www.sec-ed.com NEWS
In brief
Sexual disease
Ofsted calls
Apprentice guide
A resource for schools outlining
figures branded
all of the apprenticeships
currently available in England
has been released by the
Learning and Skills Council.
‘astonishing’
for better
The Apprenticeship Guide 2009,
available from October, features
information on the range of
programmes available and also
guides youngsters through the
Hundreds of Scottish children application process. It provides
under 16 contracted sexually contact information for regional
transmitted infections (STIs) training providers and other
last year, official health figures useful organisations. Visit: www.
showed. The new statistics come a
SEN training
apprenticeshipguide.co.uk
day after plans were announced to
open sexual health clinics for all
pupils at rural secondaries.
Internet safety
In addition to 181 young
people who were infected with
by Chris Parr
school had a clear understanding A government spokesman told A teachers’ guide providing
of the need not only to help NQTs SecEd: “We are committed to information on educating
chlamydia, the “silent epidemic” develop the knowledge and skills improving outcomes for children children about the potential
that can cause infertility, 62 tested Calls have been made for better to teach specific classes, but also to with learning difficulties and dis- risks of the internet, including
positive for genital warts, 13 con- training for young and newly-quali- provide them with a firm founda- abilities. We are investing over £18 social networking sites, has been
tracted herpes and 10 were diag- fied teachers after a report said they tion for the profession.” million over the next three years to produced by recruitment agency
nosed with gonorrhoea, according were ill-prepared to meet the needs Schools should provide a good improve provision. The lion’s share Step Teachers. The Internet
to data from the Information and workers use the vaccination pro- of SEN pupils. grounding in all professional stand- of that – some £12 million – will Safety Code aims to inform
Statistics Division. gramme to talk to schoolgirls about Ofsted, the schools inspectorate, ards, including those relating to support direct action to develop the teachers about cyber-bullying,
Lib Dem health spokesman the risks of unprotected sex.” has said that providers of post grad- teaching SEN pupils, the report skills of the school workforce in communicating school internet
Ross Finnie said the figures were About 60,000 pupils will get uate certificate education courses continued, although it did empha- relation to pupils with learning dif- safety policies to students,
“astonishing” and called for access to the rural services, allow- “struggled” to ensure good quality sise that initial teacher training was ficulties and disabilities, reflecting liaising with ICT staff, and
urgent action. ing children as young as 13 to sessions on special needs teaching largely adequate or good, and that the importance we attach to this. ensuring school websites are
“These kinds of statistics are receive condoms and pregnancy within the time available. Its report effectively trained teachers were He continued: “Together with managed safely. Visit: www.
evidence that the Scottish govern- tests on school premises. added that a high reliance on school able to ensure all pupils made good the Training and Development stepteachers.co.uk
ment cannot afford to dither over The SNP government, keen placements to provide training led progress. Agency for Schools, we are already
campaigns to raise awareness of to tackle one of Europe’s worst to “considerable differences” in the Lorraine Petersen, chief execu- working to address the concerns
STIs and educate young people sexual health records, accepts that quality of provision. tive of nasen, which promotes the raised in the Ofsted report.
Sign up now
about contraceptives,” the MSP many teenagers struggle to visit Ofsted visited 16 providers of advancement of all individuals with “We’re also pleased that the School children are being urged
said. GPs or family planning clinics. initial teacher training, 70 schools, SEN, said: “Students with special report found practice to be satisfac- to learn basic British Sign
“I was disappointed that the Pupils both above and below and interviewed 100 teachers as and additional educational needs and tory or better in all but one of the Language and take part in a
Scottish government withdrew the age of consent will be able to part of the study and said that the abilities deserve the same rights and teacher training providers surveyed, sponsored “Fingerspellathon”
contraceptive information from the get contraceptives, and tests for progress made by SEN pupils was responsibilities as other students which should put to rest claims that to raise money for deaf children
leaflet that was sent out to promote chlamydia, at school without the closely linked to the induction “(We would like to see) addi- trainee teachers receive inadequate in the UK. A Fingerspellathon
the cervical cancer vaccination knowledge of their parents, pro- teachers were given on arriving at tional training and specialist place- training in meeting the needs of pack is available from the
programme. Ministers could right vided nurses do not think they are their new school. ments for initial teacher training these children.” National Deaf Children’s Society
that wrong by ensuring that health being abused or exploited. The report said: “Where pupils’ students and an inclusion develop- To read the full report, visit and includes tips on teaching
progress was good or better, the ment programme for all teachers”. www.ofsted.gov.uk/reports finger-spelling and guidelines on
including it in lessons. Contact:
Students
Youngsters get on
alison.burrell@ndcs.org.uk or
www.ndcs.org.uk
take on
Fast learning
A new website for the F1 In
school
their virtual bikes
Schools programme aims to
engage students in science,
Pupils at two secondary schools in Three year groups took part engineering and technology.
