Subject:                                     Weekly News Update 32

 

 

 

 

 

 

This week.....Help your students get hired! On his visit to the region last week, Sir Alan Sugar talked about the important

role schools play in making young people aware of apprenticeship opportunities. He met with young apprentices and North East

employers in Gateshead during his renewed bid to drive apprenticeships and promote the National Apprenticeship Service.

Sir Alan must have been pleased to hear that the North East is the joint top performing region in the country for apprenticeship

achievements - with more apprenticeships than ever before and a 7% rise in success rates of Apprenticeship programmes over

the last year. To find out more about how Apprenticeships could benefit some of your students visit - www.apprenticeships.org.uk

 

also this week.....Join the Great North Revolution

Last week, The Journal launched the Great North Revolution - a campaign led by the CBI and ONE NorthEast to promote debate

about how our region should transform itself and use its unique strengths to bring about a new industrial revolution. The initiative

focuses on the opportunities and potential of new and emerging industries related to low carbon vehicles, digital media, health

care and renewable energy and other cutting edge developments. SCHOOLS NorthEast urges you to join the Great North

Revolution debate. Growing and nurturing the skills and talents of our young people is an essential to the North East’s ability to

compete on the global stage. For more information and to watch an inspiring video about what the future might hold for our

region visit - www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-news/2009/06/10/great-north-revolution-aims-to-transform-the-region-61634-23830621/

 

Today also marks Global Wind Day and the start of UK Wind Week. With renewable energy high on the agenda for the Great

North Revolution, why not show your support and get your pupils celebrating wind energy and the important role it plays in

climate change. Wind farms up and down the country are opening their doors (unfortunately none in our region). More

information about events and resources can be found at - www.embracewind.com/wffinder.html

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SCHOOLS NorthEast EPIC Summit 2009...

 

will now be held on Thursday 8 October at the lovely Wynyard Hall in the Tees Valley

 

Based around the themes of Empower, Provoke, Inspire and Connect – the Summit will offer you everything you expect from

a great conference (quality speakers, impressive venue, networking and a good lunch) and a whole lot more (opportunities to

influence regional and national policy, perspectives from beyond the world of education, one on one media training and expert

surgeries everything from legal advice to public relations and marketing).

 

At the SCHOOLS NorthEast EPIC Summit you will:

 

• Discuss the future of education and the North East with senior political figures.
• Learn from leading educationalists and academics.
• Be inspired by innovative practice and new perspectives from different sectors.
• Gain practical support from industry experts.
• Make contacts and indentify opportunities for collaboration.

 

Detailed  information about the Summit will be winging its way to you in the post soon but if you want to book your place today,

go to - www.schoolsnortheast.com and click on the Summit logo. Bookings made before Friday 31 July receive an early bird

discount!!

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Events

 

FAO: Secondary Art Teachers

Free Innovart CPD

Join other Secondary Art Teachers and Gallery Educators at the Laing Art Gallery for an exciting and free Innovart CPD opportunity

to explore different Printmaking techniques. A practical workshop delivered by Printmaker Helen Donley will demonstrate a variety

of Printmaking techniques that could be used with secondary school groups, with and without the use of a printing press. You'll also

have the chance to explore the Northern Print Biennale contemporary and historical printmaking exhibition, and discuss how to create

new partnership opportunities with colleagues in schools and museums. Places are limited so booking is essential.

Date: Tuesday 14 June at The Laing Art Gallery from 12.30pm

To find out more or to book a place, contact Thomas Elwick or The Hub Education Team -  0191 263 9860. Email: thomas.elwick@twmuseums.org.uk

 

Tradecraft twilight workshop

Sign up for a free, practical workshop that aims to give teachers across the region the opportunity to find out how Traidcraft can help

schools get involved with fair trade. Through fair trade, schools can promote community cohesion and Every Child Matters and

integrate the global dimension into the life of their school. Fair trade can also help fulfil the requirements for a range of schemes and

awards including: International Schools, Rights Respecting Schools, Eco-schools and Fairtrade schools. Choose from three

remaining dates across the region:

Date: Tuesday 23 June at Ian Ramsey School, (North Site Hall), Stockton from 4.00pm to 6.00pm

Date: Thursday 25 June at Traidcraft, Team Valley, Gateshead from 4.00pm-6.00pm (refreshments at 3.30pm)

Date: Tuesday 30 June at St. Michael CE First School, Alnwick from 4.00pm-6.00pm (refreshments at 3.30pm)

For more information or to book a place (3 people per school), contact Becky – 0191 4973988, email: becky@traidcraft.co.uk, or go to –

www.traidcraft.co.uk/news_and_events/events/events_calendar/school_twilight_workshops/index.htm

 

Last chance to book a place!

