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.’

Full Story

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

Super exam reaction: Profession calls for ‘clarity’ – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted April 26th, 2017 in examinations, news, solicitors, Solicitors Regulation Authority by sally

‘The profession has given a mixed response to the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s plans to introduce a single qualifying assessment for would-be solicitors and called on the regulator to ensure the new regime maintains high standards.’

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 25th April 2017

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

SRA to introduce Solicitors Qualifying Examination in 2020 – Local Government Lawyer

Posted April 26th, 2017 in examinations, news, solicitors, Solicitors Regulation Authority by sally

‘The Solicitors Regulation Authority is to press ahead with the introduction of the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE), which will replace the current system of qualification in September 2020.’

Full story

Local Government Lawyer, 25th April 2017

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Student accused of ETS fraud found to have been unlawfully detained – Free Movement

Posted March 15th, 2017 in detention, examinations, fraud, immigration, judicial review, news, notification by tracey

‘In R (on the application of Iqbal) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2017] EWHC 79 (Admin) the Secretary of State for the Home Department (SSHD) was found to have unlawfully detained a claimant whom they had alleged had fraudulently obtained an Educational Test Service (ETS) certificate to show that he spoke English to the level required for his immigration application.’

Full story

Free Movement, 15th March 2017

Source: www.freemovement.org.uk

Uber loses legal test case over language – BBC News

Posted March 3rd, 2017 in examinations, licensing, news, taxis by tracey

‘Uber has lost its attempt to prevent its drivers being forced to take English language tests.’

Full story

BBC News, 3rd March 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Regulator urged to rethink bar training reforms – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted January 26th, 2017 in barristers, consultations, examinations, legal education, news by tracey

‘The Bar Council has criticised Bar Standards Board proposals for alternative ways of qualifying, claiming its consultation into future training at the bar misses a ‘long-awaited opportunity for reform’. It also dismisses the need for a central exam along the lines of the solicitors qualifying examination.’

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 25th January 2017

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Nine convicted over student visa English test plot – BBC News

Posted December 14th, 2016 in examinations, fraud, immigration, news, visas by sally

‘Nine people have been convicted of running an immigration fraud linked to English tests for foreign students.’

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BBC News, 13th December 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Aggrieved student wins right to challenge degree grade in full trial – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted December 9th, 2016 in education, examinations, negligence, news, universities by sally

‘This case raises the interesting question of whether a disappointed graduate may call upon the courts to redress a grievance concerning the grade he was given for his degree; not just what his ground of claim should be, but whether this is the kind of grievance which should be navigated through the courts at all. There are some matters which are arguably non-justiciable matters of academic judgment.’

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 9th December 2016

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Return of passport by Home Office to sit Secure English Language Test – Free Movement

Posted September 23rd, 2016 in examinations, immigration, news, passports by sally

‘The Home Office has confirmed that where it holds the passport of a migrant who wishes to sit the Secure English Language Test (SELT) it will either return the passport to enable the migrant to sit the SELT or will confirm directly with the SELT centre that the passport is held and is genuine.’

Full story

Free Movement, 23rd September 2016

Source: www.freemovement.org.uk

LSB tells Bar regulator not to keep changing the pass mark for aptitude test – Legal Futures

Posted September 9th, 2016 in barristers, examinations, legal education, news by tracey

‘The Legal Services Board (LSB) has warned the Bar’s regulator that it cannot keep changing the cut score for the test would-be barristers have to pass before being allowed to take the Bar professional training course (BPTC).’

Full story

Legal Futures, 8th September 2016

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Uber wins right to challenge driver English tests – BBC News

Posted September 2nd, 2016 in examinations, judicial review, licensing, news, taxis, transport by sally

‘Uber has won the right to take Transport for London (TfL) to court over new rules that would force its drivers to pass English tests.’

Full story

BBC News, 2nd September 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Father sues £28k-a-year boarding school after son passes just one GCSE exam – Daily Telegraph

Posted August 18th, 2016 in education, examinations, news by tracey

‘A father is suing a private school for the £125,000 he paid for his son’s education after the teenager left with just one GCSE.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 17th August 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

BSB publishes new figures showing success rates for student barristers – Bar Standards Board

Posted May 6th, 2016 in barristers, examinations, legal education, news, statistics by tracey

‘The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has today published a new edition of its statistical information on student performance on the Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC).’

Full press release

Bar Standards Board, 5th May 2016

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Tribunal rejects Home Office fraud allegation in ETS case but fails to report determination – Free Movement

‘President McCloskey has firmly rejected the Home Office case against students alleged to have fraudulently obtained English language test certificate from ETS (“Educational Testing Services Ltd”) in the case of SM and Ihsan Qadir v Secretary of State for the Home Department IA/31380/2014. The President finds that the Home Office evidence suffered from “multiple frailties and shortcomings” and that the two witnesses produced by the Home Office were unimpressive. In short, the Home Office failed by a significant margin to prove the alleged fraud.’

Full story

Free Movement, 25th April 2016

Source: www.freemovement.org.uk

Theresa May faces parliamentary investigation over flimsy basis for student deportations – The Independent

‘Theresa May is to face a parliamentary investigation after an immigration tribunal ruled that the Home Office used unscientific “hearsay” to deport thousands of students from Britain.’

Full story

The Independent, 23rd March 2016

Source: www.independent.co.uk