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Education News Update

New Primary Curriculum

  • The new Primary Curriculum has now been released

  • Due to be introduced in September 2011, the curriculum will centred around six broad areas of learning:

  • Understanding the arts

  • Understanding English, communication and languages

  • Historical, geographical and social understanding

  • Mathematical understanding

  • Understanding physical development, health and wellbeing

  • Scientific and technological understanding

  • Major change is the introduction of a statutory requirement for all children to learn a modern foreign language from the age of seven

  • Dance, drama and citizenship are also introduced as parts of the new areas of learning

  • Further details about the new Primary Curriculum is available on National Curriculum Online

Religious Education for Primary Level

  • The new curriculum also introduces a programme of learning for primary Religious Education (RE)

  • The new programme gives pupils the opportunity to learn about Christianity and five other world religions

  • As a statutory subject, RE must be taught although the new curriculum allows for schools to use locally agreed syllabuses that reflect either the locality or the individual schools religious affiliations

  • However, although there is this flexibility, Local Authorities are still under a legal obligation (under the Education Act 1996) to ensure their schools syllabuses reflect the Christian religious traditions of Great Britain

  • Further information can be found at the DCSF Press Release

 

Green Schools

  • New report from the Zero Carbon Task Force (ZCTF) published this week, and its recommendations for reducing schools’ carbon footprint have been accepted by the Government

  • The ZCTF was set up in 2008 with a remit to advise the DCSF on achieving zero carbon schools

  • Key recommendations of the report include:

  • At least four pilot zero carbon schools to be operational in each region by 2016

  • Reductions in carbon emissions

  • To ensure that efficiency and carbon savings are included at the design stage for new building projects

  • A programme of refurbishment and retrofit, again with an emphasis on achieving carbon emission savings

  • To read the ZCTF report click here

  • More information at the DCSF Press Release

 

Free School Meals – Extension of Pilot Scheme

  • Following successful feedback from the initial three pilot areas, universal free school meals to primary pupils will be made available to six further areas

  • This extension will mean that each region will have at least one Local Authority offering free school meals

  • DCSF have allocated a further £35M funding for these new pilot areas

  • The Government has also proposed to extend free school meal eligibility to include all primary children from low income families (less than £16,190)

  • £85M earmarked for this, although the proposal still needs to be confirmed

  • DCSF Press Release

 

New Accreditation Process for Successful Schools

  • Ed Balls launches a new accreditation system for successful schools, education institutions, business, faith and charity groups

  • The “Accredited Schools Groups (ASG’s)” and “Accredited School Providers (ASP’s)” awards will act as a “chartermark” to enable successful schools to support or take over under-performing schools

  • ASP’s can take over up to two under-performing schools

  • Successful ASP’s (after showing competency and capacity in their ASP role), can then become ASG’s where they can lead three or more schools

  • To achieve accreditation, providers will need to demonstrate:

  • Sound governance

  • Highly effective leadership and management

  • A strong model for managing and improving schools

  • A track record of improving outcomes for children and young people

  • The capacity to achieve transformational change in the schools they are supporting

  • The first round of accreditation will run from now to the 10th March

  • ASP and ASG accreditation can be removed if the organisation does not maintain its standards

  • DCSF Press Release

 

Foundation Learning

  • New initiative announced to help support 14 and 15 year olds who need additional time and teaching to attain GCSE’s, Diploma’s and Apprenticeships

  • “Foundation Learning” will provide bite-size, flexible learning support to pupils from September 2010

  • Previously piloted in 22 areas, the release of Foundation Learning to all areas will be supported by £20M investment funding

  • Foundation Learning will provide additional help to pupils in many areas including:

  • Specialist Teaching (including vocational)

  • Personal tuition in school

  • Small-size classes

  • Extra support for maths, English and ICT

  • Learning mentors

  • Improved personal and social development opportunities

  • Off-site, work based provision

  • Foundation Learning will be used in some mainstream schools, PRU’s and Special Schools

  • It is anticipated that about half of pupils benefiting from Foundation Learning will have SEN or learning difficulties

  • DCSF Press Release

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