Guidance For Secondary School Provision From 15 June 2020

Government details for secondary schools about the return of pupils in June.

Boris Johnson has confirmed the government expects secondaries to start to provide face-to-face support for year 10 and 12 pupils, from June 1 to June 15.

Create an account to read this article

£7.00+ VAT

One-off purchase

Purchase and Download today

Register for free

No Credit Card required

Register for free
Access to 3 free articles
Free TeachingTimes Report every month

array(8) {
  ["distinct_key"]=>
  string(10) "post#36040"
  ["title"]=>
  string(41) "BESA Annual ICT in UK State Schools Study"
  ["categories"]=>
  array(1) {
    [0]=>
    string(10) "Leadership"
  }
  ["url"]=>
  string(72) "https://www.teachingtimes.com/besa-annual-ict-in-uk-state-schools-study/"
  ["post_date_timestamp"]=>
  int(1193235252)
  ["objectID"]=>
  string(12) "post-36040-0"
  ["_snippetResult"]=>
  array(2) {
    ["excerpt"]=>
    array(2) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(345) "This summary report is the tenth in a series of annual surveys by BESA ((the British Educational Suppliers Association)) which aims to identify the provision and use of ICT in UK state schools. The BESA research report covers ICT issues including PC & laptop computer provision, networking & peripheral technologies such as ..."
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(7) "partial"
    }
    ["content"]=>
    array(2) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(359) "... available to teachers. · Primary school desktop computer use increased by 2.5% between 2006 and 2007 to an average of 31.8 desktop computers per school. It is estimated that 55,400 desktop computers will be purchased by primary schools by April 2008. · Secondary school provision of desktop computers has ..."
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(4) "full"
    }
  }
  ["_highlightResult"]=>
  array(4) {
    ["title"]=>
    array(3) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(41) "BESA Annual ICT in UK State Schools Study"
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(4) "none"
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(0) {
      }
    }
    ["excerpt"]=>
    array(4) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(493) "This summary report is the tenth in a series of annual surveys by BESA ((the British Educational Suppliers Association)) which aims to identify the provision and use of ICT in UK state schools. The BESA research report covers ICT issues including PC & laptop computer provision, networking & peripheral technologies such as interactive whiteboards, communications and the internet, financing of ICT and software and embedding ICT.
Folder: Leadership Briefings Issue 2.10 (22)"
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(7) "partial"
      ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
      bool(false)
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(1) {
        [0]=>
        string(9) "provision"
      }
    }
    ["content"]=>
    array(4) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(5900) "ResourceBESA ANNUAL ICT IN UK STATE SCHOOLS STUDYOriginal DocumentBESA Annual ICT in UK State Schools Study. This summary report is the tenth in a series of annual surveys by BESA ((the British Educational Suppliers Association)) which aims to identify the provision and use of ICT in UK state schools. The BESA research report covers ICT issues including PC & laptop computer provision, networking & peripheral technologies such as interactive whiteboards, communications and the internet, financing of ICT and software and embedding ICT.KeywordsBESA, PC & laptop computer provision, networking, peripheral technologies, interactive whiteboards, internet, software, embedding ICT.SummaryDevelopments in technology and Government policy on ICT in education are not only having fundamental effects on teaching and learning in schools, but are impacting on the products and services being developed by the industry.  The study found that schools are continuing to invest heavily in a broad range of ICT, with budgets increasing each year.Key Findings:· Schools continue to invest in ICT, with 56% of primary schools indicating that they are well-equipped with desktop computers, compared to 32% in 2001. 61% of secondary schools consider themselves to be the same position – compared to a third in 2001. · For laptop computers, schools continue to feel under-equipped with only 29% of primary and a quarter of secondary schools suggesting that they are well-equipped. This compares to 71% of primary and 64% of secondary schools being well-equipped with Internet access and broadband connectivity. · 2% of primary and 68% of secondary schools provide teachers with good access to computer equipment for curriculum purposes. 