‘Clear evidence of cheating’: BSB decides not to lift suspension of online exams – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted November 7th, 2023 in barristers, deceit, examinations, internet, legal education, news by sally

‘Aspiring barristers will have to stick to pen and paper for written exams following a decision by the bar regulator not to lift a suspension of online assessments after receiving ‘clear evidence of cheating’.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 7th November 2023

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

BSB takes action over worst-performing Bar training course – Legal Futures

Posted September 1st, 2023 in barristers, examinations, legal education, news, statistics, universities by sally

‘Would-be students on last year’s worst performing Bar training course – at Hertfordshire University – cannot start it this month after the Bar Standards Board (BSB) intervened.’

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Legal Futures, 1st September 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Barrister’s experiment finds chambers value academics over experience – Legal Futures

Posted July 4th, 2023 in barristers, diversity, education, examinations, news, pupillage, recruitment by sally

‘The results of a practising barrister’s experiment of applying for pupillage in a different area of law indicates that a lack of academic achievement remains a huge barrier even then.’

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Legal Futures, 4th July 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Bar courses still unaffordable, students tell regulator – Legal Futures

Posted March 9th, 2023 in barristers, examinations, fees, legal education, news by sally

‘Nearly four in five Bar students still regard their courses as unaffordable despite an average drop of £4,700 in fees, research for the Bar Standards Board (BSB) has found.’

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Legal Futures, 9th March 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Universities rebuked over academic misconduct cases in England and Wales – The Guardian

Posted February 28th, 2023 in complaints, coronavirus, examinations, news, ombudsmen, penalties, reports, universities by sally

‘Universities have been reprimanded over unfair treatment of students accused of academic misconduct in a report by the higher education ombudsman for England and Wales.’

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The Guardian, 27th February 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Government proposes new professional requirements for social housing managers – Local Government Lawyer

Posted February 28th, 2023 in examinations, health & safety, housing, landlord & tenant, news, standards by sally

‘The Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities announced yesterday (26 February) that social housing managers must gain professional qualifications under new rules to “protect residents and raise standards in the sector”.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 28th February 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

College lecturer Zoe Griffith dishonest over grades, hearing told – BBC News

‘A lecturer who gave students grades without fully assessing their work has been banned from the profession.’

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BBC News, 12th February 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Big disparity in Bar course pass rates across providers – Legal Futures

Posted December 12th, 2022 in barristers, examinations, legal education, news, pupillage, statistics by sally

‘There is a significant attainment gap between providers of the Bar training course, ranging from a pass rate of 94% at the highest to 49% at the lowest.’

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Legal Futures, 12th December 2022

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Research highlights ethnic minority attainment gap on Bar course – Legal Futures

Posted July 20th, 2022 in barristers, diversity, examinations, legal education, news, statistics by sally

‘The attainment gap between ethnic minority and White students in the centrally assessed modules of the Bar professional training course (BPTC) was “broadly similar” to other modules but with a higher impact on pass rates, research by the Bar Standards Board (BSB) has found.’

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Legal Futures, 20th July 2022

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

BSB to abolish the Bar Course Aptitude Test from 31 July – Bar Standards Board

Posted July 12th, 2022 in barristers, examinations, legal education, news by tracey

‘Following the Legal Services Board’s approval of the Bar Standards Board’s application to change its rules, the BSB will abolish the requirement that students should pass the Bar Course Aptitude Test (BCAT) before starting vocational training with effect from 31 July.’

