A list of courses in Ulster accredited by CILIP.
Library & Information Management, School of Education, University of Ulster, Cromore Road, Coleraine BT52 1SA, Northern Ireland
Contact: Dr Jessica Bates, Course Director
Tel: +44 (0) 28 70324719 Fax: +44 (0) 28 70324918
Email: j.bates@ulster.ac.uk
Web: http://www.socsci.ulster.ac.uk/education/library.html
MSc/PG Dip Library and Information Management.
Blended learning - Next accreditation December 2012
via RSS Feed
The following organisations have been awarded the CILIP Seal of Recognition for their Continuing Professional Development (CPD) activities for the library and information sector:
Elizabeth Oxborrow-Cowan Associates Ltd
University of Liverpool (Liverpool University Centre for Archive Studies)
CILIP Library and Information Research Group (LIRG)
Avon University Libraries in Co-operation (AULIC)
Cataloguing and Indexing Group
Aerospace and Defence Librarians Group
Bodleian Libraries
Birmingham Women's NHS Foundation Trustvia RSS Feed
A list of courses in Bristol accredited by CILIP.
Please note that from September 2005 teaching of this course is at the
University of the West of England.
University of the West of England, Coldharbour Lane, Bristol, UK BS16 1QY
Admissions and International Recruitment, telephone +44 (0)117 32 83333, e-mail Admissions@uwe.ac.uk
Postgraduate Diploma/MSc Information & Library Management.
Full-time and Part time - Next accreditation June 2014. http://courses.uwe.ac.uk/gp5112/
via RSS Feed
As job cuts loom, academics are worried – but there is life after redundancy, as one lecturer explains
"It felt like facing a firing squad at two in the afternoon. It was like someone had shot me. There were people crying, it was very upsetting." If fear over jobs or redundancies is stalking the corridors of your department or faculty, these words from former Cardiff University lecturer Liz Mayor will probably be the last thing you want to read.
But Mayor, 54, is also living proof that, for academics worrying about what the government's 6% teaching budget cuts from April will mean for them (not to mention the uncertainty about what will happen after the start of the new fees regime), there can be life after redundancy.
After 16 years as a part-time lecturer at Cardiff's Centre for Lifelong Learning, Mayor was one of around 100 people made redundant in the summer of 2009.
"It was completely unexpected. I had been on the committee trying to sort out a settlement, which ... we had expected to be accepted. Instead, everyone was called to a meeting with the dean of the faculty and told they were going to be made redundant," she says.
"The fact that I did not have a full-time contract meant all I got was my back pay and the minimum redundancy payout. I was just coming up to my 53rd birthday and my subject area is ancient history and Latin, so I realised that getting another job in academia was going to be very difficult. But in a way I was lucky. Because I was part time, I was already doing some other bits and pieces, and so I sat down and had a good think about where to go," she says.
Her answer was to set up a company called the Classical Education Forum, which offers community-based higher education courses in areas as diverse as Egyptology, journalism and ancient history, among others. "I got some ex-colleagues from the university to lecture for me. By the September, we had put a programme together, and we're still going. I also got help from the Welsh Assembly's business advisory service.
She combines this with tutoring. "Although the security of being in a university setting has gone, I now feel in charge of my own destiny. I had trusted the university to look after me until I retired at 60 or 62, but this feels new and exciting," says Mayor.
The twin pressures of steep cuts this year and uncharted territory next are combining to create a hugely uncertain climate on many campuses, agrees Mark Taylor-Batty, theatre studies senior lecturer at Leeds University and a representative of the University and College Union.
"We have no figures with which to cut our cloth beyond 2012 and do not know if we are going to have to cut more staff or, in fact, employ people," he says. "But I think we will see a continuing contraction, with some departments closing around the country and even some institutions closing, too," he says.
Taylor-Batty was among those at the forefront of protests when job losses were announced by the university in 2009, with lecturers publicly burning "Section 188" notices of redundancy. The university reviewed many cuts, but around 650 jobs have been lost over the last year, he says.
Similar rearguard actions have been fought over the last 18 months by the UCU at Wolverhampton, Sussex, Glasgow, Plymouth and Cardiff universities, among others. And union ballot papers are going out this week nationally over job security, pensions and pay.
Even where compulsory redundancies have been avoided, arm-twisting leading to enforced "voluntary" redundancy or retirement is becoming an increasingly worrying issue, argues Dr Jim Wolfreys, UCU representative at King's College London and a lecturer in French history. "We're also getting a situation where universities are starting to cut voluntary redundancy payments, so they will not be as generous," he says.
The university hit the headlines last year when it emerged it was scrapping the UK's only chair of palaeography – the study of ancient writings – which had been held by Professor David Ganz, a world authority. The decision led to protests and petitions on both sides of the Atlantic, and the university announced it would be appointing Ganz professor emeritus of palaeography, to ensure that "King's will be able to carry forward studies in the discipline".
Ganz, though now limited under the terms of his agreement with King's as to what he can say publicly, admits he is still, in effect, out of a job and that "because it was the only established chair of palaeography in the UK, my chances of getting any post in this country are minimal".
Regrouping or recovering after redundancy is never easy, and some will find it harder than others. But Mayor, for one, believes that most of us somehow find the resources within us to come back fighting. "The main thing I've learned is that it is not the end of the world, though it might feel like that at the time. There are opportunities if you have the courage and the drive to take them. You just have to dig deep and not be afraid," she says.
Learn to negotiate
"A lot of the academic world these days is structured around short-term contracts, which may help people to deal with things better," says Professor John Arnold, occupational psychologist at Loughborough University Business School. "Moreover, academics on full-time contracts who find themselves made redundant should speak to part-time colleagues to learn how to handle insecurity or negotiate contracts. It is also worth recognising that the university careers services is not just for students, so go and speak to them," he adds.
Apply lateral thinking
"Psychologically, most people do come out of it and turn things around, and often in ways that are hard to predict," says Arnold. "Even just a little lateral thinking can result in a jump to something that looks completely different but may actually use many of the same core skills.
"But you do need to expect there will be pain, that you will feel some sort of trauma, often especially a numbness at the beginning followed by feelings of anger. Then there will be bumps along the way before you start to find yourself thinking in new ways and defining yourself in new ways."
Adopt the graduate mindset
When it comes to applying for jobs, just because you've held down senior academic roles doesn't mean you can overlook the same sensible, basic advice a job-hunting graduate might be given, stresses Neil Harris, a former director of the careers service at UCL who now runs a careers and training consultancy called Lifelines Personal Development. "It's a common problem we come across that people see a job, decide they want to apply for it, yet don't take enough notice of whether they meet the criteria. So you do need to do your research thoroughly beforehand."
Highlight other skills
"Academic roles are about not just teaching and research, but an ability to be a good administrator," says Harris. "Often, academics will neglect the administrative skills they have built up, whereas they can be popular with employers of all sorts.
"It is also important to be flexible in your approach and outlook. So don't discount teaching as an option if that's what is available or consider looking at another, complementary subject area where there might be more jobs. And you need to be getting out there, making contacts, seeking out vacancies, even ones that have not been formally advertised," he adds.
We asked universities for information about their 'preferred' and 'non-preferred' A-level subjects for applicants. Their replies should be useful to pupils trying to decide what to study next
Here are the universities that responded – and their replies.
University of Bedfordshire
Birkbeck College
University of Bolton
University of Cambridge
Canterbury Christ Church University
Cardiff University
City University London
University of Cumbria
University of Exeter
Goldsmiths College London
Keele University
Kingston University
University of Lincoln
University of Liverpool
Liverpool John Moores University
University of Sheffield
Sheffield Hallam University
Staffordshire University
University College London
University of Sussex
University of Warwick
University of Westminster
University of West England
University of Wolverhampton
What A-level subjects are looked upon less favourably, eg would taking general studies and/or other particular subjects damage a student's opportunity of winning a place?
All A-level subjects are of value, but for some courses specific subjects are preferred or required (because they are relevant to the subject of the degree applied for).
Are any subjects totally disregarded on any or all courses?
General studies is not accepted for optometry or BSc midwifery.
Which degree courses do face A-level restrictions, and which don't?
As above; the others don't exclude subjects, although they may have preferred or required subjects.
Where is this information available on your website?
Under the entry requirements tab on each of the course information pages, eg www.anglia.ac.uk/ruskin/en/home/prospectus/ugft/k100.html
Are particular qualifications less highly regarded than others, eg A-level, BTec, etc?
We accept a wide range of qualifications including A-level, BTec, Access to HE Diploma, International Baccalaureate.
Lee Hennessy, deputy head of recruitment and admissions at the University of Bath, says: "Our undergraduate prospectus and website give applicants very clear and transparent information about essential and preferred A-level subjects, to help them in the application process."
Examples of this are:
Economics: www.bath.ac.uk/study/ug/courses/HUG-D1/
Business administration: www.bath.ac.uk/study/ug/courses/MUG-C1/
What A-level subjects are looked upon less favourably – eg would taking general studies and/or other particular subjects damage a student's opportunity of winning a place?
We welcome and recognise the commitment and achievement applicants show through A-levels and accept all A-level subjects as well as a wide variety of qualifications.
Are any totally disregarded on any or all courses?
No
Which degree courses do face A-level restrictions, and which don't?
There are some courses that ask for one A-level in a specific subject, normally based on a professional or regulatory body requirement, such as BSc biomedical science, where we ask for one A-level to be in a science subject. Some of our courses, mainly those leading to a qualification in nursing, teaching or social work ask for specific GCSE grades in English and maths.
Where is this information available on your website?
All our courses have a profile on our website and the information is available there or via our entry requirements page.
Are particular qualifications less highly regarded than others, eg A-level, BTec, etc?
We consider a wide variety of qualifications and consider them on an individual basis. Access is at the heart of our university ethos and we value the diversity that a range of qualifications brings.
Part-time study
The college teaches mainly non-traditional students part-time in the evening, so most students are either in work, seeking work or have family commitments, which means that studying part-time is the perfect option for them. The average age of Birkbeck's students is 36, but the age range is 18-90. All of Birkbeck's part-time students apply direct to the college and not through Ucas.
Birkbeck is an open-access university and has a flexible entry policy for students entering part-time, undergraduate-level degree studies. If students are over 21, the college doesn't ask for any formal qualifications, but will make its own assessment of prospective students' skills and knowledge, on the basis of short tests and possibly an interview. For those under 21, students need two subjects at A-level or one subject at A-level plus AS-levels; or a BTec higher award or equivalent.
Full-time study
For the first time in 2010-11, Birkbeck offered psychology, philosophy and law full-time through Ucas, and for 2011-12 we will add geology and history to this list. For this group of full-time students there are some specific requirements, such as A-level history to study history, a science A-level to study psychology and general studies is not accepted as one of the three A-levels required to study psychology. (Geology and psychology both require GCSE maths grade C). We do acknowledge and recognise relevant non-A-level qualifications as well.
All the entry requirements are shown beside the course content information on our website, www.bbk.ac.uk, and also on our Ucas profiles.
We look at academic subjects first, but we do consider general studies in that context.
We also look at GCSEs – maths and English are imperatives for all courses.
A number of courses ask for specific A-levels at A2 (ie the complete A-level or equivalent, not AS) but no A-level subject would be totally disregarded.
Which degree courses do face A-level restrictions, and which don't?
