www.sec-ed.com


Gove warns of rises to GCSE floor standards


by Daniel White


The education minister has warned that he plans to raise the 35 per cent floor standard for GCSE attain- ment. It comes as Michael Gove


wrote to local authorities and acad- emy sponsors demanding evidence on their plans to improve “failing” schools – those performing below the current floor standard set by gov- ernment. At secondary level, the coalition


has already raised the floor standard from 30 to 35 per cent of students getting five A* to C GCSEs includ-


ing English and maths. However, in the letter, Mr Gove warns that he will be “raising the floor standards further over time”, but said that secondary schools making better than average progress for students between the ages of 11 and 16 would be “exempt” from falling below the floor. Mr Gove said that it was “unac-


ceptable to have secondary schools where around two-thirds of children are not secure in the basics by 16”. In his letter to local authorities,


he said: “I’m not going to be pre- scriptive about what the plans might entail. I’d like you to be ambitious and would encourage you to spell


Berlin trip gives Holocaust insights


More than 20 teachers have been inspired after a poignant trip to Berlin aimed at supporting their teaching of the Holocaust. In partnership with the


Holocaust Educational Trust (HET), 24 teachers visited historical sites in Germany’s capital city as part of a course offering advanced CPD for teachers. The group had the chance to


meet experts from the various sites including the House of the Wannsee Conference and the Berlin Jewish Museum. The teachers saw examples of


how Adolf Hitler captivated the German people with his ideol- ogy of prejudice and racial hier- archy. The trip was the first of its kind for teachers with a par- ticular expertise in teaching the Holocaust. Alan Williams, headteacher of


Emmaus School in Liverpool was among the group. He told SecEd: “I’m grateful


to the HET for this opportunity to see first-hand sites associated


with the history and memory of the Holocaust. It has given us an invaluable insight into the steps which led to genocide which will undoubtedly inform and improve the way that I communicate this challenging subject to my students.” The teachers also visited several


memorials dedicated to groups tar- geted by the Nazis before and dur- ing the Second World War. Alex Maws, head of education


at the HET, added: “Standing, for example, on the spot where the Jews of Berlin boarded trains to camps and ghettos, is a professional development experience like no other. We hope that this stirs teach- ers’ passion for teaching the lessons of the Holocaust and will translate into the most inspiring lessons in the classroom.” The HET runs a number of CPD


events throughout the year, includ- ing activities around Holocaust Memorial Day on January 27. For more information, visit


www.het.org.uk


Death trains: Michael Willmot, PSHE co-ordinator at Acton High School in London, during a visit to the area where Berlin’s Jews boarded trains to the camps and the ghettos


Report details the devastating impact of identity bullying


One in six lesbian, gay or transgender students have received death threats at secondary school, research has found. Research by the Equality


and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) highlights the widespread problem of bullying based on students’ identities. It also found that two thirds


of gay students are bullied at secondary school with a devastating impact on their career paths and employment after education. The research, carried out


by Goldsmiths, University of London, also says that nearly two fifths of all students do not feel physically safe at school. It adds that young people who


are being bullied are 15 per cent less likely to get five GCSEs at grades A* to C and are twice as likely to not be in education, employment or training at the age of 16.


A panel of guests including


schools minister Nick Gibb debated the findings of the report, entitled Prevention and Response to Identity-based Bullying, and also the EHRC review of equality, How Fair is Britain?, during a Question Time-style event at London’s Westminster Academy last week. Baroness Margaret Prosser,


commissioner for the EHRC, said bullying was a “corrosive element” and a parent should expect their children to be safe when at school. She said: “As a society we


are paying a high price for failing to adequately tackle the issue. Bullying not only affects the day- to-day life of those involved but also blight’s their chances in life. “Schools should have the


support they need to address bullying. This could be through preventative strategies that really get to the root causes of prejudice and by having equality and


diversity as key components of the core curriculum.” The report said that while


many local authorities agree there is a need for monitoring, very few have this in place as they are only obliged to gather evidence of race-related bullying. It found that 75 per cent of


local authorities had evidence related to racism in schools, 40 per cent had evidence for bullying due to sexual orientation, gender and religion or belief, and around 30 per cent for disability-related bullying. The EHRC recommends that


local authorities should gather more evidence on the extent of identity-based bullying and any guidance that is developed should be specific to each type of bullying. It also says that schools should aim to adopt a whole-school policy to promote diversity and inclusion. To read the EHRC research, visit www.equalityhumanrights.com


It is a profession, not a craft, teachers tell Gove


Teaching should be regarded as a “profession” and not a craft. That’s the view of a group of eminent aca- demics and education trade union- ists, who are appealing to the gov- ernment to engage in a discussion about the future of teacher training. Their views are expressed in a


phamplet, entitled In Defence of Teacher Education, published last week by the Standing Committee for the Education and Training of Teachers (SCETT) in response to the Education White Paper. The White Paper contained


proposals that employment-based routes into education should be expanded and that from September 2012 graduates entering teaching will need at least a 2:2 degree. Contributors to the publication


include the major teaching unions. Christine Blower, general secretary of the National Union of Teachers, writes that higher education insti- tutions “must continue to be part of every trainee teacher’s learn- ing experience”. Darren Northcott, national officer for education at the NASUWT, adds that while in-


