david lundie John dickens finnish discussing A front line lessons? extremism visit to the There’s not in class somme much to learn Page 19 Page 9 Page 18 SCHOOLSWEEK.CO.UK FRIDAY, APRIL , | EDITION MANIFESTOS: WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT SCHOOLS Pages 6 & 7 Exam overhauls ‘force’ Cambridge to plan entry tests University consults on bringing back own entrance test after 29 years P 14 ‘What I hear is a lot more work for me. It makes me really frustrated’ Documents presented at a senior tutors’ committee Debra Kidd: If I were JOHN DICKENS (STC) in March, seen by Schools Week, state that @JOHNDICKENSSW Exclusive the university is “being forced” into changing its education secretary ... “well-tried system” of using AS-levels to assess which The University of Cambridge is gathering views on applicants get invited for interview. plans to bring back entrance tests – 29 years after The paper says that GCSEs “will not give us a I would consider what teachers abandoning them. reliable measure” due to their ongoing reform and If the proposal goes ahead, all school pupils applying need to do their job well to the university would need to sit the test. Continued on page 2 BUILD A BETTER SUPPLEMENT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH baccalaureate PRODUCED BY SUPPLEMENT FREE WITH THIS ISSUE 2 @SCHOOLSWEEK SCHOOLS WEEK FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 2015 EDITION 25 NEWS Cambridge rethinks admissions process SCHOOLS WEEK TEAM JOHN DICKENS CONTINUED Editor: Laura McInerney @JOHNDICKENSSW FROM FRONT Head designer: Nicky Phillips that “schools’ predictions of grades will be Designer: Rob Galt next to useless”. Sub editor: Jill Craven University departments have now been asked for their views on a “main proposal” to Senior reporter: Sophie Scott reintroduce tests from the 2016-17 admissions Senior reporter: Ann McGauran round. When contacted by Schools Week, the Senior reporter: John Dickens university sought to distance itself from any Senior reporter: Freddie Whittaker suggestion these were firm plans. Mike Sewell, director of Reporter: Rebecca Cooney admissions for the Cambridge Reporter: Billy Camden colleges, said in a statement: Photo: Mario Sánchez Prada: http://bit.ly/1J4mYL3 via freeforcommercialuse.org “In the light of the recent Photographer: Ellis O’Brien A-level reforms, the them without an effective “If this is a trend, then we could end up Cartoonist: Stan Dupp university is in the process mechanism for comparing with all types of different exams with different of considering all options applicants. criteria. It starts to undermine A-levels as a Financials: Helen Neilly available so that we may The Labour party has university entrance requirement.” Victoria Boyle continue meeting our goal of pledged to halt the changes and Sarah Elgie, an English teacher at Heathcote admitting the best and brightest retain AS-levels. School, in Chingford, London, who works Sales manager: Hannah Smith students from all backgrounds.” The university refused to respond with more able students added: “I teach a huge Sales administrator: Jasmin Fergus-Aghamiri Other options are believed to include when asked by Schools Week if it would amount of exam prep as it is. When I hear this, increasing its standard offer grades or upping drop the proposals should Labour get into what I hear is a lot more work for me. Administration: Frances Ogefere Dell the significance of interviews. power. “It makes me really frustrated, but I But he added: “We are clear that the best Oxford University already uses subject- understand it and I expect other universities Contributors: Robert Plomin way of achieving this is for the government specific aptitude tests. Most of its admission will have to do this if they don’t have a Deborah Kidd to retain public examinations at the end of tests are organised by the Admissions Testing common marker.” Anthony Grayling year 12.” Service. The proposed test would be free for schools Bruce Liddington Mr Sewell sent a letter to schools and sixth A spokeswoman for the university said it and would be based on the Thinking Skills Emma Hardy forms in November “strongly” urging them has tests for virtually all its subjects so would Assessment (TSA), designed and administered to continue entering students for AS-level not be affected by the A-level reforms by the Admissions Testing Service. Gabriel Heller Sahlgren exams. However documents seen by Schools The disclosure has been met with concern According to its website, it is part of David Lundie Week state that the reformed AS-levels will by school leaders. Cambridge English Language Assessment, a be “of very limited use” under the current Eddie Playfair (pictured), principal of not-for-profit department of the University of Managing director: Shane Mann admissions process. Newham Sixth Form