Its almost time for the kids to go back to school, I can imagine that most parents are running round making sure that their child has all the clothes and equipment ready for the start of term.

Parents out there…..shop around for the cheapest stuff; kids today want the best brands of EVERYTHING. I have to say just don’t give in because 3 months later you will no doubt be back in the shops replacing the ruined stuff. Try local supermarkets and high street shops for great bargains. Also shop around on the internet for the best prices on school stuff…you’ll save yourselves loads and keep the kids happy!

You have been revising day and night to produce hopefully all the right answers in your exams….Today is that time of year again when thousands of students find out if they have passed or failed their A-levels.

There are so many out there that will have received that devastating news that they hadn’t passed and will not be accepted into their ‘Perfect’ University, these people should look at other options available to them because its not only university that you can achieve degree’s and excellent skills and further education.

A high percentage of school leavers are now applying to Open Universities- which offer evening classes enabling the students to combine part time work with studying.

With the recent news that AQA is thinking about assessing girls by their coursework and boys by their performance in exams, it is interesting to think about what your own preferences might have been when you were at school.

As a man, it is suggested that I would have excelled if I was assessed predominantly by exams. In reality, that is how I was assessed anyway and I did pretty well. Nevertheless, I have always enjoyed getting stuck into the odd project and having time to turn into something I know will get good marks.

It seems that a mixture is probably the ideal scenario, ensuring that those who hate exams don’t have to face too many all at once, but also making sure that those who hate coursework aren’t too bogged down in it to revise for exams.

Let me know your thoughts on the matter.

AQA, one of the largest exam boards in Britain, is reportedly looking into the possibility of tailoring its assessments in order to play to the different strengths exhibited by children of different genders according to national trends.

The idea is that boys would be given the chance to take part in an increased number of seated exams, whilst girls would be given the opportunity to take on extra coursework. This move would appear to be supported by research showing boys’ preference for traditional exams and girls’ fondness for coursework.

Although some have welcomed opening a debate on the issue, others have criticised the idea because it involves stereotyping according to sex.

Michael Gove, the UK’s new education secretary, has announced arrangements to revise planning laws in order that groups of parents, teachers and charities can begin founding new academy schools.

Those interested in the scheme may register their interest with the government as of today. Gove explained that more than 750 parties had already stated their interest. Naturally, the move, which is said to be based on the free schools model exercised in Sweden, requires a rewrite of current regulations.

It is hoped that new schools of this kind would increase the quality of teaching received by young people in Britain.

When you’re a child in school, the last thing you expect is for a Hollywood actress to be deciding on how you are taught.

Well for some children in America that thought has become a reality as Goldie Hawn has pioneered a teaching method which makes use of breathing techniques as a way of controlling aggressive students.

But it seems that politicians in this country are impressed with the actress’s methods and shadow education secretary Michael Gove has said that he wants to talk to Goldie about setting up a state school and her ideas for the education system in this country.

Student funding has always been a controversial issue with plenty of people suggesting that students should not be entitled to any loans while others suggest that they should be entitled to more.

Well now, a think tank called Policy Exchange wants to see change to tuition fees. Policy Exchange has said that universities in England should charge tuition fees of at least £5000 a year in order to create a market with a variety of fees. The group has said that interest free loans for students should stop and that students from wealthier families should have to take out low cost bank loans.

Next year, there will be fewer trainee teachers in Scotland because it has been announced that 1,500 teacher training places are to be cut next year.

This move has been agreed as a way of dealing with unemployment among teachers and to make time to create jobs for those already qualified.

Trainee primary school teachers are predicted to be the most affected with numbers dropping from 2,555 to 1,100.

These cuts have followed on from the news reported by the Times Educational Supplement which reported that only one in seven new teachers had managed to secure permanent posts.

The subject of sex education in schools has always been controversial. And now a recent study has revealed that children who are taught about sex and the risks involved are more likely to start having sex. A lot of these will not use contraception and will therefore risk pregnancies and STDs.

The study looked at 662 children between the ages of 11 and 13. It found that a third of children taught not to have sex, had sex within two years and half given sex education lost their virginity.

So it seems that there is no clear way to ensure that children don’t have sex too young.

It seems as though our children’s futures could be under threat as universities announce that they have been hit hard by budget cuts.

The government announced an extra reduction in education funding at the end of last year and this has seen universities lose out on a further £135 million.

On top of this, £215 million is being cut from funds for teaching. Universities say that this will severely restrict the numbers of students they can take on. This is despite the government aiming to get more people into university.

Despite these cuts, science, technology, engineering and maths subjects have all been protected.