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The Green Paper 14-19: extending
opportunities, raising standards was published recently setting
out detailed proposals for a coherent 14-19 phase of learning.
The Department for Education and Skills is keen to hear your views
and is currently participating in a 'hotseat' on the National College
of School Leadership website. We invite you to log onto the site
at www.ncsl.org.uk/index.cfm?pageID=16
where you can debate
the proposals with Peter Shaw, Director General for Youth and David
Hargreaves, adviser to Estelle Morris on 14-19 issues. Copies of
the Green Paper have been sent to all secondary schools and FE sector
colleges and an online version can be found at www.dfes.gov.uk/14-19greenpaper
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Criminal Records Bureau: New arrangements for List 99 checks and
criminal background checks
www.crb.gov.uk
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From Monday 11 March 2002 the
Criminal Records Bureau will operate new arrangements for List 99
checks and criminal background checks though its Disclosure service.
The service will initially be available to those organisations currently
able to access criminal record checks and will be extended to all
other organisations during April 2002. All future requests for
these checks must be directed to the Bureau. If you have not already
registered with the Criminal Records Bureau, or made alternative
arrangements to apply for Disclosure through the Bureau, you can
find more information on the Bureau's website at www.crb.gov.uk
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The Department will shortly be
issuing guidance to employers in the education service on arranging
List 99 checks and criminal background checks through the Criminal
Records Bureau. This will replace the current guidance contained
in DfEE Circular 9/93, the DfEE Action Note dated 14 July 1998,
DfEE Guidance dated 10 September 1998 and the guidance on arranging
checks on supply teachers, contained in DfEE Circular 7/96.
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If you intend to appoint staff who will not be eligible to apply
for Disclosure through the Bureau, please contact the Department
for advice on 01325 392111 or 01325 392114.
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School Uniform Guidance - Guidance from the Department for Education
and Skills
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School governing bodies are responsible for deciding whether to
have a school uniform policy, and if so what it should be.
See under PUPIL SUPPORT inside
for more details.
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Consultation on the publication of the school and college performance
tables in 2002 will commence shortly. Views on the proposals will
be sought from LEAs and other interested organisations. The document
will be available on the Department for Education and Skills website
at
www.dfes.gov.uk/performancetables
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Schools who wish to put forward their views can do so by completing
the questionnaire and returning it electronically by clicking the
'Submit' button at the end. Alternatively you can post it to the
address shown at the front of the questionnaire.
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To obtain a hard copy of the document please contact Malcolm Harris
on 020 7925 5271.
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Early Years and Childcare Regulation Consultation
www.dfes.gov.uk/consultation
The consultation covers two areas, regulating childcare where
it occurs in schools and measures to confirm the suitability of
those caring for children aged eight and over.
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Curriculum
Examination & Assessment
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Write Here, Write Now, for pupils in Years 4 and 5, supports the
National Literacy Strategy and encourages all children to write,
including those who are not usually enthusiastic or confident writers.
Professional writers and celebrities have provided opening lines
for children to use as the starting point for their writing. There
are four categories: a story started by Jacqueline Wilson, a poem
begun by John Hegley, a non- fiction (persuasive writing) piece
from Terry Jones and, new this year for group entries, a non-fiction
(journalism) piece introduced by Newsround presenter Lizo Mzimba.
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For further details or to order a teacher's pack call the helpline
on 01634 729825, or visit the website: www.writehere.org.uk
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Funding for Partnerships Between Grammar Schools and Non-Selective
Schools
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Following on from last year's
competition, we are again inviting maintained grammar and non-selective
schools to apply for funding of up to £20,000 per partnership in
the 2002-03 financial year to develop collaborative projects to
learn from each other and share good practice. Partnerships which
were successful in last year's competition are invited to bid for
a second year of funding, but the lead school in the partnership
will need to provide clear evidence that the partnership and project
are well founded at the time of application and that their project
warrants further funding.
