Concrew Training

Science and Maths are the pathway to a successful future. Yet fewer than 20% of 16-19 year olds take A-Level Maths, and half of mixed state schools had no girls study A-Level Physics in 2011. The Your Life campaign aims to change this, with an ambition to increase the number of students studying STEM subjects by 50% over the next three years. http://www.yourlife.org.uk/

#Ofsted should be able to inspect private schools in England, Education Secretary Michael Gove has suggested. He said Ofsted's chief inspector, Sir Michael Wilshaw, was "the person who is most trusted" on educational standards in England. Speaking at a conference at fee-paying Brighton College, Mr Gove was asked if he could foresee a single inspectorate. Brighton College headmaster Richard Cairns predicted a "lukewarm" response to the idea from many private schools. Currently private schools are inspected by various bodies. The biggest is the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI). more at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-27341805#?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=ukedchat

Officials have warned Nick Clegg that his plan to offer free school meals to four- to seven-year-olds risks diverting money away from teaching in a way that is "wholly unacceptable" to Michael Gove, leaked emails reveal. In an escalation of the coalition row over the policy, correspondence handed to the BBC's World at One showed that the education secretary objected to the way the policy was costed, and warned in a letter to the Treasury that the government "must not risk forcing schools to subsidise meals by reducing their spending on teaching and learning". A further email from a senior official, hours before the deputy prime minister was due to speak publicly about the £1bn policy, was marked "NOT CLEARED" and warned that it would cost much more than originally thought to implement. "The gap between the deputy prime minister's figure and the Treasury funding will require our secretary of state to divert money from providing school places

Secondary school pupils have shared ideas on how to help young people who have become dependent on internet-enabled devices, after a survey of 11 to 17-year-olds found that 40% sometimes felt addicted to their smartphone, laptop or tablet. The students spoken to had been using a tablet to study for more a year, as part of an ongoing programme by the charity Tablets for Schools. The first suggestion in the students' charter is to resist the temptation to keep internet enabled devices with you when you go to bed. Some 64% of the 2,228 pupils spoken to said they did this, and a correlation was found between this happening and feelings of addiction. Setting limits on how often you check sites like Facebook, finding new activities to do offline when you're feeling bored and turning off devices when studying were also part of the guidance. More at: http://www.tabletsforschools.org.uk/too-much-time-online-the-tablets-for-schools-students-charter-to-counter-internet-addiction/

“The timing of publication for each summary will be determined on a case by case basis and the first report is due to be published at the end of this month.” Dr Collins, who can call for college leaders to be stripped of powers and even advise the Skills Minister to shut a college down, took up the newly-created post in December, but his reports and recommendations have been largely kept under wraps. However, a spokesperson for the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) told FE Week: “The decision has been taken to publish summaries of the findings from the FE Commissioner to enable the sector to see and learn lessons from those that have been through the process. So far Dr Collins has visited at least six colleges — K College, Stockport College, Barnfield College, City of Bristol College and City of Liverpool College. He has also been to LeSoCo, but his warning of weaknesses in leadership at the grade four South London college failed to result in a change in either pr

With regard to school food standards, school leaders are best placed to make decisions about the day-to-day running of their schools. Whilst there is no requirement for schools to serve food from British farmers and fish from sustainable sources, a number of schools already do so. For example, holders of the Food for Life Partnership gold and silver awards are required to demonstrate how they source ethical and environmentally-friendly food and support local food producers. The proposed revised school food standards state that wherever possible, foods should be prepared in the school’s own kitchen from fresh, locally sourced ingredients. The Department for Education encourages academies and free schools to recognise the benefits of promoting healthy eating and good nutrition by providing food and drink in a way that is broadly consistent with the established standards. In July 2012, the Department for Education published a review of school food, the School Food Plan. In undertaking th

One of the biggest challenges facing organisations, teachers and trainers in delivering Grade 1 ‘outstanding’ lessons and training sessions, is lack of time. Time to plan and prepare learning is essential – but at always at a premium – consequently most lessons and training sessions have to be developed quickly with minimal preparation and resources. This one-day workshop on #Outstanding-Teaching from #Concrew-Training reminds participants of what makes any teaching or training session outstanding, gives clarity on what Grade 1 lessons or training sessions typically look like and then considers how they need to be structured to ensure outstanding learning. The workshop then examines techniques, approaches and toolkits that enable teachers and trainers to develop and deliver outstanding learning sessions when preparation time is at a premium. Participants explore the importance of differentiation, pace and the need to maintain high levels of involvement, motivation and interest from