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In brief
New A level
A new A level in anthropology
will be available to students
from September 2010 following
its accreditation by Ofqual. The
Royal Anthropological Institute
(RAI), alongside AQA, will
develop the new qualification.
Students taking anthropology
at A2 will be expected to
conduct a small-scale personal
investigation on a topic of their
choice, so as to get a taste of
real research. Hilary Callan,
director of the RAI, said: “It is
intellectually challenging and
will demand much of students.”
Valuing stillness
Schools across the world are
being urged to pledge minutes of
stillness in an attempt to “raise”
a million minutes. The initiative,
Just This Day, aims to inspire the
value of stillness to highlight that
despite all the hustle and bustle
Campaigners worried by
of everyday life, we all share
the same space. Liz Edmunds,
Just This Day’s founder, said:
“We want pupils to explore
what being quiet and still means
to them, to stop and consider
other families, communities
asbestos survey findings
and countries that are living
with conflict, poverty and
disease.” The event takes place
on Wednesday (November 25).
Visit: www.justthisday.org
Piano tops poll
by Chris Parr
of local authorities have provided ity orders on practical manage “In contrast, at the meeting last of it. We are looking to set up
evidence that effective asbestos ment of asbestos. week, the HSE presentation was a steering group with a focus on Piano is the instrument that
management arrangements were in • There was confusion about who unable to continue putting a gloss asbestos in schools in order to take the majority of people in the
Campaigners have said that the place, in some areas: updates the local asbestos register. on the responses.” the issue further.” UK would most like to learn,
Health and Safety Executive (HSE) • Further clarification was need- A total of 34 local authorities Also at the meeting were A total of 139 local authorities according to a new survey. PRS
can no longer “put a gloss” on how ed about who was responsible for across England were said to require Paul Rowen MP, a former depu- out of 155 returned full question- for Music, the organisation that
asbestos is managed in schools after managing schools’ asbestos. further investigation. ty headteacher who wants to see naire responses, while a further collects royalties on behalf of
the findings of a national survey • There was evidence of a lack of Michael Lees, a campaigner school staff offered more train- nine returned partial responses. The songwriters, polled 1,500 people,
into the issue were made public. knowledge about the range of whose wife – a teacher – died ing on asbestos management, and remaining seven did not respond. and also discovered that 70 per
At a meeting last week, MPs, system-built buildings, which are from the asbestos-related disease Diana Johnson, schools minister. Mr Lees added: “I believe the cent of respondents regretted not
union representatives, and asbestos more likely to contain asbestos. mesothelioma nine years ago, was Mr Rowen told SecEd that the 16 authorities that did not reply, or learning an instrument. Trumpet
experts discussed a summary of a • There was evidence that infor- at the meeting. HSE’s acknowledgement that more gave partial replies, can be added to and electric guitar ranked second
national survey into asbestos man- mation about school buildings He told us: “At a meeting with needed to be done was “greatly the 34 that need further investiga- and third in the survey.
agement in schools, compiled by has been lost in the process of the HSE two months ago, they con- encouraging”. tion. This means that about a third
the HSE, which identified five key local government reorganisation, fidently informed us that 85 per He said: “Ms Johnson really of all local authorities have either
areas for further investigation. leaving information gaps. cent of responses had described very seemed to appreciate that there was failed to respond, or have given a
spelling challenge
The document, seen by SecEd, • It was unclear to what extent robust management systems and that a problem, and the HSE survey response that shows flaws in their Schools are being urged to apply
stated that although the majority schools comply with local author- they were on top of the problem. illustrates just some of the aspects system of asbestos management.” for places at the 2010 Times
Spelling Bee, which will kick off
Queen’s speech aims
next March. Last year, more than
Diploma funding confusion
750 schools participated, with
St Martin’s School in London
being crowned winners. The
to tackle ‘worst 50’
championship will start with
Confusion has broken out regard- saying that the £17,000 figure was puted the claims, arguing that not schools going head-to-head in
ing the level of per-pupil funding based on 2007 predictions for how all of the money was allocated to local spelling bees. The winning
given to local authorities to pay much each local authority would the first cohort of students. teams will contest the semi-finals
Tough new measures designed Where standards are deemed for Diploma delivery. receive, rather than the actual grant A DCSF spokesman said: in May, before the grand final
to drive up standards in 50 of persistently unacceptable, ministers Last week, the Tories claimed issued. “Any new qualification needs in London in June. The entry
England’s “worst-performing” will be able to direct a local author- that some local authorities had According to the DCSF, substantial investment to succeed. deadline is December 4. Visit:
schools were due to be unveiled ity to issue a warning notice, and received as much as £17,000 per Croydon received £36,000 – just The investment we are making www.timesspellingbee.co.uk
