NEWS FOCUS SecEd: On Your Side


Brace yourselves for more measures


The governmenT’s response to the Wolf review of vocational education was perhaps unique in that it has not made my blood boil, unlike many other government announcements in the last 12 months (see page 2). The main headline is the move to make students who


Pete


Henshaw Editor SecEd


miss out on a C or above in gCse english and maths stick with the subjects beyond 16 and this is sensible (although questions do remain about the funding of all this). As is the government pledge to consult on and identify other qualifications in these two core subjects that can be taken post-16 instead of a gCse. In addition, the promised summer consultation on what


should make a good vocational qualification is welcome (I just hope the government listens to schools and colleges) as is the additional training for maths teachers (to be in place by the autumn), and a focus on encouraging more companies to get involved in offering Apprenticeships. I do have concerns though. The government’s response


to Wolf makes numerous references to increasing the number of performance measures and I worry about this. We already have the english Baccalaureate and now we


are facing measures to track the progress of both higher and lower performing students and to track student progress in english and maths post-16. I am fundamentally against league tables. They do


not improve education, they only provide politicians with statistics to spin and parents with figures to misinterpret. Why do you think the eBacc was introduced retrospectively? Because the government knew the low scores could be blamed on Labour and they know that in a few years’ time when schools have reacted, they will be able to claim victory as the eBacc achievement rate soars. The best way to ensure that schools focus on the


needs and talents of every student, and not just the D/C borderlines, is to scrap league tables altogether and trust to teachers’ professionalism. It’s as simple as that. If we are to be stuck with the tables, however, I do


at least welcome the news that the “best” vocational qualifications will still be included. I feared that all vocational learning was to be dumped from the tables and that this would cement the gap in esteem between academic and vocational learning. Another concern that I have is that young people should


not be pushed into irrevocable choices at age 14. I fear that the already-stated plans to create 24 University Technical Colleges by 2014 will ask students to choose practical and technical courses at too young an age. Wolf emphasised the need for a broad education for any 14-year-olds taking vocational routes, and fundamentally the government must ensure any 14-year-old choosing a UTC does not close off too many options at too early a stage. I also am reserving judgement on the move to scrap


statutory work experience for students in key stage 4. I acknowledge the argument that work-related learning and work placements may be more effective when taken between 16 and 18, but the first taste of the workplace afforded to key stage 4 students is vital and I would not want to see this lost. We shall see what happens with this, but I think schools will keep offering it. Let’s be clear.vocational education in this country is in


good shape and the government has done it a misservice in selling it so short during the clamour around Prof Wolf’s review (although this was more to do with politics than the truth). But either way, Prof Wolf’s recommendations on the


whole seem sensible and the promise of consultation for many of the areas is welcome – in particular about the attributes of good vocational qualifications and also the strategies for english and maths post-16. We shall be watching closely to see if the government listens. If only they would listen to the thousands of


professionals who can see the real damage that our league tables are doing to the education system...


• Pete Henshaw is publisher and editor of seced. Email editor@sec-ed.co.uk or visit www.sec-ed.co.uk. Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/SecEd_Education


SecEd


www.sec-ed.com Focus on health


heALTh eDUCATIon and Pshe in particular have come back into focus in Parliament recently. A report published in April


by the All-Party Parliamentary group for Primary Care and Public health has recommended that the delivery of comprehensive health education become statutory and its effectiveness audited. It also recommended that school nurses play a key role as part of the health education team. The report said: “We


acknowledge the often sensitive nature of themes and topics around health education and therefore recommend comprehensive CPD training is available to help teachers in the delivery of health education. “We further recommend


training of headteachers as leaders of the curriculum for them to understand and appreciate the value of effective comprehensive health education and its impact on adults of the future.” on may 9, the All-Party


Parliamentary group held a roundtable discussion to debate the recommendations that it had made as part of its ongoing inquiry into the Public health White Paper. The roundtable was attended by representatives from the Department of health (Doh) and the Department of education (Dfe). some of the questions touched


on the importance of health education in schools, which had been highlighted in the evidence submitted as part of the inquiry, and the often patchy nature of its delivery. Janet Dallas, from the school


