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Crumbling schools
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cause rising tension
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by Sam Phipps
in urgent need of repair, Jamie urgent improvements and repairs to cannot be done as well as reducing
Mark Allen
Stone, Liberal Democrat MSP for infrastructure. class sizes.”
Editor
Caithness, Sutherland and Easter No fewer than 77 schools have Steven Purcell, leader of
Pete Henshaw – 020 7501 6771
Political tensions have risen over the Ross, told parliament. been declared category D and “eco- Glasgow council, reportedly told
pete.h@markallengroup.com
dilapidation of dozens of Scottish Ms Watt replied that she under- nomically expired” – i.e. it would Scotland on Sunday: “Education
Deputy editor
schools, with one local authority stood concern about the state of cost more to repair them than to departments across the country are
David Taylor – 020 7501 6772 lambasting central government over the schools, but it was a matter for start from scratch. Councils thus facing a difficult choice: do we put
david@markallengroup.com cash and others calling on it to scrap Highland Council and she therefore have no plans for refurbishment. in money to reduce class sizes or
Reporter its pledge to cut class sizes. did not intend to visit the school. More schools are ranked as cat- do we tackle the crumbling estate
Chris Parr – 020 7501 6750 Education minister Maureen Mr Stone said she had failed egory C, “poor”. that is left?”
Illustrator
Watt was accused of snubbing to understand the substance of his Bruce Robertson, director Ken MacIntosh, Labour spokes-
Christos Mais
pupils in the far north of the coun- motion, which was lack of money. of education in Aberdeenshire – man for education, said: “The school
try who have to endure rundown “It would have been very easy which has more crumbling schools environment for every pupil is more
Editorial advisory panel
schools after she turned down for her to have said yes with than anywhere else in Scotland important than an arbitrary campaign
an invitation to visit Wick High, her ministerial responsibilities,” – said meeting the key pledge for to get class sizes down to 18.”
Geoff Brookes, Deputy
which was condemned last week in he said. “I just don’t understand class size targets of 18 for primary City of Edinburgh council has
headteacher, Cefri Hengoed
parliament for containing asbestos, this attitude and my constituents 1 to 3 classrooms was costing £22 found an extra £13.5 million to
Comprehensive School, Swansea.
damp and cracked walls, leaks, won’t either.” million, detracting from funds to spend on essential improvements
Neill Morton, Headteacher,
rotten windows, and frequent prob- Meanwhile, education chiefs in repair the 45 substandard schools on “Wave 3” schools in the next
Portora Royal School, Enniskillen.
lems with burst pipes and faulty other local authorities say they face in the area. five years. It will mean key work
Alex Wood, Headteacher, Wester heating. a stark choice: cutting class sizes He said: “This is placing us in can be done at schools including
Hailes Education Centre, Edinburgh. Other schools including Thurso in line with the SNP’s pre-election acute difficulties. We need to build Portobello High, James Gillespie’s
Ray Tarleton, Headteacher, High and Farr High, were also pledge, or spending the money on new roofs over new heads and this High, and Boroughmuir High.
South Dartmoor Community
College, Ashburton, Devon. Hilary
Moriarty, National director,
School joins Amnesty campaign
Boarding Schools’ Association.
Balls wants to see
Tina Stockman, Teacher of art and
media studies, Harlaw Academy,
Seven prisoners of conscience
Aberdeen. Dr Bernard Trafford,
locked up in Syrian jails will get
headteacher, The Royal Grammar
very special letters of support from
more apprentices
School, Newcastle upon Tyne. Chris
Welsh secondary school pupils.
Fenton, Assistant headteacher,
Members of the Amnesty
William Harrison School,
International Youth Group in
Lincolnshire. Paul Ainsworth,
Cathays High School in Cardiff,
in assistant roles
Deputy headteacher, Belvoir High
organised a non-uniform day with a
School, Leicestershire. Mark Blois,
difference for the prisoners. Schools should be taking on and prestige of the teaching pro-
Browne Jacobson.
Pupils were asked to wear the thousands of apprentices to fession so we can compete in the
colours of the rainbow to school and fill teaching assistant roles, the future, Ed Balls suggests having
were then arranged into blocks for a government has said. 16-year-olds teaching classrooms
Sales director
special photo-shoot (see right). Ed Balls, minister for chil- of 14-year-olds.”
Matt Govett – 020 7501 6735
The photograph of the rainbow- dren, schools and families, says he Christine Blower, acting gen-
Commercial director
coloured crowd is going to be turned wants to see 4,000 youngsters tak- eral secretary of the National
Jon Benson – 020 7501 6767
into a banner and a copy will be ing up the role next year, as part of Union of Teachers, claimed that
Sales executive
sent to each of the seven men with a government-wide push to increase the idea was “ill thought-out”.
Calum Hogg – 020 7501 6706
message of support from pupils. the number of apprenticeships in She said: “The idea that any-
Classified sales
Leader of the school’s Amnesty the number of pupils who dressed in Year 11 student Charlotte the public sector. one can do the job of assisting in
Rachel McElhinney – 020 7501 6728 group, Eirian Thomas, said: “The rainbow colours. As well as offering Greenfield said: “I thought the rain- The plans could see 16-year- classrooms is hardly one that will
Subscription manager pupils felt this would be a great a great source of hope, this will send bow was awesome. It was a great old school-leavers supervis- endear Ed Balls to teaching assist-
Chris Hoskins way to bring attention to the fact a powerful message to the authori- way to let people in the school ing and instructing secondary ants, never mind teachers.