in the Queen’s Speech yesterday to close any school that fails to Diploma student, a figure denied over £2,100 per student – after now will benefit all Diploma
(Wednesday, November 18). comply. by the Department for Children, fewer students than expected signed learners throughout the lifetime
As SecEd went to press, details Elsewhere in the Bill, local Schools and Families (DCSF). up for Diploma courses. of the qualification, not just those
education vision
were emerging of plans that would authorities will be required to moni- The Conservative press state- It comes as a report in The Daily learning in the first year. The Young people are being
see local authorities given more tor parent satisfaction with schools ment claimed that Croydon had Telegraph claimed that Diplomas investment to this stage is heavily encouraged to participate in a
power to intervene in schools where by conducting an annual survey been given around £290,000 to were costing £10,000 per student. front-loaded and includes set-up web-based vote asking them
achievement levels have remained asking for their views. fund its 17 Diploma students, This figure was reached by divid- costs and teacher training.” what they want from education
“unacceptably low”, including Under the plans, the local something shadow education ing the amount of 2008/09 funding The row was first reported in the future. The Vision not
sending in advisors or issuing warn- authority will then be required to secretary, Michael Gove, said for the qualification (£114 million) by SecEd’s sister magazine, Division Power League, which
ing notices. create an action plan for tackling amounted to “bribing” schools to by the amount of students who Delivering Diplomas. For more was launched by education
The Queen’s Speech, which will any problems. take on the new qualifications. enrolled last year (11,326). on the title, visit www.delivering technology charity, Futurelab,
outline the contents of the 21st The Bill will also formally But the government hit back, However, the DCSF again dis- diplomas.com and UK Youth, hopes to gauge
Century Schools Education Bill, announce pupil-parent guarantees, the general public’s hopes and
is also expected to confirm greater which are designed to improve dis-
powers for schools secretary, Ed cipline, and include one-to-one tui-
Study reveals plight of bereaved students
fears for education in the 21st
century. This initiative will
Balls, to take action in persistently tion for children falling behind. support the Vision not Division
underperforming institutions. Chris Keates, general secretary Schools struggle to support pupils have a written school bereavement join in group activities, and just conference being held in
In addition, the Bill will make of the NASUWT, said that using who have suffered family bereave- support policy and seven in 10 did under half found it difficult to inter- Windsor this week. Visit: www.
it easier for these schools to be local authorities to threaten schools ments and need more help to do it not provide comprehensive advice act with friends, making them more beyondcurrenthorizons.org/
federated with more “successful” with structural change or closure effectively. for teachers, the research claimed. vulnerable to bullying. powerleague/leagues/vote
schools. was not “sophisticated” enough to The claim comes after research Also, two-thirds did not give The findings mark the launch of
Writing in The Sunday Telegraph tackle the problem. found that more than two-thirds guidance on working with parents a new book for bereaved children,
this week, Mr Balls said: “(In a) She added: “Local authorities of bereaved children underperform or guardians and a third did not have Someone Has Died Suddenly. It
Music development
small number of areas where local have not always consulted effec- in school work when compared to a named member of staff working aims to help children of all ages A book exploring the meaning
councils are dragging their feet, my tively with schools and the work- previous performance. as a bereavement support officer or cope with a death in the family and of musical development has
message is clear: there is no excuse force in the development of plans The survey, which was conduct- information on how to access local looks to advise teachers too. been published by the National
for inaction. for improvement. ed for Co-operative Funeralcare by counselling services. Author Mary Williams said: Association of Music Educators.
“So this week I am demanding “Teachers must be fully included the Amy & Tom project, a charita- The 100 UK primary and sec- “A sudden death in the family is Sound Progress features an
action in the 50 of the 270 schools in discussions on plans for deliver- ble initiative to help bereaved chil- ondary schools surveyed said they devastating for children. They may array of articles including issues
below our minimum standard where ing improvement in pupil progress dren, revealed that seven out of 10 had an average of two bereaved feel unable to ask questions they such as the use of interactive
turnaround plans – like an academy and attainment. Their pedagogical schools lacked sufficient resources children every year. They reported desperately want answered, terri- technology and the need to
or formal partnership with a high- knowledge and experience must be and access to services to support that almost nine out of 10 bereaved fied of the extreme emotions they engage children’s imaginations.
performing local school – have still at the heart of any school improve- grieving youngsters. youngsters suffered mood swings, are experiencing.” For details of the Visit: www.name.org.uk
not been agreed.” ment strategy.” Eight out of 10 schools did not more than half were reluctant to book, visit http://amyandtom.org
SecEd • November 19 2009 
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