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Maintained non-selective schools and grammar schools interested
in working together on joint curricular
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activities can obtain a copy
of the DfES leaflet 'Partnerships Between Grammar and Non-Selective
Schools' from the Diversity Pathfinders Team by calling 020 7925
6063. The closing date for receipt of applications is 26 April
2002. We hope to announce the successful partnerships during
July 2002.
Successful partnerships should be ready to begin their projects
from September 2002.
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External markers for the Key Stage 2 English and Key Stage 3 English
and science National Curriculum tests for 2002
www.aqa.org.uk/qual/ks23.html
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The Assessment and Qualifications
Alliance has openings for English and science markers for the Key
Stage 3 tests. English markers for Key Stage 2 and the Year 7 Progress
tests are also required. Specialist training will be given, typically
fees are in the region of around £900.00 for work between May and
July. Further details from ks2&3-recruitment@aqa.org.uk or AQA,
KS2/3 & Y7PT, Wheatfield Rd, Westerhope, Newcastle-upon-Tyne,
NE5 5JZ.
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This sets out the current system for teaching modern foreign languages,
the Government's aspirations for language learning and teaching
and the areas in which it is developing proposals.
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A leaflet for teachers about the
new statutory assessment for the foundation stage is being distributed
to schools in March. The Foundation Stage Profile will replace
statutory baseline assessment from September 2002.
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UEFA 'Learning Disability' Football Week, 18-22 April 2002
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HunterScot and UEFA together with The Premier League, Nationwide
Div 1 and the Scottish Premier League, have created a 6 week rolling
event to develop awareness and fund-raising for Special Olympics,
The Learning Disability Charity.
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This is being supported by Atomic Kitten, Blue, Michael Owen,
Rio Ferdinand, Robbie Fowler, David James, Henrik Larsson, Jamie
Rednapp and his pop star wife, Louise.
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Events are taking place in March through to May, in the communities
around the Football Clubs and The Daily Express are featuring a
6 week campaign, highlighted by a penalty shoot-out competition
entitled 'Score a Goal for Special Olympics'
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The overall campaign will penetrate the Corporate world, highlighting
employment capability of Learning Disability sufferers and is also
aimed at young people and mainstream schools, encouraging them to
meet, participate and socialise with their learning disability contemporaries.
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This excellent marketing mix of pop stars and football heroes
is an ideal conduit to sweep away initial resistance and help get
across the message of social inclusion for Learning Disability sufferers
and their families.
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For further information please contact info@footballweek.net
Please include your mobile phone number and we will text you with
updates and future events.
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The first National Race for Racial Justice month will take place
from Wednesday 5 June to Friday 5 July 2002. It is hoped that schools
and colleges will participate by organising their own sponsored
race during their annual sports day. As a count down to the first
National Race month, Race for Racial Justice is also launching a
competition aimed at school children to write a multi-cultural rap.
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School Uniform Guidance - Guidance from the Department for Education
and Skills
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School governing bodies are responsible
for deciding whether to have a school uniform policy, and if so
what it should be. The Headteacher should ensure pupils comply
with the uniform policy agreed by the governing body. Parents should
raise any complaints about school uniform or dress codes with the
governing body, which should be receptive to any reasonable complaint.
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Cost of School Uniform: Governing
bodies should give high priority to cost. No school uniform should
be so expensive as to leave existing or prospective pupils, or
their families, feeling socially excluded because they cannot afford
the school uniform. This would cut across the Government's aims
of supporting parental preference and preventing social exclusion.
It is much better practice, and just as effective, To have a policy
that enables parents to shop around for the most cost effective
options will ensure their child meets the school's uniform code.
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The Department expects school
governing bodies to consider the impact of their policies on parents
and pupils and to behave reasonably. Consulting parents before
introducing a new uniform policy/dress code, or amending an existing
one, and being receptive to any parents' complaints, and handle
them respectfully, will help to arrive at a mutually acceptable
outcome.
