www.sec-ed.com NEWS
New wellbeing guidance
In brief
Bard times
Ten schools are taking part in the
Shakespeare Challenge, a pilot
scheme launched by Arts Award
and the Royal Shakespeare
called ‘obvious’ by heads
Company. The Award, a national
qualification which helps
young people to develop as
artists, hopes the new initiative
will get students to appreciate
Shakespeare. Students will be
encouraged to participate and
by Chris Parr
reduces the threat of bullying and poor physical health, emotional and not to mention entire programmes ing wellbeing all these years? It’s watch performances, as well as
violence, and promotes positive behavioural problems, violence and of PSHE designed to both stop the what people become teachers for.” study and research Shakespearian
behaviour. crime, teenage pregnancy, and the potential bullies, and to encour- However, a NICE spokesman texts as part of the qualification.
The National Institute for Health It also asks heads to work in misuse of drugs and alcohol. age possible victims to share their told SecEd that the organisation Visit: www.artsaward.org.uk
and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has partnership with parents, carers and “A range of factors affect how concerns. was aware that many schools had
defended new guidance designed other family members to promote young people feel, including their “We all recognise the impor- established processes in place to
to promote young people’s social young people’s social and emo- individual family background and tance of self-worth. We are all try- support pupils’ emotional wellbe-
Ideas wanted
and emotional wellbeing after tional wellbeing, and urges schools the community they live in, so dif- ing very hard, sometimes with very ing, but claimed some schools had Budding scientists and engineers
headteachers branded it “obvious” to provide youngsters with “clear ferent agencies need to work togeth- ‘damaged’ youngsters.” made “less progress”. are invited to enter the National
and an “insult” to their intelligence. and consistent information about er to agree effective strategies.” Paul Scutt, headteacher at He added: “The aim of this guid- Science and Engineering
NICE, which is funded by the the opportunities available for them However, a number of headteach- Bishop Fox’s School in Somerset, ance is to ensure that all young peo- Competition, with the opportunity
Department of Health, issued the to discuss personal issues”. ers said they felt the advice was said the guidance was so unnec- ple across the country have access to win up to £50,000 worth of
guidance last week, claiming it will Launching the guidance, not needed, claiming that schools essary it resembled “a Monty to the same level of social and emo- prizes. The competition is open to
help schools and colleges to ensure Professor Mike Kelly, director at already had policies in place to deal Python sketch”, while Dr Bernard tional support. It is an opportunity 11 to 16-year-olds, and encourages
young people’s social and emotion- NICE, said: “The social and emo- with the issues raised. Trafford, head at Newcastle’s Royal for all secondary education providers them to think of an array of “If
al needs are recognised during their tional wellbeing of young people is Mike Griffiths, headteacher at Grammar School, said it came and service commissioners to review only” ideas or inventions, which
years in secondary education. important in their development, not Northampton School for Boys, told “from the department of the bleed- their current systems so that they are are impossible now, but could be
It urges schools to provide a only in terms of the ability to learn SecEd: “Schools have councils, ing obvious”. in line with the national approach”. plausible in the future. Celebrities
safe environment that encourages and achieve at school, but it can mentoring schemes, and independ- Dr Trafford added: “It’s insulting. To access the guidance, visit have also joined in the fun, with
young people’s sense of self-worth, also help protect children against ent adults such as nursing services, Do they think we’ve all been ignor- http://guidance.nice.org.uk/PH20 former England footballer, Gary
Lineker, wishing for a time
machine, so he could gain one
Delivering Diplomas
more cap and become England’s
leading goal scorer. Young
people should submit their ideas
before October 30. Visit: www.
successfully launched
nationalsciencecompetition.org
The first ever independent mous amount of work into intro-
Energy awards
magazine dedicated entirely to ducing the Diploma courses, and Schools have the chance to
the Diplomas was successfully finding that the students are thor- win up to £20,000, as part
launched last week, and is now oughly enjoying the different style of a competition rewarding
available free to anyone involved in of learning. They, I am sure, will be environmentally aware use of
delivering the new qualifications. interested to hear how other schools energy. The Ashden Awards
Delivering Diplomas, pro- are approaching the qualification. for Sustainable Energy is urging
duced by MA Education, which “Schools that are not yet deliv- schools, which have successfully
also publishes SecEd, offers prac- ering the Diploma need to gather Suits you: The young entrepreneurs meet in the reduced their carbon footprints
tical advice and support to any- as much information as possible in boardroom, while (inset) business secretary, Lord through environmental policies, to
one involved in the qualifications, this calendar year in order to build Mandelson (centre), accompanies television Dragon, Peter enter the competition. There are
including secondary heads and courses with the same degree of Jones, and Linda Kennedy, vice president of people at also five other awards, each worth
teachers. success,” he added. Orange, at the launch of the new academy £10,000 being offered. The entry
It contains case

D
Deliverin
One school already deadline for schools is November
studies of success-
i
g
plom
as
heavily involved in the 26. Online application forms can
ful Diploma consor-
The UK’s only magazine ded
icated to the 14 to 19 Diplom
a Diploma is Hanham
www.deliveringdiplomas.com
tia, and focuses on
Diplomas
High School in
Enterprise schools open
be found at: www.ashdenawards.
org/uk_awards
how schools can best in action Bristol, which offered
engage with the vari-
20 practical
case studies
students all five of the
ous Diploma partners.
Key advice
first lines this year.
