Report February 2012

report

FEBRUARY 2012

THE MAGAZINE FROM THE ASSOCIATION OF TEACHERS & LECTURERS £2.50

Pensions An update on the negotiations

Playing to learn How child-led play can aid learning

Making the leap Negotiating health and safety requirements to give students an amazing school trip

ADVICE Guidance on looking after your back at work

JOIN THE DEBATE Cricketer Isa Guha on girls in sport

www.atl.org.uk

Contents

30

10

Welcome

18 Features

Your ATL 04

Pension news ATL members and Executive accept the government’s pension offer

06

News Including Mary Bousted rebutting Michael Gove’s academy views, and ATL’s line on PSHE

08

Noticeboard Advice, information, events and opportunities to get involved

10

Making the leap Health and safety and school trips

18

Learning through play How play-based learning benefits pupils

Help and advice 22

Bullying and harassment ATL’s legal team on what constitutes bullying and harassment

23

Contact All the details you need to get in touch with ATL

24

Avoid a pain in the neck Practical advice on looking after your physical well-being at work

Join the debate 14

Agenda Head of education policy Nansi Ellis on the curriculum

15

ATL in Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland Philip Dixon, Mark Langhammer and Keith Robson give their views

17

Letters ATL members have their say on shifting goalposts, unfair bursaries, and the language debate rumbles on

Resources 26

ATL resources Useful newsletters, publications and factsheets

21

Philosophical thinking Would embedding philosophy in school life reap rewards?

26

Info directory A selection of free resources for teachers and lecturers

30

Final word Cricket star Isa Guha on mixing sport with education

28 29

Classified advertisements Crossword Win £500 in i to i Volunteering holiday vouchers (or 50% off)

Report is the magazine from the Association of Teachers & Lecturers, 7 Northumberland Street, London WC2N 5RD Telephone: 020 7930 6441 Fax: 020 7930 1359 Email report@atl.org.uk or membership@atl.org.uk Internet www.atl.org.uk Managing editor Victoria Poskitt Editor Alex Tomlin News editor Andrew Robbins Head of advertising sales Samantha Overton 01603 772520 Advertising sales Lisa Parkinson 01603 772521

BORISLAV MARINIC/ALAMY

OUTDOOR-ARCHIV/ALAMY

T

Alice Robinson, national president, ATL

his issue of Report has much that will be of interest to you, not least an update on the pensions negotiations (p4). The improvements in the government’s offer were — I am sure — a direct result of the action taken by ATL members and demonstrated our grave concerns at the proposed imposition of the original changes to the Teachers’ Pension Scheme.

I would like to thank all of you who took the opportunity to let us know your thoughts on the pensions proposals via the online survey, and also to pass on the thanks of all the membership to the ATL staff who have worked tirelessly throughout the pensions campaign.

For those about to undertake school skiing trips or others starting to think about planning trips for the summer term, I am sure you will find the article on taking students off-site (p10) interesting; even for those ‘of mature years’ like me, who have been taking students on trips for years, it is food for thought.

The article on early years education (p18) and the need for play as a route to learning was fascinating and informative, especially to a grandma with a granddaughter in Year 2.

The advice on page 24 to all of us that work in education — to ensure that we take as much care as possible of ourselves and that we avoid potential hazards, especially those relating to our backs — is really important. We need to take care of ourselves so that we can take care of others.

Simply asking a few questions about our working environment could help us to protect ourselves.

The ‘Final word’ article by Isa Guha (p30) on representing England as a member of the women’s cricket team gives a wonderful perspective of how sporting representatives need to juggle their commitments, whether they be educational or personal. I am sure this sounds familiar to many of you reading this article.

Report is produced and designed for ATL by Archant Dialogue Ltd, Prospect House, Rouen Road, Norwich, Norfolk NR1 1RE. Email: mail@archantdialogue.co.uk Production editor Catherine Page, Managing art editor Nicky Wright, Art director Nick Paul, Managing ad production controller Kay Brown, Client services director Chris Rainer, Editorial director Zoë Francis-Cox, Managing director Mick Hurrell Printed in the UK on FSC-accredited stock. Subscription: Non-members, including libraries, may subscribe at the rate of £16 per year. ATL accepts no liability for any insert, display or classified advertisement included in this publication. While every reasonable care is taken to ensure that all advertisers are reliable and reputable, ATL can give no assurance that they will fulfil their obligations under all circumstances. The views expressed in the articles in Report are the contributors’ own and do not necessarily reflect ATL policy. Official policy statements issued on behalf of the Association are indicated as such. All rights reserved. Material contained in this publication may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, without prior permission of ATL.

4

your ATL / news

Pensions update ATL’s Executive Committee has accepted the government’s final offer for the Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS) following a poll of members that saw 91.6% of respondents giving their support to the proposals.

ATL members in pension schemes in Northern Ireland and Scotland also took part in the poll, as changes to the TPS will very likely be replicated in their schemes. Both Northern Ireland and Scotland members supported the acceptance of the TPS proposals by 89.2% and 100% respectively.

The decision to accept the final offer, made at the committee’s meeting on 28 January, came after a debate which recognised members’ concerns that not to accept the offer could lead to an imposed pensions deal, which would be much worse.

There was recognition among the over50s that ATL negotiators had secured a good outcome in protecting their current arrangements. A 59-year-old specialist support teacher from Hampshire said: “ATL has always, thankfully, been the voice of reason.

“While I am very grateful for the way in which you fought for teachers with these negotiations, I, like many others, am very conscious of the economic climate.

“To maintain public support in tough times and reach what amounts to an improved compromise in the face of far worse alternatives is probably the best outcome we could have.”

Independent school teachers welcomed the proposal to keep them in the scheme.

Annika Cooper, a 27-year-old London prep school teacher, said: “I accept the proposals as they allow independent sector members to stay in the TPS. I believe this is vital to employment remaining fluid and competitive.”

But many members who supported the deal also expressed their disappointment over the government’s handling of the negotiations, and raised concerns about the impact of the higher contribution rates on younger teachers. Vivienne Ramsey, a 44-year-old secondary school teacher from Staffordshire, said: “My concern is the contribution level is too high and new teachers will not join the scheme. Indeed, www.atl.org.uk

those in their first five years are tempted to leave it and use the money to pay a mortgage.”

Speaking after the committee’s meeting, Alice Robinson, ATL president, said: “ATL members are realists. They read the papers, they know times are tough and they know the government shows no signs of deflection from its austerity policies.

“Our action in June and November has gained significant improvements on the original pensions proposals for our members.

“In these circumstances, members have chosen to back ATL negotiators’ assessment that we have to accept a deal which is not what we wanted but could have been made significantly worse if we had rejected it.”

Since the TPS offer was made on 19 December, ATL and the other seven unions have met the government to consider the details — looking at negotiating contribution levels from 2015, implementing phased retirement and monitoring the impact of opt-out rates.

Commenting on ATL’s pensions campaign, Mary Bousted, general secretary, said: “Once the government made it clear in October 2010 that it intended to impose rather than negotiate changes to the TPS, it was only members’ strength and determination that forced the government to shift its position and finally enter talks that led to this improved offer.

“We’re determined to build on your significant achievement by keeping a close eye on the TPS. We’re unsatisfied with the contribution rates and we’ll be making sure the government takes action should opt-out rates threaten the scheme’s health.”

Negotiations on the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) in England and Wales continue between the Local Government Association and the recognised unions (Unison, Unite and GMB). The LGPS in Northern Ireland is also under review, with no proposals as yet. ATL members in both schemes will be consulted on any changes.

For details on the offer and the latest information see: www.atl.org.uk/pensions

The offer explained The new scheme starts on 1 April 2015.

If you are 50 or over on 1 April 2012 you stay in your present scheme until you retire, including a final salary calculation and retirement age of 60 (or 65).

If you are between 46½ and 50, you join the new scheme later.

Around 41% of teachers benefit from this arrangement.

There have been further discussions between the unions and government on the distribution of contributions for 2013 and 2014, with further talks on rates from 2015 onwards.

The new scheme replaces final salary with CARE (career average revalued earnings) as a basis for calculating annual pension. Some teachers may achieve better pensions under the new proposals due to an improved accrual rate of 1/57ths.

Normal pension age will equal the state pension age (see page 8).

As now, you could take your pension from age 55 on an actuarially reduced basis, and the improved accrual rate will make retirement at 65 financially viable.

Other benefits, such as spouse/partner pension, death in service and ill-health retirement, will be in line with current provisions. An optional lump sum with corresponding pension reduction will be available in line with the provisions for those joining since 1 January 2007.

February 2012

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6

your ATL / news

ATL rebuts Gove academy speech

Michael Gove

Mary Bousted

ATL general secretary Mary Bousted has condemned a speech by Education Secretary Michael Gove, in which he accused those not supporting academy schools of being “the enemies of promise”.

Mr Gove said that academies had improved

outcomes for pupils and cited the large number of academy conversions as proof of support for the programme.

“It is ridiculous to argue whether academies are good or bad schools,” said Dr Bousted. “Now that nearly half of all

Warning on PSHE education

elements, under the terms of reference of its current PSHE review, should be made statutory only if there is “clear evidence of the benefit to pupils and they do not significantly impact on the statutory burden on schools.”

“ATL does not believe such a piecemeal approach will ensure sufficient resources, timetabling or appropriate training across schools,” added Ms Wachsening.

“The quality of sex and relationships education (SRE) in schools is already variable, with some teachers lacking the training and support to deliver the subject effectively. We already know that most children and young people regard their SRE as being ‘too little, too late and too biological’, with little, if any, information on relationships.

“ATL believes that PSHE education should be taught as a discrete statutory subject, within a whole-school approach to promoting pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.”

ATL has warned that government attitudes to personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education in schools will affect pupils both socially and academically.

“Ofsted has shown that good PSHE education has a direct positive impact on pupils’ personal and social skills,” said ATL education policy adviser Daniela Wachsening. “PSHE education contributes significantly to pupils’ well-being, and helps raise attainment through the link between overall child development and academic performance.”

