Wednesday, January 28, 2009
News in brief. January 2009
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How has 2009 started in the world of education ?
The UK government has announced an extra 35,000 apprentices who will be funded during next year at a cost of £140m. This funding will take the total committed to supporting apprentices over the next year to just over £1bn. The government target is to train 400,000 apprentices a year by 2020. Skills Secretary, John Denham said: "Now more than ever it is important we give people the real help they need to get and keep jobs." More about the Apprentiship Scheme.
Tim Brighouse topped the list of those working in education who were recognised in the New Year Honours List, receiving a Knighthood for Services to Education Among others receiving honours were Principals of Colleges, caretakers, voluntary workers and community education workers. The full list.
The Royal Shakespeare Company is to help develop the Humanities Diploma ready for learners to enrol in 2011. The first five Diplomas were launched in September 2008 as a qualification option for 16-18 year olds. There are currently 12,000 students studying the diplomas in Creative and Media, Information Technology, Health and Social Care, Construction and the Built Environment and Engineering. Nearly 1/3 of these current students are studying for the Creative and Media Diploma. The government has recruited high profile and high achieving individuals from industry as "Champions" to support and promote the Diplomas as a valuable and recognised qualification amongst employers.
The RSC will work with a panel of experts to devise the syllabus and materials for the Diploma. The RSC's artistic director, Michael Boyd, said: "We are delighted to play a part in the development of this exciting new qualification, which has the potential to offer a real opportunity for rigorous, cross-disciplinary learning. The humanities diploma will introduce young people to some of the themes they encounter in literature — including Shakespeare's plays — such as democracy, dictatorship, moral ambiguity, legal battlefields and humanity."
The involvement of the RSC in developing the new Humanities Diploma is likely to add to the quality of both the content and the recognition of the course. New diplomas in Science and Languages will also be launched in 2011.
The UK government published a White Paper this month focusing on improving social mobility. "New Opportunities, Fair Chances for the Future" includes specific plans to support better teaching and learning consistency in the most challenging schools through a "golden handcuff" scheme which will pay the best teachers £10,000 to stay at National Challenge schools for three years. Half will be paid by the DCSF and half by the school. The White Paper also has proposals for statutory targets for local authorities to improve the attainment of pupils eligible for free school meals. A £500 training allowance is also proposed to support parents and carers wanting to return to work.
The DCSF has launched a new website designed to create one place to search all information available on all government National Strategies across all ages and stages in education. The site will also be a host for DCSF consultations.
A comprehensive review of the Scottish Education system conducted by HM Inspectorate of Education has been published this month. The review looked at all sectors from nursery to community adult education over the last three years. Whilst recognising progress in some areas the overriding tone of the report is of "could do better". Graham Donaldson, author of the report and Head of the Scottish HM Inspectorate of Schools, said the problem of lack of progress in both Primary and Secondary schools affected "many young people". He called for a system which would enable young people to "develop the kind of knowledge, skills and attributes which will equip them personally, socially and economically to thrive in the 21st century." The report in full.
UK Banking Community finds money to sponsor extra maths support in schools. It might have been assumed this would be a difficult climate to launch a scheme asking the banking and business community for time and money to help maths education in their local area but a new scheme run by the charitable trust 'Every Child a Chance' has had a very successful start with Barclays giving £1.2m to back the scheme. Under the new strand to the already successful 'Every Child Counts' programme businesses will be encouraged to sponsor projects in their local schools and to supply volunteers to become "Number Partners" to help children finding maths and number understanding difficult. Read more about the scheme.