Lexington Communications’ Education & Skills Practice is led by Chris Cuddihy. Contact us on education@lexcomm.co.uk and follow us on Twitter on @Lex_EduSkills

1. Students received their GCSE results, with the proportion of
pupils gaining a grade C or above dropping by 2.1 per cent, the
largest decline since GCSEs replaced O-levels. School
Standards Minister Nick Gibb noted the a 3.4 per cent increase in
the overall entries to EBacc subjects and highlighted 4,000 more
successful retakes amongst 17-year-olds ‘who have struggled to
achieve good grades in maths’.
The Local Government Association called on the Government to
restore local oversight of all school finances, including academies
and free schools.
The Welsh Government published national reading and
numeracy test results for 2016. The results compare performance
across local authorities.
City & Guilds published research revealing that teenagers across
the UK were aware of just a fifth of all jobs, highlighting the need
for better careers advice across the UK.
The Department for Education released statistics for young
people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET).
The 16-18 NEET rate was eight per cent in April to June 2016, up
0.5 per cent on the comparable quarter in 2015. However, the
NEET rate fell for 19-24 year-olds and for young people overall.
Former Higher Education Minister David Lammy MP criticised
Prime Minister Theresa May for ‘shafting’ the future of working
class children in his constituency with the impact of funding cuts
for 16-18 year old apprentices.
Audit Scotland published a study showing a 48 per cent fall in the
number of part-time students, following the mergers and funding
changes faced by colleges. The report also found that there has
been a fall in overall student numbers, most prominently among
women and those over 25.
A study by the Higher Education Funding Council England
(HEFCE) found that professional employment rates of students
graduating in 2011 were up to nine per cent lower for black,
Bangladeshi and Pakistani graduates.
The Department for Education published an updated single
departmental plan: 2015 – 2020, to reflect the recent changes in
Government. The plan noted the £58.2bn total departmental
expenditure limit for the 2015-16 financial year.
Which? University released research revealing that 18 per cent of
university applicants said that different A-level subjects might
have been better suited to the degree course they applied for.
31st
August 2016