Suffolk 14-19 Infosite

Reducing bureaucracy in schools: Changes to school information regulations

Admin 14-19 — Wed, 09 May 2012 10:03:10 +0000

Parents need access to good quality information so they can make informed choices and to make schools accountable. From September 2012 regulations will no longer require schools to publish a prospectus or have a curriculum policy, thus avoiding duplication of effort, and unnecessary cost. Instead, schools will be required to publish key information online.

In order to provide parents with the information they need at the right time, maintained schools, academies and Free Schools will be required to publish the following details online:

Pupil Premium allocation, use and impact on attainment
curriculum provision, content and approach, by academic year and by subject
admission arrangements
the school’s policy in relation to behaviour, charging, and SEN and disability provision
links to Ofsted reports and to the Department’s achievement and attainment performance data; and details of the school’s latest Key Stage 2 and 4 attainment and progress measures.

Most schools already make much of this information available online and will only need to ensure that all the areas are covered and details are up to date. Schools that are not, will need to make arrangements to go online.

Academies and Free Schools are required to provide much of this information through their funding agreements or the Independent Schools Regulations. The new model funding agreement will require academies and Free Schools to publish the same information as maintained schools.

Local authorities will continue to have a duty to ensure that parents receive the support they need to work through the admissions process. These changes to the School Information Regulations will not change the duty for local authorities to produce a composite prospectus every year, or for schools to supply required information in a way that is easy to understand.

For more information go to: http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/toolsandinitiatives/cuttingburdens/b0075738/reducing-bureaucracy/requirements/changestoschoolinformationregulations

Work Experience: new publications

Admin 14-19 — Wed, 02 May 2012 10:25:09 +0000

Three new documents on work experience and ‘building the world of work together’ have been added to our ‘Vocational/Skills’ section.

Pathways to Employment (P2E) – final report published

Admin 14-19 — Wed, 02 May 2012 09:44:40 +0000

The P2E project has now come to an end and the final project report can be found in our Vocational/Skills section.

Ofsted Report on Apprenticeships for young people

Admin 14-19 — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 10:12:28 +0000

Apprentices more likely to succeed if they have completed meaningful work experience!

A best practice report on apprenticeships for young people launched by Ofsted on 11 April 2012 has found that those who had completed work experience, course tasters or vocational study were more likely to make good progress in their apprenticeship than those starting straight from school without it.
The best practice report also found that good relationships between employers and trainers were crucially important in capturing evidence of apprentices’ skills. Read more here: http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/news/apprentices-more-likely-succeed-if-they-have-completed-meaningful-work-experience-0

Bring London 2012 to life in your classroom!

Admin 14-19 — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 10:04:07 +0000

The ‘Out of the blocks’ maths and science series 2012
As part of the London 2012 Education programme ‘Get Set’ Out of the Blocks, offers free Key Stage 4 maths and science resources for all state-funded UK secondary schools. By taking London 2012 as its inspiration, Cisco and its partners are making STEM learning fun while keeping it tied to the syllabus and showcasing he opportunities that these skills can lead to. Find out more at: www.mathsandscience2012.co.uk

The STEMNet Challenges
This series of challenges to schools and other organisations aims to inspire the next generation of STEM professionals.
STEM Challenge 10: STEMNET and Cisco are challenging 11 to 16 year olds to use their maths and science skills to plan a major sporting event in their local area. Make sure you register your school teams by 15 May 2012 to be in with a chance of winning tickets to an Olympic event and prize money to support your school’s STEM Club. Click the link to find out more! www.stemchallenges.net

Don’t miss these upcoming events!

Admin 14-19 — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 10:07:44 +0000

Are you keen to improve attainment in your school?
Do you want to improve the learning offer in your school?
Are you ready to support your students into positive learning destinations from Sept 2013?

Towards RPA – Best practice events for 11-16 curriculum design and transition support
13 June 2012 – Kesgrave Conference Centre

Two halfday workshops will take place on 13 June with a focus on RPA:

THE MORNING EVENT
“What does Best Practice in 11-16 Curriculum Design look like?” will be a workshop to enhance understanding of emerging best practice in curriculum design and development.
Suitable for: SLT leads (Maintained Schools, Academies and Free Schools), 14-19 Curriculum Leads, College Principals and Sixth Form Colleges, 14-19 Partnership Directors

THE AFTERNOON EVENT
“What does Best Practice in 11-16 transition support look like?” will look at how best to support learners to achieve a successful transition.
Suitable for: SLT leads (Maintained Schools, Academies and Free Schools), IAG leads in schools and colleges, College Principals and Sixth Form Colleges, 14-19 Partnership Directors

AIMS:

Collaborative Understanding of the Key Priorities for schools
Opportunities to hear about current innovative practice from practitioners from schools across Suffolk
Opportunities to discuss the issues and challenges

Both events can be booked via CPD online: http://schools.suffolkcpd.co.uk/cpd/default.asp?ssid= using the following event codes:
Curriculum workshop : LIS 12/196
Transition support event: LIS 12/197

National Careers Service launched

Admin 14-19 — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 09:15:18 +0000

The National Careers Service is being launched on 5 April. The new service will transform careers advice inEngland by making accurate information about learning and work, and professional advice, available to everyone.
The Service will provide adults and young people with a suite of online services and tools to help them to identify job opportunities, assess their own skills, determine learning goals and select the training provider that best meets their needs. They will also be able to access professional careers advice by web-chat or over the telephone, to help them make the right choices and acquire the skills they need to flourish in life and work. Adults over 19 will have access to face-to-face careers advice at a wide range of locations in the community.
The National Careers Service can be accessed via the website https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk or by calling 0800 100 900.

DfE Destination measures

Admin 14-19 — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 14:26:07 +0000

Following on from the publication of the statutory guidance on independent and impartial careers guidance last week the DfE has now made another announcement:
Destination Measures will be published for the first time in July 2012. The measures will show the percentage of pupils progressing to further learning in a school, Further Education or 6^th form college, apprenticeship or Higher Education institution. Read more here.

Reform of 14-16 Performance Tables from 2014

Admin 14-19 — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 09:30:06 +0000

In future, the only non-GCSE qualifications which will be recognised in School and College Performance Tables for 14- to 16-year-olds will have been judged to be high quality and rigorous, and will provide the majority of students with access to a range of study and employment opportunities.

Find further details and associated resources on the DfE website: http://www.education.gov.uk/childrenandyoungpeople/youngpeople/qandlearning/a00202523/reform-of-14-to-16-performance-tables

New minimum 12 month duration for all apprenticeships

Admin 14-19 — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 08:08:52 +0000

Tougher standards introduced by Skills Minister to drive up quality.

01 April 2012: Apprenticeships will last for a minimum of 12 months guaranteeing improvements in training and workplace learning, Skills Minister John Hayes announced today.

Read the full article via this link:
http://nds.coi.gov.uk/content/Detail.aspx?ReleaseID=423980&NewsAreaID=2