86% of primary schools provide good Internet access levels to teachers – 10% more schools than in 2006. Within secondary schools the growth of good Internet access for teachers has been slower; 76% compared to 70% in 2006. · In 2001, 30% of primary schools indicated good pupil access to the Internet. This has now increased to 70% of schools. In 2001, 41% of secondary schools indicated that pupils had good Internet access compared to 66% in 2007. · Approximately 8% of primary schools still require extensive investment in Internet bandwidth; however, this is 13% lower than recorded in 2002. 48% of secondary schools have no additional requirement for Internet bandwidth, compared to 38% in 2003. · A third of primary and secondary schools have an extensive requirement for online curriculum software. This compares to 35% and 33% respectively with an extensive requirement for laptop computers. · The availability of digital data projectors, interactive whiteboards and broadband Internet access are seen as the most important new technologies for both primary and secondary schools. Interactive whiteboards are of great importance to 72% of primary and 52% of secondary schools. In both cases this is lower than indicated in 2006. · 10% of primary and a quarter of secondary schools suggest that teacher laptops for lesson planning are rarely available. Even with the popularity of interactive whiteboards, a quarter of primary and a third of secondary schools indicate that provision is rarely available to teachers. · Primary school desktop computer use increased by 2.5% between 2006 and 2007 to an average of 31.8 desktop computers per school. It is estimated that 55,400 desktop computers will be purchased by primary schools by April 2008. · Secondary school provision of desktop computers has remained relatively static over the last two years. In 2007, over 900,000 desktop computers are available to secondary schools. New purchases to April 2008 are expected to be around 99,000 units. Redundancy rates may be similar and the average number of desktop computers is estimated to decline in 2008. · Laptop provision in secondary schools has increased from an average of 31 units in 2003 to 69 units in 2007, bringing the total in secondary schools to 131,700 units. An additional 57,400 laptops are expected to be purchased by April 2008. · 80% of primary teachers are considered to be confident and competent using ICT in the curriculum – up from 70% in 2004. The percentage has remained relatively static in secondary schools with 68% in 2007 being confident and competent using ICT – compared to 62% in 2004. · 55% of ICT managers consider the majority of primary teachers to be very confident in word-processing tasks. This compares to 50% in secondary schools. This compares to a fifth of primary and a quarter of secondary school ICT managers considering that the majority of teachers are very confident in using presentation tools.  · Three-quarters of primary teachers will receive ICT training in 2006, compared to 68% expecting training in 2007. 72% of secondary teachers will receive training, compared to 61% in 2006. · For those teachers receiving ICT training, around a third of primary and 28% secondary school teachers found it very useful, with all but 6% finding it of some use. · Many teachers suggest that limited access to computers for pupils is affecting their use of ICT in the classroom. 28% of primary and 41% of secondary schools indicate limited access to interactive whiteboards. This compares to fewer than 5% indicating limited access to computers for lesson preparation. · 16% of primary and a fifth of secondary schools identify class control issues as one of the pitfalls of using ICT in the classroom. A similar number have concerns about the effect of ICT on the reduction of available"
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(4) "full"
      ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
      bool(false)
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(3) {
        [0]=>
        string(9) "secondary"
        [1]=>
        string(6) "school"
        [2]=>
        string(9) "provision"
      }
    }
    ["categories"]=>
    array(1) {
      [0]=>
      array(3) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(10) "Leadership"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(4) "none"
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(0) {
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Leadership

