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A study suggests that friends, family and teachers are much more likely to influence young children than celebrity role models like actors or footballers
1 February 2014
In The Believing Brain, Michael Shermer argues that ?belief-dependent realism? makes it hard for any of us to have an objective view of the world
1 February 2014
At least 40 percent of teenagers should be required to do apprenticeship-style qualifications at the age of 16 to learn a trade, according to the head of the Coalition?s curriculum review
1 February 2014
"Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough we must do."
1 February 2014
"Leadership is practised not so much in words as in attitude and in actions" Harold S. Geneen (1910?1997)
1 February 2014
The AQA exam board is introducing a super A* grade for a new International GCSE (IGCSE) in further maths.
Super A*s are not planned for other subjects but it could start a trend. A*s were introduced in 1994 to stretch able pupils.
1 February 2014
The part of the brain that senses danger becomes overactive in city-dwellers when they are under stress.
According to a brain-scanning study, the brains of people living in cities operate differently from those in rural areas. Scientists found that two parts of the brain, involved in the regulation of emotion and anxiety, become overactive in city-dwellers when they are stressed. They also argue that the differences could account for the increased rates of mental health problems seen in urban areas.
In experiments designed to make them feel anxious, Professor Andreas Meyer-Lindenberg of the University of Heidelberg scanned the brains of more than 50 healthy volunteers.
The results, published in Nature, showed that the amygdala of participants who live in cities was over-active during stressful situations. The amygdala is the danger-sensor of the brain.
Another region called the cingulate cortex was overactive in participants who were born in cities. The cingulate cortex is important for controlling emotion and dealing with environmental adversity.
More from Nature
1 February 2014
A review of Sats tests in England?s primary schools calls for changes to English tests, more teacher assessment and a ?fairer system?.
More than 4000 schools boycotted the tests in 2010. Heads at those schools, and others, argued the test results led to unfair league table rankings and meant children were drilled for the tests rather than given a broad education.
The report recommends that:
- Writing test should be replaced by teacher assessment of writing composition.
- There should be a spelling, grammar, punctuation and vocabulary test - all have clear right or wrong answers.
- Maths should continue to be externally tested.
- Reading tests should continue but need to be refined.
- Science should continue to be teacher assessed with a sample test to monitor national standards.
- Speaking and listening should continue to be teacher assessed.
- Three-year rolling averages should be introduced to give a rounded picture of a school?s performance.
- There should be a greater emphasis on the progress of pupils.
- Progress should be given as much weighting as attainment and should be one of the two headline published measures, alongside attainment.
- There should be a strong focus on the progress of every pupil, as well as greater emphasis on the progress of each Year 6 cohort. A new progress measure should be introduced to focus on the performance of lower-attaining pupils. This will help stop schools focusing on children on the Level 3/4 borderline.
- New progress and attainment measures should be introduced for pupils who have completed all of Years 5 and 6 in a school so that schools are not held wholly responsible for the performance of pupils who have just joined them.
- Teacher assessment judgements should continue in English, maths and science, and should be submitted before test results are announced. This will mean more weight is attached to them and allow longer for these results to inform Year 7 teaching and learning.
- Transition to secondary school should be eased for pupils and their new teachers. There should be more detailed reporting to secondary schools so Year 7 teachers know right from the outset a pupil?s attainment and the areas where extra work is needed.
- Pupils who are ill on the day of a test should have a week to sit it, rather than two days.
More from the Department of Education
1 February 2014
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