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Government papers etc

If you ever think you are getting overwhelmed with missives from the government - then perhaps it is because of what keeps coming through. Have a look at this article from the Guardian Slow education juggernaut, urges Lords report, 'Department is unaware of how many directives it issues to schools and does not review their effect, says committee'. Article, 13th March 2009.

 

Paying no heed to what is said more words tumble forth - this is the latest

House of Commons Children, Schools and Families Committee The Gifted and Talented programme, oral and written evidence 1 Feb 2010

The DCSF etc have many sites with research summaries etc related to implementation of their strategies and other work in education

TSO (The Stationary Office) Download documents and links to key official websites.
 
Every Child Matters - Aims and outcomes and links to other information
 
The Government's aim is for every child, whatever their background or their circumstances, to have the support they need to:
  • be healthy
  • stay safe
  • enjoy and achieve
  • make a positive contribution
  • achieve economic well-being.
 
 
 
 
These extracts might be helpful
- these are from president of NACE - connects with OFSTED and School Report Card
- these are from Tim Draycup, Narrowing the Gaps Division DCSF
 
President of NACE makes a very helpful observation on terminology:
The White Paper uses ‘gifted and talented’, the Ofsted Framework uses ‘able, gifted and talented’, the Report Card uses ‘more able, most able’
 
'The Government believes that every young person should experience the world beyond the classroom as an essential part of learning and personal development, whatever their age, ability or circumstances. The Learning Outside the Classroom (LOtC) manifesto was launched in November 2006. Its purpose is to encourage more widespread use of the huge range of educational opportunities that lie outside the conventional classroom. The manifesto also aims to inspire schools and the organisations that support learning outside the classroom to provide high-quality experiences for all young people up to the age of 19.'
 
Consultations Ofsted - includes...
 
Closing date: 16 Jan 2009
As signalled in the Children’s Plan and in the well-being guidance, the DCSF and Ofsted have been working to develop strong school-level indicators of pupils’ well-being.
 
This is the latest consultation on principles and values 'England’s National Programme For Gifted And Talented Education: Plans And Reforms For 2007-2010' (July 2008) from the DCSF. I do suggest reading this as it shows the underpinning beliefs and confusions as can be seen from this extract from p.3.
 
•    … rests on the foundation of personalised education. G&T education is one dimension of personalised education for all; it must also be personalised in itself, to meet the widely differing needs of the G&T population, which is far from homogenous;

•    …is the conviction that, for G&T education to be successful, it must be integrated: firmly part of wider education policy and practice; but also integrated in itself, rather than a disparate collection of strategies and approaches;

•    … the belief that effective G&T education has to be universal within our education system…

•    … commitment to a school-centred and school-driven approach to G&T education; and

•    … the ultimate success of any G&T programme depends on it being relentlessly outcomes-focussed, resulting ultimately in higher levels of achievement for G&T learners.

 
2007 Comprehensive Spending Review have set the context of educational provision and expectations for all pupils.
They are to:
•    raise the educational achievement of all children and young people;  
•    narrow the gap in educational achievement between children from low income and
•    disadvantaged backgrounds and their peers;
•    improve the health and well-being of children and young people;
•    improve children’s and young people’s safety;
•    increase the number of children and young people on the path to success.
 
What is 'success'? John White possess this question which is fundamental. What you look for is what you get. The path to success - enhancing the possibility of living a satisfying, loving and productive life?

 Green papers, white papers, and rainbow coloured all can be found through this link.

House of Commons (1998-9) Education and Employment Committee, Third Report, Highly Able Children

This is an interesting trip down memory lane - and a potentially embarrassing one if they had spelt my name correctly.

 

On 25th October 2005, the Department for Education and Skills published the Schools White Paper "Higher Standards, Better Schools for All - More Choice for Parents and Pupils". Gifted and Talented Education features frequently. Particular reference to registers, summer schools, access to expert (lead) teachers, specific groups associated with social disadvantage... Repeated focus on schools creating their own understandings, improving teachers subject knowledge... This particularly interests me

4.37     Whether they are in sets or not, all classes contain pupils with a range of abilities and attainments, different interests and motivation, and different home and background circumstances. The best teachers are those who have a real enthusiasm for and detailed understanding of the subjects they teach, and confidence to apply a range of good teaching and learning approaches across the curriculum. It is the passion for a subject, and the pedagogical understanding that underpins this, that is central to providing every child and young person with a tailored education.

Department for Education and Skills: Five Year Strategy for Children and Learners (2004) Presented to Parliament by the Secretary of State for Education and Skills by Command of Her Majesty

 
Extracts from the foreword by the Secretary of State for Education and Skills – Charles Clarke.
 
