www.sec-ed.com


Minister pulls Scotland from attainment surveys


by Sam Phipps


Education secretary Michael Russell’s decision to pull Scotland out of two international education surveys is “regrettable” and “retro- grade”, critics say. The Pirls (Progress in


International Reading Literacy Study) and Timss (Trends in International Maths and Science Survey) have both highlighted Scottish weaknesses in late primary and early secondary years. Mr Russell said scrapping them


would save £800,000 a year and cut bureaucracy for headteachers.


He also announced a new sam-


pling system to replace the Scottish Survey of Achievement, which the Scottish government had already said it would ditch. However, Pirls and Timss have


painted an unflattering picture of attainment in Scottish schools, rais- ing questions about the real motives for ending participation. The government has countered


that it will continue to participate in Pisa (Programme for International Student Assessment), which it views as “the gold standard” of such surveys. In 2006 Pirls ranked Scotland 21st out of 40 countries in litera-


cy and reading, down from 14th. In 2007 Timss put Scotland 20th out of 36 countries in maths and 22nd in science, leading to calls for changes in teacher training. John McLaren, of the Centre


for Public Policy of the Regions, said: “It would seem at first sight to be a retrograde step and the gov- ernment would have to have very strong reasons for doing this. You want to have as much comparison as possible for understanding the standard of Scottish education in an international setting.” A professor of education at one


university said Timss had “great value” in making international


comparisons and its loss would be “regrettable”. But Mr Russell pointed to the


example of the Welsh Assembly, which opted out of Timss and Pirls in 2008. “Curriculum for Excellence is


designed to allow teachers to use their skills and creativity and give them the freedom to teach,” he said. “We will always need robust


and comprehensive information on how the Scottish education system is performing. However, we also know that collecting statistics plac- es a burden on headteachers and teachers. This type of bureaucracy


is not helping our schools, pupils or teachers. “Participating in three different


international surveys doesn’t pro- vide value for money in the current economic climate and can lead to wasteful duplication.” The new Scottish Survey of


Literacy and Numeracy will assess each area in alternate years, giv- ing “a comprehensive overview of achievements in these two key areas of the Curriculum for Excellence”, the government said. Later this year it will also con-


sult on further proposals to improve key publications and topics in school statistics.


Council brands government ‘incompetent’ in closure row


Scotland’s biggest council has hit back at the government’s decision to “call in” school closure propos- als, saying it is unreasonable and incompetent. The education secretary,


Michael Russell, said he would scrutinise Glasgow City Council’s plans to close two special schools and a primary after an HMIE report voiced concerns about the possible impact on pupils. But the council said the points


expressed by HMIE had already been dealt with and Mr Russell was making inaccurate statements regarding Stonedyke Primary and the special schools, St Joan of Arc and St Aidan’s.


“Your letter is not competent


and … even if the letter is compe- tent, which is denied, it is simply not reasonable in the circumstanc- es,” the response states. The council also mentioned that St Joan of Arc was damaged by fire last year and was not in use. Jean McFadden, the council’s


executive member for education, said: “The Scottish government is misleading the parents, staff and young people in these schools and using them as political pawns.” But a Scottish government


spokesman denied ministers had followed incorrect procedures. “Glasgow Council should now focus on meeting the needs of the


vulnerable children affected by these plans, rather than querying a process that is clearly set out in law,” he said. “We therefore look forward to


receiving from Glasgow the infor- mation that HMIE clearly indi- cated would be required in order to take such closures forward and we would suggest that providing that information timeously would be the best way of resolving the issue.” Mrs McFadden said: “Glasgow


has already provided full and detailed responses to all of the points raised by HMIE. I don’t know what more the Scottish gov- ernment is asking for.”


Vehicle exclusion zones the path to more walking


History boy: Students in Scotland have the chance to visit museums across the country to take part in a range of new secondary-specific activities


Museums offer resources to bring curriculum to life


National Museums Scotland has developed a programme of activities to help secondary schools tackle issues ranging from Scottish history to world cultures. The programme includes


three workshops, which give secondary students to get hands on with Scotland’s rocks and fossils, explore evidence from the Industrial Revolution, and investigate the role that East Lothian’s East Fortune Airfield has played in defending Scotland. Standard Grade and Higher


geographers can also get to grips with fieldwork techniques at the National Museum of Rural Life. All the activities tie in with Curriculum for Excellence.


