Ministers say it is a scandal that so few teenagers are getting at least a C in the ‘English baccalaureate’ of six core subjects

Just 3% of teenagers managed a good pass in six traditional subjects at GCSE in some parts of England, according to a Conservative party survey.

Researchers asked local authorities for the proportion of pupils who took GCSEs in English, maths, two sciences, a language and history or geography last summer. They also requested the proportion of pupils in each local authority who achieved a C grade or more in these subjects.

The combination of subjects is now known as the English baccalaureate (Ebacc). Last year, for the first time, schools were measured by the proportion of their pupils who had achieved a C grade or more in these subjects in annual league tables.

Tory ministers have described it as a scandal that more pupils do not take these subjects. They argue that employers and universities demand them over other subjects and that they give teenagers the best grounding to go on to further study.

The Tories found that in Knowsley, Merseyside, just 3% of pupils achieved the Ebacc. In Tower Hamlets, east London, just 5.9% did. Both are among the most deprived parts of the country.

In contrast, in affluent shires, such as Buckinghamshire and Wokingham in Berkshire, 33.2% and 26.5% of pupils achieved the Ebacc.

Across the country, 16.5% of pupils who took GCSEs last summer managed to get the English Bacc. However, pupils in deprived neighbourhoods were far less likely to be put in for the subjects and therefore to achieve them.

In the 15 most deprived local authorities, just 13.6% of pupils were entered for the combination of subjects and just 9% achieved it. In the 15 least deprived local authorities, 30.8% were entered for the Ebacc and 22.1% achieved it.

The Conservatives said councils they run had a higher proportion of pupils sitting – and achieving good passes – in the subjects. In Tory councils, 25.1% of pupils entered English Bacc subjects and 17.9% achieved good passes in the subjects. In Labour councils, 17% of pupils took the subjects and 11.5% achieved a C or above in them.

Damian Hinds, a Conservative MP who sits on the cross-party education select committee, said Labour had imposed a “postcode lottery on the life chances of a generation” and that too many teenagers had been steered away from the subjects that employers value the most.

“Through the English baccalaureate, the coalition government will reverse the drift away from a core of recognised key academic subjects,” he said. “This will help to ensure that, whatever their background, our young people have the skills and qualifications to compete in an increasingly global marketplace with their counterparts from countries like China and India.”

Last summer, after the publication of GCSE results, Nick Gibb, the schools minister, said it was “a scandal that four-fifths of our 16-year-olds did not take the core academic GCSEs that universities and employers demand, when far more are capable of doing so”.

A spokeswoman from Knowsley Council said many of its pupils opted to take vocational subjects. She said the council’s figures showed that almost half of all pupils who took English Bacc subjects achieved good passes in their subjects.

“The levels of attainment in Knowsley’s schools are improving year on year and we are striving to maintain that improvement in 2012 and future years,” she said.

A spokeswoman from Tower Hamlets Council said that while there were “relatively high” numbers of pupils taking English, Maths and the sciences, “fewer pupils have historically opted to study history/geography or languages”.

She said schools in the area were reviewing their curriculum to ensure that students are entered for the English Bacc.

Stephen Twigg, Labour’s shadow education secretary, said the figures showed that, under Labour, more children had more choice in what subjects they took at GCSE.

“The figures ignore the fact pupils also got better results. This re-hash of old figures makes no account for outcomes, just a crude assessment of how many pupils took subjects.

“Breadth and depth are important to get a well rounded education in the modern world … While it’s great that more children are studying languages, there is a danger that the English Bacc will crowd out important subjects like Music, Religious Education, Art, and Design & Technology.”

online school degrees

First of all, if you are going to pursue a degree program, you need to make sure that it is a fully accredited course provided by an accredited school. This is more important than ever before as several websites have sprung up across the Internet that are designed to look like legitimate colleges and universities who are offering college degrees at bargain basement prices. However, they are really nothing more than education scams, or diploma mills, that hand out what amounts to a fake degree that is worth very little in the employment world.