The government has already ruled out making PSHE education a statutory subject within the national curriculum.

It has also suggested that any new PSHE www.atl.org.uk

You can read ATL’s full response to the government’s PSHE consultation at: www.atl.org.uk/responses

secondaries are academies, some will be good and some not good enough — as is the case with other state-funded schools.

“There is no evidence that becoming an academy makes any difference to pupil performance, when allowance is made for the pupils’ backgrounds. All schools are ambitious for their pupils, but the government’s economic policies make their job harder because children living in poverty face huge barriers to success.”

Dr Bousted argued that individual schools — particularly primary schools — were too small to function completely independently.

“Getting schools to work together is the best way to improve education overall,” she said. “The government’s academies policy reduces the accountability of schools and is preparing schools to be run for profit rather than for the benefit of children.

“It is wrong and counterproductive to force schools to become academies.

It diverts them from raising achievement.

The government simply cannot explain how forced conversion helps anyone.”

Scholarship success An ATL member has won one of the first national teaching scholarships.

Senior maths teacher Helen Clark, from the Emmanuel Holcombe Church of England Primary School, near Bury, secured funding for an MSc educational leadership and management masters degree after applying to the National Scholarship Fund for Teachers, run by the Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA).

Mrs Clark is doing her course at Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU), with a focus on mathematics teaching.

“It will help us to stretch the maths skills of our more able pupils,” she said.

“It’s about professional development and will help us to find our own answers to improving the teaching of our children.”

For details of the scholarship, email nationalscholarshipfund@tda.gov.uk or call 0800 389 2500.

February 2012

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England teachers face Scotland set barriers to Scotland jobs for post-16 reforms Teachers from England are increasingly reporting problems in getting registration to teach in Scotland, according to ATL’s Scotland office.

“We’ve had an upsurge in enquiries from teachers from England who want to work in Scottish schools, but find it difficult to obtain approval from the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS),” said Keith Robson, ATL national official for Scotland.

Gill Slidders had 18 years’ experience in English schools, teaching the three-toeight age range, and had filled several roles, including deputy head, before deciding to move to Scotland.

“I found that my experience was not recognised in Scotland, as teachers here have to be able to teach the full age range of children,” she said. “I couldn’t get full GTCS registration until I’d completed 15 weeks’ teaching in the upper primary range — quite a challenge in today’s job market!

“As a stopgap, I found a temporary nursery maternity cover post in a local primary school in Scotland, but I’m being paid as a probationer, despite all my experience.”

Mr Robson advises anyone thinking of teaching in Scotland to do their homework before taking any decisions.

“In England, the General Teaching Council (GTCE) allows 32 different routes into teaching, including schemes such as Teach First or the Graduate Teacher Programme. However, the Scottish system recognises only two: a four-year undergraduate course, and a full-year postgraduate course from an approved subject area,” he said.

Ruth Schofield, a behaviour advisory teacher, looked into moving to Scotland, and sought advice from ATL Scotland.

“The big thing for me was the threshold element,” she said. “I’m a threshold 3 teacher, with a lot of experience, but I’d have lost the lot if I’d moved to Scotland, which would have meant a significant pay cut.”

Mr Robson urges teachers considering a move to Scotland to contact either ATL or the GTCS. “Members are not always aware of the differences between the education systems in Scotland and elsewhere in the UK, and what that means for them if they wish to move here,” he said.

For advice about registering to teach in Scotland, visit: www.gtcs.org.uk/registration/registration.aspx

Members of ATL’s leadership section, AMiE, have taken a strong line in Scotland in response to the Scottish government’s proposals for post-16 education reform.

AMiE members discussed the changes at the first AMiE Scotland seminar, held in Glasgow on 5 December. The seminar helped inform ATL’s responses to the two consultations on the topic, issued at the end of 2011.

“We’re facing major changes in Scottish further education this year,” said Keith Robson, ATL’s national official in Scotland.

“The Scottish government has announced a £15 million college transformation fund to support regional mergers of colleges, while denying it is forcing colleges to merge. We don’t believe that the money set aside for the fund is adequate to meet the needs of the sector, nor are we convinced by the need for a regional funding model.”

Copies of the responses will be available on the ATL website: www.atl.org.uk/policy-and-campaigns/ responses/responses-scotland.asp

Supply teacher training demand rises

Supply teachers get active in East Anglia

ATL is meeting growing demand for training among supply teachers by running a series of CPD and networking days across the country.

Supply teachers snapped up places for February 2012

the first event of 2012, taking place in York next month, following a successful training day in November at Norwich City Football Club.

“ATL is one of the few national organisations offering supply teachers training and networking opportunities like this,” said ATL learning organiser Lorraine Fisher.

At the East Anglia CPD and networking day, a group of 24 participants heard national official Peter Morris talk about their rights as supply teachers. The event also included a workshop that allowed members to share their experiences.

“We were really pleased that three of the teachers at the Norwich event volunteered to act as union learning reps (ULRs). It’s important there are as many ULRs as possible to promote local learning,” added Ms Fisher.

“It was a worthwhile and inspiring day, with a lot to think about and take away,” said supply teacher Linda Moore from Felixstowe.

To find out more about ATL’s CPD and networking days for supply teachers, please contact Peter Morris at pmorris@atl.org.uk, or visit: www.atl.org.uk/training

www.atl.org.uk

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your ATL / noticeboard, get involved

Noticeboard State pension age Under the provisions of the Pensions Act 2011, the age at which some members may access their state retirement pension has been increased. See page 4 for details of the government offer on the Teachers’ Pension Scheme.

Currently the state pension age for women is being increased to age 65 to match the state retirement age for men. For women the state pension age will increase more quickly to 65 between April 2016 and November 2018.

From December 2018, the state pension age for both men and women will start to increase, to reach 66 in October 2020. The changes affect you if you are a woman born on or after 6 April 1953 or a man born on or after 6 December 1953.

In addition, the current law already provides for the state pension age to increase to: • 67 between 2034 and 2036 • 68 between 2044 and 2046.

However, the Chancellor announced in his autumn statement that the age at which you can access your state pension will now increase to 67 between 2026 and 2028. This change is not yet law and will require the approval of Parliament. You can check your current state pension age at: http://pensions-service.direct.gov.uk/en/state-pension-agecalculator/home.asp.

Classroom health and safety checklist The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has introduced a new health and safety (H&S) checklist for classrooms, designed for use by teachers and support staff to identify any risks or areas of concern.

The checklist is not exhaustive or mandatory, but can be used by schools to complement any steps they are taking to manage the wider risks identified in the school, including issues such as asbestos, manual handling and violence.

ATL H&S representatives may also find the checklist a useful supplement when carrying out their H&S inspections. The list, which was drawn up with trade union input, contains a section on ‘Additional issues’, which reps

www.atl.org.uk

can use to inform management of any other H&S issues they have identified, or that are raised by members and colleagues.

The checklist does not cover drama and sports facilities or specialist classrooms — including laboratories, art, IT and design and technology facilities — owing to the more specialist equipment and materials used in them.

For more information about risk assessment, visit: www.atl.org.uk/health-andsafety/risk-assessment/ about-risk-assessment.asp.

You can download a copy of the HSE checklist at: www.hse.gov.uk/risk/ classroom-checklist.pdf.

Hotel discounts for ATL members Hotel discounts of up to 50% are available to ATL members through new ATL plus partner Skoosh.

Skoosh is an online hotel bookings company, trading since 2001. It is offering ATL members discounts of up to 50% off publicly available prices at more than 35,000 hotels in the UK and abroad.

To access the offer, ATL members should register at the dedicated website, www.skoosh.com/atl.

You can then search for hotels on the Skoosh site. The results will display in the order of the best discounts first — identified with the ATL logo.

Some hotels are shown with the public price alongside the ATL one, enabling simple comparison.

Alternatively, you can search for hotels based on price, star rating or other criteria.

Members also have a chance to win a £200 hotel voucher by visiting the Skoosh website competitions page. The competition is open until the end of February 2012.

For more information on this offer, call Skoosh on 01273 728862 or email the company using the contact form on its website.

Gourmet Society offer ATL members looking to treat their loved one to a meal can enjoy special treatment at thousands of restaurants through our Gourmet Society offer.

ATL members can join the society at a discounted rate, giving them access to special offers at participating restaurants, including: • two-for-one meals • 50% off food • 25% off food and drinks.

Among the establishments taking part are Prezzo, Loch Fyne and The Living Room, with many other fine dining or family friendly venues also participating.

To take up the offer, go to www.gourmetsociety.co.uk, click on ‘Join now’ and type the promotional code ‘ATLTRIAL’.

February 2012

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CPD theme of Education Show

International Women’s Day 2012 International Women’s Day on 8 March 2012 is the focus of thousands of global events to raise awareness, support and funds for women around the world.

Oxfam is offering ideas and resources to help staff at your school — whether men or women — to raise money for projects to benefit women worldwide, from bake sales to a free fundraising party pack, and a delicious jam recipe from Kenya.

Projects include a scheme in Mali to train teachers educating women and girls: £135 can be used to train five teachers who can educate more than 250 girls, encouraging them to stay in school. Details of the project can be found at: www.oxfam.org.uk/womensday/how-your-money-helps/ supportinggirlseducation.

For more information on International Women’s Day, see: www.oxfam.org.uk/womensday/get-involved/at-work.

February 2012

This year’s Education Show, at the NEC in Birmingham from 15-17 March, will offer education practitioners free, accredited professional development and educational resources. The show helps educators learn about current policy initiatives and cost-effective purchasing, as well as share ideas.

Continuing professional development (CPD) is the main theme, with conferences and CPD-accredited, practitioner-led seminars on offer.

The show also hosts special educational needs coordinator (SENCO) training from Nasen (formerly the National Association for Special Educational Needs). The training was developed with the Schools Network and leading SENCOs, and runs alongside the Education Learn Live programme and leadership conferences.