'Teaching Outside the Classroom' conference

The North East Regional Museums Hub invites you to a conference on 'Teaching Outside the Classroom' that aims to encourage

more widespread use of education opportunities outside the classroom. The event is designed to enable ITE Providers, Schools'

Training Coordinators, Museums, Archives and Galleries to explore opportunities to work together, and provides network opportunities

with Museum, Archives and Gallery Educators. Northumbria University students will present case studies on the benefits of partnerships

between Initial Teacher Education Students and Museums, Archives and Galleries.

Date: Tuesday 30 June  at Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens from 9.30am to 3.00pm.

For more information about the event or to book a place please contact Vicki Little on 0191 263 9860 or email vicki.little@twmuseums.org.uk.

 

FAO Secondary schools / Drama Teachers

TRY Performance festival

Keep your students busy this summer by sending them along to the TRY (Theatre Royal Youth) Performance Festival. This brand

new, week-long festival is designed for individuals (16yrs+) as well as groups, and offers workshops and performance opportunities.

Participants will have the chance to develop and showcase their talent alongside  groups from Italy and Germany. The Festival

Workshops are delivered by theatre professionals and will enable participants to try new skills and share the ones they have already.

Skills workshops include:

·         Comedy improvisation

·         Stage combat

·         Physical approaches to acting

·         Puppetry

Participants will also have the opportunity to devise a short piece to be performed to a public audience on the Saturday evening. An

aftershow party will round up the week. Costs: £95 per participant, £275 for a group of 5 people, £500 for a group of 10 people.

Date: Monday 27 July to Saturday 1 August at The Theatre Royal, Newcastle
For more information contact Theatre Royal Learning on 0191 244 2596 or to book please call the Theatre Royal Box Office on 08448 11 21 21.

 

FAO: KS3 Maths Teachers

Making Architecture Count

Working with maths specialist, Steve Humble (Regional Co-ordinator for the NCETM), Northern Architecture aims to bring Key

Stage 3 Maths to life through exploring some of the region’s greatest buildings. By using visual techniques and interactive team-based

problem solving activities, Making Architecture Count will address mathematical ideas, making the concepts easier to grasp in a fun

and stimulating way, outside of the classroom. Pupils will respond directly to the Key Stage 3 learning aims of the National Curriculum

in relation to architecture and space – numeracy, shape, rhythm, sequence, geometry, pattern, volume and scale. Each workshop is

two hours long and costs £400. Choose from four dates and locations:

Northumberland - 13 October at Belsay Hall,

Tyne and Wear - 22 October at The Sage, Gateshead

Tees Valley - 16 October at mima, Middlesbrough

County Durham -  8 October at Durham Cathedral

For more information or to book places for your pupils (50 pupils max per group) contact Emma Kench or Sara Cooper by phone - 0191 260 2191,

email - education@northernarchitecture.com or download a flier at - http://www.northernarchitecture.com/education/current.php

 

Don’t forget...

 

Youth Engineering Show (YES)

Around 7,000 year 7 and 8 pupils are set to attend an event this month billed as ‘the engineering world's Greatest Show on Earth’ –

to wow and inspire the engineers of the future. This year’s YES will not only highlight the importance of engineering in  everyday life

but will feature Honda’s Asimo - the world's most advanced humanoid robot and a team attempting to break the land speed record.

Presentations, interviews, demonstrations and videos about the world of engineering, including the technology that powers the world's

video games industry, will keep the students on the edge of their seats. The five day event aims to demonstrate how engineering can

change the world. Companies exhibiting at the event include BAE Systems, sub-sea company Perry Slingsby, Nissan and IBM.

