Tomorrow’s Engineers Week – On a mission to challenge perceptions of careers in STEM
If someone told me when I was at school that I would grow up to have a job working in space, I would have been over the moon (no pun intended). I always thought a career in STEM required strong maths skills or good science grades – but luckily for me, that isn’t the case. And I’m on a mission to inspire others to explore the many different routes that can be taken into career in STEM. So, how did I land my dream job designing power stations in space? I will be revealing all in a live broadcast for schools during Tomorrow’s Engineers Week (6 to 10 November). It’s an annual celebration of engineering and technology careers designed to inspire the next generation. But let me explain how I got here and how I think more students should be encouraged to think of space – and more broadly engineering – as a career path. My journey has been the epitome of a ‘squiggly career’. But since deferring my undergraduate degree in computer programming, I now know that I was right to change direction. Doing something that excites and inspires me every day is so important. I spent a brilliant 11 years working as a marine engineer on auxiliary ships that support the Royal Navy. I learnt that a marine engineer can absolutely become a tritium development engineer then a fusion energy engineer and now a space energy development engineer. In my current role, I have discovered that space is as exciting as it promises to be. After all, how many people do you bump into in your local supermarket who can say that their actual job is designing a solar power station that sits in space? I identify possible solutions. I analyse the merits of the said solutions. I then get to calculate, design and model components for our spacecraft. These problem-solving and analytical thinking skills are crucial in driving innovation across the industry. But curiosity and creativity are just as important. I love my job and feel passionately that many, many more young people should be encouraged to think about a career in engineering. Where do you start? Well, ask your class these questions: Are you a curious creative who has only dreamt of a career linked to space? Love going to gigs? Have you thought about pursuing a career in music – perhaps as a live sound engineer? Are you someone who loves to problem solve? Do you want to be part of a global team delivering an era-defining new form of energy? Do you want to be involved in accelerating innovation in areas such as autonomous space robotics, energy transfer as well as in-space assembly and manufacturing? Reaching net zero is the greatest single global endeavour undertaken. Our survival as a species depends on it. It requires a stepped change in our behaviour on so many fronts, including how and where we generate and consume energy. We know how passionate young people are about climate change and sustainability. Engineers across the world are and will continue to play a huge role in finding solutions to complex, global problems. I am proud to be playing a tiny part in that seismic goal – and you could too. So, what can you do to support your students considering a career in engineering? Join the Tomorrow’s Engineers Week 2023 live broadcast on 6 November where I will be discussing my pathway into engineering, alongside other inspiring engineers and technicians across many different and we hope, surprising industries. A recording will also be available shortly afterwards on the Tomorrow’s Engineers website. And remember, the week is packed with a whole host of other interactitve activities to excite and inspire students. By Mike Hontoir – Space Energy Development Engineer, Space Solar To find out more, visit www.teweek.org.uk
Overlooking School Sprinkler Systems – The High Price Of Short-Term Thinking
School sprinkler systems are still relatively rare. Fewer than one-in-six new schools have been built with a sprinkler system installed yet the fire incident statistics for England in primary/secondary and other educational establishments has seen a rise from 250 in 2020/21 to 341 in 2021/22. This begs the question as to why are we not investing appropriately in our school estate and leaving our schools vulnerable to fire and its impact? The price of underinvestment in school buildings was brought to bear in early September with the news that 174 schools were either forced to close or install temporary classrooms due to the presence of crumbling reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC). Whilst the safety of students is paramount, it has led to disruption and financial implications with pandemic-style remote learning and temporary classrooms having become the order of the day. Structurally unsound schools leading to disruption is clearly a significant challenge but fire can also have an impact on a child’s education. In August, two significant school fires caused extensive damage and disruption. On August 12th, a nursery in Hartlepool suffered 10% fire damage and complete smoke damage to the nursery while the rest of the school experienced lighter smoke damage. On August 17th, a fire in Bolton, caused even more damage to the very heart of the SS Simon and Jude CE Primary School, with the main teaching spaces, central hall and kitchens destroyed by fire. The school has over 600 pupils. When students returned to classes after the summer holiday, temporary arrangements were needed for classrooms undergoing reconstruction. The ripple effects of such incidents are far-reaching, with fires causing significant disruption even if they do not engulf entire school premises. The short time frame meant students had to navigate prolonged disruptions