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Bar Standards Board, 11th July 2022

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

New Acts – legislation.gov.uk

2022 c. 28 – Marriage and Civil Partnership (Minimum Age) Act 2022

2022 c. 27 – Approved Premises (Substance Testing) Act 2022

2022 c. 26 – Glue Traps (Offences) Act 2022

2022 c. 22 – Animal Welfare (Sentience) Act 2022

2022 c. 20 – Professional Qualifications Act 2022

2022 c. 17 – Local Government (Disqualification) Act 2022

2022 c. 36 – Nationality and Borders Act 2022

2022 c. 34 – British Sign Language Act 2022

2022 c. 32 – Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022

2022 c. 29 – Taxis and Private Hire Vehicles (Disabled Persons) Act 2022

2022 c. 24 – Cultural Objects (Protection from Seizure) Act 2022

Source: www.legislation.gov.uk

English test scandal: Home Office accused of ‘shocking miscarriage of justice’ – The Guardian

Posted February 10th, 2022 in appeals, deceit, examinations, government departments, news, visas by sally

‘The Home Office was accused of presiding over a “shocking miscarriage of justice” by MPs during an urgent debate on the English language testing scandal which saw thousands of international students wrongly accused of cheating in an exam they were required to sit as part of their visa application process.’

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The Guardian, 9th February 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com

Consumer panel and Bar Council at odds over future of aptitude test – Legal Futures

Posted November 17th, 2021 in barristers, examinations, legal education, news, statistics by sally

‘The evidence for abolishing the Bar course aptitude test (BCAT) is “compelling” as it has failed to achieve its purpose, the Legal Services Consumer Panel has said.’

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Legal Futures, 17th November 2021

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Public supports stronger ongoing competence checks for lawyers – Legal Futures

‘There is near unanimity among the public that lawyers should have to demonstrate more actively than now that they remain competent throughout their careers, the Legal Services Board has found.’

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Legal Futures, 9th July 2021

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Option for online exams to become permanent, SRA decides – Legal Futures

‘Emergency measures allowing legal practice course (LPC) students to take their exams at home during the pandemic are to become permanent where there is a “clear rationale” to do so, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has decided.’

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Legal Futures, 25th May 2021

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Review of Bar exam chaos points finger at BSB and Pearson VUE – Legal Futures

‘The Bar Standards Board (BSB) and electronic testing company Pearson VUE have both come under fire from the independent review of last year’s Bar professional training course (BPTC) exams.’

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Legal Futures, 7th May 2021

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Algorithms and Education: A New Frontier of Discrimination? – Oxford Human Rights Hub

‘In this brief post, I want to demonstrate how ostensibly neutral and efficient algorithms can cause discrimination in education. Last year, the national advanced level qualifications (“A-levels”) exams in the UK that lead to places in university, further study, training, or work had to be cancelled because of school closures owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. In mitigation, the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (“Ofqual”) asked teachers to supply an estimated grade for each student and a ranking that compared with every other student at the school within the same estimated grade. This data went into an algorithm that also factored the school’s performance in the subject over the previous three years. The animating purpose behind the algorithm was to avoid ‘grade inflation’ and ensuring consistency with previous year’s results. When the grades were announced, the outcome was devastating for many. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, nearly 40% of results were lower than teachers’ assessments. The effects of “downgraded” results were disproportionately felt in comparatively poorly resourced state schools.’

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Oxford Human Rights Hub, 15th March 2021

Source: ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk

Bar students and BPP at odds over face-to-face exam this week – Legal Futures

Posted January 6th, 2021 in barristers, coronavirus, examinations, legal education, news, universities by sally

‘Last night’s announcement of a new lockdown has thrown a new element into the dispute between BPP Law School and Bar students over a scheduled face-to-face exam this week.’

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Legal Futures, 5th January 2021

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

BSB appoints reviewer to probe summer exam fiasco – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted November 5th, 2020 in barristers, computer programs, examinations, legal education, news by tracey

‘The Bar Standards Board has appointed an independent reviewer to find out what went wrong during the summer exam period, in which a quarter of bar school examinations could not be completed due to technical faults.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 4th November 2020

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Review of BSB decision-making will not cover exams furore – Legal Futures

Posted September 30th, 2020 in barristers, coronavirus, examinations, legal education, Legal Services Board, news by sally

‘The Legal Services Board (LSB) has launched its review of the quality of the Bar Standards Board’s (BSB) decision-making – but is not going to look at the controversy around last month’s Bar exams.’

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Legal Futures, 30th September 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk