E-education

Balls Confirms 9m Investments in Phonics Training

E-education - contact@eyeplot.com — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Children's Secretary Ed Balls today confirmed 9m of funding for training to develop high quality phonics in early years settings and primary schools, as part of the Government's drive to ensure every child learns to read.

In the new financial year the remaining 51 local authorities will join the existing 100 already engaged in the highly successful Communication, Language and Literacy Development programme, that has been designed to implement Sir Jim Rose's recommendations on early reading. This 9m commitment means every area will have a specialist advisor training and supporting early years practitioners and primary school teachers. The Government is separately funding Leading Literacy Schools to ensure newly qualified teachers (NQTs) get the best possible training in the use of phonics from this year.

Ed Balls also published a letter from Sir Jim Rose updating him on the progress that has been made in the implementation of the Early Reading Review recommendations and highlighting successes and areas for improvement.

In his letter, Sir Jim Rose points to the significant improvements in children's outcomes at age five in communication, language and literacy. He also notes evidence from practitioners and teachers that children who had below average speaking and listening skills improved dramatically when exposed to imaginative techniques such as role play, music and dramatised stories.

Standards of children's literacy have never been higher - with 86% of children reaching the expected level 4 in reading at the end of Primary school in 2008, in comparison to just 67% in 1997. In rolling out the Every Child a Reader programme the Government has committed to providing effective early intervention and ensuring every child gets the help they need to learn to read.

First Stages of ContactPoint Activation Starts Today

E-education - contact@eyeplot.com — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The first steps to activate the Government's online directory of children's services - ContactPoint- will begin 26th January 2009.

Starting today, two security vetted officials from local authorities all over England will begin the necessary training to start operating the system. In addition, training will start in 17 LA's in the North West and two national voluntary sector partners - Barnardo's & KIDS - where ContactPoint will be more intensively piloted. Frontline practitioners will start training and operating the system in these areas in the spring and across the country from the summer.

Ed Balls and Health Secretary Alan Johnson will also announce today the membership of a new Social Work Taskforce, set up to carry out a comprehensive review of frontline social work practice, including training and any barriers social workers face in doing their jobs effectively. The Taskforce brings together senior professionals with a wide range of social work expertise. Ministers have asked for recommendations by the summer.

ContactPoint is an online directory of basic contact information for all children and is designed to ensure there is easier and faster contact between doctors, nurses, social workers and police when they suspect a child is at risk. It will contain the name, address, date of birth, GP and school of every child in the country and crucially the name and contact details of any professional working with that particular child.

ContactPoint is crucial to help social services, health, police, head teachers and other professionals keep children safe. Under current child safeguarding arrangements, if a professional believes a child is at risk they may have no immediate way of knowing whether other services are already in contact with that child. The Government believes a fully operational system could save at least 5 million hours of professional's time, currently wasted trying to track down who else, if anyone, is helping the child.

ContactPoint has been developed in response to a key recommendation of the Laming Inquiry into the tragic death of Victoria Climbié.

ContactPoint is backed by major children's organisations, such as Barnado's and Action for Children, teachers' unions like NASUWT as well as the Association of Chief Police Officers, the Royal College of General Practitioners and the Children's Inter-Agency Group whose members include NSPCC, the LGA and the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health.

No case information will be held on ContactPoint and it will be impossible to download the contents of ContactPoint. An additional precautionary step appropriate for records of children who are at risk of significant harm has been developed. These might include children with particular vulnerable circumstances, such as children from families on witness protection schemes, or where one parent has been the victim of domestic abuse, or in certain cases where the child has been adopted.

Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, Ed Balls said:

"It is good news, that after very careful planning, we can now actively start to deliver Lord Laming's crucial recommendation from the Victoria Climbie Inquiry.

"ContactPointwill help those who work with children to intervene earlier and prevent problems escalating and will help make sure no child slips through the net of support services. This is how we can improve the well-being of all children, young people and families, and help protect children who may be at risk."

"The support we have had for ContactPoint from both experts and those that work on the frontline demonstrates to me that we are doing the right thing by helping them to keep children safe, happy and healthy.

"We have seen from recent Serious Case Reviews that the lack of proper and timely information sharing can have tragic consequences.

"No system can ever guarantee that all children will be safe but we know ContactPoint will make a real difference.

On the Social Work Taskforce, Ed Balls will say:

"Social workers do a really difficult job, often in extremely challenging circumstances. They have a vital role in protecting children and young people from harm. The role of the Taskforce will be to support and develop their work, training, recruitment and day-to-day practice so that social work is, and is seen to be, a high quality and self confident profession with the confidence and esteem of the public."

