News
Scottish billions ‘have
Boys dumb
down to
avoid bullies
had little or no effect’
Bright boys often “dumb down”
at school to avoid being bullied
or labelled as swots.
A study of youngsters at nine
state secondary schools in the
Midlands and South East England
by Sam Phipps
– more than double per pupil in pri- covering ages three to 18, is due to said showed England had eclipsed “It is clear that Scottish school found that some pupils, particularly
mary and secondary schools since implemented from August 2009. Scotland in 2007 in terms of the education suffers from a major boys, were so keen to fit in and be
1999 – is simply not delivering The Conservative schools proportion of youngsters achieving productivity problem. This and other popular that they made a concerted
Extra spending on education has value for money. spokeswoman Liz Smith said in five good grades in their exams, measures show little improvement effort not to appear too clever.
had “little or no effect”, according “Put another way, billions of response to the report: “It is very including maths and English, at the over the last decade, despite major The research, conducted
to a right-leaning think-tank. pounds have been spent in the last disturbing that so little progress has end of compulsory education. increases in spending. This implies a by Becky Francis, Professor
Reform Scotland said attainment decade to little or no effect.” been made. This is another indica- Mr Mawdsley urged the Scottish major economic burden, as well as of Education at Roehampton
levels had failed to improve despite A Scottish government spokes- tion that the Scottish government government to focus more on output missed opportunities for our children.” University, focused on high
“billions of pounds” being invested man said: “There is no doubt that is failing to provide the education measures for schools’ performance. The think-tank also said the gov- achieving 12 and 13-year-olds.
in primary and secondary schools Scotland can do better in educa- system that Scotland deserves.” He said: “Publishing and using ernment should consider a report it The study also revealed that
since devolution 10 years ago. tion performance. That is why we Reform Scotland is due to pub- the measure of the pupils attaining published earlier this year, which boys who adopted “laddish”
Geoff Mawdsley of Reform are now embarking on the biggest lish a research bulletin on education. five good grades by S4 including argued giving parents more choice behaviour were more likely to
Scotland said: “It is clear from the reform in education for a genera- The independent think-tank ana- maths and English would be a good in where their children were taught be popular with their peers, while
research that the extra spending tion.” Curriculum for Excellence, lysed exam performance data that it start. was key to improving education. clever boys who showed traits like
diligence and reflection were more
Government reports focus on behaviour
prone to be victims of bullying.
Some students managed to be
clever as well as popular – but
this was often due to physical
characteristics, like good looks,
Improving behaviour and figures show that permanent exclu- are being developed to rate school to on-site “withdrawal rooms” to Ed Balls, minister for children, fashionability or sporting prow-
tackling cyber-bullying topped sions is down seven per cent in the performance. calm down. schools and families, welcomed ess, or because they had a more
the government agenda last last year. The report says that local author- Sir Alan said: “Children learn all of the recommendations in the disruptive best friend.
week with the publication of two However, figures released by ities should also give additional good behaviour from watching oth- report. “We found that high-achiev-
reports. the Conservatives show that the support to schools whose behaviour ers, and all adults have a responsi- Meanwhile, the government has ing, popular pupils had particular
The government’s behaviour number of children being repeat- standards are rated as “satisfactory” bility and a part to play in teaching published guidance for teachers on attributes and strategies that ena-
guru Sir Alan Steer published his edly suspended has trebled in the or worse by Ofsted, while schools them. tackling cyber-bullying. bled them to maintain the balance
final report, Learning Behaviour: last four years, while the number of should draw up a behaviour policy “When things go wrong we need The resource, which is free between academic attainment and
Lessons Learned, claiming that suspensions handed out by schools to ensure all teachers demand the to respond promptly, but with intel- to download, describes the vari- popularity,” said Professor Francis.
although there were signs of rose four per cent in the last 12 same standards. ligence and with care. Childhood is ous forms of cyber-bullying, the “But other pupils are not so
improving behaviour in schools, months. Teachers should also seek to a time when mistakes are made and legal measures that can be used fortunate, and find this balance
more could still be done. Among the recommendations engage students by introducing lessons learnt. to tackle it, and offers advice on harder to achieve. Some are ridi-
The report points out that behav- in Sir Alan’s report was a call to games based on television pro- “Parents and teachers working how to respond to incidents in your culed as ‘boffins’ and ‘swots’, and
iour in 72 per cent of secondary award every school a grade for grammes such as Who Wants to together can enrich the lives of the school. this – especially for boys – could
schools is judged good or outstand- its behaviour standards in the pro- be a Millionaire?, and should have young and nothing is more impor- To download the guidance, visit result in physical bullying.”
