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Ofsted data angers unions


by Chris Parr


The teaching unions have rounded on Ofsted after it published the out- comes of the latest round of school inspections. The inspectorate for England


last week released data showing the results from the first two terms of the new school inspection frame- work, which was introduced last September and which places a greater emphasis on visiting “weak- er” schools. The new framework also assess-


es schools on a different set of measures – including a stronger focus on lesson observation and the role of leadership. The figures show that the pro-


portion of schools judged “outstand- ing” for the spring term (11 per cent) was up on the preceding autumn term, while over the period, 42 per cent of schools were rated “good”, and 38 per cent “satisfactory”. At the other end of the scale, five per cent were given notice to improve, with the remaining four per cent being placed in special measures. Despite the radical change to the inspection regime, many


national newspapers compared the figures directly with inspection results from the old system. Under this comparison, there was a drop of two-thirds in the percentage of schools rated good or outstanding. Christine Blower, general sec-


retary of the National Union of Teachers, said that teachers were “caught between the devil and the deep blue sea” when trying to cope with the inspection regime which had “unilaterally shifted the goal posts in terms of what is success and failure”. Chris Keates, general secretary


of the NASUWT, added: “The sta- tistical data on the trends in relation to school inspection judgements tell us more about how Ofsted has changed rather than how the per- formance of schools has changed. “Constantly moving the goal-


posts has made it impossible for firm conclusions to be made about the performance of schools over time. The plain fact is that today’s statistics do not compare like with like.” Dr Mary Bousted, general secre-


tary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, said that it was unfair to “lump satisfactory and inade-


quate schools into a catch-all of ‘not good enough’”. She added: “While we all want


all schools to provide the best pos- sible education for their pupils, the current inspection regime puts huge pressure on schools not judged good or outstanding to teach to a narrow curriculum that won’t nec- essarily develop the skills, attitudes, confidence, and passion for learn- ing which young people need.” Lord Jonathan Hill, junior edu-


cation minister, also incurred the wrath of the unions after claiming the Ofsted data signalled a “clear need for urgent reform”. He said: “We need to create more excel- lent schools and drive up standards across the board – and that’s exactly what our academy proposals will help to do.” Ms Blower said that drawing


a connection between the inspec- tion results and the academies pro- gramme was “entirely misleading”. “The figures clearly show


that less than half the academies inspected since September have themselves been judged to be out- standing or good. Yet again we see false claims being made about the effectiveness of the programme.”


More information needed on HE


More work is needed to ensure that young people understand the implications of going on to higher education, it has been claimed, after a survey revealed that secondary students know little about the differ- ences between universities. According to the Sutton Trust


charity, which works to improve access to university among disad- vantaged communities, more than three-quarters of youngsters asked were not aware of the variations between universities – with less than one in five (18 per cent) think- ing that it mattered in the world of work which institution a degree was from. Just over seven in 10 students


said that they would like to know more about how future wages are affected by institution type, and


six in 10 said it would be worth paying a higher tuition fee if it increased their chances of getting a well paid job. Nearly a quarter of pupils in


years 10 and 11 (23 per cent) said that they know nothing at all about getting help with the costs of higher education. The trust surveyed more than


2,700 young people, and found that a record number of secondary-aged students – 80 per cent – say they are at least “fairly likely” to go to university. This is the highest proportion


since the charity first commissioned the survey in 2003, and is signifi- cantly higher than in 2008, when 73 per cent said they intended to go on to higher education. However the survey, carried


out between January and April this year, found that the number of aspirants would drop dramatically if annual tuition fees were to rise to £7,000. An increase in tuition fees from


the current £3,225 to £5,000 a year would not have such a dampening effect, the report said. Lord Browne, the former head


of BP, is currently leading a review of university funding, with many expecting him to recommend that institutions be allowed to charge higher tuition fees. Figures suggest that there could


be 250,000 more university appli- cants than there are places this sum- mer, and higher tuition fees have been discussed as a way of increas- ing the amount of money in the higher education sector.


‘No decisions made’ on future of Latin


Entry-level exams in Latin and clas- sical studies could be scrapped in Scottish schools as part of a general overhaul of qualifications. The Scottish Qualifications


Authority (SQA) is considering abolishing foundation level, the lowest level of standard grade, as a standalone in the subjects, according to a report in The Herald newspa- per. They would be replaced with a broader based language qualification. Latin has had historically low


uptake in secondary schools but teachers have opposed the plan, saying it would narrow options for pupils of lower academic ability in state schools and, in turn, shrink the pool of candidates wishing to pursue the subjects at a higher level. Qualifications would stay the


same at higher and advanced lev- els but critics argue they would become less viable, particularly at a time of budget cuts. More than 400 people have


already signed up to a Facebook site aimed at protecting Latin and classical studies qualifications. Michael Russell, Scotland’s


education secretary, and Janet Brown, chief executive of the SQA, have also received letters of protest. John Kerr, a teacher from Lanark