The British Educational Suppliers Association is sponsoring a group travel subsidy scheme to help education professionals visit the show. Groups of 10 or more travelling together can receive up to £150 subsidy towards coach hire. Please quote priority code EPR9 when enquiring about this offer through the event’s website.

To find out more, please visit www.education-show.com.

www.atl.org.uk

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cover feature / school trips

Taking ontrips A

TL believes that off-site visits are an essential part of any young person’s learning, but many education staff are wary or reluctant to organise them due to perceived risk — also the paperwork involved in managing that risk.

Self-confessed “huge fan of the school trip” Carly, a member of ATL Future, believes that educational visits such as taking students to a theatre to see live performances of texts is “a great opportunity to see how they were intended to be. Any trip will always produce great discussions in the lessons before and following, which is then reflected in students’ written responses and grades.”

She also points to “benefits in terms of their relationships as a group and with the teacher. Taking students out of the school context is reliant on a large amount of trust in your students and vice versa; trips can be great for class relations and can be a huge incentive and reward. I particularly enjoy seeing students out of school contexts. You learn so much about them as individuals, and this all builds towards positive relationships that will ultimately improve learning.”

Independent school member Geoff Pye, a veteran of Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) expeditions through schools, concurs.

“Adventure-based trips are massively enjoyable for students; they’re characterbuilding, they build teamwork. The DofE trips are extremely challenging and strenuous, and when the kids succeed

www.atl.org.uk

Deciding whether to go on a school trip is a balancing act between the benefits for students and dealing with the health and safety requirements. Words by Alex Tomlin

in something, they have a massive sense of external licensing for organisations of achievement.” that offer an adventurous activity, such as Despite this myriad of benefits, many whitewater rafting. Organisations offering are put off by the preparation involved, these trips would be able to self-certify that including addressing health and safety they met safety regulations. concerns through risk assessments.

“Would you want to take a group of “It is an awful lot of work,” says ATL’s 13- or 14-year-olds on an adventure trip lead member for health and safety, Kim if the place hadn’t been licensed as safe?

Knappett, a science teacher from London.

Are people really going to take that risk?”

“A lot of teachers agonise over something wonders Jacqueline. that would be really good, but they have to “We get a lot of calls from people consider the cost and how much work it worried about litigation and their liability. will be to organise.”

‘What happens if we take a child on a “A lot of people do get caught up in all trip and something happens; are we the red tape that’s involved in educational personally liable?’” visits these days,” agrees “I think the risks Vince Usher, ATL’s 2011 A lot of people in general prey on outstanding health and teachers’ minds on are put off by safety rep of the year. a school trip,” says form filling, but “But I do think Vince, “not necessarily it is important that the paperwork is someone dying, but important — that we do someone getting injured, the risk assessments, know what could and who’s going to be held accountable happen at the place and be aware of what for genuine accidents. Is it going to be could happen with the students.” the teacher taking them out?”

There is some doubt about whether Prime “Our advice is always that as long as Minister David Cameron subscribes to the there’s been a proper risk assessment and same view, as he intends to cut health and you’ve followed advice then it’s very unlikely safety guidance by 50% on the back of Lord that you could be seen as personally liable,” Young’s report. says Jacqueline. “Liability arises if you knew “It fits into the agenda in government there was a problem and you didn’t do and some parts of the press about health anything about it.” and safety being pointless or a bit of a “The scariest thing about trips is the joke,” believes ATL’s health and safety uncertainty — the ‘what ifs’,” says Carly, adviser Jacqueline O’Neill. One example of “but the more thorough the planning then legislation-cutting that she believes could the less likely they will happen, and if they be detrimental is the removal of any form do, you will already have a plan. Although

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February 2012

the paperwork and process can be timeconsuming, it really makes you think through what you are doing and prepare.”

“You’ve got to be aware of what risks are likely to occur and what can be done to minimise risk,” says Vince. “It’s about making it safe for the students so they still benefit — not wrapping them in cotton wool. A lot of people are put off by formfilling, but it’s important and I really can’t urge people enough to do it.”

So is there too much paperwork?

While the Young report advocated cutting down, the more recent Löfstedt report, which also took employers’ views into account, suggested that legislation and guidance was broadly appropriate.

“I think the balance as it stands is about right,” says Carly. “Although the paperwork and process can be time-consuming, it really makes you think through what you are doing.”

“The trips I’ve been involved in have been residential because once you’ve done a risk assessment for the transportation and the venue, you can be there one day or three for the same amount of work,” Kim Knappett adds.

Vince Usher is concerned that reducing health and safety requirements to save money now could be a false economy. “I agree it can seem like there’s too much, but it’s there to help and protect people. It’s not there to cause unnecessary work, it’s there to protect people’s lives, especially in an environment with children where accidents can happen.

I think reducing it is eroding workers’ and children’s rights and safety. In the long run, if serious accidents do increase, then how much will the government have to pay out in compensation?”

Even if requirements are reduced, Kim is sceptical how much difference it will make in practice. “I don’t think many teachers will have less paperwork to do because of it.

“Lessening requirements will make it more appealing, but many schools will have policies under the old system and I don’t see them relaxing them because if something happens people will come back and say you used to check that. People tend to add things when government says you have to add stuff but they don’t take it away when the government says you don’t have to do it.”

In the independent sector, Geoff Pye is concerned that not all independent schools February 2012

CULTURA CREATIVE/ALAMY

11

are fulfilling their responsibilities when it comes to risk assessments. He proposed a resolution to ATL’s 2011 Conference, urging “that necessary and proper arrangements are in place to ensure that such activities are carried out as safely as possible. Further, that a suitable check is made by outside official agencies to ensure that necessary procedures have been installed and are rigorously followed by those responsible for such activities in independent schools.”

Geoff explains: “There were a couple of cases in the previous two years, which involved things going badly wrong within the independent sector, and there were a couple of deaths due to bad planning.

Basically, the safety procedures that had been put in place, according to the coroner, were extremely sloppy.”

“The duty to carry out risk assessment applies across the board,” confirms Jacqueline O’Neill, “not just maintained schools. There’s a difference in who is

accountable, be it local authorities or governors, but they would still have to carry one out.”

“Certainly in my own school, all the paperwork has to have been done and signed off by one of the deputy heads,” Geoff explains. “I believe that in some independent schools, the checks might not have been done in the way they should have been. The paperwork is something that Ofsted would check on in local authority schools. In independent schools they don’t quite have the same checks.”

Geoff emphasises that there is more to it than simply filling in the paperwork.

“Anyone can fill in a risk-assessment form, but they may not actually be appreciating the risk. Over the last few years there have been cases in state and independent schools where lack of common sense and experience on the ground to manage while out and about has been a problem. There were kids washed off the rocks in Devon or Cornwall www.atl.org.uk

cover feature / school trips

KATHY DEWITT/ALAMY

12

into the sea; a river walk in Yorkshire [where a pupil died]. Both of those cases involved someone who didn’t have the experience.

“Training is key, so the risk assessment is actually checking the risk,” he says. “Cost comes into it as well. I’m fortunate in my school that we still have a training budget.”

While local authorities have offered training, expertise and resources to state schools, these are not available to independent schools or academies.

Jacqueline O’Neill suggests that without the expertise on the staff, “academies may have to pay to employ people who call themselves health and safety consultants, although everyone can get advice from the Health and Safety Executive.

“If they’re non-unionised, they won’t necessarily have health and safety reps — that extra layer of protection,” she adds.

“Reps can offer advice or represent anyone who has concerns about a trip that could be fed back to management.”

Another suggested way of reducing paperwork is to introduce a ‘whole of life’ consent form that parents would sign when their child joined the school to cover them for all school trips — an idea that does not meet with Vince Usher’s approval.

“We always ask for parental consent,” he declares. “Some schools send a consent form at the beginning of the year, saying ‘we’re likely to take your child on school www.atl.org.uk

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to know what facilities are there if you do have a medical emergency.”

There can be challenges in balancing medical needs with the obligation to include all students. Jacqueline provides an example of a child with severe epilepsy going on a residential trip.

“The child’s fits were worse if they got over-excited and they were about to do a three-day trip of whitewater rafting and swing ropes. The parents were saying they would need to check every two hours in the night in case the child chokes. The teachers were petrified, understandably, but the parents were threatening to take the school to court if they didn’t take the child. In some circumstances like this, it might be appropriate for a parent to accompany the child for the medical care,” she says.

“If it’s their own child, that’s the ideal solution,” agrees Kim Knappett, “but really they need to be CRB-checked on

If you can see real benefits for your students, you shouldn’t be put off by legislation and paperwork

trips during the year, are there any issues we should be aware of?’ Even that can be shaky ground from my point of view.

Saying we’re going to take the child on educational visits is different to saying we’re going to take them rock-climbing, for instance. So the start of the year isn’t enough; you need more parental involvement than that.”

“It’s part of good practice to have communication between parents and schools on school trips,” says Jacqueline.

“For a big trip there are meetings with parents to encourage participation and discuss the details. That is just part of creating a community. If you just have one consent form then you’d never need to speak to them again when I think you would really want them to be involved.”

A pupil’s medical needs is another area in which parental involvement is crucial. “If you’ve got a student who’s a haemophiliac, for example, their blood doesn’t clot; you need to be aware of that because if they cut or graze themselves that’s a huge risk,” says Vince. “You need

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a residential trip, in my opinion. It has to be part of a risk assessment. If you can provide for a child’s medical needs, then great, if you can’t then you need to have discussions with that child’s parents or carers to work out how best you can meet their medical needs.”

Despite all the issues to consider, Kim believes, “if you can see real benefits for your students, you shouldn’t be put off by legislation and paperwork. Go for it and really try. And once you have arranged a trip you can then arrange it again with very little extra paperwork because you’ve already done the risk assessment.”