potentially spanning months. An event that did not attract as much attention was a fire that broke out at the unsprinklered Ash Green Primary School in Mixenden on February 1st 2022. Despite 10 fire crews responding, the blaze destroyed a quarter of the key stage two block, displacing upper school pupils to temporary classrooms. The estimated £4.5 million rebuild has just started and is noted to take until close to 2025 to complete. It is worth stressing that the fire at Ash Green Primary was not about the destruction of the whole school. Whilst such events garner the headlines fires that cause damage to two or three education spaces or classrooms can really have an impact. Put simply, a school just runs out of space to relocate students in such an incident, and it leads to the work of an entire school/department and the delivery of education being hampered. In the case of Ash Green, it has led to the revamp of the school costing millions of pounds funded by Government and ultimately taxpayers. A thousand school children displaced Whilst many may be struck by the financial consequences the key item is that across these three events is that over 1,100 pupils were displaced, causing weeks of disrupted lessons and childcare adjustments for parents. That impact continued until they found temporary accommodation but that was not always in the same place as the original school. The timeline for rebuilding a school is not short, and can stretch to two to three years. Government is insistent that even a week’s interruption to their education would have a negative impact on a child’s attainment. Their stance on this matter is so resolute that they impose a daily fine of £60 on parents for taking their children out of school. Fires such as those described have an even greater impact and it’s a similar level of disruption to the schools that were impacted by RAAC. A study conducted in 2020 by Zurich Municipal revealed alarming statistics – over the past five years, schools in England encountered a staggering 2,300 fires. The study projects potential disruption to education, estimating that as many as 390,000 teaching hours could be lost within a year due to significant fires, affecting 28,000 students. The monetary ramifications are equally dire, with the average repair bill for substantial fire incidents hovering around £2.9 million, while certain catastrophic fires can rack up costs of up to £20 million. Measures such as sprinklers drastically reduce the amount of damage done when there is a fire, and enable schools to get up-and-running quickly, reducing the cost, both economically and socially, to the public. Schools have always been a vital part of the community for events, meetings, and activities. These can also continue with minimal interruption ensuring the continuity of service to the community. Many educational facilities are built at low cost without considering long-term resilience or upkeep. When disaster strikes, the true costs emerge. Entire school communities suffer, with hundreds of students displaced and lesson plans upended, sometimes for years. Perhaps if we invested appropriately in quality school infrastructure from the outset, prioritising key resilience measures like sprinklers, these crises could have been averted or minimised. It seems we put off costs in the short-term only to pay an even higher price further down the road. Whether the wave of school closures is a result of fire or RAAC, the question remains: are we properly investing in our children’s schools for the long haul, or merely building as cost-effectively as possible in the hope of surviving the next 30 years without incident? By Thomas Roche – Secretary of the Business Sprinkler Alliance Read more QA Education news
Teachers Believe Ebooks Benefit Primary Pupils’ Reading But Only A Third Have Access
A new report on the impact of eBooks on reading for pleasure has been published by the National Literacy Trust in association with Pearson, the world’s leading digital media learning company. The report, Using eBooks to support reading for pleasure in 2023 brings together responses from more than 500 primary educators, including classroom teachers, headteachers and SENCOs, and paints an illuminating picture of digital tools and their perceived impact on primary pupils today. Key findings from the report show that: The benefits of eBook use are far reaching, with more than three-quarters of teachers whose pupils’ access eBooks believing they can support opportunities for personalised learning (77%) and reading for pleasure (76%) in all children. 58% believe they enhance engagement in reading, over half (54%) say eBooks provide an opportunity to support different learning needs, and a quarter (26%) feel eBooks encourage greater family engagement with books and reading. Access to an eBook library is reported by over 80% of all respondents who used digital tools to provide a positive impact on children’s reading enjoyment (86%), choice (85%) and motivation (83%), with over three quarters reporting benefits to comprehension (76%) and independent reading (77%). What’s more, teachers without access to eBook libraries reported a desire to access more high-quality books that are diverse and interactive, with on-screen features to offer adaptive, personalised learning. Building on existing research that stresses the importance of reading for pleasure in boosting literacy, wellbeing and long-term socioeconomic outcomes for children, the report also explored current barriers to the use of eBooks in primary schools, despite their many benefits. These include a general lack of staff training and professional development, as well as a lack of staff confidence around