Department for Education and Skills

The Department for Education and Skills (DfES) was a United Kingdom government department between 2001 and 2007. It was responsible for the education system and children's services in England. On 28 June 2007 the department was split in two by Gordon Brown's government. The Department for Children, Schools and Families and the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills took over its responsibilities. In 2010, when the Conservative/Lib Dem Coalition Government took control, Michael Gove became Secretary of State for Education. His department is the Department for Education. DfES worked under the Secretary of State for Education and Skills. The main remit of the Department could be summed up as schools and adult learning - but there were also sections dealing with linked areas such as child welfare.




DfES civil servants worked in either one of four locations: London (Sanctuary Buildings or Caxton House, both close to Westminster Abbey), Sheffield (Moorfoot), Darlington (Mowden Hall), or Runcorn (Castle View House) - as well as in the regional Government Offices. Education is a devolved issue and therefore the responsibility of other government departments in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Scotland - Education and Lifelong Learning Directorate Wales - Department for Education, Lifelong Learning, and Skills (DELLS) Northern Ireland - Department of Education (Northern Ireland) and Department for Employment and Learning

City Law School

The City Law School is one of the seven schools of City University in the City of London. In 2001, City Law School integrated the prestigious Inns of Court School of Law. Until 1999, the ICSL had a monopoly on the provision of the Bar Vocational Course (BVC), the obligatory professional training for would-be barristers in England and Wales, before they commence pupillage. The School is divided into two sections on two campuses. The academic instruction section is based in the Gloucester Building, next to the university's main campus on Northampton Square. It offers education at all levels of legal qualification, including a three-year undergraduate Bachelor of Laws (LLB) programme, a two-year Graduate Entry LLB degree programme, a one-year Masters of Law (LLM) and the Graduate Diploma in Law course (also known as the Common Professional Examination). This latter programme enjoys a nationwide reputation as one of Britain's elite qualifying diploma courses for non-law graduates. The School also teaches the Legal Practice Course (LPC) for would-be solicitors. In 2007, it received the highest grading from the Law Society of England and Wales for its provision. The professional instruction section, formerly the Inns of Court School of Law, is located at Gray's Inn near Holborn in the Camden district of London. This section administers the Bar Professional Training Course (formerly the Bar Vocational Course) for intending barristers and the Legal Practice Course for intending solicitors as well as several Master of Laws (LLM) masters programmes. The Legal Practice Course is the only one in London to be rated 'Excellent' by the Law Society. Approximately 550 students are enrolled at the City Law School each year. The Inns of Court School of Law, often abbreviated as ICSL, was founded by the Council of Legal Education in 1852. It was a professional legal training institution based for 100 years at Lincoln's Inn and then at Gray's Inn in London. Until 1999, the ICSL had a monopoly on the provision of the Bar Vocational Course (now the Bar Professional Training Course), the obligatory, pre-pupillage training course for intending barristers in England and Wales. Before that time the Inns of Court were responsible for the education of young barristers. There was call during the nineteenth century for the education of barristers to be unified and thus the Council of Legal Education was formed and ICSL founded. Since 2001 the ICSL has been affiliated with and administered by City University. When the ICSL was first created, each of the four Inns of Court were required to each provide two rooms for the school. Until just after the second world war the ICSL was located in Lincoln's Inn. In the 1950s, a purpose built building was built at 4 Gray's Inn Place within Gray's Inn and the school relocated there. Shortly after that Atkin Building in Gray's Inn was secured and then in the 1980s a further building was acquired for the ICSL in Princeton street. The ICSL was founded by the Council of Legal Education in 1852. Before that time, the Inns of Court were responsible for the education of young barristers. There was a call during the nineteenth century for the education of barristers to be unified and thus the Council of Legal Education was formed and the ICSL was founded. Since 2001, the ICSL has been administered by City University. Although the name "Inns of Court School of Law" is no longer used, the location, facilities and traditions of the original institution remain unchanged. When the ICSL was first created, each of the four Inns of Court were required to provide two rooms for teaching purposes. Until just after the Second World War, the ICSL was located in Lincoln's Inn. In the 1950s, a purpose-built building was constructed at 4, Gray's Inn Place (within Gray's Inn) and the school relocated there. Shortly after that, Atkin Building in Gray's Inn was secured and then in the 1980s a further building was acquired for the ICSL in Princeton Street, formerly the London studios of Yorkshire Television. In 2007, City Law School introduced a new scholarship award scheme, worth over £25,000, for the BPTC. Each of the four scholarship awards is made to a student from each Inn of Court.

