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The ONLY weekly voice for secondary education Issue 206 • March 12 2009 Price £1.00
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‘If report cards arrive,
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league tables must go’
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Dr Dunford will say: “We have long fairer, perhaps including an adapta- single grade, then you run the risk He said: “The use of a threshold
the newspaper electronically
Exclusive wanted to see something more intel- tion of contextualised value added of over-simplifying at the expense measure has been a strong driver
every Thursday. You can sign
ligent than the league tables. And the scores, in order to ensure that it is of accuracy. It is not enough to of school policy, creating the per-
up by sending us your email
by Chris Parr
balanced scorecard may well be the equally possible for a good school give schools a number of stars, as verse incentive to concentrate on
address. It is completely free
answer – but only if it is based on serving a disadvantaged commu- you might a hotel, in the belief that raising the achievement of those
and we will not pass on your
A leading educationalist will next intelligent principles, as we have set nity and a good school serving a this provides parents with enough just below the threshold rather than
details to third parties. Just
week call for the abolition of school out clearly for the government. less disadvantaged area to obtain a information, or enough detail, to improving the achievements of all.
league tables if the government “If the report card comes in high score.” make a decision on the quality of Threshold measures should be
email
editor@sec-ed.co.uk
goes ahead with plans to introduce it must, at the very least, replace Ofsted inspection is another area the institution.” avoided altogether in the balanced
New York-style report cards, SecEd league tables and the school profile. that could benefit from the intro- The report card’s proposed scorecard.”
can reveal. Then it can be fitted hand-in-glove duction of effective report cards, Dr ratings system could see schools A spokesman for the Department
After abolishing key stage 3 with a refined Ofsted system.” Dunford claims. assessed on a range of issues for Children, School sand Families
SATs, the government announced SecEd spoke exclusively to Dr “If the card is introduced then including: told SecEd: “We have recently fin-
proposals to introduce school report Dunford, and asked how school there would be no point in Ofsted • The number of pupils attaining ished a consultation on 21st century
cards, or balanced scorecards, accountability measures could be poring over outcome statistics with five GCSEs including English schools and school report cards,
which would include details such impacted by the introduction of senior school staff. Inspectors could and maths. in which we spoke with a wide
as a school’s attendance rates and report cards. instead concentrate more on assess- • The progress that pupils make range of organisations, including
take-up of free school meals. He told us: “It has long been ing the quality of learning, and less during their time at school. the ASCL.
Dr John Dunford, general sec- our belief that raw exam results, on measurable statistics,” he said. • Pupils’ health and enjoyment “The findings will help develop
Asbestos policies
retary of the Association of School such as the ones we see in league In addition to calling for the abo- levels and prospects of future our proposals for exactly how
and College Leaders, will have the tables, tell parents more about the lition of league tables, and changes economic wellbeing. school report cards will be used and
‘have to change’
subject at the heart of his speech intake of a school rather than the to Ofsted’s role, Dr Dunford is also Dr Dunford has expressed par- we will continue to work with key
when he addresses delegates at quality of education and teaching urging ministers to prevent the report ticular concern at the proposed use organisations during the next phase
Campaigner Michael Lees
the union’s annual conference on their children might receive should cards from awarding schools one of “threshold measures”, such as of consultation”
lost his wife, a teacher, to
Sunday (March 15). they attend. overall grade based on their perform- the proportion of 16 year olds with The findings of the initial con-
According to an excerpt from the “We hope that the report card ance across all of the card’s criteria. five high grade GCSE passes, for sultation are due to be published in
the asbestos-related disease
speech, seen exclusively by SecEd, will contain information that is He said: “If you give schools a assessing school performance. the spring.
mesothelioma. Writing in
SecEd this week, he is calling
for the way schools handle
the deadly substance to
change
Pages 8 and 9
Education Show
Heading to the Education
Show later this month? Don’t
leave before checking out our
War child: The harrowing plight of child soldiers, some of whom are forced to shoot, maim, and even kill their own families, has inspired a group of
6th-formers to create a powerful awareness-raising campaign video. The students, who created the campaign on their own, this week received an
six-page preview
award for their work and have taken part in a number of high profile debates. Three of the group, David Glenwright, Olivia Marsh and Isabelle Fox
0804052 NASUWT Advert 20/1/09 1:23 pm Page 1Pages 18 to 23
(pictured here left to right) also met with Channel 4 News presenter Krishnan Guru-Murthy to discuss the campaign. For the full story, see page 2.
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At the chalkface
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