Accountancy: any subjects
Animation & illustration: any subjects + interview/portfolio
Architectural technology: any subjects
Art and design: any subjects + interview/portfolio
Automobile engineering: mathematics + one other technology, engineering or science subject
Biology: biology or a related subject
Building surveying and property management: any subjects
Business management: any subjects
Business software development: any subjects
Business, music & creative industries: any subjects
Civil engineering: mathematics
Community studies: any subjects + interview
Computer games software development: any subjects
Computing: any subjects
Computing technology: any subjects
Construction: any subjects
Construction management: any subjects
Counselling and psychology: any subjects
Creative writing: any subjects
Criminological and forensic psychology: any subjects
Education studies: any subjects
Electronic & computer engineering: mathematics + one other technology, engineering or science subject
English: any subjects
Fashion product design: any subjects
Film and media studies: any subjects
Film production for the advertising and music industries: one science or technology-based subject + one music or design-related subject
Fine arts: any subjects + interview/portfolio
Games art: a creative subject that includes some art and design
Games design: any subjects
Graphic design: any subjects + interview/portfolio
Human sciences: a science or a related subject
Interior design: any subjects + interview/portfolio
International hospitality management: any subjects
International tourism management: any subjects
Internet communications and networks: any subjects
Law LLB: any subjects
Mathematics: mathematics
Mechanical engineering: mathematics + one other technology, engineering or science subject
Media, writing and production: any subjects + interview/portfolio
Modern and contemporary history: any subjects
Multimedia and website development: any subjects
Music and creative industries business: any subjects
Photography: any subjects + interview/portfolio
Product design: any subjects
Property development and design for interiors: any subjects
Psychology: any subjects
Quantity surveying and commercial management: any subjects
Sound engineering and design: two from a mathematical subject, a physical science subject, a technology-based subject or music
Special effects development: any subjects + interview/portfolio
Sport and exercise science: a science or physical education
Sport and leisure management: any subjects
Sport development: any subjects
Sports rehabilitation: a science or physical education + interview
Sports science and coaching: a science or physical education
Textile/surface design: any subjects + interview/portfolio
Youth and community work: any subjects + interview
Where is this information available on your website?
On the course search.
Are particular qualifications less highly regarded than others, eg A-level, BTec, etc?
No, we will consider all qualifications, but where courses ask for specific A-levels or subject-relevant A-levels then those qualifications must be achieved.
The University of Cambridge recognises the importance of choosing the right A-levels and offers a range of support to students making these decisions.
Information about A-level choices is available on our website and in our undergraduate prospectus.
Details of the subjects that are required or recommended for specific courses are provided in our prospectus and on our website www.cam.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/apply/requirements.html
We have also produced a Subject Matters leaflet, available online, which provides advice to school students and their parents/carers on choosing A-levels or equivalents: www.cam.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/apply/docs/subjectmatters.pdf
This gives advice about what to choose to keep your options open or which subjects naturally combine well together. There is also advice on subjects that provide useful preparation for some of our courses. Several of these subjects may come as a surprise, as citizenship, design and technology and sociology are hardly "traditional" A-level subjects!
The university also organises a series of Subject Matters events, with information on the most recent event available here: www.admin.cam.ac.uk/news/dp/2011010604
The university says: "The University of Cambridge wants to attract and admit the best and brightest students regardless of their background. The Subject Matters events help school students to make the best choices for their future success, whether at this university or elsewhere."
University of Cambridge students need the academic ability, motivation and the requisite technical skills and knowledge to cope with the demands of their courses.
To a great extent, their academic ability and motivation come from within. Their technical skills and knowledge come from the subjects they study at school/college.
The study of each A-level imparts specific subject knowledge and develops certain skills.
Certain A-levels will be essential preparation for some degree courses as they provide the specific knowledge and skills needed for undergraduate study.
If an A-level subject neither imparts relevant subject knowledge nor develops useful skills for a particular degree, it is not going to be helpful in preparing the student for the demands of that course.
However, this does not mean that some A-level subjects are not worth studying in their own right.
When considering applicants, we want to ensure that their combination of A-level (or equivalent) subjects provide the skills and knowledge needed to hit the ground running if they become Cambridge undergraduates.
Realistically, for our broad-based science courses this generally means that students need to be taking three relevant subjects. For our arts and social sciences courses there is often more flexibility in requirements.
Does Cambridge reject applicants for studying certain A-levels?
Absolutely not. No applicant would be rejected because they were taking one particular A-level; however, their A-level combination might rule them out for some, or even all, of our courses.
There are many A-level subjects that are not mentioned in our undergraduate prospectus or Subject Matters leaflet. This does not mean that they are not individually worth taking. However, they may be specialised in focus and not a good choice for students looking to keep their options open, or their teaching and assessment methods may not provide a good preparation for University of Cambridge degrees.
Our advice to students thinking of applying to Cambridge is to ensure that they are doing no more than one of these other subjects among their three or four A-levels.
Any student who has the ability should consider making Cambridge one of their five applications, if we offer a course that attracts them.
We do not differentiate between A-level subjectsm and accept general studies. However, for some programmes a specific A-level or equivalent is required, eg a music A-level for the music degree, art for our fine art degree programme and most of our science programmes require at least one science A-level.
We do have some specific entry requirements for programmes, but we don't have restrictions. An application for some of our science-based degrees, or for example music, art, forensics, English, will require the applicant to either have already gained, or be working towards, an A-level (or equivalent) in a science, music, English etc.
Information for application requirements is available on the specific pages related to the course. There is also general information and contact details for our student recruitment team on our Study Here/Entry Requirements pages.
"It is important that students making their subject choices at both GCSE and A-level have access to high-quality information, advice and guidance to ensure that they make subject choices that give them the best possible chance of getting into university to study their preferred subject.
"Cardiff University is committed to transparency in its admissions so that students are able to make informed decisions. Any required subjects, or combinations of subjects, are listed in the entry requirements incorporated into the prospectus and online course material. In addition, each academic school publishes detailed admissions and selection criteria in order to provide potential applicants with further detailed information, which ensures that they can make informed decisions.
"These criteria are accessible to students from each online undergraduate course profile.
"The University also has a long and well established Schools liaison programme. Schools liaison officers visit schools and colleges in the university's key catchment areas to offer expert advice to prospective students (and their advisers) to ensure they have the right information they need to make informed decisions about, for instance, which subjects are needed should they wish to study at Cardiff University. We also organise open days, which allow students to discuss issues about subjects and admission policies for individual subjects.
"With the exception of a small number of programmes, Cardiff University does not require students to study more than three A-level subjects. In general, most universities will require three good A-level grades for admission, and breadth can be demonstrated through additional subjects at AS-level."
What A-level subjects are looked upon less favourably – eg would taking general studies and/or other particular subjects damage a student's opportunity of winning a place?
General studies and critical thinking are generally not accepted in terms of satisfying the university's offers, though they are recognised as valid qualifications in their own right.
Which degree courses do face A-level restrictions, and which don't?
Some degree programmes require specific subjects. If they do, these are clearly stated in the entry requirements.
Where is this information available on your website?
http://coursefinder.cardiff.ac.uk/undergraduate/index.html
http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/for/prospective/ug/applyingtocardiff/admissionscriteria/index.html
Are particular qualifications less highly regarded than others, eg A-level, BTec, etc?
See admissions criteria.
What A-level subjects are looked upon less favourably – eg would taking general studies and/or other particular subjects damage a student's opportunity of winning a place?
Our primary considerations when making selection are "does the applicant have the preparation and/or potential to succeed on their chosen course" and "would it be appropriate, given the competition, to make an offer based on the applicant profile" (ie "are we selecting the best candidates?"). The university will receive applications from and give due consideration to an extremely wide variety of qualifications from all over the world.
General studies is the only A-level generally excluded. Having it would not damage their chances of winning a place, as long as there was sufficient preparation elsewhere on the form. General studies is normally a fourth A-level.
Admissions tutors will have a tendency to prioritise those that are directly relevant to the chosen subject, but not automatically to the exclusion of others. With a limited number of places one simply wants to choose the strongest applicants.
Are any totally disregarded on any or all courses?
General studies and critical thinking, if they are one of three A-levels, rather than a fourth, additional A-level.
Which degree courses do face A-level restrictions, and which don't?
There are some degrees that will require mathematics or the science subjects. Actuarial science and mathematics will require A-level maths. Most of our engineering courses will require maths and have physics as a preferred subject. Optometry will require at least two of maths, physics, chemistry or biology. Music will require music but also ABRSM or equivalent.
Subjects such as psychology, law and business studies will take applicants with a combination of numeracy and literacy from a very wide variety of A-levels and/or other backgrounds.
Having said this, when the results are published, other criteria may be invoked if an applicant has marginally failed to meet the conditions of the offer, and that may include a qualification that did not form part of the original offer.
Where is this information available on your website?
On the course information pages and within the online prospectus.
Are particular qualifications less highly regarded than others, eg A-level, BTec, etc?
When considering "preparation", there will be subjects that are handled in more depth at A-level than in other qualifications. Conversely, BTecs are generally more vocational and in specific subjects, so may be equally good preparation for professional courses, though not so for purer academic ones. For example, there is not usually sufficient maths in any of the BTecs for one to gain sufficient preparation for a maths degree, but most of the BTec IT courses would be fine for a computing course. Opportunities for progression are more to do with the options provided by the qualification.
What A-level subjects are looked upon less favourably – eg would taking general studies and/or other particular subjects damage a student's opportunity of winning a place?
Admissions to the University of Cumbria are made using the Ucas tariff table. This means that all A-level subjects are allocated points.
Some courses ask for a specific qualification. For example, to be accepted onto the midwifery course, students must have 300 Ucas points, including a minimum B in biology or human biology.
Are any totally disregarded on any or all courses?
As above, we use the Ucas tariff table; therefore, no subject is disregarded.
Which degree courses do face A-level restrictions, and which don't?
A number of our courses ask for a specific A-level or a related subject to be counted in the Ucas points, eg midwifery asks for a minimum B in biology or human biology.
Where is this information available on your website?
The information is available on the undergraduate pages of our website: www.cumbria.ac.uk
Are particular qualifications less highly regarded than others, eg A-level, BTec, etc?
Each of the qualifications is assigned a specific points value in the Ucas tariff table, therefore, the value of each varies, dependant on the grade achieved.
The University of Exeter is explicit in its published entry requirements with regard to any particular subjects that are required to study one of our undergraduate degree programmes. This information is available to students in a number of formats including the university's printed prospectus, the online prospectus at www.exeter.ac.uk and the Ucas Entry Profiles website. The university (like many others) does not accept A-level general studies for any of its undergraduate courses, but aside from subjects that are specifically required for certain programmes, the university does not discriminate according to the subjects presented by a candidate at A-level. The university has a published policy on qualification equivalences and does not treat any level 3 (A-level or equivalent) qualification more or less favourably. The university's admission policy can be found at www.exeter.ac.uk/undergraduate/applications/policy/
Here is an example of how our entry requirements are displayed on the website:
www.exeter.ac.uk/undergraduate/degrees/english/baenglish/entryrequirements
A spokesperson for Goldsmiths, University of London, says: "We have general entrance requirements and certain programmes require specific qualifications. Students can find out the information they need on each programme's requirements at the course programme pages on our website. For general entrance requirements visit: www.gold.ac.uk/ug/apply/entrance-requirements/
Accepts all A-levels for entry to Keele with the following exceptions:
• Pharmacy: does not accept general studies. Media studies is only accepted in combination with both chemistry and biology (standard requirements for pharmacy are either chemistry or biology).
• Medicine: does not accept any applied subjects; art and design (any endorsement) – including photography, design and technology (any endorsement); critical thinking and general studies.
• Nursing/midwifery: do not accept general studies.
Some courses (ie sciences, health-related, English, music) have specific entry requirements and applicants must ensure that they are taking the correct subjects in order to meet these.
"Entry requirements for all courses at Kingston are on our website, on the individual course pages. As we run hundreds of courses and course combinations, which all have different entry requirements, it would take a very long time to pull together the information you're looking for."
The requirements for admission to each University of Lincoln degree programme are clearly set out on the university's website and on the Ucas website. Where a specific A-level subject achievement is required as a pre-requisite for admission, this is clearly indicated. Similarly, where particular A-level subjects are deemed inappropriate for a specific programme, this is clearly stated. Additional requirements, such as GCSE performance, are also clearly stated. A good example is BSc psychology, for which the specified requirements are:
• 300 tariff points from a minimum of three A-levels, to include a science subject (psychology, biology, chemistry, physics, maths, geography or economics acceptable), or the equivalent. Excludes general studies.