Grammar, who is spearheading the campaign, said minority subjects should be available to pupils of all abilities. He also questioned the SQA’s role in “directly seeking to influence” curricular direction. “The proposals mean there will be no progression in classical stud-


ies and Latin for many pupils and, as a consequence, many pupils of lower ability will be denied the opportunity to progress in this subject, in contrast to their higher ability peers,” he said. “This has the potential not only to exacerbate divisions within schools, but also to heighten differences in the breadth of curricular opportunities available in the state and private sectors. It seems very wrong.” John McKie, former head of clas-


sics at Hutchesons’ Grammar School in Glasgow, said: “It is wrong for the SQA to be considering cutting courses in this way. The organisa- tion has a responsibility to protect and champion subjects such as these because they are so important.” However, a spokesman for


the SQA said no decisions had yet been made. “The SQA has robust and considered approaches to decid- ing which qualifications should be developed and it is this proc- ess which is currently under way,” he said. “The SQA was proposing a new


broad-based language qualification at the lower levels of study, through which pupils could study Latin on its own, or together with other languages. These proposals aim to meet the needs of all learners and, potentially, raise the uptake of the classics. The suggested broad- based language course provides a new and alternative progression route for young people who would learn at different rates and in differ- ent ways.”


The sound of vuvuzelas ring out in Cheshire


The relentless buzz of vuvuzelas has become the main talking point of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa – even managing to eclipse the performances of England’s underachieving squad. However, the highly criticised


plastic trumpets have been wel- comed with open arms (and lungs) by one school in Cheshire, which has used its long-standing link with a school in South Africa to encourage students to try out the instrument. Congleton High has been linked to Muizenberg High School in Cape


Town since 2008, and as the World Cup kicked off, the South African students sent a bundle of vuvuzelas to Cheshire. The two schools then hooked up via a live internet link on Friday morning (June 18) for an impromptu music lesson. As well as listening to the South


African school’s vuvuzela ensem- ble, and performing together via the web link, the Congleton pupils also had the chance to ask each other questions about the World Cup, their schools and daily lives, as they met “face-to-face” for the first time.


Fiona Hilditch, international


co-ordinator at Congleton High School, said: “The kids get really excited by our partnership. They were delighted when the vuvuze- las arrived and really enjoyed the chance to see their partners face- to-face – they didn’t want the link to end. “We have quite a small com-


munity, and our kids don’t often travel far, so our Global School Partnership with Muizenberg has really broadened their horizons and made them much more aware of the international dimension.” The two schools are linked


via the the Global School Partnerships scheme, man- aged by the British Council. For more information, search for Global School Partnerships at www.britishcouncil.org


Zela-bration: Year 8 students at Congleton High try their vuvuzelas Photo: Staffordshire Sentinel Newspapers


NEWS In brief Armed Forces Day


Schools are being urged to mark Armed Forces Day, which takes place on Saturday (June 26). The annual day is an opportunity for the nation to show support for the men and women who make up the Armed Forces, from current service personnel to service families, veterans and cadets. An assembly, specifically designed at secondary schools, has been produced, including teacher notes and extension activity ideas. Visit: www. armedforcesday.org.uk/images. aspx


UK Youth change


UK Youth, the charity, which aims to raise young people’s aspirations, has announced its new chief executive. Charlotte Hill will replace John Bateman OBE, who retires in November. Having worked for the NSPCC before joining UK Youth in 2009, Ms Hill has extensive experience in the children and young people sector. She said: “I am absolutely delighted to accept the role of chief executive of UK Youth, a charity that plays such an important part in the lives of so many young people.” UK Youth celebrates its 100th anniversary this year. Visit: www.ukyouth.org


Bard news


Globe Education, part of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, has released copies of four Shakespeare plays based on editions published in the 17th century to accompany this year’s theatre season.Macbeth, Henry VIII, Henry IV Part 1 and Henry IV Part 2 will join previous editions from earlier seasons including Othello, King Lear and Romeo and Juliet. The facsimiles are actual-size and are taken from an original copy of the First Folio in the British Library. They are priced at £12.99. Visit: www. globe-shop.com


Archaeology show


The Museum of London’s Archaeology in Action exhibition has opened, showcasing the work of archaeologists in London throughout history. Shakespearean playhouses, including The Rose and The Theatre, are part of the exhibition’s changing display of new finds from London sites. A selection of ancient artefacts to celebrate the Festival of British Archaeology will be displayed until August 1. Visitors will be able to meet an osteologist and identify finds from the Thames foreshore. Entry to the exhibition is free. Visit www. museumoflondon.org.uk


STEM resources


Yvonne Baker, the chief executive of the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Network (STEMNET) and a chemical engineer, is to replace Professor Sir John Holman in October this year as chief executive of Myscience, which operates the National Science Learning Centre as a centre for science teachers’ CPD. Ms Baker will be responsible for the National Science Learning Centre in York and will oversee the development of the National STEM centre, which is building the UK’s largest collection of STEM teaching resources. Visit: www. sciencelearningcentres.org.uk


SecEd • June 24 2010


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