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Cuts threaten Northern
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Irish specialist schools
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Editor-in-chief
by Simon Doyle
August 2011. This means the newest to offer expert tuition in a STEM money awarded to existing par- which include a reduction in the sup-
Mark Allen
schools will have just two years (science, technology, engineering ticipants. port grant from £75,000 to £25,000
Editor
instead of four in the programme and and maths) subject would become They each receive a one-off sup- and a shortened period of designa-
Pete Henshaw – 020 7501 6771
There are fears that the specialist those approved last year will lose specialists from September. port grant of £25,000 compared tion of two years rather than four
pete.h@markallengroup.com
school scheme in Northern Ireland 12 months’ worth of additional Ms Ruane had sought £2 mil- to the £75,000 given in previous years.” She added that now is a good
Deputy editor
is to be wound up. funding. lion to fund specialists in 2009/10 rounds. time to review the programme.
David Taylor – 020 7501 6772 No more secondary schools will Specialist schools receive an but was forced to make huge cuts Ms Ruane says the programme’s She will draw on the evidence
david@markallengroup.com be considered for inclusion until extra £100 per pupil per year. when finalising what she called a continuation is only achievable by and experiences from existing
Reporter the completion of a review com- The scheme was only introduced “difficult budget”. greatly reducing the additional schools to develop “a more inclu-
Chris Parr – 020 7501 6750 missioned by the North’s education in Northern Ireland in 2006 and had In the end, the minister approved resources and timescale of designa- sive model” with a sharper focus on
Illustrator
minister Caitriona Ruane. already been running in England. others in subjects including music tion for schools. raising standards and tackling the
Christos Mais
The existing 44 specialist A lack of money meant it was and humanities – but they will She said: “I met with these barriers to learning “that too many
schools will end their designation in expected that only those seeking only receive a fraction of the extra schools to outline my new proposals of our young people face”.
Editorial advisory panel
Geoff Brookes, Deputy
headteacher, Cefri Hengoed
Doubt inspires
Comprehensive School, Swansea.
Daniel makes a great
Neill Morton, Headteacher,
Portora Royal School, Enniskillen.
Alex Wood, Headteacher, Wester
Hailes Education Centre, Edinburgh.
job of the Budget
young poets
Ray Tarleton, Headteacher,
South Dartmoor Community With summer exams looming and
College, Ashburton, Devon. Hilary Writing a Budget speech at the policies should be prioritised and ment and restimulate the econo- the country in recession, “doubt”
Moriarty, National director, tender age of 17 is a tall order funded. my towards renewed growth”. was the perfect theme for a
Boarding Schools’ Association.
– but 6th-former Daniel Hooker Possible policies to choose from “Winning the award was very prestigious poetry competition for
Tina Stockman, Teacher of art and
made such a good job of it that he included increasing winter fuel pay- unexpected,” Daniel told SecEd. 6th-formers.
media studies, Harlaw Academy,
scooped first prize in this year’s ments for the over 60s and providing “I knew I’d written a good speech Challenged to write a poem on
Aberdeen. Dr Bernard Trafford,
“Chance to be Chancellor” com- better financial education in second- but clearly in a national competi- the subject, youngsters submitted
headteacher, The Royal Grammar
petition. ary schools – but just like in the real tion you never expect to actu- work on everything from hunger
School, Newcastle upon Tyne. Chris
The contest, run by the world and the real economy, they ally win because the entries reach and juries to playing cards and bus
Fenton, Assistant headteacher,
Citizenship Foundation in partner- could not pick them all. such a high level. It was a fantas- stops – as well as the inevitable
William Harrison School,
ship with Norwich Union and The Daniel, a year 12 pupil at tic honour.” Doubting Thomas.
Lincolnshire. Paul Ainsworth,
Times, gave 14 to 19-year-olds the Merchant Taylors’ School in Daniel’s prize is a Nintendo The annual Christopher Tower
Deputy headteacher, Belvoir High
chance to decide how to spend Northwood, Middlesex, is study- Wii Console Sports Pack, along Poetry Prize, open to aspiring
School, Leicestershire. Mark Blois,
taxpayers’ money. They then had to ing history, geography, English lit- with a £250 charity voucher to poets aged 16 to 18 across the UK,
Browne Jacobson.
justify their choices by writing their erature and economics, and plans to donate to a charity of his choice. attracted a record number of entries
own speech for the 2009 Budget. study history at university. Two other students from this year – proving that poetry is a
After looking at eight different He began his speech by advising Daniel’s school, Vivek Chadha flourishing and popular art form in
Sales director
areas of government – business that “urgent steps” must be taken to and Mahiban Balachandran, schools.
Matt Govett – 020 7501 6735
and enterprise, education, transport, help businesses and households dur- were among the nine runners- The winner was 17-year-old
Commercial director
social welfare, health, environ- ing the recession and advised that up. Financial secretary Stephen Timothy Carson (pictured), from
Burton
Jon Benson – 020 7501 6767
ment, housing, and employment the government should “invest in Timms will present the awards at Sullivan Upper School in Belfast.
David
Sales executive
– entrants had to choose which public works to reduce unemploy- a ceremony on June 23. Timothy, whose winning poem is
Calum Hogg – 020 7501 6706
called Is Life Likely?, was presented
Photo:
Classified sales
with his £3,000 first prize at a special
Rachel McElhinney – 020 7501 6728
Subscription manager
Chris Hoskins
Authors back old classics
reception held at Oxford University’s This year’s judges included poet
Christ Church last month. Jane Draycott, Daljit Nagra, winner
The second prize of £1,000 of the Forward Poetry Prize in 2004
Circulation director went to Iona Twiston-Davies and 2007, and Dr Peter McDonald,
Sally Boettcher
A list of the best children’s from Matthew Arnold School in director of Tower Poetry.
