Life MAGAZINE FOR LIFE MEMBERS
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COVER
RWANDA MISSION Twenty years on from the genocide that tore it apart, the NAHT and the British Council are working to improve school leadership in Rwanda. INSIDE
HAITI’S SCHOOL SYSTEM CHRIS PURSER REMEMBERED NEW HELP FOR MIDDLE LEADERS
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PARTNERS FINANCIAL ADVICE
Don’t let the tax man take your loved ones’ inheritance If you have built up a certain amount of wealth that you hope your loved ones will one day receive, how would you feel if the government was to take a chunk of it as inheritance tax when you die? That could prove to be the reality if your estate’s value is above a certain threshold – with 40 per cent of everything you own above it liable to go to the tax man. The inheritance tax thresholds stand at £325,000 if you’re single or divorced and £650,000, if you’re married or in a civil partnership. If you’re widowed, it is up to £650,000 depending on how much allowance was used when your partner passed away. The burden of paying an inheritance tax bill usually falls upon loved ones, who would be forced to find the money to pay this bill before they can inherit what you want them to have. NAHT personal financial services, provided by Skipton Financial Services Limited (SFS), can help you establish whether you currently have, or in future may have, a 40 per cent inheritance tax liability. If required, an SFS adviser can then research and provide no-obligation advice on ways to address the problem, suited to your circumstances. For more information about how NAHT personal financial services can help, including finding out if you may have an inheritance tax liability, call 0800 012 1248* or visit www.skiptonfs-naht.co.uk. SFS offers restricted advice. Any investments recommended as part of the inheritance tax planning solution may put your original capital at risk and the returns and the level of any income taken from them is not guaranteed and can fall as well as rise. The tax treatment of investments depends on your individual circumstances and may be subject to change in the future. * To help maintain service and quality, some telephone calls may be recorded and monitored. Calls are free from a BT landline, costs from other networks and mobiles may vary. SFS is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority under register number 100013. Skipton Financial Services Limited is a wholly owned subsidiary of Skipton Building Society.
PARTNERS’ CONTACTS Useful numbers The NAHT is committed to negotiating high-quality, value-added benefits and services for its members. If you have any comments on the services provided by our affinity partners, please email John Randall, NAHT’s commercial marketing manager: john.randall@naht.org.uk. ROCK Travel insurance 0844 482 3390 www.naht.insurefor.com AVIVA Home, contents and motor insurance 0800 046 6389 www.fromyourassociation. co.uk/NAHT
INSURANCE
Holiday cover couldn’t be easier with NAHT travel insurance Everyone loves a holiday, but sometimes the stress of organising everything can make it feel like it would be easier to stay at home. However, arranging cover with NAHT travel insurance couldn’t be easier, even if you have left it until the last minute. Whether it’s a city break on the continent, an adventure in the Outback or simply the chance to soak up some sunshine, a holiday can be the ideal chance to recharge your batteries and relax. NAHT travel insurance has a range of policies that include singletrip, annual and long-stay cover including winter sports, cruises and more. We can protect you while you enjoy the soft powdery snow under your skis, blue skies and fresh mountain air or gliding through tropical waters aboard a luxury liner, watching the sun set over distant lands. • Annual multi-trip Europe prices start from £49.18 per person • Annual multi-trip worldwide prices start from £66.64 per person • Single-trip Europe prices start from £6.73 per person • Single-trip worldwide prices start from £22.81 per person
CS HEALTHCARE Private medical insurance 0800 917 4325 www.cshealthcare.co.uk (promo code 147) GRAYBROOK INSURANCE BROKERS LTD Professional indemnity and public liability cover 01245 321 185 www.graybrook.co.uk/nahtmembers Email: enquiry@graybrook. co.uk MBNA Credit card www.mbna.co.uk
To book your insurance, visit www.naht2012.insurefor.com/travel/Index.aspx.
SKIPTON
Or, for a free quote and more information, call our friendly team on 0844 482 3390.
Independent financial advice 0800 012 1248 www.skiptonfs-naht.co.uk Email: sfsnaht@skipton.co.uk
NAHT’s insurance is arranged and administered by Rock Insurance Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), number 300317. Prices stated include insurance premium tax. All prices correct at time of going to print.
