Keen2learn is pleased to announce the introduction of the Bee-Bot and its accessories. A fantastic new addition to the ICT range! This new Programmable Floor Robot has a simple and child friendly layout and perfect starting point for teaching control and directional language. Ideal fun for both adult and child alike, the Bee-Bot and Bee-Bot Mats will enthuse and inspire any young mind.

Keen2Learn – February 2006

The Government last month announced that despite improving overall examination results, nearly 60% of pupils at state schools fail to earn good grades in GCSE Maths and English.

Significant differences were also found between boys and girls. State school figures show that only 37 % of boys passed five GCSEs, including English and Maths, compared with 46% of girls. However, 74% in Private Schools and 97% in Grammar Schools reached this standard but nearly 200,000 boys and 156,000 girls in state schools did not.

Suspicions exist that some schools enter students for ’softer’ subjects to mask failure in the basic subjects. In response to this, Education Secretary Ruth Kelly has announced that changes will include English and Maths from next year in all schools.

Despite the increased spending on literacy and numeracy by the Government, figures released by the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) show that the gap between students passing five GCSEs in any subject and that of students passes include English and Maths has widened since 1997. Teachers’ Unions have made a call for the abolishment of these warped league tables.