• A minimum of five GCSEs at grade C or above, to include English language and maths/statistics at grade B, or the equivalent.
Online this information can be found at: www.lincoln.ac.uk/psychology/_courses/undergraduate/psychology/full_details.asp
The University of Liverpool is committed to ensuring that applicants are treated wholly on the basis of their achievements and potential to complete successfully their chosen programme of study. We strive to maintain an element of flexibility in the A-level combinations we accept, and we do not have a list of subjects that we consider less ideal than others. Where there are particular subject requirements or exclusions, we ensure that these are detailed in our prospectus, in the departmental admissions policies on our website and in the Entry Profiles on the Ucas website, so that applicants and their advisers may make an informed choice about their A-level subject combination.
Our requirements for each course can be found at: www.liv.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/courses/
Some courses do not accept general studies, some accept them as 50% of their Ucas tariff points, eg an A is worth 120 points, but they will only take 60 points towards the entry requirements and others are happy to accept them. Some courses insist on subject-specific A-levels, so students could get a range of qualifications but they still will need to get 200 points from science subjects, for example.
As an institution, we have no rules on what A-levels we will or will not accept, this is made at a course level. All subject requirements can be found on our course factfiles. We use the Ucas tariff to ensure all qualifications are looked at equally, if a course is on the Ucas tariff we will ensure students meet the required points rather than looking at what qualification they are studying. These requirements do not change in the Ucas cycle, so applicants should know when applying what A-levels will be accepted or not.
We have a university-wide admissions policy that supports all the above.
The only A-level Oxford does not consider in students' applications is the general studies A-level (Oxford asks students for AAA at A-level, excluding general studies). All departments issue guidelines on which A-levels they will expect students to have taken (where appropriate); this will be in the "entry requirements" section of the prospectus and online at: www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate_courses/courses/
There is no unofficial blacklist of subjects at Oxford, nor would anyone in the admissions office say that we place restrictions or unfavourable weight on certain A-levels – provided students meet the A-level requirements as outlined in the guidelines for the individual course to which they are applying.
It is also worth noting that around 30% of applicants to Oxford apply with qualifications other than A-levels, and Oxford welcomes applicants taking other qualifications – guidelines on other qualifications are also in the "entry requirements" section of the prospectus, and further information can be found at: www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate_courses/courses/courses_and_entrance_requirements/index.html
A number of courses primarily in science and maths subjects at Oxford will start making A* grades at A-level part of the conditional offer for candidates applying for entry in 2012 (see list below).
Oxford's policy on the A* grade was to wait two years as teachers indicated that they were uncertain about predicting who would get the new grade.
It is now clear that many students in the sciences who take A-levels get the A* grade, and that it would be reasonable to ask for an A* in many science and maths courses. In addition, by 2012 Oxford believes teachers will have two years of running the syllabus and will be familiar with content and student performance, and therefore be able to predict those getting the A* with more confidence.
Full list of courses asking for at least one A*:
Biological sciences (A*AA, with A* in a science or maths)
Chemistry (A*AA, with A* in a science or maths)
Computer science (A*AA, with A* in mathematics, further mathematics, physics or computing)
Computer science and philosophy (A*AA, with A* in mathematics, further mathematics, physics or computing)
Earth sciences (A*AA)
Engineering science (A*AA, with A* in mathematics, physics or further mathematics)
Engineering, economics and management (A*AA, with A* in mathematics, physics or further mathematics)
Materials science (A*AA)
Materials, economics and management (A*AA)
Mathematics (A*A*A, with the A*s in mathematics and further mathematics if taken)
Mathematics and computer science (A*AA, with the A* in mathematics)
Mathematics and philosophy (A*A*A, with the A*s in mathematics and further mathematics if taken)
Mathematics and statistics (A*A*A, with the A*s in mathematics and further mathematics if taken)
Physics (A*AA, with A* in either physics or mathematics)
Physics and philosophy (A*AA, with A* in either physics or mathematics)
What A-level subjects are looked upon less favourably – eg would taking general studies and/or other particular subjects damage a student's opportunity of winning a place?
The University of Reading will accept A-levels in all subjects except general studies. Applicants may be expected to have studied one or two A-levels in specific subjects or subject areas for some courses, and some programmes may look more favourably upon applicants who are taking a larger proportion of academic than practical subjects. However, for the majority of programmes we are happy to consider applicants with good predicted grades from A-levels in any subjects plus a strong personal statement and supporting reference.
Are any totally disregarded on any or all courses?
The only A-level subject that is not acceptable for any of our undergraduate programmes is general studies.
Which degree courses do face A-level restrictions, and which don't?
Good applicants who are taking the required number of A-levels will not be restricted from entry to any of our programmes purely owing to the fact that they are taking a particular A-level subject. However, a number of programmes do require a specific subject or subjects to have been studied to A-level or equivalent standard. This is because a certain amount of pre-requisite knowledge is required in order to continue study at undergraduate level. For example, some of the science programmes require applicants to have studied one or two science subjects or mathematics at A-level; the history and English courses also require applicants to have studied the relevant subject at A-level.
Where is this information available on your website?
Each course has a page on our website that gives a brief outline of the programme and provides applicants with guidance on the minimum grades required for entry to the programme including information on specific subject requirements: www.reading.ac.uk/Study/ug-courseatoz.aspx
Are particular qualifications less highly regarded than others, eg A-level, BTec, etc?
No – the University of Reading will consider all applicants who are taking A-levels or suitable equivalent qualifications on an equal basis.
Our published guidance on A-level subject choices indicates the combinations of subjects that offer the best academic preparation for study at the University of Sheffield. This can be found at: www.sheffield.ac.uk/undergraduate/policies/alevel.html
Are any subjects totally disregarded on any or all courses?
General studies is the only subject that is not accepted for some courses. This is noted in our published entry requirements, where appropriate.
Which degree courses do face A-level restrictions, and which don't?
The above guidance applies to all of our undergraduate courses. It is also worth noting that a large number of our courses have subject requirements that are in place to ensure that students gain the required preparation for their chosen course. These are specified in our published entry requirements.
See also: www.sheffield.ac.uk/undergraduate/apply/requirements.html, www.sheffield.ac.uk/ukquals
Are particular qualifications less highly regarded than others eg A-level, BTec etc?
At Sheffield, we recognise that a variety of different qualifications can provide effective academic preparation for higher education. This is reflected in the wide range of acceptable qualifications outlined in the entry requirements published on our website, in our prospectus and via Ucas.
However, we also recognise that different qualifications offer different types of preparation for undergraduate study, and we carefully take this into account when we set our entry requirements. For example, some subject-specific qualifications will offer suitable preparation for degree courses in that subject area, but not for those in different subject areas. This means that not every qualification will be accepted for every course.
What A-level subjects are looked upon less favourably – eg would taking general studies and/or other particular subjects damage a student's opportunity of winning a place?
Sheffield Hallam University makes all offers on the basis of the Ucas tariff, but some courses have subject-specific requirements; eg a maths degree would require a student to have taken A-level maths. A small number of courses exclude the points awarded to general studies, however, though this is very much a minority. All of our entry requirements are clearly outlined on all course information.
Are any totally disregarded on any or all courses?
No
Which degree courses do face A-level restrictions, and which don't?
This information is available on the entry requirements section of our website. As Sheffield Hallam offers over 250 undergraduate courses, this is too long to list as requested.
Where is this information available on your website?
On the entry requirements section of the course, and also via the entry profile for each course available on the Ucas website.
Are particular qualifications less highly regarded than others, eg A-level, BTec, etc?
No. Sheffield Hallam actively encourages applications from students not studying A-levels. Individual course requirements will, however, influence the acceptability of individual qualifications.
What A-level subjects are looked upon less favourably – eg would taking general studies and/or other particular subjects damage a student's opportunity of winning a place?
There are no A-levels that are are looked upon less favourably at Staffordshire University. General studies is accepted for all of our courses.
Are any totally disregarded on any or all courses?
No, no A-levels are totally disregarded for any of our courses.
Which degree courses do face A-level restrictions, and which don't?
Staffordshire University does require specific A-levels or equivalent for some of its degrees:
Engineering awards: mathematics or physics or engineering
Biology awards: biology
Forensic science award: biology or chemistry
Forensic science and psychology award: science or mathematics
Forensic science and criminology award: science or mathematics
English awards: English (if taken)
History awards: history (if taken)
In addition, some courses do advise that applicants may benefit from having studied a particular A-level. For example, applicants for our BSc sport and exercise degrees will benefit from having studied a science at A-level or equivalent.
Where is this information available on your website?
We have made this information clear and transparent to all potential applicants. They only need to go on to the Staffordshire University homepage and insert the course they are interested in the "Course Search" box and it will bring up the course, with entry criteria. This information is in our current 2011 undergraduate prospectus and any subject-specific criteria is clearly shown in the matrix.
Are particular qualifications less highly regarded than others, eg A-level, BTec, etc?
No. We receive large numbers of applications from BTec and Acess students, particularly to some awards. The students do come with different study styles and experiences and this enhances the student experience.
UCL sets out its preferred A-levels online at www.ucl.ac.uk/prospective-students/undergraduate-study/application-and-entry/alevel-qualifications, which also makes clear that general studies and critical thinking do not meet UCL's requirements.
Candidates need to take at least two A-levels from the preferred list. Unless specified in the programme requirements, with the exceptions of critical thinking and general studies, the third A-level and fourth AS-level can be in any subject and need not be on the list. If you are unable to offer a minimum of two A-level subjects from the list, this does not prevent you from applying to UCL. It will be at the discretion of the admissions selector to determine whether your application is sufficiently strong to warrant further consideration.
The majority of UCL programmes do have specific A-level requirements attached. For instance, German A-level to study German, chemistry and biology for medicine, chemistry and at least one from maths/biology/physics to study pharmacology.
The prospectus and website set out the other qualifications (eg International Baccalaureate, international qualifications, etc) that are acceptable. www.ucl.ac.uk/prospective-students/undergraduate-study/application-and-entry/undergraduate-study/application-and-entry/ug-requirements
We have hundreds of programmes and most do have some subject requirement – but these are all listed in the prospectus, on the website and on the Ucas website.
The University of Sussex recognises all A-level subjects and welcomes applications from students taking the full spread of A-levels, including general studies.
When setting offers, we would rather "protect" key subjects than exclude particular A-levels.
For example, if an applicant applied to study international relations at Sussex and was taking A-levels in history, art, mathematics and general studies, we would normally ask them to achieve AAB, including history.
For most degree programmes, we do not require any particular subjects to have been studied at A-level. There will, however, inevitably be certain A-levels that are a better fit with the chosen degree and most applicants will naturally be drawn to these.
For example, applicants to a social science degree such as anthropology will normally have taken social science and humanities A-levels. We do not, however, require any particular subjects, nor look less favourably on applicants with a more varied background.
There are degree programmes where we have specific A-level requirements (for example, applicants for biochemistry need to be taking both biology and chemistry at A-level; for physics you must have both maths and physics; for engineering you need A-level maths) and these are listed in our 2012 prospectus and on the Ucas course search. Where we list specific requirements, applicants must meet those requirements.
With regard to different qualifications, Sussex accepts applicants who offer a vast array of qualifications from across the world. Details of the most common qualifications (including the IB, EB, BTec, Advanced Diplomas, Welsh Baccalaureate and Scottish Highers) are listed in our prospectus.
"For most courses, selectors will exclude general studies from any A-level offer (but some may accept it for the fourth subject at AS-level where this is required) and critical thinking is often only accepted to AS-level. Breadth of subjects is valued by our selectors and therefore subjects with significantly overlapping curricula should be avoided where possible, for example economics and business studies. In general terms, subjects with a higher proportion of assessed written work are likely to provide a better preparation than more practical subjects for studying a degree at Warwick."
www2.warwick.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/apply/entry
What A-level subjects are looked upon less favourably – eg would taking general studies and/or other particular subjects damage a student's opportunity of winning a place?
