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Persistent, low-level disruptive behaviour in England’s schools is affecting pupils’ learning and damaging their life chances, according to an Ofsted report released today. The report says that teachers are frustrated that those in leadership positions are not doing enough to ensure high standards of pupil behaviour. Some pupils could be losing up to an hour of learning each day – or 38 days a year. Ofsted chief Sir Michael Wilshaw said that “leadership is absolutely critical” in improving behaviour. “Even […]

What a lovely autumn we’ve been having. I used to like the spring a lot, more even than the summer itself. For me, the great thing about the spring is the anticipation of summer – not that the summer always lives to our expectations… If one really considers it, the autumn has so many things going for it. The American call it ‘the fall’. I think it is such an experience to sit on a bench in the park and […]

There are some important reforms being made to both GCSEs and A levels in England at the moment. GCSE reforms From next year, GCSE students in England will take all their assessments at the end of their course. Moving to this linear-type structure means that re-sit opportunities will be limited and students who wish to re-take GCSEs will generally only be able to do so the following summer. The exception is for GCSE English, English Language and Mathematics: students who […]

This is an email I received last week from a former student at Excel in Key Subjects. I will refer to him as Peter. Dear Dr Cartmell, I apologise for this late email in the wake of the A-Level exam results as I have been busy travelling and had to trawl deep into my inbox to find your email address to say big thank you for the Biology revision course you provided at Excel in UCL* a few months ago. […]

It is that time of year already? Hundreds of thousands of pupils in England, Wales and Northern Ireland have been receiving their GCSE results today. Overall, on average across all GCSE subjects this year’s results show a slight rise in A* to C grades, with 68.8% of entries scored A*-C, up 0.7 percentage points on last summer. However, there has been a sharp fall in English GCSE grades. The most significant impact on this year’s results has been the big […]

We know as scientists that endorphins are released during exercise. New findings from biology and education research shows that regular exercise benefits the brain in numerous ways. Regular workouts in the gym or at home improve attention span, memory and learning. They can also reduce stress and the effects of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and even delay cognitive decline in old age. In short staying in shape can make you smarter. Memory retention and learning functions are all about brain […]

So, it’s the “Big Day” again. Shouts of excitement and “high 5s” are juxtaposed with tears and worry. Facebook is going into overdrive. Futures are secured for some, while others face uncertainty. Overall, A-level grades have edged down this year, as pupils in England, Wales and Northern Ireland receive their results. Overall, there has been a slight fall in A* and A grades and the pass rate is down for the first time in over 30 years. Exam officials say […]

There is a lot to celebrate after another year of good A-level results. For many families all over the country, there is great sigh of relief and great optimism for the future. Really, there are three parties involved in achieving educational success – the student themselves, their parents and their teachers. There is a great sense of feeling of achievement when the student opens that envelope and the results are excellent, as they feel rewarded for years of diligence and […]

Hurrah – the dragon is slain – Mr Gove – the education secretary has gone and we teachers can now have a jolly good party! Is that really true? It really depends on how you look at things – as a parent or as a teacher. Are parents really interested in all the politics or do we just want the best for our children?  Many will argue that there is no conflict between having a minister who strives for high […]