NEWS FOCUS
www.sec-ed.com
SecEd: On Your Side
International links
Secrets to success
benefit all involved
Sascha Kindred is a six-time
Paralympic champion swimmer, who
I WAS perplexed this week
will be aiming for more success
at seeing a piece of research
Pete
in 2012. Chris Parr spoke to him
into partnerships between UK Henshaw
schools and the developing
Editor
about his school days, and the challenges of
world.
SecEd
mixing education with sport
The research, undertaken by
Exeter University, claims that partnerships with developing
countries can leave pupils with a “racist” impression of other
SASCHA KINDRED has won club. However, after two or three
47 medals at major international years, swimming became my main
cultures, and they can even reinforce “neocolonialist” views
sporting events – a collection that sport.”
as students see the links as a purely charitable opportunity. includes six gold medals from the At the age of 15, Sascha
The researchers have called for links to be held on an
Paralympic Games in Beijing, represented Britain at the 1994
equal footing, and for them to avoid fundraising.
Athens and Sydney. World Championships in Malta,
It’s all a bit aimless really. SecEd runs a fortnightly
In 2012, the swimmer, who winning a bronze medal in the 100
suffers from cerebral palsy metre breaststroke. Two years later,
international linking page which has carried case studies
affecting his right arm and leg, will he made his Paralympic debut in
of hundreds of links in its time, and I can tell you that the attempt to add to his haul on home Atlanta, where he won a silver
outcome of this research doesn’t mesh at all with what we
soil when the Paralympics come to medal in the same event.
find and what I know to be the case.
London. During his school days, Sascha
But as with many successful had to balance his heavy training
I know of plenty of school links abroad that have
athletes, Sascha’s story started at programme with his academic
transformed pupils’ and teachers’ views of the world for the
his secondary school: Kaskenmoor education.
better, where students and teachers have made friends in School in Oldham, Greater
“I had to train both in the
developing countries and have learnt much from their new
Manchester. morning, before school, and at night World Record times, and cementing
relationships, with many stereotypes and misconceptions
“It was a normal secondary too. I don’t think I neglected school his place as one of Britain’s finest
school, not a special school, which too much though – I’m a very active Paralympic swimmers of all time.
being blown away in the process.
I think helped to drive me on. person, and fitting in four or five Following this success, Sascha
I have seen plenty of school links where UK schools, Because of my disability, I was sessions a week, plus two more at was chosen as ambassador for the
teachers and pupils have learnt more from their partner
always chosen last when teams the weekend, wasn’t too draining. Youth Sport Trust, a charity that
countries than the other way around – in fact this is often
were being picked, but as time went “Also, my mum was pretty campaigns to raise the standard
the case. I have talked to hundreds of teachers about exactly
on the other kids realised I could insistent that I completed all my of school sport and get more
easily compete with them, and I homework before I could go off youngsters involved.
the point of this report, the danger of students developing
was soon at the top of the list,” he to train.” Sascha said: “Sport is a really
stereotyped views and a patronising attitude to poorer explained. At the Sydney 2000 Paralympic useful way to get young people
countries, and they have all been very aware of this and
One of the biggest factors in Games, Sascha really put himself on motivated, not just to do better at
very clear about their approaches to tackling this.
Sascha’s success was one of the the map, winning two gold medals, PE, but to do better at all subjects.
And the issue of fundraising is a difficult one. Should all
school’s PE teachers. one silver and one bronze, breaking It keeps the body active, but also
“I think the teacher who a world record and a Paralympic gets the brain going too, so that’s
school links forego any attempt at raising funds? I am not so
influenced my career most was Mr record in the process. the message I’ll be trying to get
sure. If you take this attitude into wider life then we should Devine. He included me, and didn’t At Athens four years later, he across.” SecEd
not fundraise for anything or anyone. Live Aid for example
treat me any differently to any of successfully defended his two titles,
– that certainly reinforced stereotypes, but that does not mean
the other students. I felt part of the but the pinnacle of his career to date
Further information
lessons, and loved it. came at the Beijing Paralympics Visit Sascha’s website at www.
we shouldn’t have bothered.
“I was always into sport at in 2008. saschakindred.co.uk and the Youth Champion: Sascha Kindred
It is all about how the links are approached by the
school, and was a member of the At the Games, Sascha once again Sport Trust at www.youthsporttrust. has won six Paralympic gold
teaching staff. If they are introduced and delivered in the athletics club and the swimming
defended his two titles, setting new org medals
right way, then students should never be left with the view
that they are somehow “better” than their partner country.
Respect for all cultures and all countries is a central pillar of
IN RESPONSE…
global citizenship, and if this is taught properly then these
issues should not become a problem.