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Editorial The voice of experience
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hat were you doing in April 1994? Those are the opening words to our cover feature this issue. Retired head teacher Kenny Frederick asks the question because in Rwanda a truly horrific genocide was taking place while the rest of the world was largely oblivious. Earlier this year, Kenny was part of a joint NAHT and British Council team that sought to improve school leadership in the country by working with a small group of hand-picked head teachers. As she states: “What stood out was their determination, resilience and their ability to manage their schools in the face of unimaginable horror.” There’s a distinctly international feel to Life this issue, not least because our second feature is on the education system in the Caribbean nation of Haiti, one of the poorest countries in the world. It’s seen through the eyes of retired head teacher Anne Evans, who has set up a scholarship in memory of her late husband David that is supporting two teacher-training students through university. Closer to home, we remember the life of NAHT professional adviser Chris Purser and look at some of the association’s initiatives to improve the UK education system. On page four, you can read about the positive reception to the Commission on Assessment’s recommendations and how six of the 30 schools in the first Aspire cohort have already achieved a ‘good’ rating. Please let us know what you think of the magazine. You can email us at naht@redactive.co.uk and follow the NAHT on Twitter at @nahtnews.
CONTENTS
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NAHT PARTNERS Selected services for members.
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NEWS ROUND UP Recommendations of the NAHT Commission on Assessment; Aspire off to a ‘good’ start; Gail Larkin all set for NAHT presidency.
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ASSOCIATION NEWS Remembering NAHT professional adviser Chris Purser; Celebrating school leadership in the honours list.
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OPINION NAHT past president Dr Rona Tutt.
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RWANDA MISSION How the NAHT and the British Council are working to strengthen Rwandan school leadership.
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10 EDUCATION IN HAITI Retired head teacher Anne Evans reports from Haiti on her efforts to improve education. 12 HEALTH Advice on deep-vein thrombosis.
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13 RECIPE Genevieve Taylor’s smoked mackerel and potato pie. 14 TRAVEL The Greek island of Kos has something for everyone. 15 CONTACTS AND CROSSWORD Find a local group; and test our Life member crossword compilers. Tip: don’t look at the answers below.
Steve Smethurst, Managing editor
CROSSWORD SOLUTION EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES
EDITORIAL
Life is published by Redactive Publishing Limited on behalf of the NAHT
Managing editor: Steve Smethurst Designer: Adrian Taylor Senior picture editor: Claire Echavarry Production manager: Jane Easterman Printed by: Gemini Press
ASSOCIATION ENQUIRIES NAHT, 1 Heath Square, Boltro Road, Haywards Heath, West Sussex RH16 1BL www.naht.org.uk Tel: 0300 30 30 333
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ADVERTISING Senior sales executive: James Waldron Sales director: Jason Grant
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NEWS ROUND-UP NEWS IN BRIEF
NAHT sets out assessment plan The key recommendations of the NAHT’s Commission on Assessment have been announced by chairman Lord Sutherland. The report was published in February and it aims to establish the fundamental principles of good assessment. The report stated: • schools should adopt a consistent approach to assessment across the country. The commission has also produced a ‘design checklist’; • schools should retain the use of levels while designing a new system;
• pupils should be judged against objective criteria rather than ranked against each other; • all assessments need external moderation and that this moderation needs real teeth; and • assessment should be driven from the curriculum. Education secretary Michael Gove praised the recommendations: “The NAHT’s report gives practical, helpful ideas to schools preparing for the removal of levels,” he said.
Aspire to a ‘good’ rating Six of the 30 schools in the first Aspire cohort have achieved a ‘good’ rating within the first months of the three-year improvement programme being piloted by the NAHT. All of the participants who responded to an online survey about their experience to date said that the initial phase, designed to help schools identify problems and draw up a plan of action, was professionally supported, according to an independent review of the project by the University of Derby.
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A special general meeting of the NAHT in November produced a 95 per cent vote in favour of the creation of a new affiliate for NAHT. General secretary Russell Hobby said: “Edge will be aimed at middle leaders in schools and will offer the normal protection of a trade union while helping them develop as senior leaders. This will help us to appeal to the next generation of school leaders while also supporting that generation in a time of significant turmoil.” An autumn launch is planned.
Support for college of teaching
The review also found that 98 per cent of respondents felt that the early analysis had helped them to prioritise actions to support change. NAHT president Bernadette Hunter (pictured) said: “We are really pleased that the evaluation has determined that this exciting project is working effectively.”
