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The ONLY weekly voice for secondary education Issue 240 • February 25 2010 Price £1.00
www.sec-ed.com
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Functio
nal Skil
ls Experienced tutors put
A practitioner’s guide to Functional
Skills, including their position
and
Apprenticeships and Diplomas
delivery within Foundation Learning
, GCSEs,
SecEd
off teaching in schools
19/2/10 16:03:30
01 FINAL copy 2.indd 1
Your guide to
He told SecEd: “History has
by Chris Parr
left us a legacy that views voca-
Functional Skills
tional and academic education as
College tutors with valuable entirely separate entities, with those
experience of the world of work are wishing to follow practical courses
Don’t miss Functional Skills,
being put off teaching in schools packaged off to college at age 16.
your latest SecEd supplement, because they would have to take However, this is no longer the case
published inside this issue
a pay cut to do so, it has been – particularly with the advent of the
in association with the
claimed. 14 to 19 sector.
Qualifications and Curriculum
According to a Skills “As it stands, we have students
Commission inquiry, vocational studying Diplomas receiving great
Development Agency. The
students could be missing out on vocational training when they go off
supplement looks at delivering
the knowledge and experience of to do part of their course in colleges,
Functional Skills within GCSEs, thousands of staff who choose to and yet if these instructors chose to
Diplomas, Apprenticeships, and work in further education, because work in schools, they would not be
Foundation Learning. You can
they are not recognised as qualified recognised as qualified teachers and
also download the supplement
teachers and would receive a lower would be paid less as a result.”
online at www.sec-ed.co.uk
salary in the school system. The report calls into question
The inquiry, which was spon- the Conservative Party’s pledge in
Inside this issue, we also look at
sored by the vocational learning its recent draft education manifesto
buliding confidence in students
foundation Edge, also found that that teachers will be required to
for Functional Skills many school teachers leading prac- hold at least a 2:2 degree.
Page 14
tical subjects do not have hands-on The cross-party Children,
experience of that profession. In the Schools and Families committee,
Education Show
further education sector, such expe- chaired by Barry Sheerman MP,
rience is considered essential. went one step further earlier this
Off to Birmingham this year?
Sir Mike Tomlinson, the former month, saying that all teachers
Check out our show preview
chief inspector of schools and chair- should have a 2:1.
man of the inquiry, said that voca- However, Sir Mike said: “I
special, looking at the
tional teachers had been neglected think a graduate with a 2:1 will not
exhibitor and CPD highlights
and treated as “second best” within automatically make a good teacher.
at the NEC on March 4 to 6 the teaching profession. Likewise, I’ve seen plenty of good
Pages 10 and 11
teachers that only just passed their
degree. Losing out? Vocational tutors in further education are put off working in schools because
SecEd digital
“A more pressing concern is they are not recognised as qualified teachers, Sir Mike Tomlinson (left) has claimed
the number of teachers currently in
schools who are doing their absolute subjects, to ensure that their subject for schools and for further educa- not want any changes to the pay,
and Twitter
best, but unfortunately a good pro- knowledge is kept up-to-date. tion. status and training of education staff
portion in vocational subjects are Other recommendations include “With the school leaving age set to make it easier for unqualified
Thousands of teachers are
doing so with no first-hand experi- the need for research into the to rise to 18, vocational subjects are people to teach or undermine the
reading SecEddigital, a virtual
ence of the area they’re teaching. methods currently used to instruct going to become more and more professionalism of teaching.
Currently, the system does nothing vocational teaching, formalising important,” he added. “The priority in teacher training,
edition of SecEd, which is
to help them.” the training of teaching mentors, Martin Freedman, head of for both academic and vocational
emailed out every week.
The inquiry calls on ministers and improving careers advice and pay, pensions and conditions at teaching, must be on learning the
You can sign up for free by to combine the training regimes for guidance by ensuring that aspiring the Association of Teachers and skills of teaching and on under-
emailing editor@sec-ed.co.uk.
school teaching and further edu- vocational teachers are fully aware Lecturers, said it was “ridiculous standing how young people learn
SecEd news and features are
cation, and to create a universal and informed of how to get into and totally unfair” that those teach- and develop. Without these skills
now also available on Twitter.
teaching status across 14 to 19 edu- teaching. ing 16 to 19-year-olds in colleges and understanding, subject knowl-
cation. Sir Mike continued: “We need were paid less than their counter- edge is of little use to their prospec-
You can follow us at www.
Ministers should also look at to look at training. In the long-term, parts teaching 16 to 19-year-olds tive students.”
twitter.com/SecEd_Education
ways to support employer place- that could mean having one single in schools. For more information, visit
ments for teachers of vocational body overseeing teacher training However, he added: “We would www.policyconnect.org.uk/sc
Bursars and School Business Managers are eligible for full membership of NAHT
Join now for less than £15 per month.
Established in 1897, NAHT is an independent trade union and professional association representing 28,000 members in
England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Many members hold leadership positions in secondary schools and sixth form colleges
To request an application form call the Membership Recruitment Team
on 01444 472 414 (quoting SecEd), email joinus@naht.org.uk adding
SecEd in the subject line or visit www.naht.org.uk
naht.indd 1 24/3/09 15:04:15
UK news
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SecEd: On Your Side
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NQT diary
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Moral support
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Independent thinking
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Union address
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At the chalkface
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