Vince Usher agrees. “Don’t be put off by the paperwork; don’t be put off by the fact there are risks, but take the necessary precautions to avoid those risks. For a lot of these children, especially in deprived areas, these are the only times they’re going to get out and experience these things.”

ATL has updated its popular legal guide, Taking Students Off Site, to include the latest health and safety developments.

It can be ordered or downloaded from: www.atl.org.uk/students-off-site

February 2012

14

join the debate / agenda

A teachers’ curriculum Many people have strong views on the curriculum, but the views that really matter are those of the teachers who deliver it, says ATL’s head of education policy and research, Nansi Ellis

M

ichael Gove said in January this year: “Schools, teachers and industry leaders have all told us that the current curriculum is too off-putting, too demotivating, too dull.

From September this year schools will be able to offer a more creative and challenging curriculum, drawing on support and advice from those best positioned to judge what an ambitious and forward-looking curriculum should contain.”

Was this the Secretary of State for Education’s ‘light-bulb moment’? How has he come to this sudden realisation, such great clarity, that in an era of rapid change, where the future is unknowable, government must not wade in from the centre to prescribe to schools exactly what they should be doing and how they should be doing it? It seems to be that, as ever, politicians make policy depending on who they are with and what exciting new ideas these people have suggested. This particular announcement came at the BETT technology and education show, and Gove was obviously excited by the possibilities of wikis, and the involvement of computer experts and entrepreneurs in schools.

Of course, he was talking only about the ICT curriculum. But on closer reading, although he starts from the ICT curriculum, he is at least toying with the idea of a more flexible curriculum overall, with essential components specified centrally, and collaborative approaches to developing new materials across other curriculum areas too.

His speech at Cambridge University at the end of last year was a little different, espousing an “unashamedly elitist” school system. He told those privileged few that national curriculum reform will ensure that every parent and every child is clear on the essential knowledge they need in

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the subjects that matter. And we know the beauty of science, he also believes that from previous ministerial pronouncements you can’t find joy in learning until you’ve that this includes Dickens and Austen, done the hard graft. This is ‘work hard rivers of the world, kings of England and before you enjoy things’ rather than ‘work Latin. Interestingly, with the Cambridge hard because you enjoy things’. Tidy your dons he then went on to explore the bedroom before you go out to play. lessons about respecting the autonomy To enable a transformative and dynamic and individuality of others, which curriculum, the centre must loosen its Middlemarch offers; the excitement of hold. For a Conservative (-led) government, mapping creation; the pattern and poetry this is a highly disconcerting philosophy, in numbers; the development of scientific which they are managing by devolving reasoning and the questioning mindset that control to a carefully chosen few. So we that science teaching enables; the skills see the same names appearing as academy of weighing evidence and sorting good sponsors, on government-championed arguments from bad that history teaching training schemes, on review panels and offers; the new ways of reasoning and in leading government thinking. judging the world that learning a foreign I believe that teaching, what you teach language gives us. and how you teach, is too important to Given these different be placed in the pronouncements, what To enable a dynamic hands of this elite. does he really believe?

A transformative and curriculum, the centre It’s difficult to know. dynamic curriculum must loosen its hold And to some extent, can only happen when it hardly matters. What teachers are at the does matter is that all these stories heart of its development. Is that scary? perpetuate a mythology that somebody Yes, perhaps it is. It takes time. It takes else knows best what form curriculum skills that may be rusty or underdeveloped. should take. That may be the head of It may not feel like a priority at a time Google, a Cambridge don, a government when funding cuts are hitting schools and minister, a purveyor of reading schemes, hurting families of the children you teach. or an academy sponsor. It isn’t, in these But as Mary Bousted said in the foreword stories at least, the professionals in the to ATL’s Subject to Change back in 2007: classroom. That matters as we move “The school curriculum goes to the heart through yet another review of the of our conception of ourselves as a civil curriculum. That matters as academy society. We define the values and the sponsors determine the curriculum aspirations we hold, collectively, through for their groups of schools. our choices of what to teach our children.”

Many of the schools that are not ATL is the education union. We have academies will be primary schools. So it is shown that we are willing to take risks primary schools that are most likely to be together in defence of pensions. Are we affected by a changed national curriculum. also ready to work together to develop And the problem is that, while Gove the curriculum that our pupils, and our believes in the poetry of numbers and society, need?

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February 2012

join the debate / Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland Mark Langhammer

Negotiating has achieved many successes recently The Teachers’ Negotiating Committee has now agreed a number of important procedures.

The comprehensive Workload Agreement outlines a framework, the purpose, principles and legal context, and will be accompanied by guidance on matters of concern to teachers.

The guidance on cover, for instance, obliges schools to develop a clear cover policy and to review arrangements with teachers’ unions in the school. It clarifies that all cover is counted within the 23.5 hours’ direct teaching time in secondary schools (25 hours in primary schools) and limits supervision to exceptional and rare occurrences.

Further guidance commits principals to a written time-budget for each member of staff, a solid basis for resolving workload disputes. Forthcoming guidance will include: • Working Time Directive in schools • planning, preparation and assessment time • administrative time for nursery principals • teacher health and well-being.

Measured, reasonable classroom observation guidance is at www.deni.gov.uk.

For the past few months, I have chaired a joint working party on the procedure for unsatisfactory principals and teachers. We are close to agreement on a new scheme for principals, the main features of which are: • placement on to the procedure based on an explicit evidence base • principals access an agreed support programme • principals receive the support of a peer mentor, typically a practising principal • principals can volunteer for the support programme, without going on to the procedure • assessment report of principal’s progress by an independent third party, probably the Education and Training Inspectorate (as opposed to the governors).

Negotiation works — watch this space!

February 2012

15

Scotland Keith Robson After much analysis of Scottish education, we want to know what you think A cottage industry appears to have broken out in analysing and reviewing Scottish education. In the past 12 months we’ve seen the publication of the Donaldson report, Teaching Scotland’s Future; the McCormac report, Advancing Professionalism in Teaching; and the Cameron report, Devolved School Management Review. The Cabinet Secretary has also commissioned a taskforce of headteachers to look into attainment.

The latest commentary comes from a joint Commission on School Reform from Reform Scotland and the Centre for Scottish Public Policy. The centre’s policy director has been criticised for his use of the phrase “bog standard comprehensive” although I’d argue that the key comment was the assertion that “there is a culture of compliance and

complacency in our schools and this needs to be tackled”. ATL will have the opportunity to input into the debate via the commission’s call for evidence.

In light of all the reports since we published ATL Scotland’s Scottish Parliament election manifesto, the time is ripe to address the education issues of the day. So we will be developing a position statement that sets out what we believe the priorities for Scottish education should be and the issues that need to be tackled.

Member participation is at the heart of ATL, so we’re looking for your input into the position statement. Members can contact the office at scotland@atl.org.uk with their thoughts; otherwise we will shortly be issuing a survey, including a call for volunteers to participate in a group to develop the position statement.

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The time is ripe to address the education issues of the day

Wales Dr Philip Dixon

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Pupils and schools should not be seen as commodities and businesses

other area. If it works for hamburgers then it works for health; if it works for soap then it works for schools. The reasoning is fatally Two events put Wales flawed as it ignores the salient differences on the educational map between pupils and peppermints, patients in unfortunate ways last and pomegranates. year: firstly, the BBC’s The exam scandal illustrates the point exposure of shenanigans over perfectly. If you create a system with competing dodgy degrees awarded by boards then they will want to increase their franchises of the University market share. If you add in the lunacy of league of Wales; and secondly, The Daily Telegraph’s tables then the ‘consumer’ will want to look for news of the ‘cheating’ examiners. The first has the ‘product’ that maximises results. To secure resulted in a few heads rolling and the effective sales, one board must imply that its exam will winding up of the university, the second in award higher grades than others. As one Welsh the pulling of a WJEC exam and ongoing education expert wryly noted: “It’s not that it’s investigations. At one level we could just shake happened that’s surprising, but that it hasn’t our heads at the venality of those who should happened long before.”

The marketisation of education destroys the know better, but at another level this simply underlines what ATL has been saying for years: very values it purports to promote. Politicians a market in education drives down quality. please note.

It’s something that simply does not enter into the heads of the rampant free marketers. They A market in education look at what works in one area and then believe that the same sort of system must work in every drives down quality

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y o u . . .

I n v i t e s

B o o k s

J u b i l e e

Invites you to

Pie Corbett

Performances

by John Agard & James Carter

The Creative Conference - poetry, storytelling and writing through Art.

Pie Corbett Inservice conference at Tate Modern, Bankside, London The Starr Auditorium & Foyer (River Entrance) The inspirational, charismatic and creative Literacy educator Pie Corbett will explore with delegates developing poetry, storytelling and writing through the Arts e.g paintings, sculpture, prints and photographs Be quick to avoid disappointment

Date Monday 19th March 2012 Venue Tate Modern (London) Cost £199.00 + VAT including lunch and refreshments OR £184.00 + VAT including refreshments Group booking over 5 delegates 10% discount

Limited places available

A Jubileebooks.co.uk event Rsvp to Eddie Burnett Children’s Book Consultant & Literacy Events Coordinator 31a Vanbrugh Park, Blackheath, London, SE3 7AE T. (020) 8293 6060 T. (020) 8265 4645 F. (020) 8465 5111 E. eddie.burnett@jubileebooks.co.uk Jubileebooks.co.uk Booking form - simply fill in below, cut from magazine and post off to the address above.

(Ms/Mrs/Miss/Mr) Forename: ________________________ Surname: _____________________________________ Position: ________________________________ School/organisation_________________________________________________________________________ _ Address: ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ Postcode: _______________________ Tel: __________________________________________ Fax: ____________________________________________ Email: ______________________________________________________ Dietary requirements: Vegetarian:

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ADDITIONAL DELEGATES? if so simply tick the box and we will email you further booking forms

join the debate / letters

17

Send your letters to: Report, ATL, 7 Northumberland Street, London WC2N 5RD or email report@atl.org.uk.