At the University of Westminster there are no subjects that are looked upon less favourably as we take all A-level subjects into account. The university does have some courses that ask applicants to have studied certain subjects at A-level. For example, to gain a place on a science degree we ask candidates to have studied two sciences at A-level and for a place on an art degree students should have studied an art A-level.
However, if these requirements are met we do not have a preference for the other A-levels studied alongside them and we will consider all subjects studied. Similarly, the University of Westminster receives applications from all over the world and international students with non-UK qualifications will be considered.
Are any totally disregarded on any or all courses?
No, the University of Westminster does not disregard any A-levels and all qualifications are taken into account. However, some courses will need applicants to have achieved a certain level in the qualifications, these requirements are clearly listed on Ucas and the University of Westminster website.
Which degree courses do face A-level restrictions, and which don't?
All of the courses offered by the University of Westminster consider A-levels, the only exception we have is the fashion degree, which requires students to have studied art and design at foundation level or for them to have a BTec in art and design.
Where is this information available on your website?
Every course offered by the University of Westminster has a page on the university website where it clearly lists the entry requirements required. A great deal of Westminster prospective students take information from the Ucas website and our entry requirements are listed here, too.
Are particular qualifications less highly regarded than others, eg A-level, BTec, etc?
The School of Social Sciences, Humanities and Languages ask students with BTec qualifications to also have an A-level qualification on top as it strengthens their application; the other schools at Westminster do not require this. The schools at the University of Westminster will look at applications from all backgrounds and any students who are unsure should visit the website, where course requirements are clearly listed.
Professor Steve West, vice-chancellor at the University of the West of England, UWE Bristol, says: "UWE was one of the first universities to recognise wider qualifications, to bridge the gap between those students from non-traditional backgrounds and admission to higher education. These students were largely left out in the cold in the past. It would be disappointing if we returned to these times because of pressure on places".
What A-level subjects are looked upon less favourably – eg would taking general studies and/or other particular subjects damage a student's opportunity of winning a place?
UWE considers all A-level subjects provided that applicants are able to meet specific subject requirements, eg for engineering students would require level 3 qualifications in maths and physics.
Are any totally disregarded on any or all courses?
No
Which degree courses do face A-level restrictions, and which don't?
No A-level restrictions, but some subject areas require students to have study in cognate areas to ensure that they are properly prepared for studies in their chosen subject at degree level.
Where is this information available on your website?
All entry requirements are detailed on our website.
Are particular qualifications less highly regarded than others, eg A-level, BTec, etc?
UWE admissions policy is to consider all qualifications considered to be equivalent to A-level as level 3 qualifications demonstrated through their inclusion in the National Qualifications Framework.
What A-level subjects are looked upon less favourably – eg would taking general studies and/or other particular subjects damage a student's opportunity of winning a place?
Not generally at Wolverhampton, if taken with other A-level subjects.
Are any totally disregarded on any or all courses?
Only on specific courses, to meet professional requirements.
Where is this information available on your website?
This information is shown in our course finder service at www.wlv.ac.uk
Are particular qualifications less highly regarded than others, eg A-level, BTec, etc?
No, we use the Ucas tariff points system to ensure equivalency of awards.
• This article was amended on 2 February 2011. The original missed out Keele University by mistake.
Pupils as young as 16 are worried that the A-level subjects they choose may harm their chances of a university place later on. Why is there no clear information for them?
Universities reveal their A-level preferences
'Only a few months ago, I had no idea what I wanted to do in life," says Jade Campbell, 15, as she describes filling in her A-level choices form. "But I had to decide my plans for my whole life really quickly when I picked my A-levels. I know universities are getting more selective about the subjects you study, so I had to think about which subjects would give me the best chance of a place."
Jade's classmates at Bethnal Green Technology College in east London are all feeling the pressure of important choices. "I'm only 16, but I feel so much stress to make the right decision," says Amanda Cozer, who joined the college two years ago after moving from Brazil. "Once you've picked A-levels you can't go back, your decision is made." Across the classroom, Sufayan Deta and Tommy Vu, both 15, sound panicked. "I didn't know that some unis say you have to do certain A-levels," says Sufayan, who wants to study either accounting or business studies at university. "I'm really worried now."
With record demand for undergraduate courses, universities have tightened their admissions policies. Some have started disregarding subjects such as general studies, while others publish lists of "preferred" or "less preferred" A-levels. Year 11s who are intending to apply to university need to research qualification requirements now – but there are growing complaints that the information they need isn't easily available.
"It's hard to know exactly what universities want from us," says Amanda, who wants to study journalism or languages. "I tried to research what A-levels would give me the best chances of getting on to those courses, but it wasn't easy to find. I spent ages on the websites of Cambridge, Oxford, Leeds, Liverpool and Bristol. Cambridge was the clearest, but on many of the others I just found lots of links, with the information all over the place, or not there at all. Because there was often no clear list, I ended up looking up lots of individual courses, even though I'm not yet sure exactly what I'd like to do."
Admissions tutors say the information students need – whether they are at the Ucas application stage or just choosing their A-level subjects – is readily available in prospectuses and on websites. But Ofqual, the qualifications watchdog, says there's a lack of transparency. At the publication of its chief regulator's report last month, the chief executive, Isabel Nisbet, said: "Students are not clairvoyants. They need clear information on which qualifications they need for their chosen university courses."
Teachers, too, say their jobs have been made tougher by uncertainty surrounding university requirements. Sarah Snaydon, deputy head of sixth form at Dane Court grammar school in Kent, says teachers feel as if there are "shifting goal posts" in higher education. "I wish we knew what admission tutors want," she says. "Universities are getting ever so picky with their requirements, but worse than that is that those requirements are constantly changing and tough to find out. This year, for example, for the first time on some courses we've seen year 12s being asked for a B at GCSE maths, but that requirement wasn't in place when they actually studied GCSEs."
The Ucas Apply website lists qualification requirements for individual courses, but that's not always helpful for year 11s, Snaydon adds. "At that stage, students tend not to know exactly what they want to do where, but they need guidance from universities about the kind of A-levels they need for subject areas. If the information was all in one place, it would be a lot more transparent. And the students hit hardest are those who don't come from an 'educationally aware' background."
In part, it's not an easy task for universities – their myriad courses will, of course, have different requirements and most don't rule out particular A-levels, but say some are acceptable only in certain combinations. For example, medicine courses will demand at least two science A-levels (or equivalent). However, not every English course will insist on candidates having English A-level, and in fact, for arts courses, many admissions tutors say they prefer applicants with a range of subjects.
The most helpful universities have a list of A-levels they "prefer" over others. The less "preferred" are usually non-traditional subjects such as business studies or art and design. The University of Sheffield, for example, names 28 subjects – including engineering, music technology, applied science and applied business – that it will accept only if students have two other A-levels not on that list. The London School of Economics has a "non-preferred" list including accounting, communication studies, home economics, law and travel and tourism, but accepts candidates with one of those A-levels if the others are from its "preferred" list.
Likewise, at Cambridge University, Geoff Parks, director of admissions, says: "No applicant would be rejected because they were taking one particular A-level. However, their A-level combination might rule them out for some, or even all, of our courses." Cambridge recommends chemistry, English literature, history, languages, maths, physics, further maths and biology for year 11s who "want to keep their options open". For wannabe arts undergraduates, it flags up English literature, history, languages and maths, while scientists "are advised to take at least two, and ideally three, of biology, chemistry, maths and physics".
It's a similar story at University College London, which says candidates must have at least two A-levels from their "preferred" list of 76 subjects, which includes history, maths and Biblical Hebrew. The university adds: "If you are unable to offer a minimum of two A-level subjects from the list, this does not prevent you from applying to UCL, but it will be at the discretion of the admissions selector to determine whether your application is sufficiently strong to warrant further consideration."
However, students say these lists are confusing. "I want to study psychology or Oriental studies at university, so I started looking up what A-levels I'd need for those," says Campbell. "I looked at the websites for Oxford, Cambridge and Soas [School of Oriental and African Studies], but instead of having a list of what they want, they say "we prefer this" or "these A-levels are less favoured". They should clearly put what the requirements are so we don't keep wasting our time searching, or theirs applying for a course with the wrong A-levels."
To avoid knocking out a whole spectrum of the UK's HE institutions, year 11s should avoid picking similar A-levels. "Subjects with significantly overlapping curricula, for example economics and business studies, should be avoided," says Peter Dunn, spokesman for Warwick University. "And in general terms, subjects with a higher proportion of assessed written work are likely to provide a better preparation than more practical subjects for studying a degree at Warwick."
The other decision many year 11s face is whether to study general studies to boost chances of a place at university. Alongside critical thinking, general studies is the A-level universities most often rule out. City University London, Warwick, Reading, Oxford and Exeter are among the many institutions that do not accept general studies for any of their undergraduate courses. Cambridge accepts general studies and critical thinking A-levels only as a fourth, extra subject – but adds confusingly that it sometimes includes critical thinking in students' conditional offers.
Staffordshire University, meanwhile, says: "General studies is accepted for all of our courses – no A-levels are looked upon less favourably here," and the universities of Bedfordshire, Liverpool, Lincoln, Cumbria, Westminster and Wolverhampton are among others with the same stance. But some institutions are less clear: the University of Bolton, for example, says: "We look at academic subjects first, but we do consider general studies in that context." The University of Sussex says it "welcomes applications from students taking the full spread of A-levels, including general studies." But its spokesman adds: "When setting offers, we would rather 'protect' key subjects than exclude particular A-levels. For example, if an applicant applied for international relations and was taking A-levels in history, art, maths and general studies, we would normally ask them to achieve AAB, including history."
Other qualifications are up for debate, too. While all universities accept qualifications other than A-levels, such as the International Baccalaureate and Scottish Highers, they don't all take every qualification. City University, for example, is typical in saying BTecs are "generally more vocational … so may be equally good preparation for professional courses, though not so for purer academic ones."
It says there is "not usually sufficient maths in any of the BTecs for one to gain sufficient preparation for a maths degree, but most of the BTec IT courses would be fine for a computing course." By contrast, Canterbury Christ Church, Bolton, Staffordshire and Sheffield Hallam are among the institutions that welcome BTecs as well as other qualifications.
With such a minefield to negotiate, it's no surprise that year 11s, their parents and teachers are left feeling confused. For now, the best way for students to tackle their A-level choices is by talking to teachers and careers advisers, and trying to work out the kinds of courses and universities they might want to apply to. From there, someone keen to study a popular course such as medicine, for example, should check requirements of courses at a range of institutions to see which A-levels are obligatory, and whether any, like general studies, would block their chances.
For those considering less popular courses or universities, the issue may be less pressing. But those students most likely to be left behind are those who, coming from disadvantaged backgrounds or with unaware parents, don't know that their university options are being whipped out of reach as early as year 11. That issue is leading to a growing campaign for universities to be clearer about their requirements. At the moment, as Ofqual's Nesbit puts it: "Some students, who are able to get really sophisticated advice and guidance against other disadvantaged pupils, have a competitive edge. That's unfair."
Education Guardian asked over 150 HE institutions for clear advice on which A-level subjects they view favourably and which they rule out. xx responded, and we thank those that did. See their responses in detail at EducationGuardian.co.uk
Artworks by offenders are going on display at the National Gallery. What is the future for such schemes?
From next week, famous national treasures like Caneletto's The Stonemason's Yard and Turner's The Fighting Temeraire will share the limelight with an exhibition of drawings, sculptures and paintings by men from Feltham Young Offenders Institution. It might seem an unlikely alliance, but it has proven to be an enriching experience, both for the National Gallery, and for these young artists.
Art education projects like this offer young people in juvenile prison an alternative to traditional academic and vocational qualifications, says Gill Jenkins, a course director for creative studies at Kensington and Chelsea College, which provides education services to Feltham. "The outcome of each project has always been amazing, and it offers these young men a new experience and valued teaching by professional artists," she says.
