A bushcricket or Katydid

Forget the Lady in Red – scientists have recorded the world’s oldest love song … strummed by amorous crickets 165 million years ago.

Scientists at Bristol University claim the mid-Jurassic tune – created by reconstructing microscopic wing features from a cricket fossil – is the most ancient known musical song documented to date.

They made the sound created by reconstructing microscopic wing features from a cricket fossil discovered in North East China.

The mating call of the cricket would have been heard by dinosaurs and other creatures roaming the Jurassic forests at night.

Male crickets made their music by seductively strumming one wing over another to serenade nearby females – who would then seek out their location.

Professor Daniel Robert, from Bristol University’s School of Biological Sciences, was part of a six-man team which spent six months making the noise.

Prof Robert, an expert in the biomechanics of singing and hearing in insects, said: “This discovery indicates that pure tone communication was already exploited by animals in the middle Jurassic, some 165 million years ago.

“For Archaboilus, as for living bushcricket species, singing constitutes a key component of mate attraction.
“Singing loud and clear advertises the presence, location and quality of the singer, a message that females choose to respond to – or not.

“Using a single tone, the male’s call carries further and better, and therefore is likely to serenade more females.

“However, it also makes the male more conspicuous to predators if they have also evolved ears to eavesdrop on these mating calls.”

Crickets have a ‘plectrum’ on their left wing which they used to strum ‘teeth’ on their right wing – with the primitive species making the motion six times in five seconds.

Modern-day crickets make their buzzing noise by the same movement – known as stridulating.

The music from the primitive crickets – which became extinct 130 million years ago – was discovered when a group of Chinese palaeontologists found fossils last year.

The fossil, from the Mid Jurassic period, had such well-preserved wing features that the details of its stridulating organs were clearly visible under a microscope.

Chinese experts identified the fossil as a new species and named it Archaboilus musicus. The A. musicus would have measured a staggering 12 cm long.

Dr Fernando Montealegre-Z (corr) then analysed the wings of the creature and could amazingly establish that it sang at 6.4kHz for 16 milliseconds.

He then used this information to acoustically reconstruct the song, which would have competed with Jurassic sounds of waterfalls, streams and wind.

Dr Montealegre-Z said: “Using a low-pitched song, A. musicus was acoustically adapted to long-distance communication in a lightly cluttered environment, such as a Jurassic forest.

“Today, all species of katydids that use musical calls are nocturnal so musical calls in the Jurassic were also most likely an adaptation to nocturnal life.

“This Jurassic bushcricket thus sheds light on the potential auditory capacity of other animals, and helps us learn a little more about the ambiance of a world long gone.

“It also suggests the evolutionary mechanisms that drove modern bushcrickets to develop ultrasonic signals for sexual pairing and for avoiding an increasingly relevant echolocating predator, but that only happened 100 million years later, possibly with the appearance of bats.”

Listen to the song on the Bristol University website…

A report by Bristol academics has found young people from poorer backgrounds who attend summer schools are 50% more likely to go on to top universities than their peers.

The report by Dr Tony Hoare and Rosanna Mann at the University of Bristol looked at 1,750 students who attended summer schools at Bristol, Cambridge, Nottingham, Oxford and St Andrews universities in 2008 and 2009.

It compared their university application and acceptance rates with those of thousands of other students in a range of control groups.

The report, The Impact of the Sutton Trust’s Summer Schools, found that more than three quarters (76%) of the Sutton Trust summer school attendees went on to a leading university.

The Sutton Trust aims to improve educational opportunities for young people from non-privileged backgrounds and to increase social mobility.

Its summer schools were started at Oxford University in 1997 by Sutton Trust chairman Sir Peter Lampl to help children from non-privileged backgrounds access leading universities. During the week they attend lectures, tutorials and take part in social activities as if they were students.

More than 10,000 young students have passed through the programme, and summer schools now run at Bristol, Cambridge, Durham, Imperial, Nottingham, St Andrews and UCL universities – since 2010 Oxford University has run its own summer school based on the Sutton model.

“I was pleased with the results. The word on the street from the universities was that summer schools worked, but until now the evidence was anecdotal,” said Dr Hoare.

“Not only does the summer school experience encourage all attendees to target the more elite universities, but what is particularly encouraging is that they reduce, sometimes to vanishing point, the greater reluctance of the more underprivileged groups to do so.”