Gail Larkin ready for presidency Gail Larkin, currently the NAHT’s vice-president, will step into the role of president at the association’s annual conference in May. Bernadette Hunter, the outgoing president, said: “I am delighted that Gail will be taking over and that Tony Draper will join her as vice-president. “Gail is passionate, determined and energetic. She brings many skills to
New affiliate with cutting Edge
the role, while Tony has a wealth of experience in school leadership and a particular interest in assessment.” Tony, a head teacher in Milton Keynes, said: “Among other things, I’d like to support colleagues who take on schools in challenging circumstances and then find they are not allowed appropriate time to turn the school around due to Ofsted.”
An independent college of teaching to oversee teaching standards would have much to offer the profession – provided it was led by the profession itself. NAHT president Bernadette Hunter said: “We support the idea of a college of teaching, as it is important that teachers should be represented by an independent professional body.”
‘No more Ofsted dawn raids’ Ofsted’s new programme of no-notice inspections is an unnecessary burden on schools and will do nothing to improve education, said Russell Hobby, the general secretary of the NAHT. “In the current climate of fear and uncertainty surrounding Ofsted more dawn raids and surprise visits are the last thing we need,” he said. In January, chief inspector Sir Michael Wilshaw announced that Ofsted would conduct unannounced inspections of schools where standards of behaviour were causing concern.
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ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE
COPY THAT Looking for a part-time role – why not do some work for the CLA? Terry Davies outlines the benefits
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ou probably know what it’s like. You’ve spent years in the hurly burly of a school environment, meeting the daily challenges of young people, colleagues and the unexpected – then the long anticipated retirement hits you between the eyes. After the initial euphoria of being in charge of your own time and not having to dance to the tunes of others, you suddenly think: “How am I going to keep my brain cells from degenerating into mush?” An ex-colleague of mine came to my rescue with the suggestion “Why not do some work for CLA?” CLA stands for The Copyright Licensing Agency. I hadn’t had much to do with this organisation previously other than hosting rather prominent yellow boxes next to photocopiers at my school (which, incidentally, made brilliant Christmas post boxes). So, what does CLA do? Well, it acts as an intermediary between people who write, illustrate and publish written material and those who want to copy that material. It issues licences on behalf of rights holders to schools, universities, colleges, businesses, government departments, local authorities – in fact, any organisation that wants to allow its staff to copy copyright material without the hassle of requesting permission each time. So how could I fit into such an organisation? What role could there be for me? As a non-profit making organisation, CLA is responsible for passing on the licence fees it receives from organisations (a staggering £70 million plus last year) to the rights holders and to do this as fairly as possible, they need to know what is being copied. To do this, they have a team of field officers across the country who visit licensed sites and businesses to collect this
information – hence those yellow boxes next to photocopiers. The supply of data needs to be kept up to date constantly to include new publications. Different ways are used to capture different types of material whether it is print or digital or available on the web. Gathering this information helps CLA ensure the money collected goes to the right people - authors, visual artists and publishers of copyright works. Having been a field officer for a number of years now, I’d like to think my brain cells are as active as they ever were. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve enjoyed ‘being retired’ but I’ve also enjoyed experiencing a whole new semi-active career which has given me opportunities to travel and meet very interesting people from all walks of life, while being largely my own boss in control of my own time. It also rewards me well (currently set at
£94 per day) and supplements my pension. There is also the gratification of doing something worthwhile which benefits the creators. The work is not onerous, I can be very flexible in how much time I want to work and when I want to work (most field officers work around 100 days per yyear). My holidays during term time – surely one of the best things about being retired from teaching – are still high on the t agenda and my CLA work helps make sure they can continue. My fellow field officers come from all walks of life – besides former school leaders, there are retired lecturers, police officers, civil servants and even a prison officer. CLA is always looking to expand its team across the country so if you think it is something which would appeal t to you, why not vist the website below to find information about becoming a field officer. It is a varied, interesting and, sometimes, challenging new career to fulfil the aspirations of those who are not quite ready for total retirement. Terry Davies was head teacher at Ryecroft Middle School in Staffordshire from 1982 to 2002. For more information, visit www.cla.co.uk/about/job_vacancies/