BESA Annual ICT in UK State Schools Study

24 Oct 2007

array(8) {
  ["distinct_key"]=>
  string(10) "post#43982"
  ["title"]=>
  string(38) "PE Provision In Secondary Schools 2018"
  ["categories"]=>
  array(1) {
    [0]=>
    string(10) "Leadership"
  }
  ["url"]=>
  string(50) "https://www.teachingtimes.com/pe-provision_260218/"
  ["post_date_timestamp"]=>
  int(1519210944)
  ["objectID"]=>
  string(12) "post-43982-0"
  ["_snippetResult"]=>
  array(2) {
    ["excerpt"]=>
    array(2) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(285) "This research carried out by the Youth Sport Trust (YST) suggests that 38% of English secondary schools have cut timetabled Physical Education for 14-16-year-olds since 2012 while almost one in four (24%) have done so in the last academic year.
Leadership Briefing 12.06 (138)"
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(7) "partial"
    }
    ["content"]=>
    array(2) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(373) "... inactive, obesity rates are going up, mentalhealth issues are increasing, and there is a need for growing resilience and other employability skillsamong this generation.A secondary school’s Physical Education provision is often judged on GCSE PE grades and trophiesrather than its impact engaging and developing the health and wellbeing ..."
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(4) "full"
    }
  }
  ["_highlightResult"]=>
  array(4) {
    ["title"]=>
    array(4) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(56) "PE Provision In Secondary Schools 2018"
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(7) "partial"
      ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
      bool(false)
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(2) {
        [0]=>
        string(9) "secondary"
        [1]=>
        string(9) "provision"
      }
    }
    ["excerpt"]=>
    array(4) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(285) "This research carried out by the Youth Sport Trust (YST) suggests that 38% of English secondary schools have cut timetabled Physical Education for 14-16-year-olds since 2012 while almost one in four (24%) have done so in the last academic year.
Leadership Briefing 12.06 (138)"
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(7) "partial"
      ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
      bool(false)
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(1) {
        [0]=>
        string(9) "secondary"
      }
    }
    ["content"]=>
    array(4) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(5704) "Leadership BriefingLeadership Briefing – www.teachingtimes.comReports Summaries – a weeklyservice of essential summaries,in-depth reports and criticalanalysis that’s new and relevantto education, linked to originalsource documents.PE PROVISION IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS2018KeywordsPE provision,secondaryschools, physicaleducation,4-16-year-olds, health,wellbeing,students, lifeskills, sport,pression, anxietySummaryThis research carried out by the Youth Sport Trust (YST) suggests that 38% of Englishsecondary schools have cut timetabled Physical Education for 14-16-year-olds since 2012while almost one in four (24%) have done so in the last academic year.It comes at a time when too many young people are inactive, obesity rates are going up, mentalhealth issues are increasing, and there is a need for growing resilience and other employability skillsamong this generation.A secondary school’s Physical Education provision is often judged on GCSE PE grades and trophiesrather than its impact engaging and developing the health and wellbeing of students across theschool.This research suggests there is a spiralling downward trend in the number of core PE minutes offeredto young people in secondary schools today, at a time when improving young people’s mental andphysical wellbeing is becoming increasingly important.The YST is calling for an overhaul of Physical Education’s place in the curriculum to place muchgreater emphasis on using sport and physical activity to enhance young people’s confidence,emotional wellbeing, physical health and life skills.Main Findings: ■ Timetabled Physical Education time is decreasing, and the cuts get bigger as students get older.At key stage four (ages 14 to 16), 38% of schools had reduced timetabled PE in the past fiveyears while 24% had done so in the past year. On average pupils moving from Key Stage 3 toKey Stage 4 experience a 21% drop in the amount of curriculum PE they receive a week. By thetime they are aged 16 to 18-years-old they are doing just 34 minutes a week at school. ■ Exam pressure, additional curriculum time for other subjects and staffing cuts are among thereasons cited for reductions. 