Education Magazine, No 65 Nov 2015

Edition 5, 2015

Aspiration‌ The difference it makes see p12

The value of online mentoring in Britain’s state schools and colleges, see p16 No-one wins if we have a generation of young people lost to unemployment, see p18

Evidence-based teaching on the agenda at free public lecture, see p20 Regulated food safety, see p22 How headteachers can combat radicalisation in schools, see p24

The longest journey: From attachment-aware to attachment-friendly, see p26 Recruitment.The Education Industry: a profession in crisis, see p29 Schools have a right to choose: see p32

www.education-magazine.co.uk - for ar ticles news and pr oducts

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Education Magazine Edition 65 Annual Subscription £10 Free to Heads and School Financial Directors

Publisher Steve Mitchell

Editorial Sales Team: Tracy Johnson and Martin Petty Circulation research Mary Reale

Published by Review Magazines Ltd, 53 Asgard Drive,Bedford MK41 0UR

Design/Production Amanda Wesley

Tel: 01234 348878 Fax: 01223 790191 E-mail: info@education-magazine.co.uk Website: www.education-magazine.co.uk Copyright Education Magazine 2015

Contents 2 News 10 21st century

20 Evidence-based

teaching on the agenda at governance needed free public lecture

by Carey Philpott. for 21st century schools Regulated food safety Aspiration…The by the British Safety Council. difference it makes

22

12

Talking to Sue Gorham, Head of Nottingham Girls School.

16

The value of online mentoring in Britain’s state schools and colleges

By Alex Shapland-Howes.

18 No-one wins if

we have a generation of young people lost to unemployment

Dr Adam Marshall is Executive Director of Policy and External Affairs at the British Chambers of Commerce.

If you are building, developing new ideas or have some excellent examples of ‘good practice’, spread the word about them and contact PIR Education Magazine on

01234 348878 or

29 Recruitment.The

Education Industry: A Profession in Crisis

By Lee Biggins.

32 Schools have a right to choose:

8 Key considerations in selecting your broadband provider.

24 How headteachers

can combat radicalisation in schools

By Jonathan Russell, Political Liaison Officer at Quilliam Foundation.

34 Its much more

than fire extinguisher maintenance

26 The Longest Journey: 35 News From Attachment-Aware to AttachmentFriendly Dr Jennifer A Nock.

The magazine for Heads and Financial Directors of Academies, Independent and Free Schools

email info@education-magazine.co.uk We are always looking for good news on Education issues.

We approve all articles prior to press.

Look forward to hearing from you!

The Publisher holds all copyright and any items within may not be reproduced in any way, for any purpose, without the written permission of the Publisher. While every care has been taken to ensure accuracy, the information contained within this publication is based on submissions to the Publishers who cannot be held responsible for errors and omissions. The publisher does not necessarily agree with the views expressed by contributors and cannot except responsibility for claims made by manufacturers and authors, nor do they accept any responsibility for any errors in the subject matter of this publication.

NEWS News News News NEWS News NEWS News Registration now open for fourth annual Music Education Expo!

sessions, but many of the Music Education Expo sessions may also be applicable to drama – and certainly musical theatre – teachers.

Fire-side chats Our fire-side chats will give you the chance to listen in on Q&As with leading industry figures and artists while sipping tea or coffee in the Networking Café.

Visitors can now register for their free ticket to Music Education Expo; a free CPD event for music teachers, now incorporating the Musical Theatre & Drama Education Show.

Plus: • Free wifi for all visitors, suitable for tweeting and checking emails • Exhibition ‘zones’, making it easier to find your way around • Moving all theatres to the edges of the room to reduce noise overspill from the exhibition stands • Building a dedicated performance stage to host our range of performances

Taking place on 25 & 26 February 2016 at London Olympia, the free show will offer two days of high-quality CPD, unrivalled networking opportunities and the chance to try out hundreds of products at our comprehensive exhibition.

Building on the success of previous years, Music Education Expo 2016 is set to be the biggest and best show yet, with a host of new elements to engage, inspire and entertain visitors.

More than 60 sessions/44 hours of CPD

Reasons to attend • Benefit from free high quality CPD and go home with a raft of new ideas for your teaching • Network and share ideas with 2,500 other teachers • Try out a large range of education products all in one place and get exclusive on-site discounts • NEW! Explore department-crossover with the introduction of the Musical Theatre & Drama Education Show

As well as adding more sessions, we’re aiming to improve the conference programme by tightening the submission process, ensuring each session has tangible learning objectives. We’ve also recruited an advisory board of practising teachers to help us plan the programme.

The Musical Theatre & Drama Education Show A brand new professional development conference for drama and performing arts teachers. Incorporated within the Expo, this new show will provide a chance for both music and drama delegates to explore department-crossover and take part in workshops and seminars on subjects that other discipline-specific shows might not be able to offer. The event will have a core stream of conference

Expo in numbers • 2 days

• •

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60+ CPD sessions

44 hours of CPD

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130+ exhibitors

2,500 visitors

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One expo

Book a free ticket at www.Musiceducationexpo.Co.Uk

New school model in South Delhi could transform education The first ever school outside of the UK supported by an academy network held a special event to mark its operation on 19 November. The school, Lajpat-Nagar III Primary School, named after the area it is located in, was established through a new partnership between Ark and the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC), the local government, and is free to attend.

The SDMC educates children from the most underprivileged backgrounds in South Delhi.

It runs 589 primary schools, many of which are struggling with declining student rolls due to parents opting for private schools.

If successful, Ark hope to open a network of primary schools in South Delhi, which could in turn provide a model for education reform across India.

Ark is a founding partner of The Education Alliance, a group of NGOs and foundations, registered in India to facilitate similar partnerships in education with a view to improve education quality and widen the set of choices available to the economically weaker sections of society. The focus of education leaders in India is increasingly moving away from enrolment to quality.

Indian parents are choosing private schools over public schools, but these don’t always address issues of equity. New models of schooling are urgently needed to provide high quality education to the disadvantaged.

While participation has increased remarkably since the Right of Children to

Free and Compulsory Education Act in 2009, quality still lags behind: a 2013 study found that 47 per cent of children in Grade 5 could not read a Grade 2 text.

Through an effective partnership with the South Delhi Municipal Corporation, the school has made remarkable progress in four months. Due to under-enrolment and a shift of children towards private schools, this school building was previously dilapidated and under utilised, with only nine pupils enrolled in Kindergarten and Grade 1. There are now 120 pupils enrolled, with an overall attendance rate of 83%.

The majority of families served by the school have low incomes and fall into the government designated ‘Economically Weaker Sections’ category. Many of the children attending will be the first of their families to go to school. Few have access to toys, learning materials or books at home. They have not had stories read to them by adults. As a result, there is much

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that the children have needed to develop cognitively. The pupils are making progress in mathematics and vocabulary skills, and now have exemplary behaviour. There has been tremendous growth in their cognitive ability and attention span - they are able to listen to a story or follow classroom instructions with a sustained level of concentration.

Ark, a non-profit organisation, runs a group of 34 schools in England concentrated in areas of deprivation and a range of education programmes in African and India. Rated the top-performing academy group for pupil progress by the government Department for Education, Ark’s schools in the UK are twice as likely to be outstanding and it runs King Solomon Academy, the top performing comprehensive school in the country.

Ark has been providing support to educational programmes in India since 2000, but this marks a significant departure in being involved in running a school directly for the first time. 10 million pupils study at schools which have adopted an Ark school assessment framework, equivalent of the UK inspection system Ofsted, in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. This is now being rolled out other states. In addition, Ark has been providing support for a voucher system enabling disadvantaged children claim their right to free education as well as developing a phonics training programme to improve standards of English teaching.

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NEWS News News News NEWS Shelter, to help us provide support News NEWS News for and advice to the thousands of families struggling to keep a roof over their heads Schools step up for this Christmas.”

Slippers for Shelter to To find out more or get involved, visit help homeless children shelter.org.uk/slippers.

Judgement on GCSE this Christmas religious content hailed as ‘common sense’ Three families who said the religious studies GCSE their children would study illegally prioritised religious views over non-religious ones won their case in the High Court 25th November 2015.

School children across the country are getting ready to give their old school shoes the boot, and slide on their slippers instead – all in support of children who will be homeless this Christmas.

With a shocking 100,000 children in Britain facing the prospect of waking up homeless on Christmas morning, Shelter is calling on schools to take part in their Christmas appeal, Slippers for Shelter.

On Friday 4th December, school children can support Slippers for Shelter in three simple steps: 1. Wear your slippers into school; 2. Donate just £1 or even £2 to Shelter; and 3. Take a Slipper selfie to share on social media with #slippersforshelter An ideal activity to get the whole school involved, Slippers for Shelter is open to all ages and abilities. Schools can choose between holding Slipper assemblies, Slipperthemed classes or Slipper hunts at playtime, and even a Slippers-only Christmas party. To make things easy for schools, they will be able to download fun resources including activity sheets and posters.

TV presenter Gok Wan, who will also be keeping his feet cosy and comfy this Christmas by supporting Slippers for Shelter, said: “Just a little bit can go a long way towards helping the thousands of children in Britain who will be waking up homeless this Christmas.

That’s why I’m putting my best foot forward and taking a slipper selfie, to support Slippers for Shelter.”

Campbell Robb, chief executive of Shelter, said: “Every child should have a place to call home – a safe and secure environment for them to play and learn, grow and thrive. The fact that over 100,000 children in Britain are facing homelessness this Christmas is a tragedy.”

“Shelter’s advisers can make the difference between a family losing their home and keeping it, but we’re struggling to keep up with demand. We’re calling on schools across the country to take part in Slippers

The case of R (Fox and others ) v Secretary of State for Education was brought by a trio of parents who asserted that the new subject content document governing the GCSE Religious Studies syllabus gave unlawful priority to the teaching of religious views over non-religious views, including those such as humanism.[1] Mr Justice Warby agreed with their assertion that it did not meet the requirements for pluralism and equal treatment.

Dan Rosenberg, Partner at law firm Maxwell Gillott represented the families. He explained: “This is a good and common sense result which reflects well upon British society and values. It is important that children at this formative age (14-16) gain exposure to the wide range of beliefs that are held in this country, including non-religious beliefs and this judgment ensures that.”

The Department for Education’s position was that its subject content was consistent with the requirements for the statutory provision of religious education.

“This was challenged by three parents and their children who would be of an age that meant they would study the new GCSE curriculum,” added Dan Rosenberg. “The case was supported by the British Humanist Association and the parents had beliefs and values that did not have a religious basis.”

“They argued that the government’s position would lead to those responsible for framing pupil’s curriculums to wrongly believe that religious education can be delivered at key stage 4 by nothing more than the religious studies GCSE.” However, the court found that the Government’s assertion made in respect of the subject content was wrong.

“The Court agreed that those reading the subject content would assume the delivery of the Religious Studies GCSE will fulfil the state’s legal obligations as to religious education, when that would not necessarily be the case.”

“This was highly significant because it meant those responsible for religious education would rely exclusively on GCSEs specified in accordance with the subject content, 6

something that could be enough to meet the state’s RE obligations but will not necessarily be so.”

Dan explains the Department for Education will now have to consider its options carefully.

“It is now for the Government to react to the Court’s decision and clarify to all those involved in the setting of RE curriculums that the new religious studies GCSE will not necessarily be sufficient by itself to discharge their statutory obligations to provide religious education to 14-16 year olds.

It is for the Government to provide clear guidance to all involved how the wider religious education obligations at Key Stage 4 can be met in light of this Judgment.”

Bedford beats ‘The Bullies’ Students Send Video Message To Support Anti-Bullying Week “YOU’RE not alone…”

That’s the message from students at Bedford High School in Leigh to anyone who has ever been bullied.

And at the start of national Anti-Bullying Week, caring students are sending their message out to a global audience with a stunning video shot with North Star Digital.

I Am Holly is a three-minute film that follows the title character as she struggles to cope with being bullied. Shot from her perspective and told through Holly’s words, the piece subtly explores the experience of the victim — their thoughts, feelings and emotions.

Holly talks about the loneliness, fear and helplessness she feels. She speaks about how she feels she has no-one to talk to and how it is affecting other areas of her life. The film also focuses on the different forms that bullying can take from physical intimidation through to cyber-bullying, texting and social media.

The ultimate message is an uplifting one as Holly’s friends and the entire school community rally around her to help her beat the bullies.

Working with professionals from North Star Digital, students came up with the concept for the film and learned more about movie-making.

Bedford Assistant Headteacher and Head of Pastoral Care, Bridget Moss, explains: “Students in our Year 7/8 Drama Club made the video to promote Anti-Bullying Week and to make young people think about what they do and say online.”

“The theme of Anti-Bullying Week is ‘make a noise about bullying’ so we wanted to involve as many students as possible, so Year 8 spelled out the words ‘You’re Not Alone’ as the central message.”

You can watch I Am Holly here: http:// northstardigital.co.uk/iamholly/ Education Magazine

Learn from industry leaders at the Education Show 2016 The Education Show 2016, the go-to event for CPD and learning resources, will be returning to NEC, Birmingham from 17 to 19 March.

A jam-packed programme of new content, inspiring training and development, and pioneering educational suppliers will be available throughout the show. The Education Show 2016 will provide all of the insight you need for a successful career in the world of education, from innovative teaching resources and practices, to educational charities and organisations.

Each year, the show attracts over 10,000 visitors, from primary, secondary and higher education backgrounds, all offering a wealth of knowledge and experience in their field.

Whatever your areas of interest, there are plenty of invaluable opportunities to justify your visit to the show.

To help exhibitors plan their route around the show, the British Educational Supplier’s Association (BESA) will be on hand at the BESA Show Information Point. The association’s knowledge and experience will help visitors plan their time at the event and ensure they get as much out of it as possible.