digital resources – this in spite of the widespread use of digital tools in the 2020-21 Covid-19 lockdowns. Speaking about the findings, Lindsay Nadin, Director of Primary at Pearson, said: “These are hugely important insights from the frontline of primary classrooms, and indicate a strong appetite from primary teachers for diverse, adaptive choices that bring all learners enjoyment through reading – and so vitally strengthen their literacy skills along the way. “There is much to love about current advances in the digital landscape – especially around how tools can deepen a passion for reading in schools – but the presence of a digital divide must not be overlooked. “Given national warnings that fewer children enjoy reading in their free time, extending access to eBooks outside school – with engaging options that can be accessed on mobile phones, tablets and other onscreen devices – could be a vital step in switching learners on to literacy. This is especially pertinent for the 1 in 10 children from lower-income backgrounds who do not have a book of their own at home.” Dr Christina Clark, Director of Research and Evaluation at The National Literacy Trust, said: “The percentage of children and young people who tell us that they enjoy reading, and read for pleasure daily, has been on a downward trend in recent years, with reading enjoyment at its lowest level in 15 years. It is therefore imperative that we explore every way possible to support children’s reading, and we hope that these new insights into teachers’ experiences and perceptions of using eBooks contribute to the evidence base around digital support for reading for pleasure at school and at home.” Pearson are committed to ensuring every child can develop a lifelong love of reading no matter their ability, background or identity. As part of this commitment, Pearson has created Bug Club Reading Corner. Reading Corner is an online reading-for-pleasure library for primary pupils, with over 100 beautiful books by a range of diverse authors and illustrators. Children can choose books to read according to their interests. Books in Reading Corner are mobile-friendly and Reception and KS1 books offer Read-To-Me audio options, enabling even more children to access exciting stories at school, at home and elsewhere. You can try Reading Corner free for 30 days as part of Pearson’s all- new Bug Club eBook Library: pearsonprimary.co.uk/ReadingCorner With a subscription to Pearson’s Bug Club eBook Library, educators looking for support around reading for pleasure can also access professional development created in partnership with Professor Teresa Cremin and her team at The Open University. There are six online modules covering a range of teaching topics, including building communities of readers. Lindsay continued: “As we continue to seek the views of teachers, parents and pupils, we are committed to ensuring the next chapter is collaborative, so that every child can be part of the story.” For further information, visit go.pearson.com/nlt Click here to read more QA Education news
Editor’s blog: It’s time to scrap the one word Ofsted ratings
Its acronym alone can strike fear into the heart of the average teacher. I speak of Ofsted of course – the school inspection regime for England. The system – widely hated by teachers – is being reviewed after headteacher Ruth Perry took her own life shortly after inspection into the leadership and management of her school was dubbed ‘Inadequate’ – Ofsted’s harshest rating following errors with safeguarding training. The school had previously been rated ‘Outstanding’ and a few months after she took her life it was lifted back up to ‘Good’. An inquest later this month will review the specific circumstances of her death but a wider enquiry into Ofsted by MPs on the Commons Education Select Committee began in October. It was launched amid concern that the one-word ratings that Ofsted gives to schools may not be conducive to helping schools improve and in the most serious cases cause significant harm to the mental health of people working in schools. The inquiry is reviewing whether the added workload of preparing for an Ofsted inspection is detrimental to the wellbeing of teachers and school leaders. Lord Jim Knight, a former schools minister in the Blair government, couldn’t have been clearer in his belief. He commented: “We have a whole system that is operating in fear and in stress. Once the Ofsted window opens – that they are going to be inspected in the next couple of years – that massively skews the behaviour of everyone in the system, and I think to the detriment of children’s education.” Also concerning is the evidence that for a significant percentage of schools, a poor rating can leave a school ‘stuck’ – unable to improve – or even deteriorating for years and years. If the stigma of being a failing school prevents a school from ever improving, there is certainly a vicious circle at play. This comes back to the ‘one word ratings’ and the likelihood that being judged as ‘inadequate’ will deter brighter pupils and more able teachers. On the flip side, schools that have narrowly missed a rating often pass the threshold a year or two later thanks to the Ofsted feedback. It is quite a conundrum! Do we have to accept some schools aren’t going to make the grade if we are to have high standards? Statistically speaking it’s a certainty as there’s not much value in engineering a situation where everyone can be considered great. The inspectorate does have to be able to give negative judgements but that needs to be balanced with the capacity or ability of the school to improve based on its resources and other socio-demographic factors. It’s no surprise that