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Issue 38
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Issue 38
Local Authorities And School Improvement: The Use Of Statuto
- Description:
- This report, conducted by NFER on behalf of the LGA, examines how local authorities support and challenge their schools, using informal, formal and statutory strategies. The report draws on a series of interviews that were conducted with LA officials, school improvement partners and teachers in schools facing challenging circumstances. This research is important reading for all practitioners concerned with school improvement.
- Submitted On:
- 15/05/2009
World Class Places
- Description:
- This strategy lays out why and how quality of place matters and the practical steps the Government will be taking to build on the achievements of recent years and do more to create prosperous, attractive, distinctive, inclusive and sustainable world class places. The Minimum Design Standard, which leads from this strategy, goes one step further and applies to school renewal projects as part of Building Schools for the Future. This briefing covers both the world class places strategy and the Minimum Design Standard.
- Submitted On:
- 15/05/2009
Annual Performance Assessment 2008
- Description:
- This report summarises the outcomes from the 2008 annual performance assessment (APA) of local authorities’ services for children and young people. It provides an overview of key themes that emerged in the year, while highlighting strengths and weaknesses. It also makes particular reference to each of the five Every Child Matters outcome areas and councils’ capacity to improve further.
- Submitted On:
- 15/05/2009
Becta’s contribution to the Rose Review
- Description:
- This report is Becta's submission to the Independent Review of the Primary Curriculum (The Rose Review). It outlines Becta's recommendations about the place of technology in the curriculum.
- Submitted On:
- 15/05/2009
Day Six Of Exclusion: The Extent And Quality Of Provision Fo
- Description:
- Schools and local authorities are required to provide full-time and suitable education for pupils from day six of fixed-period and permanent exclusions. This survey evaluates the extent to which a sample of schools and local authorities were meeting these requirements. The survey also reports on how practice is changing as a result of the statutory requirements that have been in place since September 2007.
- Submitted On:
- 25/05/2009
Museums, Young People And Education
- Description:
- This collection of essays, published by the Institute for Public Policy Research, is authored by prominent and expert figures from the worlds of culture and education, and addresses key questions about the role of museums and other institutes of material culture in young people’s wellbeing and learning. The aim of the document was to explore what museums, working with policymakers and delivery bodies such as schools, can and should be doing, both within and beyond the classroom, to inspire learning and creativity among all young people.
- Submitted On:
- 25/05/2009
Using Data To Plan Strategically For Children And Young Peop
- Description:
- This research by Estyn evaluates the extent and range of data local authorities and their partners use when planning services for children and young people, and the impact that it has. The report also considers examples of good practice, particularly cases where local partnerships have used data to plan targeted services and improve outcomes. The report follows on from an Estyn report from February 2008 on LA's use of performance data to support school improvement.
- Submitted On:
- 25/05/2009
Responses To Ofsted’s Consultation On Proposed Changes To Fu
- Description:
- Beginning in November 2008, Ofsted undertook a wide-ranging consultation on the proposals for new inspection arrangements for the further education and skills system. The consultation included the publication of a consultation document and a formal three-month online consultation process. This evaluation report summarises the responses to Ofsted’s consultation on the proposals for college, work-based learning and nextstep inspections from September 2009.
- Submitted On:
- 25/05/2009
Creative Partnerships: Changing Young Lives
- Description:
- Marking the 10th anniversary of the ground-breaking publication ’All Our Futures: Creativity, Culture and Education’, a new report has been launched by CCE, confirming that Creative Partnerships, the government’s flagship creative learning programme which resulted from All Our Futures, is changing the lives of young people and having a real impact on their aspirations, achievements, skills and life chances.
- Submitted On:
- 29/05/2009
Learning for Sustainability
- Description:
- This report from The Institute of Education, University of Reading, and commissioned by the WWF, is a result of a three-year longitudinal study looking at the impact that a whole school approach to sustainability can have on pupil attainment and motivation. A key finding of the report was that schools need to demonstrate to pupils that sustainability is something they value. The report is set against a background of interest shown by government departments and other agencies, both statutory and non-statutory.
