NEWS

Schools: achieving success - Discussion pack

The White Paper Schools Achieving Success Discussion Pack contains a video and information about feedback during the consultation period. The video addresses issues relating to the key themes of the White Paper and it should encourage debate about the White Paper among school staff. It follows on from the Schools Achieving Success conferences and includes Estelle Morris sharing her vision for schools as well as the views of headteachers who took part in these events. If you want to participate in the formal consultation process please use  the response form that accompanies the full version of the White Paper or alternatively fill in the form on-line on the Schools Achieving    Success part of TeacherNet (www.teachernet.gov.uk ) or telephone DfES Publications  quoting reference DfES/0719/2001.

Autumn Package 2001

The 2001 Autumn Package of Pupil Performance Information for key stages 1, 2 and 3 will be distributed to schools in October. Accompanying this year's package will be a CD-ROM containing the Interactive Autumn Package (IAP), which will process and analyse your school's pupil performance data.  Both of these tools are designed to support target-setting and school improvement, and will be available to download from the Standards Website at www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/performance

For further copies please telephone DfES Publications on 0845 602 2260.  For all other enquiries, please telephone 0870 000 2288 or   email autumn.package@dfes.gsi.gov.uk

Schools will also receive their PANDAs from OFSTED as closely as possible to this date.

The School Achievement Awards Scheme

www.dfes.gov.uk/teachingreforms/rewards/schoolachieve

This is the second year of the Awards Scheme, taking account of   results in the 2000/01 school year.  Two leaflets are available:

The School Achievement Awards Scheme - Round 2

…..describes the awards scheme and sets out its purpose, principles   and design as well as explaining how award winning schools will be selected. 

The School Achievement Awards Scheme: Nominations for   Round Two

…..describes the awards scheme nomination process and how awards winning schools will be selected.

Copies of both leaflets can be obtained from DfES Publications (quote refs: DfES/0675/2001 and DfES/0676/2001) and the  School Achievement Awards Scheme Team, tel: Amanda Thomas on 020 7925 6147 or Andrea Boughey on 020 7925 6456.

Consultation on Key Stage 2 targets for English and mathematics                                DfES/0541/2001 www.dfes.gov.uk/consultation

This consultation paper invites comments on national targets for 2004 for Key Stage 2.  It proposes national targets in English and mathematics for Level 5+ and minimum performance targets for local education authorities.  It also asks whether governing bodies should be required to set school targets for the  percentage of pupils achieving Level 5+.

Copies are available from DfES Publications.

16-19 organisation and inspection: a consultation document www.dfes.gov.uk/consultation

We will be setting out our detailed plans for the creation of a coherent, well-balanced 14-19 phase of learning in a separate document in the New Year, but in the meantime we need to take the opportunity presented by an Education Bill to consult on legislative changes to the 14-19 phase.

Improving inspection, improving schools www.dfes.gov.uk/consultation

This consultation paper from OFSTED contains proposals designed to ensure that inspection becomes:

-  more responsive to the priorities of schools and the policies of government;

-  more supportive of school improvement;

-  better informed about the views of parents, pupils and the wider community; and -  better co-ordinated with other inspection and monitoring activity.

There are 16 consultation issues in the paper, each relating to a proposal which follows up one or more of these themes. We should like to know your views on all these issues.  The consultation paper and response form have been sent to all schools (three copies each), all inspectors enrolled by OFSTED, and national organisations.

Further printed copies of the documents can be obtained from OFSTED publications centre 07002 637833. If you have any queries about this consultation contact the consultation helpline on 020 7421 6620.

GUIDANCE & INFORMATION

Curriculum & Standards

NLS Early Literacy Support Programme - materials to support teachers working in partnership with teaching assistants                                                                                                          

This book is the essential guide for teachers, giving them an overview of what is being covered in the sessions each day and suggestions for links with whole-class teaching. It also contains a pack of materials to support the screening process to help determine which children require additional support.

Guidance for Beacon Schools: Renewal of Beacon Status After Three Years               DfES/0707/2001

www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/beaconschools

Beacon schools that can provide evidence of success as a Beacon will be eligible for an extension of their status after three years.  A school’s success as a Beacon will be judged on a combination of both quantitative and qualitative evidence.  This document provides guidance on renewing Beacon status.

Sex and Relationship Education (SRE) and Parents  DfES 0706/2001

www.dfes.gov.uk/sreandparents

Everything you want to know as a teacher, and nothing more

Following on from the Sex and Relationship Education Guidance published July 2000,  this details the areas of sex and relationship education that are covered in statutory science lessons and also provides information and advice to those parents who are considering withdrawing their child from the non-statutory elements of sex and relationship education.

Planning for Learning - Supplementary guidance on planning for the Foundation Stage  QCA/01/799

This is supplementary guidance that should be read alongside the core reference document, “Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage”.  Planning for Learning is intended to provide a clear and simple approach to planning that can be applied across a range of different settings, recognising their varying needs.  Some examples of planning have been included in the guidance to illustrate the different approaches of a number of early years practitioners.

Guidance on the Development of Early Writing in Reception Classes                           DfES/0713/2001

This brings together and summarises advice on teaching writing in Reception classes contained in recent publications “Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage” and “Developing Early Writing”  (which is a generic product for primary schools). It is intended for use by practitioners, headteachers and governors and aims to illustrate the principal messages from these two documents within the specific context of the Reception class.

Teachers & Staffing

Welcome Back Bonuses for Returners to Teaching www.dfes.gov.uk/teachingreforms/welcomebackbonuses

Guidance to maintained schools, Non-maintained Special schools and LEAs about processing applications from teachers for the Welcome Back Bonus scheme.  Copies are available form Welcome Back Bonuses Registration Team,  DfES,  Area C7, East Lane House, East Lane, Runcorn, WA7 2GJ    Tel:  01928 792 022.  Audio cassette, braille and Welsh language versions are also available on request.