inspection
South East England battled it out in the race, which was projected The site features details on the
in an epic bicycle race, without onto a large screen in each school, Schools Challenge, a competition
even coming within 10 miles of allowing supporters to cheer on the that asks students aged nine to 19
Young people at a school in London each other. riders. The teams competed in six to design, analyse, manufacture,
have been taking on Ofsted at Earlier this year, Sackville races, with each team taking three test, and then race miniature
its own game as part of a new School in East Grinstead and victories. gas-powered balsa wood F1 cars.
national project that aims to get Hazelwick School in Crawley, David Palmer, deputy head at Visit: www.f1inschools.co.uk
pupils actively involved in their became the first UK schools to take Hazelwick, told SecEd: “With the
education. part in interactive “webracing”. success of team GB in Beijing,
The Edge Learner Forum, Exercise bikes in each school there’s a real opportunity to get peo-
Bullying alert
launched on Monday (September were hooked up to the internet, ple exercising on bikes. Not every- A booklet to help deaf children
8), is a group of school students allowing two teams to line up on the one can get down to a velodrome, who are bullied at school has
brought together to advise on the same virtual track. so there is potential for this idea to been launched. Don’t Put Up
education system. be developed further.” With It aims to equip young deaf
One of their first projects saw Pedal power: Students In Style Fitness, which spon- people with the information
members undertake the first ever from Hazelwick School in sored the race, hopes the technol- they need to spot the signs of
student-led school inspection. Crawley (left) and Sackville ogy can be used to allow interna- bullying, and how to cope if
The project, known as Edge School in East Grinstead tional cycling races to take place via it happens to them. The free
Instead, was piloted at South (below) go head to head the internet. booklet includes definitions on
Camden Community School in during their virtual cycle If you are interested in organ- what bullying is, how bullying
London and saw Forum mem- race. Each school won three ising a similar event, visit can affect young people, what
bers working alongside staff and races during the contest www.instylefitness.co.uk they can do about it, and how
students to inspect four key areas other people can help. The
– respect, environment, aspiration, booklet also contains a card for
and learning. young people listing details of
The group then made practical useful organisations. Contact:
suggestions for moving forwards, helpline@ndcs.org.uk or www.
which have been included in the ndcs.org.uk
school’s development plan for
2008/09.
Andy Powell, chief executive of
Enterprise test
Edge, told SecEd: “Young people An enterprise education resource
lose their dreams too often because from the British Soft Drinks
they are labelled and underesti- Association is asking pupils to
mated. All our work within the devise a new soft drink, and
Edge Learner Forum proves that explore the process of designing,
young people can contribute a huge packaging, costing, and
amount to the education debate and marketing the product. A range of
can help to transform education lesson plans are available online
for the better if they are given the and a free CD Rom offers schools
chance. the resources to deliver a full day
“Students are a school’s great- of enterprise education. Students
est resource and Edge is calling on will learn about the processes
every school to involve young peo- involved in producing a soft
ple in developing and enhancing the drink, and undertake roles like
curriculum to improve the learning sales and marketing, production,
environment.” and technologists. Visit: www.
For more, visit www.edge liquidsmeanlife.org.uk
learnerforum.co.uk
SecEd • September 11 2008 3
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