For more information or to register, please visit: www.education-show.com.

You can follow @EducationShow on Twitter for further news and updates, or join #EdShowChat every last week of the month.

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NEWS News News News NEWS News NEWS News Statement by the School wear Association The School wear Association’s response to Competition and Markets Authority issuing an open letter to schools, governors, retailers and suppliers regarding competition within the school uniform market.

“As the organisation representing all those involved in the supply of school wear, we have been asked to be part of the process looking into competition within the school wear market, and we are keen to participate.”

“Our first priority is that every child should be able to go to school in a smart, well-made, school-specific uniform.”

“Parents and schools understand the benefits of good quality uniform, which have been well documented and include improved learning, behaviour and wellbeing.”

“We encourage schools to seek value by providing advice on garment selection and competitive tendering. We have lobbied the government to remove VAT on school uniform and to enable a voucher scheme, similar to childcare vouchers. Many of our members work with schools to help disadvantaged families to have access to uniform, and we also advise schools on affordability initiatives such as savings clubs.”

“We are anxious that the focus on school uniform should not be solely on price at the expense of poorer quality. Well-made, long-lasting uniform is not only better value in the long term but also the most environmentally sustainable option, and we should remember that children spend an average of ten hours a day in their uniform so comfort and durability are vital.”

“Our members are often local, independent family businesses who feel a genuine responsibility to provide quality products at the most competitive prices to local schools and parents. Responsible school wear specialists encourage schools to use a sensible mix of school specific products with generic garments that are available from numerous sources, so schools create a smart corporate look at an acceptable price.”

“There are some benefits to sole supplier arrangements, particularly because a single supplier is dedicated to the school and required to stock uniform all year round in all sizes. When there are two or more suppliers, that sense of duty diminishes, and the school has less power to demand best value and service levels. If a school decides on a sole supplier arrangement, we

strongly recommend periodically putting contracts out to tender where quotations can be compared on quality, service levels, year-round stocking, ethical sourcing and price.”

David Burgess, Chair of The School wear Association

Statement on the timing of inspections for new schools made on 2 October 2015 The initial inspection for all new publiclyfunded schools and other new provision will be during the third year of operation.

Ofsted, in consultation with the Department for Education, has been reviewing the timing of the initial inspection for all new publicly-funded schools and other new provision.

In previous years Ofsted has inspected new provision during the second year of opening, generally from the fifth term onwards. From this term all new provision, including those schools that opened from the 2013/14 academic year to date and which have not had their initial inspection, will be inspected during the third year of operation. This policy will apply to all new schools, including academy converters, and will also be applied to school amalgamations, mergers and where new key stages are added.

The Chief Inspector has the discretion to inspect earlier where he has concerns and will also do this when requested to do so by the Secretary of State.

Ofsted will issue an updated policy statement on inspection of new schools shortly.

Focused inspection of The Education Fellowship Ofsted on Tuesday 13th October published the outcome letter of the focused inspection of The Education Fellowship.

The inspections are part of a concerted programme of action by Ofsted to establish the effectiveness of a multi-academy trust in supporting and challenging academy schools within individual chains.

Five academies were inspected as part of the focused inspection between 2 and 5 June 2015. Two of these were full inspections and 3 were monitoring inspections. The academies were all due for an inspection by the end of this academic year.

Along with the inspections, telephone discussions were held with the principals of 7 other academies. A follow-up visit to The

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Education Fellowship was also conducted where inspectors spoke to senior and operational staff, principals, governors, strategic partners and other stakeholders.

Inspectors also scrutinised a range of relevant documentation.

The letter sent to The Education Fellowship has been published online. www.gov.uk/government/publications/ focused-inspection-outcome-letter-for-theeducation-fellowship The Secretary of State for Education wrote to Ofsted on 22 January 2015 clarifying the arrangements for the focused inspection of academies. In the first week, Ofsted inspects a number of the trust’s academies. Inspectors also hold telephone conversations with other academy principals. In the following week inspectors now visit multi-academy trust central offices and hold discussions with staff from the trust. They consider a range of other evidence alongside the results from the focused inspections.

The Education Fellowship was set up in 2012 and is made up of 4 secondary and 8 primary academies across Northamptonshire, Windsor and Maidenhead and Wiltshire.

New SAPCA Quality System ensures “consistently high standards” of sports and play builds The Sports and Play Construction Association, SAPCA, has strengthened its role in promoting high standards within construction of sports and play facilities, with the launch of its new Quality System.

SAPCA has always aimed to “raise the bar” for companies that specialise in the design and construction of sports infrastructure since its inception in 1997. The new Quality System brings together a number of key areas of SAPCA’s activities and puts a strong emphasis on regular inspections of SAPCA members’ work, to ensure that contractors always deliver projects to the absolute satisfaction of their clients.

SAPCA chief executive Chris Trickey said: “The Quality System ensures that only specialist companies that can consistently deliver high standards of sports and play facility construction can join SAPCA and then remain as members.”

The main elements of the Quality System are:

• •

Strict membership criteria SAPCA’s membership criterion ensures that only specialist companies and

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News News NEWS News

News organsiations, with a proven track record and trading history, can be admitted.

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Financial stability

SAPCA works closely with credit reference specialist Experian and bases its membership criteria on the Commercial Delphi Scoring System used by Experian within its Risk Reports. This ensures our members are in the top 70% of UK businesses for financial stability, with a minimum Commercial Delphi score of 40 out of 100.

Customer service Each year all SAPCA members are required to re-sign the Association’s Code of Professional Conduct, through which companies guarantee a continued commitment to quality.

Standards of design and construction SAPCA has a series of Codes of Practice that set out and define the industry’s standards of construction. SAPCA members must comply with the required construction specifications and quality of completed work.

NEWS NEWS News

Inspection of contractors’ projects

Trickey added

In order to ensure that SAPCA contractors continue to deliver high quality facilities, the Association has introduced a new inspection programme, through which checks are carried out on a selection of members’ projects, both during construction and on completion. This ensures projects are all built to exacting standards.

“It underlines the benefits of choosing members of SAPCA for sports and play projects, and will give greater peace of mind to those that buy, operate and maintain such facilities that their funds have been invested wisely.”

Complaint resolution SAPCA can provide impartial assistance in the resolution of complaints and disputes, should it ever be necessary, on the technical aspects of projects.

Customer feedback The clients of all SAPCA members are invited to provide feedback on their projects, and the performance of the companies that they have employed.

Education and training Each year, SAPCA provides a series of educational opportunities for its members that help to share technical knowledge and best practice, and reinforce the high standards that are required of SAPCA companies.

The new and vastly improved Quality System is here to safeguard the sports and play industry and wider community against poor quality design, build and construction standards.

We are always looking for good news on Education issues. Please call us if you have any ideas or articles you would like published.

Call

01234 348878 or email info@ educationmagazine.co.uk

We approve all articles prior to press.

Look forward to hearing from you!

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21st century governance needed for 21st century schools In his second monthly commentary Sir Michael Wilshaw looks at the role that governance plays in an increasingly autonomous education system.

Five hundred failing governing boards identified

by Ofsted this year – time for a re-think?

Following on from my commentary last month on the progress that has been made by primary schools in recent years, I want to turn my attention this month to the issue of governance.

The role that governance plays in ensuring that every child receives the best possible education has never been more important.

The huge changes to our increasingly autonomous education system over the past 5 years, including the rapid growth of academies and free schools, has placed more power into the hands of governing boards than ever before.

Governors and trustees are there to set the school’s vision, ethos and strategic direction.

They are also expected to hold the headteacher to account for the performance of teachers and pupils, and to ensure that public money is being well spent.

Governors have to be perceptive people who can challenge and support the headteacher in equal measure and know when and how to do this. They must never overstep the mark and try and run the school themselves. As the Chief Executive of the National Governors Association succinctly puts it, governors and trustees should be: “Eyes on, hands off!” They also have to understand the complexities of school organisation and be able to analyse the wealth of data that now exists on school performance.

We should not underestimate just how vital the role of governors and trustees has become in helping to raise standards.

It is also why Ofsted now shines a brighter spotlight on the effectiveness of governing boards, and reports on their performance and their impact in greater detail. In every Ofsted report, inspectors are expected to write a discrete paragraph on the effectiveness of governance and whether it is influencing school performance.

In short, the role is so important that amateurish governance will no longer do.

Good will and good intentions will only go so far. Governing boards made up of people who are not properly trained and who do not understand the importance of their role are not fit for purpose in the modern and complex educational landscape.

That is why, last year, I recommended to government that it should give serious consideration to mandatory training for all governors and trustees. I am disappointed that there has been such little progress on this recommendation. High-quality training for all governors, but particularly the chair and vice-chair, is vital to the success of our schools. I have, therefore, asked Her Majesty’s Inspectors, when they make a judgement on governance, to focus particularly on training and the arrangements schools are making to source expertise in this vital work.

is weak and the governing board is struggling to have the necessary impact.

We know what can happen when things go badly wrong with the governance of a school.

I also said that the first sign that a school was in decline or in difficulty should trigger intervention by the local authority, academy sponsor or the Department for Education, with additional professional appointees being parachuted onto the board.

We have all heard about the governors in Birmingham who abused their position to try to alter the character of a number of schools in line with their own personal ideology – both ‘eyes on and hands on’! We have also read the stories about governing boards nodding through wildly excessive remuneration packages for headteachers and lacking proper oversight of school finances.

These are, of course, mercifully rare cases, but they do serve to illustrate the influential role that governing boards play in modern schools.

There are thousands of people across the country who give up their time to serve on governing boards. We know that the majority take their duties very seriously and act responsibly and in the interests of the wholeschool community.

Inspectors find that in many schools, governors and trustees are making an important contribution to raising standards and lifting aspiration. The best of these champion the school in the local community and take great pride in the success of their pupils.

Take, for example, these two extracts from recently published inspection reports of primary schools in Berkshire and the West Midlands respectively.

In the last academic year alone, there were nearly 500 schools where inspectors were so concerned about the performance of the governing board that they called for outside experts to be drafted in to carry out an urgent external review of governance.

In a speech I made nearly three years ago, I argued that we needed a more professional approach to school governance, especially in our most challenging schools serving the most deprived communities.

Finally, I expressed my belief that we should not rule out payment to governors with the necessary expertise to challenge and support schools with a long legacy of underachievement.

Aside from a relatively small number of interim executive boards that have been put in place in some of the worst cases, nothing I have seen or learned in the intervening period has altered my view on these matters. Indeed, if anything, the need for decisive action in this area has become even more pressing, especially when it comes to underperforming secondary schools in certain parts of the country.

I therefore pose the question once again: has the time not come to consider paying chairs and vice-chairs in order to recruit the most able people to schools in the most difficult circumstances?

When leadership and management of a school are judged to be ineffective, entrenched weak governance is invariably one of the underlying reasons. Time and again in these cases, inspectors come across the same type of issues:

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governors who lack the professional knowledge or educational background to sufficiently challenge senior leaders

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governors who have not received the regular, relevant, high-quality training to enable them to do their job effectively

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Governance is outstanding. Governors hold the headteacher to account very well. They use their deep understanding of the school’s performance to ask challenging questions such as, ‘Why are standards in mathematics not improving as quickly as those in reading, and what is being done about it?’

governors who lack curiosity and are too willing to accept what they are being told about pupils’ progress and the quality of teaching. As a consequence, they often hold an overly optimistic view of how the school is performing

•

Unfortunately, such strong, dynamic and cohesive governance is far from universal. Ofsted comes across too many schools where oversight

governors who may know what the school’s pupil premium funding is being spent on but have little idea whether it’s actually having any impact on improving outcomes for disadvantaged children

•

governors who devote too much time and attention to the marginal issues (like

Governors work very effectively with school leaders to ensure the school is a successful learning community. They hold the leaders robustly to account for the school’s performance. The range of governors’ expertise and their knowledge of the school are excellent. Governors are fully tuned into pupils’ current and future needs.

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the school uniform, dinner menu or the peeling paintwork in the main hall) instead of focusing on the core issues that really matter – the quality of teaching, the progress and achievement of pupils and the underlying school culture Depressingly, we often find the weakest governance operating in the most challenging schools in the poorest areas of the country – the very schools that stand to gain most from strong, professional and forensic governance and are least able to muddle through when this is absent.

That does not mean that our inspectors do not come across the type of weaknesses I’ve highlighted above in more affluent parts of the country. We also know there are schools where governors and trustees are aware of the overall attainment of pupils at the end of the key stages but do not realise these figures mask inequalities among different groups of pupils.

They are also unaware that children further down the school are making less progress than they should be from high starting points.

Schools are now complex institutions subject to far greater external accountability than they were in the past.

In this context, being a governor is far more demanding and carries huge levels of responsibility.

It would be unrealistic to expect every member of the governing board to have a deep knowledge of educational issues. However, for the two or three people who hold the most

senior roles on the board, and who could be responsible for ‘cascading’ training to other members, I believe this is essential.

In addition, these senior governors need to be able to ask the probing questions and hold the difficult conversations when necessary. That can be harder if governors lack confidence in their own knowledge of school organisation and performance. Indeed, lack of confidence can easily lead to a ‘cosy’ relationship with the headteacher and far too great a reliance on the latter’s viewpoint.

Undoubtedly the most important task that will ever fall to a governing board is to appoint a new headteacher.

I suspect nearly all of us who have spent our careers in schools can cite examples of the wrong person being handed the top job. I think it is, therefore, legitimate to ask whether senior governors who lack the professional credentials can be relied on to make the right appointment that serves the interests of children. This is particularly pertinent when it comes to standalone academies that have opted out of local authority control but are not part of any multi-academy trust. In such cases, the governing board may have no-one to turn to for professional advice and support when deciding on a new head to lead the school.

