NewS
Leading academic rocks
flagship school reforms
by Sam Phipps
measures are due to be implement- undermined by misguided views turing “successful learners, confident remarks were perceived as among Rhona Brankin, education spokes-
ed from next August for three to on motivation and relevance. “To individuals, responsible citizens and the most detailed and coherent yet. woman for Labour, which started the
18-year-olds. set up ‘fun’ as the goal of a school effective contributors” were “banal”, Ann Ballinger, general secretary reform proposals in government with
Scotland’s education reforms have Though he praised the driving curriculum is dangerous nonsense,” according to Prof Paterson, because of the Scottish Secondary Teachers’ the Liberal Democrats, said the SNP
been dealt a further blow by a leading principle of giving teachers more he wrote. any of those nouns and adjectives Association, said: “There is so lit- had under-funded the process.
policy academic, who has described independence, he said this was taken “The disciplinary structures of were interchangeable. tle information out there that local A Scottish government spokes-
their aims as “so vague as to be too far, to the extent that there was no subjects were either mentioned in Moreover, there was too much authorities and headteachers are man said: “In April, we issued a
unexceptionable” and dangerously consensus on syllabus content at all. a token way or denigrated merely premature intrusion of ethics into filling the gaps and creating huge coherent set of experiences and out-
dismissive of subject boundaries. “The reform offers nothing on because they were old. The grand technical areas such as science. variations. comes which demonstrate how the
Unions echoed some of the con- how to reach this, and when teach- aims are so vague as to be unex- Curriculum for Excellence has “If we end up with 32 methods skills of children from three to 18
cerns voiced by Professor Lindsay ers have asked for it they have been ceptionable, and are incapable of come in for repeated criticism by of sorting the curriculum, one for years will develop and standards
Paterson, professor of educational branded by the reform’s missionar- providing clear guidance as to what opposition politicians over the last each local authority, we are going will be raised.” This was done with
policy at Edinburgh University, ies as ‘dependent’,” he wrote in The will actually happen next August,” few months, and was put back to next to be very lucky. We are much more the “unparalleled involvement” of
who wrote a scathing critique of Scotsman. he stated. year after originally being scheduled likely to end up with 400, one for hundreds of teachers, colleges and
Curriculum for Excellence. The He also said the changes were Overall, the stated goals of nur- to start this term. But Prof Paterson’s every school.” early years’ providers, he said.
Campaign encourages
pupils to aim higher
Ten career-driven youngsters in ties and support available to help “exciting” task in one of the com-
Greater Manchester have been them get there.” petition’s seven categories: art and
encouraging school children across Diana Johnson, the minister for design; music; drama; creative writ-
the North West to aim higher as part Greater Manchester schools, said ing; ICT; business and enterprise;
of a new poster campaign. she hoped the posters would dem- and science and technology.
The campaign, which is part of onstrate the “diverse range of talent Ms Johnson told SecEd: “We
the Greater Manchester Challenge, being nurtured in schools across the want the awards to showcase the
depicts the youngsters posing in city region”. talents of youngsters across London
their dream job, alongside the slo- She added: “We need to encour- and Greater Manchester, and we’ve
gan: “On my way.” age schools, pupils, parents and left the brief fairly open in order
Angela Holmes, 16, who com- wider communities to consider how to give them a chance to use all of
pleted her GCSEs at St Gabriel’s we best support our young people their ideas.
High School in Bury last term, to develop and make the most of “Both the awards and the poster
has high hopes of becoming an their skills and talents.” campaigns are a way of getting past
actress. A similar campaign is set to some of the negative media cover-
She said: “The idea that eve- be launched in London this age that our young people some-
ryone will see a poster showing November. times get, and put across a positive,
what my school is helping me work Meanwhile, both London and aspirational message.”
towards, celebrating my aspirations, Greater Manchester Challenge will Among the prizes on offer are
makes me very proud. launch this year’s Student Awards a day in a recording studio and the
“I really hope when other young tomorrow (Friday, September 25). opportunity to take part in a celeb-
people see the poster it makes them This year’s theme is “Show Us rity photo shoot.
