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National curriculum
In brief
Child mortality
Channel 4 news presenter Jon
Snow is challenging youngsters
at more than 50 schools and
colleges to come up with ideas
‘lobotomises teachers’
for a short film on child mortality.
The students, who heard about
the issue at the Global Student
Forum in Westminster on
Tuesday (June 30), are taking
part in the Media Partnership
Challenge. The winning idea
by Chris Parr
“It lobotomises teachers to a par- the last 12 yeas, or are we going will be turned into a film and
ticular way of teaching,” he added. to trust schools, and trust parents launched on Universal Children’s
He continued: “There are other to make the right decisions, which Day (November 20). Visit:
Personalisation in the classroom problems too. Like personalisation. the Tories have suggested they www.globalstudentforum.org
is “nonsensical”, and secondary Some believe it’s right, others – like would do?
school teachers have been “lobot- me – say it’s nonsensical. For exam- “The last 12 years have been a
omised” by the government to a ple, if you want to learn French, you disaster for education, but the Tory
strikes suspended
particular way of teaching, former need to learn French grammar and ideas need closer examination too. Teachers from the National
Ofsted chief Chris Woodhead has French vocabulary. You can’t pick How are they planning to devolve Union of Teachers suspended
told SecEd. and choose which parts work for power to schools? On the one hand strike action planned for
In a revealing interview, Mr different people.” they say that selective education Tuesday (June 30) at five
Woodhead also branded the last 12 However, SecEd panellist Ian isn’t a good thing, even though they Tamworth schools. The teachers
years of Labour government a “disas- McNeilly, a teacher at Brantwood claim they would give schools the are involved in a dispute over
ter for education”, and said he wants School in Sheffield, said Mr power to choose how they operate.” proposals to close one school
to grant all schools complete control Woodhead was “completely miss- One change that Mr Woodhead and replace it with an academy,
over their admissions policies. ing the point”. is calling for would grant total con- and to close the 6th forms in
He told us: “I think the way He added: “To extend (Mr trol over admissions to individual four other schools. As SecEd
subjects are treated at secondary Woodhead’s) example, it is hoped institutions. went to press, members of the
schools misses the point of educa- that children would all learn the He said: “I don’t think that NASUWT union involved in the
tion. Too much time is spent think- same French grammar and vocabu- schools would set admissions poli- same dispute were still planning
ing about cross curriculum skills, lary – but some might learn it in a cies that would only target high aca- to strike.
rather than focusing on subject way which was more effective for demic achievers. Most headteachers
knowledge. them. This can be very difficult to have a lot of concern for those who
“Secondary school teachers are achieve though.” are not academic, and would set up
Genes resource
being told that the subject is not as But Mr Woodhead said he did a curriculum that would cater for National children’s charity
important as the child, and teaching not accept that human beings learn and welcome them. Jeans for Genes has launched
that child how to function in the in different ways, adding that even “Even if every school did want a free education resource for
21st century, and I think education if they did it would be impossible to highly academic children, there sim- teachers. The website encourages
is about learning the specifics of cater to the needs of 30 individuals ply aren’t enough to go around, so pupils to delve into the field of
history, geography, and maths, and in a classroom. in order to survive, a school would genetics, through a series of short
so on.” He continued: “The essential have to meet the demands of the films portraying the personal
Mr Woodhead added that he issue for heads and teachers is: are local parent community,” he added. stories of children affected by
was “concerned” that the national we going to have an approach to Chris Woodhead’s new book, A genetic disorders. Developed by
curriculum was imposed on teach- government where 22,000 schools Desolation of Learning – is this the genetics and education experts,
ers, despite many of them feeling it are managed by the government, education our children deserve? is Desolation of Learning? Chris Woodhead has slammed the in consultation with teachers, the
stripped them of control. centrally, as we have seen over out now. national curriculum for stripping teachers of control resource targets key stage 1 to 4
science, PSHE and citizenship.