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Physical Education: Schools should
adopt a sensitive, flexible approach here as there is some evidence
to suggest that participation and enjoyment of sport, especially
for girls, is enhanced where pupils feel comfortable about their
PE clothing. Schools should choose a PE uniform, which is practical,
comfortable and appropriate to the activity involved. Sex and race
discrimination issues must also be considered.
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Non-Compliance with a School's
Uniform Policy: Headteachers can discipline pupils for breach of
uniform policy. However, schools should discreetly try to establish
why a pupil is not complying with their uniform policy. If, for
example, parents are in financial difficulties, schools should be
sensitive to the needs of the pupil and give their parents time
to purchase the required items. Pupils should not be made to feel
uncomfortable, nor discriminated against because their parents cannot
provide them with the required items of school uniform. Exclusion
is not an appropriate response, except where it is part of a pattern
of defiant behaviour generally.
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Equality Issues: School governors
should have regard to their responsibilities under the Sex Discrimination
Act 1975, the Human Rights Act 1998 and the Race Relations Act 1976.
Also, from May 2002 the Race Relations Amendment Act requires schools
to have a race equality policy which requires them to assess the
impact of all their policies, including uniform/dress codes, on
children. For example, allowing Muslim girls to wear appropriate
dress and Sikh boys to wear traditional headdress. No pupil should
be disciplined for not complying with a school uniform policy because
of their particular cultural, race or religious dress code. Uniform
rules should not disadvantage one gender compared with the other.
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Organisation & Management
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Administrative Support Staff in Schools: Ways Forward
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The Department commissioned the National Foundation for Educational
Research to undertake research into the role of administrative support
staff and the impact of their work on teachers and pupils. The use
of administrative support staff in schools has increased significantly
in recent years and there has been much discussion of their role
and the tasks they should and could be carrying out.
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The research involved questionnaire surveys with head teachers,
deputy head teachers, curriculum coordinators, teachers and administrative
staff to ascertain the impact of administrative support staff in
schools, how teachers employ any time released by extra administrative
support staff and how the effective use of administrative support
can best be used to support pupil attainment. Case studies were
also carried out to look at examples of good practice.
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Good Practice in Cutting Bureaucracy / 2
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The DfES commissioned PricewaterhouseCoopers to undertake a project
to "Investigate, test and implement a holistic approach to
reducing bureaucratic burdens in a range of schools".
This was a second phase of work, built on the work of Phase 1
(see Cutting Burdens website - www.dfes.gov.uk/cuttingburdens/
), by focusing on how individual schools could implement good
practice in setting up "lean burn" management and
administrative systems across the full range of their activities.
Phase 2 focused in particular on:
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the introduction of information and communication technology (ICT)
and electronic data handling
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the transfer of tasks from teachers to support staff
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The outputs from Phase 2 consist
of a set of 12 project descriptions from the six participating schools.
All the schools found the project of significant value and believe
that the benefits achieved can have wider application in other schools.
A report on the Phase 2 projects will be available from DfES Publications
and copies can be downloaded from www.teachernet.gov.uk
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Headteacher and Governor's Packs
Outlining how the Award can help with: Student's prospects, OFSTED
assessments, Connexions, Key Skills, Active Citizenship, Social
inclusion, Absenteeism, Community relations, Education with Character.
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Teacher's Pack
Outlining how the Award can help to: Share pupil's achievements,
improve relationships with students, establish community links,
enhance career prospects, work with colleagues as a team and reach
disaffected pupils.
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Details are available at www.theaward.org by selecting 'The
Award in schools' option. To request a pack contact Catherine
Hennighan, The Duke of Edinburgh's Award, Gulliver House, Madeira
Walk, Windsor, Berkshire, SL4 1EU Tel: 01753 727468
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Administration & Management
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Excellence Fellowship Awards: A new scheme for teachers in Excellence
in Cities areas and Education Action Zones
www.dfes.gov.uk/efawards
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In March a new pilot scheme for school and FE college teachers
in Excellence in Cities areas and Education Action Zones was launched.
