Care children still lag behind

"Looked after" children are still doing much less well at school than their peers. But the number reaching SATS level 4 and English and Maths has improved slightly from 52 to 54% - compared to 81 per cent of all 11 year olds.

Outcome Indicators for Looked-after Children, Twelve months to 30 September 2006, England

Free concerts for kids call

Eight classical orchestras are calling for every child to be able to attend an orchestral concert free of charge, as part of a manifesto for the future of classical music.

London Symphony Orchestra

TA numbers have doubled in seven years

The number of teaching assistant jobs in English primary schools has made another big leap, according to the latest government figures.
There are now 105,000 full-time-equivalent posts - 6,000 more than last year and twice the number in 2000. The actual number of primary teaching assistants is far higher, as many work part time.
The figures include learning support (special needs) assistants, and assistants supporting minority ethnic pupils.
Classroom teachers still outnumber teaching assistants, at 196,900, but their number has fallen slightly since last year.
There are also nearly 20,000 TAs in special schools, and 36,000 in secondary schools.
Other non-teaching staff such as secretaries and bursars are also on the rise.
SCHOOL WORKFORCE IN ENGLAND, January 2007 (Provisional)

Children overeat after watching food ads

Children eat more than twice as much food after watching food ads on TV, says a new study.
The research by Leeds university found children who were offered snacks immediately after watching advertisements for food eat 130% more than children who had been watching toy ads before the snacks were offered.

School closes to mark TA's death

A primary school in Hampshire closed for the day so staff could go to the funeral of a teaching assistant.
Mary Gray was a TA and governor at Stanmore Primary School in Stanmore, near Winchester. She was killed in a car crash over Easter, aged 54.
The school's head teacher Amanda Jones has posted a tribute to Mrs Gray on the school's web site. She would be "very sadly missed by the staff, parents and children past and present", she said.

TAs on study tour

Ten teaching assistants from Devon have returned from an international study visit to Austria.

The Higher Level Teaching Assistants visited several schools, attended a number of briefings and lectures and met with counterparts from Viennese schools during their five-day stay.

Mark Freeman from Devon County Council's curriculum services organisation, led the party. He said: "This is the first time such a visit has taken place which has been specifically designed for teaching assistants and reflects the high levels of responsibility now undertaken by such support staff in Devon schools."

Chris Gibson, from St George's C of E Infants, Northam said: "It was fantastic to find out how different schools work and it provided a rare chance to reflect on practice and organisation in our own schools.

"In some respects we've realised how much we take for granted in this country, such as the quality and the level of resources. However we were given real food for thought about the UK's approach to modern foreign language teaching when we saw the way in which the teaching of English was embedded in the everyday lessons of Austrian schools. The standard of the children's English put our faltering German to shame."

Uniforms "must be affordable"

Schools should consult parents and the wider community when they make school uniform policies, say new government guidelines.

Schools are strongly encouraged to have uniforms “as a way of instilling discipline and pride, protecting pupils and supporting effective teaching and learning,” says the guidance.

But uniforms should always be easily available and affordable. “The chosen uniform should be available at high street shops and other retail outlets rather than from and expensive sole supplier.”

Schools should try to accommodate pupils’ religious beliefs when they set uniform policies, but safety, security and learning must take precedence”.

TA loses sacking appeal

Teaching assistant Aishah Azmi has lost her latest appeal over her sacking for wearing a full-face veil in class.

The Employment Appeals Tribunal said she had not suffered direct discrimination when Headfield Church of England School in Dewsbury West Yorkshire suspended, then dismissed her from her job as bilingual support worker.

Staff at the school said children found it hard to understand what she said. Mrs Azmi said she was willing to remove the veil in front of children but not when male colleagues were present.

The tribunal said that there had been indirect discrimination, but that the school in this case had justified its actions.

UK "failing its children"

Children in the UK have a worse life than other children in industrialised countries, according to the United Nations Children’s Fund.

A study of children’s well-being in 21 countries found that children in the UK fared worst. The study took into account material well-being, health and safety, educational well-being, family and peer relationships, behaviours and risks, and children’s own view of their well being.

Second to bottom was the United States, followed by Hungary. Top of the list for child well-being was the Netherlands, Sweden and Denmark.

Children’s charities said the report showed Britain was failing its children.

www.unicef.org

Reading lessons for parents

Parents with poor reading and writing skills will be offered “family learning” classes before their children start school under a new government scheme.

The government also wants local authorities to run information sessions for parents whose children are entering school, to help them understand the challenges children will face, and to encourage parents to get involved with their child’s education.

Education secretary Alan Johnson said “One of the most important things a parent can do to boost the educational chances of their children is to read to them. simple yes – but in a busy world it doesn’t happen often enough”.

Mr Johnson also announced that next year would be “National Year of Reading”.

Foreign language to be compulsory for primary pupils

Children will study a foreign language from age seven by 2010 under new government plans.

Languages will become a compulsory part of the primary curriculum, with a range of measures to help schools teach them.

The announcement follows the Dearing Report on language learning, which recommended languages be compulsory from age seven to 14.

"Don't exclude bullied children"

Children who are the victims of bullying are being excluded from school on health and safety grounds, MPs have discovered.

The Education and Skills Select Committee of MPs has called on the government to tell schools must be told not to tackle bullying by keeping the victims away from school. It also wants more guidance to schools on tackling different forms of bullying such as excluding children from friendship groups, spreading rumours and using homophobic language.

MPs on the Education Select Committee say bullying should not be tolerated in school or outside. “The idea that bullying is in some way character building, and simply part of childhood is wrong and should be challenged.” they say. But they agree bullying is influenced by wider attitudes and behaviour in society.

Read the report.