Angry reaction to pay announcement delay
Visit: www.genesareus.org
Ness short story
Educationalists have reacted what they will be paid next year. that the pay rise would not be his intent to implement the rise salary comes from limited public Award-winning author Patrick
angrily to claims that the secretary Ed Balls is reserving the right to honoured. from September, but following a funds. This is an area which needs Ness has written a short story
of state for education is stalling over alter the 2.3 per cent award after She told us: “Call me cynical, second report from the STRB, may careful consideration.” for the Booktrust, where he is
announcing details of teacher pay September 1, should the STRB rec- but the credit crunch will be used change his mind. A Department for Children, currently writer in residence,
for the next academic year. ommend a lower pay increase. as an excuse to save money by the On pay for headteachers, Ms Schools and Families spokesperson a position created to help the
Christine Blower, general sec- “The secretary of state already government, and I predict it will not Blower added. “Given the current said: “The secretary of state was charity to engage youngsters in
retary of the National Union of has the STRB’s report on that mat- agree to the 2.3 per cent rise. controversy over some headteach- crystal clear in his evidence to the reading. He is also producing a
Teachers, says that Ed Balls should ter. He should publish it without “The fact that our pay in real ers’ pay, it is surprising that Mr Balls Review Body that he considers 2.3 fortnightly blog, tips and advice
confirm whether the 2.3 per cent delay, together with a confirmation terms has fallen far behind the pri- has disregarded the STRB’s advice per cent remains appropriate – and for writers, and a video of his
rise recommended by the independ- that the promised 2.3 per cent will vate sector over many years means and removed the proposed limits on would need to be convinced of sig- work in schools. The story,
ent School Teachers’ Review Body be honoured.” nothing to government. What a pay increases for headteachers for nificant and material change in the entitled The New World: A story
(STRB) earlier this year will be However, Helen Nurton, assist- shame we don’t have an expenses taking on certain types of additional economic and labour market condi- of Chaos Walking, is a prequel
honoured in September. ant headteacher at Guildford system like MPs do to top up our responsibilities. tions for there to be any change to his award-winning novel The
She said: “It is unacceptable that County School in Surrey, said she pay,” she added. “Headteachers must be properly from the pay award for each of the Knife of Never Letting Go. Visit:
teachers will not know for certain felt the delay in publication meant Mr Balls has previously outlined paid but we need to remember their next two years.” www.booktrust.org.uk
Young people
MTL takes off
More than 1,300 teacher trainees
have now expressed an interest
in the new Masters in Teaching
still unsure
and Learning (MTL). The
government-funded qualification
is initially being offered to all
NQTs in the North West of
about politics
England, and as part of the
support to National Challenge
schools in the rest of the
country. It will also be available
to newly appointed heads of
Nearly two thirds of 11 to 13-year- from signing petitions to communi- department who start working
olds are not aware that they have ty campaigning. We want to devel- in National Challenge schools
received any citizenship education op youth citizenship for the future, from September 2009. For more,
in school, the Youth Citizenship with young people being helped to see page 12. Visit: www.tda.gov.
Commission (YCC) has claimed. become fully active within local uk/mtl
The figure drops to 45 per cent communities and the broader politi-
among 14 and 15-year-olds, but the cal system.”
YCC is still calling for all schools The organisation, which was set
New look for BDA
to have specially trained citizenship up in 2008 to increase young peo- The British Dyslexia
staff, and wants to see a collabora- ple’s participation in politics, also Association (BDA) has
tive system of school and class wants schools to have student rep- revamped its website, making it
councils developed. resentatives on their governing bod- easier to navigate, but retaining
Professor Jonathan Tonge, ies, and thinks that schools should its text-to-voice facility and a
chairman of the YCC, said the remain open while used as polling range of visual options for users
research had also shown that young stations to allow youngsters to see our democracy and become active students in citizenship activity, show- engage the UK’s young people and to choose from. Judi Stewart,
people were not engaging in poli- “democracy in action”. citizens”. ing our young people how they can encourage them to take an active BDA chief executive, said: “We
tics because they felt powerless to Richard Demby, a teacher at He added: “Political literacy is have a real voice in society.” role in politics. are delighted to have launched
change things, and were unsure Whalley Range High School for the most difficult strand of citizen- Bridget Prentice, minister in “Young people have a lot to offer our brand new website. It has a
how to get involved. Girls in Manchester and a Youth ship to deliver effectively – which charge of youth democratic engage- this country. If we can channel their more modern feel about it and
He continued: “It is important Citizenship Commissioner, said that is why a specialist and trained staff ment, told us: “In a democracy, it’s creativity, energy and enthusiasm, will be much easier for users to
to recognise that citizenship isn’t citizenship education was vitally is so necessary. We feel that our important that politicians’ decisions we can empower young people to navigate around.” Visit:
just about voting – it’s about all the important in teaching young people recommendations can go some way take into account the views of all become active citizens.” www.bdadyslexia.org.uk
things that make up a democracy, about how they can “play a role in towards ensuring that schools engage citizens. This is why it is crucial to For details visit www.ycc.uk.net
SecEd • July 2 2009 
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