38% of teachers said their PE provision has declined because core/eBacc subjects have been given additional time with students taken out of timetabled PhysicalEducation for extra tuition in other subjects. It is suggested these are the very same youngpeople who need that physical activity time the most. One in three cited exam pressures as a keyreason for the decline. ■ Physical Education teachers overwhelming feel the subject needs to be more valued amongstschool leaders, parents, wider stakeholders and importantly young people. 97% of teachersWeek Commencing 26th February 2018https://www.youthsporttrust.org/sites/yst/files/resources/documents/PE%20provision%20in%20secondary%20schools%202018%20-%20Survey%20Research%20Report.pdfhttps://www.youthsporttrust.org/sites/yst/files/resources/documents/PE%20provision%20in%20secondary%20schools%202018%20-%20Survey%20Research%20Report.pdfLeadership BriefingLeadership Briefing – www.teachingtimes.comReports Summaries – a weeklyservice of essential summaries,in-depth reports and criticalanalysis that’s new and relevantto education, linked to originalsource documents.agree PE should be valued more within the school curriculum for what it offers young people. ■ Only 22% of children aged 5 to 15 in England meet the Chief Medical Officer’s recommended 60minutes per day of moderate to vigorous activity. 40% of children did fewer than 30 minutes perday. ■ Nearly a third of children aged 2 to 15 are overweight or obese, with younger generationsbecoming obese at earlier ages and staying obese for longer. ■ Around one in ten children have a diagnosable mental health disorder, and among teenagers,rates of depression and anxiety have increased by 70% in the past 25 years. ■ Pupils in Key Stage 3 have the most curriculum PE. ■ Unsurprisingly, pupils in Key Stage 5 have the least amount of curriculum PE. ■ In Key Stage 3 pupils receive an average 124 minutes of curriculum PE each week, 26 minutesmore than pupils in Key Stage 4, and a staggering 90 minutes more than Key Stage 5 pupils. ■ On average pupils moving from Key Stage 3 to Key Stage 4 experience a 21% drop in the amountof curriculum PE they receive. ■ 10% of schools surveyed have seen a decline in the number of minutes of core PE for Key Stage3 since last academic year. ■ The trend is greater for Key Stage 4, where 24% of schools have seen a decline in the number ofminutes of core PE since last academic year. ■ However, the results are even more profound when looking at the trend across the last 5 years –Key Stage 3 minutes have declined by 20% and Key Stage 4 minutes by a staggering 38% ■ 38% of teachers said their PE provision has declined because core subjects have been givenadditional time, and 1 in 3 cited exam pressures as a key reason for the decline. ■ 67% of teachers said they would like the Government to be more vocal on the value of PE. ■ 61% said they wanted senior leaders and governors to have a better understanding of the value ofPE. ■ Over half of teachers surveyed would like to stop students being taken out of core PE for ■ intervention in other subjects.Conclusions: ■ This research has highlighted that at an age when young people are becoming more sedentary,they are receiving fewer opportunities within their school timetable to be physically active.Leadership BriefingLeadership Briefing – www.teachingtimes.comReports"
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(4) "full"
      ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
      bool(false)
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(3) {
        [0]=>
        string(9) "secondary"
        [1]=>
        string(6) "school"
        [2]=>
        string(9) "provision"
      }
    }
    ["categories"]=>
    array(1) {
      [0]=>
      array(3) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(10) "Leadership"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(4) "none"
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(0) {
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Leadership

