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It is very important to take regular breaks when studying, especially if using a computer screen or working on something which requires your intense concentration. For these breaks you should go for a walk or close your eyes for a minute or two.

However, there are times when you need a different kind of study break. Working too hard without any leisure time can leave you feeling burned out and way too stressed to take everything in properly. You need to find an outlet, a fun activity to do for a few minutes to raise your energy levels and blow off some steam.

You may be surprised to learn that online bingo could be the perfect antidote to a stressed-out body and mind. Each game only takes a minute or two, so you can just play one game if you want to for some light relief.

What’s more, you can also win some cash or other bonus prizes playing online bingo. It’s a social experience too, where you can meet new people and have a chat and a giggle.

One of the best sites out there is tasty bingo, which has loads of games for you to choose from. To see tasty bingo reviewed, go to ohmybingo.com.

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Research has found that parents who push their children leads to them doing better in school.
Parents who ensure their child gets their head down in the classroom has a better effect than the effort that gets put in by the school and the child.
The research was done by the universities of Leicester and Leeds, and gathered the data from the National Child Development Study, states parents push their children less as their family grows.
Researchers also studied childrens attitude towards education and whether they thought school was worthwhile to calculate what impact the influence of a parent has and how much was a result of a child being self motivated.

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Over six hundred students decided to demonstrate in Oxford fighting against the latest decision to raise tuition fees and also fighting for a change in how higher education is funded in England.
Business Secretary Vince Cable was due to visit Oxford on the day of the demonstration but cancelled when he heard about the protest.
The protest was fairly peaceful according to Thames Valley Police.
The demonstration was arranged by a group called Oxford Education Campaign.
In the spending review the government decided on a forty percent cut to the budget for higher education and only decided to offer protection to teaching budgets for subjects such as mathematics, science and engineering.

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The majority of pupils will find they are in schools which will face funding cuts, even though there has been an announcement of an increase in the schools budget.
The rise in English school spending will be 0.1% every year.
The Institute for Fiscal Studies stated eighty seven percent of secondary school pupils and sixty percent of primary school pupils are in schools where funding will be reduced.
The government is unsure about the research but admits the statement is tough. The Education Secretary said that some schools will be having to make savings.
The Education Secretary’s department performed much better than most in the review of spending.

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Headteachers are concerned that school staff like caretakers and lunch ladies could end up being underpaid.
The organisation that decides on the salary for thousands of school workers has been scrapped, meaning a higher chance of these workers being underpaid.
The education secretary informed the house of Commons he was abolishing the School Support Staff Negotiating Body because it “did not fit well with the government’s priorities for greater deregulation”.
The Association of School and College Leaders has said then decision is a poor move and may result in staff who play a very important part in in the education service being underpaid.

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Michael Gove’s department of education were unable to invite bids for a five hundred thousand pound grant to help parents in setting up free schools, before awarding it to his former adviser.
The education secretary’s former colleague, Rachel Wolf who is 25, runs The New Schools Network charity was awarded the five hundred thousand pound grant by the Department for Education half way through 2010. There weren’t any other organisations asked to bid for the non publicly advertised contract.
The disclosure in documents released under the Freedom of Information Act could worsen the attracted criticisms of the new schools. The schools will allow groups to set up schools with more autonomy with small classes.

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Some of us have been lucky enough to experience what it is like to attain an A* grade in our GCSE’s. However, this covetable grade will now be achievable by students studying A-level qualifications.
This new A-level grade will be awarded to candidates, who attain a mark of at least 90%, for the first time this year due to increased popularity for higher education.
This news has brought about fears that pupils from state schools will find it much harder to achieve the grade than privately educated students, who have access to a greater an more intense support structure.
One thing is for sure is that this will add even more pressure onto students across the Country.

Tags: A* A-level, A-level

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Some interesting quotes and sayings for the world of Education:

My parents told me, “Finish your dinner. People in China and India are starving.” I tell my daughters, “Finish your homework. People in India and China are starving for your job.” ~Thomas L. Friedman

Whatever is good to know is difficult to learn. ~Greek Proverb

Education is an admirable thing, but it is well to remember from time to time that nothing worth knowing can be taught. ~Oscar Wilde,

It is a thousand times better to have common sense without education than to have education without common sense. ~Robert G. Ingersoll

Education is like a double-edged sword. It may be turned to dangerous uses if it is not properly handled. ~Wu Ting-Fang

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Labours plans, which started over two years ago, to give each local council in England funding to build 22 play areas by 2011 have been axed by the new government.
The Playbuilder proposal, which was to coast in the region of £235m, was designed to help develop 3,500 community playgrounds. Many of the play areas were even designed by children themselves.
The only playground developments to continue will be those where construction has already started. It is therefore estimated that 1,300 will be scrapped.
This has now led to fears over a potential increase in childhood obesity. Betty McBride, policy director at the British Heart Foundation, said: “When only one in 10 youngsters get enough exercise, playgrounds can provide a cheap, fun and easy way for children to get active outdoors.

Tags: Obesity, playground

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Around 160,000 students in Scotland a have helped set a new record pass rate for Higher examinations.  The SQA (Scottish Qualifications Authority) announced that the pass rate is up from 74.2 % from last year to 74.6 %.
What is even more surprising is that about 35,000 of the students received their exam results by email or text, a day early.  The students received the texts and email after opting to be part of a high-tech early bird mySQA system introduced by the SQA.
The EIS ( Educational Institute of Scotland) has suggested that these figures help show the “stability” of the exam system, rejecting claims of falling standards.
A National Exam Results helpline, 0808 100 8000, has been set up to offer advice on university and college places.

Tags: EIS, Scottis exam results, SQA

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