All letters have been edited and England do not have a library. higher results than those without, information overload if not with
And to say that links are leaving students with “racist”
are in reference to the article Others have a library with no and that reading for pleasure is a librarians’ expert help? What
views is plain daft. I suspect what the research should
Campaign for the Book, SecEd investment in professional library better indicator of success than about the need to expose pupils
240, February 25, 2010. staffing. Still others have a library wealth or social class. Technology to the world of books in order
have emphasised was the danger of underlining cultural
that is unstaffed, under-funded and is vital but reading is too; in my to spark that curiosity in the first
stereotypes, a very different accusation to racism. Dear Sir, unloved. many years of being a librarian I place?
This research, funded by the Economic and Social Research
I am writing with reference If school libraries, adequately have seen books change lives. School librarians have
Council, concludes in 2012 and as such I shall be reserving
to the article in SecEd about funded and staffed, are made Libraries are all about learning, a mission to help pupils
school libraries. First, I found it statutory then every child can have and librarians are often at the discover the joys of reading
judgement, but I am not impressed by the findings so far.
strange that the reporter asked access to literature, new media, cutting edge of new technology and learning from printed
Yes, of course linking up with schools in the developing
the question “should libraries be knowledgeable and passionate and the driving force behind and online resources alike.
world can run the risk of leaving children with a stereotyped full of books” rather than “should professionals to guide them, and educational improvement. We They are not an anachronism,
and patronising view of these countries. But this is easily
they be made statutory” which a physical space in which to both stand at a critical point, which the and a professionally staffed
avoided by good educators taking a proper approach to these
was actually the point being study and dream. Campaign for the Book bravely library – with books as well as
debated. Second, Ms Moriarty’s confronts. If we lose the experience online resources – is the key to
links. I am not sure we need a £323,000 study to tell us this.
comments supported to a great Karen Hans, CILIP School and expertise of librarians and providing access to learning for
extent the idea of library books as Libraries Group national the wealth of experiences and future generations.
Fight for more nurses
being worthwhile, although she committee member and librarian resources the library offers, we
did not actually seem to realise at St Martin-in-the-Fields High throw away more than a few dusty Christopher Pipe, library
she was saying that and seemed School, London unread books; we throw away researcher and consultant
confused altogether in her view of our ability to enjoy, embrace and
The impact of a campaign pushing for more qualified
what school libraries are about. Dear Sir, participate in our culture. Dear Sir
school nurses in our schools has been phenomenal. Ofsted has found that in the High profile research has identified No school libraries and no Thank goodness the days of the
More School Nurses for Better Child Health is being
most effective schools, well considerable problems with the librarians equates to a dumbing school library being run as an
run by SecEd’s sister title, the British Journal of School
trained specialist librarians have information literacy skills of young down of our society and a betrayal adjunct to the English department
Nursing, and the campaign has written to every MP in the
a positive impact on teaching and people and the disastrous effects of our children. Let’s not. We can are largely over.
learning; librarians are regarded this could have on their education, turn this around. Well used school libraries
country urging their support.
as key middle managers and employability, and even health. these days are run by
And what an impact it has had – a raft of Parliamentary encouraged to work closely with Students’ ability to find Jo Sennitt information professionals at
questions have now been tabled by MPs of all political parties,
other staff; librarians used a wide information online is extremely Chair of the 2020 Library the forefront of technology and Vision
pushing the Department of Health on the numbers of qualified
range of effective strategies to poor, and they are leaving schools Group, Leicestershire, Leicester who deliver life long skills in
promote reading, planned lessons without the skills they will need in City and Rutland information literacy to students
school nurses in the country and within specific constituencies.
alongside subject teachers, and higher education or employment. as part of a teaching and learning
The main thrust of the campaign is to get the government
used different ways to evaluate Librarians are the expert Dear Sir, framework.
to stick to its pledge of ensuring every secondary and its the impact of the library on pupils’ navigators of our information Everything you could ever want – The national curriculum
cluster of primary schools has a qualified school nurse.
learning. society and have a huge role thinks Hilary Moriarty – is online. guidelines do not include school
I urge SecEd readers to get involved today and
Reading is important for to play in equipping future But research as well as anecdotal libraries because they are not
imagination, thinking skills, generations to cope with the evidence clearly indicates that statutory and hence usage falls.
support our sister title in its important fight. Visit http://
vocabulary, grammar and increasingly diverse methods students reach university without This is why the employment of
moreschoolnurses.co.uk
information. It gives skills for of information retrieval, and the necessary research skills to find a skilled qualified librarian is so
lifelong learning and enjoyment. empowering them with the critical and evaluate it. vital in getting the message of
• Pete Henshaw is the editor of SecEd and Delivering
Reading for pleasure has even skills of assessing and evaluating Who is to help develop the vital information literacy across.
Diplomas. Email him on editor@sec-ed.co.uk or visit
been shown to be a key to social the information they find. skills of information literacy if not
mobility. Research has demonstrated that the school librarian? And how are Sarah Pavey, Senior Librarian
www.sec-ed.com or www.deliveringdiplomas.com
Sadly, many schools in schools with good libraries achieve tomorrow’s students to cope with Box Hill School, Surrey
6 SecEd • March 11 2010
06-NEWSFOCUS.indd 6 8/3/10 18:47:32
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