University of Bristol

The University of Bristol is a research university located in Bristol, United Kingdom.[7] It received its Royal Charter in 1909,[8] and its predecessor institution, University College, Bristol, had been in existence since 1876.[9] Bristol has been named amongst the world's top 30 universities by the QS World University Rankings.[10] A highly selective institution, it has an average of 14 applicants for each undergraduate place. The University had a total income of £426.7 million in 2011/12, of which £112 million was from research grants and contracts.[11] It is the largest independent employer in Bristol.[12] Current academics include 18 Fellows of the Academy of Medical Sciences, 10 Fellows of the British Academy, 13 Fellows of the Royal Academy of Engineering and 31 Fellows of the Royal Society.[13] Bristol is a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive British universities,[14] the European-wide Coimbra Group[15] and the Worldwide Universities Network, of which the University's Vice-Chancellor Prof. Eric Thomas was Chairman from 2005 to 2007.[16] Foundation[edit] The earliest antecedent of the university was the engineering department of the Merchant Venturers’ Technical College (founded as a school as early as 1595) which became the Engineering faculty of Bristol University.[17] The University was also preceded by Bristol Medical School (1833) and University College, Bristol, founded in 1876,[9] where its first lecture was attended by only 99 students.[18] The University was able to apply for a Royal Charter due to the financial support of the Wills and Fry families, who made their fortunes in tobacco plantations and chocolate, respectively. The Wills Family made a vast fortune from the tobacco industry and gave generously to the city and University. The Royal Charter was gained in May 1909, with 288 undergraduates and 400 other students entering the University in October 1909. Henry Overton Wills III became its first chancellor.[9] The University College was the first such institution in the country to admit women on the same basis as men.[9] However, women were forbidden to take examinations in medicine until 1906.[19]

University of Brighton

The University of Brighton is a UK university of over 21,000 students and 2,500 staff based on five campuses in Brighton, Eastbourne and Hastings on the south coast of England. It has one of the best teaching quality ratings in the UK and a strong research record, factors which contribute to its reputation as a leading post-1992 university.[4] Its roots can be traced back to 1859 when the Brighton School of Art was opened in the Brighton Royal Pavilion. The university focuses on professional education[citation needed], with the majority of degrees awarded also leading to professional qualifications[citation needed]. In 2012 the University of Brighton came third in the People & Planet’s Green League table of UK universities ranked by environmental and ethical performance.[5]

Birmingham City University

Birmingham City University (abbrev. as BCU; and previously Birmingham Polytechnic and the University of Central England in Birmingham) is a post-1992 British university in the city of Birmingham, England. It is the second largest of three universities in the city, the other two being the Aston University and University of Birmingham. Initially established as the Birmingham College of Art with roots dating back to 1843,[5] it was designated as a polytechnic in 1971 and gained university status in 1992. A map showing Birmingham within England. The university has eight campuses serving six faculties, and offers courses in art and design, business, the built environment, computing, education, engineering, English, healthcare, law, the performing arts, social sciences, and technology. A proposed £125million extension to its campus in the city centre of Birmingham, part of the Eastside development of a new technology and learning quarter, is to open in two stages, with the first phase opening its doors in 2013.[6][7] The university is a designated Skillset Media Academy, a Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning for health and social care, and a member of the million+ group of New Universities. Birmingham City University is the West Midlands' largest provider of higher education for undergraduate study, and its portfolio of part-time courses is among the biggest in the UK. Roughly half of the university's full-time students are from the West Midlands, and a large percentage of these are from ethnic minorities. The university runs access and foundation programmes through an international network of associated universities and further education colleges, and has the highest intake of foreign students in the Birmingham area.[8]