Management & Finance

Voluntary Aided Schools Information System (VASIS) - Invitation to apply for passwords

DfES/0744/2001

The second phase of the VASIS development is planned for completion in late January 2002.  This phase will provide a new and exciting feature that will allow you to access a read only ‘window’ directly into VASIS.

LEA Education Development Plans

Consultation on draft guidance for the next generation of LEA Education Development Plans, covering the period 2002-2007, ended on 19 September 2001. Final guidance will be published by 31 October 2001. LEAs are required to submit their new EDPs by 31 January 2002 for approval by the Secretary of State by the end of March.

School Governance

Guidance for Head Teachers and Chairs of Governors on the National Training Programme for New governors                                                                                                                             DfES/0736/2001 www.dfes.gov.uk/governor.

This guidance suggests how heads and chairs 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.  Part A of the guidance suggests how new governors can be supported by their own schools on appointment, and has been written drawing on existing good practice.  Part B explains how the 3 modules of the new National Programme fit together and what they each cover.

The guidance is available on request from the DfES Publication Centre.

General Interest

STATISTICAL FIRST RELEASE: Youth Cohort Study: The Activities and Experiences of 17 year olds: England and Wales, 2000  Issue No 42/2001

STATISTICAL FIRST RELEASE: Youth Cohort Study:  The Activities and Experiences of 19 year olds:  England and Wales, 2000    Issue No 43/2001

Thanks to all schools that responded to the request to provide names and addresses of a sample of Year 11 pupils for the Eleventh Youth Cohort Study. The latest reports on the findings of previous cohorts are released on 31 October.

New York - September 11^th, 2001

Message from “A Mother”

I have been thinking of how difficult it must be for American Moms and Dads to explain Tuesday 11^th to their kids, when they themselves have no direct experience of Terrorist attack or activity before, sadly unlike us in other countries - here in the UK and the rest of Europe I’m sure we can think of (all too) many awful events from the very recent to those several years ago.

Lorraine Miller of Illinois, who I met and befriended through a yahoo club, is just one example of a Mom   who has to make sense of this tragedy not only for herself but for her children and she has asked me if I  can help by asking all those who are teachers and pupils, parents, grandparents or any other relative who has children at schools in the UK, Europe or anywhere else in the world to write from your school or college to the schools and colleges of the USA giving your support at this time of need.

Go on your local talk radio station and ask others to get involved, write to your newspaper, post messages in your clubs, e-groups and newsgroups! Send letters, stories, poem, pictures - whatever you can! We now have the internet to help us communicate and I’m sure everyone of us knows or has someone in their community who has been affected by the recent tragedy. I’m also sure that there will be kids or adults at  our educational establishments who have friends and relatives in the USA who can contact the schools there and help arrange this. Who knows what goodness and new bonds of friendship can come out of this?

I hope that by encouraging our diverse communities to talk to one another from an early and formative age, these young people - and us adults too! - can maybe gain a greater understanding of one another and a wish for peace so that when our children have kids of their own we will not see events like this being able to happen ever again. Over here ‘on the other side of the pond’, we can’t do much, but we will do what we   can!

List of Contacts

New York City (NYC) Board of Education www.nycenet.edu

WTC Schoolchildren Relief Fund  www.nycenet.edu/tempsite/relief_fund.html

Addressing Students’ Needs After the NYC Tragedy  www.nycenet.edu/tempsite/coping/html.

At the end of this section, there is an extensive list of contacts, several of which are from the New York City Board of Education’s Division of Student Support Services. I think these would be the most appropriate people for LEAs and schools to contact. The list of contacts for that Division is as follows:

Francine Goldstein, Chief Executive (718) 935-4042

Vincent B. Giordano, Executive Director (718) 935 3252

Barbara Erdman Lipner, Director Student Support Services. Special Projects (718) 935-3415 Alida Seidel, Director of Pupil Personnel Services, (718) 935-3415

PRICED PUBLICATIONS

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    www.tsonline.co.uk/

The Education (Student Support) (European Institutions) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2001,

SI2892/2001 Stationery Office : September 2001                                                                      ISBN 0 11 029930 2 : £1.50

The Education (Student Support) (Dance and Drama) (Amendment) Regulations 2001, SI2893/2001 Stationery Office : September 2001                                                                      ISBN 0 11 029914 0 : £1.50

The Education (Grant) (Financial Support for Students) Regulations 2001, SI2894/2001

Stationery Office : September 2001                                                                      ISBN 0 11 029915 9 : £1.50

The Education (Teachers' Qualifications and Health Standards) (England) (Amendment No. 2) Regulations 2001, SI2896/2001

Stationery Office : September 2001                                                                     ISBN 0 11 029910 8 : £1.75

The Education (Induction Arrangements for School Teachers) (Consolidation) (England)  Regulations 2001, SI2897/2001

Stationery Office : September 2001                                                                      ISBN 0 11 029911 6 : £3.00

The Education (School Teachers' Pay and Conditions) (No. 4) Order 2001, SI2899/2001

Stationery Office : September 2001                                                                      ISBN 0 11 029916 7 : £1.50

The Education (School Performance Targets) (England) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2001, SI2944/2001

Stationery Office : September 2001                                                                      ISBN 0 11 038857 7 : £1.50

The Education (School Teachers' Pay and Conditions) (No. 5) Order 2001, SI2962/2001

Stationery Office : September 2001                                                                     ISBN 0 11 029917 5 : £1.50

The Education (Fast Track Bursaries and Grants) (England) Regulations 2001, SI3071/2001  Stationery Office : October 2001                                                                         ISBN 0 11 029931 0. : £1.75