think about where they’re going, What You’ve Got!”, and the awards For more information on the
what they want to do, and that they are open to year 9 and 10 students. awards and the campaign, visit
realise there are lots of opportuni- Entrants must carry out an www.dcsf.gov.uk/citychallenge Aspirational: Angela Holmes, 16, is one of the stars of the ‘On my way’ poster campaign
National body
NSPCC tackles sexual bullying
A leading children’s charity is child lifting a girl’s skirt up, which Worldwide, will give a presentation rid of gender-entrenched stereo-typ-
to help guide
holding its first ever conference on is common in primary schools, on the need for gender equality in ing that leads to sexual bullying.”
sexual bullying in schools, amid but if teachers don’t stop this, the tackling the problem. The conference will take place at
concerns it is becoming a growing boundaries get pushed further. She said: “You cannot stop sex- the Inmarsat Conference Centre in
problem among young people. “We have heard of situations ual bullying without gender equal- London on October 2. For details,
school councils
The event is being hosted by where boys have bet their pocket ity. Boys and girls need to see each contact 020 7825 2760 or email
the NSPCC and is aimed at teach- money and gained points for touch- other as equals and we need to get eventsorganiser@nspcc.org.uk
ers and professionals working in ing parts of girls’ bodies, with the
schools and other youth settings. winner taking all the cash at the end
A national organisation to give It is hoped that the train- Government figures for 2006/07 of the week. Children, and teachers,
school councils in England a ing offered by PVPE will help shows there were 3,500 fixed-term need to know how to challenge this
platform for discussion has been youngsters to develop strong exclusions and 140 expulsions from sort of behaviour.”
Hopes rise for
unveiled. leadership skills, and the exper- schools in England for sexual mis- Elly Farmer, a child psycholo-
Pupil Voice and Participation tise to form partnerships with conduct, ranging from offensive gist with the NSPCC, will address
England (PVPE), which launched other local organisations. name-calling to unwanted sexual delegates about the effects of sexual
on Monday (September 21), will There will also be training contact. bullying. One of her key messages
new building
offer training to teachers, schools for teachers offering guidance on The conference will be addressed will be about the language that
and pupils, and will also aim to supporting pupil participation, by the schools minister, Vernon young people use towards each Parents and pupils at one of be forthcoming this year, and
encourage best practice across the and information for the councils Coaker, and representatives from other in the playground. Edinburgh’s most dilapidated Gillespie’s tops the list after
country’s school councils. themselves on how to operate a number of charities and organisa- “Schools make it clear it is unac- schools hope to hear confirmation years of campaigning.
Kate Parish, managing director effectively. tions, who will help delegates to ceptable to use racial abuse, but next week that it will finally be The school is plagued with
of the new organisation, said that Ms Parish added: “It is vital recognise and respond to incidents somehow pupils can still get away rebuilt. problems including a poor heating
school councils had the potential to that a national organisation and put policies in place to stop with calling each other names,” she The Scottish government is system, inadequate canteen facili-
reduce apathy among youngsters. exists to support school councils sexual bullying. said. “You would not allow people set to disclose which councils ties, leaking roofs, and mouldy
She said: “For the majority and ensure that they are pro- Among them will be Ali Jay to call each other ‘whore’ or ‘slag’ will be awarded a share of the classrooms.
of young people, school councils vided with the information and from Brook Sexual Health, who in the workplace, but somehow it £800 million for 55 new schools Nigel Goddard, chairman of
provide their first experience of support to keep them alive and will be running a workshop show- remains part of youth speak.” that was announced earlier this the school’s parent council, said
participation. If done well, they invigorated – offering children ing teachers what strategies they The conference will aim to year, with Edinburgh among the he was feeling positive about the
can encourage young people to and young people the chance can use to prevent the problem. help professionals create a school likely recipients. impending announcement.
look for further opportunities to to connect their school commu- She said it was important to culture where sexual bullying is James Gillespie’s, a second- He said: “We’ve gone from
engage, but if done badly they nity with the wider community raise awareness of some of the inci- unacceptable and will also examine ary, is one of five schools in the feeling that things are terrible to
could possibly serve to alienate beyond the school gates.” dents that, if not nipped in the bud, the link between “lads’ mags” and Scottish capital due to be rebuilt a much more positive attitude and
young people from taking part in For details, visit www. can lead to children pushing the sexual bullying. or refurbished. However, only even thinking about how the new
other activities.” pvpengland.org.uk boundaries of what is acceptable. Hannah White, UK policy enough cash for one is likely to school will be.”
Ms Jay said: “It can begin with a manager of WOMANKIND
 SecEd • September 24 2009
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