UK Education
Update
Issue
Three, July 2002
Contents
Record Increase in Education Spending in England
The 2002 Spending Review announced by the Government on 15 July includes
a record increase in education spending in England over the next three
years. It delivers
· A 6% rise per year in real terms to £57.8 billion by 2005-06
· A forecast 5.6% of GDP spent on education by 2005-06 (up from
5% in 2001-02)
In her "Investment for Reform" package Secretary of State for
Education, Estelle Morris, agreed to a series of performance targets which
covered maintaining improvements in primary schools, raising attainment
levels in secondary schools and improving adults' basic skills.
Notable key reforms are:
- More specialist
schools (within the comprehensive - nonselective, all ability - system,
every school will aim for specialist status with its own mission and
center of excellence)
- Successful schools
will be encouraged to expand or take over weak/failing schools
- More money will
go directly to schools, with Leadership Grants to empower good headteachers.
The best headteachers will lead others; some leading clusters of schools
- From September
2004 previously piloted Education Maintenance Allowances (EMAs) will
offer up to £1500 a year to eligible 16-19 year olds from lower
income families for any course of full time study (linked to attendance
requirements)
More information will be available as the proposals unfold. In the meantime,
to read about the Spending Review in more detail, please go to: www.hm-treasury.gov.uk
Radical Reform of Education in Northern Ireland
The report of the Review Body on Post Primary Education, "Education
for the 21st Century" (also known as the Burns Report), was published
in October 2001 and called for radical changes to education in Northern
Ireland such as the abolition of the selection process for entry to secondary
education at age 11. (Most of the rest of the UK has non-selective entry
to secondary - high school - education.)
More than 100,000 responses to the consultation have been received and
the closing date for comments was at the end of June 2002.
The report favors replacing the system of siphoning students by ability
with a system of "informed parental choice" allowing parents
to choose the most appropriate school for their child.
Education Minister for Northern Ireland, Martin McGuinness, plans to
announce proposals for the way forward in the Fall. According to statistics
from the Department of Education Northern Ireland 8% of students attending
the selective grammar schools are from low-income families while 50% of
entrants to Higher Education did not come through the grammar school system.
To read the report's recommendations in full, please go to the website
of the Department of Education Northern Ireland: www.deni.gov.uk
Teacher Recruitment and Retention in England
The government has put forward the following proposals to combat teacher
shortages:
- There is to be
a new national advertising campaign to encourage more graduates to enter
teaching.
- There will be more
opportunities for flexible training places for those wanting to train
whilst working.
- Those entering
post-graduate training will be eligible for a £6,000 bursary.
- There will be a
£4,000 "golden hello" for those who train and go on
to teach in shortage subjects
- Pay increases above
the rate of inflation for teachers
- The possibility
of paying off student loans of newly qualified teachers
Latest research from the Institute of Education and the London Leadership
Centre also shows that two out of every five deputy or assistant heads
have no desire to become headteachers; many blame bureaucracy and workload.
This reflects a reduction in the number of application for headteacher
posts over the last few years. At the same time, Her Majesty's Inspector
of Schools reports that experienced heads and Local Education Authorities
could do more to support new and aspiring heads.
Board to Review If Schools Can Meet Targets and Provide Balanced Curriculum
A review of the curriculum taught in primary (elementary) schools in England
is being considered in the face of growing complaints that students are
not getting a wide variety of subjects. The dominance of English and math,
where daily literacy and numeracy hours are mandated, has led to complaints
from teachers and mounting evidence that other subjects (such as physical
education, music and art) are being pushed out.
A 30 member committee, including representatives from the Office of Standards
in Education (OfSTED), the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA)
and civil servants will carry out the review.
(Source: Times Educational Supplement, June 28, 2002)
New Government Ministers
A recent ministerial reshuffle has resulted in two new holders of key
education posts in England:
David Miliband
Minister of State for School Standards
A wide portfolio of responsibilities includes overall responsibility for
raising school standards; diversity in schools; specialist schools; teachers
issues; reform of 14-19 education and training; qualifications policy
Stephen Twigg
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Young People and Learning
A long list of responsibilities includes a strategy for London schools
(this is in recognition of the particular pressures, such as teacher retention,
social deprivation, in the capital's schools: see below); careers service
and youth service; volunteering; "at risk" youth; truancy and
discipline
Both men are in their mid thirties, attended public school (comprehensives)
and the University of Oxford.
London Challenge: Proposals to Improve the Capital's
Schools
The Secretary of State for Education in England has announced a number
of initiatives aimed at tackling the problems facing London's schools.