It is surely no coincidence that in last year’s Annual Report, Ofsted identified standalone academies as the most vulnerable to decline and failure.

I believe we also need to look seriously at how some governing boards are constituted and in particular at the role played by what are known as representative governors, in particular parent governors. As the latest Department for Education guidance rightly makes clear, good governance is predicated on having the right range of skills and experience needed to do the job effectively. It should not be about how many people represent particular interest groups but about the level of knowledge and expertise that can be brought to the table.

That is not to say that simply having the right people with the right professional qualifications guarantees an effective governing board. The role demands commitment. There can be no place for those who have signed up to become a governor because they think it will boost the credentials on their CV and are content to sit passively through meetings where important aspects of the school’s performance are being put under scrutiny.

The issue of governance is fundamental to the success of our education system in England and to whether we can sustain and build on the improvements in school standards of recent years.

For this reason, I have commissioned inspectors to carry out an in-depth and far-reaching survey into the effectiveness of governance in our schools. We will publish a report next year.

Reproduced from an article From OFSTED released on 19 November 2015

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Aspiration…The difference it makes Nottingham Girls’ High School is an independent school for girls aged four to 18. It is part of the Girls Day School Trust, the largest network of independent girls’ schools in the UK and has over 1000 students.

A group of Sixth Form girls recently climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. The trip was a character building exercise as well as an exploration. The girls who went had to raise the money, organise the trip and sort out their own en-route logistics. A big part of the purpose behind this was to enable the participants to believe that they could do something really challenging if they set their minds to it, build resilience and inspire others in the process. In this they learn valuable skills that serve them well in life as well as the job market. I spoke to the Head to find out how the school goes about instilling such aspirations into their pupils. It was an interesting interview that holds lessons for all schools.

Sue Gorham has been Head of Nottingham Girls School for the last nine years, and was head hunted from Burgess Hill Girls School in West Sussex in 2006.

She was previously Deputy Head at Dame Alice Harpur School in Bedford Sue Gorham until 2002. Sue has taught in a variety of independent and local authority schools including co-educational establishments.

Education Magazine (EM) How important is instilling aspiration in your pupils, and why?

Sue Gorham (SG) It is very important. We encourage a can-do attitude from a very early age in our girls. I tell parents and pupils that we hope to help the girls find and develop their talents. Even the ones they don’t yet know they have. Everyone is good at something. We are good at drawing out the best from our girls – both in and out of the classroom. Developing a can-do attitude is so important in that process.

EM How on a day to day basis can you instill the urge to learn in a child?

SG Learning should be fun and exciting and the whole school environment should be a safe and inspiring place for students and a great environment for learning. Girls’ learning needs tend to be very different from boys so in a single sex school like ours it requires a special approach. We’ve worked hard to create an environment and classroom dynamic where all students

feel secure enough to move out of their comfort zone. And this is what we mean by developing a ‘can do’ attitude in our girls. We put happiness as our most important strand and a happy girl is a successful girl. She will have the confidence to try things out, to become more resilient and aspire to such expeditions and tests of resilience, as with the Kilimanjaro expedition.

Happiness is crucial to what we do and breeds success. Praising children – encouraging them – is crucial.

EM What about sport, the Girl Guides and so on? How do these help?

SG They are very important. In fact, the Girl Guides Association has published some very good research that shows how girls feel the impact of gender stereotyping, such as fewer than 1 in 10 girls aged 7 to 10 would choose a career as a scientist, engineer or lawyer because of gender expectations. In a single sex environment girls can achieve more success and have greater freedom in many more ways than a co-ed environment.

Our girls are confident, and this confidence grows from all sorts of things. It comes from the classroom and all the activities they do, including all the things Jen Lynn, our Head of Outdoor Learning, (who organised the trip to Tanzania) does with them. For instance if they are organising a charity event, they have to organise it themselves. Right from the Junior School, pupils have to take the lead and take responsibility for things. The more exposure and practice they have in those situations, the better they are at it and the stronger those skills become, and the more their confidence grows.

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If it takes them a little out of their comfort zone it teaches them they can go onto achieve greater things and significantly helps their self-esteem.

Failure is important too. It is important to experience failure in some aspects of life. If they get to 18 and haven’t failed at anything then it can present a real problem for any young person as they then move into the world of work. We teach our girls to bounce back from failure. If your team loses in a hockey match you don’t stay down over it, you dust yourself off and play again. If our students don’t experience failure in some way, shape or form they can’t become resilient.

EM Does this resilience help them to get to know themselves better?

SG Yes, they know that they can challenge themselves. They know their strengths and weaknesses. They know what they need to work at, when they need support. I would say that our girls do know themselves very well. When it comes to self-analysis they are very good at it.

EM What does this system of schooling give to the students?

SG Confidence is the first thing. I also think that the girls are very good communicators.

Strong communication skills are something we develop in our girls right the way through their schooling.

We also do a phenomenal amount of volunteering – our Sixth Formers logged over 5000 hours of volunteer work last year alone. This helps build confidence and develops good communication skills. continues overleaf u Education Magazine

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Aspiration…The difference it makes continued They volunteer in all sorts of areas in the community and that gives them a sense of shared responsibility, respect and care for others. They do what they can to give something back.

Julie Keller joined the conversation; she is Deputy Head Teacher and Acting Executive Head of the Juniors.

EM What is your rationale behind the benefits of single sex education on building aspiration?

JK Because of the single sex environment the girls feel safe to say what they think and have the time and space to reflect.

I’ve worked in a co-ed environment with boys, who are typically more vocal, and in an independent girls only school there isn’t that same competition. Boys aren’t there shouting out or getting heard first. Here, girls are the leaders and have the opportunity to be at the top of everything they do.

In the Junior School for example, girls must write to me to put forward their reasons for why they should be appointed as a House Captain. I have to wade through all these lovely letters to choose them! In any other school you might question whether the pupils would fulfil their promises, but at this school I know that they will. If they say that they will get all the younger girls involved, if they say that they are ready to take on that role and responsibility I believe them.

Jen Lynn joined the conversation; Jen is the Head of Outdoor Learning who was responsible for organising and accompanying the pupils on the trip to Tanzania.

Jen Lynn was a senior outdoor instructor at Abernethy Trust, an outdoor adventure centre in Scotland, and managed the day to day activities there. At university she studied Sports and Exercise Science, and was already a qualified ski instructor. Jen was headhunted by the outdoor centre where she was trained in a variety of activities. Jen is also a rock climbing instructor, a canoe and kayaking instructor, and also teaches gorge walking, mountain biking, archery, coasteering and zip wire activities. This year, Jen completed her Winter Mountain Leader training and hopes to go on to become one of a small number of

their daughter had changed so much over the 18 months leading up to and during the expedition, and they’d seen her transform and blossom.

Climbing the mountain itself was actually a small part of the expedition because for 18 months before they developed their leadership potential with preparations. I was there only as a safety officer and to step in if there was a serious issue. I never had to step in once! From the moment we left the school they were in charge, travelling across Africa, independent of help from home.

women in the UK to hold the qualification. Jen was also recently presented with an award at St James’ Palace for her service to the Duke of Edinburgh award.

EM What do you feel that these extracurricular activities can bring to the girls at the school?

JL This is an incredible school for presenting extraordinary opportunities to students which have the potential to take them to a whole new level of confidence and achievement. At this school we never underestimate what the girls can achieve.

Over the last few years, from expeditions to Iceland, Norway and Kilimanjaro it has proved that they are capable of so much.

We also have a newly developed outdoor learning centre which includes a climbing wall and low rope course – just to name a few – and we run Firepit Fridays where we teach the girls bush craft. All of these are designed to bring out their leadership skills and build their confidence.

As a school we have the highest completion rate of the Duke of Edinburgh Award in the whole of Nottingham, which speaks volumes for our students’ resilience, their incredible attitude and perseverance. From Bronze to Silver to Gold, we offer Duke of Edinburgh on foot, horseback or canoe!

EM How many students did you take with you to Kilimanjaro and how did you recruit for it??

JL Fourteen students made the trip. There is a good reputation in the school for our events being a lot of fun and it is something girls now want to grab hold of with both hands. Students had to apply for a place, pass a fitness test and sit a one-on-one interview with me.

EM Did you get many quiet students in this intake?

JL Yes we did and after we returned I had a letter from one of the parents saying that 14

Every day they had somebody who was in charge of the budget. Someone else was in charge of the timing, another who was thinking about the food. Somebody else had to liaise with the in-country agent. Everybody in the team had a role and had to step up as a leader. That was the most important part of the expedition. The team had to change planes midway to Dar Es Salaam, change money in country, organise transport and accommodation and plan each phase of the expedition – they were amazing.

EM In the case of the student whose parents wrote to you, before she went and after she returned, what was the difference?

JL First of all, her fitness has gone through the roof and her confidence has shot up.

She holds her head up, she’s optimistic, and will have engaging conversations with everyone. She has obtained a sense of belonging through it. There is something for every student here at Nottingham Girls’ High School and tapping into that potential, drawing out that talent, passion and strength of character is vital.

EM So you seem to do something similar to this expedition in every part of the school? What does this do for the students’ aspiration? Does it open doors for them?

JL We believe that when they see they can do something such as this they believe that they can do a whole lot more.

EM You’ve taken them to Kilimanjaro.

Where next?

JL I am talking to Bull Precision Expeditions and Helen Turton, who’s one of the leading Arctic explorers in the UK. My ambition is to be the first school in the UK to visit the North or South Pole. It’s expensive and a challenge even at the planning stages but we’re an adventurous school. For the next expedition though, we are talking about taking a team of students to Everest Base Camp in Nepal.

Thank you for talking to Education Magazine Jen. I was watching Sue Gorham’s expression when Jen spoke of her ambition to be the first school to visit one of the poles; a smile of anticipation crossed her face.

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The value of online mentoring in Britain’s state schools and colleges Recent research shows that 70 per cent of 16 to 19-year-olds think it will be hard to get a good job when they leave school.

That’s an alarming statistic for state students in the UK where the link between disadvantage and low educational achievement is greater than in almost any other developed country.

We know first class teaching has the biggest part to play in addressing that challenge, but even where that is in place, students from less advantaged backgrounds face multiple barriers to future success.

There’s a particular challenge where students grow up without the role models and contacts who can help them prepare for further education or employment. Finding other ways to gain the confidence, soft skills and direction that will enable them to succeed is therefore crucial.

One is mentoring, and in particular online mentoring which provides a secure space that reflects the way students now use technology.

Alumni, (former students), have a valuable role to play in a mentoring relationship because they have a vital asset as career and education role models: relatability. They’ve walked a similar path to today’s students.

They have a shared experience of life in the community and in the school.

State schools across Britain are increasingly tapping into the wealth of talent and experience of their alumni by linking former and current students in a constructive relationship with someone today’s generation can understand and who understands them.

Future First, a national charity which enables state schools to harness the skills of their alumni to support current students, collaborated with the online mentoring charity Brightside establishing mentoring relationships between current students at risk of underachieving and successful former students of their school.

Mentors were matched with between one and three current students via a secure, online platform, then mentor and mentee linked up online every week for between three to six months with the mentor offering academic and pastoral support. The frequency provided students with regular and consistent contact with someone who empathised with them in a supportive relationship and who offered knowledge and experience the students may not otherwise have been able to access.

Mentors were given video training on topics that could be covered with their mentee.

Those ranged from helping a student make decisions about GCSEs, post-16 or university choices, writing personal statements, supporting them to better recognise their strengths and skills, giving them a personal insight into pathways after school or college and subject specific support.

Teachers, alumni and students stayed in regular communication to monitor the programme as it developed.

The results show the benefits for students are many.

A student may feel more confident asking a question via email away from the pressure of a classroom.

Students become better organised. Knowing they have to respond to their mentor regularly requires commitment and is discipline for revision. Students also gained experience of formal correspondence.

Mentors can also support students to sift through the daunting array of career choices and offer advice on sorting out money worries, like the cost of further education.

St James School, a state school in Exeter, ran a pilot e-mentoring scheme targeting pupil premium students to motivate them to work harder as well as to provide study and revision tips.

Former student Alli German, who now works in public administration for Devon County Council, mentored Kaydie, a Year 11 student the school felt could benefit from extra encouragement to help her achieve her targets. They linked up over email regularly once a week, with Alli giving Kaydie the academic and pastoral support she needed to boost her grades and the confidence to pursue opportunities she may otherwise not have considered.

At the end of their sessions, Kaydie’s grades had improved, she was more focused on the run up to exams, and more confident about being on track to get the grades she needed for her next step.

St James’s Assistant Headteacher Steve Farmer found the trust element of the mentoring relationship valuable.

“Students are willing to ask those more difficult questions because they can then look at them in their own time. They can re-read, they can unpick it, they can do a bit of research to back it up themselves and they can have that dialogue.

“It’s almost as though they are willing to just give it a bit more because it’s to a screen as opposed to a face and the web generation is very used to that.”

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Kaydie changed her mind about her future pathway after talking to Alli who made her realise Health and Social Care was the best option for her.

“I think before I was not looking forward to college but Alli made me realise it will help a lot,” she said. “If it wasn’t for online mentoring, I wouldn’t be the person I am today. I want to tell students how online mentoring helped me and remind them that there is someone out there who will listen to you.”

There are benefits for e-mentors too. It’s compatible with a day job and a flexible way to volunteer even if the alumnus has moved away from the immediate school area. It offers a professional development opportunity and a chance to give something back to an alumnus’s old state school or college.

For Alli, the rewards were seeing Kaydie grow in confidence: “The e-mentoring has been so beneficial as I have been able to see Kaydie blossom from a shy, unsure girl who lacked confidence into a very confident, self-assured and grounded young lady,” said Alli.

