Back on the 17th.
Do peruse a few old posts while you're here.
cheers
Monday, 11 April 2011
Friday, 8 April 2011
150 minutes is not enough time to prove a university is doing all it can to widen access. I think this is scandalous
The Office for Fair Access (OFFA) is charged with ensuring that Further Education establishments charging more than £6000 are doing everything they can to ensure people from a wide range of backgrounds have access to higher education. So far, this is pretty much every FE organisation - with most charging the maximum.
So how rigorous can the good people of the Office of Fair Access be in ensuring this is the case?
Well, last year they agreed access agreements with 230 institutions.
This year, applications for enhanced fees and the access programmes to justify the extra money were due in by April 1st. Decision day is July 11th.
That's 72 working days.
On the basis that OFFA works an 8 hour day, that's a grand total of 2.5 hours per institution.
Now of course, the (small) number of staff(currently 5 rising to 9, 4 part time) will split their resource.
But still - the ultimate sign off from say, the leader of Offa, Sir Martin Harris, on every agreement will be after 2.5 hours scruitiny at the most. I suspect the reality is it will be far less.
Is this really enough for Oxford University to explain why it offered more places to pupils living in Richmond Upon Thames last year (population 170000) than the whole of Scotland (pop. 5 million)? I fear not. I live in Richmond, and even I think that's wrong.
Someone really should expose this.Perhaps some of the journalsist in the national press who I know read this blog might take it up?
So how rigorous can the good people of the Office of Fair Access be in ensuring this is the case?
Well, last year they agreed access agreements with 230 institutions.
This year, applications for enhanced fees and the access programmes to justify the extra money were due in by April 1st. Decision day is July 11th.
That's 72 working days.
On the basis that OFFA works an 8 hour day, that's a grand total of 2.5 hours per institution.
Now of course, the (small) number of staff(currently 5 rising to 9, 4 part time) will split their resource.
But still - the ultimate sign off from say, the leader of Offa, Sir Martin Harris, on every agreement will be after 2.5 hours scruitiny at the most. I suspect the reality is it will be far less.
Is this really enough for Oxford University to explain why it offered more places to pupils living in Richmond Upon Thames last year (population 170000) than the whole of Scotland (pop. 5 million)? I fear not. I live in Richmond, and even I think that's wrong.
Someone really should expose this.Perhaps some of the journalsist in the national press who I know read this blog might take it up?
Thursday, 7 April 2011
Simon Hughes has got a lot of work on his hands...
I came across this article the other day. It's a brilliant analysis of just how much outreach work Oxford University does amongst the top public schools - in contrast to everywhere else. It's quite an eye opener. Here's just a sample...
'You only need to look at what constitutes ‘outreach’ at these institutions to see the disdain they have for the idea they should be more open and inclusive. In 2008 and 2009, Oxford targeted 770 of its ‘outreach’ events at private schools, including 12 events for Marlborough College, 11 for St. Paul’s and 9 for Eton. Even Westminster School, who make up 2% of the entire undergraduate intake at Oxford, were blessed with 5 ‘outreach’ events. How many events have taken place at the 24 secondary schools in Sandwell, where Oxford has not accepted a single pupil from for the last five years? Or in Knowsley or Hartlepool?'
Yes, I know it's written by David Lammy and he's a Labour MP and yes I know it's on the Labour teachers website. But let's put party issues to one side. It's well researched, insightful and on the money. And it demonstrates the mountain many pupils have to climb in order to access the best universities. Everyone should read it.
And to make matters worse...
This article reveals that the Office for Fair Access is having to take on extra staff to judge the huge number of Univesties who wish to charge more than 'standard tuition fees'. This will take it on from 3 fulltime and 2 part time staff - to five full time and four part time people.
This still doesn't sound to me like an organisation geared up to policing every University in the land who wishes to charge over £6000 in fees. Plus they have to do it all by July 11...