- Submitted On:
- 29/05/2009
Local Authorities and Schools Causing Concern
- Description:
- The purpose of this Estyn report is to evaluate the impact of local authority intervention and support for schools identified as causing concern. In particular, the report considers the policies local authorities have for monitoring, supporting, challenging and intervening in their schools, how effective these policies are in improving schools and the reasons why local authorities do not always use the full range of their powers to secure further improvement.
- Submitted On:
- 29/05/2009
Public Attitudes Towards Social Care
- Description:
- This briefing is the first output from the IPPR-PwC social care programme. The programme seeks to generate public debate about the future of social care; and consider how the social contract between the state, organisations, communities, families and individuals may need to fundamentally change to ensure that the future of social care is based on principles of fairness and sustainability.
- Submitted On:
- 29/05/2009
Managing Through The Recession
- Description:
- SLT Finance expert, Malcolm Trobe, looks at a future of possible spending cuts for schools.
- Submitted On:
- 29/05/2009
Best Practice In Mathematics For Pupils Aged 3 To 7 Years
- Description:
- This Estyn report provides advice for the Welsh Assembly Government on best practice in mathematics with pupils aged 3 to 7 years. It also provides an overview of standards in mathematics for pupils from 3 to 7 years of age. The report is intended mainly for teachers and learning support assistants involved in teaching mathematics in primary schools and in non-maintained settings. It will also be useful for senior managers and local authority (LA) advisers in their role in school improvement.
- Submitted On:
- 05/06/2009
Outcomes and Inequalities of Secondary Schooling in Scotland
- Description:
- This research uses data from the Scottish School Leavers Survey to examine the change over time in the context, outcomes and inequalities of secondary schooling in Scotland, in the period 1985-2005. It uses statistical models to analyse inequalities in young people’s outcomes in relation to gender, family background, school characteristics and location, and the extent to which these have changed over time. It seeks to address three questions: (1) How did the context of secondary schooling change between 1985 and 2005? (2) How did young people’s school experiences and attainments change over the period? (3) To what extent did inequalities in attainment change over this period?
- Submitted On:
- 05/06/2009
Customer Voice Research Primary Curriculum
- Description:
- This research by the DCSF gives the views of parents to the re-drafting of the national primary curriculum is how it will be changing following the Independent Review of the Primary Curriculum. The research is intended to help inform and support wider communications to parents (and public) on this issue at the launch and implementation of the new primary curriculum.
- Submitted On:
- 05/06/2009
New Package For Attracting Teachers Into Schools
- Description:
- The Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA) has announced a new drive to get the best teachers in the country into challenging schools. The Government is offering teachers who take this challenge access to a package which includes: special training and development packages; access to the new masters in teaching and learning qualification and a 10K allowance payable after three years continued service in a challenging school.
- Submitted On:
- 12/06/2009
High Performing Specialist Schools - Final Evaluation Report
- Description:
- Approximately nine-tenths of all maintained secondary schools in England are now part of the Specialist School Programme (SSP). The purpose of the programme is to enable schools to have the opportunity to develop centres of excellence which act as a catalyst for whole school improvement. This PricewaterhouseCoopers report, commissioned by the DCSF, evaluates the impact of two areas of the SSP; firstly, High Performing Specialist Schools (HPSS)including training schools; and secondly, SEN schools undertaking a curriculum or a SEN specialism.
- Submitted On:
- 12/06/2009
The Impact of School Leadership on Pupil Outcomes
- Description:
- This three year research project was commissioned by the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) in conjunction with the National College of School Leadership (NCSL) to establish how much variation in pupil outcomes (as measured by achievement, engagement, involvement, motivation) is accounted for by variation in the types of school leadership, in ‘leaders of leaders’; and to determine the influences of school leadership on teachers and upon pupils’ outcomes.