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The scheme will enable teachers, with the agreement of the heads,
to undertake a project in a higher education institution looking
at ways of improving progression amongst their students and widening
participation. Awards will be made of up to £20,000 each, the majority
of which will be for the school to use to purchase staff cover whilst
the teacher is absent on fellowship. Funding is being channelled
through 30 higher education institutions across England.
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Headteachers will have a major role, both in devising the fellowship
so it meets the needs of the school, and in identifying teachers
who are well suited to undertake a fellowship.
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Guidance can be found on the Department's Excellence Fellowships
website at www.dfes.gov.uk/efawards
or by telephoning
0114 2594502
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The DFES has published the Safety Education Guidance brochure
providing guidelines for this area of the PSHE framework, an area
where no authoritative guidance had previously been available.
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The DFES convened a Safety Education Sub Group with members drawn
from various Government departments, the public and voluntary sector
and from regulatory bodies such as HSE. The guidance was drafted
by a former PSHE teacher and adviser, now a member of the Royal
Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), following widespread
consultation with other interested organisations and an LEA. The
Guidance is consistent with previous guidance documents issued by
the Department where expertise has been compiled from representatives
of many different agencies, and DFES officials consider that it
will be a useful tool to schools.
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Excellence in Cities Primary Extension Newsletter Issue 9
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To raise awareness and disseminate information and good practice
about the primary Excellence in Cities programme throughout England;
including about the EiC local partnerships at primary level.
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Excellence in Cities Secondary Transformation Newsletter Issue
9
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To raise awareness and disseminate information and good practice
about the secondary Excellence in Cities programme throughout England;
including about the EiC local partnerships, which it focuses on
a part of the newsletter.
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A-Z of School Leadership & Management
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Guidance for Headteachers and Chairs of Governors on the National
Training
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Programme for New Governors
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This guidance suggests how Headteachers
and Chairs of Governors can support new governors. It complements
training materials developed for the National Training Programme
for New Governors, which were issued to LEA Co-ordinators of Governor
Services and Diocesan Trainers, at the end of August.
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From management and finance to curriculum and standards, the A
to Z of School Leadership and Management (www.dfes.gov.uk/a-z ) is all you need
to be kept up to date with school management issues.
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The following topics have been updated:
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Ordering Publications from DfES
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Induction of newly qualified teachers (NQTs)
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LEA intervention
National College of School Leadership
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The Stationery Office publications
are priced and available from The Stationery Office, 51 Nine Elms
Lane, London, SW8 5DR; Tel: 0870 242 2345; email: Customer.Service@ukstate.com
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The Education (School Day and School Year) (Amendment) (Wales)
Regulations 2002
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Stationery Office : January 2002
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ISBN 0 11090416 8 : £1.75
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The Education (Special Educational Needs) (Wales) Regulations
2002
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Stationery Office : January 2002IS
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The Special Educational Needs Code of Practice (Appointed Day)
(Wales) Order 2002
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Stationery Office : January 2002
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ISBN 0 11090419 2 : £1.75
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The Special Educational Needs (Provision of Information by Local
Education
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Authorities) (Wales) Regulations 2002 Stationery
Office : January 2002
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ISBN 0 11090420 6 : £2.00
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The Education (Mandatory Awards) Regulations 2001 (Amendment)
(No. 3)
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Regulations 2002
Stationery Office : January 2002
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ISBN 0 11 039286 8 : £1.50
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The Education (Student Support) Regulations 2001 (Amendment) (No.
3)
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Regulations 2002
Stationery Office : January 2002
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ISBN 0 11 039287 6 : £1.50
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The Education (Mandatory Awards) Regulations 2001 (Amendment)
(No. 4)
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Regulations 2002
Stationery Office : February 2002
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ISBN 0 11 039348 1 : £1.50
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The Education (Chief Inspector of Schools in England) Order 2002
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Stationery Office : February 2002
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ISBN 0 11 039323 6 : £1.50
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