Amy Sugden, 19, who attended a summer school at Bristol then went on to the university to study for a BSc in childhood studies, told The Guardian: “Previous to the summer school, I’d never left Torquay, and going to a different place was exciting – the environment at university, which was more independent. You can do your own thing.

“I honestly thought there was no option for me to go to university. No one in my family had ever been. My mum doesn’t work and her partner is disabled. I didn’t see any option but to go into work after A-levels.”

Two more Bristol schools have opted to become academies and leaving the control of the city council.

Hillfields Primary School in Fishponds and Oldbury Court Primary School, Downend, will join the Cabot Learning Federation (CLF) on September 1.

The CLF already has Bristol Brunel Academy, Bristol Metropolitan Academy, Hans Price Academy in Weston-super-Mare, John Cabot Academy and King’s Oak Academy in its portfolio.

David Carter, CLF executive principal said the new status was designed to give schools more control over issues such as budget, staffing and teaching.

Parents at both schools will have the chance to discuss the vision for the Academy as well as understanding more about how the federation works in meetings that the schools are setting up to take place in the next few weeks.

“Many of the areas we are developing and improving in our secondary academies are closely connected to the developments taking place in the primary schools in our area,” Mr Carter said.

“I am delighted that we can now share our ideas and thinking even more widely. The fact that a parent could send their five-year-old to one of our schools and maintain a link with the federation until they are about to go to university is fantastic, and it gives us such an opportunity to build lasting links with our communities.”

Gemma Jackson, headteacher at Hillfields Primary School, wrote in a letter to parents of children in her school:“We are lucky enough to become part of the Cabot Learning Federation on a more formal basis as they have offered to become our sponsor in a move to Academy Status. As this partnership has exciting possibilities for our children, families and community the Governing Body were very happy to agree.”

But Andy Wooley, south west regional secretary for the National Union of Teachers, told the BBC: “It’s a very bad thing I’m afraid. The whole academy programme is, as yet, under the current government, untested. Many schools have had the common sense not to become academies.

“I think these schools are making a very dangerous move. If things go wrong, there’s no coming back.”

Pupils perform at Bristol Cathedral School

Bristol’s Cathedral Choir School is applying to the Government for Free School status for a new primary school.

The choir school, which became an 11-18 Academy in 2008, is hoping to open a primary school on its city centre site in September 2013 and will be submitting its Free School application to the Department for Education next month.

School principal Neil Blundell, who announced the plans for a primary school last September, said that while discussions with Bristol City Council were ongoing, he felt Free School status was the best option for the new school.

Free Schools were introduced by Conservative education secretary Michael Gove last year and are funded directly from central government.

Free schools were a centrepiece of the Conservatives’ election manifesto – the idea of local people setting up schools fitting in with its Big Society agenda.

They might be relatively small in number – 24 out of England’s 20,000 schools – but the government wants more of them and says that number should “at least double” this year.

Music would be the bedrock of the primary school, as it is for the existing 11-18 provision, and that it would help the city overcome its chronic shortage of primary school places.

It is estimated that the city needs an extra 3,000 primary school places by 2015. Over the last four years, there has been a 20% increase in the number of children starting school in the city – one of the biggest increases in school population anywhere in the country.

Mr Blundell said: “Since 2008, we have consistently been Bristol’s most over-subscribed secondary school. Now we would like to build on that success by becoming an all-through Academy, welcoming boys and girls from 4-18.

“In doing so, we are playing our part in solving Bristol’s primary school places crisis, which is particularly acute in the city centre.

“We see the opening of a primary school as an important extension of our role as a centre of musical excellence: not only will we be able to strengthen the Cathedral Choir by identifying talent and training voices at a younger age, but we also hope to work increasingly with other schools to provide increased musical opportunities for the children of Bristol.”

The new primary school would be based in separate buildings within the existing BCCS campus in College Square and would have its own headteacher and governing body.

Mr Blundell added: “As part of the formal requirements for a Free School bid, we urgently need to hear from parents who are interested in their children becoming pupils at the new school.”

Bristol City Council has secured an extra £19million funding to create more new primary places in the city, the government has announced.

The extra funding for the 2012-13 financial year follows a recent £18.3m emergency fund for this financial year, to deal with the chronic lack of places for children.

It is estimated that the city needs an extra 3,000 primary school places by 2015. Over the last four years, there has been a 20% increase in the number of children starting school in the city – one of the biggest increases in school population anywhere in the country.

Labour councillors said after the emergency funding was provided last month that the council needed to be “open and straightforward” with parents over what the money would buy.

