At the chalkface

Post-election Plum

PLAYGROUND DUTY. Girls huddle and giggle and shriek. Boys josh and mock fight and gamble with coins against a wall. Malcontents smirk darkly by bike sheds, pale types read under trees and the football goes forever on – the dragbacks, nutmegs, stepovers – and now the Messi slaloms. ‘Twas ever thus. I essay some Stan Bowles

skills, all quite lost on the hordes. I feel mighty glum. It’s these pre–election days. Only a few left. My lot are doomed. Grim times. “Vote for change!

Vote Conservative!” What a bleak oxymoron. The great debates! What a sterile pantomime. And now Gordon’s Big “Bigot” Gaffe. Dear me. Was it so bad? I’m always cursing in the English office – nutters at parents’ evenings or the smug and smirking Gove. Malcolm Tucker moments. I gaze on Little Kevin giving

some street wisdom to a nodding Plum. Stanley – a 9th year Plum. Let us freeze the frame on

Stanley Plum. I’ve taught Plums for several generations. White, working class Plums. They tend to the plodding, to the placid, to the unhistrionic. My job has been to realise the potential of Plums. I’ve probably failed. And so, it seems, have manifold schemes of improvement. Plums are, allegedly, of little distinction. Well, that’s so wrong. I’m not sure about all this potential lark. Plums do well in the world. Edward Plum

took to undertaking – “solid, sir!” Lizzie Plum’s a stylist and, latterly, “nail therapist”. Dennis is in air conditioning – “can’t go wrong, sir; what with the global warming”. And Stanley? Perhaps the most placid of all Plums. A veritable Horatio Plum. I still feel glum. Hung, drawn

or Tory, I fear the next government. I fear for Stanley. Swedish models or Free schools or Finnish schools just might finish him. Initiatives will fall upon his bonce – presently coiffed in that shaved-at-the-sides well

‘ard centre back mode. “Alright Stanley.”

“I’m rather exercised by the trillion pound deficit,

sir.” As if. “Just chillin’, sir.” As ever. I feel better. Governments may come and go but Plums plod on forever. Bells go. Pips howl. I usher malcontents back

for another round of the national curriculum. Stanley gathers a

bag and plods off. “What lesson’s next?” “Resistant Materials, sir.” Isn’t he the patron saint of the

subject? The playground empties. Pupils

trudge off. I watch them fade away. ‘Twas ever thus. Look out

Stanley! Look out Little Kevin! Look out all of you. Here come Dave. Here come de Gove. A change is gonna come! Hope not. Not for Plum! Post-election Plum? Same as the old one.

• Ian Whitwham is a former teacher. A book of his best ever columns is out now. For details, email editor@sec-ed.co.uk

News

Students show off Diploma skills

by Emma Lee-Potter

Building kit cars, making films, designing T-shirts – these are just some of the skills that Diploma students in Manchester have acquired over the past two years. The youngsters have achieved so

much that Manchester City Council hit on the idea of showcasing their work at a student Diploma festival. Pupils from eight of the city’s

high schools, along with students from The Manchester College, planned, compèred and ran the day- long event at the City of Manchester Stadium as part of their Diploma courses. The 15 and 16-year-olds, all

studying for Diplomas in creative and media, construction and the built environment, information technology, hair and beauty, soci- ety, health and development, and engineering, also organised work- shops, film screenings, speeches and presentations for guests. The youngsters taking part

included nine year 10 engineer- ing Diploma students from St Paul’s Catholic High School in Wythenshawe. Accompanied by Peter Ramsay,

the school’s head of engineering, the group assembled two electric cars and then competed against each other in two teams. “A lot of engineering is work-

shop-based so this event was a great way for the students to show the skills they have learned,” said Mr Ramsay. “The Diploma is a fantastic way to learn. Students benefit from

going out and seeing things being made, rather than simulated in a classroom all the time.” Meanwhile, Kieran McDermott,

assistant director, children’s servic- es, at Manchester City Council, was delighted by the festival’s success. “Diplomas offer a very different

way of learning for pupils and give young people the chance to acquire real practical skills that will help

them in their chosen field of work,” he said. “Coursework is challenging and

rigorously assessed, and is by no means an easier option than tra- ditional GCSEs. This festival has given all those who have worked so hard on their Diplomas for the last two years a real chance to show what they can do.” The schools taking part in the

Diploma festival: Students from Manchester Creative and Media Academy (top left), St Paul’s Catholic High School (above), and Burnage Media Arts College (left) joined in the celebrations

festival were Newall Green High School, Manchester Creative and Media Academy (Boys and Girls), St Paul’s Catholic High School, Manchester Enterprise Academy, Manchester Health Academy, Burnage Media Arts College, and The Barlow RC High School.

FIFA World Cup South Africa 2010!

Great resources and ideas for using the Fifa World Cup to inspire your students

YOU could link your class with a class in Europe and share the build-up to the World Cup through languages, ICT, geography, citizenship or cultural learning. This is free to do and leads to accreditation for your school; even into funding.

OR would you like to exchange views in a safe online community with schools from Europe or Sub Saharan Africa? How can the World Cup benefi t Africa as a whole? Get your class thinking – and linking.*

OR for the most ambitious, you can request a school link in a Sub Saharan African country. This is a larger undertaking which would need whole-school support, but you can take part in a British Council-managed programme. Charges may apply if we link you through an NGO for extra support with the link.

If you are interested, then get in touch and tell us which of the above options you would like to take up, and the name and local authority of your school. Email: partnerfi nding@globalgateway.org

You will also need to register online so we can send your profi le to potential partner schools in Europe or Africa. Visit: www.globalgateway.org/register

If you are new to our service, we’ll send you a free CD and information about school linking, which can be used to support the global dimension, community cohesion, citizenship, humanities, English, ICT and languages. Free copies of this CD have been included within selected editions of this week’s SecEd. If you have not received one, request yours by emailing partnerfi nding@globalgateway.org

Steven Pienaar (right) is a star of the South African national team Bafana Bafana and also plays for Everton. Just one of many footballers, well known in Europe, who will represent their own African countries this June.

* Charges may apply for individual student logins (optional)

We’ll also send you a great list of World Cup resources.

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11/5/10 11:37:32

SecEd • May 13 2010

Suitable for the

DCSF International School Award

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