SRA considers ditching skills testing from first part of SQE – Legal Futures

‘The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) is considering whether to abandon the skills element of the first stage of the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE), meaning it would consist entirely of multiple-choice questions.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 31st July 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Home Office used ‘confused, misleading, incomplete and unsafe’ evidence to revoke visas of tens of thousands of international students, report finds – The Independent

‘Tens of thousands of international students had their visas revoked after the Home Office used “confused, misleading, incomplete and unsafe” evidence, MPs have said. The department ignored expert advice and relied on “dodgy” evidence when it accused almost 34,000 students of cheating in English language tests in 2015, according to a new report published by the all-party parliamentary group (APPG) on the Test of English for International Communication (Toeic).’

Full Story

The Independent, 18th July 2019

Source: www.independent.co.uk

‘Discredited’ test used on two in five Syrian asylum seekers in UK – The Guardian

Posted June 18th, 2019 in asylum, examinations, government departments, immigration, news by tracey

‘Almost two in five Syrian asylum seekers were made to take a widely criticised language test to prove their nationality, the Guardian can reveal. Campaigners and experts have criticised the Home Office for the widespread use of language analysis on those claiming to have fled Syria, describing it as “pseudoscience” and a political tool to exclude migrants.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 17th June 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Investigation into the response to cheating in English language tests – National Audit Office

Posted May 24th, 2019 in auditors, examinations, fraud, immigration, press releases, statistics, visas by tracey

‘The National Audit Office (NAO) has today published its investigation into the Home Office’s response to widespread cheating by international students in English language tests. Clearly widespread cheating did take place but some people may have been wrongly accused and in some cases, unfairly removed from the UK.’

Full press release

National Audit Office, 24th May 2019

Source: www.nao.org.uk

Parents of student who died in suicide over anxiety attacks to sue Bristol University – The Independent

‘The parents of a student who took her own life because she was too anxious to make a public presentation are taking legal action against her university.’

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The Independent, 19th May 2019

Source: www.independent.co.uk

English teacher refused UK visa because her English isn’t up to ‘standard’ – The Independent

Posted September 7th, 2018 in examinations, news, visas by tracey

‘An English teacher has been refused the right to join her fiance in the UK after the Home Office claimed her English does not meet the required standard.’

Full Story

The Independent, 7th September 2018

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Government ‘complicit in school’s illegal exclusion policy’ – BBC News

Posted July 27th, 2018 in examinations, government departments, news, school exclusions by sally

‘The government has been “complicit” in an illegal policy that saw a school force out pupils unlikely to achieve high grades, campaigners have claimed.’

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BBC News, 27th July 2018

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Exam boards launch legal challenge over government’s flagship T-level qualifications – The Independent

Posted July 19th, 2018 in education, examinations, news by tracey

‘Legal action has been launched against the Department for Education over the introduction of the government’s flagship technical qualification, by the body which represents exam boards.’

Full Story

The Independent, 19th July 2018

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Inquiry condemns school that barred A-level pupils – The Guardian

Posted July 11th, 2018 in examinations, inquiries, news, school exclusions by tracey

‘An independent inquiry into a top grammar school, which was revealed by a Guardian investigation to be forcing out pupils who were unlikely to get top grades at A-level, has delivered a damning report accusing the school of illegally treating its students as “collateral damage” in the pursuit of its own interests.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 10th July 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Trainee barristers told they will be marked down for wearing short skirts – The Guardian

Posted April 17th, 2018 in barristers, examinations, freedom of expression, news, universities by tracey

‘Trainee barristers are being told they will be docked points in their exams if they wear short skirts, colourful socks or “kinky boots”. A handbook at the BPP university law school warns students that they may lose points if they do not adopt an extremely conservative dress code in their advocacy assessments.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 16th April 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Barrister who lied about LLM and death penalty experience to gain pupillage disbarred – Legal Futures

‘A barrister has been disbarred for lying about her qualifications and experience, including a claim that she had saved 10 men from the death penalty in Malawi.’

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Legal Futures, 1st March 2018

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Oxford University not at fault for graduate’s 2:1 as he may have ‘simply coasted’, judge rules – Daily Telegraph

Posted February 8th, 2018 in examinations, news, universities by tracey

‘Oxford University was not at fault for a graduate’s 2:1 degree as he may have “simply coasted”, a judge has ruled.’

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Daily Telegraph, 7th February 2018

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Court comes down hard on fake certificate sellers – Technology Law Update

Posted September 28th, 2017 in examinations, fraud, news by sally

‘Students hoping to secure places in higher education or with employers will want to put their best foot forward with a sheaf of hard-won qualifications. But fake certificates sold online are an increasing problem. Now the body representing the main UK examination boards, the Joint Council for Qualifications or JCQ, has won an important court victory against the fraudsters, sending a strong message to others making money from this illicit trade.’

Full Story

Technology Law Update, 27th September 2017

Source: www.technology-law-blog.co.uk

Calls for inquiry into grammar school that ‘unlawfully’ excluded students – The Guardian

Posted September 5th, 2017 in education, examinations, news, school exclusions by sally

‘Parents and former governors at a leading grammar school found to be systematically excluding pupils halfway through their A-level studies say there needs to be a full inquiry in order to restore confidence in the school.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 4th September 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com

Exam leak allegations trigger Ofqual review of rules – The Guardian

Posted September 1st, 2017 in disclosure, examinations, news, teachers by sally

‘England’s exams watchdog has announced a review of rules allowing teachers to set question papers, in the wake of allegations of exam leaks at public schools first revealed in the Guardian.’

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The Guardian, 31st August 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com

More London sixth-form schools face threat of legal cases for exclusion – The Guardian

Posted September 1st, 2017 in complaints, examinations, London, news, school exclusions by sally

‘Lawyers acting for families who claim their children have been illegally excluded from St Olave’s grammar school are considering launching proceedings against a number of other London schools after being contacted by parents.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 31st August 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com

Leading grammar school ‘unlawfully’ excludes pupils for failing to get top grades – Daily Telegraph

‘A group of sixth form pupils have hired lawyers to take on one of the country’s leading grammar schools for throwing them out when they failed to achieve top grades.’

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Daily Telegraph, 29th August 2017

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Uber to appeal against English tests for drivers – BBC News

Posted June 28th, 2017 in appeals, examinations, London, news, taxis by sally

‘The introduction of an English language test for private hire drivers has been delayed after Uber won the right to appeal against the plans.’

Full Story

BBC News, 28th June 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

“Massive memory test” preventing Bar students from understanding ethical values – Legal Futures

‘Bar students are struggling to understand ethical values because of the “massive memory test” awaiting them in the examination room, a senior lecturer has claimed.’

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Legal Futures, 22nd June 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Government lawyers discriminated against autistic student with training contract test, EAT rules – Legal Futures

Posted May 8th, 2017 in autism, disability discrimination, examinations, news by sally

‘The Government Legal Service (GLS) discriminated against a law graduate with Asperger’s Syndrome by refusing to make reasonable adjustments when she took a test that forms part of the application process for training contracts, the Employment Appeal Tribunal has found.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 8th May 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk