www.sec-ed.com News
Teachers urged to look
In brief
Darwin centre
The Natural History Museum
has unveiled its new £78
million Darwin Centre, which
will be open to school groups
out for forced marriage
from September. The state-of-
the-art facility offers students
the chance to meet world-class
scientists and see them at work.
The museum has also unveiled
details of its free schools
programme, with workshops
by Chris Parr
mer holidays are its busiest time children have the right to grow up number of cases go unreported. The what to do when dealing with sus- such as Scenario Science
of the year, as families can use this safe from harm. new guidelines aim to ensure that pected cases of forced marriage. – Disease Outbreak (key stage
period to take their children abroad “As the end of the school year potential victims are identified as He added: “By working together 4), an immersive event giving
Teachers are being asked to play to marry. nears, it is vital that we get the early as possible, in order to protect we can ensure that all victims of practical experience of the role
a more active role in identify- This year, the FMU has already message out that forced marriage is them from what the government forced marriage receive sympathet- of disease research, and Animal
ing pupils at risk of forced mar- received 770 calls and emails to totally unacceptable and where chil- describes as “people intent on abus- ic, effective and joined-up support Vision (key stage 3), a live
riage ahead of the summer holiday its helpline about suspected forced dren are subjected to this practice, ing them”. and also challenge the culture of animal show that investigates
period. marriages – an increase of 16 per the impact on their education and A recent report by the DCSF acceptance.” eye adaptations. Visit www.
Government guidance that urges cent compared to last year. their future is devastating.” showed that although there were Latest government figures show nhm.ac.uk/education
schools to identify signs of forced It is thought the increased fig- Cases of forced marriage dealt examples of good practice in some that the majority of reports to the
marriages was published last week ures are down to more people com- with by the FMU have almost tre- schools and authorities, local agen- FMU involve families of Pakistani
after figures showed an increase ing forward with information, but bled since 2005, from 152 cases to cies needed to improve the way or Bangladeshi origin (81 per
Cyber challenge
in the number of suspected forced ministers want to see more teachers 420 last year, as more people come they worked together to tackle the cent). There are a smaller number Secondary school children
marriages being reported. reporting suspicious behaviour. forward to seek help. problem. of reports relating to those with are being challenged to tackle
The Forced Marriage Unit Delyth Morgan, minister for However, the true scale of the Home Office minister, Alan Indian, Middle Eastern, European, cyber-bullying as part of this
(FMU), which is a joint body of young people and families at the problem remains unclear, and min- Campbell, said the guidelines and African origins. To access the year’s Anti-Bullying Alliance
the Foreign Office and the Home Department for Children, Schools isters say the nature of forced mar- offered clear, step-by-step guidance new guidelines, visit www.fco.gov. (ABA) Anti-Bullying Week,
Office, says that the school sum- and Families (DCSF), said: “All riage means that it is likely that a to front line professionals about uk/forcedmarriage which runs from November 16
to 20. Students are invited to
Government warned over
come up with a slogan, which
will be attached to a “fuzzy”
– a logo bug being designed by
primary school children – to
asbestos risk in schools
take an anti-cyber-bullying
message to schools around
the country. The deadline for
entries is July 20. Visit: www.
The campaign calling for a national taken a national audit of asbestos The speech was welcomed anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk
audit of asbestos in UK schools in schools; has not comprehensive- by Christine Blower, general sec-
gained momentum this week as a ly assessed the risks that teach- retary of the National Union of
leading safety expert called on the ers and pupils in each and every Teachers, who said a thorough risk
website accolade
government to take “urgent action”. school face; and has not allocated assessment was long overdue, and The Qualifications and
Brian Nimick, chief execu- appropriate resources to take urgent accused the government of “drag- Curriculum Authority’s
tive of the British Safety Council remedial action. ging its heels”. national curriculum website
(BSC), told delegates at a health “Without these actions, the trag- She added: “In particular, the was among the winners at the
and safety conference that there had edy of asbestos in schools will be risk assessment needs to focus 2009 Interactive Media Awards
been 228 asbestos-related deaths left to fester and continue to kill the on children, who are particularly recently. The site outlines
among teachers over the last 14 lifeblood of our society. Teachers vulnerable. Unless this work is statutory requirements, and
years – an average of more than 16 and pupils continue to live with undertaken, the government and provides guidance, tools and
every year. the deadly legacy of having once employers are effectively in the activities to support schools
He said: “It is unacceptable that worked or studied in a school con- dark and will continue to deny the Shining stars: The Mumjums band will mark Shine Week in designing and developing
the UK, in 2009, has not yet under- taining asbestos.” need to tackle a problem which their curriculum. The website
caused the deaths of 92 teachers was developed to promote the
and lecturers between 2001 and
2005. Shine Week 2009
implementation of the new
2008 secondary curriculum
“While I am pleased that Gordon and was designed by Reading
Brown has said that more needs to
be done to solve this very seri-
takes centre stage
Room. Visit http://curriculum.
qca.org.uk/
ous problem, the present asbestos
management policies are woefully
inadequate. The government has Schools across the country are panied around 100 Royal Manor
energy essays
already dragged its heels enough in throwing themselves into Shine students to the O2 concert venue James Brown, 17, a 6th form
dealing with this problem.” Week 2009, a national festival in London, where they will visit student at the Tonbridge
According to the BSC, asbestos celebrating the talents of all the British Music Experience School in Kent, has won a
is the greatest single cause of work- young people, which began on exhibition. national essay competition
related deaths in the UK. Sunday (July 5). Meanwhile, at Ilkeston School themed on sustainable energy.