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ASSOCIATION NEWS
Chris Purser NAHT
MANY READERS WILL HAVE KNOWN CHRIS, WHO SADLY PASSED AWAY LAST YEAR. THE FOLLOWING IS AN EXTRACT FROM THE EULOGY GIVEN AT HIS MEMORIAL SERVICE
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hris did his teacher training at Avery Hill Men’s Annexe in 1959 and taught for seven years before being appointed head teacher at Hadlow Down primary school in East Sussex. He then worked for the Service Children’s Education Authority in Germany, first in Hanover and then at Churchill School in Verden, before returning to the UK in 1984 as head at Highfield junior school in Eastbourne. Chris had become a fellow of the College of Preceptors and in 1990 he obtained his MA in education
policy and decision making from the University of Sussex. While in Eastbourne, Chris became secretary for the East Sussex branch of the NAHT and in 1990 he moved to work full time for the association. As a professional adviser, he travelled all over the country advising, supporting and representing members who were in professional difficulties. Following a reorganisation, he set up a new department promoting membership and the support of branches around the country. This meant extensive travel and a further opportunity for his vast collection of A-Zs to bounce around in
the boot of his car. Through these two roles he became widely respected in the branches and he was equally highly regarded at headquarters. Chris was also a non-executive director of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents and at one time was chair of the National Safety Education Committee. Should you ever find yourself muttering about health and safety, you now know who to blame. He wrote a book entitled Health, safety and welfare of pupils: the responsibilities of the governing body. Chris passed away at his home last September, following a lengthy illness.
New Year honours THE FOLLOWING HAVE BEEN AWARDED HONOURS FOR SERVICES TO EDUCATION Damehood (DBE) Kathy August, lately principal of Manchester Academy. Rachel de Souza, lately executive principal, Ormiston Victory Academy, Norwich. Alison Peacock, head, Wroxham Primary School, Hertfordshire. Knighthood (KBE) Craig Tunstall, executive head, Gipsy Hill Federation, London. CBE Claire Axten, head, Brookside Community Primary School, Somerset. Hadyn Evans, head, Sir John Cass Foundation and Redcoat CE Secondary School, Tower Hamlets, London. Louise Smith, lately executive head, Ingrow and Long Lee
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Primary Schools Federation, Bradford. Elaine White, head, St Mary and St Thomas Aquinas Catholic Primary School, Gateshead. OBE Susan Alford, head, Dunkirk Primary School, Dunkirk, Nottingham. Gill Bal, head, Wembley High Technology College, London Borough of Brent. Shahed Ahmed Battiwala, head, Elmhurst Primary School, Newham. Lindsey Clark, executive principal, Park View School, The Academy of Mathematics and Science, Birmingham. Connie Cooling, head, Bousfield Primary School, London.
Sarah Creighton, executive principal of The Hill, Gooseacre and Littleworth Grange Primary Academies, South Yorkshire. Shirley-Anne Crosbie, head, The Chiltern School, Caddington, Bedfordshire. Joan Cuthbert, principal, Culmore Primary School, Londonderry. Sally Davies, principal, Thriftwood Special School, Chelmsford. Judith Donnelly, head, Pennywell Early Years Centre, Sunderland. Ian Elliott, lately head, Ysgol Penmaes, Brecon, Powys. Cynthia Eubank, executive head, Grinling Gibbons and Lucas Vale Primary Schools, Lewisham. Sarah Evans, lately head, King
Edward VI High School for Girls, Birmingham. Roland Gooding, head, Valence Special School, Westerham, Kent. Eithne Theresa Hughes, head, Bryn Elian High School, Conwy. Sofina Islam, head, Stanton Bridge Primary School, Coventry. Gareth Williams, principal, West Kirby Residential School. MBE Kathleen Patricia Burns, principal, St Therese Nursery School, Belfast. David Kemp, assistant head at Queen Elizabeth Humanities College in Herefordshire. • If we have missed anyone out, please let us know: naht@redactive.co.uk
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VIEWPOINT
Opinion House of horrors THE DFE MAY DISMISS THE EDUCATION PROFESSION AS ‘THE BLOB’, BUT IT’S POLITICIANS WHO ARE SCARING US
RONA TUTT VIEW FROM A PAST PRESIDENT