Kaydie and Alli met for the first time at the Brightside annual online mentoring awards where they won the won Third Sector Mentee of the Year award, sponsored by Total Professions, and Industry Mentor of the Year award, sponsored by Harper Adams University, respectively.

“The hug Kaydie gave me will stay with me for ever,” Alli recalls. “We got on so well together and I was so proud of her. It was a very emotional evening for me!”

Alex Shapland-Howes is the Managing Director of Future First.

Future First’s vision is that every state secondary school and college should be supported by a thriving, engaged alumni community that helps each one to do more for its students.

For generations private schools and universities have seen the value in keeping former students engaged after they graduate. These alumni have an affinity to the young people who study in the years after them and are a part of the same community.

By Alex Shapland-Howes.

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No-one wins if we have a generation of young people lost to unemployment Dr Adam Marshall is Executive Director of Policy and External Affairs at the British Chambers of Commerce We all have a stake in preparing young people for their future.

Businesses need motivated and skilled employees, young people need good job prospects, and schools want the best for their pupils.

The damning reality is that the UK’s youth unemployment rate remains three times higher than the national average.

UK businesses are reporting serious skills shortages and near-record numbers of vacancies - and yet the BCC Workforce Survey 2014 revealed that 88% of employers think school leavers are unprepared for work.

Business leaders say that young people lack exposure to the workplace and ‘soft skills’ like team working, communication skills and resilience. All of these are the sorts of experiences that most young people could, and should, easily pick up while still at school. These gaps don’t just mean that our young people are missing out on jobs; sadly they signal that we are failing as a society to equip them for the world of work.

Yet it need not be like this. There is clear evidence that partnerships between schools and local businesses can help expose young people to the realities of the working world, the possibilities of entrepreneurship, and the ways that school subjects can come alive in innovative and dynamic companies.

In the past year, five Chambers of Commerce have piloted a successful business and education engagement project, supported by the Government Equalities Office, aimed at increasing girls’ participation in science.

This pilot showed that visits from business leaders that are passionate about their industry helped increase pupils’ motivation, and placements in businesses helped young people to see how they can apply what they learn in school to the working world. Careers advisors that spent time in businesses felt better able to highlight opportunities

Dr Adam Marshall.

available in their local job market, and to help their students better understand how to get into those careers.

These are but a few of the benefits that can be realised by partnering with the local business community.

Despite the barriers that schools and business cite, such as demands on staff time and administrative burdens, there are some schools that are making this type of engagement a priority.

Westminster Academy has over 200 business links, which support them to prepare their students for the world of work. This includes skills sessions, career-related learning such as CV and interview workshops, talks and visits on career routes within specific industries, one to one business mentoring, internships and staff mentoring.

Meanwhile ARK, a network of 34 schools in the UK, has used its freedoms as an academy group to design a brand new course for sixth form pupils aimed at bridging the gap between school and the world of work.

For schools that have not historically engaged with their local business communities, knowing where to start may seem like the biggest hurdle.

Chambers of Commerce can help on the planning and delivery. As a network, we are already running a number of initiatives.

This year we’re delivering 250 careers events in partnership with the Skills Funding Agency. Our Young Chamber membership offer provides all the support a school needs to engage with its local business community. Put simply, Chambers can make engagement with business easier — and deliver real benefits for both schools and businesses alike.

Our recent Business and Education Survey found that an overwhelming number of schools, colleges and universities think that the best type of engagement is work experience for under-16s. 79% of the businesses we surveyed also cited this as the most important way to equip young people with employability skills.

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experience’. Most Chamber employers value business talks, visits, and flexible placements – not just the traditional oneto-two-week term-time model that was de-prioritised by curriculum reforms in 2012. Business doesn’t want to go back to traditional work experience; instead, it wants all young people to have experience of the workplace — designed in a way that’s right for both sides.

Business after business tells me that what matters most is that young people have exposure to the world of work before applying for a job — and the sooner the better. That means they are more likely to make the right subject choices, and pick the right vocational or academic courses for their desired careers.

For all these reasons, the BCC wants employability to be made a priority in all schools. We don’t want it to be seen as another burden for heads and teachers, but instead as a valuable part of the learning experience, alongside academic achievement.

We’re calling on the Government to make experience of the working world a requirement again in secondary schools.

This duty upon secondary schools was scrapped by the Government in 2012, despite disagreement from almost 90% of Consultation respondents.

We are also pushing businesses to recognise their own shortcomings. They have no right to complain about employability issues if they are not getting involved in making things better. Around two-thirds of the businesses we surveyed say they offer some form of work experience, but if we are to make tomorrow’s workforce a national priority for action, then more firms must help shoulder the burden and work closely with local schools.

No one wins if we have a generation of young people lost to unemployment, or an inadequate talent pool for UK companies.

Working together, we can bridge the gap between the world of education and the world of work — with Chambers of Commerce across the UK ready to support schools and businesses that share a desire to make it happen.

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Evidence-based teaching on the agenda at free public lecture and teacher education. It is an idea that’s been around for a very long time and every now and then it makes a return to the agenda, either for academics, government or both.

“Among the most recent renewed calls for teachers and schools to engage in evidencebased teaching has been the Carter Review of Initial Teacher Training (DFE 2015) in England. However, a recent survey in Wales found that 100% of teachers surveyed reported that their teaching is already informed by research evidence.

A public lecture to explore the use of evidence-based teaching in schools is set to be held at Leeds Beckett University.

“Does this mean that the battle is won and that these renewed calls are misguided?

The answer to this question might lie in what teachers, or anyone else (including those calling for more evidence-based teaching), understand to be evidencebased teaching. It is clear that not everyone means the same thing.”

Carey Philpott will present his extensive research as part of his inaugural lecture as Professor of Teacher Education at Leeds Beckett. It will take place on Wednesday 9 December from 6pm at the University’s Rose Bowl.

Professor Philpott’s lecture will examine the nature of the calls for evidence-based teaching in recent decades and what they might mean in practice. It will question what we might mean by evidence and how, once this has been agreed, we might base teaching on evidence. It will also consider some of the practices that have made, or are making, claims to being evidence-based teaching.

Professor Philpott explained: “The inaugural lecture is about the rise – or re-rise – of evidence-based teaching as an idea in schools

Professor Philpott added: “Another area that I’ve become increasingly interested in is ‘teacher agency’, which is thinking about

NNUH introduce the workforce of the future

university applications and progressed to studying medicine at university.

The potential NHS workforce of the future has been experiencing first-hand what it is like to work in a hospital during a sixth form work experience week at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (NNUH).

Twenty students from Norfolk sixth forms have been playing the role of nurse, medical, pharmacy and midwife students as they learned about team work, the process of patient consent, observing live operations and benefited from listening to a range of medical experts, which all gave a flavour of the career ahead of them.

The NNUH is the only hospital in the region which offers this programme and it received more than 300 applications.

The scheme was originally started by Mr Am Rai, NNUH Consultant Spinal Surgeon, and is now in its third year.

After taking part in the NNUH programme previous students have benefited from the experience using it as part of their

The NNUH provides several career events which highlight different career options available within the NHS. Mr Rai said: “The sixth form students fully embrace the experience and we find it a fantastic way to inspire future NHS colleagues. As President of the British Association of Spinal Surgeons, I was keen to develop a scheme which would be accessible to all students where they could learn together, and inspire them to continue into the NHS as a career.”

Francesca Lockyer, 17 year old 2nd year sixth form student from Notre Dame commented: “I have found the whole experience amazing. I have applied to do medicine at university and this has allowed me to think of specific areas of interest that I can specialise in. The week has really brought the whole thing to life, shows you the reality of a career in medicine rather than just misconceptions and makes everything so exciting – this could be me in a few years’ time!”

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the extent to which teachers have the ability to control their own work, make their own decisions, and govern their own behaviour.

As part of my lecture, I will explore this idea and I will question whether the Carter Review’s call for evidence-based teaching will marginalise teachers’ expertise and replace it with the supposed expertise of others, or whether it provides an opportunity for a renewed assertion of the expertise of teachers.”

After training as a teacher in Derby and Nottingham, Prof Philpott began his career in education as a secondary school English and drama teacher, first in Glasgow, then in London. He progressed to the role of Head of the Centre for Excellence in Teacher Education at the University of Strathclyde before joining Leeds Beckett University in 2015.

Professor Philpott has recently co-edited a book on school-based initial teacher education and written a book for teacher educators on theories of professional learning and how they relate to teacher education. He is currently researching teachers’ collaborative professional development and teacher agency and is in the process of setting up a two-year research project with colleagues at Leeds Beckett, exploring the factors that enable and inhibit initial teacher education students’ engagement with evidence-based teaching.

Alexander Law in his first year of sixth form at Wymondham College was interested in a career in the NHS and is considering applying for a degree in medicine added: “My favourite part of the week has been observing in the operating theatre, which was amazing. The week has made me realise that I definitely want to do it in the future.”

Luke Wilkinson and Hazel Williamson, both in their first year of Sixth Form at Taverham High School commented: “This week has opened our eyes to the many specialist roles in the hospital. Witnessing first-hand the relationship between patients and doctors has been a rewarding and privileged experience. It has shown us the great responsibility and determination required to study and practise medicine and other healthcare professions. We would recommend the programme to others hoping to study medicine as it provides a realistic insight into working for the NHS.” The scheme will be carried out again in November 2016 and all potential applicants are advised to speak to their careers advisor at their school or college.

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Regulated food safety

“Examination fees for the Food Safety qualifications start at just £5.50 + VAT per candidate, depending on the number of examinations purchased and the method of examination.”

For further information on the British Safety Council’s food safety qualifications, go to: www.britsafe.org/qualifications or contact the British Safety Council on +44 (0)20 8741 1231 or email customer.service@britsafe.org

Qualifications for catering businesses, food retailers and food manufacturers were launched by the British Safety Council on 13 October 2015

British Safety Council Food Safety qualifications

New regulated food safety qualifications that enable workers, supervisors and managers in the catering, food retail and food manufacturing sectors to learn how they can ensure excellent food safety standards have been launched by the British Safety Council.

The Level 2 Awards in Food Safety in Catering, Retail and Manufacturing enable staff in workplaces such as restaurants, bars, takeaways, shops and food preparation and manufacturing sites to learn how to take responsibility for food safety and keep the workplace clean and hygienic, in order that customers do not become ill from the food they purchase and consume.

The Level 3 Awards in Supervising Food Safety in Catering, Retail and Manufacturing provide supervisors and managers in the same types of premises with an essential understanding of how to implement and monitor good food safety and hygiene practices and ensure the business complies with food safety law.

The six qualifications are designed to be delivered by both large and small employers in the catering, retail and manufacturing sectors, independent training providers, schools, colleges and prisons, using learning materials provided by the British Safety Council. The Level 2 qualifications are designed to be delivered in one day and the Level 3 qualifications in three days. The

The six new qualifications are:

• • learners’ knowledge and understanding is then assessed by multiple choice examination.

Marianne Phillips, the British Safety Council’s Products and Services Director, said: “With an estimated one million cases of food poisoning in the UK annually*, it is crucial that anyone producing, handling or selling food for consumption by the public understands how to maintain excellent hygiene standards to protect consumers’ health and ensure their business complies with food safety law.”

“Delivering our qualifications is very straightforward. Our online qualifications system allows users to purchase examinations and register and manage their candidates online. The results of online examinations are available immediately and paper-based examination results are typically available online within two working days following the return of the completed papers. Certificates are typically issued by post within only two to five days – faster than many other awarding organisations offering these same qualifications.”

• • • •

Level 2 Award in Food Safety in Catering Level 2 Award in Food Safety for Manufacturing Level 2 Award in Food Safety for Retail Level 3 Award in Supervising Food Safety in Catering Level 3 Award in Food Safety Supervision for Manufacturing Level 3 Award in Food Safety Supervision for Retail.

How it works Organisations apply online for centre and qualification approval (in some instances, the fees for this may be waived) and pay fees per candidate according to a sliding scale.

Centres can deliver the learning using the PowerPoint slides and student notes supplied and use our online system to purchase online or paper-based examinations for delivery at a time of their choosing.

The British Safety Council is the only UK awarding organisation to offer a complete suite of health and safety qualifications from Entry Level to Level 6. Our qualifications are delivered by more than 600 Approved Centres in the UK and overseas, including employers, private training providers, colleges, schools and prisons.

Summer-born children ‘to get the right to start school later’ Schools Minister Nick Gibb called for action - ahead of proposed changes - to allow summerborn children to start in reception aged five.

Schools Minister Nick Gibb announced the government’s intention to give summerborn children the right to start in reception at the age of five.

The minister said admissions rules must be changed so children born between April 1 and August 31 cannot be forced to go straight into year 1 if they wait to start school until they turn five.

He has written an open letter to encourage schools and local authorities to take

immediate action, in advance of the proposed changes, and allow summer-born children to start in reception aged five if that is what parents want.

Children usually start school in the September after they turn four but parents of summer-born children can ask to delay entry to reception for a year.

The government believes parents and teachers are best placed to decide what is right for their child, and summer-born children should have the same opportunity to excel at school as their peers - even if that means starting reception a year later.

Schools and councils often say summerborn pupils must go straight into year 1 and miss out on the reception year altogether - as a result parents can feel pressured to send their child to school before they are ready.

The changes are designed to give parents and teachers flexibility, and the majority of summer-born children will still start school when they turn four rather than waiting.

A consultation will now be carried out now and the reforms will have to be approved

by Parliament.

If they do start school later, the children will be able to remain with the same age group as they progress, including into secondary school.

