The Education and Inspections Bill (see April 06 Update for background) has received Royal Assent and is now law. It contains key reforms to raise standards, give parents more choice and schools more freedom to innovate.

Under the new reforms schools will for the first time have the statutory power to impose discipline on students. In addition, the Act extends schools’ power to make parents take responsibility for their child’s actions if they misbehave.

The Act will also:

• ensure that parents take their share of responsibility for their child’s behavior through greater use of parenting contracts, measures to ensure that their children do not wander the streets in the early days of exclusion and compulsory reintegration interviews when an excluded child returns to school;

• deliver reforms needed to further raise standards in schools, particularly in deprived areas , including measures to support stronger partnerships, and new curriculum entitlements;

• allow for the creation of trust schools. Acquiring a trust will allow schools to work with external partners to raise standards and support more young people in fulfilling their potential.

Find out more about the Education and Inspections Act 2006.

(Source: Department for Education and Skills newsletter Oct/Nov 06)

The government has introduced changes to the way literacy and numeracy is taught in elementary schools in England.

In 1999, the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) introduced the “literacy hour” and “numeracy hour”. This approach brought improvements to attainment levels in literacy and numeracy but these fell short of targets set. Furthermore employers continue to complain that school-leavers lack basic skills such as the ability to spell and punctuate or do mental arithmetic.

As a result the literacy and numeracy curriculum is being narrowed further to focus more specifically on core areas. Recent research suggests that children learn to read more effectively by using synthetic phonics - learning the sounds of letters and letter groupings before they attempt whole words.

In the new framework, teachers will have to introduce discrete phonics teaching of up to 20 minutes every day. The framework will also bring in explicit inclusion of listening and speaking skills. In math, mental arithmetic will be stressed even more strongly than before and there are increased expectations for calculation and recall of number facts, in particular the use of times tables.

Read more about the Primary National Strategy from the DfES.

(Source: British Council’s RETAm@il – October 2006)

In March 2006, the Secretary of State for Education and Skills announced an independent review of teaching and learning. It was chaired by Christine Gilbert, now chief inspector of schools for England, and is sometimes referred to as the “Gilbert Review”.

The report, 2020 Vision, presents a vision for personalizing teaching and learning for children and young people aged 5-16 and makes recommendations for the delivery of that vision.

The report considers:

• Ways to improve and sustain the rate of student progress.

• Strategies to enhance teachers' skills and share best practice.

• How to engage students and parents in the learning process.

• Ways in which flexibilities in the curriculum might support personalized learning.

• How to establish a better system of innovation in teaching and learning in school.

For more information, read 2020 Vision.

Education ministers accept the recommendation of more tailored education suited to individuals’ needs. This has implications for curriculum, testing, and assessment.

The Department for Education and Skills is carrying out a consultation which seeks views on many of the ideas raised in 2020 Vision. See item below for more information.

(Sources: TeacherNet, BBC News January 4, 2007)

The Department for Education and Skills (DfES) has issued a consultative document to open up debate on improving ways to measure students’ progress in school and look at a more personalized classroom experience for all. The consultation reflects many of the ideas in the report 2020 Vision (see item above).

The consultation proposes four new approaches:

• Changes to educational assessment, including options to take an externally-marked test whenever the student is ready. This will imply more frequent, better focused, shorter tests.

• Individual tuition, or small group ‘catch-up’ lessons, for students who are falling behind.

• School progress targets (alongside existing targets) - using the rich resource of data on each student to measure progress trends rather than absolute attainment.

• A progression premium, or school-level incentive payment, for success in achieving progress targets for under-attaining students. Schools can spend the extra funding at their discretion in support of a richer curriculum.

The new approaches to teaching and learning would be piloted over two years in selected schools in England.

Learn more about proposed changes in the consultation document Making Good Progress. The deadline to respond to the consultation is April 2007.

(Source: Department for Education and Skills)

The government is preparing to launch the first wave of specialized diplomas in England. This follows on from the proposals outlined in the white paper on reforming the education of 14 -19 year olds (see April 06 Update for background).

According to the Department for Education and Skills the diplomas aim to give young people a real alternative to traditional learning styles by offering an imaginative, high-quality blend of general education and applied learning – whether the student is headed for higher education or the workplace.

The first five diplomas will be available for teaching from September 2008 in the following subjects: construction and the built environment; information technology; creative and media studies; health and social care, and engineering.

For additional information, download and read Specialised Diplomas – your questions answered.

(Source: Department for Education and Skills newsletter Oct/Nov 06)

An independent review of the school system in Northern Ireland has examined education funding and school planning, taking into consideration curriculum changes and demographic trends.

The Independent Strategic Review of Education (also known as the "Bain Report") has made 61 recommendations such as:

• Fewer but larger schools.

• Enrolment minima for rural and urban schools.

• Support for integrated schools and those with inclusion policies.

The review promotes an area-based approach to school planning to tackle the problem of too many schools, many of which are under-enrolled. The Education Minister has said that this does not mean a blanket closure of all small schools. Each case will be looked at individually taking account of curriculum provision and options for collaboration and partnership with other schools.

The review recognizes the importance of integration in Northern Ireland’s fast-changing society and calls for tangible support for schools which include students from different cultural, religious and ethnic backgrounds. The report stops short of recommending enforced integration in a society which has a mix of schools - Catholic, Protestant, integrated, and Irish language – often serving a small geographical area.

