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Editor
Pete Henshaw – 020 7501 6771
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union chief
com
Deputy editor
David Taylor – 020 7501 6772
david.taylor@markallengroup.com if it comes to power at the next such a process? Or is the intention
Chief reporter
by Chris Parr
election. to sweep aside these critical provi-
Chris Parr – 020 7501 6750
However, Chris Keates, general sions as well?”
Illustrator
Conservative plans that would secretary of the NASUWT, said Vernon Coaker, the schools min-
Christos Mais
strip local authorities of their plan- that local authority planning laws ister, said the policy was “uncosted,
ning controls for the setting up of and controls were not unnecessary unworkable and unfair”.
Editorial advisory panel
new schools are “beyond rational bureaucracy or barriers, and that “With no planning restrictions
Paul Ainsworth, Deputy
thought”, according to a major they “protected the interests of chil- schools will be able to open in
headteacher, Belvoir High School,
teachers’ union. dren, young people and the wider pre-fabricated buildings and rented
Leicestershire. Mark Blois, Browne
A draft of the Tory Party’s plan- community”. office blocks,” he said.
Jacobson. Hilary Moriarty,
ning policy says that decisions She continued: “Planning laws David Laws, leader of the
National director, Boarding
regarding the building of new cover important considerations such Liberal Democrats, said the plans School building: The Conservative Party would strip local
Schools’ Association. Neill
schools would be taken by the sec- as standards of building, conserva- suggested that the Conservative authorities of planning powers
Morton, Headteacher, Portora retary of state for education in order tion, design, health and safety, liai- commitment to “localism” was
Royal School, Enniskillen. Helen to cut through the red tape of the son with the police and fire service, only “skin deep”. one form of central diktat with it easier for parents to set up new
Nurton, Assistant headteacher, current system, according to the road safety, traffic congestion and He said: “David Cameron another.” schools.
Guildford County School, Surrey. Jo BBC’s Politics Show. consultation with local residents. keeps on pledging an end to the Speaking on the Politics Show, He said: “That’s our national
Smith, Deputy headteacher, Long The party has already announced “Does anyone realistically think era of ‘Whitehall Knows Best Bob Neill, Conservative shadow policy and naturally therefore we,
Field School, Melton Mowbray. that it would make it easier for par- that a secretary of state based in Government’, but it’s now clear planning minister, confirmed that within the planning side of things,
Tina Stockman, Teacher, Harlaw
ents to set up their own schools Whitehall could or should manage that the Tories would simply swap it was his party’s policy to make want to facilitate that approach.”
Academy, Aberdeen. Ray Tarleton,
Headteacher, South Dartmoor
Community College, Devon. Dr
Bernard Trafford, Headteacher, Cuts reined in after headteachers protest
The Royal Grammar School,
Newcastle upon Tyne. Simon
Viccars, Headteacher, Leon School
Edinburgh headteachers have scrapped plans to close two second- which has not been increased in real about six community centres are ernment should use the £15 billion
and Sports College, Milton Keynes.
persuaded the city’s council to ary schools. terms for 10 years.” still on course to go ahead. of unclaimed cash lying in banks and
Alex Wood, Headteacher, Wester
scale back proposed budget cuts by Marilyne MacLaren, the coun- In November, officials from As SecEd went to press, thou- building societies to help invest in
Hailes Education Centre, Edinburgh
saying they are untenable. cil’s education leader, said she the Liberal Democrat/SNP council sands of pupils and parents were education. Scotland’s share would be
The local authority was plan- had listened to serious concerns said £5 million of savings were planning to take part in a mass rally more than £2 billion, Mr Hunter said.
ning to slash expenditure by 2.5 expressed by teachers and parents. needed because of severe financial at the council headquarters in pro- The cash, which is lying in bank
Sales director
per cent but has revised this to “Unfortunately, some services pressures stemming from a national test against the school cuts. accounts, pensions, investments and
Matt Govett – 020 7501 6735
one per cent after every head in will still be affected, but by reduc- pay deal for teachers, and increased The council still faces severe life insurance policies across Britain,
Business development
the city signed a letter that said ing savings in schools budgets property rates and class sizes. Now financial problems as it tackles a is dormant as banks wait for cus-
manager
it would make more sense to to just one per cent we are safe- the aim is to cut spending by £90 million deficit over the next tomers to make contact. Customers
Abdul Hayee – 020 7501 6767
close some schools than impose guarding £3 million that can be £2 million. three years. Full details of the have lost paperwork, forgotten
Classified sales such a drastic reduction across targeted where it is most needed,” Proposals to close two sec- education budget were due to be about accounts or moved from their
Rachel McElhinney – 020 7501 6728 the board. she said. ondary schools, Wester Hailes announced this week. registered address.