wealthy areas tend to have more ‘outstanding’ rated schools. Any teacher that has worked in the independent/private sector will tell you that the children aren’t any brighter, they are just enabled and perhaps, more crucially, expected to do more. Ofsted clearly has no power to raise the standards of parents! A former Chief Inspector of Schools, Sir Michael Wilshaw told the committee he was in favour of scrapping the one word ratings. Sir Michael, who axed the ‘satisfactory’ rating for ‘requires improvement’ as he felt parents were being falsely reassured, said he had been “a big supporter” of one word ratings but wasn’t anymore. “They are not giving parents an accurate picture of what’s happening in schools,” he told the committee. “It’s providing parents with false comfort.” He went on: “Ofsted says that nearly 90% of schools are good. That’s nonsense. That’s complete nonsense. Having seen some of the schools judged good over the last few years, I would not say [they] were good. “When I’ve been into some of these schools and then I’ve seen the [Ofsted] report, I’ve felt like going to Specsavers and getting another pair of glasses because they were not good and it’s giving false comfort to parents.” Wilshaw also accused Ofsted of moving too far away from data and he said inspection judgments were becoming much more subjective. “We’ve got the ridiculous position of schools with really low progress scores – minus progress scores – and terrible outcomes getting a good judgement.” The committee is also considering the remit of Ofsted amid vast differences in school regulation across the UK and the world – with many countries having no school inspection regime. It has heard that Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland all had less demanding systems that placed more trust in schools to evaluate their own performance. Dr Sam Sims, from the UCL Centre for Education Policy and Equalising Opportunities, questioned the ‘doubling up’ occurring under the English system, in other words the inspectorate reviewing schools’ educational performance regardless of exam results. Dr Sims suggested that the regulator should be more focussed on other performance measures such as safeguarding, extra-curricular achievements and ensuring schools weren’t cutting corners on health and safety and other pastoral matters. So, with all the evidence we see so far it seems sensible to scrap the one word ratings for something more nuanced, but not too complicated for parents to understand. What would you do to reform Ofsted? Share your thoughts with me via nick@euromediaal.com Read more QA Education blogs by clicking here
Young Tree Champions: Apply now for free trees, tech and support at your school
UK schools can now apply for The Tree Council’s Young Tree Champions (YTC) programme, with free trees and hedgerows, inspirational resources, and lots of support available to develop green spaces – and grant children opportunities to feel connected to nature. Since 2020, The Tree Council’s flagship education programme has worked with more than 400 school and youth groups, planted nearly 12,000 trees and hedgerow whips at close to 300 schools, and engaged almost 120,000 UK pupils in total. The programme speaks to four of the key 21st century challenges faced by schools and school pupils: nature-poor grounds; rising eco-anxiety; a knowledge and skills gap around tree health and horticulture; and limited opportunities to influence positive change, particularly in areas of high deprivation. Richard Pollard is Head of The Tree Council’s National Schools Programme. He said: “It’s so important that young people have opportunities to plant and care for trees, to feel like they are able to make a positive contribution to their environment, and to find the courage to speak up for what matters to them.” Young Tree Champions has a number of entry points, depending on requirements and available resources. Schools new to the scheme can begin by applying for a Tree Starter Pack, delivering five free trees – including fruit trees – and/or a pack of 60 hedgerow whips, and supported by free, online training around planning, planting and aftercare, alongside access to free teaching resources, and our free, online Schools Hub. The next step up is to apply for a Trees and More Project Pack. Successful schools will receive free trees, technology – such as a microscope camera – and ongoing support to deliver a minimum of four tree-related activities over the year, including tree planting. Young Tree Champion Schools can then seek to achieve Beacon status through the completion of a YTC project, and a subsequent self-assessment that demonstrates the impact of their work and confirms their continuing commitment to trees and nature. Beacon Schools gain access to a Tree Council regional leader; more trees, hedgerow whips and technology; free trips and experiences – and the opportunity to contribute to the touring Force for Nature exhibition. They are also able to influence the wider YTC programme, through the National Forum, and host and lead training events. In total, 15 new Beacon Schools were announced in 2023, located right across the country, from Stirling to Kent, with three schools achieving Outstanding Beacon School Status. Emma Sweeney, at Rolph Church of England Primary School in Clacton-on-Sea, said: “Children and staff are very proud to be an Outstanding Beacon School. “Being part of the Young Tree Champions has enabled our staff, pupils and their families to connect with nature – all children in our school benefit from regular timetabled outdoor learning and forest school sessions.” To find out more about The Tree Council’s Young Tree Champions programme, and to apply for your free trees and tailored support, please visit https://youngtreechampions.org/. The closing date for applications is November 12 2023. Read more QA Education news