The views expressed in the letters printed in Report do not necessarily reflect ATL policy or opinion.

STAR LETTER

Language backlash

Everyone above average?

I knew before I even got to the end of the letter that he/she would have a go at teaching assistants (TAs). I’m a TA and pride myself on speaking and writing in good English. Yes, I notice a lack of ‘skills’ in this department too, but it is not confined to TAs. A lot of new teachers seem to be lacking in the art of ‘proper spoken and written English’ and they do, I thought, have to pass a test in English.

JIM WILEMAN/ALAMY

Two of the major concerns in the teaching profession are the current government’s long-term plans for secondary education and the removal of contextual value added (CVA) from reporting data for schools.

In the past year, we have been informed

by Michael Gove and his assessment experts respectively that, firstly, the target for all schools will be raised to 50% of students to achieve five or more A* to C grades, including English and mathematics; and secondly, the top grades of GCSE are too easy to obtain and that pass rates will be forced down in 2013.

Since the A*-C target was achieved Once a school is forced by just 54% of students in 2010, the into ‘failing academy’ status, unfortunate implication is that within what next? three years, all schools may need to be above the national average, which even a relatively weak GCSE mathematics student will be able to tell you is impossible.

Once a school is forced into ‘failing academy’ status, what next? Unless the target is lowered, or the pass rate raised, such schools will either remain in a perpetual state of failure, or be closed, and their students placed in above average schools, whose own results will head southwards, with many then falling below the set target.

The loss of CVA means that the government position is that “there shouldn’t be excuses for not achieving, no matter where the pupils are from”. In other words, the message is that achievement matters, not progress, and targets are irrespective of background. Considering the similar lifespans between general elections and key stages 2 to 4, I will expect politicians to apply the same criteria to themselves before asking for my vote in 2015.

We had many responses to the letter ‘Proper English please’ (Report, Dec 2011/Jan 2012).

Here are a selection:

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Name supplied

WIN

The author of the star letter wins £100 in book tokens. If you want to voice your opinion on any issues raised in Report or any other aspect of education, please send letters to the address above, including your phone number. One star letter will be chosen every issue to win the book tokens.

Bursary dismay I am a student member currently studying on a full-time primary PGCE course and I would like to express my utter dismay at the changes the government has made to the bursary system for students entering on to primary PGCE courses in 2012/13.

If I was to start on a primary PGCE course in September 2012, as a holder of a first-class honours degree, I would be eligible for a £9,000 bursary. This would be of great benefit to me and would at the very least pay for my tuition fees.

As it is now, I and many others like me receive nothing in the way of financial February 2012

UK2 ALAMY

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TA, Birmingham I wonder how the writer would fare in Yorkshire or South Wales, where dialect English is robust and celebrated.

M Billingsley, Kent As a higher level teaching assistant, I read with absolute disgust the sweeping comment regarding TAs. I would like to point out that the letter-writer does not appear to have the language skills they seem to be professing to possess if they believe that ‘I and …’ is correct. I believe the phrase should be ‘… and I!’ A great many TAs not only have the necessary skills in spoken English, but are also educated to degree standard, and show themselves to be professional and competent role models in the classroom at all times.

L Sharp, Cumbria

support from the government. I pay for tuition fees and living costs myself and have had to make great financial sacrifices to be able to do so. I feel the 2011/12 cohort of trainee teachers studying on primary PGCE courses has been completely abandoned and ignored by the government.

I also believe the decision to cut the bursary to £5,000 for holders of a 2:1 degree is wrong. Holders of 2:1 degrees are still high-quality graduates and for them to be discriminated against in such a manner is unfair.

D Curley, Liverpool

I am glad it is not just me who has noticed this. In a school I worked at previously and where I am now, I have noticed TAs in particular use ‘done’ instead of ‘did’ and ‘come’ instead of ‘came’. We really need to do something about this. Are we letting our English standards slip?

V Brooks, Hertfordshire I am delighted that the writer is keen to preserve ‘our rich and varied language’; I only hope he/she plans on preserving it correctly. ‘… and I’ or ‘… and me’ but never ‘I and …’!

M Carrigan, Herefordshire

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18

feature / learning through play

All children learn through play, but its sheer power to magnify and accelerate progress is not always appreciated.

Now a new ATL guide shows how early years teams can learn from child-led play — and take it further still

Serious players

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able to follow their ideas and interests “The teacher has to judge very carefully a through their play, they will reach deeper good time to intervene in the play and extend levels of thinking and understanding. They children’s learning,” says Chilvers. “This is the will be more likely to engage in what we call real skill of teaching young children, and ‘sustained shared thinking’, where children balancing the child’s ideas and interests with really begin to develop lifelong skills for supportive adult-focused activities.” learning,” she says.

Chilvers cites another scenario from Playing “The other main aim of the publication to Learn — a breezy day in the playground, with is to give early years professionals a chance children trying to catch the wind in their hands. to explore areas such as how young children After observing them for a while, the teacher learn and self-regulate their learning, and takes photographs and makes notes. When the the arguments for following a play-based children become frustrated, she chooses her approach in schools.” moment and joins the group, telling them she Nansi Ellis, ATL’s head of education policy can’t catch the wind either. They discuss the and research, explains how Playing to Learn problem and possible solutions. emerged from ATL’s strong body of research The teacher brings out some carrier bags in early years education. tied to string, and the children run around “We’ve built on things like our policy with them, ‘catching the wind’ at last. Later, statement, Early Years Provision across she shares the experience with the rest of the UK, and our specialist early years task the class, leading on to a wider discussion group,” she says. of winds and tornadoes.

“The coalition government is carrying out “In that scenario, the adult takes the lead a review of the foundation from the children, but then stage in England, and we moves them further along the They will reach want to hold on to stuff continuum from child-led to deeper levels of we’ve fought hard for. adult-directed play, ‘scaffolding’ “The best way of doing understanding it to take their learning to a this is to help early years higher level,” says Chilvers. professionals articulate the value of play to Play can also help children who may be colleagues. Heads don’t necessarily know struggling to progress, says Angela Wells, ATL that. They can say things like: ‘You’re just lead member for early years. playing with the children’.

“With this age group, play is a way of helping “But it’s not just playing, and we’ve set out them without putting them under pressure,” things you can do with play that can take you she says. into really complex thinking and learning “Children recognise very early if they’re with these young children.” different from their peers, and this often So what are the key features of learning leads to loss of confidence and self-esteem. through play?

A skilled practitioner can use structured Good observation is one. Having the skill play to help those children move on, without to know exactly when to join in, and take them realising that’s what’s happening. Then learning further through adult-led play, they gradually build up closer to where their is another. peers are.”

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February 2012

BORISLAV MARINIC/ALAMY

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llan was a quiet child. He was not making the progress his teacher hoped he would as he approached Year 1, and his behaviour had begun to cause concern. His teacher noticed that Allan — whose mechanic father sometimes took him to work at his garage — was interested in cars and how they worked. The teacher followed this interest by providing bikes and cars in the outdoor area, with blocks to make a garage.

Allan and his three friends used the blocks to make a ramp and, under Allan’s guidance, rolled a car on to check the engine for servicing. Before long, under Allan’s leadership, the group of six boys were cooperating, role playing and discussing how best to fix the car. Allan shared his knowledge and experience with the group as they collaborated together, and recorded the MOT and service details in the garage office that had been provided by the teacher.

This example, included in ATL’s new guide, Playing to Learn — a guide to childled play and its importance for thinking and learning, shows how child-led play is such a valuable and central part of children’s learning, and how supportive adults can use it to tune into child-led play and promote children’s development.

The guide explains that children are already on a path of learning. They are already learners.

What teachers need to do is get on this path with them and head in the same direction.

They can do this through following children’s interests and ideas as they play and talk.

Guide author Di Chilvers, an early years specialist with years of research and frontline experience, says the new publication has two main purposes.

“We now have rich and detailed evidence from research, confirming that if children are

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But how can teachers reconcile such instinctual, of-the-moment interventions with the formal requirements of the foundation stage — and the demands of parents?

“Early years provision across the UK emphasises play,” says Ellis. “But in England, there’s a new focus on ‘school readiness’.

By the end of reception, you’re supposed to have children used to sitting, reading and writing. Teaching in reception will become more formal, so the children are ready for key stage 1.

“But this is moving in the wrong direction.

That’s confirmed by what we know about child development.”

Angela Wells agrees: “If we cut out play, we’re going to disengage more children — particularly boys, because they generally develop later.

“Boys are much more physical in nursery or reception. They want to run around and do big physical activities. But if you sit them down at a table with a pencil and ask them to do writing, they haven’t got the fine motor control. With all children, you start with the big and bring it down to the small, and play is how that happens.”

So can early years practitioners embrace the case for play?

“Allowing for this sort of flexibility can be difficult for teachers who already have difficult-to-manage workloads,” says Anne Millis, ATL Executive member and early years teacher.

“Every activity used to have an adultdefined purpose. You were running round the tables and saying, ‘You can have the Lego, but you’re not allowed to build a fire station today’. It wasn’t good.

“But Playing to Learn gives manageable ideas as to how teachers can stretch children through play, such as use of creative questioning. Play can still be planned, but you have to allow for child-led initiatives.”

Di Chilvers highlights the importance of specific early years training.

“Often, young teachers without early years training aren’t confident about giving children freedom. They think there’s going to be anarchy. If you’ve got a head who is coming in to a reception class all the time, wanting to know about progress, the teacher’s natural reaction is to sit the children down and do planned activities they can check. But that dumbs down children’s potential.”

A good school culture is paramount, says Nansi Ellis.

“This book is about reminding teachers and heads of the importance of play, so they don’t automatically assume it’s best to be more formal, earlier and quicker.

“If you want children who can regurgitate facts and sit compliantly, play is the worst thing to do. But if you want children who can think independently, who are entrepreneurs, who can think on their feet, then you work with their interests.