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uch has been said about the amount of change hitting schools this September. Yet further churn is being caused by the political parties behaving as if the election is just around the corner. For the first time in 70 years, there is the added complication of the two parties in coalition vying to prove how very different they are. This has only served to emphasise the unsatisfactory nature of having the education service so entirely in the hands of politicians. One of Michael Gove’s early moves was to support the drive to quash quangos and turn four of them into executive agencies of the DfE (the Teaching Agency has since been absorbed into the National College for Teaching and Leadership). This meant they lost much of their independence and were tied more closely to the DfE. It was an early sign that the politicisation of the education service was increasing. Various think tanks are also working in the background, seemingly detached, but still with close ties to the political party each one favours. Earlier this year, when it came to light that two rightleaning think tanks – one of which was set up by Michael Gove in 2002 – were working on reports critical of Ofsted, Sir Michael Wilshaw, suspected that the
DfE had been involved and said he was ‘spitting blood’ over it. This came as a shock to many of us who had thought that the two Michaels agreed on how to improve the nation’s schools – by insisting on smart uniforms, discipline, a rigorous testing regime for pupils and an accountability system that has made job security for school leaders a thing of the past. Hardly had Mr Gove attempted to smooth Wilshaw’s ruffled feathers, when Baroness Sally Morgan, a Labour peer, went public about her dismay at not having her three-year contract renewed as chair of the Ofsted board. She believed she had not been reappointed because Gove wanted to put a Conservative supporter in her place.
Alienating the profession In the political system that we have, it may not be possible to remove education from the hands of politicians entirely, but it ought to be possible to have a mechanism by which untrained politicians work with the professionals to discuss and agree educational reforms and a timetable for bringing them in in an orderly and timely manner. Mr Gove seems to prefer to lump together all those who know something about how to improve schools and the teaching and learning that goes on in
It was an early “ sign that the politicisation of the education service was increasing
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them as ‘The Blob’, from the 1958 horror film, featuring a jelly-like alien that consumes everything in its path. He also speaks as if there is an education establishment consisting of all teacher unions, academics and bureaucrats that speaks with one voice and actively opposes every reform that governments wish to bring in. Gail Larkin, the NAHT’s national president for 2014/15, has written: “This amount of political interference is unprecedented.” Perhaps Mr Gove could reflect on this and, in whatever time he has left, work with the NAHT to put education on a different footing, where it is not at the mercy of politicians in a hurry to stamp their personal agenda on schools, but one where politicians, professionals and parents work together to bring about a brighter future for pupils. Rona Tutt is a retired head teacher and a past president of the NAHT
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RWANDA
A world of difference
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hat were you doing in April 1994? On a recent trip to Rwanda, a visit to the Kigali Genocide Memorial left us emotionally wrung-out and drained. We were shell-shocked, which was surprising considering we had read all about the genocide that came to a head in April 1994. That our driver would not come into the memorial should have indicated what we could expect. Later, he told us he had lost two brothers in the conflict and he himself had been a refugee in one of the schools we visited. As a child he had been placed there along with many other children while war raged. He could not face the memories that would be invoked by visiting the memorial. As we found out later this was not unusual. The optimism and positive can-do attitude of local head teachers and personnel from the Rwandan education board (REB) had fooled us into believing that the genocide was perhaps not as bad as we thought. But it was much worse. The most poignant part of the memorial are the rooms where family photographs are displayed. One contained pictures of babies – telling us a little about each child, what their favourite food was and how they had been killed. This is recent history. All I could
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think about was what I had been doing in April 1994. Our visit and our project, funded by the NAHT in partnership with the British Council, was welcomed by the Rwandan Education Board (REB) which was very keen to work alongside us. Three head teachers (two of us recently retired) travelled with another former head, who now works with the British Council, for a five-day working visit with the aim of supporting the REB to improve the quality of school leadership and the quality of teaching in schools. Rwanda and its education system are making great strides in improving the provision and quality of education for all children. It is hard to comprehend that a country that has gone through so much less than 20 years ago has recovered and is moving forward at such a pace.