'You only need to look at what constitutes ‘outreach’ at these institutions to see the disdain they have for the idea they should be more open and inclusive. In 2008 and 2009, Oxford targeted 770 of its ‘outreach’ events at private schools, including 12 events for Marlborough College, 11 for St. Paul’s and 9 for Eton. Even Westminster School, who make up 2% of the entire undergraduate intake at Oxford, were blessed with 5 ‘outreach’ events. How many events have taken place at the 24 secondary schools in Sandwell, where Oxford has not accepted a single pupil from for the last five years? Or in Knowsley or Hartlepool?'
Yes, I know it's written by David Lammy and he's a Labour MP and yes I know it's on the Labour teachers website. But let's put party issues to one side. It's well researched, insightful and on the money. And it demonstrates the mountain many pupils have to climb in order to access the best universities. Everyone should read it.
And to make matters worse...
This article reveals that the Office for Fair Access is having to take on extra staff to judge the huge number of Univesties who wish to charge more than 'standard tuition fees'. This will take it on from 3 fulltime and 2 part time staff - to five full time and four part time people.
This still doesn't sound to me like an organisation geared up to policing every University in the land who wishes to charge over £6000 in fees. Plus they have to do it all by July 11...
Simon Hughes has got a lot of work on his hands.
I came across this article the other day. It's a brilliant analysis of just how much outreach work Oxford University does amongst the top public schools - in contrast to everywhere else. It's quite an eye opener. Here's just a sample...
'You only need to look at what constitutes ‘outreach’ at these institutions to see the disdain they have for the idea they should be more open and inclusive. In 2008 and 2009, Oxford targeted 770 of its ‘outreach’ events at private schools, including 12 events for Marlborough College, 11 for St. Paul’s and 9 for Eton. Even Westminster School, who make up 2% of the entire undergraduate intake at Oxford, were blessed with 5 ‘outreach’ events. How many events have taken place at the 24 secondary schools in Sandwell, where Oxford has not accepted a single pupil from for the last five years? Or in Knowsley or Hartlepool?'
Yes, I know it's written by David Lammy and he's a Labour MP and yes I know it's on the Labour teachers website. But let's put party issues to one side. It's well researched, insightful and on the money. And it demonstrates the mountain many pupils have to climb in order to access the best universities. Everyone should read it.
And to make matters worse...
This article reveals that the Office for Fair Access is having to take on extra staff to judge the huge number of Univesties who wish to charge more than 'standard tuition fees'. This will take it on from 3 fulltime and 2 part time staff - to five full time and four part time people.
This still doesn't sound to me like an organisation geared up to policing every University in the land who wishes to charge over £6000 in fees. Plus they have to do it all by July 11...
Simon Hughes has a mountain to climb to sort this out. How can we help him?
'You only need to look at what constitutes ‘outreach’ at these institutions to see the disdain they have for the idea they should be more open and inclusive. In 2008 and 2009, Oxford targeted 770 of its ‘outreach’ events at private schools, including 12 events for Marlborough College, 11 for St. Paul’s and 9 for Eton. Even Westminster School, who make up 2% of the entire undergraduate intake at Oxford, were blessed with 5 ‘outreach’ events. How many events have taken place at the 24 secondary schools in Sandwell, where Oxford has not accepted a single pupil from for the last five years? Or in Knowsley or Hartlepool?'
Yes, I know it's written by David Lammy and he's a Labour MP and yes I know it's on the Labour teachers website. But let's put party issues to one side. It's well researched, insightful and on the money. And it demonstrates the mountain many pupils have to climb in order to access the best universities. Everyone should read it.
And to make matters worse...
This article reveals that the Office for Fair Access is having to take on extra staff to judge the huge number of Univesties who wish to charge more than 'standard tuition fees'. This will take it on from 3 fulltime and 2 part time staff - to five full time and four part time people.
This still doesn't sound to me like an organisation geared up to policing every University in the land who wishes to charge over £6000 in fees. Plus they have to do it all by July 11...
Simon Hughes has a mountain to climb to sort this out. How can we help him?
Wednesday, 6 April 2011
What do Nick Clegg and I have in common? Well, for one thing, we're both hypocrites...
I am a man, have been all my life. Yet I would like women to share equal pay, enjoy equal opportunities and the same life chances as me. Indeed, as the father of three girls and husband to a fantastically brilliant Doctor, I think this is incredibly important. Apparently this makes me a hypocrite.