University of Bedfordshire

The University of Bedfordshire is based in Bedford and Luton, the two largest towns in Bedfordshire, England. A campus in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire is for students studying Nursing and Midwifery. A further campus in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, teaches business studies, electronic engineering, and telecommunications. It has approximately 24,000 students. Nearly 3,000 international students study with the university. The university was created by the merger of the University of Luton and the Bedford campus of De Montfort University in August 2006 following approval by the Privy Council. In 2012 it achieved Fair Trade status.[1] History[edit] The University of Luton had its roots in the Luton Modern School, which was established in 1908 and the Luton Modern School and Technical Institute which opened in 1937. This became Luton College of Higher Education with the merger of Luton College of Technology and Putteridge Bury College of Education in 1976. It obtained university status in 1993. The Bedford campus of De Montfort University was originally the Bedford Teacher Training College, founded 1882 and Bedford Physical Training College founded 1903. The university was created by the merger of the University of Luton and the Bedford campus of De Montfort University in August 2006 following approval by the Privy Council. Campuses[edit] The university’s two main campuses are in Luton town centre and Bedford, on Polhill Avenue. Both have been recently modernised with new teaching and social facilities and new on-campus accommodations. The university has a third campus at Putteridge Bury, a neo-Elizabethan country mansion located on the edge of Luton on the A505 road to Hitchin. The campus is situated in approximately 30 acres of landscaped gardens. Putteridge Bury can be traced back to Edward the Confessor's time and has links to the Domesday Book. The current building was completed in 1911 and was designed by architects Sir Ernest George and Alfred Yeats in the style of Chequers, having had various redesigns and rebuilds over the years. The campus is home to the university's postgraduate Business School as well as the university’s Conference Centre.[2][3] A smaller fourth campus is the University Campus Milton Keynes, Bucks, became part of the university in 2012. Organisation and structure[edit] The university has four faculties: Creative Arts, Technologies and Science; Education and Sport; Health and Social Sciences; and a Business School and according to the Daily Telegraph it has “one of the most generous” scholarship programmes in the United Kingdom.[4] The university has regional representatives in several parts of India who have extensive training to give free counselling, advice and, where possible, a face to face interview to students, based in Chandigarh, Chennai, Hyderabad and Vadodara. Academic profile[edit] In 2000 the University of Luton was ranked 83 out of 93 British universities by The Times[5] in their annual university ranking, rising to 72 out of 101 two years later.[6] In 2004, the university's then high drop-out rate, and decision to allow students to progress go on to their third year of their degree even if they fail to pass their first and second year exams led the Sunday Telegraph to ask "Is this the worst university in Britain?"[7] Luton's vice-chancellor responded by drawing attention to its teaching quality, which had been rated 14th out of 121 similar institutions the previous year by The Times.[8] The Sunday Times also awarded the University of Luton the title of Best New university in 2004 (prior to the purchase of the Bedford campus and rebranding).[9] The QAA conducted a thorough institutional audit of the university as a whole in 2005 (prior to the merger of the university), which resulted in the audit team’s questioning of the academic standards of its awards and its lack of confidence in the university's quality standards.[10] However, after the audit was taken the QAA was provided with information that indicates that appropriate action was taken by the university in response to the findings of this report. As a result the audit was signed off in July 2007.[11] In 2008 Professor Les Ebdon said that he had accepted voluntary redundancy from 30 staff members. The university said that less than half were academic staff. Professor Ebdon said: "I don't know of any university in the East of England which isn't making some adjustment to staff numbers. Most of us have squeezed other expenditures as much as we can. Staffing is the area left where expenditure can be taken out, and it is the biggest cost." According to the same article "Relative to many other universities, Bedfordshire spends a low proportion of its income on staff."[12] The university has been criticised for its association with the Institute for Optimum Nutrition,[13][14] an unacredited and controversial organisation whose founder, Patrick Holford's advocacy of vitamin C as better than conventional drugs to treat AIDS was described as 'very scary' by the British Dietetic Association.[15] According to the THES in 2008 the university threatened legal action against a web site after one of its course was labelled "shocking" because of its staff-to-student ratio.[16] After the QAA audit conducted in 2009 the university was awarded a “Confidence” rating. University of Bedfordshire - Bedford Campus Centre Teaching quality[edit] In 2004 The Sunday Times awarded the university the title of 'Best New University'[17] and in 2007 the it was short-listed for the Times Higher Education Supplement's University of the Year 2007.[18] The university received top marks in the Quality Assurance Agency, the Government’s higher education quality watchdog, most recent audit (2009).The university's Language and Linguistics courses is ranked second in the latest edition of the Complete University Guide (CUG) for student satisfaction. Awards[edit] Awarded the Queen’s Award for Enterprise: International Trade in 2011.[19] Outstanding Finance Team winners in the Times Higher Education Leadership and Management Awards 2011.[20] ‘Gold’ award from Investors in People in 2011. Rankings[edit] In June 2012 the university was ranked 82 (out of 116) in the Complete Universities Guide, a rise of 21 places over its 2011 ranking.[21] The university is also ranked 88 (out of 116) in The Times Good University Guide, a rise of 18 places. The Times reports that the percentage of graduates gaining a first or upper second class degree has risen from 44.4 per cent last year to 53.6 per cent and there has been an increase in spending per student by the university on services and facilities, from £1,368 in 2011 to £2,004 in 2012. In The Guardian University Guide the university was ranked 102 out of 117.[22] This guide is compiled using mainly teaching data (staff/student ratio, job prospects, entrance criteria, inclusiveness), while The Times guide also includes data on research ratings and the percentage of students who complete a degree. The 2012 Guardian University Guide ranked the university’s nursing courses 11th (of 78 courses nationally), a rise of 12 places over 2011 and awarded us the maximum added value score.[23] In 2012 the university received a first class award and was ranked 36th out of 145 in the People and Planet Green League 2012 – rising 17 places from the previous year.[1] In 2012 the University also received accreditation as a Fair Trade University.[1]

