Autumn 2010 Education Update

Welcome to Dean Associates Autumn 2010 education update.

Welcome to Dean Associates' regular update on the important education stories for relocating families.

We are now in for a period of change in UK education as the Coalition Government aims to introduce a number of new education policies over the following months. This, combined with budget cuts that will inevitably work their way into education, could usher in some challenging times for relocating parents.

Shortage of state school places

England is facing an acute shortage of school places, with more than one in ten pupils in schools suffering overcrowding.

The causes are said to be a new baby-boom generation reaching school age, and increased immigration. London is the worst affected area, with many boroughs putting up temporary structures to house the demand for school places.

To make matters worse, the Government, as part of its budget cutting, has put a stop to many new school building projects. However the roots of this problem lie deeper, with the previous Labour administration unwilling or unable to act on the issue.

For families moving into England, especially London, finding state schools places has always been difficult and in the near future is going to get worse. Parents will need guidance as to best strategies to employ, and to be flexible on housing location.


Academies - a muted take-off

One flagship educational reform of the Government has seen a limited initial take-up. Schools have been offered the right to become Academies with immediate effect. Academies are independent state schools that receive direct funding, removing them from council control. The government hopes that this independence will help drive up standards.

However, only 32 schools have so far become academies. This has included, for the first time, seven primary schools.

The Government has blamed the weight of paperwork that needed completion in a short-time frame. Opposition groups see it as a rejection of the initiative. A more balanced view may well need to wait to see what the take-up is for the 2012 school year.

What else is on the horizon?

Other Coalition plans include the introduction of so-called "free" schools, where parent groups or charities can set up and run their own schools, taking direct funding from the Government. There may be further reform of the exam and qualifications system and the need for more rigorous teaching qualifications.

We will keep you updated with developments.

Modest rise in school fees

Dean Associates' annual survey of independent school fees showed a modest rise of just over 3% on 2009/2010 levels. This was a higher leap than the previous year but shows that the schools are still responding to the tightening economic circumstances.

Independent schools may also still be nervous about ongoing review of their charitable status - which provides substantial tax breaks - and how far they fulfil the role of charities.

Has the new A* made the grade?

The recently released A Level results heralded the first arrival of the new A* grade.

This was in introduced by the previous Labour Government to help universities and employers identify candidates who were performing at the very top of the ability range.

8% of pupils achieved the A*, whilst 27% achieved the A grade. The overall pass rate (all grades A*-E) rose to 97.6%, a new record.

Not all universities have recognised the new A*. Some see it as socially divisive with more A* grades expected in the independent, fee-paying sector. Others feel that it is not necessarily the best way to identify the best students.

There are still a number of alternative qualifications available, including the International Baccalaureate, the Pre-U and Diplomas.


University becomes more competitive

Entry to university in the UK is likely to remain extremely competitive over the coming years.

There was an 11% rise in university applications in 2010, and though the government did fund and increase in the number of places available, budget cuts has meant that this rise did not keep pace with demand.

The rise in applications has been put down to a number of factors. On the positive side, universities are receiving more applications from the state school sector as greater efforts are made to engage families from poorer backgrounds.

However the recession has also played a part, with more mature students applying when faced with a difficult job market.

Given the competition, early planning for university choices is essential. This runs back to what choices are taken GCSE level, how to make an effective UCAS application, and how to supplement the application with other activities, academic, professional and extra-curricular.


Council delays - a warning

Many councils have now taken over the management of primary and secondary school admissions, running the process centrally them rather than the schools dealing with their own admissions.

This has led to a number of families experiencing very long delays in getting a response from applications. There seems to be some confusion in how the process works and the councils have become jammed with too many applications and too few staff to handle them.

It may well be that in many popular areas for relocation - in the south-east and London - this back-log will last until Christmas.