John Costi, 23, from north London, is a testament to the rehabilitative power of art. He was sent to Feltham at 18 for armed robbery and once there became involved in painting murals for the new healthcare wing. He is now enrolled on a degree course at Central Saint Martins. Of his involvement in arts education while in prison, he says: "If that had never happened, I doubt that I would be at Central Saint Martins today, and I doubt that I would be leading a law-abiding lifestyle. I would have come out and turned to all I knew, which was crime. That was really my saving grace."
But many are concerned that programmes like this face an uncertain future. Pat Jones, the director for the Prisoners' Education Trust, one of the leading charities providing education services to offenders, says: "There are quite a number of offenders whose key to rehabilitation is in the arts. However, because providers have to reach targets in literacy, numeracy and IT, there is a problem with arts slipping down the priority list in prison."
There has been speculation that the soon-to-be-published Offender Learning review will lead to more focus on skills for work, and Jones is worried. "My fear is that an even stronger focus on employability might mean arts fall further down the list of what's valued. When you have limited resources, what you'd like to do, and what you are able to do, can be very different things."
The Feltham project was funded for three years by LankellyChase Foundation and is due to end this year.
But lack of available funding and appreciation for arts-based learning are not the only threats to offender education. One of the issues many are hoping the review will address is a lack of continuity and consistency in services.
While on remand Costi was moved to three separate prisons and he says this is a relatively small number of moves: "I've had friends in places for two weeks at a time. If you get too comfortable, they'll ship you out." The result of these transitions is inmates fall behind in learning and fail to finish qualifications. Costi had to abandon a distance learning course in creative writing because he was moved from Feltham to Hollesley Bay prison and the details were lost in transit. He also found that his new facility had no art department.
Despite recent successes, juvenile reoffending rates remain extremely high and the truth is that young people who have been in prison often return, creating cycles that are difficult to break. Speaking from experience, Costi says: "I've met so many talented people in prison when it comes to the arts. With the right support they could turn their life around."
Tim Robertson, chief executive of the Koestler Trust, a prisons art charity that supports ex-offenders in the community, believes such projects also help to educate the wider community and "challenge social stereotypes".
"Visiting the gallery, the public can see that offenders are human beings who can grow and change. Rehabilitation into jobs, housing and communities can succeed only if society overcomes its stereotypes of offenders."
Inside Art at the National Gallery from 7 Feb
• This article was amended on 2 February 2011 to make clear that Kensington and Chelsea College provides educational services to Feltham Young Offenders Institution
A growing number of universities are requiring some applicants to sit a Sixth Term Examination Paper (Step) in order to gain a place
As a straight A* student, Ellie Grant has her heart set on a maths degree at a prestigious university. Having applied to Cambridge, she knew she would need to take the Sixth Term Examination Paper (Step), the university admissions test, traditionally used to select the most talented students for oversubscribed maths degrees. What she didn't expect was for two other universities to make Step a condition of their offer of a place. Grant now believes this could jeopardise her chances of securing a place at a leading institution.
"I've got some sample Step papers and my maths teacher has offered to help out, but I'm not sure how I'll do. I can't put somewhere like Imperial or Warwick as my insurance offer, or I risk not getting a university place. It seems a bit unfair."
According to the education charity Mathematics in Education and Industry (MEI), Grant is not alone in her dilemma. While Cambridge and Warwick universities have a well-established tradition of asking maths applicants to take Step papers, this year, for the first time, it says, universities such as Bath, Bristol and Imperial College are also asking for Step papers. And not just in maths; in some institutions this also applies to physics or computer studies.
In London alone, the MEI is putting on three extra Step classes to meet demand. "We're seeing students who have been completely taken by surprise by this new development, and are trying to cram in Step coaching before the exams in June," says MEI's chief executive Charlie Stripp.
While leading universities might argue that they need to attract the brightest students to maintain their place in the world rankings, critics say asking for Step papers puts some students at a disadvantage.
John White, secretary of the Association of Teachers of Mathematics, says: "Many private schools have timetabled Step lessons for students considered suitable for top universities, but in your average state school, it's pot luck. If you have parents or teachers who are clued-up about Step and can help with the preparation, you're in with a chance. If not, you're already starting on the back foot."
Step offers are currently restricted to maths-related subjects, but "there is a real possibility" that top universities could introduce more stringent tests in other subject areas to identify the most able students, says White.
The NUS president, Aaron Porter, says an increasing reliance on qualifications like Step "that are not widely available or understood by prospective students and their families" could prevent talented students, particularly those from less affluent backgrounds, from winning places at the most prestigious universities. "Many are the first in their family to consider higher education and do not necessarily have the cultural capital, or school or college resources, to navigate an application process that is already bewildering. It could leave many of the brightest and best with the door slammed in their face, which would threaten both social mobility and the principle of fair access."
But according to Stripp, there isn't necessarily anything wrong with top universities asking applicants for alternative qualifications. In fact, he believes Step papers, which require students to apply the mathematical techniques they have learned to solve complex problems, is a much better indicator of ability than top grades in maths (or further maths) A-level. "A student who is good at maths and has been well prepared can achieve an A* by answering all the questions and not making silly mistakes, but that isn't necessarily an indicator of real talent and flair."
What is missing, says Stripp, is widespread access to support for students with exceptional talent in maths. While many schools can help students get tuition in further maths, by linking up with another school or paying for tuition through the Further Maths Support Programme (a government-funded initiative, managed by MEI, that aims to give more young people the opportunity to study further maths), Step does not feature on the curriculum at many schools, particularly in the state sector. And the recent demise of the government's gifted and talented and Aim Higher programmes mean that pots of money that might have been used for extra tuition for the brightest students have now dried up.
For Stripp, the answer could be a qualification that stretches the most talented students, like the old S-level, which fell out of fashion in the early '90s. Alternatively, he says, A*-calibre students could sit a different exam paper, along the lines of the Step paper that tested their mathematical potential, rather than their "ability to answer questions correctly".
But White disagrees. He says that taking into account students' marks in different modules would be a perfectly good indicator of exceptional ability, although with the government planning to phase out modular exams, he admits this is only a short-term solution.
He is concerned that raising the bar for maths degrees could have a detrimental effect on takeup of what is essentially a shortage subject. He points to the findings of the Nuffield Foundation report, published last year, which found that just 20% of young people carried on with maths beyond the age of 16, leaving the UK lagging well behind other countries. "The truth is, we don't just need high-fliers in mathematics. We need people with good, solid A-level grades. The government has talked about the shortage of people for technician roles to fill skills gaps in manufacturing and engineering and help develop the technologies of the future. If maths degrees become too elitist, we won't have the people to do that."
But the universities Education Guardian contacted were keen to stress that Step was part of a range of offers for potential applicants. A spokeswoman for Bristol University said: "All applicants will have an offer based only on A-levels. Those who have indicated that they are taking Step papers may also have an offer with slightly lower A-level grades and success in a Step examination."
A spokesman for Imperial College London said it takes a similar approach with only "occasional exceptions" such as where "an applicant is applying from a less standard route, for instance, a mature student. The department of computing rarely makes offers including Step requirement. When made, such offers are to applicants to the joint mathematics and computing degrees. The department would never make a Step offer if an applicant had no access to the necessary extra tuition."
A spokeswoman from the University of Bath said: "We wish to allow access to our courses in the mathematical sciences to applicants who are only able to take a single A-level in mathematics, and we will continue to make offers to exceptional candidates in this category. Accordingly, we shall require such applicants to achieve at least merit in advanced extension mathematics or 2 in one Step paper."
When the government announced the end of the Aim Higher programme last November, the universities minister, David Willetts, made it clear that universities would be expected to take more responsibility for widening participation in higher education.
Cambridge University provides an annual Step residential course, funded by the Sutton Trust, for students from state schools. None of the other universities Education Guardian spoke to responded to a request to provide details of how they support applicants with Step offers.
The argument against the Step papers would appear to cut no ice with the University of Warwick. A press officer said: "We are dealing with young adults here. If you want to do maths, Cambridge and Warwick are the best places in the country. So if you want to be part of that, if you want to be taught by the brightest and best academics in the country, it requires some effort on your part, in terms of finding out what you need to do to get there."
• This article was amended on 2 February 2011. The original referred to Imperial College, University of London. This has been corrected.
If the government tries to control the market in student places at university, argues Peter Scott, higher education funding will become much more political
The countdown to the London Olympics is under way – the diminishing days constantly circling the Post Office Tower in flickering lights (and probably being counted down in lots of other places across the capital). Just a few weeks after the – no doubt spectacular – closing ceremony, universities and colleges will be charging students much higher fees covering a large part of, all or even more than the cost of their higher education. But no one will be celebrating.
The comparison with the Olympic Games highlights just how short a time institutions have to set fee levels, publicise their fees, determine any discounts, establish bursaries and scholarships and, finally, create systems to manage the whole package. But first the government has to take some key decisions about the rules, and publish a white paper. Until it does so, higher education can do little but prepare speculative scenarios. Twenty months – and counting down.
Many things are unresolved. First, the government expects £6,000 to be the standard fee charged by most universities, with only a minority charging up to £9,000. No doubt that was the basis on which the Treasury accepted the package. That is certainly the basis on which it was sold to despairing Liberal Democrats. But it is already clear that most universities will charge as close to the £9,000 maximum as they can. That could bust the bank (as well as breaking some political hearts).
The same could happen if student numbers, instead of dipping in line with demography, continue to grow. So ministers face a dilemma. Do they take additional powers – to limit the number of universities allowed to charge more than £6,000 and to cap the overall number of students?
The existing power to require institutions to have an access agreement before charging higher fees, introduced by the last government to appease its backbenchers, is plainly insufficient – even huffed up by Simon Hughes. Anyway it would catch the "wrong" (ie "top") universities. The Browne committee's "clever plan" to use A-level points to regulate the total number of eligible students is also unworkable – and seems to have been quietly discarded.
But reducing university autonomy and continuing a bureaucratic student number control would be a funny way to usher in the Brave New World of the market. In practice, higher education will probably suffer the same fate as many formerly public services that have been privatised – an increase in overall cost to the public, not just as involuntary customers, but also as old-fashioned taxpayers, with the most dubious improvements in "quality"; and also an equivalent or greater increase in state regulation.
One thing is already clear: the state is not about to get out of higher education, whatever may have been the hopes of the more naive university leaders. The tell-tale signs of politicisation were already there in the Browne report, which recommended that universities charging more than the standard fee should be taxed to create a pot of money for national bursaries. The government rejected that recommendation but, apparently, has accepted another recommendation that opens the door to more political meddling, that the state should continue to "invest" in strategic subjects (essentially science and engineering).
My concern is not how to select strategic subjects, although lobbying will inevitably lengthen the list. Rather it is the new job that it gives to the Higher Education Funding Council for England. Hefce behaved in the past as the predominant funder of English higher education, even in the case of universities that derived the majority of their income from other sources. As such, it adopted neutral policies – funding "like for like provision" in the case of teaching, and funding "excellence wherever it is found" in the case of research.
But, freed from the even-handed obligations that came from being the majority funder, Hefce will inevitably intervene more strategically – or, put a blunter way, more selectively, more intrusively and (of course) more politically, because its strategic priorities will be those of the government of the day (as they must be in a democracy). Its job will be to "invest" public funds to produce politically mandated outcomes; its job will no longer be to support universities in the wider public interest. At long last, and maybe against its better instincts, Hefce will have become a planning body.
Most of its "investments" will command general support – for example, helping to sustain excellent teaching and research in science and engineering. Others, forced on it perhaps, may not. Is it impossible to imagine Hefce being bullied by ministers into making a "strategic investment" in an institution that otherwise might fail (to mighty political embarrassment)?
Privatisation plus nationalisation – where we seem to be heading – is a sad fate for a higher education system celebrated around the world not so long ago for its public purpose, institutional autonomy and academic freedom. Certainly not worth putting up in lights, like the countdown to the Olympic Games.
