News
Football stars Kick for
Text the
police
Children with Cancer
and shop
a vandal
by Crispin Andrews
Police are promising a cash
reward to pupils who report their
An array of footballing superstars vandal classmates by text.
were on hand to launch CLIC The Dob A Vandal Edinburgh
Sargent’s 2009 Kick for Children (DAVE) scheme has been
with Cancer campaign. launched in five secondaries in
Students from Northdown order to crack down on vandal-
School in Margate pushed their way ism and graffiti in the local areas.
through the Ferraris to get pitch- It is hoped the children – who
side at Chelsea’s Cobham train- would receive a reward if their
ing ground, as new manager Guus tip-off results in a conviction
Hiddink put Lampard, Drogba and – will overcome any reluctance
the rest through their paces. to pass on information through
The school has raised money the anonymous text service.
four years running through the PC Mark Coull, of the
national children’s cancer charity’s Neighbourhood Action Unit, said:
football fundraising programme, “We are hoping to tap into those
and this was their reward. who either know the vandals, or
England captain John Terry, who witness the vandalism, but who
signed autographs and spoke to the are not directly involved.”
happy youngsters, has actively sup- He continued: “It’s quite
ported Chelsea’s official charity often difficult to get on top of it
partner since the scheme began in because we really need witnesses
2006. to come forward. We are hoping
He told SecEd: “It’s a fun way that by being able to text anony-
for kids to get involved with foot- mously it will encourage more
ball while raising money to help people to report.
children with cancer.” “It won’t automatically mean
Goalkeeper and fellow CLIC that the person they name is
Sargent ambassador, Petr Cech, going to get charged, but it will
added: “I would like to see schools at least give us the opportuni-
get involved in as many ways as ty to interview them and warn
possible with such a helpful organi- them, and we could also increase
sation and help them to support the patrols in the areas.
10 families a day who find out their “There are a lot of kids who
child has cancer.” develop their leadership skills. It’s the game. Her team mate Lorrie said: “Right now CLIC Sargent don’t like to be associated with
Last year, 84,000 children across a great way for pupils to raise Fair added: “You can be really can only help two out of the three vandals or tarred with the same
the UK took part in 617 Kick for money for others of a similar age creative, letting kids take part in a families whose child has cancer. We brush so we are hoping they will
Children with Cancer events, rais- who are going through a really tournament or penalty shootout in need your help to be there for each use this service.”
ing £105,000 for the charity. This tough time.” fancy dress – come up with some- and every one.” Craigmount, Forrester, St
year CLIC Sargent hopes that more Stephen Burge, sports commu- thing equally enjoyable for girls Visit www.clicsargent.org.uk/ Augustine’s, Royal High, and
than 1,000 events will raise around nity officer at Northfield School and boys.” Getinvolved/KickforChildrenwith Queensferry secondaries are all
£200,000. and Sports College in Billingham, Events can take place between Cancer taking part, and the trial will be
Emma Dorney, enterprise co- added: “After last year’s 24-hour April and August although there is rolled out across Edinburgh if
ordinator at Redland Green School sponsored sports day raised £4,000, some flexibility. CLIC Sargent has Crucial support: Tiffany successful.
in Bristol, is planning to get this year’s target has been set at made resource packs available on Bason, 18, (above left), Derek Curran, headteacher at
involved. £5,500.” its website for the first time and who has been supported Forrester High, said: “The police
She said: “The beauty of this Chelsea and CLIC Sargent regional officers are in place to by CLIC Sargent, pictured are using technology that the
campaign is that it’s really flexible are both keen to get more girls assist in designing effective ways of with her friend at the Kick kids are familiar with. The vast
so we’re looking to build the event involved in the fundraising events raising money. for Children with Cancer majority of kids don’t particu-
in to our enterprise work. and football in general. England Mr Cech added: “By getting launch. Billy Titchener, 15, larly like to see vandalism so the
“We’re hoping to get our older and Chelsea ladies defender Casey involved you are helping many (right), who has also been police may well find that this ini-
pupils planning and organising an Stoney, who was also at the launch, more young people to have as nor- given support by the charity tiative brings in information.”
