You Think What?

ISC’S message to Government has been pretty clear. British independent schools are renowned institutions, providing education which is (almost) unparalleled in the world (though OECD statisticians might herald South Korea and New Zealand). Overseas pupils want to come to British independent schools to benefit from that excellence. Their cultural presence enriches our academic institutions and our country, and not just in financial terms. The’re all children or very young adults coming to highly trusted educational foundations with a deep-seated culture which places the welfare of each pupil at the heart of their work. ISC independent schools are the paradigm “genuine institution”, our pupils exemplary students. They are, in fact, polar opposites of the “bogus colleges” and “economic migrants” which have become UKBA’s bogeymen.

ISC is assured that this message, repeated loudly and often to Ministers and officials, has landed. The Home Secretary, in her first speech this month, expressly said: “Let me make clear: I will do nothing to prevent those coming here to study degree level courses and I will protect our world class academic institutions above and below degree level.” This is key: previous speeches treated all institutions offering courses below degree courses which by definition includes schools as inherently suspect.

As ever, after closer inspection I have no doubt that we have work to do to make sure that both independent schools and independent sixth form suffer no collateral damage from the pending changes, as we have from the hasty introduction of Highly Trusted Status, compulsory language testing and a whole raft of other misjudged policies. We will also continue to press other messages: that pupils are not “net migrants” at all; they accrue no settlement rights whilst in school; they make no claims on public services or public funds; they are, in short, an asset to be cultivated, not a liability to be capped. But the desire to establish the distinctive placement of overseas pupils in our immigration system appears, for now, to be have been successful.

Make sure you investigate pre-prep schools and boarding schools.

Here’s a ditty dedicated to all of you who will be flying domestic or international flights during this Christmas holiday season. The tune is a parody of the Bing Crosby favorite, “I’ll Be Home For Christmas”; the special lyrical twist is supplied by the mellow holiday musical stylings of Roxi Copland. Enjoy!

You can be baffled by the choices open to you if you decide to have your child educated privately, outside the British state system. From pre-school through to sixth form, you can apply for a place at an independent school at any stage of education. On closer examination, there is huge diversity in what private schools offer in England. From arts-based, creative environments to temples of academia to faith schools, the choice is very wide indeed.

Many factors should be considered when choosing an independent school for your son or daughter. First you must consider the character of the child. Are they lazy and bored or highly motivated? Is your child reticent and shy or outgoing and confident? Are sports or creative subjects a particular interest? Do they experience particular difficulties in the classroom such as concentrating or reading? With the right advice, you can find a private school that makes all the difference to your child’s education.

Academic standards are usually a major deciding factor when it comes to choosing an independent school. Excellent exam results are a matter of pride for most schools. Nowadays, league tables are published to enable parents to compare the performance of schools and the grades achieved by their pupils. Often parents choose to send their children to a private school when the state schools in their area are poorly performing.

Sometimes, independent schools are chosen because of its particular style or atmosphere, or because it is single sex, faith based, dedicated to sports or has some other specialism. Often, these schools have a stronger, more focused approach to education and can apply more resources to developing each child in their care.

Children are not always sent to private school from an early age. It is often the case that children start their education at their local primary and secondary schools then move into the independent sector. This may be because they are being distracted from their studies or are failing to reach their academic potential. Often parents decide to pay for a private school for GCSE re-takes and A-levels. There are many excellent independent six form colleges, and the system is flexible enough to accommodate most requirements.

A child may perform well in the state system and reach his or her potential until, for some reason, they lose motivation. Often, in these circumstances, it is best to take them out of the school they no longer enjoy, and find somewhere else which will allow them to success again. Whilst costly, sending them to a private school can be seen as a worthwhile investment in their future success and employment opportunities.

Fee-paying establishments offer a higher standard of facilities to children and smaller class sizes – attributes valued by most people. As they are able to pay higher wages than the state system, they are often able to attract better teachers. People consider that these important educational benefits are worth paying for.

Now Try – Private Schools In London

Anyone who has been working a full time job and who has hopes to further their education should seriously consider obtaining an online degree. Whether you are wanting to make a change of careers, or just to show your boss you are anxiously engaged by buffing up on your abilities so you can be awarded a pay increase, the online degree has the potential to be a wonderful fit for working adults, single mothers, and even persons who have graduated recently from high school. People in remote places could also benefit greatly from online college courses.

What kind of online degrees are available? Nearly anything you can you can think of is being organized so that it can be made into an online format. In this day and age, there is available to you at your very fingertips (literally) not only Associates degrees, but online bachelors degrees and even online masters degrees! You can get an accounting degree, a business administration degree, a nursing degree, paralegal, information technology, early childhood education, graphic design, biology, chemistry, and a lot more!

What’s so great about an online degree? Well, to begin with, they are real degrees! We’re not talking about the type of ministerial degree where you can send money over the internet and receive a piece of paper back in the mail stating that you are a priest or pastor able to preside over and perform marriages and more. Seriously, we are talking about degrees that carry the weight they deserve.