Bristol City Council has said the new money meant building schemes could be brought forward.

Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, Councillor Clare Campion-Smith, said: “This funding is excellent news for Bristol, giving us the financial security to make longer term plans to create much-needed extra primary places.

“Most parents tell me they want their children to attend a good local primary school. Our aim is therefore to ensure there are enough school places across the city for children to go to school in their local community.

“We already have plans in place to create an extra 370 reception places for next September and are looking at opportunities to support additional places for next school year and beyond.”

The deadline for applying for primary school places for children due to start school in September 2012 is midnight on January 15.

Clare Campion Smith

Test results at Bristol primary schools have improved to the level where they are now “close to the national average”, according to latest figures.

The percentage of Bristol children achieving Level 4 or above at Key Stage 2 was 80% in both English and Maths, (English: 78% 2010, 72% 2007; and Maths: 80% 2010, 69% 2007).

Greenfield Primary in Knowle West is the most improved in the country in the national tests for 11-year-olds in English and maths. Some 95% of its pupils reached the level expected for their age, compared with 30% just four years ago.

Meanwhile, Knowle Park Primary, in south Bristol, has also made dramatic progress over the last five years. The percentage of pupils achieving Level 4 or above for English and Maths combined has increased from 58% in 2008, to 83% in 2011.

Headteacher of Knowle Park Primary, Peter Overton, said: “Our improved results are down to a lot of hard work from our fantastic pupils, committed staff and fantastically supportive parents. Our school vision is to go from good to great – we are well on the way, but know there is still lots of work needed.”

Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, Councillor Clare Campion-Smith, added: “Bristol schools are on a journey of improvement and these figures are further evidence of the progress that has been made. Consistent improvements over the last five years have brought Bristol very close to the national average and pupils are making faster than average progress as they move through primary school.”

Nationally, more than 1,300 primary schools are failing to reach official targets for teaching the basics of English and maths.

The tables show that 1,310 primary schools in England fall below the expected standards, while about 150 schools have been below the “floor standard” for five years.

Doggedly under-performing primary schools face a change of management, either by converting them to academies or merging them with a successful school nearby.

The figures are based on the results of tests taken by more than half a million 11-year-olds in May. Overall the proportion of children achieving the expected level in English is 82% – up two percentage points from last year. In maths it is 80%, up one percentage point on 2010.

Provisional Key Stage Two results published by the Department for Education are available in full at www.dfe.gov.uk

Redland police station (Picture: dichohecho/Flickr)

Redland police station could be turned into new classrooms to help deal with the chronic shortage of primary school places in Bristol.

Next week, Bristol City Council’s Cabinet will consider £37million plans to provide an extra 370 places across the city, ahead of the deadline for parents to submit their school preferences on January 15.

The proposals will include the purchase of land and buildings and the construction of new buildings, including additional provision for Filton Avenue Infant School at the Orchard Secondary School, and the planned purchase of Redland Police
Station to be run as an annex to an existing local school.

The city council put in 14 extra reception classes at schools in the city in September this year and says a further 15 are needed in 2012. It has been working with school governing bodies to come up with proposals to meet the demand.

These have been firmed up following the Government’s announcement last month of an extra £18.3 million to help Bristol deal with the crisis.

If they are approved by the council’s cabinet next Thursday, work will begin soon on a number of major redevelopment schemes.

Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, Cllr Clare Campion-Smith, said: “Families are very aware of the continued high demand for primary school places in Bristol and deserve greater certainty so they can make realistic preferences when stating their school choices.

“It can be a very anxious time, which is why I am very grateful for the hard work that head teachers and governors have put in, so we can announce these proposed extra places at the earliest opportunity.

“This work is not over for September 2012 and I expect we will be able to confirm some arrangements and announce more places as the academic year continues.  Our advice remains for parents and carers to make good use of their three options and to get their applications in on time to stand the best chance of being offered a school of their choice.”

Premature babies fare less well at school and need more support before starting education than those born at full term, research from the Children of the 90s project has found.

Some 71% of babies born between 32 and 36 weeks are successful in key stage 1 (KS1) tests (defined as achieving at least level 2 in reading, writing and maths), compared to 79% of babies born at full term (37-41 weeks).

Babies born between 32 and 36 weeks (‘late-preterm’) make up 82% of all premature births and 6% of all live births in the UK, and are generally considered to be in the ‘safe zone’ of premature births.

