NEWS SecEd The ONLY weekly voice for secondary education To subscribe, call 01722 716997


SecEd Tel: 020 7738 5454 Fax: 020 7978 8319 www.sec-ed.com info@sec-ed.com sales@sec-ed.com


Managing director Matt Govett


Publisher and editor Pete Henshaw, 020 7501 6771 editor@sec-ed.co.uk Deputy editor David Taylor, 020 7501 6772 david.taylor@markallengroup.com Reporter


Daniel White, 020 7501 6750 daniel.white@markallengroup.com Illustrator Christos Mais


SecEd is advised by an editorial advisory panel. Members include: Paul Ainsworth: vice-principal, Belvoir High School, Leicestershire. Mark Blois: partner, Browne Jacobson (education law solicitors). Peggy Farrington: headteacher, Hanham High School, South Gloucestershire. Mike Griffiths: headteacher, Northampton School for Boys. Hilary Moriarty: national director, Boarding Schools’ Association. Neill Morton: headteacher, Portora Royal School, Enniskillen. Jo Smith: vice-principal, Long Field School, Melton Mowbray. Tina Stockman: teacher, Harlaw Academy, Aberdeen. Dr Bernard Trafford: headteacher, The Royal Grammar School, Newcastle upon Tyne. Simon Viccars: headteacher, Leon School and Sports College, Milton Keynes. Alex Wood: headteacher, Wester Hailes Education Centre, Edinburgh


Sales department Associate publisher and advertising manager Abdul Hayee, 020 7501 6767 abdul.hayee@markallengroup.com Classified sales Rachel McElhinney, 020 7501 6728 rachel.mcelhinney@ markallengroup.com


Circulation department Tel: 01722 716997 Fax: 01722 716926 email: subscriptions@ markallengroup.com Subscription manager Chris Hoskins Circulation director Sally Boettcher


UK annual rates: Personal £50 Institutional (libraries, companies etc) £110 Europe annual rates: Personal £92 Institutional £165


Rest of world annual rates: Personal £113 Institutional £209


Printed by Pensord Press, Wales


Published by


Send your news in to: news@sec-ed.com or call 020 7501 6771


Heads mixed as Gove ditches the Ofsted SEF


by Pete Henshaw


The move to ditch the self-eval- uation form (SEF) from Ofsted inspections sparked a mixed reaction from school leaders this week, with one labelling the move “insane” but others welcoming it. Education secretary Michael


Gove last week asked Ofsted to ditch the SEF, arguing that it “takes days out of heads’ time and can cost schools tens of thousands of pounds”. He wrote last week to chief


inspector Christine Gilbert to inform her of the announcement and encouraging Ofsted to look at how future inspection can be “deliv- ered effectively without the use of a standardised evaluation form”.


Ofsted this week said it “fully


supports the principle of reducing unnecessary bureaucracy”. A state- ment said: “From 2011, with the introduction of the new inspection framework, we will stop provid- ing schools with an Ofsted form to record their self-evaluations.” The SEF, introduced in 2005,


asks schools to verify data in prepa- ration for inspections and can often run to more than 100 pages. In his letter to Ms Gilbert, Mr


Gove said: “Schools are now very familiar with self-evaluation and (Ofsted’s) evidence shows that this has become a more effective aspect of reviewing performance. “Freeing up schools to develop


tailored approaches which fit with their own local monitoring arrange- ments will signal that we recognise


the progress that most schools are making in effectively monitoring their performance.” Members of SecEd’s Editorial


Board this week gave a mixed reac- tion (see boxout), with some left frustrated by the move but others welcoming it. Leo Gilbert, vice- principal, Harris Academy Merton in London, said: “This is insane. The SEF is the single most power- ful school improvement tool that heads have at their disposal.” However, Dr Bernard Trafford,


head at the Royal Grammar School in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, said the SEF is a “bureaucratic monster based on the notion that school cannot be assumed to be doing anything at all unless they produce mountains of paper to prove it”. Meanwhile, education unions


Gove wants all pupils to learn musical instrument


An independent review of music education has been launched, with the government saying that all chil- dren should have the chance to learn an instrument and read music. Education minister Michael


Gove has appointed Darren Henley, managing director of Classic FM, to lead the review and a call for evidence has already been issued to the education sector. The review is to focus on how


to ensure music funding benefits more young people. It will also look at improving music opportunities in and out of school, teacher train- ing and CPD, and attracting more music professionals into schools. Mr Gove said: “It is a sad fact


that too many children in state schools are denied the opportunity to learn to play a musical instru- ment. Evidence suggests that learn- ing an instrument can improve numeracy, literacy and behaviour.”


As part of his review, Mr Henley


has been asked to consider whether the proposed pupil premium might be used to “fund an approach which uses music to drive improvements across a school and wider into the community”. In a letter to Mr Henley, Mr


Gove also said that the review should work on the assumption that “public funding should be used pri- marily to meet government priori- ties of every child having the oppor- tunity to learn a musical instrument and to sing”. The review is to seek the views


of a range of music professionals, including those working in schools, and is expected to make its recom- mendations before the end of the year. However, Mr Gove admitted in


his letter to Mr Henley that “timing is such that any change proposed is unlikely to be achievable from


Term-time holidays continue to frustrate


Parents taking their children on holiday during term-time means tens of thousands of secondary school days are being lost annu- ally in Northern Ireland. Many summer holidays are


overlapping the beginning or end of term, but no parent has yet to face legal action for allowing their child to miss school. Only under “very exception-


St Jude’s Church, Dulwich Road Herne Hill, London SE24 0PB www.markallengroup.com


MA Education Ltd is an independent publishing company also responsible for education titles Delivering Diplomas, Headteacher Update, Fundraising for Schools, Early Years Educator and 5to7 Educator.