PE Provision In Secondary Schools 2018

21 Feb 2018

array(8) {
  ["distinct_key"]=>
  string(10) "post#40714"
  ["title"]=>
  string(78) "School Food: Head Teachers’ And School Senior Managers’ Perceptions Survey"
  ["categories"]=>
  array(1) {
    [0]=>
    string(10) "Leadership"
  }
  ["url"]=>
  string(49) "https://www.teachingtimes.com/school-food_150713/"
  ["post_date_timestamp"]=>
  int(1373551016)
  ["objectID"]=>
  string(12) "post-40714-1"
  ["_snippetResult"]=>
  array(2) {
    ["excerpt"]=>
    array(2) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(267) "This DfE report provides the results of a survey of primary and secondary school head teachers and senior managers, to examine their views on, and their school’s policies regarding, school food.
Leadership briefing issue 7.12(84)"
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(7) "partial"
    }
    ["content"]=>
    array(2) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(347) "... majority of secondary schools (71 per cent) but less than a third ofprimary schools (28 per cent). Policies did not vary by academy status in secondary schools.School Food Provision ■ Most schools cooked lunch on site (85 per cent). Secondary schools were more likely to cooklunch on site (96 ..."
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(4) "full"
    }
  }
  ["_highlightResult"]=>
  array(4) {
    ["title"]=>
    array(4) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(96) "School Food: Head Teachers’ And School Senior Managers’ Perceptions Survey"
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(7) "partial"
      ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
      bool(false)
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(1) {
        [0]=>
        string(6) "school"
      }
    }
    ["excerpt"]=>
    array(4) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(267) "This DfE report provides the results of a survey of primary and secondary school head teachers and senior managers, to examine their views on, and their school’s policies regarding, school food.
Leadership briefing issue 7.12(84)"
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(7) "partial"
      ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
      bool(false)
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(2) {
        [0]=>
        string(9) "secondary"
        [1]=>
        string(6) "school"
      }
    }
    ["content"]=>
    array(4) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(5964) "schools). The average cost of a hot school lunch did not vary by academy statusamong secondary schools. ■ The majority of primary schools (69 per cent) reported that pupils had between 46 minutes andone hour for lunch while 52 per cent of secondary schools reported that pupils had between 30and 45 minutes. The length of school lunch time did not vary by academy status. ■ The average take-up of school lunch among schools in the survey was 50 per cent of pupils inprimary schools and 54 per cent in secondary schools. These fi gures were slightly higher thanthose reported in the 2011-12 School Food Trust Survey (46 per cent in primary schools and 40per cent in secondary schools). Take-up did not vary by academy status in secondary schools. ■ School lunch take-up was perceived to be on an upward trend in the majority of schools, with twothirds reporting that it had increased in the last three years. This refl ects a national trend of smallincreases in take-up between 2008-09 and 2011-12 reported in the School Food Trust AnnualSurvey. There were no differences between primary and secondary schools or academies and Leadership Briefi ngLeadership Briefi ng – www.teachingtimes.comJuly2013Editor: R ChimaEnquiries to: raspal.chima@yahoo.co.ukReports Summaries – a weeklyservice of essential summaries,in-depth reports and criticalanalysis that’s new and relevantto education, linked to originalsource documents.non-academies in the proportions reporting that take-up had increased. ■ Head teachers and senior managers were most likely to think ‘taste’ was a ‘very important’ factorin whether pupils took a school lunch, with 62 per cent choosing this. ■ ‘Choice’, ‘healthiness’ and ‘affordability’ were seen as ‘very important’ by around four in ten headteachers and senior managers. ■ Head teachers and senior