GMT

Fewer seven year-olds mastered basic writing this year amid fresh evidence of falling standards in primary schools

Record crop of As predicted as students wait for their GCSE results

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 09:12:54 GMT

One in five GCSEs is expected to be awarded a grade A or A* this week as teenagers are predicted to get record results

Comment: No diplomas please, this system will serve us well for another 50 years

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 09:04:44 GMT

For many young people, today will be one of the best of their lives

Outdated A-levels should be axed, says head

Mon, 11 Aug 2008 08:39:29 GMT

Leading schools are ditching "outdated" A-levels in favour of continental- style diplomas, a leading headteacher warned

Sharp fall in number of 11-year-olds reaching higher grades in Sats

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 08:37:23 GMT

State schools were accused of failing the brightest children after figures showed a shock fall in the number of 11-year-olds scoring top grades in Sats

'Sign for diploma and you'll earn �1m'

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 08:22:10 GMT

Teenagers will earn more than £1 million if they agree to sign up for the Government's new school diplomas, according to official advice

Darling offers too little, too late to stop exodus

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 10:34:04 GMT

Marking 'fiddle' has boosted Sats results

Thu, 10 Jul 2008 08:55:09 GMT

The Government has been exaggerating school standards for the last decade because a marking "fiddle" boosted test results for hundreds of thousands of children