Circulation director that people are being imprisoned for ties that the eyes of the world are know about human rights and the school students. “We want young people to
Sally Boettcher
their political beliefs. upon them, and we will not sit by way that they are abused in differ- Mr Balls, speaking to MPs stay in education for as long as
“We were really impressed by while human rights are abused.” ent countries.” at a Commons schools select possible. Offering apprenticeships
committee meeting, said: “The in schools to pupils who finished
Circulation department:
truth is public sector take-up of their education early sends out
Tel: 01722 716997
Classifying jobs ‘outdated’
apprentices, with the exception of entirely the wrong message.”
Fax: 01722 716926
the Ministry of Defence (MoD), However, Chris Keates, gen-
email: subscriptions@
is poor. eral secretary of the NASUWT
markallengroup.com
“If the MoD can take on union, said it was right that
UK annual rates:
Classifying jobs as “skilled” and “These emotive terms create and develop capabilities that will apprentices, I can’t see why we schools should play their part
“unskilled” is giving children and feelings of prejudice and privilege,” bring them joy, and enable them to can’t have young people becoming in providing opportunities for
Personal £45
young people a false picture of the she said. “Nobody wants to put in adopt greener lifestyles.” apprentice teaching assistants.” apprenticeships, and cautiously
Institutional (libraries,
workplace and hindering the devel- serious work and study and end up Her comments came as new Reacting to the comments, welcomed the plans.
companies etc) £100
opment of vocational qualifications, being considered ‘low-skilled’.” research suggested that young peo- Tory shadow minister for chil- She said: “It will be absolutely
Europe annual rates:
according to an academic. Professor Unwin called for a ple were confused about Diplomas dren, schools and families, critical that schools ensure that
Personal £92
Professor Lorna Unwin, of “renewed vision for vocational edu- and did not know what they entailed. Michael Gove, said Mr Balls the apprenticeships are genuine
Institutional £165
London University’s Institute of cation in Britain – one that treats all The study, commissioned by the was jeopardising the quality of high quality training placements,
Rest of world annual rates: Education, said that describing occupations as involving knowl- Department for Children, Schools England’s education system. additional to the school’s staffing
Personal £113 occupations as “professional” or edge and skills and sees vocational and Families, found that some stu- He said: “The highest per- complement.
Institutional £209 “highly-skilled” was outdated and education as a vehicle for introduc- dents believed they would be too forming countries for educational “It would be a gross abuse
dehumanising. ing learners to a broad range of hard, too academic or “posh”, while performance are those where of the young people and of the
Printed by
In her inaugural lecture, experiences”. others thought they would be too teachers are valued most highly apprenticeship scheme if there
Pensord Press, Wales
Professor Unwin said such termi- She added: “All education work-orientated. and are of the best quality. was any attempt to use them as
nology was hampering government should contain a vocational ele- “Just at a time when we need cheap substitutes for qualified
Published by
attempts to create a quality system ment to enable individuals to reflect • For more on the Diploma research, to be raising the qualifications teaching assistants.”
of vocational qualifications. on the kind of life they want to lead, see page 3.
St Jude’s Church, Dulwich Road
Music teachers need to seek more support
Herne Hill, London SE24 0PB
www.markallengroup.com
Music students are enjoying their on the “professional isolation” of At key stage 3, inspectors felt music in the way that it would be This was having a marked impact
courses, but are not progressing as many music teachers, and warns that students were not progressing as created in the real world. on musical standards through the
quickly as they should do, accord- that many are unaware of the sup- quickly as they did in other subjects, Engaging boys was seen as a increasingly positive role models
ing to Ofsted. port on offer, and the benefits of claiming that teachers were focusing particular problem, the report said, the boys provided.”
Its report, Making More of sharing best practice. too much on “developing technical claiming that some teachers did The report said the best music
MA Education Ltd is an independent
Music, looked at 95 secondary Ofsted chief inspector Christine competence” without giving enough not know how to react when their lessons took place in key stage 4
publishing company also responsible
schools, and found that although Gilbert said: “It is vital that music consideration to “the quality of their voices changed, and shied away and in 6th form, but expressed con-
for education titles Early Years
the provision for music was good staff in secondary schools enjoy musical response, and the depth of from building more vocal work into cern that few pupils opted to study
Educator and 5to7 Educator.
or outstanding in around half, the good support and professional musical understanding”. the curriculum. music to this level. Around 8 per
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remaining 50 per cent offered an development, and that they have However, where standards were However, it added: “The best cent of students took GCSE music,
means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or
otherwise without prior written permission of MA Education
“inconsistent” quality and range of sufficient time not only to monitor good, the report found that students schools visited were giving atten- compared with 25 per cent doing
The publisher accepts no responsibility for any views or opinions
expressed in SecEd.
musical activities. teaching and learning, but also to understood different musical proc- tion to involving boys in singing and art and design. Read the report at
ISSN 1479-7704
It blames the inconsistency work with other teachers.” esses, and were able to produce were having considerable success. www.ofsted.gov.uk
 SecEd • February 12 2009
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