RSC to Play New Role in Diploma Development

E-education - contact@eyeplot.com — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Royal Shakespeare Company will help to develop the new Humanities Diploma, Schools Secretary Ed Balls will announce while visiting a Theatre in Southwark that is already successfully helping teach the Creative and Media Diploma.

The news comes on the day it will be revealed that numbers of Employer Champions - high profile industry insiders who encourage and support the long term involvement of employers - have exceeded expectations. 108 Champions have now signed up, eight more than the target for the start of 2009.

The first wave of Diploma students are now beginning the second term of the new qualifications and feedback from teachers and learners has been overwhelmingly positive so far.

The RSC will sit on a group of experts who are developing the Humanities Diploma, which will be available to study from 2011. They will help to ensure the qualifications will be useful for students and attractive to employers.

Secretary of State on the Case of Baby P and Haringey Local Authority

E-education - contact@eyeplot.com — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families (Ed Balls):

"In our Written Ministerial Statement this morning we said that, in addition to Lord Laming's independent report on progress on implementing the reforms introduced following the Victoria Climbié Inquiry, we would be considering the Serious Case Review commissioned by Haringey Local Safeguarding Children Board into the tragic death of `Baby P' and whether there needs to be a further investigation of child protection procedures and practices amongst local agencies in Haringey.

"It is important to make clear from the outset and to avoid any confusion, that the Serious Case Review was commissioned under the statutory procedures set out in Working Together to Safeguard Children. We are assured by Haringey that the Serious Case Review was conducted in accordance with the correct procedures, which require the Local Safeguarding Children Board to commission the overview report from an independent author. Ofsted will of course be conducting, as is standard practice, their own evaluation of the Serious Case Review against these procedures.

"The full Serious Case Review report was submitted to the Department for Children, Schools and Families this morning.

"The Children's Minister, Beverley Hughes and I have today urgently studied these findings.

"The review's findings indicate a number of failings of practice and management by the agencies involved.

"Having studied the report, there is clear evidence that;

Each agency has singly and collectively failed to adhere to the procedures for the proper management of child protection cases set out in Chapter 5 of Working Together 2006. In particular:

there was evidence of poor quality practice, management and supervision of staff in all agencies; and
health professionals appear to have failed to follow the appropriate procedures when there was evidence of a child having suffered non-accidental injuries.

There was inappropriate use of family friends as temporary carers for Baby P. Our reading of the Serious Case Review suggests that the local authority was responsible for making arrangements for the placement of this child with a family friend and therefore Regulation 38 of the Fostering Services Regulations 2002 should have been followed.

"Further examination of the Serious Case Review may reveal other areas where the implementation of proper procedures could have led to a better outcome for the child.

"Clearly such findings in an individual case raise serious concerns about the wider systems and management of services for safeguarding children in Haringey.

"In the light of these findings, I have today decided that Ofsted, the Commission for Healthcare Audit and Inspection and the Chief Inspector of Constabulary should carry out an urgent Joint Area Review of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children in Haringey. I am requesting this under Section 20(1)(b) of the Children Act 2004.

"The Review will need to undertake an urgent and thorough inspection of the quality of practice and management of all services which contribute to the effective safeguarding of children in the local area. It will be important to ensure rigorous scrutiny of the quality of practice and decision making by front line workers and their managers, and of the effectiveness of management practice and performance management systems in all relevant agencies.

"I would expect the Review to be led and carried out by inspectors with specialist expertise and experience in child protection. Given the importance and urgency of these matters, I request that a first report be submitted to me by 1 December 2008.

"In parallel, Beverley Hughes and my officials have today been in contact with Haringey Local Authority. I can announce that while the Joint Area Review undertakes its work, Haringey have agreed that with immediate effect, John Coughlan, Director of Children's Services in Hampshire, will be seconded to work alongside the DCS for Haringey to ensure that proper procedures for safeguarding children are in place and are being properly applied.

"The case of Baby P is tragic and appalling. It is our duty to take whatever action is needed to ensure that such a tragedy doesn't happen again, that lessons are learned and that children in Haringey are safe."

Government Doubles Apprenticeships Commitment

E-education - contact@eyeplot.com — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Ministers today called for urgent action from the public sector to increase apprenticeship numbers during the global downturn. They argue that this is key if more people are to get the jobs they want in tougher times.

Over 1,000 apprentices will work in central government departments and agencies this academic year, more than double the original target, Skills Secretary John Denham and Schools Secretary Ed Balls announced today - but they call for a further expansion.