managers in secondary schools were more likely than those in primaryschools to think that social and environmental factors like ‘queue length’ and ‘what friends do’were ‘very important’ in the decision to opt for school lunches. ■ Most head teachers and senior managers thought that school lunches at their school performedwell on taste (78 per cent) and healthiness (84 per cent), but were less likely to think theyperformed well on affordability (61 per cent). There were no differences in ratings between primaryand secondary schools. ■ Academy secondary schools were more likely than non-academies to rate their school lunches as‘very good’ for healthiness (45 per cent compared with 29 per cent), but there were no differencesby academy status in ratings of taste and affordability. ■ Schools had a range of policies in place to encourage school lunch take-up and healthy eating.The majority of primary and secondary schools had policies for teachers eating with pupils (67per cent) and involving pupils in decisions about school food (66 per cent). Cashless systems forpayment were in place in the majority of secondary schools (71 per cent) but less than a third ofprimary schools (28 per cent). Policies did not vary by academy status in secondary schools.School Food Provision ■ Most schools cooked lunch on site (85 per cent). Secondary schools were more likely to cooklunch on site (96 per cent compared with 83 per cent of primary schools). The proportion ofsecondary schools cooking food on site did not vary by academy status. ■ The majority of primary schools (64 per cent) had a contract for providing school lunch with theirlocal authority, while secondary schools were divided fairly evenly between in-house catering,contracts with private caterers and contracts with the local authority. Academy secondary schoolswere more likely than non-academies to have in-house catering (47 per cent and 23 per centrespectively) while non-academies were more likely than academies to have a contract betweenthe school and local authority (42 per cent compared to 16 per cent). ■ Provision models tended to have been inherited by head teachers and senior managers (30 percent) or chosen for reasons of quality (21 per cent) or fi nancial sense (19 per cent). ■ 71 per cent of secondary schools and 60 per cent of primary schools had a breakfast club onthe school premises. The proportion of secondary schools with a breakfast club did not vary byacademy status. ■ The majority of schools did not have vending machines, although they were more commonin secondary schools (23 per cent) than in primary schools (one per cent). The proportion ofsecondary schools with a vending machine did not vary by academy status. ■ Primary schools were more likely than secondary schools to have a tuck shop (26 per cent and 16per cent respectively). Among secondary schools, there was no difference by academy status inthe likelihood of having a tuck shop.Leadership Briefi ngLeadership Briefi ng – www.teachingtimes.comJuly2013Editor: R ChimaEnquiries to: raspal.chima@yahoo.co.ukReports Summaries – a weeklyservice of essential summaries,in-depth reports and criticalanalysis that’s new and relevantto education, linked to originalsource documents.How to Improve School Lunches ■ Most head teachers and senior managers were aware of the current food and nutritional standardsfor school food, but only a minority claimed to know them in detail. More than four fi fths (83 per cent)said they were aware of the nutritional standards but could not explain them and only 12 per cent saidthey could explain them in detail. Levels of awareness were similar between primary and secondaryschools and between"
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(4) "full"
      ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
      bool(false)
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(3) {
        [0]=>
        string(9) "secondary"
        [1]=>
        string(6) "school"
        [2]=>
        string(9) "provision"
      }
    }
    ["categories"]=>
    array(1) {
      [0]=>
      array(3) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(10) "Leadership"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(4) "none"
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(0) {
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Leadership