Stephen Allen, head of learn-


ing and programmes at National Museums Scotland, said: “Our collections cover archaeol- ogy, Scottish history, the natu- ral world, science, technology, world cultures, design, art and fashion. We worked creatively using these fantastic resources to develop a diverse range of activities that bring the curricu- lum to life.” National Museums Scotland


also offers a programme of CPD, including the Reinventing the Royal Museum course, which offers teachers the chance to learn about new galleries, collections and learning facilities. For more information, visit www.nms.ac.uk/schools


Parking should be banned around Scotland’s primary and second- ary schools to deter parents from driving their children to school, the national charity Living Streets says. Vehicle exclusion zones would


cut congestion and pollution and make walking and cycling safer, argues Living Streets, which lob- bies for pedestrians. The number of children who


walk to school has dropped to 49 per cent from 56 per cent in the last seven years, with more than a quar- ter of pupils driven each day. One in five cars on the roads at peak time are on the school run. Living Streets is urging MSPs


to create “park and stride” points at least 10 minutes’ walk from school gates with identified safe routes. The group’s chief execu-


tive, Tony Armstrong, said: “An exclusion zone around schools is worthwhile for many reasons: it stops parents being stuck in congestion but also reduces the potential for collisions around the school gates. “This isn’t about making life dif-


ficult for parents but creating a safe and pleasant environment around the school, whilst helping children lead more active lifestyles in the face of rising obesity levels.” Living Streets, originally called the Pedestrian’s Association, cam-


SecEd • August 26 2010 No parking: Charity wants schools to be car-free zones


paigned for the driving test and the creation of a 30mph limit in residential areas. It now wants the default limit reduced to 20mph.


The charity organises the Walk


Once a Week reward scheme, which has hundreds of thousands of members throughout UK schools.


NEWS


In brief Space race


The UK Space Agency is inviting people from across Scotland to submit ideas for projects that will help increase awareness of the UK’s space programme and inspire the next generation of scientists. An awards fund of £35,000 is available, with individual projects in line for grants worth up to £5,000. Visit: www. ukspaceagency.bis.gov.uk/About- Us/Funding-schemes/12167.aspx


Cinema etiquette


Teachers should be encouraging their pupils to behave appropriately when watching a film at the cinema, a film charity has claimed. Film Education director, Ian Wall, said that some students struggle to get the most from cinema trips, and also ruin the experience for other viewers, because of how they act in the theatre. He added: “(We want to) develop the kinds of behaviour and dispositions in young people likely to make them more receptive to this collectively experienced art form and ensure they demonstrate an awareness and sensitivity as members of an audience.”


Author visit


Schools have the chance to be visited by celebrated author Michael Dahl as part of a competition encouraging youngsters aged up to 16 to create their own superhero. The competition, run by publishers Raintree, encourages entrants to complete a drawing and description of their hero, along with details about their characteristics. The deadline for entries is October 22. Visit: www.raintreepublishers.co.uk/ content/ultimatesuperhero


STEM online


An online resource for teachers of science, technology, engineering and maths has launched. The National STEM Centre’s eLibrary currently contains 30 collections of teaching materials, which will be added to over the next three years. It is free to access, and has been funded by the Gatsby Charitable Foundation and the Department for Education. Visit: www.nationalstemcentre. org.uk


Robot wars


An online resource encouraging pupils to think about the use of robots in military conflicts has been launched by the British Red Cross. Robots in War uses video footage of robots in action, and comes with teaching guides designed to engage young people in the issues surrounding their use. It has been developed in partnership with the Bonita Trust, which is working with the Red Cross to engage students and teachers on global issues. Visit: www.redcross.org.uk/robotsinwar


Reading survey


Girls read significantly more frequently than boys, and enjoy reading more, according to the National Literacy Trust. The charity surveyed more than 17,000 youngsters across the UK, and found that 39 per cent of girls say they read everyday, compared with 28 per cent of boys. Some 43 per cent of boys say they enjoy reading compared with 58 per cent of girls. Visit: www.literacytrust.org.uk


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