The chosen books books has been compiled by the Oxford, while Paul Merchant from The competition, launched in
Circulation department:
Little Tim and the Brave Sea Captain by Edward Ardizzone (1936)
five people who ought to know Tonbridge School in Kent, was 2000, has developed a reputation
Tel: 01722 716997
Queenie the Bantam by Bob Graham (1997)
which ones to choose – the UK’s third and won £500. Each of the for discovering exciting poetry tal-
children’s laureates, past and prizewinners’ schools was awarded ent, with many past winners going
Fax: 01722 716926 The Box of Delights by John Masefield (1935)
present. £150. on to receive further acclaim for
email: subscriptions@
Rose Blanche by Ian McEwan and Roberto Innocenti (1985)
Quentin Blake, Anne Fine, In addition to the three main their writing
markallengroup.com
Five Children and It by E. Nesbit (1902)
Michael Morpurgo, Jacqueline winners, four shortlisted poets, All the winning poems can be
UK annual rates:
Snow White by Josephine Poole (1991) Wilson, and current Laureate three of them from St Paul’s Girls’ read on the Tower Poetry website at
Stuart Little by E.B. White (1945)
Michael Rosen revealed their choic- School in London, received £250. www.towerpoetry.org.uk
Personal £45 The Wolves of Willoughby Chase by Joan Aiken (1963)
es last week, and between them
Institutional (libraries,
Absolute Zero by Helen Cresswell (1978)
they demonstrated a preference for
Is Life Likely? After Eugenio Montale
companies etc) £100
Just William by Richmal Crompton (1922)
the old classics.
I
Europe annual rates:
Only five of the 35 books cho-
Personal £92
Journey to the River Sea by Eva Ibbotson (2001)
sen were published in the last 20
And some time make the time to drive out west into Donegal, to the
Institutional £165
Lavender’s Blue by Kathleen Lines (1954)
years, while a fifth were released in
‘Finn cottage.
Rest of world annual rates: A Child’s Garden of Verses by Robert Louis Stevenson (1885) the 19th century. The oldest book In September, when last lights range blazing North, over the Atlantic’s
Personal £113
Sword in the Stone by T.H. White (1938)
was Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist,
restless surf.
Institutional £209
Five Go to Smuggler’s Top by Enid Blyton (1945)
which came out 170 years before
Driving droves of smooth polished pebbles overwith chanting wild,
Printed by
Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel by Virginia Lee Burton (1939)
the newest title, 2008’s Mr Gum and
Norse thundering chorus for our own epic. “Now is the winter of our
Pensord Press, Wales
Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens (1838)
the Dancing Bear by Andy Stanton.
The most popular authors, with
content…”, marauder of my heart.
Just So Stories by Rudyard Kipling (1902)
two picks apiece, were E Nesbit Lying in sweats of fleshy grass, wheat-heads goldening for plough in
Published by A Book of Nonsense by Edward Lear (1846)
for Five Children and It and The
scarlet sunsets, a raptured ripeness, like new pregnancy.
Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson (1883) Railway Children, and Robert
The Happy Prince by Oscar Wilde (1888)
Northern cacophony beating about to old peat-bog fires burning in
Louis Stevenson for A Child’s
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (1868-9)
Garden of Verses and Treasure
the grate, you pressed upon my chest drifting ‘til late.
St Jude’s Church, Dulwich Road
A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett (1905)
Island.
Herne Hill, London SE24 0PB
What Katy Did by Susan Coolidge (1872)
Mr Morpurgo, who was chil- II
dren’s laureate between 2003 and
www.markallengroup.com The Family From One End Street by Eve Garnett (1937)
Belfast, not quite midnight and last-call groans.
2005, said of Treasure Island: “This
The Railway Children by E. Nesbit (1906)
Rasped slobbers of consonants clogging up
the clenched clamour of
was the first proper book I read for
Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfeild (1936)
myself. Jim Hawkins was the first
accents, rough auld brogues
cumbering their pitch with resignation.
Mary Poppins by P.L. Travers (1934) character in a book I identified
The art of forgetting’s a skilful one.
Clown by Quentin Blake (1995)
with totally. I was Jim Hawkins. I Billy Craig starts his twenty-five yard road,
heaving vomit, a monetary
MA Education Ltd is an independent
The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank (1947)
lived Treasure Island as I read it.
pool spent
keeled in the retching amber of streetlights.
publishing company also responsible
for education titles Early Years
Emil and the Detectives by Erich Kästner (1928)
And I loved it. Still do. Wish I’d
Blindly feeling for a fallen couple
of tarred, bent cigarettes, he rolls his
Educator and 5to7 Educator.
Not Now, Bernard by David McKee (1980)
written it!”
Other names that made the cut
own,
treading the mutinous concrete flags home.
© All rights reserved. No part of SecEd may be reproduced, Fairy Tales by Terry Jones (1981)
stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any
include Monty Python star Terry
A chip off the old block, somewhere between
breadwinning hero and
means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or
Mr Gum and the Dancing Bear by Andy Stanton (2008)
otherwise without prior written permission of MA Education
Jones, for his 1981 book Fairy intimate rut.
The publisher accepts no responsibility for any views or opinions
expressed in SecEd.
Daz 4 Zoe by Robert Swindells (1990) Tales, and Oscar Wilde for The
Sheaves of them, men blowing themselves to chaff.
ISSN 1479-7704
Happy Prince.
 SecEd • May 7 2009
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