Students set to study responsible use of AI alongside A levels
What is true? What is safe? What does it mean for society? Students will now be able to dive deep into key questions surrounding Generative AI in a significant move by Pearson – the world’s leading learning company. For the first time, A level students across the country will be able to study the role and ethics of AI as part of a qualification, critically analysing trending tools like Chat GPT and their outputs while gaining key skills for the future. Available from November, the new learning pathway offered within Pearson Edexcel’s Extended Project Qualification (EPQ), will see students able to lead investigations into the benefits and limitations of Generative AI across a range of real life contexts and interest areas, including: Equivalent to half an A level in size and attracting up to 28 UCAS points, the ‘EPQ:AI’ pathway comes as AI continues to transform workplaces and behaviours. A recent survey revealed that a quarter of UK adults have used Generative AI with many doing so in the workplace, while SnapChat’s AI-powered chatbot is reported to have surpassed over 150 million users this year. Sharon Hague, Managing Director at Pearson – the first exam board to encourage students to study and critique AI in this way – said: “This new pathway is just the first step in our collaboration with learners, educators, families and experts to help today’s students thrive in the AI-driven society of tomorrow. “Generative AI is also impacting learners’ lives today and as such, we believe there needs to be a space for them to critically explore its benefits and pitfalls now. “In our recent Pearson School Report, 9 in 10 students told us that they want to feel prepared for their future in a digital world. “By giving young people the choice to dive deep into AI, we hope they will learn to use these tools responsibly and effectively while gaining vital critical thinking skills.” Representatives from examination boards, including Sharon Hague from Pearson, form a key panel in the newly-created ‘AI in Education’, a not-for-profit, independent body that seeks to ensure that AI can be used in education to benefit students, teachers and society. Sir Anthony Seldon, Head of Epsom College and founder of AI in Education, said: “AI is transforming education and all our lives, and it’s fantastic to see organisations, like Pearson, taking steps to support students navigate this. “There is a real need right now to support AI literacy in schools and help prepare young people for a world where such tools will become commonplace in their personal and professional lives.” 16-18-year-olds who take the EPQ:AI pathway from Pearson will have access to materials that support them to critique Generative AI tools and outputs through the creation of an essay, field study, performance or artefact. Sennen, a student in the South East said: “AI is a big part of our world and experiences already – especially on social media, with loads of young people I know already using chatbots for life advice. “The chance to explore generative AI, especially understanding the risks, using it responsibly and applying what we learn to a project that supports our studies and future careers is really exciting.” Pete Dring, Head of Computing at Fulford School in York added: “Whilst tools like ChatGPT are still fairly new, their impact has already been huge and is growing rapidly: almost every teenager could name someone in their class who has used generative SnapChat AI or Bing to help with their homework. “It’s important that students understand the limitations of such tools and how to use them responsibly.” Support materials are also being provided to teachers alongside the project qualification. The 2023 Pearson School Report found that 1 in 2 secondary teachers expect to see an increased use of AI, like ChatGPT, in schools in the next 10 years, but what shape this will take is the focus of significant debate. Just next week the government is hosting its first AI Hackathon, where teachers and school leaders will explore how AI can be used effectively in education. Find out more about Pearson Edexcel’s EPQ:AI To read more QA Education news click here
Zellar launches UK-wide programme to help UK schools build and deliver climate action plans
Zellar, the smart sustainability company, has officially launched its Zellar Schools programme to help 32,000 UK schools take climate action and save costs. Zellar Schools programme will be accessible to all schools in the UK from just £200 a year and is open to sign up today. The launch follows the success of a six-month pilot programme in which over 90 primary and secondary, state and independent schools participated. Zellar Schools programme is powered by Zellar’s digital sustainability platform, which makes it easy for schools to make a start and take climate action. It helps them calculate and understand their carbon emissions and then build an achievable plan to reduce them. Each school gets its own Zellar sustainability score enabling them to monitor and share their journey with teachers, children and parents. Multi-academy trusts (MATs) with multiple schools can use Zellar’s score to track, compare and measure progress across their estate. During the pilot, schools used Zellar to understand their scope 1 and 2 emissions and went on to implement over 350 wide ranging operational changes, from mandating energy checks across the school estate to investing in solar panels. The programme is estimated to have reduced