News; Talents of Bright Pupils 'Wasted'

One in 10 academically promising state school pupils in England do not go on to university, a report has claimed.

The study also says thousands of bright pupils are let down by schools because they fall back after high levels of early achievement.

The report for education charity the Sutton Trust says 60,000 high achievers do not go on to university every year.

The government said it was determined that children's talents, no matter what their background, would not be wasted.

If you get A-levels you are as highly likely as any other pupil to subsequently enrol on a degree course Sutton Trust report

The research, based on analysis of the attainment of pupils starting secondary school in 1997, tried to estimate the educational "attrition rates" of academically gifted pupils long before they think of applying for university.

It found the number of high-achieving state pupils shrank from about 88,000 at the age of 11, to just over 50,000 at age 16. Some 32,000 of these end up going to university.

It also found high rates of "leakage" among the least privileged of pupils - those qualifying for free school meals (FSM).

Two thirds of the top-performing pupils at age 11 were no longer in that category by the time they did their GCSEs. And half of these did not go on to university.

The report says: "The raw gap in higher education participation rates between pupils on free school meals and other pupils is stark."

It said non-FSM pupils had about a one in three chance of going to university while those on FSM had about a one in eight chance.

If all the missing 60,000 pupils had gone on to university, they would have boosted the participation rate by a quarter, the report added.

But the study had a positive message for those who did A-levels.

'Social mix'

"If you get A-levels you are as highly likely as any other pupil to subsequently enrol on a degree course.

"The main problem in terms of widening access to higher education is getting non-traditional students to A-levels in the first place," it added.

The country's elite universities are being urged to increase the number state pupils that attend as undergraduates, and many are struggling to do so.

Dr Anna Vignoles, of the Institute of Education, who led the research said it had long been argued that financial and social barriers at the point of entry to higher education prevented them from going to university.

"This research shows clearly that the main reason why poorer students do not go to university to the same extent as their wealthier peers is that they have weaker academic achievement in school."

There are now around 300,000 more young people going to university than 10 years ago. Bill Rammell Higher Education Minister

Research director at the Sutton Trust, Dr Lee Elliot Major said the study showed there were significant numbers of bright young people with academic potential who do not progress to university.

"If we are serious about broadening the social mix of the sector it is important not only that the brightest and best get in to our most highly-selective institutions, but that more young people from poorer backgrounds go on to higher education full stop."

Higher Education Minister Bill Rammell said: "There are now around 300,000 more young people going to university than 10 years ago.

"Latest figures show that we are improving attainment across the board and the gap between children on free school meals and their peers getting five good GCSEs in 2007 had narrowed by four per cent since 2003.

"We are determined to continue this trend."

He added that a number of schemes linked up talented pupils in school with higher education students as mentors.

Shadow Universities Secretary David Willetts said the report confirmed his worst fears.

"Bright children from poorer backgrounds are being failed by the education system. It is a shocking waste of talent.

"Universities cannot make up for all the problems that occur early on. That is why we are committed to more good schools."

Today In History; Longest Attack of Hiccups Begin

1922: Charlie Osborne is known for having the longest attack of hiccups. The dome-shaped muscle at the bottom of your chest is the diaphragm. This muscle helps you breathe and sing. It is also where hiccups begin. The diaphragm functions by pulling down when you inhale to help pull air into the lungs. When you exhale, the diaphragm pushes air out of the lungs.

When the diaphragm becomes irritated it pushes up in a way that makes your breath come out differently than normal: a hiccup. Some things that cause hiccups are eating too quickly or too much, an irritation in the stomach or the throat, or feeling nervous or excited. Almost all cases of the hiccups last only a few minutes.

Word of The Day

Radiosonde: A free-flying balloon carrying meteorological instruments. The balloon climbs to a height of 20-30 km above mean sea level, sending information from these sensors to ground stations, whereupon it bursts, returning the equipment to the ground. The progress of the radiosonde is tracked by radar.

News; Private School's Leader Steps Down

The leading voice of the independent schools sector has resigned after two months after sparking controversy by criticising state schools.

Chris Parry left the Independent Schools Council (ISC), which represents 1200 private schools, by "mutual agreement" it has said.

This followed a meeting of leading public school heads on Wednesday.

The heads had expressed "deep concern" over his war-like view of relations between private and state schools.

Early last month he clashed with Barry Sheerman, the chair of the Commons schools committee, claiming failings in the state system made parents pay twice to send their children to school

He also used the phrases "Cold War" and "sectarian divide" to describe relations between state and independent schools.

We are an integral part of the education sector and desire cooperation with the state sector not conflict Richard Cairns, head teacher Brighton College

And he referred to recent draft guidance to private schools from the Charity Commission as "a missile aimed from the maintained sector into the independent sector".

The commission wants schools to prove their wider public benefit to justify their charitable status.

The statement from the ISC said: "Chris Parry has today, by mutual agreement, stepped down as chief executive of the Independent Schools Council.

"Although he was looking forward to making a difference in the sector, Chris has chosen to take up other opportunities that he has been offered."

'Military metaphors'

The head of the independent Brighton College, Richard Cairns, said: "Mr Parry's lack of understanding of the needs and workings of the independent sector is frankly astonishing.

"The military metaphors were deeply unhelpful. We are an integral part of the education sector and desire cooperation with the state sector not conflict."

In his inaugural address to the ISC Mr Parry's presentation involved pictures of warships and tanks.

And the former rear admiral referred to the independent schools heads as his "subordinates".

