In recent weeks, Philippa Levine, a British historian and co-director of the British Studies program at the University of Texas, has been besieged with requests from American journalists seeking her insights into the recent royal wedding. Levine has expressed her exasperation, stating that she, like most in her field, is not an expert on William and Kate. Nonetheless, British studies is a field flourishing in the US which brings together scholars from a wide range of academic disciplines to study Britain and its empire. Levine, who is also president of the North American Conference on British Studies, explains that the field has gone from focusing on "little England" to studying…

Headteachers are expressing their concern over the surge in numbers of children attending school without proper nourishment. This is happening due to a combination of factors, described by the professionals as a “perfect storm” of increased poverty, higher prices and an alarming reduction in school budgets. They claim that this issue is worsening, as while the percentage of children entitled to free school meals (FSM) has risen from 15% to over 22% in England, more disproportionately affected youngsters from families in poverty but not eligible for FSM have also increased. These combined factors put many children at risk of starvation caused by inadequate and insufficient resources to meet their needs.…

James Pope, the star of BBC2’s documentary series, School, has admitted that he has not actually been watching it. He was worried about how he would come across and was concerned that people would view him negatively despite the four years of mostly positive feedback received from his superiors and the local community. Pope is the focus of the show, which takes a year-long look at several secondary schools participating in a multi-academy trust. Pope is seen grappling with problems at Marlwood; a school in rural Gloucestershire, which has been placed into special measures by Ofsted. He’s confronted with the challenge of boosting the school’s standards while simultaneously being asked…

Recent research has revealed that almost half of primary school children, aged between 7 and 11, are unable to swim 25 metres without assistance. Despite swimming being a requirement on the national curriculum, over 1,000 primary schools elected not to provide swimming lessons. Furthermore, some schools were found to offer insufficient time in the pool to enable children to learn how to swim proficiently, according to the Amateur Swimming Association (ASA). The association’s yearly poll of primary schools discovered that 45% of pupils in this age range could not swim unaided. This indicated a slight improvement over last year, when 51% were found to be unable to swim the same…

The rallying cry "education, education, education" of New Labour has evolved from being a mere manifesto soundbite into a mission-critical test for the current government. The Department for Education and Skills (DfES) is relaunching its campaign to enhance teacher training, in an attempt to recruit more teachers for our schools. In London alone, there are more than 6,000 vacant training places for the current year. The government is providing lucrative benefits to attract fresh graduates to classrooms, including a training bursary of £6,000 for most postgraduate trainee teachers, whether they are UK residents, or from EU or EEA countries. With a weekly remuneration of £150 during the training phase. Moreover,…

The Porter’s Lodge at Eton, an unassuming but refined room that protects the entrance to one of the world’s most reputable academic institutions, holds a recent copy of the Week magazine amongst two chairs reserved for visitors. On its front cover is a satirical cartoon of British Prime Minister David Cameron, who marks the 19th product of Eton to hold this title, along with a snapshot of London’s Mayor, Boris Johnson – another Old Etonian who some speculate might become the 20th Prime Minister from Eton. This magazine has clearly been well-read, proving that outsiders are still captivated by the influence that Eton holds, as much as the school itself…

David Lewis, an eminent botanist and pro-vice chancellor at the University of Sheffield, has passed away at the age of 85. His primary scientific domain was examining the relationship between mycorrhizal fungi and their plant counterparts. In addition to his research, he also served as the editor of New Phytologist from 1970 to 1983 and as its executive editor from 1983 to 1995. Under his editorship, the journal rose to greater international prominence. He was a frequent contributor himself to the journal and even had a published article just two years prior to his death. David’s passion for botany began in his youth, growing up with his parents in Neath,…

As competition within the higher education sector intensifies, British universities are spending millions to market their courses to students. The Guardian conducted a freedom of information investigation, which found that lower and middle-ranking universities paid the most for marketing in an effort to attract students to fill places on their courses and bring in income via tuition fees. The University of Central Lancashire spent the most on marketing, splurging £3.4m for its 2017-18 campaign. Other high-spending universities included the University of the West of England, which spent £3m; Middlesex, which spent £2.6m; and Gloucestershire, which invested £1.9m. A representative from Universities UK, the organization that represents 136 higher education institutions, commented…

The university experience introduces students to the thrill of learning and the challenge of overcoming boredom. While boredom in school can stem from a repetitive schedule of activities and subjects, university students may face the challenge of focusing on just one or two subjects for a minimum of three years. As one progresses through higher levels of education, the threshold for tolerating boredom only increases. Pursuing a master’s degree involves a whole year on a single aspect of an undergraduate degree, while a PhD can mean four years of honing in on a specific subtopic. Although universities offer stimulating opportunities, autonomous learning is emphasized, requiring students to create their own…

If you’re considering where to live next year as a first-year student, you may have noticed the glitzy new buildings being erected and be tempted to opt for private halls of residence. However, it’s important to consider that these options can be costly, with luxuries such as gyms and en-suite rooms driving up the fees charged by providers. While choosing between private housing blocks and university-run halls of residence, it’s worth keeping the cost in mind. A report from the National Union of Students (NUS) and Unipol found that the average price for en-suite rooms in the 2018/19 academic year was £145 per week at universities and just £3 more…