Open to all years and free for all schools.

Date: Monday 23 June- Friday 25 June at Rainton Meadows Arena, Houghton-le-Spring.

For more information on the event, email Network events - yes@networkevents.ltd.uk  or call - 023 9263 1331.

 

FAO: Primary schools

Get your bucket and spades out!

Bring your pupils along to Sandhaven Beach in South Shields for the 15th Annual Sandcastle Challenge. You school will be teamed

with professionals from architecture, design and construction in the aim to design and build the best and most original sand structure

around a given theme. Organised by local charity Children North East and RIBA North East (Royal Institute of British Architects), the

Sandcastle Challenge is a fantastic and fun event to get your pupils involved with. Each primary school will be competing to win one

of the five prizes of £200!

Date: Friday 3 July at Sandhaven Beach, South Shields from 10.00am-4.00pm.

To sign your school up, contact Catrina Flynn - catrina.flynn@children-ne.org, tel - 0191 256 2444 or go to - www.children-ne.org/  

 

FAO: Secondary schools/ History teachers

The Great History Project Auction
Would you be interested in developing new projects and sessions with museums in the North East? Do you have project ideas that you

would like to see developed at a North East Museum and Gallery? The North East Regional Museums Hub invites you to become part

of the new network of History Teachers and Museum Educators and join your colleagues at the Great History Project Auction. The

event will offer you the opportunity to share thoughts and ideas with other history educators and create new, innovative partnerships.

Date: Tuesday 7 July at The Great North Museum: Hancock from 6:00pm to 8:00pm. Places at the auction event are limited

so booking is essential. 

The North East Regional Museums Hub have also set up a social networking site for the members to keep in touch and follow the

progress of any projects and partnerships taking place.

For more information or to book a place at the Great History Project Auction, contact Thomas Elwick - thomas.elwick@twmuseums.org.uk,

call - 0191 263 9860 or email - hubeducation@twmuseums.org.uk.

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News round-up

 

Regional news

·         Primary pupils walk the walk for Hospice charity (Chronicle Live)

·         Sir Alan Sugar looks for North East apprentices (Bdaily)

·         Sir Alan Sugar looking for North East future leaders (Journal Live)

 

Northumberland

·         Ashington pupils get a lesson in healthy eating (News Post Leader)

·         £1m contract to provide wireless network in schools (News Post Leader)

 

Tyne and Wear

·         Pupil of virtual school attends cyber-prom (Sunderland Echo)

·         Killingworth pupils raise thousands for baby charity (Chronicle Live)

·         Great North Revolution aims to transform the region (SCHOOLS NorthEast in Journal article)

·         Young Sunderland pupils to perform at the prestigious Sage Gateshead (The Northern Echo)

·         Academy 360 to hand free Apple iPod Touch to every pupil (Sunderland Echo)

·         Sunderland pupils find it's great outdoors for learning (Sunderland Echo)

 

Durham

·         Budding entrepreneurs face finance challenge (The Northern Echo)

·         Schools combine for concert (The Northern Echo)

·         Second school strike over Durham academy plans (Journal Live)

·         Darlington pupils clean up their estate (The Northern Echo)

·         School in Pittington leads the way in sex education (The Northern Echo)

·         Seaham School of Technology pupils get creative with local artists (The Northern Echo)

 

Tees Valley

·         Pupils get crafty for environment (Chronicle Live)

·         Wildlife up close for kids at Farne Island trip (Gazette Live)

·         Green Teesside schools up for regional title (Gazette Live)

·         Helicopter education for Stockton pupils (The Northern Echo)

·         Teesside trio are heading for North East teaching award finals (Gazette Live)

·         Teesside High School to re-open even after swine flu cases rise (Gazette Live)

·         Plans for Yarm School redevelopment approved (Gazette Live)

·         Teesside pupils take their version of play to home of Shakespeare (Gazette Live)

·         Holocaust survivor tells life story to Teesside pupils (Gazette Live)

·         Young poets given radio station tour (The Northern Echo)

 

National news

 