In addition, the to help Headteacher, Peggy
magazine is sup-
you deliver
Farrington, told SecEd
their gates to first pupils
Enterprise launch
Young Enterprise is launching
a new social enterprise
From the publishers of
ported by a series of
Volume 1 No 1
Autumn 2009 S
ecEdThe ONLY weekly voice for secondary educ
ation she was very excited programme. A pilot scheme will
01- diplomas.indd 1
Delivering Diplomas
18/9/09 15:12:12
by the first edition. Two schools dedicated solely ning and pitching, and financial have simply not done enough to aim to encourage participants
conferences, and an awards She said: “Whenever to teaching enterprise and knowledge. unlock the entrepreneurial talent for to establish businesses which
ceremony that will recognise the there is a new curriculum innova- entrepreneurship have been By the end of the course, students our young people.” benefit the local community and
very best Diploma deliverers. tion, sharing experiences can be officially opened this week. are expected to have a fully formed He added: “There is arguably environment. One of last year’s
The magazine has been reassuring and also gives teachers The National Enterprise business plan, which could realisti- no better time to create a NEA than Young Enterprise initiatives,
warmly welcomed by the edu- new ideas and provides support, so Academy (NEA) is the brainchild cally obtain financial backing. during a recession. The UK needs by Manchester High School
cation community, including Dr we’re definitely reading the new of Dragons’ Den star Peter Jones The NEA was launched last entrepreneurs to stimulate the econ- for Girls, offered primary
John Dunford, general secretary magazine. and has sites in Manchester and Tuesday, September 22, when Lord omy, and businesses need inspired school pupils workshops on
of the Association of School and “It is really useful to know Buckinghamshire. Mandelson, the business minister employees to help their companies multiculturalism, to help stamp
College Leaders. exactly where to go for infor- The institutions aim to provide joined Mr Jones and Tom Alexander, recover quickly.” out racism and ignorance. Recent
He said: “Indications are that, mation exclusively about the 16 to 19-year-olds with the neces- chief executive of Orange, which is Mr Alexander emphasised the figures by the organisation shows
while the model may develop and Diplomas, without having to sift sary skills to succeed in modern a main partner of the institution. importance of innovation in UK that almost a third of last year’s
change, the Diploma qualification through websites, or look out for business. Mr Jones said: “While it’s true industry. He stressed: “We work in entrants’ established companies
is here to stay for the foreseeable mentions in newspapers.” The academies will offer two that traditional business studies one of the fastest paced industries in that benefited the environment or
future. SecEd has an excellent All those working in schools, new Level 2 and 3 diploma quali- courses equip students with a wealth the world and it is essential that we community in some way. Visit:
track record of providing practi- colleges and industry with an fications in enterprise and entre- of valuable, theoretical knowledge, hire young people with the skills, www.young-enterprise.org.uk
cal, relevant information for sec- interest in Diplomas can sign up preneurship, which have been there is currently no single aca- ability and drive to become the
ondary schools, and this publica- to receive their own digital edition developed in partnership with exam demic course wholly dedicated to future leaders of our business.”
tion will be extremely useful for free of charge. Sign up at www. board Edexcel. enterprise and entrepreneurship – a The head of curriculum at the
Literacy warning
every secondary school regardless deliveringdiplomas.com The qualifications aim to teach fact that inspired me to set about NEA, Jayne Bailey, acknowledged Political parties are being urged
of where they are in the Diploma students about how to generate new establishing the NEA. that students would be given a high to prioritise literacy in their
delivery process. • See page 6 editorial: Delivering ideas, undertake market research “In the UK, we need to foster level of practical experience, which manifestos for the next general
“Teachers are putting an enor- Diplomas publishes first edition. and how to interpret the results, among our young people an ‘I can’, will teach them to “compete, take election, following warnings from
as well as about marketing, plan- rather than a ‘can I?’ attitude. We risks and learn from failure.” the National Literacy Trust. The
Trust has highlighted that one
Bishop calls for collaboration in Northern Ireland
in six people in the UK struggle
with literacy. It has also launched
its own manifesto for literacy,
which outlines ways to better
Collaboration, not competition, will High School in Limavady, which could provide solutions that other about how best to work together “Thus the Catholic Trustees are educate children in their literacy
create a quality system of second- is part of the successful Roe Valley areas could replicate. in future. committed to manage the mess we skills. The manifesto emphasises
ary education in Northern Ireland, Learning Community. Adding his support, Bishop No serious educationalist, he are in, not by fighting political bat- that poor literacy skills will make
a prominent Catholic bishop has Involving non-grammar McKeown said the school lead- added, believed it possible to tles, but by inviting all schools to Britain uncompetitive in the
said. secondaries, grammar and special ers from different sectors deserved neatly divide young people at work together so that we preserve global market, and stresses that
Bishop Donal McKeown, head schools, the partnership helps all much credit for having the courage 11 “into two hermetically sealed the best that we have in schools and 95 per cent of the population need
of the Northern Ireland Commission involved to provide young people and imagination to think creatively silos of the academic and the enhance that for everybody. to be functionally literate if the
for Catholic Education, said with the widest range of educational and wisely. vocational, the intellectual and “We are asking all schools to country is to maintain its standing
schools should work together to opportunities. He also criticised the existing the artisan”. think collaboration rather than in the international economic
enhance the learning experience The learning community has system of post-primary education, “And that is what the current just competition. As you grow up community. Visit: www.
for all children. won the backing of the North’s edu- in which grammar schools con- system does – and what will be through life you will know that it is literacytrust.org.uk/manifesto/
The bishop was speaking at a cation minister, Caitriona Ruane, tinue to use entrance tests, and done by any ongoing setting of a not easy to move beyond comfort default.html
prize-giving ceremony at St Mary’s who said such progressive thinking further said schools should think high stakes exam at 11,” he said. zones,” he added.
SecEd • October 1 2009 3
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