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In his letter, the minister said that the existing system is not working - with parents and the authorities ‘often failing to agree on what is in the child’s best interests’.

Education Magazine

Children should be taught good hand hygiene habits at school According to new health guidelines, schools should be teaching young children how to wash their hands properly.

ITV news reported the new guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) which states children should receive hand washing demonstrations to help fight the spread of germs and illness.

Reply Manty Stanley - managing director at TEAL Patents – says: “In the No. UK, children are losing nearly 80 million school hours per year due 16 to preventable illnesses. This means many may miss lessons at key developmental stages.

“Hand hygiene is such a valuable habit to learn to prevent unnecessary suffering. As we begin the new school term, it is essential that pupils are educated about how best to minimise the spread of common contagious infections such as colds simply by washing their hands.”

It is claimed that by 2050, 10 million extra deaths worldwide could occur as a result of antibiotic resistant bugs . TEAL’s Kiddiwash range is specifically designed to help children get into the handwashing habit and thereby play their part in stopping the spread of germs and illness.

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Featuring bright colours and at just the right height and size for little hands, the Kiddiwash range is fast-becoming an essential tool in any educational establishment.

For more information visit: W: www.kiddiwash.com T: 0121 770 0593 E: enquiries@tealwash.com

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How headteachers can combat radicalisation in schools Introduced in February 2015, the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act has provided headteachers with the impetus to take action against radicalisation in schools.

Having a legal mandate to protect children from ISIL recruiters will embolden educational leaders to use precautionary and corrective measures where appropriate.

Furthermore, with new Ofsted guidelines recommending that schools use “targeted” and “primary” prevention methods to fight radicalisation, failing to do so could negatively impact both the school’s ratings and reputation.

Of course, the legal obligation (and the potential consequences for falling short) isn’t really the point. The idea is to reaffirm the moral duty of teaching staff to serve as both educators and protectors of pupils – and to empower them to perform both roles to the very best of their abilities. And with evidence that school children are using school computers to search for extremist material, this moral duty is more critical than it has ever been.

Why teachers are essential to counterextremism Some teachers may well bristle at the notion that fighting radicalisation is their responsibility. It’s not something typically covered in the PGCE, after all. When you think of preventing terrorism, you think of law enforcement agents and surveillance vans, not Maths tutors. But let’s not forget, teachers are not chemists yet they teach about the dangers of drugs, they are not doctors but they teach sexual health and they are not police but they teach children about personal safety.

The truth is that when it comes to preventing radicalisation in schools, a teacher, due to their close relationships with pupils, may be better placed to spot the warning signs than a police officer, with fewer negative unintended consequences.

If a teacher sees a child being physically bullied, their protective instincts will kick in and they will immediately intervene; if they see a pupil being subjected to homophobic abuse, they will immediately intervene. If they see a child at risk of radicalisation online, why should their response be any different?

Understanding radicalisation There is still a widespread perception that radicalisation is something that happens in mosques and at rallies: a charismatic loudmouth stirs up a crowd with violent rhetoric about Western civilisation and its excesses and wins a few recruits in the process. But the ISIL recruiters who target children are usually more insidious. They’ll use the media children are most at ease with, such as social media and Hollywood-style videos, and over time, they’ll do their best to gradually win vulnerable children over to their distorted point of view.

Consequently, radicalisation in schools has been something of an invisible evil with no real physical manifestation. Consider Amira Abase, one of the three who departed from Bethnal Green Academy; prior to leaving, she was a high-achieving student, and there was little indication that she might harbour extremist thoughts, let alone act on them.

Police even interviewed her in relation to another pupil’s departure.

Like the others, she was radicalised online. It therefore makes sense that an effort should be made to counteract the technological aspect of this phenomenon. Quilliam, the organisation I work for, has recently partnered with Impero Software to produce a counter-extremist keyword glossary to be used in schools for exactly this purpose.

When a pupil uses a flagged term on school computers or tablets, a relevant member of staff will be alerted to its use and provided with a screenshot, so that they can assess the incident in context.

The point here isn’t to stifle curiosity or introduce a culture of surveillance; let us not forget that ISIL is a regular part of the news cycle, and schoolchildren shouldn’t be discouraged from an interest in current events or restricted from constructive use of institutional IT. Instead, the software provides teachers with the tools they need to educate, open up dialogues with pupils and if needs be, provide them with counter narratives to the material they may be viewing online. Extremism is highly contextual and this software gives teachers a wider view of that context so they can be even better at safeguarding their pupils.

Treat the disease, not the symptom It’s important to understand that the technology, while not the problem, also isn’t the solution. With schools now required by law to use primary prevention methods to fight radicalisation and a moral duty placed on teaching staff to serve both as educators

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By Jonathan Russell, Political Liaison Officer at Quilliam Foundation, the world’s first counter-extremism think tank. and protectors of pupils, the fight against radicalisation must start in our schools.

Addressing issues of identity, ideology, discrimination and online safety must therefore happen before problems even manifest themselves.

Jonathan Russell, Political Liaison Officer at Quilliam Foundation, will be speaking about detecting the signs of radicalisation at the Online Safety in Education: keeping up with change event on Wednesday 4th November at Malmaison Manchester.

About Jonathan Russell: Jonathan Russell is Political Liaison Officer at Quilliam. His research focuses on counter-extremism policy, including in the educational sector and online. Quilliam, the world’s first counter-extremism think tank, is an independent not-for-profit organisation based in London that seeks to prevent radicalisation, extremism and terrorism through research, advocacy and outreach. It advises governments on counter-extremism strategy and promotes best practice with frontline workers.

More information is available at www.quilliamfoundation.org

Education Magazine

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The Longest Journey: From Attachment-Aware to Attachment-Friendly There is a population of pupils in schools who seem unable to access learning and the social life within the school. They do not engage and achieve, nor develop with confidence and enthusiasm.

These children and young people are often reactive, impulsive and frequently in a highly aroused state; they are vigilant for danger and possible vulnerability. Increasingly, educators are becoming aware that many such children and young people have issues relating to insecure attachment to primary carers, and often have complex trauma histories.

are likely to have attachment-fuelled issues within every class that they teach.

Any of the following conditions, particularly if they happen to a child under the age of 18 months, put a child at high risk of developing attachment difficulties: pre-birth trauma; sudden separation from a primary care giver (though divorce/separation, illness of child or carer, imprisonment, death); undiagnosed or painful illness; maternal depression or substance abuse; teenage mothers with poorly developed parenting skills; inconsistent or inadequate day care; abuse and/or neglect; and frequent moves or placements within the care system. There are many more children with significant attachment difficulties than are identified and diagnosed, and many of these have a misdiagnosis of autism or AD(H)D. Signposting to success Despite schools seemingly becoming more aware of attachment difficulties, many of them have yet to embark on the journey from being attachment-aware to attachment-friendly. This momentous journey requires nothing less than a paradigm shift in our thinking and practice, challenging us to re-evaluate our previously held assumptions and perceptions of the way things are and should be in our schools.

This article aims to signpost specific changes that will benefit the pupil who is insecurely attached, but the reader should be aware that the journey is not for the faint-hearted as it demands long-term commitment to an approach which places secure, attuned relationships, nurture and kindness at the centre of the child’s school life, and initially, places these above academic achievement and age-appropriate behaviour.

Dr Jennifer A Nock, CPsychol, AFBPsS, PhD, MBPsS, BSc (Hons), August 2015

Insecure attachment Attachment problems occur when children have been unable to connect consistently with a parent or primary caregiver and this can happen for many reasons. Not only Looked After and adopted children suffer from issues around attachment; indeed, there are many causal factors, and it is known that many educational practitioners have too narrow a view of the subject, considering only the extremes of neglect and abuse, and not recognising that they

There are three major areas in which schools can change existing approaches towards what will work for children who are living with the effects of developmental trauma: honouring and facilitating the development of a safe, consistent, relationship with a key adult; abandoning the ‘age-appropriate’ mantra that does not take individual, emotional development into account; and developing positive approaches to behaviour shaping that do not include shame, humiliation or harsh outcomes.

The Key Adult Relationship Attachment-friendly schools recognise that the key adult is a necessity rather than an optional extra for children who have experienced developmental trauma Consider an infant in a ‘good-enough’ (Winnecot (1973)) household: a primary carer delivers most of the care to the infant in a consistent, loving manner; whilst secondary 26

carers (usually family and friends) provide support to the primary caregiver to enable the development of that most significant relationship. In short, they honour the relationship and try to free up the primary caregiver to spend as much time as possible with the baby. Thus, the baby experiences consistency of care and learns that he/she will not be left to endure distress.

Many children arrive in our schools not having had the benefit of learning that adults are kind and trustworthy; in fact, their experiences have led them to believe the opposite: the world is a hostile place and they can trust no one to meet their needs or treat them with dignity and respect. The key adult has the opportunity to change the child’s misconception, but he or she must be given the time, the support and the space to build a relationship, and that relationship takes a minimum of two to three years to develop and become strong.

So then, schools need to move away from two fundamental obstacles to the development of a key adult-child relationship. The first obstacle is the fear of ‘over-dependence’ on the key adult, which often results in the key adult being moved to a different class at the end of the school year.

The child, who by then is learning to feel safe and protected, experiences separation anxiety and loss, often manifested in jealous, aggressive behaviour, thus exacerbating earlier trauma. Therefore, not only is it appropriate, but necessary for the key adult to move through year groups with the child. The child will not become ‘overdependent’, but in fact needs to learn to depend on an adult, as he or she, up until this point, has been accustomed to being in control and looking out for themselves.

The key adult takes the child back to an earlier stage of development and actually facilitates the dependency before the child can move forward to become healthily interdependent, rather than controlling and oppositional. This is not an easy journey and it does not always fit comfortably with our schools, which all too often assume that all pupils have experienced goodenough care and are ready to embark on the exciting new learning and relationship journey that school provides. Unfortunately, pupils who are dealing with the effects of developmental trauma simply cannot benefit from the delights and challenges of the school curriculum and multiple interactions with peers and adults; developmentally, continues overleaf u Education Magazine

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The Longest Journey continued they are still infants and need the nurture and intimacy that babies normally find in their birth family. The key adult provides the bridge to healthy interdependence and attachment-friendly practice puts this relationship at the centre of the child’s school life.

Secondly, attachment-friendly schools recognise that practitioners who work with the most challenging pupils can face burnout and secondary trauma themselves when faced with the responsibilities of being a key adult. Schools often deal with this issue by moving the key adult to a different class or pupil, and this too, has a profoundly distressing effect on the child, as outlined above. If a primary carer were exhausted by the demands of a baby or young toddler, no one would suggest that the caregiver discontinued care. Rather, the caregiver is given practical and emotional support and short breaks while another person briefly takes over the responsibilities. Every key adult should receive robust structural support in the shape of supervision, shared responsibility within the team around the child for problem solving, and contact with other key adults in the form of a mutual support group. Supervision may be formal/ clinical from a therapist or counsellor, or informal from a trusted co-worker, who has the requisite listening and empathy skills. The key worker should also have one lesson or hour during the course of the school day working with typically developing children, and away from their designated child in order to have some respite from the demands of working with a challenging child. Gradually, as the child becomes more confident and secure, he or she will begin to ask for another pupil to join in, or even to play or work with another adult, just as toddlers begin to desire contact from peers or adults who are doing things that look interesting or exciting. It is critically important to follow the child’s lead rather than try to force progress. Movement through the developmental pathway can only be facilitated, not forced. (See Bomber (2011) for a detailed approach to the role of key adults).

Abandoning the ‘age-appropriate’ mantra The earlier a child has experienced trauma, the more emotionally immature he or she will be. Children who have been neglected in any developmental area have a lot of gaps to fill and often try to seek out experiences to fill those gaps, for example by wanting to be spoon-fed, by seeking extended bodily contact or by crying for insignificant reasons. When they instinctively try to get their needs met, educators frequently refer to them as ‘childish’ or ‘silly’ and demand that they ‘act their age’. This exacerbates the problem and perpetuates the neglect

or abuse, because once again, the child’s communications of need are not being honoured, respected nor given dignity. For these children, chronological age is not at all relevant as they are trapped in a previous developmental stage. Attachment-friendly schools resist pressure from colleagues, parents, social workers et al. to insist that the child be more age-appropriate and recognise that this might involve skills which the child has not yet acquired. Once the gap has been filled, the child will move on to more mature behaviours, and I have been witness to this many times in my own school practice. Start with attunement, empathy and playfulness and prioritise these over academic skills and age-appropriate social behaviour.

Nurturing approaches to behaviour shaping Children who have experienced developmental trauma are likely to be constantly dealing with issues around terror, fear, loss, power, rage, control, rejection, abandonment, helplessness, pleasing others and identity, to name but a few. This often leads to undesirable behaviours, which adults frequently misinterpret and judge harshly, rather than reflecting on the child’s past history and present experience, attempting to see the world through his eyes, and therefore understanding what the child is trying, however idiosyncratically, to communicate.

The nurturing approach to behaviour turns away from traditional reward and punishment methods, and instead, builds upon the sort of strategies used by parents of very young children to build secure and trusting connections.

Attachment-friendly schools understand that any behaviour management strategies must be placed upon the secure foundation of trust, and therefore, the context for change is within the relationship between the key adult and the child. Attachmentfriendliness recognises that pupils who have experienced relational trauma are impulsive, reactive and often unable to control their basic survival instincts to fight, flee, freeze or flop. Those impulses are not carefully considered strategies; they are actions that have served the child well in the often hostile and frightening environments they have inhabited, therefore, the threat of a lost privilege or harsh consequence, or even a reward, will not motivate this child; harsh consequences do not build trust.