New DCSF Ministers

·         New schools minister turns on charm in tribute to profession (TES)

·         Primarolo takes the reins from Hughes as children's minister (Children and Young People Now)

·         New schools minister pledges support for academies (The Guardian)

·         New schools minister defends stance on academies (Children and Young People Now)

·         Dawn Primarolo replaces Beverley Hughes as children's minister (Children and Young People Now)

·         Under new management (The Guardian)

 

Ofsted

·         Dawn raids out but raw results in at Ofsted (TES)

·         Ofsted setting tougher standards (BBC News)

·         Ofsted to replace 'light touch' with tougher school inspections (Guardian)

·         Parents to rate schools in Ofsted survey (Daily Telegraph)

·         Pupils and parents to trigger school inspections (The Independent)

·         Pupils to rate their own schools that could trigger Ofsted inspections (Daily Mail)

 

BSF

·         BSF: MPs cast doubt on 2023 deadline (TES)

·         Millions 'wasted' in school rebuilding programme (The Independent)

·         More than £11m 'wasted' on consultants as MPs condemn school build plans (Daily Telegraph)

·         Government 'complacent' over Building Schools for the Future (Children and Young People Now)

·         £1.3m bill for just one consultant's advice on our crumbling schools (Daily Mail)

·         School rebuilding scheme 'wasting millions' (Daily Telegraph)

·         Build plans for schools 'a letdown' (Daily Mirror)

 

SATs

·         Tories plan end to junior school Sats tests (Financial Times)

·         No more 'SATs' under Tories (Independent)

·         Abandon key stage tests in last year of primary school, say Tories (Times Online)

·         Tories to scrap primary school Sats tests at 11 (Daily Express)

·         Tory plan to end primary school Sats and have new test at secondaries branded 'half-baked' (Guardian)

·         Tories plan to scrap primary Sats (BBC News)

·         Tories plan to shift Sats to secondary schools (Guardian)

·         No more 'SATs' under Tories (The Independent)

·         For Sats, read stats (Daily Telegraph)

·         Tories pledge to abolish all SAT tests for 11-year-old children (Daily Mail)

 

School text books

·         Classroom of the internet could spell the end for satchels full of school textbooks (Times)

·         School textbooks near digital doomsday (Financial Times)

·         Textbooks? They're history, declares Arnie (Daily Mail)

·         Paperless classroom becoming a reality as Arnie says hasta la vista to textbooks (Guardian)

 

Child Poverty Bill

·         Child Povery Bill published (Children and Young People Now)

·         Child poverty duty to become law (BBC News)

 

Other educational news

·         Special needs programmes ‘not working’ (Financial Times)

·         Head doubles earnings to £155,000 by running school's spa (Times)

·         Labour breaks schools pledge (Daily Express)

·         £200m ‘Co-location’ fund to put schools at the heart of their communities (DCSF)

·         Gap between private and state schools widening (Daily Telegraph)

·         Milburn calls for schools vouchers (TES)

·         School diversity lowers standards and raises costs (TES)

·         Schools CCTV pictures fall into the wrong hands (TES)

·         Consider sharing teachers to save money, schools told (Guardian)

·         Britain is braced for mass school closures in autumn (Times)

·         Head Teachers to get greater powers to control budgets locally (Guardian)

·         Schools warned of 'tough times' (Daily Telegraph)

·         Gorilla artist Anthony Browne becomes children's laureate (Guardian)

·         Private school levels admissions playing field (Daily Telegraph)

·         Specialist schools boost academic performance, says report (The Guardian)

·         Equality commission calls for action on career stereotypes (Children and Young People Now)

·         Tony tells pupils to trust in faith (TES)

·         Blair's 'religious literacy' call (BBC News)

·         Tories to present children's policies to sector (Children and Young People Now)

·         'All schools should be free to drop GCSEs' (The Independent)

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Star pupils

Beacon Hill School and Enterprise College, Wallsend, and Caedmon Primary, Grangetown, Middlesbrough

Congratulations to the region’s TES Schools Awards winners. Beacon Hill School in North Tyneside won the award for ‘Outstanding

special needs initiative’ whilst Caedmon Primary in Middlesbrough won Primary school of the year. It is always great to see North

East schools receiving national recognition!