School Food: Head Teachers’ And School Senior Managers’ Perceptions Survey

11 Jul 2013

array(8) {
  ["distinct_key"]=>
  string(10) "post#40922"
  ["title"]=>
  string(18) "Turning the tables"
  ["categories"]=>
  array(1) {
    [0]=>
    string(13) "Special Needs"
  }
  ["url"]=>
  string(57) "https://www.teachingtimes.com/ecj-3-6-turning-the-tables/"
  ["post_date_timestamp"]=>
  int(1382358088)
  ["objectID"]=>
  string(12) "post-40922-1"
  ["_snippetResult"]=>
  array(2) {
    ["excerpt"]=>
    array(2) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(170) "Research is something that’s done to people in care, right? Not in this case. Kristen Liabo looks at what happens when care leavers take control of the research agenda."
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(4) "none"
    }
    ["content"]=>
    array(2) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(411) "... looked-after children.7 These small-scale projects provided directsupport (e.g. tutoring, mentoring, nurture groups, book parcels), personal educationplanning, transition support (between primary and secondary school), staff development,and provision of technological support (e.g. computers, internet access).This study found that the attainment in the children improved. The ..."
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(4) "full"
    }
  }
  ["_highlightResult"]=>
  array(4) {
    ["title"]=>
    array(3) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(18) "Turning the tables"
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(4) "none"
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(0) {
      }
    }
    ["excerpt"]=>
    array(3) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(170) "Research is something that’s done to people in care, right? Not in this case. Kristen Liabo looks at what happens when care leavers take control of the research agenda."
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(4) "none"
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(0) {
      }
    }
    ["content"]=>
    array(4) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(5670) "equal opportunities point of view, tutoringshould therefore be available in a non-stigmatising way to looked-after children. Tutoringhas been found to be popular12 and also an effective strategy for improving reading andmaths skills in children aged five to 14.Strategic interventionsStrategic interventions were those appliedat an organisational level to change policyand practice to support an improvement inlooked-after children’s educational outcomes.Strategic interventions aimed to strengthenthe relationship and communication betweeneducation and social care services, and focusedon changing organisational practice ratherthan providing direct support, although someincluded initiatives that worked directly withchildren and young people. While many localauthorities will now have initiated such changesin the wake of Care Matters, we were interestedto see the results of formal evaluations of suchinitiatives.There were three studies within thiscategory – one UK pilot implemented in three local authorities,13 one evaluation of theVirtual School Heads pilot12 and one US evaluation of having an educational specialist toadvise social workers on educational problems.14 Overall, evaluations did not identify anyclear trends in school attendance and attainment as a result of these programmes, butcollaboration between different departments improved. The Taking Care of Educationevaluation found that looked-after children’s emotional well-being and self-esteemimproved after 18 months of the programme.The Virtual School Head pilot found that one in three looked-after children were moreconcerned with their placement or school move than with educational progress andthis anxiety was not reflected in the adults’ responses. Many adults seemed unaware oflooked-after children’s needs, views and behaviours. The Taking Care of Education studynnnwww.teachingtimes.com n Vol 3.6Education/Research Every Child Journal33found that like other children, those in care appreciate special rewards and extra support,but they do not like this to happen in a way that singles them out as being looked-after.These points resounded with the experiences of the young people who conductedthis review and who objected to being pulled out of class to talk to workers about theireducation plan.Spending of targeted moneyWe found one Scottish evaluation of 18 authorities who were given money to improvethe education for their looked-after children.7 These small-scale projects provided directsupport (e.g. tutoring, mentoring, nurture groups, book parcels), personal educationplanning, transition support (between primary and secondary school), staff development,and provision of technological support (e.g. computers, internet access).This study found that the attainment in the children improved. The authors concludedthat individualised and flexible approaches were most successful, and that the projectswere valued by carers and families, as well as young people. An important problem forthese projects was finding qualified staff. A lot of work went into establishing relationshipsbetween projects, social workers, education departments and schools, and the projectswere worried about what would happen to these relationships after the end of the pilotperiod. So while this indicates that intensive and targeted support can work well, it showsthat it takes a long time to get collaborative working off the ground and that long-termfunding is needed.Reading encouragementTwo UK studies evaluated programmes that encouraged looked-after children to readmore. The Letterbox Club sent monthly parcels in the post to looked-after children,containing books, maths games and stationery.15 The evaluation of this found someindications that children improved their reading during this time. Another programme,Reading Rich, worked directly with residential care homes to improve their readingenvironment, and initiated activities to encourage reading and writing, including writersin residence and book gifts.10 Young people and staff said that the writers’ residencieswere very popular and carers’ awareness of literacy as an out-of school activity improved.These programmes provided support activities to the more in-depth work describedearlier. Some of the young people who conducted this review had also experienced similarinitiatives and appreciated them, especially when they created opportunities for readingwith their carers.DiscussionOur review was focused on current policy targets for children’s education in general –attainment and attendance. We acknowledge that there are lots of nuances to educationalexperiences which will be overlooked with this narrow focus. We do believe that it wasimportant to consider whether there is any evidence which social workers and teacherscan use to try and improve looked-after children’s education in line with existing policies.This review has done that. We now call for more nuanced studies which evaluate bothhow a programme is appreciated (or not) by young people, and how it impacts on theirschool records.The programmes identified by this review were developed in response to the system’sfailure to provide adequate education. This is likely to be a result of research findingswhich have highlighted both the achievement gap and lack of an education focus in thecare system.16 One aim for the system is to ensure that it at least provides appropriateeducational support to looked-after children. As corporate parents, local authoritiesshould provide the same level of care as biological parents.With the Care Matters white paper in 2007,"
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(4) "full"
      ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
      bool(false)
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(3) {
        [0]=>
        string(9) "secondary"
        [1]=>
        string(6) "school"
        [2]=>
        string(9) "provision"
      }
    }
    ["categories"]=>
    array(1) {
      [0]=>
      array(3) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(13) "Special Needs"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(4) "none"
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(0) {
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Special Needs

Turning the tables

21 Oct 2013