News
Archive for September 2007
Industry News
'State schools' illegal crowded classrooms'
Posted on 28th September 2007State schools are failing thousands of children aged five to seven by teaching them in illegally overcrowded classes, it has been reported... read more.
Rise in failing schools
Posted on 28th September 2007The number of schools deemed to be failing children has risen by 18 per cent, new information published by Ofsted shows... read more.
Independent exams regulator 'inadequate'
Posted on 28th September 2007The Liberal Democrats schools spokesperson David Laws has said Labour's announcement that it will create a new independent body to monitor exam standards is "inadequate"... read more.
New body for school support staff
Posted on 27th September 2007The government has announced the creation of a new body to negotiate pay and conditions for more than 300,000 school support staff in Britain... read more.
Expensive education 'creates debt-happy students'
Posted on 27th September 2007University education is so expensive that for many students, debt has become an "expected way of life", an expert has claimed... read more.
Private schools encourage low-income families
Posted on 27th September 2007A collection of private schools in London have launched an advertising campaign designed to encourage children from low or middle-income families to apply for places... read more.
Further action on early skills
Posted on 26th September 2007Secretary of state for children, schools and families Ed Balls has announced further action to improve early reading, writing and maths skills with a new scheme of "intensive support" labelled Every Child a Writer, Every Child a Reader and Every Child Counts... read more.
Europe debates intelligent design in science lessons
Posted on 26th September 2007The Council of Europe's Parliamentary Assembly is to debate and vote on a resolution opposing teaching the creationist or intelligent design theory in science lessons, it has been reported... read more.
New exams regulator to be created
Posted on 26th September 2007The secretary of state for children, schools and families Ed Balls has announced new legislation will create an independent regulator for exams and qualifications... read more.
PM pledge 'replicates private education'
Posted on 26th September 2007An expert has welcomed Gordon Brown's pledge to provide more personalised learning in state schools, saying it will help pupils experience the advantages received by their privately educated counterparts... read more.
PM promises personal learning
Posted on 25th September 2007Gordon Brown has promised pupils will receive greater amounts of personalised learning and called for an education system which values individuals and their skills... read more.
Schools money 'wrongly spent on consultants'
Posted on 25th September 2007Millions of pounds could be given to Nottingham consultants for advice on building schools in the city, despite a spokesperson for the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) claiming it could be better invested... read more.
State schools 'failing children'
Posted on 25th September 2007The education system is failing children by teaching them to parrot not think and hinders state school pupils from gaining entry to "elite" universities, a commentator has said... read more.
Debate over testing of children
Posted on 24th September 2007Children face excessive testing throughout their school careers, according to nearly all experts who recently presented evidence to the Education and Skills Select Committee... read more.
Independent school shares with academy
Posted on 24th September 2007The prestigious Marlborough College has agreed a partnership with the newly launched Swindon Academy, it has been reported... read more.
Fee-paying schools only for 'super-rich'
Posted on 24th September 2007Private schools may become the preserve of the "super-rich" as the rising price of education is leaving the middle classes unable to afford them for their children, an expert has claimed... read more.
Truancy blamed on 'boring classes'
Posted on 21st September 2007Boring lessons are a major reason children skip classes which causes them to fall behind and dislike school even more, an authority has claimed... read more.
Government cracks down on cyberbullies
Posted on 21st September 2007The government has unveiled a series of new measures designed to ensure children are protected from bullies using the internet to harass them... read more.
Students "prize market" for banks
Posted on 20th September 2007Students are a "prize market" for banks and need greater financial advice, a spokesperson for the National Union of Students has said... read more.
Speaking one language 'not competitive'
Posted on 20th September 2007Schools in Britain are failing to encourage children to study foreign languages, leaving them unequipped to compete in the global job market, a commentator has claimed... read more.
Britain's top schools filling top universities
Posted on 20th September 2007New research has found admissions to Britain's leading universities are dominated by a few, mostly fee-paying, schools... read more.
Shropshire's schools 'need review'
Posted on 19th September 2007Falling student numbers in Shropshire mean there will be nearly 5,500 unused spaces over the next five years, it has been reported... read more.
Children continue to cost as adults
Posted on 19th September 2007Parents are continuing to pay for their children even after they have left education, it has been claimed... read more.
UK primary class sizes 'one of the largest'
Posted on 19th September 2007A newly published report on schools by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development has found that British primary school classes are among the largest in 30 developed nations... read more.
Independent schools 'must cut costs'
Posted on 18th September 2007Independent school fees have now reached the maximum parents can manage and schools must cut costs if they wish to maintain their success, a new report has claimed... read more.
Parents sacrifice pension to cover school costs
Posted on 18th September 2007Nearly a fifth of parents whose children attend private school sacrifice their own or their partner's pension to pay for school fees, it has been claimed... read more.
Children 'should mark each other'
Posted on 17th September 2007Children should make decisions on what their tests should cover and mark each other's work, an expert has said... read more.
Private schools 'should create city academies'
Posted on 17th September 2007Schools minister Lord Adonis is to encourage headteachers of public schools to create and manage state schools in deprived areas, it has been claimed... read more.
Graduates skills 'different not worse'
Posted on 14th September 2007Students are graduating with "different" skills to previous generations, the president of Universities UK has claimed... read more.
Parents' academic 'snobbery'
Posted on 14th September 2007Parents have been accused of educational "snobbery" following a survey on attitudes to vocational education... read more.
£40 a month for "positive activities"
Posted on 13th September 2007Pilot projects are to be run which give disadvantaged youths money to pay for "positive activities", it was announced today... read more.
Schools 'failing to teach basic skills'
Posted on 13th September 2007The economy is weakened by a lack of skills in school leavers, it has been claimed... read more.