But this group requires closer attention to ensure they receive adequate educational support, according to researchers from the University of Bristol.

Analysing data from 13,978 infants in Children of the 90s, the researchers found that the 5% (734) of babies born at 32-36 weeks fared less well in KS1 tests compared to the 86% (12,089) of babies born at term.

The lower overall success rate was replicated in the success rates for individual subjects: reading 78% vs 85%; writing 77% to 84%; and maths 82% to 89%.

Previous research has shown that premature babies are more at risk of developmental delay, cerebral palsy and learning difficulties but little has been known until now about how well late-preterm babies in the UK fare at school compared to babies born at full term.

The findings of this study agree with previous research suggesting poorer school outcomes in late-preterm infants and add to an emerging evidence base of poor long-term neurological and developmental outcomes among children born late-preterm.

Speaking about the findings, the report’s main author Dr Philip Peacock said: “Given that children born late-preterm make up the majority of all preterm births, and comprise around six per cent of the population, this group warrants more recognition and surveillance than is currently provided.

“We recommend children born late-preterm receive a ‘school readiness’ and educational assessment prior to starting school to help identify potential learning problems. Early intervention within this vulnerable group of children may help reduce the burden of school problems and their associated consequences.”

Ten Bristol primary schools will be extended to create 400 places in an effort to ease a shortage of places.

The locations will be revealed later but are expected to include Hannah More Primary School, which has planned to build extra classrooms.

Last month, it emerged Bristol City Council is to receive £18.3 million additional funding this financial year to create new primary school places to cope with a chronic shortfall in spaces across the city.

It is estimated that the city needs an extra 3,000 primary school places by 2015. Over the last four years, there has been a 20% increase in the number of children starting school in the city – one of the biggest increases in school population anywhere in the country.

As part of the plans, Orchard School Bristol and Filton Avenue Infants’ School will merge to create a new primary school for north Bristol. The council says this will be cheaper than building a new primary school. It will also be able to take on new pupils sooner as it will open in September 2012.

A range of options is being considered, including conversion of shops, offices and other buildings, or portable buildings on empty sites.

Two problem areas for the council are Redland and the southern part of the city centre, where the need for new schools is identified but sites are difficult to find. The new St Ursula’s E-Act Academy, with 60 places a year, has helped reduce the shortfall in the Westbury-on-Trym area.

Youth unemployment has hit the one million mark across the UK

A new drive to tackle youth unemployment in Bristol has been launched on the day national figures show the number of 16- to 24-year-olds out of work have topped the one million mark.

The Government is facing calls for urgent measures to tackle unemployment amid the “grisly” new figures, with unions and youth campaign groups saying young people are bearing the brunt of the UK’s jobs “crisis”.

The number of young people out of work now stands at 1.016 million, up from 991,000 across the UK last month. The rise above the politically sensitive one million mark is the first time since comparable records began in 1992 and takes the unemployment rate among eligible 16- to 24-year-olds to 21.9%.

Meanwhile, the total number of jobless, including those not eligible for jobseeker’s allowance, reached a 17-year high of 2.62million. The number of people claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance last month increased by 5,300 to 1.6 million. The jobless rate was 8.3%, compared with forecasts for 8.2 percent. This is the highest rate since April-June 1996.

In the South West, the unemployment rate stood at 6.6% with more than 27,000 young people aged between 18 and 24 now claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance.

In a bid to help the ‘lost generation’ of young people out of work, a new campaign ‘Backing Young Bristol’ is being launched by the Bristol Partnership to tackle youth unemployment and give young people better opportunities to develop the right skills and find work.

Over the next 12 months, a number of initiatives will aim to help young people into work including:

• Increasing the number of new apprentices this year in the Bristol area to at least 2,000, and setting up a network of “apprenticeship champions” across the city to encourage employers to take on a young person;
• Matching young people with businesses for work experience and coaching to help them gain employment;
• Improving support and guidance to young people in particular areas of the city with high youth unemployment;
• Encouraging the recruitment of local graduates.

Bristol City Council Leader Barbara Janke said: “Young people are hugely important to the economic future of the city and region. Early experience of working life is vitally important in helping a young person develop the right skills for employment and they often bring fresh ideas and enthusiasm to local businesses.

“Backing Young Bristol brings together the city’s agencies and businesses to ensure that we see the best possible outcomes for our young people and for business.”

More information on the campaign can be found at www.bristolpartnership.org as well as links to information, advice and opportunities for young people and employers wanting to get involved.