“You get them to explore the world through what they know, and then you, as the skilled adult, teach them about things they don’t know.

The teacher’s skill is to take the children into something new — opening their horizons. And that’s always been the definition of a good teacher.”

You can order a copy of ATL’s Playing to Learn — a guide to child-led play and its importance for thinking and learning from www.atl.org.uk. ATL’s training course, Early years — child initiated play, is on 16 May in Manchester.

Play in practice Alison Sherratt, reception teacher Examples of play-based learning from a reception class in Yorkshire “There’s a real difference between teaching a reception class and a Year 2 class. At foundation stage, you’re not looking for perfection or massive scores. You’re looking for the direction they’re taking their learning.

We’ve got a ‘Rainbow room’ that our two reception classes share. There’s a pretend office, with paperclips and staplers, paper and pencils.

We’ve got the phonemes we’ve been doing on the walls, and there are numbers and calendars.

If it’s someone’s birthday, we put cards in, and they often show us what they’ve made.

That’s child-initiated, but shows us what they can do. Sometimes they’ll use sounds they’ve remembered — they’ve tried to write a word or written their name by themselves.

We’ve also got an ‘ice cave’ role playing area, with sleeping bags and explorers’ clothes, because we’re talking about hot and cold countries. It’s very carefully planned. We gradually turn it from cold to hot — taking things out and putting things in, as the weather gets warmer.

We’re always changing it to push the children a little bit further in their thinking.

We’re trying to ensure a smooth transition to key stage 1 and 2. Year 1 in our school still has elements of choice, such as role play, and sand and water. Even in Year 2, they’re trying to put more things in.”

February 2012

www.atl.org.uk

“Lessons in philosophy encourage pupils to reflect and think more deeply. This has a direct and positive impact on the curriculum.”

Ofsted

We provide for both primary and secondary schools: • Hour long weekly philosophical enquiry sessions led by a trained and accredited philosophy teacher.

• Philosophy sessions that tie-in with topics or the curriculum.

• 'Maths Booster' sessions, fostering a problem-solving approach in the classroom.

• 12-week course on the Odyssey for 8-16 year olds based on the forthcoming book, 'The If Odyssey: A Philosophical Journey Through Greek Myth and Storytelling', including Ancient Greek language workshop.

• One-off workshops (half-day or full-day).

“

The If Machine: Philosophical Enquiry in the Classroom by Peter Worley, Co-Founder and CEO

The best book of its kind currently available, an invaluable resource for teachers wanting to try out some philosophy in their classrooms and a significant contribution to educational theory.

Dr Michael Hand, Institute of Education, London

”

• 'Storytelling for Thinking' workshops for students and Inset for teachers.

• Inset training in enquiry and questioning to develop speaking and listening, thinking skills and creative learning.

• Website membership with access to lesson plans, teaching strategies, games for thinking, discounted and free CPDs.

www.philosophy-foundation.org Tel: 020 8699 9314 Email: info@philosophy-foundation.org The Philosophy Foundation is a registered charity (registered number 1140338) and a company registered in England and Wales (company number 7416912)

join the debate / philosophy

21

Philosophical thinking Make philosophy a regular feature of school life, says Peter Worley of educational charity The Philosophy Foundation

P

hilosophy equips children with invaluable thinking skills across the curriculum. As one Year 8 pupil, Alfie, a former philosophy student of mine, explains: “For every subject you need a bit of philosophy.”

UNESCO is less pithy, but says: “By developing the intellectual tools to analyse and understand key concepts such as justice, dignity and freedom, by building capacities for independent thought and judgement, by enhancing the critical skills to understand and question the world and its challenges, and by fostering reflection on values and principles, philosophy is a ‘school of freedom’.” trying out new ideas and lines of reasoning Since the publication of the study on and argument playfully, but also very the state of the art of philosophy teaching seriously. And philosophy has the unique throughout the world entitled Philosophy, ability to be applied to almost any subject, a School of Freedom, UNESCO has given from maths to RE, and enables the children international impetus in encouraging to gain the understanding of these subjects philosophy teaching at all levels of that simply learning the procedures and facts education as a significant contribution fails to do. What use is reading, writing and to quality learning. arithmetic if one does not know how to apply So while university it properly? Socrates said “True philosophy departments For every subject opinions are a fine thing but across the country are they do no good if they are not you need a bit closing, why should we tethered with understanding teach philosophy in our of philosophy and good reasoning.” schools? Why cram Over the last five years, another subject into research (including Ofsted, the Rose Review, an already overcrowded curriculum? the Cambridge Primary Review and a report The fact is that philosophy isn’t just by the Confederation of British Industry) another subject. Philosophy is not a wellinto children and education has consistently meaning add-on to normal lessons that highlighted the problem of communication interferes with the national curriculum difficulties and the knock-on effects this element of children’s learning. Philosophy has on behaviour, learning and emotional deals with the very fundamental building relationships. Reports indicate that this is due blocks of all knowledge, namely reasoning to emphasis being placed on teaching to the and concepts. Children learn a great deal test rather than deepening understanding. of facts and procedures, but whether they We are a charity that provides peripatetic properly understand these facts and philosophy teachers to work in schools procedures is contentious. Children need across the UK. We run hour-long pupil-led opportunities to apply these new concepts philosophical enquiries into philosophical so that they begin to understand how they topics that are aligned to the national are used. curriculum or school topics. We work closely Testing is one very artificial way of doing with classroom teachers to develop a wide this, but philosophy is a natural context for range of thinking habits that will enable

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February 2012

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all children to engage in life-long learning.

Research and case studies into our work have shown improvements in literacy and critical thinking skills, as well as communication, confidence and collaborative learning.

The teachers we work with also use the philosophy sessions to aid their national curriculum work and assessment. They value the opportunity to see their classes in a different learning environment.

I’d like to finish with the words of Alfie again. Alfie recently wrote, in a letter to the Secretary of State Michael Gove, “Philosophy is like the foundation of a house: to be good at English or maths or science you have to have the foundation of being able to think. To be honest, for every subject you need a bit of philosophy.

Philosophy helps people think and understand how everyone else thinks; it’s like exercising your brain.”

Do you agree with Peter Worley’s views?

Join the debate by writing a letter (details p17) or visit our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/atlunion.

Peter Worley is CEO of The Philosophy Foundation (www.philosophy-foundation.org), which has 24 specialist philosophy teachers working across schools nationwide. Peter lectures on philosophy and education topics and his book The If Machine contains philosophy sessions for use in the classroom. www.atl.org.uk

22

help and advice / legal

Bullying and harassment If you are the victim of bullying or harassment it’s important to know how they are seen in the eyes of the law. ATL solicitor Elizabeth Doherty explains

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ullying and harassment in the workplace are serious matters.

All individuals have the right to be treated with dignity and respect, and work in an environment that is free from unlawful discrimination or degrading treatment. It is an employer’s responsibility to take reasonable steps to prevent such behaviour taking place and to have policies and procedures in place for dealing with the bullying and harassment of staff.

The terms ‘bullying’ and ‘harassment’ are often used interchangeably and it is not uncommon for bullying to be considered a form of harassment. However, in law they are two very different points.

The Equality Act 2010 defines harassment as: “Unwanted conduct related to a relevant protected characteristic, and the conduct has the purpose or effect of… violating an individual’s dignity, or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for an individual.”

The Act makes it unlawful to harass somebody based on a protected characteristic, ie sex, gender reassignment, race, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation and age. Harassment of a sexual nature is also unlawful.

Conduct that is likely to amount to harassment could include workers making racial jokes or slurs about another employee, or an employee making unwanted sexual advances towards another worker.

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Therefore, just because an employee has Harassment does not necessarily have been subjected to bullying, it will not to be directed at an individual. The Equality automatically mean there is a legal remedy Act 2010 ensures that indirect victims (those available to them. not personally subjected to the unwanted If the treatment suffered by the individual conduct) are also afforded the protection cannot be linked to unlawful discrimination, of the law. the individual may consider resigning and The main difference between bullying claiming constructive dismissal. Constructive and harassment is that conduct will only dismissal occurs where an employee resigns, amount to harassment if it is done for a either immediately or after giving notice, prohibited reason (eg sex, race, etc), while as a result of a serious breach of contract. bullying is indiscriminate and can manifest However, such claims are notoriously difficult in many different formats. There is no single to win and advice should always be sought legal definition of bullying. However, the from ATL before resigning.

Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Claims in relation to Service (ACAS) defines bullying and harassment it as: “Offensive, Harassment does can also be brought intimidating, malicious not have to be directed under the Protection or insulting behaviour, an from Harassment Act abuse or misuse of power at an individual 1997, the Health and through means intended Safety at Work etc Act 1974, or as a personal to undermine, humiliate, denigrate injury claim. However, it should be noted or injure the recipient.” there are numerous legal hurdles to overcome Conduct that may amount to bullying if a claim is to be successful via one of these could be: courses of action.

• spreading malicious rumours, or insulting Pursuing a legal claim in relation to someone by word or behaviour bullying and harassment can be difficult • ridiculing or demeaning someone — and often only serves to add to the stress picking on them or setting them up to fail an individual may already be experiencing.

• exclusion or victimisation.

With this in mind, ATL would always advise that efforts are made to try and resolve Bullying and harassment can occur in many matters internally. It may be that the different forms. It could be conduct carried perpetrator is unaware of the effect their out by a colleague or someone with more conduct is having on an individual and an authority, such as a line manager; it could informal conversation may lead them to be a single incident or series of incidents that adjust their conduct. If this doesn’t work are attributable to one person or a group of then one may wish to consider taking formal people. However such conduct materialises, action and using the grievance procedure. it has the common theme of humiliating ATL has a great deal of experience or degrading the recipient. dealing with bullying and harassment in In law, the difference between bullying the workplace. If you feel that you are being and harassment is an important one as what bullied or harassed in work and require amounts to bullying may not amount to further advice or assistance, then contact harassment. There is no stand-alone claim your local ATL representative or ATL’s for bullying and harassment. As the legal London office using the details on page 23. definition of harassment refers to behaviour stemming from an individual engaging ATL has also produced guidance in in prohibited conduct, a tribunal can only the publication Bullying at Work, details of which can be found at hear claims that are brought on grounds www.atl.org.uk/bullyingatwork that unlawful discrimination has occurred.