The PACE approach, developed by Dr Dan Hughes (2009), has proved invaluable for many educators, who are implementing the key principles of Playfulness, Acceptance, Curiosity and Empathy. PACE delivers

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boundaries and limits in a language that the child can understand, enabling the child to grow and flourish. It is vitally important that the adult maintains boundaries and limits, but when the educator recognises that emotionally, the child is functioning as a two-year-old even though her chronological age is ten, it is clear that the limits must be held with kindness, distraction and laughter, just as a parent would with a toddler.

The ‘naughty-step’ approach, indeed, any rejecting and shaming approach, harms the damaged child even further; what he or she needs is ‘time in’, not ‘time out’, being held close, being accepted and being helped to learn new ways of relating and being.

Attachment-friendly schools embrace inclusion at its best, successfully removing barriers to learning and participation in the life of the school.

Jennifer Nock is a Chartered Psychologist, who has worked for over three decades with educators, children and young people, families, foster and adoption agencies, and those in the caring professions. She has worked in diverse education and special needs settings, including special secondary and primary schools, mainstream primary and nursery schools, FE colleges, HE settings and as an SEN advisor. She works with children with a range of learning difficulties, behaviour, emotional and social difficulties, including attachment disorder, AD(H)D and autistic spectrum conditions and is up-todate with current issues around inclusive practice. Jennifer provides training across the United Kingdom and Ireland to develop theoretical understanding of, and practical strategies for, children and young people who do not always find it easy to learn and/ or conform to the pressures of school, and sometimes, life in general. When required, the professional support she offers is on a one-to-one basis for individual children, their educators and their parents or carers.

Her work, although challenging at times, is consistently well-received and Jennifer can provide many testimonials from educators and others, who have greatly benefitted from her support.

References Bomber, L.M., (2011), What About Me?: Inclusive Strategies to Support Pupils with Attachment Difficulties Make it Through the School Day, Worth Publishing Ltd., Derbyshire Hughes, D, (2009), Principles of AttachmentFocused Parenting: Effective Strategies to Care for Children, Norton, London Silver, M. (2013), Attachment in Common Sense and Doodles: A Practical Guide, Jessica Kingsley Publishers, London Winnicott, D.W. (1973), The Child, the Family, and the Outside World, Penguin, London

Education Magazine

Recruitment.

The Education Industry: A Profession in Crisis It’s no secret that pressure is mounting on the education industry as its professionals suffer the stress of growing workloads and increasing hours, but the industry as a whole is now facing a new challenge: recruitment.

It has been revealed that the education sector has been thrust into a recruitment challenge that leaves jobs vacant and organisations struggling to get by – further complicating existing concerns around workloads. Despite continued strong job growth within the education industry (a 32.8% increase in job vacancies in September 2015 when compared with September 2014), the sector has become the latest victim of a growing job market trend whereby candidate interest in the booming sector is dwindling.

Application rates have failed to maintain the same level of growth as job vacancies, meaning education organisations are receiving fewer applications per vacancy.

If we consider comparable data, a vacancy in the education sector in September 2014 could have expected eight candidates, whereas in August 2015 this number had fallen to six – ultimately meaning that organisations have less choice during the selection process.

As jobs are on the rise, applicants can afford to be more selective in their job search.

With the recent decline in applications per role it’s clear that businesses need to become savvier at attracting new talent to their organisations. While this sounds simple, the fact of the matter is that the industry is already plagued with negative feelings from sector workers – the education industry appears to be contending with crisis on crisis, as morale seems to be at an all-time low.

So the question remains: what can be done to turn things around and reinvigorate job hunter interest in the education sector?

It is clear that more needs to be done to draw in new talent to the education sector, and to ensure that professionals already working within the industry are happy in their roles.

Whether teachers are going into the profession unprepared for the realities of the job, or whether many established teachers are reaching a breaking point is hard to tell. Regardless, one of the most critical

Education Magazine

opportunities to capture the attention of industry candidates is to offer them the support and training to overcome the challenging nature of the sector. When asked in a recent survey, 100% of teaching professionals told us that they consider training opportunities to be ‘very important’ when considering a new role, and 95% believe that mentoring schemes in the workplace are valuable; yet only one-third of teachers surveyed were in employment that actually offered these opportunities.

By improving training and mentorship schemes across the sector, organisations will not only improve employee retention, they’ll be able to use these programmes as selling points to draw in new talent. A job vacancy that clearly shows opportunities for learning and development with a role, or simply support in navigating the job, is likely to result in more applications when compared with a job vacancy with no such information.

Beyond structured training and mentoring programmes, education organisations can make simple changes to the working environment to improve morale and draw in more employees. It’s been recently uncovered that 87.9% of education professionals believe that employers should give out perks within the workplace, yet only 15.3% actually receive them.

When asked whether they would prefer perks such as parking, travel tickets, gym membership etc. or a pay rise /bonus, a huge 80% responded in favour of the latter, suggesting that a major part of the issue is that teaching staff are feeling underpaid, and likely undervalued.

However, with the financial constraints facing the sector, workers are understanding of the reality that money isn’t always the solution: 20.5% of respondents feel that smaller perks such as free food and vouchers or discounts would make a significant difference in the working environment, and would make them happier with both their place of work and their employer. These results indicate that while financial incentives are of huge importance to the UK’s educators, small and simple perks are just as powerful in creating a happy workforce who feels valued by its employers.

The truth of the matter is that unless there are some drastic changes made to the schools system, this crisis is only going to get worse; there are proposed plans for 500 new free schools and the UK’s education system can expect nearly one million more pupils in

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By Lee Biggins, founder and Managing Director of CV Library.

the next decade. This, as well as the fact that many head-teachers and senior teachers are now in their last decade of working, means that there is likely to be a huge demand for teaching professionals in the future. With recruiters clearly struggling to fill roles in the education industry, new strategies must be put in place to draw in new talent, as well as doing more to incentivise current teachers to stay.

What is a precarious situation at the moment is likely to become catastrophic in the future if our struggling teachers aren’t heard, and it will be our future generations who will suffer as a result.

Lee Biggins, founder and managing director of CV-Library (www.cv-library.co.uk) With over 15 years in the recruitment industry, Lee has a unique perspective on what it takes to stand out as a candidate in today’s job market, and what employers need to do to combat today’s recruitment challenge. CV-Library is one of the UK’s largest online job sites, with the UK’s biggest database of over 9.3m CVs. A go-to resource for the education industry’s recruitment needs, CV-Library has over 379,280 candidates actively seeking work within the sector.

Serious mental health consequences for children and young adults as a result of bullying in schools – children, teachers and GPs call for more support •

A quarter of young people who were bullied at school say it impacted on their mental health.

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A fifth of children being bullied avoid school or college as a way of coping.

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70% of teachers feel illequipped to support children with mental health issues related to bullying.

More than a quarter of young people who were bullied at school say it impacted on their mental health and that they experienced issues such as anxiety, depression, self-harm and suicidal thoughts, according to a new survey.

The findings are being released by AntiBullying Alliance, hosted by National Children’s Bureau, with support from YoungMinds to mark the start of AntiBullying Week in partnership with Barclays (16-20 November 2015).

Over a third of the 16-25 year olds surveyed said that being bullied made them feel angry or withdrawn and more than a quarter of young people said they experienced body image anxieties. While a fifth simply avoided school or college as a way of coping with bullying.

A young person told us: “When I began high school, I got verbally abused every day and was even beaten up in school. It did lead to me developing severe mental health issues at the time, I was afraid of going to school, so had to move. It was a dark and scary time.”

Lauren Seager-Smith, National Coordinator of the Anti-Bullying Alliance said: ‘Bullying is a public health issue. We all need to play our part to stop bullying wherever and whenever it happens – whether it’s in school, the community or online – but it’s vital that we also invest in support for children and families impacted by bullying. We would like to see more training for teachers and health professionals, in school counselling, and much needed funds for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services.’

Many of the 1,500 young people polled said the effects of bullying have continued to cast a shadow over their lives after leaving school. Almost 40% said it had had a negative effect on their ability to form personal relationships.

Ashok Vaswani, CEO of Personal and Corporate Banking at Barclays said: ‘No child should suffer bullying in silence and as an official sponsor of Anti-Bullying Week we are proud to help give a voice to this incredibly important issue.’

Dr Liz England, Clinical Champion for Mental Health for the Royal College of GPs, said:

Over 40% of young people said access to a supportive teacher trained in dealing with bullying would have made a difference. Yet, 70% of the 170 teachers surveyed said there was inadequate support for schools working with children with mental health issues and over half would value better training. Almost 60% of teachers said in-school counsellors would help schools better support these vulnerable children.

In a separate survey conducted with the Royal College of General Practitioners, 92% of the 126 family doctors surveyed said they have had no formal training, resources or information to help them support children and young people with symptoms that relate to bullying. They confirmed that bullying has long lasting effects with 92% of GPs having seen adults with symptoms relating to childhood bullying.

parents and GPs to be able to respond to victims in ways that make them feel listened to, taken seriously and cared for. With the advent of social media bullying doesn’t stop when school ends it continues 24 hours a day, so we need to fully support young people both on and off-line to deal with the consequences and to enable them to recover and flourish.’

“Bullying – and increasingly cyber-bullying - can lead to very serious mental health problems in our young patients, which are often not talked about and go unnoticed.

Sarah Brennan, CEO of YoungMinds said: ‘We tend to think of bullying as a series of throwaway incidents in a child’s Life but this survey shows how devastating and lifechanging the experience of bullying can be.

If it isn’t dealt with effectively it can lead to years of pain and suffering that go on long into adulthood. We need to skill up teachers, 30

GPs have a very difficult job in identifying mental health issues in young patients as they are often not the primary reason someone has for visiting their GP, and because of the stigma that unfortunately exists around discussing mental health problems.

It is important that our young patients know that GPs are highly trained to deal with physical and mental health problems - and to have sensitive, non-judgemental conversations with patients about any health issue.”

Education Magazine

New study reveals 30,000 fewer children bullied in last 10 years.

Bullying and violence in English schools has plummeted in the last decade, a major new study has revealed.

The landmark study involving more than 10,000 secondary school pupils shows that:

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30,000 fewer children in England now face the fear of bullying compared to 2005 Robbery between pupils has halved - last year just 1% of children reported being robbed

The new figures come as part of the government’s continued drive to deliver an excellent education for every child - and make sure teachers have the tools they need to tackle bullying and violence in schools.

A range of tough new powers have been introduced since 2010 to enable heads and teachers to retake control of their classrooms. On top of this, the government has pledged to train every teacher in not just how to tackle serious behaviour issues, but how to deal with low-level disruption that stops children from learning properly.

schools. We are determined to tackle any barriers which stop pupils attending school and learning so they can fulfil their potential.

Thanks to our reforms and their efforts, bullying is plummeting. While there is still more to do, today’s news confirms that strong discipline coupled with the right support allows children to flourish, and can transform lives by reducing bullying.”

A 2014 report by Stonewall also showed that homophobic bullying has fallen, with the number of secondary school teachers who say their pupils are often or very often the victim of homophobic bullying has almost halved since 2009. To further tackle this, the government has announced a £2 million fund for projects to address homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying in schools.

The government has a package of measures to help schools tackle bullying and encourage good behaviour so that children can learn in a safe environment, free from fear and harm. This includes:

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Placing a greater focus on behaviour and bullying in school inspections

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Appointing behaviour expert Tom Bennett to lead a review to ensure new teachers are fully trained in dealing with disruptive children and consider all of the challenges of managing behaviour in 21st-century schools

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Strengthening teachers’ powers to tackle bullying - this includes the power to investigate allegations beyond the school gates, delete inappropriate images from phones and give out sameday detention

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Launching a £2 million fund for projects to build schools’ knowledge and capacity to prevent and tackle homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying in schools

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Awarding around £1.3 million over 12 months from April 2015 to 3 antibullying organisations, including the Diana Award, Kidscape and the National Children’s Bureau, to extend their work supporting schools to combat bullying

Strengthened measures already in use in our classrooms include:

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Stronger powers to search pupils Removing the requirement to give parents 24 hours’ written notice of after-school detentions Clarifying teachers’ power to use reasonable force to control unruly pupils

Teachers also now have greater powers to tackle cyber bullying by searching for and deleting inappropriate images on mobile phones and tablets. In addition, £3.3 million is being made available this year to charitable organisations to help tackle bullying and provide support for those who are bullied.

This is on top of the £4 million provided in 2013 to 2015.

Speaking before the launch of Anti-Bullying Week, Education Secretary Nicky Morgan hailed the new figures, suggesting that getting tough on discipline, creating a climate of tolerance and supporting bullied children can change lives for the better. She said: “As part of our commitment to delivering social justice we are helping teachers and charities end the scourge of bullying in our

Education Magazine

•

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Providing £4 million in 2013 to 2015 to anti-bullying charities to help schools develop strategies to tackle bullying, including £1.5 million for the National Children’s Bureau consortium to focus on children and young people with special educational needs who are bullied Ensuring that children are better educated about the dangers of the

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internet - children are now learning about internet safety as part of the new national curriculum, and Safer Internet Day is widely promoted each year These findings come from the second ‘Longitudinal study of young people in England’ (LSYPE2). It is following 13,100 13-year-olds from 2013 to 2019 and aims to learn about their experiences and life through secondary education and beyond.

The findings also show that violence in schools has dropped by a third - from 15% of children facing violent bullying in 2005 to 10% last year.

The 2005 findings come from the first ‘Longitudinal study of young people in England’ (LSYPE1), which followed 15,500 13-year-olds from 2004 to 2010. The Institute of Education is responsible for this study, which is also known as ‘Next Steps’. They are holding an eighth wave of interviews in 2015.

The numbers from the new study that are quoted above are estimates of how many fewer young people in the cohort would be victims of the kinds of bullying described.

