News
Selection row rumbles
CPD on
teenage
on in Northern Ireland
brain
suggested
Teachers should be encouraged
by Simon Doyle
huge support for the minister among win post-primary places is irrec- position, adding it encouraged all as pensions, school rationalisation, to better understand the
the Catholic Principals Association oncilable with teaching on social schools to follow the Department of quality control, and inequitable development of the teenage
(CPA). justice. Education’s transfer guidance. funding arrangements for Northern brain, according to a leading
Principals of Catholic secondary It was founded this year when They add that they are uncom- In a statement released after the Ireland schools. academic.
schools in Northern Ireland say heads joined forces to heap pres- fortable with selection being used AGM, the CPA said it was founded Presently in its early stages, the Professor Howard Sercombe,
all schools should operate non- sure on grammar colleagues, tell- by highly differentiated and anach- with a commitment to shared values CPA represents the principals of an expert in community education
academic admissions criteria only. ing them new transfer tests defy ronistically named school types. “which underpin the Catholic ethos every Catholic all-ability school at the University of Strathclyde,
The North’s education minister, Catholic values and teaching. At its annual general meet- of our schools”. in Northern Ireland and a small, believes that teachers should
Caitriona Ruane, scrapped the 11- More than 70 non-grammar ing (AGM), the CPA endorsed its It also reaffirmed “our social but growing, number of primary receive CPD in the mechanical
plus and asked all schools to use cri- principals, all of them opposed to support for the northern Catholic obligation to create a fair deal for headteachers. workings of the teenage brain.
teria including siblings, catchment academic selection, are involved in bishops’ stance on the removal of all children in a network of high In the future, the CPA intends to Speaking to SecEd, Prof
areas and feeder primary schools. what is the largest group of its kind academic selection as a criterion for quality, all-ability schools”. broaden membership to include all Sercombe explained that the
Grammar schools are ignor- in the North. school transfer. The CPA is not, however, a sin- Catholic schools, including those CPD should be scientific and
ing this and are running their own They say the practice of forcing It also said it supported any polit- gle issue organisation. Already it “currently designated as grammar inform teachers about the differ-
entrance tests. However, there is 10 and 11-year-olds to sit tests to ical party that agrees with this moral has lobbied on issues as diverse schools”. ences between adult and teenage
brains.
Museums open doors to encourage creativity
He continued: “Teachers
should help the brain develop
and encourage teenagers to con-
tinue to be open and adventur-
ous.” This, he said, could gen-
Some of the world’s most illustrious She told us: “These students are erate greater pupil enthusiasm
museums and educational at a point in life where they have to about being in school.
organisations threw their doors make decisions. The academic, who has writ-
open to around 20,000 youngsters “The day provided the opportu- ten extensively about experiences
last week, allowing them a taste of nity to see how different disciplines that shape the teenage brain, has
what it would be like to work in a can feed into creative industries, and also claimed that the current edu-
creative industry. introduced the children to multi-dis- cation system is holding back the
The Creative Quarter event was ciplined careers.” neurological development and
organised by the Exhibition Road Tina Bowen, textiles teacher at enjoyment of some young people.
Cultural Group, which is made up Ysgol Tregib School in Llandeilo, He explained: “I think that
of 16 national and international added: “Getting pupils to under- schools can be places where
organisations including the Victoria stand creative careers in school there is a lot of fear. I think in the
and Albert Museum (V&A), the is incredibly difficult, especially necessity of creating classrooms
Natural History Museum, the with us coming from a very rural that are under control, teachers
Austrian Cultural Forum London, school. can use damaging new means or
and the Royal Albert Hall. “It doesn’t matter how many be selective.
The 13 to 19-year-olds had the times you talk and try to explain it, “Schools tend to be a one-
chance to take part in workshops to actually come and talk to the pro- size-fits-all. If I were education
ranging from journalism at the fessionals is invaluable for them,” secretary, there would be half a
Science Museum, sound production she added. dozen different types of schools.
at the Royal College of Music, and Paul Cutts, chief executive of the Schools are too big and we need
graphic design at the V&A. Exhibition Road Cultural Group, more of a closer community,”
Students also had the chance to said he hoped the day would help he added.
complete a masterclass in fashion students to gain a better understand- Prof Sercombe argued that a
illustration at the Royal Albert Hall, ing of the different career options

significant minority of young peo-
while others got a behind-the-scenes open to them.
