Cribsheet 22.06.2010

Today the Guardian launches Cutswatch , a project to find out the facts about what is being cut, and where. Is your school, college or university suffering? We want to hear about it. Just fill in our simple online form . We'll collate the information and present it here. Report card Country blues Why are schools in rural areas now worse off than inner-city ones? Exclusion How the new independent academies could threaten the education of children with special needs Aids work Researchers are finding out how children in South Africa living under the shadow of HIV cope with caring for their carers. Quote of the week Jaws dropped when John Hayes, the new skills minister, suggested that the way through the gloom of economic recession was to take up dancing or flower arranging. "Life, when things are tough, doesn't have to be miserable. People who are satisfied and whose potential is met through learning are more joyful as a result." On the margins Britain came 7th in the WorldSkills championships last year – can we do better in the next competition, to be held in London? If only we had a better class of hairdresser... Skills in everything from legwaxing to building will be represented, and organisers are hoping a new set of qualifications will make us better placed to shine. Because we're worth it. What you said In response to the news that Ofsted said half of the schools it inspected were "not good" , thereisnobox retorted: Ofsted = Utter tosh I have worked in two city schools, I have been inspected 3 times in the last 5 years and I can honestly say that the whole process is a complete farce... Monday - Emergency Staff briefing – 'OFSTED are coming on thursday folks'. Go home feeling utterly depressed, find the lesson planning proformahgbnnnnnnyuhgg Tuesday – Start putting up new displays and creating lesson plans whilst watching leadership team go into meltdown. Do more lesson plans. Wednesday – Speak to every student and ensure they can recite off-by-heart their National Curriculum level and their next set of 'targets'. Do more lesson plans. Thursday – Round up all poorly behaved students for the specially arranged, day-long trip to a local farm. Attempt to teach whilst watching the door handle for signs of movement. Do more lesson plans. Friday – Teach as normal. When inspector walks into room put text books away and start on the special task involved big sheets of card, gold stars and a powerpoint presentation. Then await judgement! My big issue with OFSTED is the validity of their data gathering methods. What they see is simply not the truth - it is a charade. Bring on no-notice inspections please so that we begin to see the true picture of state schooling in England. OFSTED..... 'May the farce be with you' What else you said What happens when Niall Ferguson gets his hands on the history syllabus artfarmer 17 Jun 2010, 8:10AM I look forward to the revised Ferguson curriculum: Chapter 1 God blesses England with a sturdy Saxon monarchy. Chapter 2 God realises He's made a mistake an re-blesses England with a Norman monarchy. Chapter 3 God turns out to be a bit of a duffer but that's OK because the English prefer amateurs. The English are left to sort out their own monarchy. God creates Wm. Shakespeare, roast beef and the East India Company. Chapter 4 Britannia rules the waves. Hurrah! Chapter 5 That nice Herr Hitler shocks right-wing historians and the Daily Mail by turning out to be a bit of a rotter. The dauntless British Army, Navy and Air Force give the Hun a spanking. As a reward, God deprives Britain of her empire and makes Germany incredibly successful. God may be an amateur but nobody can accuse Him of not having a sense of humour. Chapter 6 The Blessed Saint Maggie of Grantham turns Britain in a paradise on earth but the subsequent Labour government turns Britain back into a living hell. Chapter 7 David Cameron saves Britain from homicidal foxes, dole-scroungers and socialism. Everybody lives happily ever after, except for Ed Balls. The End. Stories of the day Hunger pangs If breakfast is the most important meal of the day when you're all grown-up, how much more important is it when you're small? All the more reason why breakfast clubs matter – and why schools don't want them to close Once upon a time you could buy a lion at Harrods; those days have gone – happily – but now you can get a degree there! Not off the shelf, naturally; but tailor-made for employees by Anglia Ruskin University. Estelle Morris ponders the question of who will be the middle man for schools if local authorities lose their role The Teaching awards roadshow hits Wales and the south-west And more EducationGuardian.co.uk All today's EducationGuardian stories EducationGuardian on Twitter Online learning and teaching resources from Learn Job vacancies in education Sign up to get Crib sheet as an email