Seal plans "flawed"
Posted on 12th September 2007Plans to teach "emotional intelligence" in state schools are flawed and are being bolted on to an "already unwieldy curriculum", a commentator has said... read more.
More funding needed to close state/private gap
Posted on 12th September 2007Increased funding is necessary to allow state schools to close the gap between their performance and that of private schools, the government has been told... read more.
Faith schools risk 'failing to promote understanding'
Posted on 11th September 2007Increasing the number of faith schools runs the risk of failing to promote "inter-cultural understanding", the Association of Schools and College Leaders (ASCL) has said... read more.
Private school 'can cost £20,000'
Posted on 11th September 2007Despite the average annual cost of private education being £6,655, sending children to a private day school can cost parents as much as £20,000, it has been reported... read more.
'Many parents' fail to insure students' gadgets
Posted on 10th September 2007University is such an expensive time for parents and students that many overlook the importance of insuring their children 's possessions, an expert has said... read more.
CTF to illustrate personal finance
Posted on 10th September 2007Children are to be taught about finances using their Child Trust Funds (CTF) to illustrate lessons as a way of encouraging interest, the government has said... read more.
Youngest children need best teachers
Posted on 10th September 2007The best teachers available should be given to the youngest pupils to provide a long-lasting difference to primary school children, a report has claimed... read more.
Specialist schools 'no better' than comprehensives
Posted on 7th September 2007The government's specialist schools are performing no better than other state comprehensives, a new report has claimed... read more.
"Oversupply" of graduates could devalue degrees
Posted on 7th September 2007There is a danger an "oversupply" of graduates could devalue degrees, according to the Institute of Education... read more.
Education system 'needs widespread improvement'
Posted on 6th September 2007The Conservative Party's recent proposals for schools would make only a "tiny difference" a think tank has claimed... read more.
60% theft against children 'happens at school'
Posted on 6th September 2007Statistics have revealed 60 per cent of theft committed against children aged between ten and 15 happens at school... read more.
NUS "absolutely against" commercial student loans
Posted on 5th September 2007The National Union of Students (NUS) has expressed concern over calls for student loans to be charged at commercial rates of interest, saying that "vulnerable" graduates would find them hard to repay... read more.
Tories plan to "eradicate" education inequalities
Posted on 5th September 2007The Conservatives have published a number of proposals they say would "eradicate inequalities" in schooling, including the abolition of A/S levels... read more.
Extra cost for extra curricular
Posted on 4th September 2007Activities for school children can add over £3 billion each year to school expenses, research has found... read more.
"Sense of belonging" improves discipline
Posted on 4th September 2007Smaller schools create a sense of belonging and lead to improved discipline, a former chief inspector of schools has said... read more.
Children 'a common reason for debt'
Posted on 4th September 2007People often find themselves in debt as a result of having children, an expert has claimed, particularly if they have no clear idea of what money is coming in and out... read more.
'Educational failure causes broken society'
Posted on 3rd September 2007David Cameron has claimed a poorly performing school system is responsible for Britain's "broken society"... read more.
Academic challenges prevent antisocial children
Posted on 3rd September 2007Children who face academically challenging schooling have lower levels of antisocial behaviour, a study has claimed... read more.
© Adfero Ltd 2007.SFS News
Customer Satisfaction Surveys
Posted on 25th September 2007Help us to better understand the needs of our customers... read more
Smith Island Schools Competition
Posted on 19th September 2007Enter your school for The Smith Island Competition for a chance to win prizes ranging from £20 to £250... read more
SFS Group Ltd helps raise over £2,000 for NSPCC.
Posted on 19th September 2007Tuesday 18th September, SFS Group took part in a go-karting evening hosted by Pure-Tech IT Providers and helped to raise over £2,000 for charity... read more
What to look for in a private school
Posted on 17th September 2007Some alternative questions to ask the Head when choosing an independent school... read more
Latest Pupil Technology
Posted on 17th September 2007Stay ahead of the game and see what is new in classroom technology. By definition, technology is always evolving faster than any expert can keep up with it, no matter how much of a techie they are. But right now, in 2007, the pace of change feels more rapid than ever. .. read more
One small step for Man ...One giant leap for Parents
Posted on 10th September 2007£1,000,000 of invested capital earns about £56,000 before tax. Hands up all those with £1 million pounds of life insurance! No one. Why not?.. read more
Smith Island sponsorship
Posted on 10th September 2007On the 9th September 2007 Angus Cater set sail is his 45 ft yact Harrac to Smith Island in the South Shetlands and to climb Mount Foster in memory of Bill Tillman and Simon Richarson who attempted the same feat in 1977. Simon Richardson was Angus' friend... read more
Everything including the Kitchen Sink
Posted on 10th September 2007Personal Possessions Insurance. From £16.50 per term for pupils and £11 per term for university students.. read more
Be prepared for the sneezles and wheezles…
Posted on 10th September 2007Educating a child at an independent school is an expensive business. Senior boarding fees currently cost up to £8,000 a term before extras and senior day £5,000+. This is per child. So what happens when your child is sick or injured and off lessons for several days or even weeks? Do you get a refund? The School Bursar is unlikely to respond in the positive... read more
Life insurance for the armed forces
Posted on 5th September 2007SFS Group Ltd has been providing life and critical illness insurance for Armed Forces' parents whose children are at independent school since 1990 without any hassle and without any discrimination in treating them differently to civilians... read more
Who will look after my children?
Posted on 3rd September 2007SFS Group examines changing attitudes in guardianship... read more
Something to fall back on.
Posted on 1st September 2007Elizabeth Colman, of The Times, examines the worth of the new ‘playground' insurance policies... read more