Of course, you can find plenty of legitimate, fully accredited schools both online and off line that can give you a high quality education in whatever major that you choose. But before you sign up with any school to pursue your higher education, do your homework first and make sure that it is accredited with a legitimate well recognized accreditation agency.

It’s important that you not only verify the accreditation of the school itself that you are considering, but also the accreditation agency that recommends it. This is because these websites have now gone so far as to not only set up a phony school, but also fake accreditation agencies that appear to verify its curriculum. So don’t be deceived by any school’s apparent claims with regard to accreditation. Be sure to check it out yourself and know for a fact that the education you will receive at that school will be worth the investment that you make before signing up.

It’s actually pretty easy to establish the validity of the school, as you only have to go to the web site for the Council for Higher Education Accreditation or CHEA. This agency is not affiliated with the government, but helps coordinate research on accreditation issues. All you have to do is enter the name of the educational institution and they will tell you if it is accredited by a recognized legitimate accreditation agency or not. Just taking this one simple step can save you a lot of frustration and lost money.

You can also save money on pursuing an education degree if you have been in the military in the past, as there are plenty of options open to former military personnel through the GI Bill.

Another popular way of controlling education costs is to attend a community college in your area for the first two years and then transferring your credits over to a major college for your final degree. As long as the community college cooperates with the major colleges in the area, your credits should all transfer and you can usually save lots of money on the first two years of your education.

Hopefully these suggestions will help you be better prepared to find a college degree program that is not only fully accredited but also affordable as well.

For those who clear 10+2 and willing to take up engineering as profession need to go through a lot of hard work, just to get admission into engineering colleges. It is a pain for those who do not know where to go, what to do or what forms to fill. India being a vast country offers an array of opportunities on the professional front and therefore it is important to know what all colleges are there that may help you fulfill your dream to become an engineer.

An entire list of state entrance examination including DCE, KCET, MHT-CET, WBJEE, VITEEE, HP-CPET, Punjab CET, Rajasthan CET, UP-SEE, EAMCET, BITS, Manipal UGET and many more, are there that conduct examination to test the skills of the aspirants willing to join a courses in engineering. Accompanying these are, some All India entrance exams which include AIEEE, IIT-JEE etc in which candidates from all across the country can apply for admission in some of the premier institutes of education in India.

Some of the colleges of national repute including NITs and IITs acknowledge admissions on the basis of these All India Entrance Examinations. So for those who are aspiring to become an engineer, all you have to do is to appear in these entrance exams, secure a respectable rank and pass 10+2 with aggregate of 50% marks in Physics and mathematics as compulsory subjects. But securing a good rank in these exams may not be as simple as it seems to be and so it is advised that the aspirants must keep a tab on the fundamentals of their subject of study.

Candidates who clear this entrance examination gets enrolled into degree colleges offered by NITs, deemed universities and institutions in the states/UTs, Central government Universities excluding those that come under Joint Entrance Examination/State Level Entrance Examination for paid or unpaid seats available according to the number of marks and rank secured.

If you fear, that you might not be able to make it to any engineering college, then there is no need to worry! India is no short of having good private engineering colleges. Interestingly, you may find a private engineering college nearby easily. But keep it as your final alternative.

For those who clear 10+2 and willing to take up engineering as profession need to go through a lot of hard work, just to get admission into engineering colleges. It is a pain for those who do not know where to go, what to do or what forms to fill. India being a vast country offers an array of opportunities on the professional front and therefore it is important to know what all colleges are there that may help you fulfill your dream to become an engineer.

An entire list of state entrance examination including DCE, KCET, MHT-CET, WBJEE, VITEEE, HP-CPET, Punjab CET, Rajasthan CET, UP-SEE, EAMCET, BITS, Manipal UGET and many more, are there that conduct examination to test the skills of the aspirants willing to join a courses in engineering. Accompanying these are, some All India entrance exams which include AIEEE, IIT-JEE etc in which candidates from all across the country can apply for admission in some of the premier institutes of education in India.