Dalby
ple did not enjoy school and many
look at studios and workshops at the “I can’t think of a more appro- “shut down in the process”.
Royal College of Art. priate, dynamic and varied envi- He continued: “It is about
Keila Wescombe, a teacher ronment in which young people
Annabelle
brain science. Teachers should
at Rydens school in Walton-on- can explore their future role in the look at the brain changing through
Thames, took some of her year 11 creative industries,” he said. the teenage years and identify
and 13 students along in order to For more information on the the right type of environment to
give them an insight into the differ- event, visit www.exhibitionroad.
Photograph:
bring about the best change.”
ent career options on show. com Hands-on: One of the Creative Quarter workshops at the Victoria and Albert Museum
Independent sector feels the pinch
Mentoring vital for
future entrepreneurs
Almost a third of independent had fewer teachers this year than
schools are feeling the effects last. More mentoring and enterprise er practical mechanism, we must
of the recession, according to a Another teacher commented: education in schools is key to address this need now,” he added.
survey. “There have been redundancies, nurturing the next generation His call has been backed by
The Association of Teachers mainly among support staff. of business leaders, it has been leading entrepreneurs, includ-
and Lecturers (ATL) polled more Teaching staff have received a claimed. ing Will King, chief executive of
than 1,500 teaching and support significant pay cut due to a gen- It comes as a new study, The King of Shaves, and Laura Tenison,
staff working in the independent eral cut and total management Origins of an Entrepreneur, con- founder and managing director of
sector. restructure. Budgets for subjects ducted by education charity the JoJo Maman Bébé, the baby cloth-
Many respondents noted fall- have been reduced meaning fewer Aldridge Foundation, asked 370 ing franchise.
ing numbers of boarders, and loss resources for each subject. UK business leaders what had to Ms Tenison, who regularly gives
of students to grammar schools, “Teachers have also been be done to boost entrepreneurship talks to schools in disadvantaged
state schools and 6th form col- required to undertake more duties among young people. areas, said: “It is essential to get
leges. Some schools had resorted outside of the classroom due to Some 21 per cent said that kids enthused about business when
to offering incentives to attract fewer staff available.” mentoring was key, and 20 per they’re young. If ethical business
pupils, including scholarships and Dr Mary Bousted, ATL gen- cent acknowledged that teaching people gave a little of their time
deferred fee payments, the survey eral secretary, said: “In the tough enterprise was necessary to encour- to inspire or mentor students, the
found. economic climate, the story in age children from disadvantaged impact could be amazing.”
With the reduced pupil intake, independent schools seems backgrounds to enter the world of The entrepreneurs also acknowl-
43 per cent of teachers reported to reflect what is happening in business. edged that schools can help over-
spending cuts in their schools in the economy generally. Some Many respondents felt that busi- come the UK’s cultural fear of
the last academic year. schools are really struggling ness leaders and schools needed to failure by instilling resilience and
Schools are also imposing to keep afloat, while others are forge closer links. teaching enterprise using real-life
pay cuts on staff – 16 per cent of Squeeze: Independent school staff have reported pay cuts thriving as they pick up pupils Rod Aldridge, chairman of examples.
teachers have been forced to take from schools that fold.” the Aldridge Foundation, said: Mr King added: “The govern-
a pay cut, the survey suggested, sector, but this was down from 51 gone up, so teachers who are also She added: “Schools must not “There is a willingness from the ment needs to provide the men-
while 20 per cent have had their per cent last year. parents here are struggling.” use the recession as an excuse to business world to offer help, but toring to allow young people to
salaries frozen. One teacher told researchers: Along with pay cuts, many cut salaries or worsen terms and we need to find a way to connect experience real business practice. In
Some 24 per cent said they did “For the first time in my eight years schools look set to make redun- conditions. Their staff are their them with young entrepreneurs America, failure is a big part of the
receive a pay increase above the here, staff have not received an dancies, with nearly 30 per cent of key asset and they would do well and schools. entrepreneurial experience. In the
2.3 per cent awarded in the state annual pay increase, yet fees have teaching staff saying their schools to remember that.” “Whether we create a national UK, it’s frowned upon. There needs
database of mentors or find anoth- to be room for trial and error.”
 SecEd • November 19 2009
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