They are based on the percentage-point reduction in the rate of each type of bullying between LSYPE1 (2005) and LSYPE2 (2014) applied to the year 10 pupil population in 2014. See the comparison estimates of bullying of year 10 pupils in England.

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Schools have a right to choose: With the BBC reporting that a number of London schools are being urged ‘not to waste time shopping around’, we outline eight key points schools need to consider in making an informed decision on what’s right for their individual learning environment.

1. Technology changes fast: Technology

is evolving all the time; five years ago, we saw the launch of WhatsApp and the Apple iPad. Today, WhatsApp’s combined users send over 30 billion messages a day, while the iPad is now in its sixth generation. Schools should bear this in mind if they are encouraged to sign a long-term contract with an ISP provider who can’t evolve to meet the changing face of technology or the changing needs of your learning environment.

8 Key considerations in selecting your broadband provider

by Mark Conrad

2. Trends show price falls: One year

contracts offer the greatest degree of flexibility in terms of being able to change provider regularly. However, they don’t always offer the best value for money, especially when you’re looking at services such as leased lines. Three year contracts offer better value and still allow you to negotiate better terms at the end, but five year +

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contracts lock you in to today’s prices when the general trend in telecoms is that costs come down year on year.

3. Exercise your choice: Despite whatever

pressure schools come under from their existing providers, it’s important to remember that they are free to choose the service they use, and there are no negative implications associated with that choice. It’s essential that schools are given the option to personalise the solution that’s right for them, rather than having to accept a rigid solution that doesn’t address their individual needs.

4. Allow enough time: Make sure

you allow enough time to change provider, if you decide to do so.

Typically, schools will begin searching for a broadband provider around six months before they’re looking to transition; this is to allow time to seek quotes from other parties and get approval from key decision makers, and for the chosen ISP partner to install your new service.

5. Assess your use: Your ISP partner should work with you to get a clear picture of how you’re using the internet, as well as understanding the unique challenges within your learning environment and examining what you’re doing now to

Education Magazine

predict what you’ll most likely need in the future.

6. Evaluate your needs: What’s most

important to you? Many schools simply want to know that they have a safe, reliable connection that filters content appropriately for different age ranges, as well as easy access to applications and online services. But you may also need additional services such as keyword monitoring or tailored workshops for pupils, staff and parents, so ensure your ISP partner is able to address your school’s priorities.

7. Seek flexibility: First and foremost, your

broadband solution should have the flexibility to change with technology, as well as with your needs. For example, some schools implementing new elements of ICT or BYOD schemes within their curriculum may find they need more bandwidth, so ensure your broadband provider is able to upgrade your service mid-contract, if and when you need it.

8. Don’t accept what you don’t need: Some broadband providers supply schools with a vast aggregated bundle at a fixed price, but they neglect to itemise what’s included in these packages and schools are

left paying for additional apps and services that they’ll never need to use. Again, this comes back to the fact that schools need the flexibility to select only the services and packages that meet their needs. *BBC Article published online on 27th October 2015 entitled ‘Budget broadband deal emails hidden from London schools’.

Mark Conrad writes for RM Education an established education technology solution

provider, exclusively focused on helping UK schools address key priorities and needs through technology. These services include flexible technology and device agnostic support options tailored to a school’s technology needs; fast, reliable broadband and e-safety solutions; network hardware and school infrastructure tools; powerful school management software; progressive e-book services and cloud-based platforms that enable choice and enhance teaching and learning.

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Much more than fire extinguisher maintenance Is it a year since you were last here?

A familiar response from a business to a fire extinguisher technician who has arrived to complete the annual maintenance of the portable fire extinguishers. Mainly seen as a cost, that businesses would like to avoid, especially when businesses are struggling to emerge from the long term problems we have had in the economy. However, the implications of not having a trained technician visiting business premises, on an annual basis as a minimum, should be considered, as should the additional benefits gained from the technician during their visit.

Provided the process of selection of the maintenance contractor is guided by the correct criteria: BAFE approved, third party assessed, carrying all the right insurances and accreditations (check www.fia.uk.com for further details), the technician is worth their weight in gold for your business! In most instances, this technician may be just contracted to service the portable fire equipment but the reality is, a business can get considerably much, much more than this from the technician.

Obviously the technician’s first duty is to carry out the work they are employed for, primarily the service of the portable extinguishers, to the current British Standard 5306 part 3. Whilst on the way around the building, other elements are considered, such as they will ensure that the equipment in place is fit for the risk it is provided for, as things change inside the work place.

This could include relocating and fitting any equipment that has been moved around.

New machinery, changes in processes, new products being used or manufactured, an added kitchen or temporary Portakabin, these areas need evaluation to consider whether, the Fire Risk level has changed, increased or even decreased. Departments also move inside buildings and the change in fire risk is often not even considered.

In all premises just ensuring fire equipment is located correctly, not obstructed and that there are no signs of tampering or discharge can justify a regular visit alone. The Fire extinguisher technician is fully trained to recognise all of these areas and will advise on the movement of equipment or, change of equipment if required, using BS 5306 part 8 as the reference document or indeed their bible.

The technician will also inform the staff on the type of portable equipment, and give instruction on how to safely use the extinguishers and what to use them on.

Most fire protection companies now train their technicians in the recognition and installation of escape and warning signs, therefore whilst the technician is on the premises, they will make sure that all the firefighting equipment, doors, alarms and extinguishers etc. are identified to meet the required standard. Evacuation from the building in the event of a problem is crucial and the means of escape has to be clearly signed. The engineer only using signs that conform to the correct standards, detailing non-compliant signs and offering the correct solution will ensure that the means of escape is clear and visible for the site.

We have already discussed instructions of how to use portable equipment. This is not classed as training, however the engineer will check to see if a more in depth training package is required and can advise on this with the responsible person on site.

Once the engineer has completed the service, there are a couple of things left for him to do. He will fill in the log book and issue certificates of maintenance ensuring that the business has documentation, if needed to show the enforcing authorities as proof, and that maintenance regimes are in place for fire protection equipment.

The technician may also be able to arrange for a Risk Assessor to attend site to carry out a full Risk Assessment in accordance with the requirements of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order. This will ensure businesses are complying with the law.

Many technicians have the ability to carry out fire door servicing, as they are already on site. Checking door closure rates, inspecting gaps, adjusting closers, recommending replacement furniture and intumescent strips when and where required. Probably something most businesses have never considered however one of the best and most important elements of fire protection device’s a company has.

The portable fire extinguisher technician is trained and keeps up to date with all the current codes of practice therefore delivering a more detailed, clear and in depth service than just maintenance of fire extinguishers.

Following the relevant codes of practice, they will keep the responsible person up to date with any changes that occur from his last visit.

The lack of periodical visits may not affect some well managed premises but in my experience most premises would benefit with the regular visit from somebody looking at the fire safety systems and procedures in place.

As the title suggests - would you do without the Fire Extinguisher Technician, who delivers 34

much more than a fire extinguisher service?

by Arron Fillis, Fire Risk Assessor.www. means-of-escape.com

Minister of State for Schools Nick Gibb spoke about the importance of an interest in science, technology, engineering and maths at the House of Commons Can I welcome you all to the House of Commons and thank you for inviting me to this event. It is thrilling to see so many young engineers of today, coming together with the engineers of tomorrow, and sharing their enthusiasm for the subject.

I am actually rather surprised to be talking to a group of engineers. When my office received the invitation for me to attend an event named ‘Big Bang @ Parliament’, scheduled for 5 November, they assumed - quite understandably - that I would be addressing a group of history enthusiasts celebrating the 410th anniversary of the Gunpowder Plot.

I hear that the pupils of Morpeth Chantry Middle School have been displaying their project into burning metal salts to give different firework colours today, which sounds like a rather dangerous thing to do in such a historic building: I hope that you don’t succeed where Guy Fawkes failed!

Those of you who have studied the story of Guy Fawkes may remember what happened to Fawkes’s accomplices after they escaped and went into hiding from the King’s troops at a house in Staffordshire. Their gunpowder had become damp in the rain, so they laid out the powder in front of a fireplace to dry.

No prizes for guessing what happened next. A stray spark caught the powder, causing an explosion which injured 1 plotter, and blinded another. They were then easy to catch, and the rest is history.

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New design and technology GCSE will inspire next top designers Qualification developed with industry experts, ensuring students are equipped with the skills employers need.

A new, goldstandard design and technology (D&T) GCSE to help produce the next generation of James Dysons and Tim BernersLees has been unveiled by Schools Minister Nick Gibb.

The new design and technology GCSE will give students the chance to develop their own design briefs and projects and could lead them to producing anything from furniture for disabled people to computercontrolled robots.

Industry experts, including those from the James Dyson Foundation, have been closely involved in developing the new GCSE content, ensuring it meets the future needs of employers.

It is the latest qualification to be published as part of new, world-class reformed GCSEs and A levels, which are improving the life chances of all young people, wherever they come from.

Schools Minister Nick Gibb said: “As part of our commitment to social justice, we are restoring rigour to the curriculum so all young people, irrespective of background, have access to an excellent, well-rounded education.

We now have a design and technology GCSE which has been shaped by leading industry figures to significantly deepen students’ understanding of this subject.

This is a rigorous qualification which will require students to have a sound grasp of maths and science, and which will undoubtedly stretch them to further develop the kind of knowledge and skills so sought after by employers and universities.”

Internationally-renowned designer James Dyson said: “Design and technology is a subject of fundamental importance. Logical, creative and practical – it’s the only opportunity that school students have to apply what they learn in maths and science – directly preparing them for a career in engineering.

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NEWS NEWS News

But until now, this subject’s tremendous potential has not been met.

people with the skills they need to unlock their potential.

The James Dyson Foundation has spent four years advising the Department for Education on every level of D&T education – and today we can finally unveil a GCSE qualification to be proud of. One that will inspire invention from students and teachers alike. That will nurture a creative mind-set and passion for problem solving. That will appeal to more youngsters than ever before.”

Between 2012 to 2013 and 2013 to 2014, the proportion of students going into education, training or employment after A level or similar qualifications rose by two percentage points - the equivalent of around 18,000 people. The proportion going to the top third of universities rose by a percentage point the equivalent of almost 8,500 people.

Andy Mitchell, Assistant Chief Executive of The Design and Technology Association, said: “The D&T Association believes that the revised subject content provides an excellent platform on which the awarding organisations can develop examination specifications reflecting developments in the subject and meeting better the needs of young people, employers, further and higher education and the country.

The content should also inform the provision of continued professional development for teachers, which will be essential in ensuring the teaching of this highly relevant qualification and its increased value and status.”

The reformed design and technology GCSE brings together content which had previously existed under a number of D&T titles, ensuring students have a solid grasp of the principles of design which they can apply to a range of disciplines.

Students will be required to have a good grounding in maths and science to study the qualification, in which they will be tasked with making products using the best material, equipment and techniques.

The new qualification will prepare students for further study and careers in design, engineering, manufacturing and related areas.

Since 2010 the government has introduced a rigorous new curriculum, world class exams and an accountability system where schools are recognised for the progress all pupils make across a broad range of subjects.

Thousands more young people working or learning after 16

Schools Minister Nick Gibb said: “Ensuring all young people have the knowledge and skills they need to unlock their potential is a key part of this government’s commitment to social justice. It is therefore extremely encouraging to see a growing number of young people are either continuing to study, or going into training or employment after GCSEs. Destination measures help to hold schools and colleges to account, and ensure that in future even more young people are either studying or training from the age of 16.

Destination measures are increasingly being seen as key to assessing how well schools and colleges prepare their students to make a successful transition into the next stage of education or training, or employment.”

The latest key stage 4 and 5 destination data shows:

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the proportion of students in continuous education, employment or training 6 months after completing key stage 5 (A level) rose from 71% in 2012 to 2013 to 73% in 2013 to 2014 - equivalent to around 18,000 young people

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the proportion of students in continuous education, employment or training 6 months after completing key stage 4 (GCSE) rose from 91% in 2012 to 2013 to 92% in 2013 to 2014 - equivalent to 15,500

New figures show rise in young people at GCSE and A level stages continuing in education, training or employment.

Students to get lessons in intellectual property as new website for schools and colleges launched

Thousands more young people are continuing on to study or work after the age of 16, official figures revealed on Tuesday 20 October.

A new website has been launched giving schools and colleges free access to teaching resources to help students learn about intellectual property (IP).

The figures show a rise in positive outcomes for students after both GCSE and A level stages of education (key stages 4 and 5) - demonstrating the positive impact of the government’s plan to equip all young

Developed by the UK Intellectual Property Office (IPO) and funded by the Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market (OHIM),

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NEWS News News News NEWS News NEWS News crackingideas.com will offer free teacher resources, advice and guidance on IP. From downloading music to quoting academic essays, it’s important that young people and teachers develop an understanding of IP. Crackingideas.com offers a range of popular IPO education resources including: Wallace and Gromit’s Cracking Ideas and Karaoke Shower plus news and competitions from organisations including UK Music, The Industry Trust for IP Awareness and the Authors’ Licensing and Collecting Society.

The site will also provide access to a discussion group allowing teachers to share ideas, and debate IP and copyright issues.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe, Minister for Intellectual Property said: “It’s important for tech-savvy young people to learn about the principles of intellectual property. The UK creative sector is worth over £76 billion, which makes education even more important.

Providing access to relevant, curriculum linked education resources is a huge step towards creating an IP literate generation to help us secure the UK’s continued global competitiveness.”

The President of OHIM, António Campinos, said: “Getting young people to ‘buy-in’ to IP is vital for their own futures. It prepares them to contribute to the ideas economy, and helps them to benefit from the jobs and growth generated by innovation.”

