THIS WEEK
10-16 NOVEMBER 2012
SATURDAY
Chess is king
Unfair sackings, sudden school closures and the importance of chess (of course!) were the hot topics at the annual gathering of independent school teachers run by teaching union the ATL.
SUNDAY
Locks to offer
Philosopher, academic and owner of excellent hair A. C. Grayling plans to open a free school, The Sunday Times reported. It would be based in London, near his university, the #163;18K-a-year New College of the Humanities.
MONDAY
Thirst for learning
Universities are offering financial incentives to bright school leavers in a bid to fill their courses, according to The Daily Telegraph. Students can get discounted fees and help with living costs. Beer vouchers, anyone?
TUESDAY
Labour sets out its stall
Power is a little way off, but Labour’s shadow education secretary Stephen Twigg spelled out his plans for the future of education in the Caroline Benn Memorial Lecture at the House of Commons.
WEDNESDAY
Mind the pay gap
Those pesky women, with their skirts and their empathy and their irritating habit of outperforming men. It was day two of the Business, Innovation and Skills Committee’s inquiry into women in the workplace.
THURSDAY
Faith schools cause a stir
Tensions were due to rise at the High Court today, as the British Humanist Association took Richmond Council to a judicial review over its decision to open two new Catholic schools.
FRIDAY
Turning over a new leaf
Curling up with a good book used to be the obvious choice on a rainy day, but kids these days often prefer the Xbox. The Reading for Pleasure conference at the British Library aims to get children more into books.
NEXT WEEK
17-23 NOVEMBER 2012
SATURDAY
A festival of ideas
All the key players will be at the inaugural London Festival of Education. With speeches from Michaels Wilshaw and Gove, expect to see steam pouring from delegates’ ears. Star TES writers also headline.
SUNDAY
Modelling understanding
There must be a lesson or two in it: Inter Faith Week kicks off today, with the aim of increasing understanding between religions. Events include debates, discussions and clay modelling sessions.
MONDAY
Beating bullying
National Anti-Bullying Week starts, including competitions for schools to illustrate this year’s theme, “We’re better without bullying”. Roadshows will show the impact of bullying on achievement.
TUESDAY
Don’t blow a fuse
Deputy children’s commissioner Sue Berelowitz will examine the impact of the internet on children in a speech at London conference “Young People in the Internet Wilderness: a psychological time-bomb?”
WEDNESDAY
It’s a girl thing
Just don’t say “jolly hockey sticks”: it’s the final day of the Girls’ Schools Association conference. Delegates will celebrate the joys of single-sex education and debate the future of their schools.
THURSDAY
Wattle we do with the turkey?
Stick a turkey in the oven and slice up the pumpkin pie. The US celebrates Thanksgiving, one of the few American customs that hasn’t been adopted by the Brits. Shame, what with all that food.
FRIDAY
Say hello to sir
Put down your board markers and hand the class over to a pupil: it’s Takeover Day, which gets children working alongside adults and making decisions. Should there be homework today? No, thought not.