Last week, councillors agreed “We are conscious that head- Education Centre and Castlebrae In a separate development, Sir The priority of the incoming gov-
Subscription manager to spend a further £250,000 from teachers have been struggling with Community High, have also been Tom Hunter, one of Scotland’s lead- ernment should be the “eradication
Chris Hoskins
wider council budgets but also their supplies and services budget, scrapped. However, plans to shut ing entrepreneurs, said the UK gov- of child poverty”, Mr Hunter said.
Circulation director
Sally Boettcher
Cyber-bullying on the
Circulation department:
Tel: 01722 716997
Fax: 01722 716926 increase for teachers
email: subscriptions@
markallengroup.com
Cyber-bullying is having a damag- Elsewhere this week, a chil-
UK annual rates:
ing effect on teachers’ wellbeing, dren’s mental health charity
according to the Teacher Support warned that a proliferation in the
Personal £50
Network (TSN). number of young people with
Institutional (libraries,
The charity says that there has internet access could be having
companies etc) £110
been a marked increase in the damaging effects.
Europe annual rates:
number of teachers contacting them Lucie Russell, director of
Personal £92 to report bullying by pupils, parents campaigns at YoungMinds, said:
Institutional £165 and other school staff via the inter- “Experts have warned that exces-
Rest of world annual rates: net or mobile phones. sive online activity can generate
Personal £113 Speaking on Safer Internet autism, attention deficit disorder
Institutional £209
Day, which took place on Tuesday and hyperactivity, inability to com-
(February 9), chief executive Julian promise, to learn or to empathise,
Printed by
Stanley said the problem was jeop- depression, hostility, and social
Pensord Press, Wales
ardising children’s education. phobia.”
He said: “Cyber-bullying not An Ofcom report, published
Published by
only has a negative effect on the late last year, found that 35 per
wellbeing of teachers, but also seri- cent of 12 to 15-year-olds now
ously undermines their ability to have personal access to the inter-
deliver high quality education to net. Around 60 per cent said they
their pupils.” use the internet mostly on their
St Jude’s Church, Dulwich Road
In a survey of teachers conduct- own.
Herne Hill, London SE24 0PB
ed by Teacher Support Network Ms Russell continued: “We
www.markallengroup.com
and the Association of Teachers and urgently need to know more about
Lecturers, one in seven respondents the consequences of internet use
said they had experienced cyber- and its contribution to young peo-
bullying. ple’s development, and take firm
Global gathering: Students from Northern Ireland have been talking to Mike Foster, Almost one in five said they action to protect young people and
MA Education Ltd is an independent
minister for international development, about their views on the Global Schools knew of colleagues who had give guidance to parents about reg-
publishing company also responsible
Partnership programme. The programme, set up by the Department for International become victims. ulating use.”
for education titles Early Years
Development, promotes partnerships between schools in the UK and Africa, Asia, Latin Mr Stanley added: “It’s crucial For more information, visit
Educator and 5to7 Educator.
America and the Caribbean. Pupils from St Joseph’s College in Belfast and Glenlola that schools adopt meaningful and www.teachersupport.info and www.
© All rights reserved. No part of SecEd may be reproduced,
stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any
Collegiate in Bangor met the minister to discuss how being part of the scheme has aided effective policies to address the youngminds.org.uk
means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or
otherwise without prior written permission of MA Education
their learning about global issues. Mr Foster said the day had allowed him to see how problem and root out cyber-bully- For more on Safer Internet Day,
The publisher accepts no responsibility for any views or opinions
expressed in SecEd.
global education links make global issues “relevant and interesting” for young people. ing – whether it’s from pupils, col- see www.safeinternet.org/events/
ISSN 1479-7704
leagues or school leaders.” safer-internet-day-2010
 SecEd • February 11 2010
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