Beyond their being credible, online degrees definitely show an employer how serious and disciplined you are. There is a difference between getting an online degree and a traditional degree from a college or university. You see, when you go to college in person, everything is more formal and guided. You have the choice of attending class, then finish your assignments and turn them in, take the tests when they are given, or you don’t pass the classes. But with the online degree programs, it is so much more self-starting. You are the one at the wheel, and you must make yourself to finish the work.

Doing coursework online shows more initiative. Employers want self-starters, not employees that have to be continually monitored. Sometimes a normal degree can also be earned only because it is expected by family, friends, and relatives to be part of what you need for your future. You or others that you know may have indeed graduated from college with a degree (even if it was with a C average), and just had fun at school, just barely making it. Usually, an online degree is a very much-WANTED degree, and a well-chosen one with a job to apply it to.

You read it here first…word on the street is  the producers of the upcoming BigotPalooza have added more names to the upcoming performance schedule.

When the political road show comes to your town, and according to our sources it will be coming to a public venue near you before November 2010 Election Day, that religious zealot and xenophobe extraordinaire, Terry Jones of Gainesville, Florida will be included on the program. (more…)

The word on the street is Ken Mehlman is joining the rodeo clown from Faux News Channel,  the guy who isn’t sure he wants a theocracy because he doesn’t know what one is; along with the grifter former Governor of Alaska, as well as Don Imus, you may recall he’s the over-the-hill radio DJ with a way with words to describe young black females;  along with disgraced comic, actor, performer Michael Richards the man who really knows how to call a spade a spade, along with that self appointed arbiter of bad advice and poor judgment Dr. Laura “She’s-Not-A-Licensed-Psychologist-Or-Psychiatrist-But-She-Needs-To-Be-Under-The-Care-Of-One” Schlessinger, when they will be touring the country in the coming weeks to help gin up the Repuglican Party faithful in preparation for the November mid term elections.

Tell your friends you read it here first. Plans are in the making for a national road show featuring all of America’s favorite racists. (more…)

Being able to complete college has already been an extremely large accomplishment. It is important that each individual will learn in order to value the importance of likely to school. We are all given the best and the privilege to go to college and be informed it is simply that there are a few that cannot afford to send their children or even on their own to college. It’s this type of feel bad for for those individuals who wish to go to college however because of monetary constraints, invest their own existence wondering as well as daydreaming regarding when the period can come for them to step their foot in school.

It really is hard for the parents to send their children to school in the event that they do not have enough funds which will support all throughout the college year. It is also difficult for the kids to simply accept the fact that they cannot join their (more…)

Taking A level examinations is an important stage in the life of most young people. Good results can mean a place at the university of their choice and a bright future ahead. Even if not wishing to go to university, good A level results put someone in a strong position to get a good job straight away. Either way, the importance of the results a student achieves for their A levels cannot be understated. Should someone fail to achieve results that they are happy with, it can seem like the world has come to and end. Well laid plans for the future can all of a sudden an impossibility. There is a solution though, which is to simply do A level retakes.

None of this may matter if all you want to do is escape from school or college and are not aiming for a university place, or career that requires particular grades. However, if your heart is set on a university course or a vocational scheme and your results do not match up, all is not lost. Although A level retakes may delay your plans, they are a great way to get back on track for the career you really want. A year of extra studying will help you avoid taking a job you do not really want, opting for second or third choice university courses, or missing out on a degree when you deserve the opportunity to get one.

Research has shown that those doing A level retakes achieve significantly better grades than they did at their first attempt. Therefore, you can expect your results to be each be at least one grade higher by having a second go at them. It is actually not uncommon for people to even go from a D or E grade up to an A grade within a year. If other people can turn around their grades, why can’t you do the same? Remember, those people are not ‘geeks’, they were just like you are now – someone who has, for one reason or another, not lived up to their potential. Also, keep in mind that you will not be starting again from scratch. You will have picked up some knowledge from your past year of studying, so you have a base on which to build. Take that base, attend every class and do all of your assignments and a place at the university of your choice is certainly achievable.

You can do A level retakes at the same college that you were at last year, but it can be a good idea to move to a different college. Why? Because a new college means a new start. You will not have constant reminders around of your past problems and you will be taught be different teachers / lecturers who may allow you to see your subjects in a new light. You can even choose totally new subjects if you want to, and retake not just your last year of college but the first year you did too.

So, if you have recently received A level results that you are not happy with, why not retake your exams and give yourself another chance?

Now Try – A Level Retake Courses

On Saturday, August 28, 2010 many Americans around the world will remember the forty-seventh anniversary of the historic March On Washington For Jobs and Freedom. It is the monumental event which, few would dispute, was the culmination of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. It was considered the very first time a U.S. president gave the organized descendants of former slaves and poor people his undivided attention and with the intent to change their lot through decisive legislation.

Several groups will be in Washington for commemoration of this very historic American event. (more…)

We’ve long held the idea that watching news programs, any news programs, is a collossal waste of time. We especially find it true that anyone who is among the thousands millions who watch FoxNews Channel on a regular basis does so only to increase the lack of intelligence quota. or theLIQ. (This acronym when followed by the letters O-U-R are the reason so many people are watching Fox News Channel and come away far less informed than they were when they began watching the news programs offered by the cable news channel…) (more…)