event for younger children to help wants girls to just go out and enjoy mal a life as possible.” Mr Terry tries out his skills
Workshop offers boost
Girls do better at
Liverpool pupils record
for borderline students
single-sex schools
anti-violence single
Boosting GCSE mathematics More than 300 pupils from the Richard Baker, headteacher
grades was the focus of a series of
conferences in Derby this week,
attended by around 750 students
says new research
area where 11-year-old Rhys Jones at Croxteth Community
was shot dead in August 2007 Comprehensive, said: “We sent
have joined together to record an 17 students – two boys and 15
from across Derbyshire. anti-violence song, which they girls from years 7, 8, and 9. They
The Raising the Grade events Girls who attend single-sex state GCSEs, of more than 70,000 girls hope to take to number one in the were really buzzing afterwards,
were attended by GCSE students schools do better than those who at girls-only state comprehensives charts. and so proud of themselves after
from 30 schools across the county, go to mixed comprehensives. and nearly 650,000 girls at co-ed The students, from schools the work they’d put in.
who were taught a range of ways That is the verdict of a new comprehensives. across Croxteth and Norris Green “We can now only hope that the
in which they can achieve high- study of government data carried It also discovered that the in Liverpool, have produced a new song will become successful, and
er grades this summer, including out by the Good Schools Guide. scores of girls at single-sex schools version of the 1980s hit song You’re have a real impact, not only in this
memory aids, study techniques, and It suggests that without the were higher than their counter- The Voice in a bid to inspire young- area, but across the UK.”
revision strategies. distraction of boys, girls out- parts at mixed schools across all sters to reject gun and gang culture. The song will be available for
All of the attendees were identi- perform their counterparts who ability groups. Not only that, girls The project, which is funded by download soon, with any money
fied by their school as being capa- learn alongside boys in secondary who had the lowest test scores the city’s gun crime prevention ini- raised being used to fund further
ble of achieving a C grade, but schools. when they started at their all-girls tiative DISARM, is the brainchild community projects in the area.
are currently achieving below this The research looked at the secondary at the age of 11 made of campaigner Liam Moore, a local Councillor Marilyn Fielding,
level. GCSE scores of more than “the biggest leap” of all when they singer who has already tasted fame executive member for safer,
There were also workshops them to do their absolute best in the 700,000 girls taught at state com- came to sit their GCSEs. after appearing on Stars In Their stronger communities at Liverpool
(pictured) on different areas of exams.” prehensive schools between 2005 Jill Berry, president of the Eyes as Phil Collins. Council, added: “This is a really
the curriculum, including algebra, A year 11 student at the school and 2007. The academic achieve- Girls’ Schools Association, wel- Mr Moore told SecEd: inspiring project which sends out a
Pythagoras, squares and roots, and added: “The revision skills made it ment profiles of the two groups comed the findings. “Amazingly, almost 400 primary strong message to the tiny minority
number. easier to remember everything, and were almost identical at the age of She said: “Girls are less self- and secondary students turned up to of people who use weapons and
Nathalie Campbell, a teacher at I feel a lot stronger now ahead of 11, but the study found that girls conscious in single-sex schools. the recording. We just want to get violence that their behaviour will
Merrill College in Derby, said that the exam period.” educated at single-sex schools They are certainly more confi- the message out that there should not be tolerated.
the workshops had really helped The events were organised by consistently made more progress dent and are much more likely to be no guns, no knives, and no loss “The young people taking part
her students. the Derby branch of Aimhigher, a than those attending co-ed sec- speak up for themselves and to of life.” in this project are speaking for the
She told us: “They have really national programme that aims to ondaries. volunteer to do things like sing a Local secondaries Croxteth entire community and the whole
focused on how they can push their encourage more students to con- It compared the “value-added” solo, because they are less wor- Community Comprehensive, De city should be proud of them.”
results up and over the grade bound- sider going on to higher education. scores, which measure pupils’ ried about what others, particu- La Salle School, and St John Bosco For more information, including
ary. I’m sure the memory tricks and For more information, visit progress between key stage 2 and larly boys, think of them.” School all sent young singers along how to download the track, visit
the revision tips will really help www.aimhigher.ac.uk in support of the project. www.myspace.com/thevoice2008
 SecEd • March 26 2009
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