Aberystwyth University

The University was founded in 1872 as University College Wales. The first Principal was Thomas Charles Edwards and initially there were 26 students. Before 1894, when the college joined the University of Wales as a founder member, students were submitted for examinations to the University of London).[8] The university's coat of arms was awarded in the 1880s. The shield features two red dragons, the red dragon being a common symbol of Wales, and an open book, symbolising learning. The crest is an eagle or phoenix above a flaming tower; it possibly symbolises the rebirth of the College after the fire of 1885.[9] The motto is "Nid Byd, Byd Heb Wybodaeth": "A World Without Knowledge, is No World at All". The Department for International Politics was founded in 1919 and Aberystwyth says it is the oldest such department in the world.[10] The Department of Sports and Exercise Science was established in 2000, joint honours Psychology degrees were introduced in September 2007, and single honours Psychology in 2009. The university appointed a new vice chancellor in 2011[11] who has now initiated a complete restructure of academic departments into larger subject themed institutes.

Legal education in the United Kingdom

Legal education in the United Kingdom is divided between the common law system of England and Wales and Northern Ireland, and that of Scotland, which uses a hybrid of common law and civil law. Dundee, in Scotland, is the only university in the UK to offer students a choice of either English/Northern Irish or Scots Law LL.B. degrees. It now offers a dual-qualifying LL.B. degree in Scots Law and English/Northern Irish law. England, Wales and Northern Ireland [edit] Requirements for becoming a lawyer in England and Wales and in Northern Ireland differ slightly depending on whether the individual plans to become a solicitor or barrister. All prospective lawyers must first however possess a qualifying law degree,[1][2] or have completed a conversion course.[2][3] A qualifying law degree in England and Wales consists of seven modules drawn from the following subject areas: Public law (constitutional/administrative) European Union law Procedural Law (including law of evidence) Criminal law Law of obligations (contract, restitution, and tort) Property law (real property) Trusts and equity Following graduation, the paths towards qualification as a solicitor or barrister diverge. Prospective solicitors must enrol with the Law Society of England and Wales as a student member and take a one-year course called the Legal Practice Course (LPC), usually followed by two years' apprenticeship, known as a training contract.[4] Prospective barristers must first apply to join one of the four Inns of Court and then complete the one-year Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC), followed by a year training in a set of barristers' chambers, known as pupillage.[2] Qualifying law degrees [edit] Aberystwyth University Anglia Ruskin University BPP Law School University of Bedfordshire University of Birmingham Birmingham City University University of Bolton Bournemouth University University of Bradford Brunel University Bradford College University of Brighton University of Bristol University of Buckingham University of Cambridge Cardiff University University of Central Lancashire University of Chester City University, London Coventry University De Montfort University University of Derby University of Dundee Durham University University of East Anglia, Norwich University of East London Edge Hill University University of Essex University of Exeter University of Glamorgan University of Gloucestershire University of Greenwich University of Hertfordshire University of Huddersfield University of Hull Keele University University of Kent Kingston University Lancaster University University of Leeds Leeds Metropolitan University University of Leicester University of Lincoln University of Liverpool Liverpool John Moores University University of London: Birkbeck, University of London King's College London London School of Economics Queen Mary, University of London School of Oriental and African Studies University College London University of London International Programmes London Metropolitan University Manchester Metropolitan University University of Manchester Middlesex University Newcastle University University of Northampton Northumbria University* University of Nottingham Nottingham Trent University Open University** Oxford Brookes University University of Oxford University of Plymouth University of Portsmouth Queen's University Belfast University of Reading University of Salford Sheffield Hallam University University of Sheffield Southampton Solent University University of Southampton London South Bank University University of South Wales Staffordshire University University of Sunderland University of Surrey University of Sussex University of Teesside Thames Valley University University of Ulster University of Wales: Bangor University Swansea University Swansea College University of Warwick University of Westminster University of the West of England, Bristol University of Winchester University of Wolverhampton University of York The College of Law