- Submitted On:
- 12/06/2009
TIMSS 2007: National Report for England
- Description:
- This is the NFER national report for England, detailing England's achievement in TIMSS 2007. TIMSS is a worldwide research project, taking place every four years and providing data about trends in mathematics and science achievement over time. It assesses the knowledge and skills of pupils aged 9-10 and 13-14 around the world, and enables researchers to collect extensive background information about the quantity, quality, and content of teaching, which can be used to make comparisons between participating countries. A conference was held in London in May 2009 for teachers from schools which participated in TIMSS 2007.
- Submitted On:
- 12/06/2009
A New Level
- Description:
- This report by the Reform group claims the A-level exam has become hollow preparation for university, by undermining independent study and original thought. The researchers found that candidates are led through the exam and that students are high maintenance, seeking constant advice. The report looks at the development of A-levels and recommends that universities be put in charge of the exams to restore their academic rigour.
- Submitted On:
- 19/06/2009
Digital Britain Report
- Description:
- The Digital Britain Report is the Government's strategic vision for ensuring that the UK is at the leading edge of the global digital economy. The report contains actions and recommendations to ensure first rate digital and communications infrastructure to promote and protect talent and innovation in our creative industries, to modernise TV and radio frameworks, and support local news, and it introduces policies to maximise the social and economic benefits from digital technologies. It includes improvements to the level of connectivity available in schools, colleges and training institutions so that learners can transfer the confidence and experience gained in education, to the work place of the future.
- Submitted On:
- 19/06/2009
Elective Home Education in England
- Description:
- This DCSF review for the House of Commons has been triggered by a range of issues and concerns about the systems for keeping children safe and ensuring that they receive a suitable education are as robust as possible. Under the report’s recommendations parents would be required to register as home educators and have their progress reviewed by local authorities. A total of 28 recommendations are made in the report.
- Submitted On:
- 19/06/2009
Supporting Young Carers
- Description:
- This survey explored how effectively young carers were identified by councils and their partners. It also examined the assessment and delivery of services for young carers and their families. The survey used evidence from visits to council areas, focus groups with young carers and meetings with those who provide young carer support services.
- Submitted On:
- 19/06/2009
An Evaluation Of English In Primary And Secondary Schools
- Description:
- This report is an Ofsted evaluation of English in primary and secondary schools. It has found that boys are still lagging behind girls in lessons. The report also found that standards of writing in primary schools are lower than in reading. The report argues that the most effective schools are those that have revised their English curriculum to meet changes in modern technology and pupils’ developing literacy needs.
- Submitted On:
- 26/06/2009
Narrowing the Gap in Outcomes: Leadership
- Description:
- This report is based on research conducted by the NFER and commissioned by the LGA for the national Narrowing the Gap team. It aims to identify whether or not leadership has an effective role in narrowing the gap in outcomes between vulnerable children and young people, and other children. The study included a literature review and interviews with case study local authorities.
- Submitted On:
- 26/06/2009
A review of vocational qualification achievements in the UK
- Description:
- This research by independent education foundation Edge found that nearly two-thirds (65%) of graduates believe it is a good idea for current university students to study for a vocational qualification in addition to their degree courses. It also found that VQs are a rapidly growing feature of the school curriculum, particularly for the 14–16 age group. Schools accounted for 322,000 vocationally- related qualifications achieved in 2007–8, more than twice as many as the previous year.
- Submitted On:
- 26/06/2009
Ofsted’s Summary Evaluation Of School Pilot Inspections
- Description:
- New inspection arrangements for maintained schools will be introduced in September 2009. This document provides a summary evaluation of the main findings of the spring 2009 pilot inspections. It also sets out recommendations which indicate the steps that Ofsted is taking to address the issues raised by inspectors, schools and local authorities.
- Submitted On:
- 26/06/2009
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