SecEd • March 10 2011


classroom learning is important, “what is clearly missing from the government’s vision is the higher education element of initial teacher training.” The pamphlet is edited by


Dennis Hayes, professor of educa- tion at the University of Derby and SCETT’s honorary secretary. He said: “It provides a unique


defence of education as a field of study essential for future teachers. It is addressed to the government but should be read by all teachers, teacher trainers, academics and those with an interest in ensuring that our children are taught by teachers who understand what they are doing and who believe that teaching is a profes- sion and not merely a craft. “If the government is serious


about developing its thinking about teacher education, it must engage with the arguments that SCETT’s contributors present. We believe that serious discussion needs to be had very soon about teacher training.” Read the phamplet at www.


scett.org.uk/activities/in-defence- of-teacher-education.aspx


out how all those schools which cause you concern might improve. I’m also interested in plans which cover more than one local author- ity area.” To academy sponsors, he


wrote: “In many cases, I expect an academy solution will be the most appropriate route to secur- ing improvement, and your sup- port will be critical in the proc- ess. I would be grateful for your thoughts on the bigger role you might play in helping turn these schools round. “Where there are academies


below the floor standards, we need to work together to address barri-


ers to improvement. It’s important we show how the momentum for improvement is accelerating across all schools.” He is also urging local authori-


ties to consider the use of national and local leaders of education and teaching schools for improvement. Dr Elizabeth Sidwell, the


schools commissioner, has been asked to work with the relevant schools and local authorities “to consider academy or other struc- tural solutions for schools with a history of underperformance”. Dr Sidwell said: “I want to work


with local authorities to come up with robust plans to tackle under-


performance, brokering academy solutions and helping all schools to become excellent. Children do not get a second chance for a good school education, and so I will not hesitate to challenge local authori- ties or academy sponsors where standards are not good enough.” The letter also includes primary


schools, with a similar warning that the floor standard for achiev- ing Level 4 in reading, writing and maths by the end of key stage 2 is to increase from 55 to 60 per cent. He adds that this floor standard will also “have to rise further over time”. Mr Gove has asked for respons- es to be sent by April 15.


NEWS In brief BSF deadline


The six local authorities involved in the recent successful judicial review over the cancellation of their Building Schools for the Future programmes have until April 11 to submit their cases to education secretary Michael Gove. Mr Gove has said he will not make contact directly with the affected schools because the local authorities are in the “best position to give an overview”. He has said he will decide on each case individually with an “open mind” using all of the information gathered over the consultation period. The authorities involved are Waltham Forest, Luton, Nottingham, Sandwell, Kent, and Newham.


Cutting paperwork


The Universities’ Council for the Education of Teachers is calling for an overhaul of paperwork given to teacher training providers. It comes as the body released research showing that lecturers spend an around 100 days of staff time completing self-assessment tools. The Self Evaluation Document was introduced by the Training and Development Agency for Schools in 2008 but the report found that only nine per cent of providers believe that it improves outcomes for trainees.


Shakespeare online


Globe Education at Shakespeare’s Globe has published a free set of online learning resources supporting creative approaches to teaching Shakespeare at key stage 3 and providing behind-the-scenes insights into a production at Shakespeare’s Globe. It is part of the Playing Shakespeare production ofMacbeth which runs until tomorrow (Friday, March 11). The website provides teachers with imaginative ways to engage students with the language, characters and themes of Shakespeare’s tragedy. Visit: www.playingshakespeare.org


Words of wisdom


The sharing of just 100 words has brought learning to life for 50 children from the UK and the Middle East. This weekend, students from schools in Yemen, Iraq, UAE, Saudi Arabia and Oman in the Middle East and Edinburgh, Abergele, London, Derbyshire and Chester in the UK met in London after winning the British Council’s 100 Words competition. The challenge called upon schools involved in the Connecting Classrooms programme to write and perform plays using only 100 words. Visit: www.britishcouncil.org/ learning-connecting-classrooms- 100-words.htm


Notes from history


A 350-year-old notebook which describes the execution of innocent women for consorting with the Devil has been published online by The University of Manchester’s John Rylands Library. Puritan writer Nehemiah Wallington wrote passages on his attitudes to life, religion, the civil war as well as the witchcraft trials of the period. By 1654, Wallington catalogued 50 notebooks, of which only seven are known to survive. Visit: http://rylibweb.man.ac.uk/ insight/rylands_coll.htm (Open the Insight browser, select Rylands Collection and search for Wallington).


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