Mr Nimick added: “School Around a million students in Derbyshire, students will be The National Touch Briefings
heads and chairs of governors may in more than 2,500 schools and running a series of African and competition challenged
want to ask themselves this ques- other youth organisations are Caribbean events, which will independent school students
tion: would you allow members of expected to take part, with activi- involve screen-printing, musical to write an essay of up to
your family to attend a school or ties ranging from staging plays theatre, and West End-style dance 2,000 words. James’s essay,
college where the asbestos risk had and musicals, to art exhibitions pieces. entitled How do we satisfy our
not been assessed?” and fashion shows. The youngsters will also be vis- need for energy, and sustain
During last year’s Shine cele- iting Nottingham Playhouse to see the environment?, will now
Students spread the word on
brations, year 11 students at Royal the Caribbean musical Once On be published alongside the
Manor Arts College in Dorset This Island, and today (Thursday, entries from nine other finalists
formed a soul band, which has July 9) they have been hosting an in a special supplement to
children trapped in war zones
gone from strength to strength African dance workshop. accompany the Touch Briefings
over the last 12 months. Lisa Mills, a music teacher journal Modern Energy Review,
To celebrate this year’s and head of year 9, told us: “Shine which will be distributed to the
event, the band – known as The Week is a great opportunity for top 200 energy companies.
Twelve young campaigners have giving some facts about the prob- Meanwhile, the minister was Mumjums – will play two gigs, us to celebrate the arts in a really
visited the Houses of Parliament to lem worldwide.” also visited by eight A level stu- one at the start of the week and big and very public way. It gives
hand over 230,000 letters of support Olivia, along with 11 other win- dents from Mulberry School for one at the end, which will be us the chance to open up the
Unions unite
for youngsters living in countries ners, presented the 230,000 letters Girls in east London, who had col- attended by hundreds of students talent we have to the whole The National Union of Teachers
affected by conflict written by to Mike Foster, international devel- lected hundreds of handprints from from the local area. community.” (NUT) and the University and
school children from across the opment minister, who said he was students across the UK to high- Music teacher Martyn Elsewhere around the country, College Union (UCU) have
UK. “delighted” to see school pupils light the number of children forced Mullender told us: “Although the the Bedford and Luton Fire and signed a partnership agreement,
The students were winners of from the UK campaigning on behalf into being child soldiers around the Mumjums left the school last year Rescue Service has commissioned bringing together nearly half a
an art and journalism competi- of those trapped in war zones. world. and are now at local 6th forms students from Biddenham School million trade union members.
tion set up by children’s newspa- He added: “As minister, I’ve The girls, all from South Asian (Weymouth College and The in Bedford to perform a 40-minute Both organisations will
per First News, charity Save the seen first-hand how UK aid is help- backgrounds, held a question and Thomas Hardye School), they still educational play for local schools maintain their own identities,
Children, and the Department for ing children affected by conflict. answer session with Mr Foster, rehearse here regularly and will be looking at the consequences of but have pledged to work
International Development (DfID), UK aid protects children from vio- where they found out more about a big part of our Shine Week. arson. together to “avoid competitive
to highlight the affects of conflict lence, enables them to attend school the link between poverty and child “We will also be uploading At Chingford Foundation trade unionism across sectors”.
on children around the world. safely, and helps them put their soldier recruitment. eight songs by other students to School in north east London, NUT general secretary,
One of the winners was Olivia lives back together.” The project was co-ordinated the Shine website, including two the students are holding a 1960s Christine Blower, said: “We are
Aaronson, 12, from St Paul’s Girls’ Olivia added: “The minister by Envision, a charity that supports duos from year 9, and a year 10 celebration event, looking at the delighted to be joining together
School in London, who wrote an seemed really interested in what we 16 to 19-year-olds from more than girl who is a phenomenal guitar- music, dance, drama, visual art, at a time when it is vital to
article about the plight of children had to say, and I hope that he will go 100 UK schools to create social ist. It’s a great chance to get their fashion and lifestyle of the era. defend public services and
in war-torn countries. away and think about everything that and environmental projects in their work out there.” To find our more about public sector workers.” Visit:
She told SecEd: “I started my we talked about. He was very com- communities. Yesterday (Wednesday, July what has been going on, visit www.ucu.org.uk and www.nut.
article off by writing from the per- plimentary about what we’d written For more information, visit 8), Mr Mullender also accom- www.shineweek.co.uk org.uk
spective of a child soldier, before – he seemed quite impressed.” www.envision.org.uk
SecEd • July 9 2009 
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24