© All rights reserved. No part of SecEd may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without prior written permission of MA Education The publisher accepts no responsibility for any views or opinions expressed in SecEd.


ISSN 1479-7704


al circumstances” can schools authorise a family holiday. These may include a vacation that is important to the wellbeing and cohesion of the family. In practice, however, many children continue to go abroad with their families on school days, despite warnings they may face prison. Absence is measured for every


pupil in half-day sessions – am and pm. The most recent figures show such holidays accounted for 63,638 missed sessions in 2008/09 – equivalent to about 31,000 full days. The total for the previous year was 34,000.


Headteachers say unauthorised


absences create great difficulty in schools and impact on the quality of teaching and learning. There does not appear to be anything that schools can do to stop the practice. The North’s education minister


Caitriona Ruane told the Northern Ireland Assembly that one holiday during term-time is not enough to prosecute parents. The minister says a one-off


holiday taken during term-time, in itself, does not warrant a refer- ral for poor attendance to the Education Welfare Service. She said: “The normal criterion


for a referral is when attendance falls to around 85 per cent attend- ance. Schools can make referrals at any time when they have con- cerns about a pupil’s pattern of attendance and this might include a regular pattern of family holi- days during term-time. “No prosecutions have been


brought on these grounds in the last academic year.”


2011/12” and has asked the review to suggest transitional changes as well. Labour’s shadow schools min-


ister Vernon Coaker attacked Mr Gove’s announcement, saying that a guarantee to every child of access to learning a musical instrument was contained within the Children, Schools and Families Bill which was blocked in April. Mr Coaker added: “If he is per-


forming a u-turn then this is good news, but by ruling out any signifi- cant action for at least two years I fear that in reality he has kicked the issue into the long grass.” The deadline for submissions to


the review is October 29. For more information, email music.review@ education.gsi.gov.uk The full remit of the review


is available on the Department for Education website at www.education.gov.uk


also welcomed the move but warned that the process of self- evaluation must continue. Russell Hobby, general secre-


tary of the NAHT, said: “It is now up to schools and groups of schools to develop their own models of self- evaluation, which suit their own needs and context.” Brian Lightman, general secre-


tary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: “In terms of strengthening the link between inspection and self-review, the SEF was an important move


forward and we do not want that to be lost. We hope that the govern- ment will continue to recognise the importance of self-evaluation and work with school leaders to develop a mechanism that is more stream- lined and fit for purpose.” However, Chris Keates, general


secretary of the NASUWT, said: “The fact is that schools will contin- ue to be inspected by Ofsted under a framework that requires evidence of self-evaluation. The decision is likely to result in more rather than less workload and bureaucracy.”


Selected views from SecEd’s Editorial Board


Paul Ainsworth, vice-principal, Belvoir High School, Leicestershire: “It does take such a long time to complete it that most heads will be relieved it is going. However there is the question of what will replace it. How will this link to specialist school self-evaluation and School Improvement Partner visits? It would be surprising if the government doesn’t find anything to replace it, unless schools are only going to be judged solely on data! Does this bring the school report card ever closer?”


Leo Gilbert, vice-principal, Harris Academy Merton, London: “It focuses school improvement on the key issues, and allows the school to second-guess what Ofsted are looking for when they inspect. Without the SEF, self-evaluation will lose structure and focus, leading to an inevitable falling of standards.”


Anonymous: “Has anyone any idea how much time, effort and money schools have invested in this? Makes me want to walk.”


Dr Bernard Trafford, head, Royal Grammar School, Newcastle-upon-Tyne: “This is the first (and hopefully not the last) serious proof that Michael Gove is carrying out his promise not just to reduce but to slash bureaucracy. Power to his elbow!”


Terry Molloy, Head, Claremont High School, London: “I know that it has been a ‘pain’, but to be honest it has been one of the most useful central tools that we have ever had. I honestly feel that the process of getting to know our school and challenging our perceptions through the SEF was vital. Scrapped or not, I and my colleagues will still use the SEF to a) evaluate our school and its progress and b) give focus and direction to our annual and long- term development plan: or are they to be scrapped too?”


Schools praised for use of video


Two schools have been heralded for their use of video technology in the classroom after a nationwide search for good practice. Birches Head High School in


Stoke-on-Trent has been praised by judges in the Teachers TV chal- lenge for its “Space TV” innovation, while Little Heath, a special school in Essex, was commended for its use of video to give autistic children a new way to express their ideas. Through the virtual learn-


ing environment at Birches Head, Space TV allows students to upload and send information and examples of work. School management can also record short instructional vid- eos to send to staff. Birches Head also impressed


with its use of video technology in history. In one lesson, students come prepared with torches as they study artefacts from the Second World War, unaware that at any moment an air raid siren could sound and the lights switch off. Video is used to capture the emo- tional aspects of immersive learn- ing which students can reflect upon. At Little Heath, a special school


for 140 pupils aged between 11 and 19, the use of video with autis-


2 Action: Students using video technology at Little Heath


tic learners has helped to building stronger group relationships and celebrate the life and achievements of famous people with disabilities. Clips from the videos, combined


with photographs, are compiled for an annual review of the year video which shows what everyone has achieved throughout the school terms. The winning school in the com-


petition was Ambleside Primary in Nottingham. Birches Head and Little Heath


were named as runners-up, both winning a flip video camera to use in the classroom. The competition marks the


start of a new Teachers TV series Sharing Your Great Practice. Visit www.teachers.tv/sharing-your- great-practice


SecEd • September 30 2010


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16