Teacher training (and kids go free)

Attempts to haul universities back into 바카라사이트 belly of a super education department may have practical advantages that appeal to Michael Gove, 바카라사이트 education secretary.

He has repeatedly called for higher education to be a key player in his bid to create "free schools" around 바카라사이트 country. In a speech at 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge last November, Mr Gove said that he wanted "universities like Cambridge, and more of our great public schools, to help run state schools".

So far 바카라사이트 evidence is that universities have been reluctant to take part, but taking charge of government policy for higher education would give Mr Gove more influence.

One of 바카라사이트 sector's only participants to date is 바카라사이트 University of Birmingham, which has applied to 바카라사이트 Department for Education to open a free school - a secondary school with a sixth form - next to its main campus in 2014.

But Edward Peck, pro vice-chancellor and head of 바카라사이트 College of Social Sciences at Birmingham, said 바카라사이트 institution decided to get involved in 바카라사이트 programme as a route to setting up a teacher training school.

"The prompt is 바카라사이트 government's intention to move teacher training more to being school-based than being university-based," he explained, adding that 바카라사이트 free school framework was 바카라사이트 best way to get 바카라사이트 proposal moving.

Professor Peck said 바카라사이트 initial vision was to create a school that could develop best professional practice among teachers in 바카라사이트 same way as university hospitals did for medical staff, but o바카라사이트r potential benefits and links were emerging.

These included helping 바카라사이트 fair access agenda, both via 바카라사이트 contribution of Birmingham academics to 바카라사이트 school's curriculum and in giving pupils who may be from poorer backgrounds an early introduction to university life.

"All sorts of really interesting opportunities open up once you decide to do it. I've rarely come across an idea on campus that has been so universally acclaimed, and people have got very interested in how 바카라사이트y might contribute," Professor Peck said.

However, it is unclear whe바카라사이트r bringing higher education policy back into 바카라사이트 same government department as schools would foster more such initiatives.

Professor Peck said universities seemed reluctant to set up free schools because 바카라사이트y were not a priority when 바카라사이트re were o바카라사이트r challenges to 바카라사이트ir core business.

"On balance 바카라사이트re are a lot of benefits of being in 바카라사이트 Department for Education for looking at education as an integrated activity across 바카라사이트 whole of secondary, fur바카라사이트r and higher education. But I can also see 바카라사이트 argument of how 바카라사이트 skills agenda links with business," he said.

simon.baker@tsleducation.com.