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February 2012

help and advice / contact

23

Help and advice If you need help with matters related to your employment, your first point of contact should be your school or college ATL rep, or your AMiE regional officer if you are a leadership member. You can also contact your local ATL branch for advice and support. If they are unable to help, contact ATL using these details:

Membership enquiries 020 7782 1602

General enquiries 020 7930 6441

Monday to Friday, 5-8pm during term time.

ATL’s regional officials are available to speak to you about work problems.

Email: info@atl.org.uk Website: www.atl.org.uk London: 7 Northumberland Street, London WC2N 5RD. Belfast: 16 West Bank Drive, Belfast BT3 9LA. Tel: 028 9078 2020. Email: ni@atl.org.uk Cardiff: 1st Floor, 64B Newport Road, Cardiff CF24 0DF. Tel: 029 2046 5000.

Email: cymru@atl.org.uk Edinburgh: CBC House, 24 Canning Street, Edinburgh EH3 8EG. Tel: 0131 272 2748.

Email: scotland@atl.org.uk AMiE members: 35 The Point, Market Harborough, Leicestershire LE16 7QU. Contact your AMiE regional officer (contact details at www.amie.uk.com) or call the employment helpline 01858 464171.

Email: helpline@amie.atl.org.uk

Email: membership@atl.org.uk

Pension enquiries 020 7782 1600 Out of office hours helpline 020 7782 1612

Personal injury claims 0800 083 7285 Call Morrish Solicitors LLP, ATL’s appointed solicitors, or go to www.atlinjuryclaims.org.uk. This service is open to members and their families, subject to the rules of the scheme.

ATL should be your first port of call in the event of work-related issues. If you feel you need emotional support, Teacher Support Network is a group of independent charities and a social enterprise that provides emotional support to staff in the education sector and their families. Their support lines are available 24 hours a day:

If you are not a member of ATL and would like to join, please contact us on 0845 057 7000 (lo-call) Remember to pass your copy of Report to colleagues who may be interested in it!

England: 08000 562 561 Wales: 08000 855 088 Scotland: 0800 564 2270

Terms of ATL’s support are outlined in our members’ charter, available via www.atl.org.uk

February 2012

www.atl.org.uk

24

help and advice / guide

Avoid pains in the neck Head of professional development for the British Osteopathic Association, Kelston Chorley, offers some advice on looking after your physical well-being at work

P

KEITH MORRIS/ALAMY

lane safety announcements say “Ensure your oxygen mask is attached securely before trying to attend to your child.” Why is that? It’s all about looking after yourself so that you’re able to look after others.

This simple rule can and should be applied to all of us in our daily lives.

College lecturers, teachers and support staff are all supporting the education of others. In the workplace environment you may have to work around tools that are not fit for purpose by adapting your posture and work behaviour. This adaptation could be sitting or kneeling at low chairs and tables when working with small children, or stretching or hunching due to the black/whiteboard heights, etc.

Cramped spaces can lead to sitting at awkward angles to PCs. In my practice of over 25 years I have seen and treated many hundreds of teachers and they commonly complain

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of neck/shoulder and lower back pain.

The most frequent reason I hear for the cause of their physical problems is posture at work from having to ‘make do’.

This repetitive mechanical stress causes fatigue and an insidious build-up of muscular-skeletal stress, which makes itself known to you as pain or causes a sudden acute episode of spasm — resulting in pain and possibly a visit to the doctor, painkillers and even time off work. The highest incidence occurs towards the end of term.

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), particularly low back, neck and joint conditions, have become one of the major causes of work absenteeism in the UK and Europe today. Musculoskeletal conditions are the most common reason for repeat consultations with a GP. The Health and Safety Executive reports that work-related MSDs result in 8.8 million working days being lost on sickness absence annually — more than a quarter of all work days lost due to work-related ill health. This includes an estimated 4.1 million days for work-related back conditions alone. On average, each person suffering takes an estimated 16.4 days off annually.

So how can you beat this problem?

Consider the following steps.

1. Usually our working environment is set out for us, so our ability to change much of it is restricted. We can, however, make small changes. Start by asking the question: are there better ways of adapting to the problems you face?

• The next morning you go to work, stand back and try to make a personal assessment of what activities you have planned for the day. Think about how you may be able to make your efforts less of a strain.

• Changing around furniture, altering heights of some of the activities you are going to be working with, or other physical parts of your environment could make your life easier.

2. Are there things that can be put into practice at your work that will help?

• Teaching aids are there to help free you up so you can be more interactive — are you making the most of these?

• We all get into routines at work and forget to consider whether there might be better ways of doing things. Staff across different areas could brainstorm how each group manages its activities. You might be surprised by the ideas that arise.

3. Next, you need to find ways of combating the effects of any physical stresses. The best way is to tackle your musculoskeletal system directly as this is where the impact is being felt.

• Regular exercises that help to flex and stretch your body, particularly your spine, neck and shoulders, are a great way to combat the daily low-level inactivity or physical strains put upon your body. Check out the British Osteopathic Association (BOA) website www.osteopathy.org and click on ‘Exercise Videos’, or download the free app ‘osteopathy’ on your smart phone where you can follow a range of simple and convenient exercises to help you stay on top of things. Most of these exercises can be done in minutes in a small area such as a quiet room.

• Are there opportunities to have a regular exercise class at your workplace, either during a break time or after work? Many exercise therapists are happy to attend schools or colleges during a lunch break to run classes.

• Simple things such as regular walking in the fresh air and making sure you take all your work breaks can help reduce both physical and psychological stress levels.

It’s not always easy in the education environment to take your break, but they are put in place for a reason — try it for a week and see what effect it has on you.

Kelston Chorley is head of professional development for the BOA, as well as running a busy practice in Oxford.

February 2012

Neck or back problems? oblems? ?V Visit isit a highly-trained,, statuto statutorilyorilyil regulated health professional. g lth pr ofesssional.

TToo qualify qualify, y, an osteopath osteeopath must study for four to five years for an undergraduate undergraduuate degree.

This is similar to a medical degree with more emphasis on anatomy and musculoskeletal m medicine. By law, law w, osteopaths must register with with the General Osteopathic Council.

The British Medical Medical Association’s Association’s guidance forr general practitioners states that doctors p p Brritish Osteopathic p Association is the can safelyy refer patients to osteopaths.

The British Association professional association association for osteopaths and can ca an help you find an osteopath osteopath in your area.

Find osteopaths inn your area at

www.osteopathy.org/fanost www w.osteopa . athy y.or . g/fanost

Osteopathy - good health in good hand hands ds British Osteopathic Osteopatthic Association 01582 488455 48 88455

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Nurturing Success Our examiners and moderators undertake a vital role in education, shaping the future of thousands of students. Being an examiner and/or moderator will give you valuable insight into national standards and keep you in touch with developments in education.

If you want to make a difference, please visit: www.edexcel.com/aa-recruitment

26

resources / info directory

and Safety Executive checklist for schools.

ULRs can read all about a successful 2011 learning conference, an article on information, advice and guidance, and an update on the partnership between ATL and Solihull College.

As always, there are full details of training courses available to reps of all persuasions.

Your CPD with ATL Supporting yourself: 21 February, York; 10 May, London Behaviour management 16-19: 6 March, Bristol Improving achievement through coaching and mentoring: 13 March, York; 3 May, Manchester Protecting your professional online identity: 16 March, Manchester; 20 June, Birmingham Preparing for retirement*: 17 March, Bristol; 7 July, York Leadership: understanding leadership and management: 21 March, London; 29 June, Manchester Early years — child initiated play: 16 May, Manchester Leadership: managing teams: 17 May, London Behaviour management: 23 May, York Creativity in the classroom: 25 May, Birmingham Behaviour management for support staff: 14 June, Bristol Fantastic questioning = great learning: creative enquiry in the classroom: 28 June, York Differentiation: practical tools: 4 July, London

Unless otherwise specified, ATL courses are free to members.

For more information, go to www.atl.org.uk/training. * £40 for attendees and £40 for spouses.

Newsletter The latest issue of Being a Rep is being sent out to all workplace, health and safety and union learning reps (ULRs) with this issue of Report. It leads with an account of reps’ vital roles in organising the day of action against pension changes on 30 November.

Also included in the section for workplace reps are new membership offers, what to do about arranging a successor to your role, new training courses, and some inspiring words from ATL Future members on why they chose to join ATL. In the health and safety section there is an interview with health and safety rep and new lead member for the area, Kim Knappett, on the part reps can play in a workplace. Also covered is some worrying new research on asbestos, a new website to help the asbestos campaign, ATL’s response to the Löfstedt review, and a new Health

Working in the post-16 sector The latest in ATL’s legal advice series of publications, the handbook Working in the Post-16 Sector, is now available.

A guide for ATL members working in the further education (FE) and sixth form sectors in England, the aim of this handbook is to provide information to help contextualise working in FE for members and to assist ATL reps in resolving employment difficulties at college.

The handbook addresses the main issues and difficulties that are encountered by ATL members working in the post-16 sector and, most particularly, in FE colleges.

The colleges, since their incorporation as corporate entities in 1993, have developed great variations in working practices and conditions, therefore more advice and guidance is necessary.

How to order ATL resources There are a number of ways you can access the range of publications, newsletters and position statements ATL provides: Website: you can download PDFs of most of our publications or place your order using an online form via the ‘Publications & resources’ section of our website at www.atl.org.uk Email: you can email your order using despatch@atl.org.uk (quoting the product code, wherever possible) Telephone: you can phone our publications despatch line on 0845 4500 009 (quoting the product code, wherever possible).