Yesterday, about 25 of the heads of leading independent schools in the south east of England met and there was "unanimous deep concern" about Mr Parry, said Richard Cairns.

"His position was then untenable."

They reported their views directly to the ISC.

John Dunford, the leader of the Association of School and College Leaders - which includes independent and state school heads - said: "His resignation underlines the importance of mutual respect between independent and state schools and Chris Parry clearly crossed that line in a way his independent colleagues could not accept".

Mr Parry has not commented. A spokeswoman said Mr Parry and the ISC had agreed not to discuss his departure publicly.

Matthew Burgess, the ISC's general counsel, has taken over as the organisation's acting chief executive.

Today In History; Johanna Spyri, Author

1827: Author Johanna Spyri was born in Hirzel, Switzerland. Her most famous book, Heidi (1880), was not only famous for its vivid portrayal of the landscape but also for its understanding of how children see life and their feelings. Spyri wrote more than 50 stories and devoted herself to charitable causes. In 1937 the popular novel was made into a film starring Shirley Temple. The film, like the book, is considered a classic. So much so that Disney updated the story and released a new film version of it in 1993.

Word of The Day

Hyperthermia: An abnormally high body core temperature (more than 41°C).

News; Lift-off For Nasa Space Telescope

A Nasa space telescope has launched successfully on a mission to explore the Universe with "gamma-ray glasses".

The Glast mission will shed light on some of the most violent events in the Universe, that release massive amounts of energy in the form of gamma-rays.

It will scan the sky for massive cosmic explosions, giant black holes that hurl matter across space, and dense neutron stars with powerful magnetic fields.

Glast blasted off from Florida on Wednesday atop a Delta II rocket.

The Delta II began its climb to orbit at 1605 GMT from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. We've only scratched the surface of the how and why of these gamma-ray phenomena
Dr Dave Thompson, Nasa Goddard Space Flight Center


Glast stands for the Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope, but Nasa is calling on the public to come up with a new name for the mission.

The $690m (£350m) space observatory will take high-resolution pictures of the gamma-ray sky.

These rays are the highest-energy form of light, which makes them ideal for exploring some of the most extreme environments in the cosmos.

These are places where nature harnesses energies far beyond anything possible on Earth.

They include supermassive black holes at the cores of galaxies. These black holes produce powerful jets of matter, moving at close to the speed of light, which can travel vast distances across space.

THE GLAST MISSION
Five-year mission, but spacecraft could last for 10
Will look at the Universe in highest-energy form of light
Spacecraft is 2.8m (9.2ft) high and 2.4m (8.2ft) in diameter
Orbits at an altitude of 565km (350 miles)
The mission cost about $690m (£350m)
Lat instrument scans entire sky in two orbits of Earth
Could pick up about 200 cosmic explosions each year
Mission is a team-up between Nasa and US Department of Energy

But despite the staggering scale and speed of these jets, astronomers haven't been able to answer the most basic questions about them, such as how matter is accelerated to such fabulous speeds.

Glast will also seek to investigate the mysterious cosmic explosions known as gamma-ray bursts (or GRBs).

These events release about the same amount of energy in one second as a star like the Sun will release in its 5-10 billion-year lifetime.

"We've only scratched the surface of the how and why of these gamma-ray phenomena," said Dave Thompson, a deputy project scientist from Nasa's Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland.

"We have a lot to learn about how they work, and, more importantly, how these objects and phenomena affect the Universe. This is where Glast comes in."

The mission will also go in search of new physics, aiming to shed light on the nature of the dark matter which makes up some 22% of the Universe.

Glast represents a major step up in capability on previous gamma-ray telescopes and will cover an incredible range of light at the high energy limits of the electromagnetic spectrum.

The super-cosmos

"If Glast were a piano, it would have about 23 octaves," commented Dr Steven Ritz, the chief scientist on the mission, who is also from Nasa Goddard.

"With such a great leap in capabilities, the most important things for us are the surprises."

The main instrument aboard the spacecraft is the the Large Area Telescope, or Lat. Gamma-rays carry far to much energy to capture in the conventional way, so this is a telescope without lenses or mirrors.

Instead, the Lat uses silicon detectors and layers of metal foil to track the energetic radiation from outer space.

Once Glast reaches orbit, about 14 days will be spent checking out the spacecraft. In the third week after launch, the spacecraft's instruments will be turned on for tuning and calibration.

The mission is a collaboration between Nasa and the US Department of Energy, with important contributions from partners elsewhere in the US, in France, Germany, Italy, Japan and Sweden.

Today In History; Jacques Cousteau, Oceanic Explorer

1910: France is the birthplace of Jacques Cousteau, the naval officer, explorer, and researcher who dedicated his life to studying the sea and all forms of life in water. Cousteau, together with Emile Gagnan, also co-invented the first type of scuba diving equipment, the Aqua Lung, in 1943. Some of Cousteau's accomplishments include developing techniques to minesweep France's harbor, exploring shipwrecks, creating a two-person submarine that could reach a depth of 250m below the ocean's surface, and developing an underwater camera. Cousteau's voyage and exploration of Antarctica was televised, making him famous.

Word of The Day

Temblor: Shaking and vibration at the surface of the earth resulting from underground movement along a fault plane of from volcanic activity.

Word of The Day

Tsunami: A large wave on the ocean, usually caused by an undersea earthquake, a volcanic eruption, or coastal landslide. A tsunami can travel hundreds of miles over the open sea and cause extensive damage when it encounters land. Also called tidal waves.