carbon emissions by 3.2t CO₂ and saved £4,923 in energy costs – per school. Zellar Schools supports sustainability leads without requiring extensive time commitments or costly consultants. As well as gaining full access to Zellar’s sustainability platform, schools will receive ongoing sustainability support such as educational and partner content, webinars and demos, community interaction such as networking opportunities and regular communication from the Zellar team. Additionally, Zellar’s programme promotes biodiversity and environmental change while helping institutions meet the Department for Education’s (DfE) requirements for reporting emissions and creating a comprehensive Climate Action Plan. Gary Styles, founder of Zellar commented: “This is an exciting moment for Zellar. We’ve always seen schools as critical to igniting and accelerating community climate action. “Now, with the launch of Zellar Schools any UK school can simply report their emissions and build a climate action plan aimed at reducing them, all for £200 per year. “The programme has already proven to pay for itself with the potential to deliver thousands of pounds of savings across energy, water and waste.” He continued “As well as a practical tool for helping schools to manage sustainability, the platform is full of engaging sustainability projects that can be used to engage, educate and inspire a generation of children around the importance of sustainability and climate action.” Tibshelf Community School, who joined the initial pilot commented: “Zellar has become our school’s sustainability saviour, a one-stop-shop that’s engaged our school around the biggest issue of our generation, focusing our thinking, enabling us to build a tailored roadmap and a step-by-step climate action plan.” Kate Walsh, school improvement administrator at Oxford Diocesan Schools also on the pilot programme, said: “Having a personalised climate action plan that the whole school community can contribute to will help us to become a sustainable school by saving energy and money, while also giving children an opportunity to make a difference to their world.” To read more QA Education news click here.
Young pupils recovering from Covid learning gap
New research suggests the Covid learning gap suffered by young pupils as a result of the pandemic is starting to narrow. The difference between reading and maths scores of Year 3 and 4 pupils in the 2022/23 academic year compared to those before Covid is smaller than it was. But the gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers remains wide. The findings are the latest in a series of reports conducted by the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) tracking the longer-term impact of the pandemic on younger pupils’ reading and maths skills. Published and funded by the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF), the research has followed over 6,000 pupils who were in Reception and Year 1 (four- to six-year-olds) in March 2020, with the most recent assessment taking place in the spring term of 2023 with the same pupils, now in Years 3 and 4. The study tracks the estimated Covid-19 gap and disadvantage gap over time to gain an understanding of pupils’ attainment relative to where they might expect to be had the pandemic not occurred. Dr Ben Styles, Head of Classroom Practice and Workforce at NFER said: “It is encouraging that three years on from the first school closures, there are real signs of improvement in both the reading and maths performance of Year 3 and Year 4 pupils. Schools have been working tirelessly following the pandemic to put strategies in place to support pupils’ learning recovery. “Our evidence suggests there should be a greater focus on very low attaining pupils and closing the disadvantage gap. It is essential that schools are both adequately funded and supported to do so using evidence-based approaches. This will be required over the long term.” Covid-19 gap closed for pupils on average in both reading and maths The new data shows that in spring 2023 there was no significant difference in Year 3 pupils’ reading and Year 4 pupils’ maths performance, compared to the pre-pandemic pupil samples. For reading and maths, in both Years 3 and 4, the Covid gap significantly reduced compared with spring 2021 and spring 2022. However, the analysis did show a notable proportion of very low attaining pupils in Year 3 reading, larger than seen before the pandemic (4.9 per cent compared with 2.5 per cent). Disadvantage gap is shrinking, but it remains wider than before the pandemic Year 3 and 4 pupils eligible for free school meals were each estimated to be around seven months behind their more well-off peers for reading in spring 2023. These gaps have not decreased since spring 2021 and remain wider than gaps reported before the pandemic. Meanwhile, the disadvantage gaps for maths in spring 2023 for each of Year 3 and Year 4 were estimated to be around six months – significantly reduced since spring 2021 but wider than gaps reported before the pandemic. Schools report support for pupils’ wellbeing is still a priority, particularly for disadvantaged pupils The research shows that schools have continued with a number of strategies developed during the pandemic, including increased wellbeing support, and provision for home learning which most schools felt they were able to support well. Schools who reported disruption to learning gave the most common reason as being related to pupils’ behaviour and wellbeing, a much more commonly reported challenge than in previous years of the study. The research also explored pupils’ social skills, behaviour and wellbeing. It found the social maturity of pupils in 2022/23 was not significantly different to that seen in 2021/22. However, disadvantaged pupils were assessed as having significantly lower social skills than non-disadvantaged pupils. Three quarters of schools reported that they were prioritising learning recovery support for their disadvantaged pupils, but schools were concerned about the level of funding to support pupils who had missed learning. To read more QA Education news click here
