Wednesday, March 31, 2010
News in brief, March 2010
A summary of education news this month.
A study by Oxford University and Essex University evaluating the impact of a scheme to improve the quality of school dinners has been published. Primary schools in Greenwich, London, took part in the Feed Me Better scheme inspired by Jamie Oliver’s campaign for healthy school dinners. The schools replaced processed dinners high in fat, sugar and salt with fresh, healthy meals. The researchers evaluated the impact of the scheme by comparing pupils’ scores in national curriculum tests at the end of the primary school in the borough, before and after the scheme was introduced and also by comparing the test results of children in the borough with children in neighbouring boroughs not taking part in the scheme. English results for level four raised by 4.5% and Science results by 6%. The improved health of the children eating the new school meals was reflected in a reduction of 15% in the authorised absence at the schools. Michele Belot, of the Nuffield College, Oxford University and Jonathan James of the Department for Economics, Essex University, will present their findings at the Royal Economic Society's annual conference this week.
The food company McDonalds have been given approval to offer a level 3 Betec course which will include a ten day work placement in a McDonalds restaurant. The Edexcel examination board will accredit the qualifications which will involve 80 hours of study and work placement. Network Rail and Flybe are the only other companies given approval to offer courses to form part of an official qualification.
A UK government review published this month proposes free internet access in public libraries across the country by 2011. The Library Moderinsation Review: a policy statement published by Margaret Hodge states that local authorities should provide free unlimited access to the internet, including to social networking sites and provide free loans of e-books to all users. The review proposes longer opening hours and allowing some commercial companies such as coffee shops to operate within libraries. To read the review in full click here.
The Scottish Secretary of State for Education, Michael Russell has announced that the Curriculum for Excellence will be implemented from this coming August. This follows speculation that the reforms may be delayed following concerns from teaching unions that schools would not be ready in time. Mr Russell is quoted as saying. “During the coming week I am going to be talking about how we can make ourselves even more ready for it. If there are any places that feel lack of confidence we can support them .”
Of the six million GCSEs and two million A level exams sat last year, 160,000 papers were re-marked last summer after schools queried grades. This was an increase on 2008, with 1.6 per cent of GCSE papers checked compared with 1.4 per cent and 1.2 per cent of A level papers compared with 1 per cent in 2008. Nearly 20,000 GCSE grades and more than 9,000 A-level grades were changed as a result.
The government in Singapore is recruiting students in both primary and secondary schools as ‘ambassadors’ to promote safe and responsible internet use amongst their peers. The Cyber Wellness programme, led by the Ministry of Education is designed to use peer education and mentoring to support existing online safety programmes currently in schools, and in developing new resources. Pupils chosen as ambassador receive training in recognising and coping with online dangers, as well as in running activities for their peers.
Professor Tanya Byron has published a progress review on child internet safety following up on progress since her initial report, Safer Children in a Digital Britain, two years ago. Following her initial recommendations there has been a public awareness campaign Zip it, Block it, Flag it and the creation of the UK Council for Child Internet Safety (UKCCIS.) In the progress report Professor Byron concludes that "While good progress is being made to raise awareness, this needs to continue at pace."
In her report today, she has made new recommendations including calling for UKCCIS to engage with, and listen to, children, young people and parents more effectively. The report recommends the mobile phone and gaming industry needs to speed up work on a self-regulated code of practice to keep pace with the changes in new technologies, such as WiFi access on mobile phones. She concludes: "Parents should be confident to let their children explore the opportunities the internet and new technologies can bring. However, they need to be able to support their children to develop the skills to become savvy and risk-aware digital citizens.”