Determined and resilient Everybody is clear that young people are the future of the country. Their education is seen as vital. The REB is hugely ambitious and determined to improve the quality of education very quickly. Its leaders are keen to learn from the best education systems around the world and put the UK in that category. The head teachers we met were a mixed group in terms of qualifications
PHOTOSHOT
Twenty years after the genocide that tore it apart, Rwanda is seeking NAHT help to improve school leadership. Kenny Frederick reports
and experience. Some had gone straight into headship from university or college while others had many years’ experience, but few formal qualifications. They were seen as leaders in their profession and in their community. What stood out was their determination, resilience and their ability to manage their schools in the face of unimaginable horror. The preliminary work for our visit involved the development of a set of inspirational leadership standards developed by Susan Douglas at the British Council in partnership with REB and Rwandan head teachers. Our task was to work with Rwandan heads and REB officers and advisors to ensure that these standards do lead to greater levels of expertise and effectiveness. What the heads wanted was for us to help them become leaders of teaching and learning in their schools. They were conscious that while structures were now in place for all children to
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RICHARD EDWARDS
Left: a school in Umubano, Rwanda. Above: A member of the Rwandan Patriotic Front shortly after the genocide. Below left: Kenny with the head teachers.
go to school the quality of teaching was still very basic and often poor. We then identified the next steps needed to sustain the improvement journey. These included ensuring professionalism among teaching and school staff through quality training and development. It was felt to be particularly important to radically improve the English language skills of teachers following the Rwandan government’s decision to replace French with English as the country’s official language. Estimates suggested that in 2008 most of the population
spoke Kinyarwanda, with just eight per cent speaking French and four per cent English. Children now begin their study in English from the first grade. However, in 2009, only 4,700 of Rwanda’s 31,000 primary school teachers were trained in English. All the people we worked with were aware that developing leadership was key to the success of the education system and that the country needs to develop aspiring leaders who could take over when current heads retired. Heads needed to develop a vision for their school and to persuade school staff to sign-up to this vision so they could contribute. The heads and REB staff struggled with the enormous task of transferring their vision for their schools into action in the classroom. In a country where teachers are paid poorly and have had limited training and where there are very few teaching resources, where classes of more than 60 are not
unusual, the task is colossal. The need to develop middle leadership in the school slowly emerged as a theme. Heads acknowledged that middle leaders were the backbone of the school and they were the future school leaders. Their development and training is something they wanted us to support them with. Similarly, heads agreed that they needed to empower teachers to collaborate and work together to make the best of what little resources they had. The heads were vocal about the need for them to articulate and model their vision and revisit it often so that others could contribute to it. Furthermore, the vision had to be central to the strategic planning for the school. They needed to know what they were aiming for. In addition, the value of monitoring and evaluating the work of the school on a regular basis was seen as essential and appropriate systems to do this needed to be developed. During our visit we set about developing mentoring and coaching relationships between ourselves and the 18 heads who attended our two-day workshops. This involves us communicating regularly via email with each other to help the Rwandan heads implement the leadership standards in their schools and introduce them to colleagues in their districts. We will return to Rwanda in a few weeks to see how things have been going. We know that measurable step change is not possible in such a short time but we will be keen to see that the seeds of improvement are sown. For ourselves, we are humbled about the work that is going on in Rwanda. They have much to be proud of.
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HAITI
But that’s not always a good thing, reports Anna Evans of the Haitian education system
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n February last year, I was invited by a small charity to work with staff in schools in Haiti – the poorest country in the western world and the third poorest in the world. I welcomed the opportunity with open arms. This was a chance for me to use my experience to help others. As we drove from the airport to my home for the next five weeks, we passed acres of land covered in canvas. This was ‘Tent City’. You could see that the residents had set up a community, with shops selling groceries, electrical goods and much more. These tents were the result of a massive earthquake that killed more than 100,000 inhabitants and injured thousands more on 12 January 2010. Some three million people were affected by the quake. My first opportunity to meet children and staff was at an orphanage. Most of these children’s parents had died in the earthquake. The staff worked very hard but resources were very scarce. Some of these children had profound and multiple special needs. They used makeshift wheelchairs – a garden chair set on four wheels. I then based myself at a school for two weeks. It educated 84 children aged between two and five – all in the one classroom. There were six tables with 14 children sat at each one. The
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children arrived at 11am and went to their assigned seats. There they stayed until 3pm when school finished, apart from going to the toilet, table by table, at 12noon. There was no outside area for these children to play. Resources were extremely poor, a small basket of Lego was provided for each table. They spent most of the time ‘colouring in’ and handwriting. The five year olds did two sessions of maths and two sessions of French Creole a week. The rest of the time was again spent colouring and handwriting. The younger children just played Lego and coloured in. A midday meal is provided for the children and is the only food that they get on a daily basis. I noticed that the children were exceptionally hungry on Mondays. If they weren’t eating much over the weekend, I wondered how
ANNA EVANS
‘Anyone can set up a school’ they survived without food during the holidays. The school is run by a charity and education provided free by retired head teachers. I was told later that the charity ran out of money for food two months after my visit and attendance at the school dropped drastically. My next assignment was to a privately-run school, four hours’ drive from Port-au-Prince. Children aged two to 21 attended this school. The 90 children in the nursery were housed in one small classroom of approximately 24 square metres. Once again, children remained in their seats throughout the session, apart from when they went out to play. The other classes had a minimum of 42 children in each class. This was a well-run, long-standing school. All children had to reach a certain standard before they could
HAITI’S RESTAVEC CHILDREN Restavec comes from the French reste avec, or ‘one who stays with’. It describes a child sent by their parents to work for a more affluent household (often relatives) as a domestic servant because the parents lack the resources required to support the child. It is a common practice in Haitian culture. The children receive food and housing (and sometimes an education) in exchange for housework. However, many restavecs live in poverty, may not receive proper education and may be abused, beaten or raped. The United Nations considers the practice of restavec to be a modern form of slavery.
