The number of students taking practical courses in subjects such as sport, health care, construction and media has soared by 75 per cent in just two years, figures show. Rising numbers of students are taking BTECs, according to figures. 

By Graeme Paton, Education Editor

3:40PM BST 07 Jul 2011

More than 534,000 pupils took BTECs as an alternative to traditional GCSEs and A-levels this year – up from just 303,000 in 2009.

According to figures, girls are now more likely to get decent results in subjects such as applied science and business – traditionally held to be “male” subjects.

Ministers have threatened to withdraw funding for hundreds of vocational courses amid fears many qualifications are worthless and fail to lead to good jobs or universities.

But Pearson, the education publisher which provides BTECs, insisted courses were of a “high-quality”.

According to the latest data, 534,360 students gained qualifications at level 2 or 3 – equivalent to GCSEs or A-levels – this year. It was up from 407,861 in 2010 and 302,737 in 2009 – a rise of three-quarters.

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Sport remained the most popular course for sixth-formers, followed by performing arts, art and design, business, IT, health and social care, engineering, public services and media.

The data suggests more pupils are turning to qualifications leading directly to the workplace.

Rod Bristow, president Pearson UK said: “The Government has called for greater transparency around vocational qualifications. We are confident that BTECs are high quality and robust qualifications and believe that it is important to provide as much evidence as possible in as open a way as possible.

“All vocational courses should be measured by publicly available evidence about students’ achievements and the progress they are able to make following their studies.”

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The Hillcrest North nursing home, historic Oakwood Elementary School and the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame are potential properties that could be sold to pay for a new Carter Elementary School.

Also on the list are flood-plain parcels and steep, rocky plots of land.

The Knox County Mayor’s Office on Thursday released the list of properties after a public records request from the News Sentinel.

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Schools will open throughout the year and teach on Saturdays under a Coalition plan to raise education standards, it emerged today. 400 227 TelegraphPlayer-8587282 Link to this video

By Graeme Paton, Education Editor

10:00PM BST 20 Jun 2011

The Government’s flagship “free schools” will be given new powers to shake-up the academic year by axing traditional holidays and staging booster lessons outside the normal timetable, it emerged.

Michael Gove, the Education Secretary, said the plans would help working parents and provide extra tuition for children falling behind.

In a speech on Monday, he praised one school in Norwich that is proposing to open for six days a week for 51 weeks of the year. Others are planning to keep pupils in school until at least 5pm or stage regular weekend lessons.

The disclosure came as it emerged some 281 bids have been made to run free schools since March. Of those, it is believed 100 will open next year.

Free schools are state-funded institutions run by parents, teachers’ groups, private companies, religious organisations and charities.

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On Monday, it emerged that Sir Michael Wilshaw, the Coalition’s favourite head teacher and principal of Mossbourne Academy in Hackney, is to open his own free school in the south of the deprived London borough.

With complete freedom from local authority control, the schools can rewrite the curriculum, deviate from national rules on staff pay and set their own admissions.

Mr Gove said others would also use their freedom to alter the length of the school day and academic years.

“Free schools offer a genuine alternative and they have the freedom to be different; like the Norwich Free School, which will integrate high-quality education and child care year-round,” he said.

“The school will be sited right in the heart of Norwich so that working parents can make full use of the affordable extended school provision, which will be available on the school premises for six days each week, 51 weeks of the year.”

The school – being opened by a group of teachers and working parents in September – says it will run an “extended service” paid for by families, before and after school. The only time it will be closed is for a week at Christmas and bank holidays.

The school is also planning to split the year into six terms, with a two-week break between each and four weeks off in August.

The West London Free School, spearheaded by writer Toby Young, which is also due to open in September, says it expects pupils to stay in school, or at music and drama clubs until 5pm between Monday and Friday.

Mossbourne Academy, which was opened under the last Labour Government, already operates a longer school day and opens at weekends.

Speaking at the Policy Exchange conference, Sir Michael said the school had helped to raise standards by having the children stay in school until “six, seven or eight in the evening”.

Often they have their evening meal at school, he added.

A Government spokesman said: “Free schools and academies can open year-round if they want to. They can change the school day, the length of the school term however much they want.”

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The pairings for the fourth practice round are available online. The divisions are named for three of our past camp leaders: Oscar Shine, Tommy Clancy, and Neil Conrad. (The Conrad Division will begin its practice rounds later.)

All pairings can be found on the Victory Briefs Wiki.

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