In January 2008, civil service employers committed to expanding the number of apprenticeship places available in the public sector with 500 new apprentices beginning their training in government departments and agencies from September this year through a pathfinder, co-ordinated by their sector skills council, Government Skills.

The new apprentices span sixteen government departments, including: the Department for Innovation Universities and Skills; the Department for Children, Schools and Families; the Department for Work and Pensions and the Ministry of Justice.

Already over 100 employees have begun their apprenticeships in the civil service covering a range of jobs from the traditional - such as engineering - to the less traditional, for example, working as immigration officers, in Ministers' offices and as driving test examiners. Many of the apprenticeships will include a qualification in business administration, IT, team-leading and customer service. The Ministry of Justice and UK Border Agency have committed to 350 and 180 apprenticeship places respectively.

The increase in civil service apprenticeships is backed by Government moves to use the power of public contracts to ensure the firms that benefit from them ensure they train and skill more staff.

At a specially convened summit in central London today, Ministers will also call on public sector leaders from organisations such as councils and NHS Trusts to follow the private sector's example and grasp the opportunities offered by apprenticeships to improve the skills of new recruits and their existing workforce. They will argue that in the current economic climate it is even more important than ever before that the number of public sector apprentices keep pace with those in the private sector.

All Pupils to get Healthy Lifestyle Lessons

E-education - contact@eyeplot.com — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 23:00:00 GMT

All Pupils to get Healthy Lifestyle Lessons

All pupils in state schools will now receive high quality lessons in everything from first aid and personal finance to relationships and the consequences of drugs misuse as Schools Ministers announced that Personal Social and Health Education (PSHE) will become a compulsory part of the curriculum from Key Stage 1 to 4 (ages 5 to 16).

The announcement comes in response to the principal findings of both the Review of Sex and Relationships Education (SRE) in Schools and the report by the Advisory Group on Drug and Alcohol Education, which both recommended that good PSHE was vital to providing a healthy, rounded education.

It was also announced that headteacher, Sir Alasdair MacDonald, will lead a review into how best to make PSHE compulsory, ensuring that there is a place in the timetable and flexibility in the curriculum to take schools' ethos, pupils' needs and parents' values into account. Updated guidance will also be produced covering the content of the curriculum, based on the existing non-statutory programme of study.

According to the UK Youth Parliament, four out of 10 young people say they received no relationship education at school. Ministers are concerned that there are some serious gaps in young people's education, especially when it came to subjects like sex and relationships and drug or alcohol misuse.

The Government sees education as key to supporting young people to avoid teenage pregnancy, STIs, drug and alcohol misuse. They recognise that parents must take the lead in instilling values in their children, but that schools must help in equipping pupils with information and the emotional and social skills to make safe and healthy choices.

By giving PSHE designated space in the timetable, providing more specific teacher training, funding, resources and a higher profile for the subject generally, young people will be better equipped with the knowledge and skills they need to navigate the complexities of modern life.

The SRE review, in particular, identified a need to challenge the perception that sex and relationships education happened in a 'moral vacuum' in schools and says that parents and schools can and should work together to decide how best topics should be taught.

Lessons should be age appropriate and the Government's response says that while the existing framework at Key Stages 3 and 4 should be consolidated, Sir Jim Rose will look at how PSHE is best delivered in primary schools as part of his ongoing review.

Some of the topics schools can cover include:

Sex and Relationships: at primary school this means recognising that animals produce offspring, naming parts of the body, preparing for puberty and being able to talk about feelings and friendships. At secondary school it includes learning how to develop mutually respectful personal relationships and the importance of stable relationships to family life and how risky sexual behaviour contributes to the spread of STIs and unplanned pregnancy.
Drugs and alcohol: at primary level pupils might look at how medicines and toxins can effect the body. At secondary they might study laws around drug and alcohol misuse and their personal and social risks and impacts.
Healthy lifestyles: at all ages learning about a balanced diet and the need for exercise. Older children might talk about the interplay between physical, emotional and mental health. Also basic first aid.
Money: how to manage personal finance, employability, enterprise and making career decisions.

Ed Balls Annouces Early Support to Keep Pupils on Track

E-education - contact@eyeplot.com — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 23:00:00 GMT

Ed Balls Annouces Early Support to Keep Pupils on Track

Ed Balls has welcomed a range of innovative, voluntary, private and public sector pilots for teaching excluded pupils and intervening early to prevent the need for exclusion.

The 12 pilots from around the country will test new and innovative ways of teaching those who have been excluded, those at risk of exclusion or those who cannot be taught in mainstream schools for other reasons.

