Mark Thomas Arms Talk

Mark Thomas Arms Talk,
originally uploaded by hockeyshooter.

Mark Thomas visited the OU today to give a talk on his feelings on British higher education receiving funding from the arms trade. A replay of the event will shortly appear.

A-level pass rate and A grades up - yet again

"BBC NEWS | Education | A-level pass rate and A grades up
There has been another increase in the A-level pass rate and the proportion of entries awarded the top A grade. Figures from the Joint Council for Qualifications show 97.2% of entries in England, Wales and Northern Ireland passed, up from 96.9%. A grades went to 25.9% of the entries, up from 25.3% - and in Northern Ireland more than a third achieved an A."

The pass rates are set by the exam boards. The only way that a higher percentage can pass is if they change the percentages. And that's exactly what they're doing. It started with the Tories and New Labour (aka Thatcherism continued) are perpetuating the trend. They're not getting easier - the kids aren't getting brighter - the exam boards are simply letting more people pass.

BBC NEWS | Education | A-level pass rate and A grades up

Photo competition

This evening saw the awards presentation for the first annual Walton High photographic competition, with first second and third prizes awarded in Under 16s and Over 16s categories, plus a rather smart trophy for the overall photographer of the year. The quality of all of the finalists' images were very impressive and you certainly couldn't tell which photos had been submitted by the younger group of students.

Competition Home

After much effort and long days (and quite a few long nights), The Open University now has a presence in iTunes U - one of the first non-US Universities to be added to the educational part of the iTunes system.

Here's another story, with some video, on the proposed cuts to funding that's going to hit the Open University for something like £30m.

"Cutting their funding seems to be at odds with Government Policy - which is for the country to have a flexible workforce."

Channel 4 - News - Open University to lose £100m

John Denham MP, Secretary of State for the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills wants to cut funding that currently helps mature students carry on their studies, as promoted by the Government's own "Life Long Learning" policy. He visited the OU today to explain his reasoning.


"Removing the second chance
Universities secretary John Denham decided that students with a first degree will not be funded for a course for an equivalent of lower qualification - or ELQ in the jargon."
Removing the second chance | Mortarboard | Guardian Unlimited

"OU's funding cut branded 'short-sighted'
A £31 million hole will be blasted in Open University finances by Government withdrawal of support for part-time students. The OU said it was 'deeply concerned' by a move that could put many graduates off embarking on career-linked courses. City MPs have united to fight the plan to phase out funding for the majority of students in England and Northern Ireland who are studying for a qualification equivalent to – or lower than – one they already hold. The OU said figures from the Higher Education Funding Council showed that for the OU £31.6million of teaching money will be phased out from next year."

OU's funding cut branded 'short-sighted' - Milton Keynes Today

"Ministers accused of burying news on university funding changes
The government was accused of 'sneaking out' £100m a year in cuts in higher education funding earlier this year because they contradicted the Leitch review of skills. The universities' secretary, John Denham, set out new funding arrangements in a letter to the Higher Education Funding Council for England late on Friday September 7. The letter called for support for people studying for a second degree to be 'phased out' and reduced by £100m a year over the next four years."

Ministers accused of burying news on university funding changes | Higher | EducationGuardian.co.uk

"David Latchman: Want a second degree? It'll certainly cost you...
A few weeks ago, with no warning, the Government announced its intention to axe the funding for people wanting to take a second degree at the same level in a different subject. Until now, universities were funded for both home and EU students taking a second qualification on the same basis as those taking their first. Now this is to be abandoned. Any student wanting to improve their skills in this way will be faced with prohibitively high annual fees of up to four times what they pay now.

This change will affect part-time students and the institutions that teach them particularly seriously. In future, students wanting to improve their skills will be treated the same way as non-EU overseas students, with universities receiving no government funding for teaching them. Institutions that specialise in part-time education, like Birkbeck and the Open University, have a high concentration of these students so will be the worst hit. However, these changes will affect a large number of universities and the effects will be far reaching. All part-time students will suffer, not just those taking a second qualification."

David Latchman: Want a second degree? It'll certainly cost you... - Independent Online Edition > Higher