Some of the colleges of national repute including NITs and IITs acknowledge admissions on the basis of these All India Entrance Examinations. So for those who are aspiring to become an engineer, all you have to do is to appear in these entrance exams, secure a respectable rank and pass 10+2 with aggregate of 50% marks in Physics and mathematics as compulsory subjects. But securing a good rank in these exams may not be as simple as it seems to be and so it is advised that the aspirants must keep a tab on the fundamentals of their subject of study.

Candidates who clear this entrance examination gets enrolled into degree colleges offered by NITs, deemed universities and institutions in the states/UTs, Central government Universities excluding those that come under Joint Entrance Examination/State Level Entrance Examination for paid or unpaid seats available according to the number of marks and rank secured.

If you fear, that you might not be able to make it to any engineering college, then there is no need to worry! India is no short of having good private engineering colleges. Interestingly, you may find a private engineering college nearby easily. But keep it as your final alternative.

For those who clear 10+2 and willing to take up engineering as profession need to go through a lot of hard work, just to get admission into engineering colleges. It is a pain for those who do not know where to go, what to do or what forms to fill. India being a vast country offers an array of opportunities on the professional front and therefore it is important to know what all colleges are there that may help you fulfill your dream to become an engineer.

An entire list of state entrance examination including DCE, KCET, MHT-CET, WBJEE, VITEEE, HP-CPET, Punjab CET, Rajasthan CET, UP-SEE, EAMCET, BITS, Manipal UGET and many more, are there that conduct examination to test the skills of the aspirants willing to join a courses in engineering. Accompanying these are, some All India entrance exams which include AIEEE, IIT-JEE etc in which candidates from all across the country can apply for admission in some of the premier institutes of education in India.

Some of the colleges of national repute including NITs and IITs acknowledge admissions on the basis of these All India Entrance Examinations. So for those who are aspiring to become an engineer, all you have to do is to appear in these entrance exams, secure a respectable rank and pass 10+2 with aggregate of 50% marks in Physics and mathematics as compulsory subjects. But securing a good rank in these exams may not be as simple as it seems to be and so it is advised that the aspirants must keep a tab on the fundamentals of their subject of study.

Candidates who clear this entrance examination gets enrolled into degree colleges offered by NITs, deemed universities and institutions in the states/UTs, Central government Universities excluding those that come under Joint Entrance Examination/State Level Entrance Examination for paid or unpaid seats available according to the number of marks and rank secured.

If you fear, that you might not be able to make it to any engineering college, then there is no need to worry! India is no short of having good private engineering colleges. Interestingly, you may find a private engineering college nearby easily. But keep it as your final alternative.

For those who clear 10+2 and willing to take up engineering as profession need to go through a lot of hard work, just to get admission into engineering colleges. It is a pain for those who do not know where to go, what to do or what forms to fill. India being a vast country offers an array of opportunities on the professional front and therefore it is important to know what all colleges are there that may help you fulfill your dream to become an engineer.

An entire list of state entrance examination including DCE, KCET, MHT-CET, WBJEE, VITEEE, HP-CPET, Punjab CET, Rajasthan CET, UP-SEE, EAMCET, BITS, Manipal UGET and many more, are there that conduct examination to test the skills of the aspirants willing to join a courses in engineering. Accompanying these are, some All India entrance exams which include AIEEE, IIT-JEE etc in which candidates from all across the country can apply for admission in some of the premier institutes of education in India.

Some of the colleges of national repute including NITs and IITs acknowledge admissions on the basis of these All India Entrance Examinations. So for those who are aspiring to become an engineer, all you have to do is to appear in these entrance exams, secure a respectable rank and pass 10+2 with aggregate of 50% marks in Physics and mathematics as compulsory subjects. But securing a good rank in these exams may not be as simple as it seems to be and so it is advised that the aspirants must keep a tab on the fundamentals of their subject of study.