To see the full list of 2009 winners, go to - www.tes.co.uk/article.aspx?storyCode=6004051&s_cid=Winners 

 

Could do better

Career advice

Research carried out by the Equality and Human Rights Commission has found that 94% young people believe they need better

career advice and support, with one out of every five young people not receiving one-to-one advice on how to pursue a desired

career path. The ‘Staying On’ report also found that traditional gender splits were still apparent in career choices and that

almost half of working class girls and young people from ethnic minority backgrounds have a fear of failure that has a detrimental

effect on their chances at school. Chairman of the Equality Commission, Trevor Phillips, has called on careers services, parents and

schools to address the problem and challenge presumptions young people have about career choices.  

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Head to Head

 

Danny Eason has been Head Teacher at Fishburn Primary School for the last 5 years. Previously Danny was Deputy then Head

Teacher of New Brancepeth Primary school for seven years and before that, was part of the leadership team of Quarry View Juniors

(now part of Academy 360) in Sunderland.

 

Last week was very busy. I travelled down to Birmingham to the NCSL leadership conference where I had been given the honour

of running a workshop. Unfortunately the trains from Birmingham were not as reliable as the organisation of the conference and my

booked seat disappeared when they decided they would cancel the return train without notice!

The two best things that happened at school last were 1) Having the problem of pupils ‘overachieving’ in our Foundation stage.

We decided that it was more an accolade for the hard work going on than a problem. 2) One of my staff has started an animation

project with year 6 post SATS and the quality of work is fantastic!

The biggest disappointment at school last week were trains from Birmingham.

The funniest thing that has happened at school last week was being ‘watered’ by a child in our foundation stage who was interested

 in ‘making things grow. I ended up with a wet shirt and a big smile. (well what could you say?)

The one thing would have made my job easier last week would have been an extra hour in the day.

Top of your to do list for this week is to tell staff what a brilliant job they have done in ‘Art Week’ and also order the cream buns for

Friday. (Don’t tell Healthy Schools!)

My hero of last week....I thought Steve Munby’s speech at the Leadership conference was superb. It was to the point, well executed

and really inspiring.

My villain of last week was the person that cancelled my train back from Birmingham and their sidekick at the information booth who

couldn’t see the problem.

In 2010 I am looking forward to developing our PSHCE curriculum in school, we have had some brilliant ideas as a staff and I know

our curriculum really suits the pupils. I always said after 5 years the school would be ‘my fault’.  We have a great staff and offer

something special. Fishburn is a great place to work.

My question for next week’s Head is: If you were to describe your school as a ‘dance’ what dance would you be doing and why?

 

If you would like to take part in our regular ‘Head to Head’ feature and tell us all about your week, please contact the team at

info@schoolsnortheast.com or call us on 0191 2805037.

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Funding and opportunities

 

Free PE session with the experts

With news last week that activities improve exam results, why not book your school a free trial session with Sports Works and get your

pupils fighting fit ready for their summer exams. Sport Works supports the delivery of Physical Education (PE) within both primary and

secondary schools throughout the region. Whilst offering support in the implementation of the National PE Curriculum Sport Works also

aim to build long-term relationships with School Sport Partnerships to ensure pupils experience a high quality approach to physical activity.

They provide bespoke services based upon the requirements of each school which include:

·         Planning, Preparation, Assessment (PPA) Cover

·         PE Lesson Delivery - addressing health education (fitness, nutrition, active lifestyles)

·         Extra Curricular Activity Delivery

·         Sport Specific Teacher Training

Sport Works have also designed specific activities for primary school aged pupils have been develop based on the principles of Long

Term Athlete Development (LTAD) and motor learning and all pupils will be encouraged to develop lifelong fundamental movement skills.

To sign your school up for a free session with Sport Work, contact - info@sportworksltd.co.uk, tel: 07717 823 453 or visit –

www.sportworksltd.co.uk/school.html

 

Send your little artists to NO 10!