‘Children, and all those who learn, are our future.
 
As we develop our strategy for the next five years for children’s services, and for education and lifelong learning, we need to think about that future – about the kind of world we want our children to grow up in.’(p.2)
 
‘However, there are three key ways in which the settlement sowed the seeds
for less helpful developments in public service…
 
Third, the education settlement in particular was based on an assumption that ability was confined to a limited group – it was fundamentally elitist…But the debate was still about types of school rather than standards – the principle remained that government did not interfere in how, what or how well schools taught – it was enough to ensure that education was provided. (p.3)
 
James Callaghan’s Ruskin speech of 1976 began the Great Debate on school standards, with his questions about whether the education system was really meeting the needs of employers and society. But even from here on – through the National Curriculum and the birth of Ofsted – the focus was on what every school ought to provide – a sort of basic minimum standard.
 
Over the last 60 years, a fundamental recasting of industry, employment, technology and society has transformed the requirement for education and training – not only driving the education system, but introducing new ideas about lifelong learning, personalised education, and selfdirected learning. And the story has been of taking a system designed to deliver a basic minimum entitlement and elaborating and elaborating it to respond to these increasingly
sophisticated (and rapidly changing) demands.’ (p.4)
 
‘The central characteristic of such a new system will be personalisation – so that the system fits to the individual rather than the individual having to fit to the system. This is not a vague liberal notion about letting people have what they want. It is about having a system which will genuinely give high standards for all – the best possible quality of children’s services, which recognise individual needs and circumstances; the most effective teaching at school, which builds a detailed picture of what each child already knows, and how they learn, to help them go further; and, as young people begin to train for work, a system that recognises individual aptitudes and provides as many tailored paths to employment as there are people and jobs.’ (p.4)’
 
‘The result will be a nation where:
● every child gets the best possible start in life – with integrated services focused on the needs
of parents and children, not chopped up according to provider;
● every primary school offers high standards in the basics, but in the context of a broad, rich and enjoyable curriculum;’ (p.5)
 
●’ every secondary school offers excellent teaching, an exciting curriculum, and a positive and attractive environment;
● all schools are extended schools; community schools; healthy schools; inclusive schools; and enterprising schools (with real links to business);
● at 14-19, every young person has a pathway to suit them that fits them for work, further learning, and for life as an adult; and a wide range of activities outside school or college to enjoy and take part in;
● every child and young person who is in difficult circumstances gets the extra support they need without stigma;
● adult learners can all get and build the skills they need for success in employment – because employers are in the lead in designing and delivering training, working with highly responsive colleges;
● our nation benefits from a thriving university system that gives excellent teaching to all with the potential to benefit; which provides the nation with world-class research capability; and which works with business to provide the skills the nation most needs and to translate research into innovation effectively.
And where:
● the parts of the system are (and are seen as being) interlinked and interdependent – not just because each builds on the last (with primary schools dependent on effective early years education, secondary schools dependent on primary schools and so on) but in much more creative and dynamic ways – with business involved in designing employability skills education right from 11; with universities designing schemes for students in schools that both help with their outreach and give new experiences to children; with schools and colleges working together to offer routes from 14; with adult learning and childcare delivered together; with children’s services and education seen as part of one whole;
● the learner is a partner in learning, not a passive recipient – and this means that (especially as they grow older, leaving compulsory education) they have a stake in and a responsibility for their own learning;
● adult learners, employers and the wider community contribute to the education system and to children’s services so that they can get more out of them, and can shape them to meet their needs and the needs of the nation.’ (p.6)

Our offer to children and parents…
 
‘Better teaching and more personalised support for every child whatever their needs – including those with special educational needs, gifted and talented children, and children with English as an additional language’ (p.36)
 
Here is the jump – children with special educational needs, with English as an additional language – yet children who are ‘gifted and talented’. The underlying theory is very different it is that which drives much of the practice that educators experience as a contradiction.
 
The next contradiction can be found on page 36 – the misuse of group statistics contributing to monitoring being used to determine individual journeys and to actually define the quality of ‘performance’. This extract illustrates the point
 
‘13. Better and easier-to-use information about pupils’ progress will support this more personalised approach, with a Pupil Achievement Tracker which can show exactly which subjects pupils are struggling with, and how their progress compares with others starting from a similar level (which can help particularly in making sure pupils with Special Educational Needs (SEN), and Gifted and Talented pupils, are being stretched as much as they should be). It can also show whether a particular group or course for certain pupils is working, and track not just pupil but also teacher performance.’ (p.38)
Page Last Updated - 14/07/2010