College, London, said Cambridge. And tweet us your thoughts @schoolsweek or At present, the university uses unified mark more entrance tests could give bigger college A paper circulating among university with the hashtag #schoolsweek scheme (UMS) scores calculated from students’ providers, who have more resources, an departments, and seen by Schools Week, performance in their AS-levels to decide which advantage over school sixth forms. reveals trial data suggesting that if TSA had subscribe applicants are invited to interview. “There’s a danger students in smaller sixth been used in the admission rounds for the For an annual subscription to Schools Week for But under coalition reforms planned to forms don’t have the same resources and past two years then 7 per cent of successful just £50 visit www.schoolsweek.co.uk and click “toughen up” the qualifications, AS exams will might lose out. It could be one more barrier in applicants would not have been called for on ‘subscribe’ at the top of the page. be optional for cohorts starting this September the way.” interview. www.schoolsweek.co.uk and scores will no longer contribute to the He also suggested that other universities That equates to about 210 current students, or call 020 8123 4778 to subscribe overall A-level. may face the same problem. “The question the equivalent of an entire year group in a The Cambridge proposals says this leaves now, is who will follow? large state school. ADVERTISE WITH US If you are interested in placing a product or job advert in a future edition please click on Childcare pledge will ‘force providers to close’ the ‘advertise’ link at the top of the page on schoolsweek.co.uk or contact: The Conservative party’s intention to double cost of providing “free” places funded at the been extended by the coalition. E: [email protected] free childcare for three and four-year-olds lower government rate, Ms Crowley says. An evaluation published in January of early T: 020 81234 778 will have a negative impact on the capacity, “This is a problem for settings and staff years’ provision for this age group, carried Disclaimer quality and diversity of early years’ settings, because at the moment if we are going to have out for the Department for Education, found Schools Week is owned and published by Lsect Ltd. The views including those based in schools, says one to offer 30 hours at this [government] funded that of 47 projects, 14 would only become expressed within the publication are those of the authors named, and are not necessarily those of Schools Week, Lsect provider. rate, then it means we will get less money in sustainable after a few years and nine did not Ltd or any of its employees. While we try to ensure that the Sue Cowley, who runs a voluntary pre- from unfunded places, so we can’t top up our expect to become sustainable. information we provide is correct, mistakes do occur and we cannot guarantee the accuracy of our material. school, believes that David Cameron’s pledge income. A spokesperson for the Conservative party The design of the printed newspaper and of the website is copyright of Lsect Ltd and material from the newspaper of £350m this week to extend free childcare to “Businesses are being asked to provide a told Schools Week: “Payments vary between should not be reproduced without prior permission. If you 30 hours a week for working families will push service at less than it will cost. I think what areas and different types of providers. At wish to reproduce an article from either the printed paper or the website, both the article’s author and Schools Week providers’ costs up and force some to close. would happen is that settings like ours will present the average that central government must be referenced (to not do so, would be an infringement on copyright). The amount early years’ providers get in end up closing.” pays to local authorities per hour is £4.50. Lsect Ltd is not responsible for the content of any external funding for free places has not gone up in Large chains of providers with more staff “But we know the amount local authorities internet sites linked to. Please address any complaints to the editor. We are fully seven years, with providers in Ms Cowley’s and capacity “would be the only way to make take from this varies, which is why we now committed to the Press Complaints Commission’s Code of Practice. If you have a complaint which cannot be resolved by area of Somerset getting “roughly £3.50” an this work”, she said, but this would not enable publish an annual benchmarking tool that lists the editor, write to the Press Complaints Commission, Halton hour per child from local authorities. a personalised local service. every council’s funding and how much they House, 22—23 Holborn, London EC1N 2JD “This has just not been thought through,” Last year the government said school-led pass on.