• Peter Scott is professor of higher education studies at the Institute of Education
Postgraduate education is vital for the economy, so a system of government financial support – like the one for undergraduates - is needed to help students
When the government publishes its white paper on the funding arrangements for university teaching, many will be looking at its approach to postgraduate master's degrees. The Browne report gave scant attention to this sector, concluding only that its authors had seen no evidence that the absence of student support has harmed access to postgraduate education, and recommending that no action be taken. The fatal flaw in this position is that it is based on "evidence" relating to the current system. The future system, the one that Browne has helped to create, will be vastly different.
There is a strong likelihood that postgraduate fees will rise to match the full cost of teaching. It is probable that there will be an abrupt decline in the number of UK students who are willing and able to continue their education.
Universities such as my own will continue to offer high-quality postgraduate courses, and enable students to engage with leading research academics. There is a real possibility that these programmes will increasingly be dominated by overseas students.
This trend is already in place. UK universities have seen more than three-fold growth in the number of full-time international students participating in taught master's degrees in the last 10 years for which records are available, compared with a healthy but much more modest 40% growth among UK students. Increased fees will undoubtedly depress the market for UK students.
Such an outcome from government policy flies in the face of the evidence about the importance of postgraduate education. Last year's review led by Professor Sir Adrian Smith concluded that the skills of postgraduates are "critical for tackling major business challenges". It highlighted the potential for "responsive and tailored" postgraduate provision to play an important role in "upskilling" the UK workforce.
That view echoes the recent CBI report, which encouraged industry to support graduates to develop the applied skills required in the workplace.
Today's undergraduates are going to encounter a changing work environment. Access to postgraduate education will play a much greater role in their career entry and progression, with "in-career" postgraduate taught programmes being key tools. The Panel on Fair Access to the Professions, chaired by Alan Milburn, identified the financial constraints of postgraduate education as a real barrier to social mobility – and that was under the current funding arrangements, not the post-Browne era.
While it's likely that the state will continue to support some postgraduate education in strategic disciplines such as teaching and social work, the rest will be subject to the same market forces as the undergraduate market. The government has put in place a support system for undergraduates. Not for postgraduates.
Given the importance of continuing education, it would seem logical to extend the system of loan provision to postgraduates. We need a system of financial support that reflects the reality of lifetime learning. A single loan system to cover both undergraduate and postgraduate learning, with a lifetime cap, is the solution. Loans could be taken by students whenever they take up their studies. A lifetime cap provides flexibility, allowing students to meet their individual needs. The lifetime cap also provides government with a method for controlling investment. Such a system could be established without changing the proposed arrangements for undergraduate education already set out. It is practical to deliver. Other countries, notably Australia, have similar systems.
The Browne review necessarily concentrated on the requirements to fund undergraduates. However, there is both the opportunity and necessity to create an integrated system of student financing. The alternative is a system in which UK universities continue to operate in a global market place for postgraduate education from which our own students become increasingly excluded.
• Don Nutbeam is vice-chancellor of Southampton University
New Caledonian crows are proving they are not bird-brained by using tools not just to find food, but also to assess danger
Barney the New Caledonian crow appears to be a wilier bird than even the scientists used to his resourcefulness may have realised. Already adept at using sticks to forage for food, he has now been observed using them to inspect foreign objects that could potentially be threatening.
How bright does that make him in the grand pecking order of animals? There are no measures for assessing avian IQ, but the New Caledonian crow appears to be in a league of its own in performing tricks with sticks, something celebrated in a Guardian In Praise of leading article last year.
This followed tests in which scientists from New Zealand and Oxford set captive crows a three-stage problem. They had to get a short stick by pulling up a string, use that stick to winkle out a long stick from a toolbox, and then use the long stick to extract food from a hole. They managed it successfully.
"Evidence is building up that they're able to plan their actions in advance, which is very interesting from a cognition point of view," says research zoologist Dr Joanna Wimpenny, a member of the Oxford team. "It isn't just that they're responding in a pre-programmed sort of way. It seems possible they may potentially view a problem and know what the answer is."
If prolonged existence is all about the survival of the fittest, New Caledonian crows, whose home is a remote island in the South Pacific, seem set to thrive. Masters at using sticks to find nutritious beetle grubs from trees in their forest habitat, zoologists are now assessing the evolutionary implications of their diet. Does, for instance, their lifestyle result in fitter and healthier offspring?
The more these intriguing birds are observed by scientists, the more an apparent intelligence comes to light. Further experiments carried out at Oxford suggest they can also use sticks as tools to inspect all sorts of objects, possibly to assess whether or not these present a danger. It's the first time birds have ever been observed using a tool for more than one purpose.
Five pairs of crows underwent tests at the university's aviaries to see how they would react to a variety of objects, carefully chosen so the birds wouldn't be tempted to view them as a possible source of food. As a further precaution, all the crows had been fed beforehand.
The researchers had an inkling their test might reveal something new. "We decided to do the experiment because they'd been seen using tools to pick at random objects such as a spider motif on a piece of cloth," said Wimpenny.
Their hunch proved right: the studies revealed that on eight occasions, a bird's first contact was by using a tool. In all three trials, Barney began by using a stick for inspection. One involved a rubber snake, which he first approached, but did not touch, before retreating to pick up a stick. He twice stopped short of touching the snake before using the tool to prod it. After this, he dropped the stick and tugged at the tail, instantly jumping back. Then, having prodded the snake again, he discarded the stick and carried on pecking at it "in a noticeably less hesitant manner".
In other experiments, two different birds, Pierre and Corbeau, also made a first approach with tools on three separate occasions. Pierre used a short piece of woodchip to touch a flashing light within two seconds of picking it up; while Corbeau was seen prodding a metal toad after 10 seconds; and a rubber spider after 35 seconds.
Most tool-using species only use their aid of choice for a single specific reason. "Birds have never before been observed using a tool for more than one purpose," said Wimpenny. "It was really exciting."
Scientists concluded that the crows' "jumpy behaviour" before and during their first interaction with some objects was very different to their demeanour when extracting food. Moreover, they tended to use the sticks only to make first contact. Subsequently, they either ignored the object or dropped the tool to peck at it – not something they do when searching for food.
The behaviour of Barney et al raises many questions. "There are many different ways this research could go," Wimpenny said. "For instance, at the moment we have no idea about their social learning abilities – we don't know if they'll learn from other individuals, though we are getting a few clues."
Does this make them, intellectually speaking, alpha birds? Scientists are reluctant to categorise them thus. "Asking how intelligent they are is really tricky – other birds excel at other things such as developing social cognition," she said.
Scientists want to find out much more about how the crows behave in their native habitat. But amid New Caledonia's mountainous forest, they prove elusive. Wimpenny's fellow researcher Dr Christian Rutz, soon to return from three months on the island, has, in the past, sought to overcome the problem by attaching tiny cameras to the base of their tails.
Rutz is part of a team involving Oxford and Exeter universities continuing to investigate the crows' foraging lifestyle, specifically to see if it gives them any possible "evolutionary advantage". He believes it probably does – the grubs they harvest are so energy-rich and full of fat that just a few specimens can satisfy their daily needs.
With crows so hard to pin down in the wild, scientists have devised an alternative approach to try to analyse what's happening. The grubs they feed on have a distinct chemical fingerprint – stable isotope profile – traceable through feathers and blood. Thus researchers can collect samples to work on "with little or no harm to the birds".
"By comparing profiles of the crows' tissues with those of their … food sources, we can estimate the proportion of larvae in crow diet," says Rutz. This should enable scientists to gauge the extent to which individual birds depend on using sticks to feed themselves.
Sample analysis has been conducted at Exeter University that has helped to develop statistical models that enable tissue-profile comparisons to be carried out. "The approach we used is very similar to that employed by forensic scientists trying to solve crimes and has even appeared on CSI," says Dr Stuart Bearhop, associate professor in conservation biology. The team believes this research could be a suitable model for studying what happens to other animal tool-users such as chimpanzees.
Much work has yet to be done before any conclusions can be drawn. "The real difficulty and interest in understanding a particular animal's intelligence is putting it into the context of the ecological circumstances in which it is found," says Professor Alex Kacelnik, professor of behavioural ecology at Oxford and a co-author of the report on how New Caledonian crows use tools when not looking for food. "We're trying to understand the physical processes by which an animal uses objects, and what role its behaviour plays in the wild."
Children's Manifesto, education policy, teaching challenges and local authorities
Last week, Dea Birkett invited children to give us ideas for a new Children's Manifesto, 10 years after our competition called The School I'd Like. She wondered whether grown-ups listen to children more today.
Who cares what the kids want? Who is in charge here? You don't ask your kid his or her opinion on what car you should buy, what house you should live in. Nor do you ask them how late they want to stay up. They're kids. They don't know what they want. That's what our job is.
Joe3945 via EducationGuardian.co.uk
• Children's requests [in the competition 10 years ago] for more fast food and no dinner ladies are basically saying "we want school dinners that taste nice/ our school dinners are disgusting, we know we like fast food so can we have that?" And "our dinner ladies aren't nice to us/ we don't like them". It would be stupid to bring in fast food, but is there something in the request that the food be brought up to a higher standard and the dinner ladies/pupils relationship be worked on?
LuisaM via EducationGuardian.co.uk
The article by Estelle Morris (Gove shouldn't inflict his schooldays on other people's children, 25 January) is a fine analysis of this Tory-led government's thinking on education policy. The life experiences of Cameron's cabinet, overwhelmingly rich and privileged, inform their attitude to public services, particularly for the most vulnerable. They've been raised on public bad, private good ideology. They wouldn't recognise need if it smacked them in the face.
Gordon Vassell, Hull
I have no argument with Professor Mel Ainscow's idea that "moving knowledge around" can improve schools ('We don't look the same, but we have the same vibe', 25 January). However, the suggestion that the Manchester City Challenge is responsible for improved GCSE results in inner-city secondary schools is an insult to many hardworking and dedicated teachers.
The staff and students involved in the partnership you featured have doubtless benefited enormously. However, as a teacher working in an inner-city secondary school during the birth of the challenge, I would argue that this is a fairly isolated success story, rather than the norm. GCSE results in Manchester have indeed risen. But that was down to the hard work and dedication of teachers and children, and in many cases the challenge deserves none of the credit.
Sarah Warden
Prestwich
Let us hope that teachers in other sectors read the further education section of Education Guardian last week. The article (Bonkers? Maybe. Successful? Definitely) on Harlow College shows what can and has often happened in the FE sector since the removal of a democratic element embodied in the local education authorities.
What FE colleges became years ago were in fact "academies". And that is how management can act in education when they lose LEA restraint. Beware academies, teachers.
Dave Nicholson
Windsor
Sally Jane DAWSON posted an update in the group Information science people: Worth a look:
Comments: 0
A new 'free school' has caused upset as some parents and other local schools say they were not consulted
I found out that one of the first wave of free schools is to open 100 yards from my front door in a round-robin email of news from my local councillor a few weeks ago, and was flabbergasted. For months I've been reading about Toby Young's plans for a new school a few miles away, so why had I not heard about the free school on my doorstep? I thought Michael Gove's flagship policy was all about parent power, notices on lampposts, petitions and neighbourhood meetings.
The school, Ark Atwood primary academy, is set to open on Third Avenue in north Westminster in September and stay for two years before moving to a bigger site elsewhere in the borough. I live on the same road, have a daughter at primary school and am a regular at community meetings. So am I the only person who knew nothing about this?
A walk down the road suggests not. Of about 15 people who come to their doors when I knock, not a single one has heard about the new school directly opposite. Several voice concerns about traffic, about what will happen to the children who use the family and play centres currently housed in what will be the school's temporary buildings. I meet a woman trying to drop off her son at the play centre, and ask if she knows it is to be relocated. The answer is no, and she is sorry to hear it. Her son is autistic, there was a place for him here, it is a valuable service.
Looking up local press reports, I find quotes from Sophy Blakeway, director of primary education at Ark, describing a "great response" to the plans from local parents. I email her explaining where I live, saying I've heard nothing. She says sorry, but leaflets have been put through letterboxes and there have been meetings.