Candidates who clear this entrance examination gets enrolled into degree colleges offered by NITs, deemed universities and institutions in the states/UTs, Central government Universities excluding those that come under Joint Entrance Examination/State Level Entrance Examination for paid or unpaid seats available according to the number of marks and rank secured.

If you fear, that you might not be able to make it to any engineering college, then there is no need to worry! India is no short of having good private engineering colleges. Interestingly, you may find a private engineering college nearby easily. But keep it as your final alternative.

For those who clear 10+2 and willing to take up engineering as profession need to go through a lot of hard work, just to get admission into engineering colleges. It is a pain for those who do not know where to go, what to do or what forms to fill. India being a vast country offers an array of opportunities on the professional front and therefore it is important to know what all colleges are there that may help you fulfill your dream to become an engineer.

An entire list of state entrance examination including DCE, KCET, MHT-CET, WBJEE, VITEEE, HP-CPET, Punjab CET, Rajasthan CET, UP-SEE, EAMCET, BITS, Manipal UGET and many more, are there that conduct examination to test the skills of the aspirants willing to join a courses in engineering. Accompanying these are, some All India entrance exams which include AIEEE, IIT-JEE etc in which candidates from all across the country can apply for admission in some of the premier institutes of education in India.

Some of the colleges of national repute including NITs and IITs acknowledge admissions on the basis of these All India Entrance Examinations. So for those who are aspiring to become an engineer, all you have to do is to appear in these entrance exams, secure a respectable rank and pass 10+2 with aggregate of 50% marks in Physics and mathematics as compulsory subjects. But securing a good rank in these exams may not be as simple as it seems to be and so it is advised that the aspirants must keep a tab on the fundamentals of their subject of study.

Candidates who clear this entrance examination gets enrolled into degree colleges offered by NITs, deemed universities and institutions in the states/UTs, Central government Universities excluding those that come under Joint Entrance Examination/State Level Entrance Examination for paid or unpaid seats available according to the number of marks and rank secured.

If you fear, that you might not be able to make it to any engineering college, then there is no need to worry! India is no short of having good private engineering colleges. Interestingly, you may find a private engineering college nearby easily. But keep it as your final alternative.

Everyone who do not want to accompany full or part time college have the assets of online accounting colleges at their rescue. Number of accounting online schools rises day by day. Because of that, finding the one that will suit your needs may be very hard. To make your job easier, ask yourself questions like this: What kind of online school I am looking for? How much money I am willing to spend on it? You must be completly sure about your choice. Take some time to think about your decidion. When you have all that questions ansvered, you are ready to take advantages that online schools offer! You may ask yourself what are that benefits of online courses and schools? Let`s have a look at that:

The very first advantage is that you can continiue to live your life as same as you was before. Only different is that you can still earn your degree, but online.You do not have to accompany a college regularly. You just need to be online when exams start. You will have much more time to understand the subject and course material. It can be watched as many times as you want, you can even eat and drink on your course! You can appear for exams only when you are prepared for it. You won`t ever miss the office or important meetings because of college, you can even chose the date on wich you will do exams! Another big advantage is that you will also expand your career options and will have many more job opportunities.

If you alredy have a job, you can use accounting online degree to increase your knowledge so that you can grow in your career faster.  After you complete online degree you will recive your certificate that will be approved by the law and CPA. Once you earn it, you can apply for accounting jobs and look foward for great payments and life. There are so many benefits of finishing an online school. You will surely not have second thought about it. But before you spend money for fees and start your journey at online schools, ensure that the college or the accounting course that you choose is accredited and approved.

But are there benefits for the individual that embarks on this level of study? The answer is indeed yes. In this article, I discuss the benefits of getting a graduate masters degree in criminal justice.

With no particular importance attached to the order of presentation, they are:

1. A master’s degree in criminal justice prepares you for leadership, administrative, and management positions in the criminal justice system. You will become a leader, administrator, and manager of such criminal justice systems as the courts, correctional facilities, law enforcement organizations, private and public security organizations.