In its initial response to the review the government has broadly accepted the recommendations with some areas requiring further consultation. An implementation plan will be issued early this year.

Read more about the Strategic Review of Education, including the review Schools for the Future: Funding, Strategy, Sharing.

(Source: Department of Education Northern Ireland, BBC News January 23, 2007)

From September 2007 all Welsh schools will have the opportunity to offer the new Welsh Baccalaureate, an overarching qualification which has been piloted in 31 schools since 2003.

The Welsh bac consists of two parts: core and options. The core has four components: key skills, Wales, Europe and the world, work-related education, and personal and social education. The options can be chosen from qualifications already offered by schools such as A-levels or vocational qualifications.

Students can also get credit for community work and work experience. The bac aims to offer a broader education than the traditional A-level or vocational route.

Find out more about the Welsh bac.

(Source: BBC News October 19, 2006)

HM Inspectors of Education (HMIE) have published the first in a series of portraits depicting current practice in key aspects of the Scottish school curriculum. The initiative stems from last year’s HMIE report: Improving Scottish Education.

This first portrait examines citizenship education. It is intended to promote improvements in Scottish education through illustrating effective practice, raising current issues, and stimulating reflection and debate.

Read Education for Citizenship: a Portrait of Current Practice in Scottish Schools and Pre-school Centres.

(Source: LTS Education News Digest 19, September 29, 2006)

In 2004 the government commissioned an independent review of the UK’s long term skills needs, chaired by Lord Leitch.

Known as the Leitch Review of Skills, the final report calls for urgent action to improve the skills of the workforce and enable the UK to compete globally. The report looks at what is required for the UK to become a world leader in skills by 2020. It recommends:

• Compulsory full or part-time education until age 18.

• 95 percent of adults have basic literacy and numeracy by 2020.

• 40 percent of adults hold a degree or higher level qualification.

• An increase in the number of apprenticeships.

• Simplification of the current myriad vocational qualification options and agencies.

• A new careers service for England.

• Further education colleges refocus on skills development.

• Employers play a greater role in training with their skills needs at the heart of adult training.

The social and financial benefits of skills training are outlined, along with the investment required. The report calls on the government to increase spending on higher education (from its current level of 1.1 percent of GDP to 2 percent). With one third of employers not offering any kind of training, the report also requires employers to increase their investment in their workforce.

For more information, including the final report Prosperity for all in the global economy - world class skills, go to HM Treasury’s Leitch Review.

(Sources: BBC News November 21, December 5 and 9, 2006)

In a pre-Budget report, the UK’s finance minister (Chancellor Gordon Brown) set out his plans for education spending, emphasizing that education remains at the forefront of government policy.

In higher education, Mr Brown suggested that students who volunteer could get help with their tuition fees.

Students in England now pay up to £3,000 ($5,910*) per year for tuition depending on their financial background. It is paid as a graduate tax once their salary reaches a certain level.

Mr Brown’s plan is for students to work in children’s centers, youth services and schools. They would receive about £60 ($118*) per week to help with living expenses. At the end of a 40 week commitment, they would receive the equivalent of one year’s tuition at a university in England (£3,000).

The plan will go out for consultation but could be in place for about 1,500 students at the start of the next academic year.

* Current exchange rate: $1.97 = 1GBP

(Sources: The Guardian and BBC News December 7, 2006)

Five universities in England are offering “fast-track” degrees in certain subjects. This means that a student could receive a full honors degree in two years rather than three.

The higher education minister supports the move saying that universities should be more flexible in the service they offer. It is hoped that the courses will attract a more diverse student population and help meet the government’s goal of 50 percent participation in higher education in England by 2010.

There is some concern about the extra workload for students and faculty. Students on the compressed degree program effectively use the summer months as an extra semester in which to complete their courses.

Although students on fast-track degrees will save on a year’s tuition (£3,000 or $5,910*), this has not been seen as the primary motive. It is noted that those students will have less time to work while studying to help meet their costs. It is also unclear if fees will be eventually raised to reflect the extra teaching necessary to receive a three year degree in two years.

The following universities began offering the compressed degrees in September: Staffordshire University, Derby University, Leeds Metropolitan University, University of Northampton and The Medway Partnership in Kent (which involves the Universities of Greenwich, Kent and Canterbury Christ Church together with Mid-Kent College.)

* Current exchange rate: $1.97 = 1GBP

(Source: BBC News April 18 and October 16, 2006; EducationGuardian.co.uk September 19, 2006)

The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) has proposed giving additional funding to universities which admit students from low-income families.

HEFCE has assured universities that funding for this initiative will not be taken from allocations for research and teaching.

The funding council is also urging universities to run summer schools in an attempt to widen the socio-economic mix of their student populations.

The number of students entering higher education fell by 15,000 between 2005 and 2006. Many viewed the introduction of annual top-up fees in England (£3,000 - $5,910*- per year ) as a disincentive for many low-income students.

The news was particularly disappointing for the government which has strategies in place to encourage broader participation in higher education (such as Aimhigher).

Government has also felt that it did not successfully convey its message over the way the fees structure works (students from low-income families may not be liable for any fees depending on their financial status).

Learn more about HEFCE’s strategies for widening participation.

* Current exchange rate: $1.97 = 1GBP

(Source: BBC News November 21, 2006)