Barbara Mayne, the head of Queen's Park primary school, nearly adjacent to the new school's buildings, did not receive a leaflet either. Ark says it wrote to her last year, but she says she didn't receive the letter. "I found out about it from a journalist ringing up to ask me what I thought about it, which I think is absolutely disgraceful," she tells me. "I felt really demoralised that nobody had thought to consult with us."
Because the new school is so close, Mayne is concerned about the impact on admissions. Her school, 80% of whose pupils speak English as an additional language and 48% of whom are on free school meals, has a one-and-a-half-form entry of 42 pupils, and balancing mixed-year-group classes is a delicate business.
At Wilberforce primary school a few blocks away, the headteacher, Angela Piddock, is equally offended. "I feel quite angry," she says. "I think we should have been asked, or at the very least become party to the discussion around where [the school] is going to be. I think there should have been an understanding from the members [of Westminster City Council] that this would have a huge impact on us."
There is broad agreement that Westminster needs a new primary school. A lack of places has left more than 300 children with no school to go to. But not in Queen's Park, where some existing schools have reception-year spaces.
So how did it come about? What happened, explains councillor Nicola Aiken, Westminster's cabinet member for children, is that an exchange of emails between Westminster council leader, Colin Barrow, and one of Ark's trustees led to Ark being asked to make a proposal.
The local Labour MP, Karen Buck, believes that casting Ark Atwood as a "free school" when it has not been brought about by a parent-led movement, but by the council, has created bad feeling. Though parents do not have to be behind free schools, they feature prominently in the Department for Education's rubric and publicity tends to focus on grassroots demand and new providers who have not run state schools before.
Buck says that in circumstances where the council has played such an active role, "the free school label is a slightly deceitful one, it can't help but make people think, 'you're not being entirely honest with us'. It enrages me that they won't just stand by the school on its merits. Why do you have to have all this rhetoric?"
Lesley Smith, communications director for Ark, admits they have not found the ideal spot: "You kind of get what you're given. If we had a blank sheet of paper and could say, OK, we'd like the school to be right there, we'd do that, but that's true of anywhere in London."
She agrees that the consultation, featuring three meetings in a neighbouring ward, has not been perfect. "The council wasn't able to be specific as early as we would like, and we do accept that that causes some discomfort for our future neighbours," she says. But she insists that because the starting point is a shortage of places, other schools have nothing to fear.
Aiken, who will take the final decision on the school's location, echoes this, arguing that a new school was the only solution. But she also says she expects the free school to drive standards up: "That's the whole ethos of the free school, that choice has got to encourage competition and there's nothing wrong with competition."
There is no campaign against the Westminster free school. Primary applications for September 2011 closed three weeks ago, and a headteacher, Daniel Upfield, has been appointed. Schools and community groups have been invited to present their views, but everyone expects the scheme to get the final go-ahead shortly.
Some parents of pre-school-age children will welcome the school. The publicity and energy surrounding a new school, with an ambitious head determined to make an impression, naturally gives rise to hope and excitement. Ark has built its reputation on running successful non-selective, non-religious schools in deprived areas. The charity, founded by hedge fund manager Arpad "Arki" Busson and famous for its glamorous fundraisers, already runs a successful Westminster academy and has many prominent supporters (Paul Myners, formerly chair of the Guardian Media Group, is a trustee). The heads I met admit that maintaining standards in this multi-lingual inner-city neighbourhood is difficult, and they struggle to attract the affluent minority who might help to boost their standing in league tables. No one is suggesting that Queen's Park's schools are perfect. But there are already alternatives. Like a number of other local children, my daughter goes to school a short walk away in Kensington and Chelsea.
But many people, and not only those with direct links to existing schools, are concerned about the impact on the area. Councillor Paul Dimoldenberg, leader of the Labour minority on the council, calls it a "complete mess in every sense, driven by a political agenda because Westminster Conservatives want to be seen as leaders of the free school movement".
Angela Piddock predicts "huge turbulence" a couple of years down the line when Ark moves premises: will she receive a sudden influx of children whose parents decide against the longer journey?
What may trouble other people interested in the new government's education reforms is that the process whereby this new "free school" looks set to come about seems designed to make cooperation difficult.
While the current shortage of school places would seem to support the council's argument that existing schools do not face an immediate recruitment crisis, this does not mean they have nothing to lose in terms of confidence and reputation.
Ark's new headteacher, Daniel Upfield, says he plans to work with other schools for their mutual benefit. He says he would not want his school's success to be at the expense of anybody else's. But when asked whether at some future date, or elsewhere, less popular schools might be forced to close because they have become unpopular, Aiken says: "That's a matter for the schools themselves. Any good headteacher wants to attract pupils to their school and they have to have the offer that parents want. I don't see why we're getting so hung up on choice and competition, it works everywhere else in life, why can't it work in education?"
Visit an actual school, and one in an area of densely populated social housing where many pupils already face acute disadvantage, and the answer – that the cost of such a failure is far too high, and unfair on these children – seems blindingly obvious.
When a lion hears the roar of another lion, what happens?
Lion-roaring competitions used to be private affairs, organised entirely by lions, without spectators. That changed in the early 1990s, when Karen McComb, Jon Grinnell, Craig Packer and Anne Pusey realised they could use technology – loudspeakers, amplifiers, and sometimes a stuffed artificial lion – to stage-manage some lion-roaring contests, and to document those ginned-up events on video.
The foursome wanted to answer a question: When lions hear other lions roar, what do they do?
McComb was based at the University of Cambridge, Grinnell at the College of Wooster and at the University of Minnesota, and Packer and Pusey at Minnesota. The roaring contests, though, were held in Tanzania.
McComb, Grinnell, Packer and Pusey set up loudspeakers in the jungle, booming out recordings they had made of one, two, or three lions roaring simultaneously.
In a series of reports in the journal Animal Behaviour, they tell what happened. First, they give some context. Lion society is organised in prides – groups of a few females, even fewer males, and some offspring. There are also quite a few nomadic males, who (as the old joke goes) have no pride.
The monograph Roaring and Social Communication in African Lions is all about masculine roaring. Groups of males in their own territory listening to recorded, amplified roars, generally roared back, and often walked towards the loudspeaker. Nomadic males heard the same recordings, but, being uninvited guests, always stayed silent and kept to themselves.
A monograph called Roaring and Numerical Assessment in Contests between Groups of Female Lions tells how "recordings of single females roaring and groups of three females roaring in chorus were played back to simulate the presence of unfamiliar intruders".
Female lions, we're told, "deliver their roars in bouts that generally last less than a minute and consist of several soft introductory moans, a series of full-throated roars and a terminating sequence of grunts. When pride members roar together the bout is delivered in chorus, one individual initiating and others joining in as the bout progresses by adding their roars in an overlapping fashion."
The females who listened to recordings sometimes responded, but sometimes didn't. It seemed to depend, more or less, on how many companions were with them, and on how many voices were evident in the recording. Some walked towards the loudspeaker. Some "attempted to recruit absent pride-mates to the contest by roaring". The study says that: "On nearly half of these occasions, companions joined them at the playback site within an hour."
• Marc Abrahams is editor of the bimonthly Annals of Improbable Research and organiser of the Ig Nobel prize
Care about public libraries?
Got less than 2 minutes?
Tweet why you love libraries using the hashtag #savelibraries
Post this page to your Facebook profile and spread the word
Got 2 minutes?
Visit your library website to download an ebook or use online reference resources.
5– 10 minutes?
Contact all your friends and family, ask them to join their library. Search and reserve books through this guide to library services in England.
10 – 15 minutes?
Email or write to your local MP, local press or Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport about the unique contribution public libraries make to society.
15 – 30 minutes?
Pop down your local library. Borrow as many books as you can. While you are there read a newspaper, go online and find out what’s happening in your local community.
Using the Campaigning toolkit, develop a strategy to ensure that the contribution you make as a library and information professional is understood by your organisation, your community and society. Then add your experiences to our Campaigning successes web pages
How to contact your MP
Find your MP: You can find out who is your local MP on the Parliament website
Write to them: You can find out your MP by putting in your postcode and then fill out and send an email directly to them
They work for you: You can get more information on what your MP is doing and send them an email
How to contact your local newspaper
Short guide to contacting local media
Campaigning Toolkit
If you want to general information about how to campaign, visit our Campaigning Toolkit web pages. In the Campaigning Guide section there is information on:
Organising your campaign
Making your case
Taking action
Campaigning guide resources
via RSS Feed
College chiefs are outraged by changes to funding for pastoral care and extra-curricular activities
Sixth-form college principals fear their institutions could end up as A-level factories as the government plans a drastic cut in the funds that pay for pastoral care and extra-curricular activities.
Moreover, the educational consequences of a widening social gulf between the haves and have-nots fill some principals with horror.
For 16- to 19-year-olds, particularly those from deprived backgrounds, pastoral guidance and learning go hand in hand. Continuing education at this age can offer the first glimpse of a wider world. "Some kids here have never seen the sea," says Dr Dick Smith, principal of Wyke sixth-form college in Hull – something hard to imagine with the east coast a few miles away. "So when we go to New York or South Africa with students, we give them a very significant experience."
Schools, sixth-form and general FE colleges face tough choices. News that so-called entitlement funding will be cut from 114 to 30 hours per student per year trickled out from the Young People's Learning Agency (YPLA) two days before Christmas. The government expects to save £650m, of which, it claims, £150m will be used to benefit the poorest learners through its "disadvantage uplift".
So, £500m down, principals must perform yet more financial conjuring tricks. "The entitlement needed to keep some students on track is huge," says Smith. "Guidance is very important where parents have no experience of higher or even further education – these are first-generation students.
"We have to put in everything a middle-class family provides, such as Ucas guidance and hand-holding, as well as helping students achieve academically. If we don't have the money for such things, and for specialist tutors, I'm not sure whether we can retain students."
Smith regards the YPLA's approach – that entitlement need not be cut if it can be funded some other way – as "mealy-mouthed pretence". He fears some colleges could go under. "Highly effective provision will be torpedoed," he says.
Jackie Johnston, principal of the College of Richard Collyer, Horsham, West Sussex, thinks the YPLA doesn't understand what it's doing: "Our teachers provide tutoring, guidance, organise trips, clubs, activities and societies as well as teaching," she says. "Any cuts based on the notion that all this can be surgically removed … misses the point that college work does not divide up in that simplistic way."
Johnston views cuts to entitlement funding as particularly damaging in a world where evidence of extra-curricular achievement is increasingly important. Collyer's is one of a group of 15 sixth-form colleges piloting a sixth-form baccalaureate (SFbac), to show university admissions tutors and employers that their students have received a well-rounded education.
Johnston is one of the SFbac's architects. "It's about educating the whole person and not seeing young people simply as exam fodder," she says. "It sees a place in education for skills and values alongside subject knowledge. Entitlement funding ensured these could be offered." The aim is for each student to leave with a testimonial accompanying their award, which has been endorsed by the Sixth Form Colleges' Forum (SFCF) and backed by the Institute for Learning.
"We feel the sixth-form bac is the right response to what the 'big society' is about – citizenship; volunteering," says Johnston. "But the idea of students having a rounded education is undermined by a funding approach that doesn't recognise the value of anything beyond qualifications. It feels like a kick in the teeth."
David Igoe, chief executive of the SFCF, insists that no college will take away "core entitlement" such as career support and guidance, but fears that colleges will have to grapple with "terrible decisions" about supporting such activities as the Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme. "Will we have to charge and make it elitist? It's this enrichment that makes the difference," he says.
Igoe foresees the gloomy prospect that, because of the cuts, some sixth-form college students could "end up going to an A-level factory". "We want a discussion about what is a proper education for the sixth form," he says. "We've never had that debate."
Further education colleges are less hemmed in financially than their sixth-form counterparts, yet YPLA's announcement still came as a bombshell. "For me this is more serious than losing EMA (education maintenance allowance)," says Asha Khemka, principal of West Nottinghamshire College. "We weren't consulted, and the impact is huge: we're talking about millions for our college. We aren't clear about how it will be phased out."