Projects will be run by voluntary organisations including Kids Company, Nacro, Rathbone, The Prince's Trust and Barnardo's and private sector groups such as Unoco, and will include an academy project, a city farm, a work-based learning centre and a project using Army Cadet Force training.

The pilots follow plans for new powers announced in May this year that will ensure that underperforming alternative provision settings can be challenged to improve or replaced with new ones such as those being announced today. Ministers are determined to ensure that excluded youngsters get back on track and do not end up in crime or unemployment. The new plans, backed with 26.5m, will see a radical transformation of alternative provision as it currently exists.

The announcement comes as a new survey of 1,400 teachers commissioned by the Department for Children, Schools and Families gives a positive insight into pupil behaviour on the frontline. The main findings show that:

the vast majority (94%) of teachers rate behaviour as acceptable or better in their school;
over half of teachers (52%) think behaviour has improved or remained broadly the same over the last five years; and
a strong majority (83%) think they are well equipped to tackle poor behaviour.

Next Steps in the Home Broadband and Computer Revolution

E-education - contact@eyeplot.com — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 23:00:00 GMT

Next Steps in the Home Broadband and Computer Revolution

Schools Minister Jim Knight today set out the next steps to try and ensure every child has access to a home computer and the internet for their school or college work.

He announced a 30.3m package to support the first year of Government's long-term ambition to close the digital divide.

It includes year-long pilot scheme in Oldham and Suffolk; a quality-badge scheme for approved home access suppliers; and funding for local authorities to target specific groups of children currently without broadband or a computer at home.

The 300m programme, which was announced by the Prime Minister last month and goes nationwide next autumn, will make sure every five-to-18-year-old has home access. Currently around a million children still do not have access to broadband at home.

It will specifically target families that have home internet access but do not use the technology for their children's benefit; can afford access but do not think technology has educational value; cannot afford home access or need support in obtaining it.

It will make England one of the first countries in the world where every young person can use a computer and internet at home for their education. The home access programme forms part of Next Generation Learning, which promotes the best use of technology in learning. The programme is run by Becta, the Government education technology agency.

Partnerships for Schools Board Appointments

E-education - contact@eyeplot.com — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 23:00:00 GMT

Partnerships for Schools Board Appointments

Schools minister Jim Knight today announced appointments to the board of Partnerships for Schools that had been made during 2008.

Andy Buck was appointed as a non-executive board member for three years from 1 September 2008. Andy Buck is the first serving headteacher to be appointed to the board. He is head of the Eastbrook - Jo Richardson partnership in Dagenham, a local federation of two secondary schools.

Jim Knight confirmed the reappointment of Mike Grabiner as Chairman of Partnerships for Schools for three years, and the reappointment of four other board members. Christine Davies and Brian Rigby were appointed for a further term of three years, and Richard Baldwin and Stella Earnshaw for a further term of four years.

Tim Byles, Partnerships for Schools' chief executive, was also appointed as an executive board member.

Joint Consultation on School-Level Indicators to Measure Well-Being

E-education - contact@eyeplot.com — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 23:00:00 GMT

Joint Consultation on School-Level Indicators to Measure Well-Being

The Department for Children, Schools and Families and Ofsted today launched a consultation on a proposed set of school level indicators which will recognise and reward schools for their contribution to pupil well-being.

Schools already contribute to the well-being of children in many ways, for example by providing a safe environment in which bullying is not tolerated; by teaching children about healthy eating and the risks of drug and alcohol abuse; and by helping to develop children's self esteem and social skills. Today's consultation will help achieve the ambition at the heart of the Children's Plan for schools to play a key role in the wider development of young people, alongside their core mission of helping all children to realise their full educational potential.

The consultation will seek feedback on a standardised set of school-level indicators to be used by schools themselves and by Ofsted in evaluating a school's contribution to the well-being of its pupils. We are consulting on a combination of measures including quantitative data already available, such as the school's overall attendance rate and the take-up of school lunches; and the perceptions of pupils and parents about how well the school promotes well-being. Pupils and parents will be asked, for example, whether the school encourages physical activity; whether pupils feel safe at school; and whether the school deals effectively with bullying.

All of the quantitative information is already collected by schools and many schools already carry out surveys of parents and pupils. The consultation paper recognises that data from the indicators will require interpretation, for example; to take account of the area in which schools are located and the contribution made by other services. The consultation paper is also clear that schools will not be held to account for outcomes over which they have little or no influence such as levels of obesity in schools or teenage pregnancy rates.

Subject to the consultation, the plan is for the indicators to be used by Ofsted in its school inspection arrangements from 2009.