I am white. But I believe that your skin colour should be irrelevant to your life chances, and that everyone should enjoy the same opportunities to make the most of their lives. Hypocrite.
I am in excellent health and I am not disabled. But I think society should do all it can for those in less fortunate physical or mental health to maximize their life chances. Again, what a hypocrite I am.
No wonder everyone’s having a go at Nick Clegg for trying to change the status quo.
I am white. But I believe that your skin colour should be irrelevant to your life chances, and that everyone should enjoy the same opportunities to make the most of their lives. Hypocrite.
I am in excellent health and I am not disabled. But I think society should do all it can for those in less fortunate physical or mental health to maximize their life chances. Again, what a hypocrite I am.
No wonder everyone’s having a go at Nick Clegg for trying to change the status quo.
Have we been allowed off the naughty step? Do our school reports now just say 'Must Try Harder...?'
Is it just me or has anyone else noticed a change in the way the media are covering the Lib Dems right now?
Once not so long ago everything we did was wrong. Tuition fees, VAT rises, therate of the cuts, losing front line NHS staff – all our fault, nothing to do with anybody else.
But now, there’s a shift in tone. In two ways.
1. Try a bit harder.
The general tenor seems to be that we are doing the right thing – just not enough of it.
The Freedom Act and Police Reform and Social responsibility Act are good things – but don’t go far enough.
Nick Clegg’s and Ian Duncan Smiths plans for social mobility have their heart in the right place – but don’t go far enough.
Reform of the House of Lords is a good thing – but doesn’t go far enough
2. Dilute the Tories.
Paul Waugh had a whole list of things we’ve got the Tories to U turn on a few weeks ago.
Now a huge amount of the pressure on transforming the NHS Reforms is coming from us.
Plus there’s Nicks recent pronouncements on nuclear power and muliculturalsim (beautifully reviewed here by Allegra Stratton).
And it goes on...
Now, if we can have media coverage for the next 4 years saying we’re the handbrake that keeps the Tories on the straight and narrow and everything we do is right, can we just have a bit more of it please – well, I for one won’t be complaining…
Once not so long ago everything we did was wrong. Tuition fees, VAT rises, therate of the cuts, losing front line NHS staff – all our fault, nothing to do with anybody else.
But now, there’s a shift in tone. In two ways.
1. Try a bit harder.
The general tenor seems to be that we are doing the right thing – just not enough of it.
The Freedom Act and Police Reform and Social responsibility Act are good things – but don’t go far enough.
Nick Clegg’s and Ian Duncan Smiths plans for social mobility have their heart in the right place – but don’t go far enough.
Reform of the House of Lords is a good thing – but doesn’t go far enough
2. Dilute the Tories.
Paul Waugh had a whole list of things we’ve got the Tories to U turn on a few weeks ago.
Now a huge amount of the pressure on transforming the NHS Reforms is coming from us.
Plus there’s Nicks recent pronouncements on nuclear power and muliculturalsim (beautifully reviewed here by Allegra Stratton).
And it goes on...
Now, if we can have media coverage for the next 4 years saying we’re the handbrake that keeps the Tories on the straight and narrow and everything we do is right, can we just have a bit more of it please – well, I for one won’t be complaining…
The Midweek Collection
An eclectic mix this week from all sides of the political spectrum. I don't agree with all of it, but it did all make me think...
1. Norman Tebbit defends the NHS in the The Mirror
Notable because it's Tebbit in the Mirror - who'd have thought it - and because he talks a lot of sense about the NHS. I'm still reeling....
2. Mohammad Al Bouazizi makes the Time 100 Longlist
I beg you to click this link and vote Yes.
3. Speed Cameras work.
I don't know why but this really tickled me. I think its the duplicitous police pretending they'd turned the cameras off...
4. Simon Jenkins isn't impressed with Nick's plans on Internships.
While I don't like the Clegg knocking, his take on the in built social mobility brakes British society has locked us all into is very thought provoking.
5. It costs only about $2 to lay a land mine — but several thousand dollars to dig it out
The headline says it all.
Enjoy everybody.
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