Like Smith, Khemka feels that the loss of extra-curricular activity could jeopardise her students' life chances. "A lot here have never left Mansfield or Ashton," she says. "Enrichment enables students to look outside. It helps develop the whole person, and gives them aspirations towards higher education."
What might she do? Fewer hours of classroom contact time is one option. "Books have to be balanced – it's a very challenging situation. Government ministers don't ever talk about these things. There are big implications for recruitment and retention here."
Martin Doel, chief executive of the Association of Colleges, has written to the education secretary urging him to reconsider the cuts. They will, he says, "make it particularly difficult for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to compete for university places with those from private schools".
Caroline Lucas, the Green Party MP for Brighton, has tabled a Commons early day motion echoing the AoC's call. Otherwise, warns Lucas, there will be "a negative impact on students … a narrowing of their educational experience and development, and an increase in drop-out rates".
Sixth-form colleges say that unlike schools and general FE colleges they cannot tap into other government funding streams to cushion the blow; and that with inflation factored in, the cut in real terms will be around 20%. "School sixth forms will be able to keep some sport going, having been given back sports co-ordination money in the recent U-turn by Michael Gove," says Smith. "But sixth-form colleges will not get that.
"We already operate with at least 20% less funding per student than school sixth forms, and produce outcomes in line with or better than private schools. Colleges are already so efficient that their only option will be to run pared-down, cram and survive, part-time courses."
Among the issues faced by UK universities and colleges, the carbon emissions from their ICT loom large. One cause of the growth in these emissions is demand for computing and in particular the ever-growing demand for data storage and data centres.
One way of tackling this demand has been explored by a JISC-funded project at Cardiff University. The team at Cardiff’s Information Services Directorate have been studying ways of storing computer files that can reduce the amount of energy used by computers for storage by over 80%.
Dubbed Planet Filestore, the project has developed an approach to storing data on disks with different energy consumption depending on the frequency with which the data is accessed. Data which is not used very often is moved to a disk which uses less power, thus saving electricity and money while still allowing users near instant access.
When put into full production at Cardiff University, it is anticipated that this will save the university 87600KW.h (or approximately 51 tonnes of CO2) per year which, at current prices, would cost around £10,000 per annum. These savings are likely to increase significantly with escalating storage requirements and energy costs. Environmental savings are also likely to be made in terms of space occupied, procurement, shipping, disposal and hazardous waste reduction.
Rob Bristow, JISC Programme Manager, said: “The approach piloted by Cardiff Information Services has the potential to make a real difference to the carbon footprint of universities if it is adopted across the sector. The more than £100 Million that electricity for ICT costs the sector every year is likely to rise in the future and initiatives like this can make a real difference”.
The project has intentionally used techniques and technologies that will easily transfer to a wide range of corporate systems across the world, including those in education, research, public bodies and commercial companies.
Project leader Paul Rock said: “The greatest benefit will be felt if many more organisations were to use this kind of approach to minimise the energy footprint of their filestore. This would mean that the electricity and carbon savings arising from this project would scale dramatically”.
To help make this approach more widely available, JISC is funding Cardiff University Information Services to develop a web-based tool that universities and colleges can use to model the benefits of different scenarios of file storage in terms of environmental and economic savings.
via Jisc news
Council approved the Regulations for a Disciplinary Procedure at its meeting on 9 February 2005.
The Regulations are currently (2011) in the process of being revised.
via RSS Feed
Disciplinary Procedure
Council approved the Regulations for a Disciplinary Procedure at its meeting in February 2005.
The Regulations are currently (2010) in the process of being revised.
Disciplinary Panel
Reports to: Office of the President
Terms of Reference:-
(Information taken from General Regulation No. 67)
Date established: 3 April 2002
Secretary: Annie Mauger
Chair: Kayla Tomlinson BA MLS MCLIP
Membership:-
Suzanne Burge BA(Hons) FCLIP HonFCLIP
Judy Broady-Preston BA MA PhD AlMgt MCLIP ILTM
Andrew Coburn BA MCLIP
John Crawford BA MA PhD FCLIP FRSA
Amanda Duffy BA MCLIP
Annie Everall OBE BA(Hons) MCLIP
Biddy Fisher MLib FCLIP (ex officio)
Mike Freeman BA MEd PhD FCLIP
Peter Harbord MA MCLIP
Ann Halliday BA DipLIS MCLIP
Frances Hendrix JP BA MBA FCLIP
Alison Jobey BA MCLIP
George Lilley MA PhD DipLib FCLIP
Tony McSean BA DipLib FCLIP
Audrey Marshall MA DipLib MCLIP
Jackie Mennis BA(Hons) DipIM MCLIP DipSM
Robert Usherwood BA PhD HonFLA FRSA FCLIP
Philip Wark MCLIP
via RSS Feed
Annie Mauger comments after Jeremy Hunt is quizzed about public libraries:
"CILIP's position is clear. If community managed libraries are to be regarded as part of the statutory service they must have a core paid staff, be part of the professionally led public library service and operate within a service level agreement with that parent library service. Volunteers play a valuable role in enhancing the public library service but they are not a replacement for the skills and expertise of staff. All are entitled to a public library service of high quality." October 2011
CILIP continues to be active in promoting the value of public libraries and the importance of providing a quality library service to local communities. As a charity we focus on the public good and the many benefits that a properly resourced and well-managed public library service brings to society.
Arts Council England and the Local Government Association have launched the Libraries Development Initiative. It will run between March 2012 and March 2013 and support about ten projects. Applicants are asked to complete expression of interest forms (deadline 2 December 2011) that explore one of four designated areas of activity:
1. new delivery models for arts and culture working together
2. partnerships to achieve policy outcomes
3. books and reading
4. commercial partnerships
On 27 October 2011 Jeremy Hunt, Secretary of State for Culture, appeared before the Select Committee of Culture, Media and Sport. The Chair of the Committee, John Whittingdale MP, brought up the issue of the extent of library closures currently taking place and the meaning of "comprehensive and efficient" within the Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964.
The Secretary of State's response referred to a 1959 report on the structure of the public library service (the Roberts Report) where he claimed "comprehensive" was about a "good selection of books" and efficiency about reducing the number of public library authorities. In response to the Chair's query as to whether a significant number of library closures in an authority would breach the Act he responded that a number of authorities were exploring community-led library options, whereas Brent was increasing opening hours.
Commenting on the Secretary of State's performance, Annie Mauger, CILIP's Chief Executive, expressed surprise that the Minister referred back to the 1959 report and said that 2001 public library standards were specifically designed to help the Secretary of State determine whether an authority was providing a "comprehensive and efficient" service. She said that in the Open Public Services White Paper, for national public services the Government proposes to focus on core entitlements and setting floor standards and said "yes please that is what we want for public libraries too and the powers already exist to achieve it".
She also expressed concern that community-managed libraries run by volunteers might be regarded as meeting the requirements of the Act: "...they must have a core paid staff, be part of the professionally led public library service and operate within a service level agreement with the parent library service."
CILIP news: Jeremy Hunt quizzed on public libraries
A three-day hearing to examine the legality of cuts to library provision in Gloucestershire and Somerset starts on Tuesday 27 September 2011 at the Civil Justice Centre in Birmingham.
On Monday 12 September Lord Borrie asked a question in the House of Lords about what discussions the Government has had with local authorities on public library closures. Baroness Rawlings answered that the DCMS has had discussions with officers from Gloucestershire, Lewisham, Somerset, Brent and the Isle of Wight and they are continuing to monitor changes. Other Lords joined in the discussion, raising issues around co-location and volunteering.
On 13 September Arts Council England (ACE) published a document setting out how they will integrate museums and libraries into their work. The document states that ACE will continue with the Future Libraries Programme, in conjunction with the Local Government Group. They have also published a review of research and literature on museums and libraries.
They will be holding an informal consultation on the longer term focus beyond 2015 to make sure that they hear a wide range of views on the long-term ambitions of all the areas they cover.
The Secretary of State Jeremy Hunt will reportedly make a decsion as to whether to launch an inquiry into library closures in Brent in September. Public Libraries News quotes from an email reportedly sent by legal advisors at the DCMS to Brent library campaign's solicitor that "officials here are in the process of assessing all the relevant information on this matter and a decision by the Secretary of State is anticipated in September".
Under section 10 of the Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964, the Secretary of State can take action where a local authority fails to perform its duties, for example, to provide a comprehensive and efficient service.
More on this news from The Bookseller
The High Court considered judicial review of the library closures in the London Borough of Brent in July 2011 and a decision is expected in October. A judicial review of closures in Gloucestershire and Somerset takes place on Tuesday 27 September. "with the injunction to prevent closures staying in place. On the Isle of Wight the judicial review challenge is likely to proceed now that one of the library users has been granted legal aid. More details from The Bookseller news report.
The National Federation of Women’s Institutes have voted in favour of campaigning in support of public libraries at their AGM.
“It’s fabulous news for the millions of people across the UK that love their libraries. Libraries are an essential education and information resource. They are at the heart of communities across the country and are too important to lose.” , Annie Mauger, Chief Executive of CILIP.
With over 208,000 members and a history of campaigning on a wide range of important issues, the WI is respected as a powerful lobbying force. Read our press release
The Government is reviewing statutory duties placed on local authorities. Three of these relate to the Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964, including the duty to provide a comprehensive and efficient library service. More on the review
There will a National Libraries day on 4 February 2012. National Libraries Day is one day devoted to libraries - public libraries, school and university libraries, prison libraries and national libraries. A nation-wide celebration of libraries and librarians. Find out more
A number of public library services have been subject to cuts and service reductions and the coming months look set to provide many more such cases. CILIP has addressed this situation in England in a number of ways.
We have:
The information below provides links to external organisations that are also working to protect public library services. CILIP cannot be held responsible for the content on these websites.
Voices for the Library
Voices for the Library is a place on the web for everyone who loves libraries to share their stories and experiences of the value of public libraries. It includes information about why public librarians are important and lists details of local campaigns against public library closures.
Voices for the Library has been endorsed by CILIP.
Public Libraries News blog
What's happening to your library? Ian Anstice's blog on public library cuts and closures and link to the library cuts map.
Change is Overdue - a public charter for libraries
Public library users have published what they think libraries should concentrate on
The Charter is on the MLA website
What do the public want from libraries? A Practitioner's Guide
An MLA Guide which accompainies a research study carried out for MLA by Shared Intelligence and Ipsos MORI.
Improving a library service
Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA) information for public library authorities.
Alan Gibbons' blog
Campaign for the book/blog about public libraries
The Good library blog
By Tim Coates
The Library Campaign
An independent national organisation set up in 1984 to support Friends of Library groups and to campaign for improved services in publicly funded libraries.
UNISON
UNISON's public libraries work includes local library campaigns and its Love Your Libraries campaign.
via RSS Feed
Reach your customers - advertise in CILIP Update
CILIP Update is the membership magazine of the Chartered Institute of Library and Information. It combines the immediacy of news, events and recruitment pages together with the longevity of in-depth features, interviews and analysis.
CILIP Update is published monthly in print and in digital format and will is distributed to CILIP's 17,000 members. It is the UK's leading practitioner journal for staff in public, academic and corporate sectory library, information and knowledge management sector jobs.
via RSS Feed
Campaigning and behind the scenes advocacy at CILIP
Read the latest blog post from CILIP's Chief Executive, Annie Mauger
"I want to make something clear. We care about library closures. We care about people's jobs. We are working constantly to intervene and persuade anyone that we can influence to listen and to be concerned about what is going on in local communities. We are mapping, talking, writing, tweeting, blogging, calling, challenging, listening...
Now there are some other things I have to make clear...."
via RSS Feed
Keep up to date with industry news and the latest about CILIP products and services with our eBulletins.
CILIP members can register on the website to sign up to the following eBulletins:
If you are not a member of CILIP please register as a guest to get these:
via RSS Feed