Signposts

The recently published Henley Review of Cultural Education and the government's response make interesting reads. Click here to download, or visit the Cultural Alliance's website.
Most welcome recommendation:
'...a digital strategy for cultural education and a 'one-stop shop' website.'
Most alarming recommendation:
'...a set of minimum expectations for every child's cultural education experience, set out by age.'

An afternoon of collaboration and exploration, set within the learning spaces of M-Shed, designed to take enquiry-led curriculum one step further.

£30 per setting (up to three people)
13:30 – 16:45, 21/06/12
Click here to book

The revised framework, effective from September 2012, takes forward the Government’s reforms to the 2008 framework as recommended in the 2011 Tickell Review. The reforms aim to reduce paperwork and bureaucracy by introducing a progress check at aged two to provide for early intervention as necessary, and simplify assessment at age five – usually at the end of the reception year. Click here to download the documents.

Having meticuously read through the document, we are undecided. In principle the reduction of goals are welcome, and although some statements are vague, others are much easier to evidence. One significant downside is the unchanged number statements. As one teacher points out: 'The expectations are exactly the same as Level 1 APP. It's also sad that they haven't lessened the overlap between the ages and stages. It will be harder for practitioners to show progress and this is not good news with such an emphasis on this in the new ofsted framework for both PV and schools'.

The latest report from the RSA's Area Based Curriculum work addresses the challenge of teachers not only being asked to design curriculum, but to collaborate with local stakeholders to do so. It concludes that while government emphasis on the quality and importance of teaching is welcome, the vision of what a quality teaching workforce looks like lacks ambition.

Creative, critical and collaborative professionals are required to meet the challenge of diversity and knowledge in the 21st century, and teachers need to be supported and challenged to develop forms of professionalism that meet this need.