Curriculum Team at the Dfe, said that young people already learn about some health topics through statutory subjects and that it is up to individual schools to decide on how best to deliver health education. Philip Parker, also from


the school Curriculum Team, defended the current quality of Pshe by reminding the panel that a recent ofsted review had rated the teaching of Pshe in 75 per cent of schools visited as “good to outstanding”. The roundtable discussion came


days after mP nadine Dorries’s controversial sex education Bill passed its first reading in thehouse of Commons. The Bill proposes to “require schools to provide certain additional sex education to girls aged between 13 and 16; to provide that such education must include information and advice on the benefits of abstinence from sexual activity; and for connected purposes”. During the house of Commons


debate,ms Dorries said: “In our sex education programmes, we need to promote the notion of abstinence and all the advantages that it brings, such as self-respect and not making relationship mistakes. It needs to be seen as a safe alternative.” mP Chris Bryant labelled


the Bill as “the daftest piece of legislation” that he has seen brought forward. he added: “… there is no evidence anywhere in the world that an abstinence programme of sex education works in delivering the outcomes that she wants. “rather than the present legal


situation where the only obligatory bit is sex education – in other words, the mechanics and teaching people about sexually transmitted infections – there should be proper sex and relationships education starting at an early enough age to make a real difference.” Another contentious issue


surrounding the Bill is that it would be aimed at girls only. mr Bryant, said: “For a start, the Bill is just


6


Recent Parliamentary discussions have centred on whether health education should become compulsory and also the role


of PSHE. Caroline Voogd, editor of the British Journal of School Nursing, a SecEd sister magazine, explains


about girls. I am not an expert, but it seems axiomatic to me that if we want to tackle teenage pregnancy, we have to talk to the boys and the girls. “Better legislation would ensure


that girls and boys had proper, thorough sex and relationships education in all schools, with no school allowed to opt out. Yes, if parents want to opt out, that is fine. Yes, (schools) should be able to draw up the curriculum, but schools should not be able to opt out because, as ofsted has pointed out, the provision of sex and relationships education is very patchy in england, and we are letting down far too many of our youngsters.” In response to the Bill, the sex


education Forum and the national Children’s Bureau, said: “girls and boys alike tell us that the sex and relationships education they are getting is often too late, too little and too biological. Boys in particular often miss out on sex and relationships education at home as parents are more likely to talk to their daughters than their sons.” on may 11, in response to


a written question by sharon hodgson mP on reducing teenage pregnancy, sarah Teather, minister for children and families, said: “At a national level, we believe that it is vital that all children receive high-quality sex and relationships education, so they can make wise and informed choices. We will shortly be announcing the scope of an internal review of Pshe to determine how we can support schools to improve the quality of all Pshe teaching.” only very little information is


available on the review into Pshe. When quizzed, a Department for education spokesman could only confirm that it is internal and that it is underway. health promotion is a crucial


part of the work of school nurses, whose aim as public health professionals is to ensure that


children and young people grow into healthy adults. Therefore, they are in a prime position to teach the health education topics covered by the subject. As the editor of the British


Journal of School Nursing, I believe that for Pshe and sex and relationships education to be truly effective it is vital that teachers and school nurses put their unique skills together in the delivery of a comprehensive programme. however, negative perceptions surrounding Pshe and sex and


relationships education often make it difficult for school nurses to get involved in teaching the subject. For school nurses to successfully


teach lessons, a pre-existing strong relationship of trust with the school is vital and the lessons need to fit tight organisational constraints. For the delivery of high quality Pshe it is important that attitudes to the subject change and health education becoming statutory may help the process.


SecEd


• Caroline Voogd is the editor of the British Journal of School Nursing. Visit www.school-nursing.co.uk


Further information


The British Journal of School Nursing’s campaign more school nurses for Better Child health wants to see an increased number of qualified school nurses in UK schools, improved public understanding of what school nurses do, and further research carried out into the benefits of a well resourced school nursing service. visit http://moreschoolnurses.co.uk


IN RESPONSE…


Exams regulator Ofqual is to investigate whether GCSE and A level examinations are getting easier. In an interview with the


Daily Telegraph, the new chief executive of Ofqual, Glenys Stacey, said she wanted an “objective and constructive debate” on the issue. The watchdog has previously focused on technical standards in examinations, but said it was aware of a public perception of falling standards. GCSE results have been


consistently rising for some years, with the 2010 cohort achieving a 69.1 per cent pass rate for the five A*to C benchmark, while 27 per cent of A level students got As or A*s last year.


Ofqual chief executive, Glenys Stacey, speaking in the Daily Telegraph: “We do a lot of work to maintain standards on all the key qualifications across the board on subject matters and subject levels. But there is still a public concern over standards and a feeling that things are not what they used to be. Well, I would


like to understand that better and actually bring some evidence to the debate as well. I want an objective and constructive debate.”


Subsequent Ofqual statement “The qualifications we regulate are highly regarded both nationally and internationally, and we want to ensure that remains the case. These qualifications are hugely important for the thousands of young people who take them every year and, as a result, are an emotive topic. our interest is in standards and ensuring the best futures for our young people. our aim is to listen and to


bring together all the evidence, expertise, research, evaluation and perceptions regarding these qualifications in order to begin an open debate. Throughout this debate


we will work with teachers, employers, further and higher education providers to ensure the best possible outcomes for young people today. We will be releasing more information publicly about how we plan to do this after the summer examinations are completed.”


SecEd • May 19 2011


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