There's a great deal of noise and consultation taking place in the world of education over some of the contents of May's forthcoming White Paper, and in particular over the mooted proposals for a new school 'scorecard'.  The 'scorecard' will seek to move public assessment of the performance of schools beyond league table assessments based upon the exam performance of the average child in a school. The new scorecard will seek to assess how schools are stretching gifted and talented pupils alongside how they are supporting pupils who have fallen behind. Pupil well-being and discipline may also contribute to the overall single grade. The proposals have met with a very critical reaction from the professional associations. Given the broader array of measures to be given higher profile in the new scorecards, the proposals would appear to offer schools a greater opportunity to showcase their achievements on a range of fronts beyond exam performance.

Link: http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/pns/DisplayPN.cgi?pn_id=2009_0057 

#2 FREE Issue of Teach Primary

Jam-packed with ideas and inspiration to bring your lessons to life! Teach Primary! is fizzing with creative features and activities that will take the monotony out of your lesson planning. Each issue is stuffed with inspirational articles from the best educational experts to help you with your day-to-day teaching, class management and professional career development.  Plus we’ll keep you up-to-date on the latest news, products and KS1 & 2 curriculum updates.

Link: Click here to try a FREE copy!

#3 Government to up the ante on the personalisation agenda

This Spring sees the Government apparently upping the ante in its support of greater personalisation of learning. The 21st Century Schools consultation, designed to inform this May's White Paper, placed excellent personalised education and development at the heart of many of its proposals. Similarly, speaking to the ACSL conference in Birmingham on March 13, Ed Balls took the opportunity to share evidence of early success arising from one term of the Every Child Counts programme to claim that "New evidence of success in Every Child Counts shows how personalised learning can make a real difference to children who fall behind". It is looking very much like 2009 is to be the year when personalisation takes centre stage in the education debate.

Link: http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/pns/DisplayPN.cgi?pn_id=2009_0057

#4 The state of CPD in schools - more innovation required

In February, the TDA published the results of a survey of the state of CPD in schools. The survey of 151 schools concluded that teachers are offered a narrow range of CPD opportunities whose quality varies significantly. One of the key recommendations of the report was that schools and teachers should be encouraged to take part in CPD activities that are classroom-based, research-informed, and collaborative. This is good news for innovative providers of CPD experiences. A simple and judicious blend of research-based content allied to reflections on classroom activities and facilitated online collaboration with peers will fit this requirement nicely.

Link: http://is.gd/oMgE

#5 Best practice in teaching reading and writing - UNESCO Paris, February 2010

The World Dyslexia Forum is scheduled to take place at UNESCO Paris from 3 – 5 February 2010.  It is organised by Dyslexia International, an international NGO in operational relations with UNESCO. Experts in teacher training in teaching children and adults with dyslexia from over 190 countries are invited to share their knowledge.  They will review a first free online prototype training course, available in French and English entitled Basics for teachers – Dyslexia: How to identify it and What to do, and the accompanying film, Dyslexia – On the right lines.

Specialists will give their reports in good teaching practice from regions where Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish are spoken.

Link: www.worlddyslexiaforum.org

#6 Army Education Website - Free Resources

The Army In Education website http://army.mod.uk/armyineducation is offering free curriculum support for secondary school teachers. Aimed at teachers of students aged 11-16 years, the website provides a range of free curriculum support materials for Geography, PE, Assemblies and History using aspects of the British Army as a theme for learning.  In addition to the curriculum support materials teachers will be able to find out how Army museums and Army Careers Advisers can enhance classroom learning.

It is hoped that by developing a better understanding of the work of the British Army, that young people will respect the work of British Soldiers and their role in our society.

Link: http://army.mod.uk/armyineducation

#7 Family News