This gives you the power to chart the direction of such organizations. You will set the pace for other criminal justice personnel. You will be looked upon to set ethical standards and develop new methods of tackling criminal justice problems and issues.

This is just reward for attaining this level of education. It is a position and benefit that should not be taken lightly. The right person will use it to become an agent of change for the good of society.

2. It goes without saying that being leader, administrator, and manager of criminal justice organizations comes with the benefit of more money. A master degree holder makes $61,000 per year to start. This is compared to about $58,000 per year for a bachelor degree holder. When you attain the leadership position I discussed above, you stand to make well over $100,000 per year. A master degree in criminal justice does indeed have its rewards.

3. A masters degree in criminal justice gives you the opportunity to specialize in one area of criminal justice. While a bachelor degree program is broad in nature, a master degree program gives you the chance to become an expert in one area of criminal justice.

For example, you can get a masters degree in criminal justice with specialization in corrections. Your research and study will give you the opportunity to do in-depth study and analysis of the correctional system. Needless to say, with this type of in-depth study, you will come to be an expert in corrections.

This will put you in a position to benefit as your opinion is sought in issues relating to corrections. You maybe called to give your expert opinion in legal and legislative issues concerning corrections. You can make money as a consultant in such situations.

There you have it…..the benefits of getting a masters degree in criminal justice. What I have outlined above is by no means exhaustive. There are other benefits to getting this degree. Covering all of them is beyond what I can do in this short article. If you are still interested in finding out more benefits of getting a master degree in criminal justice, I urge you to look into it some more. You can do this by visiting websites that deal with the subject in more detail.

Note: You are free to reprint or republish this article. The only condition is that the Resource Box should be included and the links are live links.

1. Benefits

- Earn online degree
- Luxury of time
- Take care of family
- Attend your jobs

2. Easily Get Your Foot In The Door

One of the popular online degrees right now is the pharmacy technician program wherein students who wants to be somewhat of a pharmacist tries to learn the skills that are needed in order to become a good and highly efficient pharmacy technician. This online degree will surely help get your foot in the door for the pharmacy technician job openings that abound nowadays. In just less than two years, you are sure to become a part of the health care profession. As a pharmacy technician online degree student, you are sure to still be able to acquire the proper knowledge that is needed for being a good pharmacy technician, one who will be able to properly assist registered pharmacists with their work, interpreting prescription orders to maintaining the patient records.

3. Top Online Schools

- University of Phoenix Online

The University of Phoenix online is actually the largest private university in the United States which also offers the largest number of various accredited online degree programs for any online institution. Most students who enroll in the University of Phoenix Online degree programs can usually finish their online degree program requirements at around two to three years.

- California College For Health Sciences

The California College for Health Sciences also offers comprehensive online degrees for various health care professions, not just in pharmacy technician but as well as in nursing (another highly in demand online degree), respiratory therapy, early childhood education and public health.

4. Alternatives

Apart from being a pharmacy technician, other health care related online degrees that can be found on the internet today are health care management and medical transcriptionist. Two online degree schools actually offer accelerated online degree programs on health care management wherein they can take this online degree for just 13 months for the Associate or Bachelor’s degree and for 10 months for the Master’s degree.

The AIU Online degree programs can help you achieve that as well as the Cappella University which is another accredited online university that is specifically designed to help those people who are always busy to have a quality education that fits the life of busy professionals as well as those who really do not have the time to go to a normal school but still want to study or those who are just going for their second degree already.

Aside from the health care profession, another highly in demand job nowadays is being a legal assistant wherein you get to help out in law firms or corporations when it comes to legal matters. Sort of like a lawyer only you are not able to actually give out legal advise or go to court hearings. You will just help out the lawyer carry out his or her work by providing him or her with the nitty gritty about the job. This is another highly in demand online degree that people who are looking for a career shift would most likely love to consider.