Focusing on standards, behaviour and choice, the Minister outlined measures
to meet the "London Challenge". They include:
§ At least 25 new City Academies (publicly-funded independent secondary
schools)
§ A new London Schools Commissioner to drive the new strategy forward,
working with new London Schools Minister Stephen Twigg MP
§ More measures to attract and keep high quality teachers in London
§ An Innovation Fund to help good schools work with others to raise
standards
§ A new London Centre for Gifted and Talented Children to help the
most able pupils, costing £10m
§ £7.5m to support Head teachers and school leaders.
(Source: Department for Education and Skills press release 7/1/02
)
Citizenship Education in Scotland
A new report outlines the basis for introducing citizenship education
to Scottish students aged 3 - 18. Citizenship education will become one
of the national priorities in education as set out in the Standards in
Scotland's Schools Act 2000. The report was issued by Learning and Teaching
Scotland (LT Scotland) which handles all matters relating to curriculum
from the pre-school through secondary sectors. The report, "Education
for Citizenship in Scotland" can be read at: www.ltscotland.com/citizenship/
From August (2002) citizenship will be a statutory Foundation subject
in secondary schools across England. The Department for Education and
Skills has further information on its website at: www.dfes.gov.uk/citizenship/index.cfm
(Source: Scottish Executive News)
Truancy and Bad Behavior in Schools
The Secretary of State for Education in England, has announced guidelines
to enable schools to work more effectively with local police forces, including
basing a police officer in and around school. The initiative aims to:
- Reduce truancy
& exclusions
- Reduce criminal
or anti-social behavior in schools & their communities
- Identify &
work with children at risk of becoming victims or offenders
- Support school
staff and vulnerable pupils
- Promote full participation
of all children in the life of the school and the community
This coincides with the controversial decision of a judge at Oxford Crown
Court to pass 60-day prison sentence on a mother for failing to ensure
the attendance of her two teenage daughters at school. Education minister
Estelle Morris commented, "If this is a sign that magistrates are
taking truancy as seriously as I am, then I welcome it."
National College for School Leadership: International Placements
Launched in November 2000, the National College for School Leadership
(NCSL) provides professional development and support for current and future
school leaders in England.
In partnership with the British Council the NCSL has developed a program
of International School Leader Placements. The program offers the opportunity
for school leaders to investigate leadership practices and various other
aspects of school organization, structure and operation within international
educational systems.
Headteachers took part in an initial pilot program to Washington, DC,
and Fairfax, Virginia, in June 2001. In March 2002, headteachers visited
Montgomery County Public Schools, Maryland; Chaffey Joint Union High School
District, California; and Pennsylvania State University.
Each participant undertook a personal study with specific development
objectives
based on the placement experience. Participants were encouraged to choose
3-4 themes (see examples below) and focus on them during the visit:
- The study of 'internship'
as a training mechanism for leadership
- The dimensions
and competencies of school leadership
- The use of teams
to promote organizational effectiveness
- Mentoring to promote
professional effectiveness
- Strategies to recruit
and retain teaching and leadership staff
- 'Leading from the
middle' - strategies to improve the skills of
middle managers
- 'Beacon' schools,
'observatory' schools - how to mark and use
excellence
- The selection and
training of school leaders
For further information, please contact: edward.burke@us.britishcouncil.org
For information on the National College for School Leadership: www.ncsl.org.uk/
Business and Further Education Sector to Develop Closer Links
Businesses are to be given a central role in determining the courses offered
by further education colleges.* Education Secretary Estelle Morris has
said reviews by learning and skills councils would put learners' and employers'
needs first. She said that new institutions would be set up in areas where
there were none that met the needs of business. New performance targets
and incentives will also be introduced and an additional £43 million
in funding has been pledged to the sector.
* Further education, or FE, is education and training which
includes both academic and vocational education, below degree level, for
people over the school leaving age of 16.
(Source: Financial Times, June 20 2002 )
Online Toolkit for Community College Advisors
The British Council USA now has online information for study abroad advisors
at community colleges. The web information includes:
- studying in the
UK at the further education level
- how to subscribe
to an electronic bulletin of study UK news
- an exchange service
for UK and US institutions
- a pre-departure
guide for US students
or contact: LauraLee.Ketcham@us.britishcouncil.org
For More Information
If there are any topics
you would like to see covered in future editions of the Update, please
contact: alison.corbett@us.britishcouncil.org,
Education Research Officer, The British Council USA
Additional contacts
jenny.scott@us.britishcouncil.org
Director Education, The British Council USA
andy.mackay@us.britishcouncil.org,
Director, The British Council USA
judith.grant@worldnet.att.net
, Consultant to the British Embassy
British Embassy website; www.britainUSA.com
To add or remove a
name from the distribution list, please email alison.corbett@us.britishcouncil.org
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