Managing school behaviour – the power of positive parental engagement
Engaged parents can help schools deliver positive behaviour strategies says Paul Featherstone, former primary school teacher and product manager at SIMS from ParentPay Group. How often are teachers diverted away from teaching to encourage a group of pupils to stop chatting and focus on their learning or take quick action to prevent a playground altercation from spilling over into a lesson? According to the DfE’s 2023 National Behaviour Survey, 62% of school leaders and teachers reported that misbehaviour interrupted teaching in at least some lessons and two thirds of pupils had experienced lessons disrupted by poor behaviour. However, families can be powerful allies for tackling issues – parents were described as supportive of their school’s behaviour rules by almost 80% of school leaders. Engagement with parents can help nip behavioural issues in the bud, whether a school wants to address bullying, low-level classroom disruption or persistent absence. So, how can schools build stronger home-school connections and supercharge their behaviour management strategies? Spotting the signs If a child is frequently involved in playground frictions or suddenly starts regularly shouting at their peers or teachers, interrupting lesson time, chances are there is a lot more behind their behaviour than first meets the eye. Small changes in a pupil’s behaviour can be hard for a teacher to spot in a busy classroom. There could be issues beyond the school gates that might shine a light on why they are behaving in a certain way too, that the school may not be aware of. Nurturing strong partnerships with parents is critical to uncover issues that can impact on pupils’ behaviour and learning progress. They could be upset about a tragic event in the community or anxious about a sick relative and not sleeping at night. Open and honest communication with parents allows the school and family to work together to put additional support in place where it’s needed. A referral to the school counsellor might be all that’s needed to help the child process what their dealing with and find healthy coping strategies to manage their behaviour and get back on track with their learning. The way schools communicate with parents is key to creating this home-school partnership. Positive communication Constant letters about their child’s disruptive conduct in class can switch parents off too. Schools that take a more positive approach to communications about behaviour can get parents on side and this is a much more effective way to tackle problems. Imagine a parent’s delight at receiving a text message from school to inform them that their child has just got star of the week or received a top story-teller award. This can brighten their day and allows them to mark their child’s achievement with a treat or reward. Injecting some positivity into parental communications is more likely to encourage families to reinforce the school’s expectations of pupil behaviour. It will also make it easier to have difficult conversations if needed as the parents are already more engaged. The method of communication matters too. Research has shown that parents are more likely to read a short text message rather than an email or a letter. And a generic email about the school’s behaviour policy won’t hit the mark as effectively as a communication that is personalised and addresses a situation that needs to be addressed. Recognise and reward the positive There is often great emphasis placed on recording details of the negative behaviour that goes on in school to help flag where investment is needed to prevent it. This approach has its place, but there can be many advantages to recording positive behaviour and achievement too. If pupils only receive attention from the headteacher for poor behaviour, it can result in anger, disengagement and may even have a negative impact on a child’s self-esteem. But what if the senior leadership team is automatically alerted when a quiet child has made a positive contribution to a class debate, or a pupil has got a great score in the latest history quiz? They could then spot the child in the corridor and congratulate them for their achievement. The vast majority of schools already have schemes in place to acknowledge pupils’ achievements and encourage positive conduct on a termly or weekly basis. Being able to recognise and reward positive behaviour and achievement in real time in this way will reduce behavioural issues and help to reinforce the school’s values and ethos. Let tech take the strain Technology can make it easier for schools to engage parents and take a positive approach to behaviour management. Automated messaging tools enable a personalised text message to be sent out to notify a child’s family that they have just received 10 positive achievement points. Automatic alerts can be set up so that notifications arrive directly to staff members’ mobile device when certain criteria are reached too. Teachers cannot tackle poor behaviour in isolation. With firm foundations for parental engagement and a positive approach to behaviour management, schools can form the bedrock for happier and more productive learning. To read more QA Education blogs click here