Get your pupils working on a masterpiece in art class and send it off to London for the No 10 Art Competition. Budding artists are being

called upon to use their creativity and artistic flair to create a picture around the theme of the Environment. The winning artists will be

invited to NO 10 to see their work hung on display in the Prime Minister’s waiting room, next to work by some of the country’s greatest

artists! The competition welcomes entries within three age groups: 5 – 7, 8 – 11 and 12 – 16 years. Whether painters, sketchers or digital

artists, your pupils can enter the competition by posting their artwork on a landscape, A3 piece of paper to:

ART COMPETITION, Direct Communications Unit, 10 Downing Street, London, SW1A 2AA

Closing date for entries is the last day of August. To find out more about the competition, go to - www.number10.gov.uk/Page19404

 

Young Poet’s Competition...for pupils who have the giggle factor

To celebrate their 25^th anniversary, The Children’s Trust are inviting pupils aged 7-13 years to try and make them laugh by entering the

Young Poet’s Competition. The theme for the competition is: ‘Laughter – what makes you laugh?’ and children are asked to write a poem

of less than 100 words for submission into the competition by the 30 June. The winning poem will complete a collection of 25 favourite

children’s poems, chosen by celebrities, to be published by The Children’s Trust (and illustrated by Quentin Blake) on National Poetry

day 2009 (8 October). The winning poet also receives £500 of Walker Books for their school.

For more details on the competition and how to enter your pupils, go to -

www.thechildrenstrust.org.uk/page.asp?section=000100010011000100420004&sectionTitle=Young+Poets%27+Competition+%287%2D13+Yr+Olds%29

 

Get your FREE My Money Week toolkit

Prepare your students for their financial future by encouraging your school to take part in My Money Week from Monday 29 June to

Sunday 5 July. The week aims to take a fresh look at personal finance education and the financial capability for young people in primary

and secondary schools throughout England. To help your staff prepare useful and relevant lessons for your pupils, direct them to the My

Money website (www.mymoneyonline.org/resources/) where they can access the free toolkit for teachers. The toolkit offers a flexible

framework of options and wide array of cross-curricula classroom resources and exciting activities to help teach personal finance

education. It includes:

·         free teaching resources

·         learning activities and materials to bring finance education to life

·         a DVD to introduce My Money Week

·         assembly and lesson ideas to engage pupils

·         whole-school challenges.

To find out more about the My Money financial education initiative which is funded by the DCSF and led by pfeg and its partners, go to –

www.mymoneyonline.org/default.aspx or www.teachernet.gov.uk/

 

E.ON Sustainable Energy Fund

If your school is looking to pursue and implement sustainable energy measures, you may be eligible for the E.ON Sustainable Energy Fund.

E.ON offers financial opportunities to not for profit organisations as part of its community investment work and for projects that will result in

the creation of renewable energy and/or a reduction in the amount of energy used, whilst having a positive impact on the local community.

Projects must demonstrate a clearly demonstrated positive impact on the local community. The Sustainable Energy Fund is made up of two

parts - a web resource and access to grant funding. E.ON also offer education programmes for schools that cover energy generation,

distribution and supply to electrical safety and careers in the energy industry. Teachers can order a classroom pack and subscribe to a

e-newsletter E.ON website

To read the Sustainable Energy funding guidelines, go to - www.eon-uk.com/about/2689.aspx. To order a classroom pack for your pupils, go to -

www.eon-uk.com/contactforms/contactus.aspx      

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Wise words

 

If I had a formula for bypassing trouble, I would not pass it round. Trouble creates a capacity to handle it.

Oliver Wendell Holmes

 

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SCHOOLS NorthEast is your network.  Please get in touch with your ideas, concerns, views and experiences- email: think@schoolsnortheast.com

 

....and don’t forget, if you’ve missed any of our previous weekly news updates, you can find them at:

http://www.schoolsnortheast.com/content/new-resources/weekly%20news.html

 

 

To unsubscribe to this weekly update, please email us at – info@schoolsnortheast.com

 

Have a good week!

 

SCHOOLS NorthEast Team

 

 

 

 

 

Katie Stonehouse

 

Communications Officer

SCHOOLS NorthEast

 

Tel:    0191 280 5037

www.schoolsnortheast.com