Liz Bales, CEO, Industry Trust said: “IP education in schools is crucial in empowering the next generation to make positive choices when they access entertainment content. It essentially creates a more engaged and aware future generation of consumers, which is vital to the longevity of the British entertainment industry.”

Educating children to understand the correct usage of copyright material and the issues and impacts of copyright infringement increases their appreciation of the content they love and aids them in relating this to the value of the creative industries.

The website provides education resources and teaching lessons for intellectual property.

Crackingideas.com has been part funded by the Office for Harmonisation in International Markets (OHIM), the EU´s intellectual property agency, registering Community trade marks and registered Community designs with responsibility for the EU Observatory on Infringements of Intellectual Property Rights, which works to support the protection and enforcement of IP rights.

Partners include: Industry Trust for Intellectual Property Awareness, UK Music,

Authors Licensing and Collecting Society, Alliance for IP, BPI, British Video Association, Society of Authors and the Publishers Association.

The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) is located within the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and is responsible for the national framework of intellectual property rights, comprising patents, designs, trade marks and copyright.

The IPO’s role is to help manage an intellectual property system that:

• • •

encourages innovation and creativity balances the needs of consumers and users promotes strong and competitive markets and is the foundation of the knowledge-based economy

The IPO operates in a national and an international environment and its work is governed by national and international law, including various international treaties relating to intellectual property to which the United Kingdom is a party.

Priority school building programme: 2 schools start rebuild work Marden High School and John Spence Community High School is to be rebuilt through the government’s flagship programme.

Pupils at two Tyne and Wear schools have celebrated the start of work to create schools fit for the 21st century through the government’s flagship rebuilding programme.

Marden High School and John Spence Community High School are among 31 schools across the North East to be rebuilt through the £4.4 billion priority school building programme (PSBP), which is transforming some of the most run-down schools in the country.

At Marden High School, more than £14 million of construction will deliver a new three-storey block and a playing field in what the head teacher described as “a new era” for the school.

With £13 million of construction, pupils and teachers at John Spence Community High School will also benefit from a new threestorey building, along with a refurbished sports hall and arts block.

Schools Minister Lord Nash said: “Our investment in school buildings across the country is transforming the learning environment for tens of thousands of pupils and their teachers.

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The start of construction at Marden High School and John Spence Community High School are key milestones for the priority school building programme in the north east of England.

Ensuring all children have access to the best possible schools and facilities is just one part of our commitment to help all young people reach their potential regardless of their background. These buildings will provide modern, fit-for-purpose schools for pupils for many years to come.”

Alison Jackson, head teacher of Marden High School, said: “Although actual building work on our new school started several months ago, today’s turf cutting ceremony officially recognises the launch of a new era for Marden High School and its stakeholders.

Thanks to the hard work and determination of our governing body over the last few years, Marden High School students and staff will have a brand new, state-of-the-art building at their disposal from September 2016. There has never been a more exciting time in the school’s history and I am very proud to be a part of it.”

Jim Stephenson, head teacher of John Spence Community High School, said: “I am delighted that John Spence Community High School has been included in the priority school building programme and that we are to have a new school building up and running on site by this time next year.

The new building will provide a fantastic working environment for our students and staff, with state of the art specialist science and technology facilities and new general purpose classrooms.”

“In retaining and refurbishing our existing sports hall and our purpose-built arts block alongside the new build we will be providing our students and the local community with an exciting, modern learning environment which is fit for the 21st century. John Spence is already an outstanding school. We continue to go from strength to strength and see the investment of millions of pounds in a new school building as yet another step forward for the school.”

Both projects are scheduled for completion next year.

Thanks to the PSBP, school buildings are being rebuilt faster and cheaper than those built under the previous school building initiative - Building Schools for the Future (BSF). Under the BSF it took 3 years for construction work to begin. This was slashed to 1 year for the PSBP, with projects costing around a third less.

A total of 537 schools will benefit from construction through the two phases of the PSBP.

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More children than ever starting school ready to learn.

New figures show record high in number of young children starting school ready to learn.

New figures published on 13 October 2015 reveal more 5-year-olds than ever before are achieving the expected standards in maths and literacy - meaning more children are on the path to success during their first year of school.

Statistics show that more than two-thirds of children aged 5 are making good progress against the early years foundation stage profile - a framework for the early years (under 5s) which ensures all children are prepared and ready for school and life.

The figures show that an extra 38,600 number of 5-year-olds are reaching the expected level of development in maths and literacy, as well as in prime areas of personal, social and emotional development, physical development and communication and language.

This means they can count to 20, describe weight and shapes in everyday language, write their own name and read simple sentences, as well as play confidently with their friends - skills which are vital to fulfilling their potential.

Education and Childcare Minister, Sam Gyimah, said: “We know that the first few years of a child’s life are vital in terms of how well they go on to do at school and beyond.

It is great news that more children than ever before are achieving the expected level of development in the early years, because parents should be confident that while their children are out of their care, they’re not only happy and having fun, but at the same time developing important skills - building confidence with numbers and letters - to ensure they fulfil their potential.

In 2012, the government introduced a more rigorous early years foundation stage profile which reduced red tape to enable professionals and parents to work together on the key areas of learning that are most essential for children’s readiness for future learning and healthy development.

The early years foundation stage profile figures also show:

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70% of children achieved at least the expected level in all early learning goals in literacy and 75% in maths

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Girls continue to outperform boys in all early learning goals, with 74.3% of girls achieving the expected level of development compared with 58.6% of boys

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The attainment gap between the lowest attaining children and their classmates continues to decrease to 32.1%

This government is committed to raising the bar and improving the care children receive.

That is why we have introduced a number of initiatives to ensure that those who care for our children have extra support to help.

These include: Introducing the early years pupil premium - giving providers additional funding to provide specialist high-quality support for some of the most disadvantaged children.

Ensuring all early years teachers must now meet rigorous new standards and pass the same skills tests as trainee school teachers.

Changing the rules so that all early years educators, who are responsible for leading nurseries and educating and caring for young children will be required to have at least a C in GCSE English and maths which they can work towards whilst in training.

The actual increase was 46,800, but there were more children in 2015 than in the previous years. The equivalent increase of 38,600 is based on applying the 2014 percent achieving a good level of development to the number of children in 2015.”

The new early years foundation stage profile was introduced in September 2012 and is completed by teachers for all children in the summer term of their reception year at school. There is no test - assessment is based on teacher observations throughout the year. Teachers make a best-fit assessment of whether children are emerging, expected or exceeded against 17 early learning goals. Children are deemed to have a good level of development in the new profile if they achieve the expected level in the prime areas of personal, social and emotional development, physical development and communication and language, and the specific areas of and literacy and mathematics.

Challenge to make 100 low-cost classics available to schools

NEWS NEWS News Schools Minister Nick Gibb said:

“Under our plan to extend opportunity to every child, we want every pupil to have the chance to be taught and read a wide range of literary classics which can inspire a life-long love of reading.

Access to these wonderful novels shouldn’t be the preserve of the few.

I want every secondary school to have a stock of classics such as ‘Great Expectations’, ‘Pride and Prejudice’ and ‘Jane Eyre’ so that whole classes across the country can enjoy them together.

Books become free from copyright 70 years after the author’s death - and the minister is encouraging publishers to make these titles available at low cost to schools.

As part of this government’s one nation agenda, the Department for Education wants all children to be introduced to the classics of English literature, especially if these books are not on their bookshelves at home.”

The minister unveiled his challenge during a speech at the Publishers’ Association conference.

Earlier this year the government issued a call to publishers, schools, literacy organisations and early years’ providers to join forces in a bid to make English pupils the most literate in Europe by 2020.

International surveys show that the reading ability of our 9- and 10-year-olds in England are currently the sixth best readers in Europe - with the top 18% on a par with the best in Europe.

Since the phonics check was introduced at primary level in 2012, 120,000 more children are on track to becoming excellent readers.

In August, the first steps in the government’s literacy campaign were announced, including:

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funding the Reading Agency to extend their popular Chatterbooks scheme and set up new book clubs in 200 more primary schools all over the country

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supporting the Reading Agency to work with schools and get more year 3 pupils enrolled at their local library to help them get into the library habit early

Schools Minister Nick Gibb, on 17 November 2015, challenged publishers to make 100 classic books available at low cost, so all pupils have the chance to read them.

Textbook challenge

Texts such as ‘Great Expectations’, ‘Pride and Prejudice’ and ‘Jane Eyre’ should be made available to secondary schools at reduced prices.

The minister also praised publishers for responding to his call for better quality textbooks after saying the ‘anti-textbook ethos’ in English schools needed to end.

Well-known children’s book publishers Penguin have suggested 100 books from their Black Classics that they could make available for low prices, and Scholastic have offered to give schools 26 books for as little as £1.50 a copy.

He said that some ‘great strides’ have been made - particularly in mathematics but called for more good textbooks to be made available.

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NEWS News News News NEWS News NEWS News Teachers in 35 primary maths hub schools have been trialling 2 English adaptations of Singapore mathematics textbooks in their schools: ‘Maths No Problem’ and ‘Inspire Maths’.

The textbooks are based upon the mastery approach to teaching.

Discussions with publishers about what books they can make available are in the early stages - and government will not be stipulating what titles should be included.

A new online tool for schools to give parents advice and tips on preparing their children for adult life 550 schools have already registered for new online service providing unprecedented advice and support for parents in tackling online risks 1 in 5 parents say they currently feel illequipped to keep their children safe on the internet Nearly a quarter of girls aged 9 to 16 say they have been bothered by something online.

In a ground-breaking move, the government has launched a new online tool for schools across the country to give parents the best possible advice and tips on preparing their children for adult life.

The new online service, called Parent Info, will give parents the information they need to help them navigate the minefield of issues children can now face on everything from spotting the warning signs of self-harm, to having a healthy body image and managing money in a digital world. As well as giving them the confidence and support to speak to

their children on such sensitive issues, it will also provide them with pathways for where they can go for more hands on support on specific issues.

Up to 550 schools are already hosting the new government-funded site and the site itself has had 48,000 page views in the past month alone.

Secretary of State for Education and Minister for Women and Equalities Nicky Morgan said: “The internet is an incredibly powerful tool, which is changing the way our children learn and stay in touch. But we must also make sure we do everything we can to help them stay safe online.

As a parent myself, I understand how important it is to know your child is safe and that’s why this new online service is so important. I hope all schools take advantage of this new resource, which addresses fundamental issues like cyber bullying and body confidence - so that they can help protect their children in this digital age.”

Cyber bullying, which is now more common than face-to-face bullying, is just one of the areas that Parent Info tackles.

Young people spend an average of 12 to 13 hours a week online and yet a survey by Ofcom has shown that 1 in 5 parents admit that they do not know enough about how they can help prepare their children for the risks of the online world.

We already know that:

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almost a quarter (23%) of girls between the ages of 9 and 16, say they’ve been

upset about something that’s happened online

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girls are less likely to have a wide range of online safety skills

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among 9 to 12s, girls are less likely to say they can change privacy settings on social networks (25% of boys compared to 15% of girls), or block messages from someone they don’t want to hear from (30% of boys compared to 17% of girls)

100 schools have already tested and praised the Parent Info toolkit in an extended pilot that launched in January 2015, and in the first few weeks alone, the site had more than 30,000 views, with overwhelmingly positive feedback.

Geraldine Bedell, Editor of Parent Info and Director of The Parent Zone said: “This feed for schools’ websites has had overwhelmingly positive responses in testing, with 100% of schools saying they would recommend it and parents rating the content very highly. We now look forward to rolling out across the country this academic year.”

Jonathan Baggaley, Head of Education at the National Crime Agency’s CEOP Command said: “Parent Info provides regular, high quality and easily accessible advice to parents through their children’s school - a source that they trust.

The NCA’s Thinkuknow programme is delighted to be working alongside The Parent Zone in developing this unique service that helps parents develop their children’s resilience to the wide-range of challenges young people face today.”

Schools can easily integrate the free Parent Info newsfeed in to their websites and host this advice by simply registering at www.parentinfo.org.

Product showcase RECYFIX® GREEN grass reinforcement modules installed at Banovallum School, Horncastle, Lincolnshire

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The Postura + chair from KI

The Hauraton RECYFIX® GREEN STANDARD surface reinforcement grid system was used extensively in the grassed pathways, where a high footfall was expected, and the grassed areas surrounding Banovallum School, Horncastle.The system helped to prevent erosion and improve surface drainage. Once installed, the RECYFIX® GREEN modules were discreet, yet provided a permanent surface reinforcement to the grassed areas with a loading capacity of 200 tonne/m².

The pathways and area to be grassed were excavated, covered with a granular sub-base, a layer of sharp sand applied and then rolled. The RECYFIX® GREEN modules were then secured on top of the rolled surface and their apertures filled with top soil which was compacted then grass seeded. The grass was left to grow over several weeks before access was allowed.

For full Case Study go to www.drainage-projects.co.uk

The Postura + chair from KI, range of stackable chairs are manufactured in the UK. The chair is ergonomically designed to promote good posture and provide exceptional comfort. Moulded from high impact resistant polypropylene, Postura+ is strong, durable and light enabling the safe vertical stacking of 12 chairs.

The lower back lumbar design ensures perfect ergonomics whilst the graduating seat curve supports ‘perch’ and ‘full’ sitting positions and the unique waterfall edge of the seat provides comfort. The angled back legs prevent the chair from rocking or slipping and will not twist or distort. Postura+ is fully BS EN1729 certified with high fire retardancy and warrantied for 10 years. The chair is anti-static and stain resistant helping it to stay cleaner for longer.

KI Europe is a local manufacturer of high quality furniture for workplaces and educational institutions.

For further information please visit the website at www.kieurope.com or telephone 020 7404 7441.

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