ing by Ofsted, while government posed school report cards, which the option to send disruptive pupils tant than that.” www.dcsf.gov.uk/behaviour
UK employers call for greater green learning
Nine out of 10 UK employers Professor Bill Scott, education
want energy efficiency and green and environment researcher at the
learning to become a core part of University of Bath, said: “Equipping
the curriculum in order to equip both teachers and pupils with
the next generation of workers, the tools needed to improve their
according to research. understanding of energy efficiency
Figures released by British Gas’s can go a long way to solving some
Generation Green programme, which of the green challenges they will
aims to promote green learning in face later in life.”
schools, show that education in green The British Gas Generation
issues is considered more important Green programme has created a
than foreign languages and money series of lesson plans designed to
management skills by employers. incorporate green education into the
The research also claims that the curriculum.
range of jobs requiring green skills Alan Johnson, director of the
is not confined to the environmental scheme, said: “We want to reward
management and science sectors, the nation’s school pupils and their
with more than half of respondents wider community for green behav-
saying they felt they were required iour, and since the launch in April last
for company directors and mainte- year, more than 9,000 schools have
nance staff. signed up for Generation Green.
Employers believe that cost sav- “We hope it will play its part
ings from thinking and acting green in making this knowledge second
could be as much as £19 billion per nature for future generations, safe-
year if people entering the work- guarding the future prospects of
place had a better basic grasp of employers and employees alike.”
issues like energy efficiency and For more information, visit
waste management. www.generationgreen.co.uk
Fees shake-up to keep charitable status
Book launched to celebrate freedom
A collection of short stories Are All Born Free, was released focuses on a particular human right
A leading Scottish private school discounts to a means-tested basis in pounds in tax breaks, unless they celebrating the concept of freedom in October last year, and the final outlined in the Declaration.
is overhauling its fee structure in a line with our existing means-tested widened access. has been released to coincide instalment, to be called Freedom, Former children’s laureate
move to help safeguard charitable bursaries,” Mr Jack said. Last October Hutchesons’ with the 60th anniversary of the will hit the shelves in September. Jacqueline Wilson, who has penned
status. The scrapping of scholarship Grammar in Glasgow, Merchiston Universal Declaration of Human Kate Allen, Amnesty a foreword for Free?, said that
Glasgow Academy is replac- awards and other changes would Castle in Edinburgh, Lomond Rights. International’s UK director, said: books and literature had played a
ing its traditional system of schol- only apply to new pupils. School in Helensburgh, and St The book, Free?, is published “Free? captures the issues which huge part in speaking out against
arships with one based on means- “These steps will enable us to Leonards in St Andrews were by Walker Books and Amnesty are encompassed in human rights, human rights violations the world
tested bursaries. maximise means-tested assistance, told by the Office of the Scottish International, and features 14 stories such as education, religion and free- over.
Under proposals outlined in a targeting help where it is needed Charity Regulator (OSCR) that it by children’s authors from around dom of speech, in a way that is easy She said: “So many brave writ-
letter to parents by Gordon Jack, most without the need to increase was not enough to offer scholar- the globe, including Ireland’s to understand and entertaining for ers have drawn attention to the
the chairman of governors, chang- the general level of fees beyond ship schemes that help talented Roddy Doyle and Kenya’s Meja young people. horrors of repressive regimes, even
es will also be made to discounts inflation,” he said. pupils regardless of their financial Mwangi. “We are extremely delighted though they’ve suffered as a result.
for third and fourth children from Glasgow Academy is the latest background. It is the second of three books and privileged that these excep- The authors contributing stories to
the same family, and for children private school to alter its fee struc- Instead, independent schools being published to commemorate tional authors have contributed to this beautiful book have given us
of teaching staff. ture after Scotland’s charity regula- should spend more of their the 1948 Declaration, which saw this anthology and we hope that all much food for thought. Life isn’t
“From next session, we will dis- tor warned four other independent income on means-tested bursaries the fundamental freedoms to which who read this book will be inspired fair – but we can do our best to right
continue new scholarship awards secondaries they might lose chari- in order to reach families with everyone should be entitled set out to stand up for justice.” the wrongs.”
and move new sibling and staff table status, worth thousands of lower incomes, the OSCR said. for the first time. The stories are aimed at young Free? will be published on
The first book in the series, We people aged 10 to 15, and each May 5, priced £6.99.
 SecEd • April 23 2009
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