Monday, March 16, 2009
News in Brief. March 2009
A summary of education news from the last month.
A proposed new Education Bill in Scotland will give more power to parents, teachers and learners in formal consultations . The School (Consultation) Bill will require a more detailed, more widespread consultation by local authorities when considering closing schools. Importantly, the views of parents, teachers and inspectors will hold greater weight in the final decision making about closing a school if the proposed Bill becomes law. The Bill is partly designed to enshrine in law the premise that rural schools should be protected to support fragile communities and traditional ways of life.
Funding for technology across US schools has been doubled by Obama administration. $650 million has been committed to education technology by the new American President as part of the economic -stimulus plan. The money will be distributed to all states in the US by the Department of Education’s Enhancing Education Through Technology (Ed-Tech) Progamme over the next two years and is in addition to its annual budget of approx $270million. Once issued with their allocation states can spend the money on professional development of teachers to learn how technology can improve teaching and learning and software and hardware.
The government of Rwanda has announced it is changing the language used for teaching and learning in all schools from French to English.
Schools Minister, Jim Knight has announced a new addition to the teacher training schemes for England. The new scheme is designed for Professionals looking to move from their first Profession to teaching and takes just six months. The government has emphasised that the six months training will only be the beginning of the journey for the new teachers with ongoing training and support during their initial years in the classroom. The scheme is part of the government’s wide-ranging Working Together public service reform paper. Two hundred individuals seen as future Headteachers will also be able to move into school leadership within four years via an Accelerated Headship Programme.
Schools Secretary, Ed Balls, has asked Ofsted to conduct a survey of a small number of independent faith schools to investigate how they support the "spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development of pupils." The survey will consider the "ethos and values" of the schools and the influences on pupils through the curriculum, activities outside lessons and links with other organisations.
Beverley Hughes, Minister for Children and Young People has announced the first 41 successful MyPlace projects to be awarded a share of the £180 million allocated to the scheme. The projects represent a new era in how facilities and activities for young people are developed: young people played a central role on the panel allocating funds and will be fully involved in the future development and running of the successful projects. The Minister explained at the launch, " we have put young people at the forefront of the decisions on MyPlace because they are the best people to design and plan the places their generation and future generations will want to attend and enjoy after school and at weekends." The Sorrell Foundation will be working with many of the projects to establish a "client team" of young people for each project who will be given control and responsibility to work with the creative professionals in designing the buildings.
The National Body for Youth Leadership (NYBL) has been launched in the UK. The new body has been established to help young people become leaders of change by creating opportunities for those aged 13-19 to develop their leadership, confidence and self-esteem. The contract to deliver the NYBL has been awarded by the DCSF to a consortium of seven organisations already established in working with young people. They are: The National Youth Agency; Changemakers; The Young Foundation; The Citizenship Foundation; British Youth Council; The Prince’s Trust and UK Youth Parliament.
Creative Partnerships, the UK government’s programme to develop creative learning in English schools has been re-launched as an independent organisation called, Creativity, Culture and Education. The organisation will deliver the £100m scheme in cultural and creative learning for the next two years. 30 leading Creative Partnership schools have been selected to form a national network to lead and influence practice across the education system which uses creative and innovative approaches to school organisation, leadership and the curriculum. The principle behind creative partnerships and the work of the new organisation is that creativity is not a talent but more a skill of thinking and doing which can be learnt and applied to any subject.
Mark Hayson, Chief Executive of the Learning and Skills Council has resigned after the building programme for Further Education Colleges was put on hold, leaving £170million of losses for colleges who will not receive the expected funding. The losses are due to preparation work already carried out by the colleges such as the purchasing temporary classrooms. Mr Hayson’s replacement has not yet been announced.
The Learning Revolution, White Paper on Adult education was launched by John Denham, Minister for Higher Education on March 23rd. The paper announces £20million of new funding to be given to support "innovative and new approaches to reach and engage learners". To receive money from the fund projects will have to demonstrate they are innovative in teaching and learning and connecting with people who may not attend traditional college or evening classes. There will be at least 7,000 new "Open Space" places which will offer education using a new "learning revolution" logo, with 65 national organisations such as The National Trust wanting to take part. There will also be a Festival of Learning and a web portal to support the new approach. The white paper describes the internet as "the 21st century tutor".