Information directory Museum of Childhood London’s Museum of Childhood offers resources for key stages 1-3 based on the museum’s exhibits, including resources on moving toys, Victorian toys and toys from the Second World War, as well as the opportunity to make toys in the classroom.

As part of its schools programme, it runs a variety of KS1 and KS2 teaching sessions designed with the national curriculum and QCA requirements in mind. School or college groups can also explore the museum’s moving toys, and creativity and childhood galleries as part of a free general visit.

Visit www.vam.ac.uk/ moc/learning/index.html for more information.

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Schools out The Schools Out organisation has developed a free set of lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT) resources for use by practitioners in schools.

They include the Schools Out Classroom – advice on LGBT teaching methodology to help teachers tackle homophobic and transphobic behaviours in the classroom — as well as downloadable student tool kits and teaching packs, and training services.

You can access the full set of resources on the website: www.schools-out.org.uk.

February 2012 is also LGBT History Month. You can find a LGBT History Month lesson and assembly suggestions, together with profiles of historical figures and other information, at: www.lgbthistorymonth.org.uk.

Get moving Big Picture, the Wellcome Trust’s free educational resource for teachers and learners, is all about the biological, social and psychological aspects of movement and exercise, in keeping with an Olympic and Paralympic theme.

Big Picture: Exercise, Energy and Movement explores the biological systems that keep us moving and considers some of the ethical aspects of sport. It takes a tour around the muscles and skeleton, and discovers, among other things,

what would happen to them if we lived in space, and how oxygen gets into our bodies and is used to transfer energy from our food.

There are additional educational resources online, including an animation on the sliding filament theory of muscle contraction, lesson ideas and image galleries, and short videos, including a myth-busting film about common misunderstandings of exercise and a guide to bone biomechanics.

This issue and all past issues are available for free, online from www.wellcome.ac.uk/ bigpicture.

February 2012

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Enter your school into the Refurb or Rebuild LIVE! competition and win a fully furnished, single storey modular classroom for your school. Find out more at www.bfeuk.com/competition

To book your place visit www.bfeuk.com or call +44 20 7560 4076.

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Resources Sports/Olympics/motivational posters.

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February 2012

WIN £500 in i to i vouchers

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Prize crossword

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Down 1 Try gets a conversion — it’s a plan of action (8) 2 My Uni let change take place, but not at a suitable moment? (8) 3 Situation that has an unperceived significance, unfair on your part (5) 4 Put on show — End of the World is piece of drama (7) 5 Scheme set out to study them in astronomy? (7) 6 Spend very long time on extract from book… (7) 7 …concerning iron construction

by French artist (6) 8 Boy, favourite of teacher and the Queen? (5) 16 Have the edge in criminality (3) 18 and 19 1960s film about a recently qualified student — badly taught, read English initially (3,8) 20 Those that take a practical view of things maybe steal, Sir! (8) 22 In opera, arranged outdoors? (4-3) 23 Christening MP’s a bit daft! (7) 24 Water event great at reinventing itself! (7) 25 A prettily attractive French accent (5) 26 Vulgar kind of room in school? (6) 29 Intended to see Lamb embracing North? (5)

The winner of the December/January crossword competition will be announced on the ATL website.

Congratulations to Caroline Wilkins, the winner of the November crossword competition.

February 2012

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WIN!

One lucky reader will win £500 worth of vouchers from i to i Volunteering. Simply send your completed crossword, with your contact details (incl. telephone number), to: ATL February Competition, Archant Dialogue, Prospect House, Rouen Road, Norwich, Norfolk NR1 1RE. Closing date: 05 March 2012.

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Across 1 Applied oneself to the gaining of knowledge — maybe it’s due to head of department (7) 5 Piano possibly spare for exams (6) 9 Strangely, is not a right to get fixed amounts of food and provisions (7) 10 Make a scene about head boy being away from school? (7) 11 Write ‘enclosure’ (3) 12 British soldier’s gun? (5) 13 In Educating Essex, am I never to test the students’ knowledge? (7) 14 and 15 Organise great rally at the Tate, for example (3,7) 17 Food out west (4) 21 Grave of Rugby School’s famous fictional pupil, in short? (4) 24 Book demonstrates this aloofness? (7) 27 Old fighter pilot opens academic conference effectively (3) 28 Detailed picture of amazing LSE coup? (5-2) 29 Award made out to learner (5) 30 Drink in private academy (3) 31 Ordering a pint, I’m part of the percussion section (7) 32 They’re used to make a cuppa — a BA gets fresh blend (3,4) 33 Part of Northern Ireland upsets Martin (6) 34 Maybe recasts her in play? (7)

Last month’s solution — December 2011/January 2012 Across: 4 Art 8 Students 9 Eyelid 10 Action 11 Admonish 13 Godiva 14 Register 15 Taut 16 Stance 18 Module 21 Able 22 Category 24 Muppet 26 Rag trade 29 Rookie 30 Make up 31 Passable 32 Say Down: 1 Stucco 2 Addition 3 Inundate 4 Asia 5 Term 6 Dennis 7 Misspell 12 Duet 13 Gas 14 Rugby 17 Tearaway 18 Memorise 19 Diplomat 20 Eat 21 Arid 23 Entree 25 Edible 27 Alps 28 Espy

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30

join the debate / final word

A juggling act

M Isa Guha Isa Guha was the first young Asian woman to play cricket for England.

She is the highest ODI wicket-taker in the England team.

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y parents first saw my interest in cricket after watching me chase after the ball while my brother was practising in the back garden.

I was eight years old when they decided to take me to the local cricket club at High Wycombe where I joined the boys’ team as there were no girls’ teams around at the time, or none that my parents knew of. Playing for the boys’ team, I got the Most Improved Cricketer award when I was nine or ten. A year later, I was invited to join a girls’ team at Gerrards Cross and my Dad formed a girls’ section at High Wycombe with a guy called Bob Lester, who has now sadly passed away. There were girls who travelled down from Milton Keynes, Aylesbury, Oxford and various other places to come and train down at High Wycombe on a Saturday.

Cricket was very much an extracurricular sport for me. Although I played Kwik cricket (the junior version of the game) at my primary school, there was a lack of cricket when I went to Wycombe High,

ILLUSTRATION: PHIL WRIGGLESWORTH

England Women’s cricketer Isa Guha talks about cricket as a way of getting girls of South Asian origin into sport, while still focusing on their studies an all-girls secondary school that was generally focused on netball, hockey, tennis and athletics.

Since then, Wycombe High has installed cricket nets with the hope of encouraging more youngsters to play. I remember there being a strong contingency of Asian girls who were interested in starting a club, so it’s great to see they now have that opportunity.

Cricket was instilled in me from an early age and coming from an Asian background, where cricket is a religion, it certainly helped form my passion towards the sport. In this country, 92% of girls of South Asian origin do not take part in recommended levels of daily activity. I think cricket is the most natural sport for any young girl of South Asian origin trying to get some exercise.

One problem I see is that many Asian girls under the age of 15 take up cricket but then tend to focus more on their studies when they get older.

I always try and get the message across that it is possible to do both. I started playing cricket for England when I was 17 and still managed to juggle my commitments and go to university.

More recently, the England and Wales Cricket Board has introduced tour fees and match fees, which is a massive step for women’s team sports in this country. The sport has become more demanding in terms of training and the amount of time we are asked to give towards playing for the country, so it has become increasingly difficult to maintain a living. The idea of tour fees has taken a huge amount of pressure off trying to earn money as well and this can only have a positive impact.

More girls growing up with the sport will see it as a potential career path, as well as the numerous opportunities that you gain throughout your playing career.

Something that really helped me growing up was the support I received from my parents. It wasn’t just cricket that I played. For instance, in the winter I would play badminton, and so throughout the year my parents were forever driving me to training or games around the country. No wonder they were willing me to grow up fast and learn how to drive!

The lifts and the support they gave to actually chase my dreams were much needed as a youngster growing up. This is not always the case for some traditional Asian families and so I am very grateful to my family for helping me to be successful in something that I love.

February 2012

Range of Microsoft applications also available with great discounts for Teachers LAST CHANCE TO BUY!

Windows 7 Professional Upgrade - £58.99 Windows 7 Ultimate Upgrade - £69.99 Project Professional 2010 - £94.99 Visio Pro 2010 - £58.99 Visio Premium 2010 - £87.99 Expression Studio Web Professional 4.0 - £27.99

Microsoft are closing this offer to Teachers on 31/03/2012 Office Professional Plus 2010 Includes: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook with Business Contact manager, OneNote, Publisher, Communicator, Access & more.

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Office for Mac Standard 2011 Includes: Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook .

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Larger classes, more paperwork, fewer resources. Teachers & Administrators use Dragon to get more done with less in their classrooms. NEW iPhone/iPod support.

Find what you need with a tap. The Echo smartpens from Livescribe capture everything you hear and write, providing easy access to your notes and audio.

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AVG 2012 Internet Security Adobe CS5.5 Ultimate protection for everything you do online.AVG Internet Security 2012 provides multiple layers of protection for everything you do online, which means you don’t have to worry about identity theft, viruses, or visiting harmful sites.

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Adobe® Photoshop® Elements & Adobe® Premiere Elements 10 A complete photo- and video-editing solution, Adobe® Photoshop® Elements 10 & Adobe Premiere® Elements 10 software helps you bring your photo and video collection to life in vibrant home movies and photo creations you’ll enjoy for years to come.

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For Discounted Teacher pricing on the Latest Software Visit our website,

www.teacherexpressware.co.uk/atl phone : 01453 827899

email : sales@teacherexpressware.co.uk

All prices include VAT at 20%. Teachers will be required to create an a login with TeacherExpressware to confirm eligibility for Teacher pricing (Teacher ID required for Adobe, Dragon and selected other items) Delivery charges may apply on some products. Prices correct at time of going to press. Terms and Conditions apply. E&OE. Offers only available to members currently employed within an educational institution.

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