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Left: The first school Anna visited. Above, the private school. Below left: staff working with children to implement strategies.
‘move up’ to the next level. This school was also open to educating ‘restavec’ children aged six to 25 (see panel, left). These children attended in the afternoon and the same staff that had worked in the morning gave up their time to educate them for free. The charity is also involved with a juvenile prison and one adult prison. The juvenile prison accommodates nine to 18 year olds. Some have committed petty theft – for example stealing a pig or a chicken – others are guilty
of murder, violence and kidnapping. These children had an opportunity to attend English lessons twice a week. The teachers from the charity provide this education free. The adult prison housed both male and female prisoners. There were 45 to a cell, which was approximately 24 square metres, with three bunk beds. All prisoners were supplied with a mat to sleep on but not enough floor space to lie on, so they had to sleep in shifts. The first shift was from 6pm-1am
and the second from 1am-8am. The men are allowed to exercise in the yard for 36 minutes a week, one cell at a time. The women are not allowed any exercise time. The authorities are aware that some of these prisoners are innocent, but as they haven’t got the finance to engage a solicitor they have to remain in prison. They have no opportunity for education. In the schools, however, all staff members were keen to take on new ideas and they worked hard to implement my strategies. They were happy to show me the progress of the children over a short period of time. A great number of Haitian teachers are poorly educated themselves, so as a result their students failed to reach a high standard. Anyone can set up a school in Haiti. They don’t have to be able to read or write. The whole infrastructure of the teaching profession is poorly managed. I set up a scholarship in memory of my husband, David Evans, so I am now supporting two teachertraining students through university in a bid to redress the balance a little. I am due to return in the near future and I am looking forward to it greatly. Further information
Anna, a retired head teacher, first heard about the school system in Haiti via a community of French nuns near her home village of Cloghan in Ireland. When Anna visited Haiti and spoke to the nuns there, she realised that the best way to help was to sponsor students through teacher training. This article first appeared the London Retired Headteachers’ Society newsletter.
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Health Deep-vein thrombosis LENGTHY HOSPITAL STAYS AND LONG-HAUL FLIGHTS ARE NOTORIOUS FOR CAUSING BLOOD CLOTS. BUT YOU CAN REDUCE YOUR RISK FACTORS
ISTOCK
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LONG-DISTANCE TRAVEL
• • • • • •
If you are at risk of DVT, or have had one previously, consult your GP before embarking on long-distance travel. If you are planning a long-haul plane journey, a long train or car journey (of six hours or more), ensure that you: • drink plenty of water; avoid excessive alcohol as it can lead to dehydration; avoid taking sleeping pills, as it can cause immobility; perform simple leg exercises, such as regularly flexing your ankles; take occasional short walks when possible; wear elastic compression stockings; and ensure you have full travel insurance to cover the costs of any healthcare you may need to receive.
SHUTTERSTOCK
D
eep-vein thrombosis (DVT) usually occurs when a blood clot forms within a deep vein that runs through the muscles of the calf and the thigh. It can cause pain and swelling in the leg and may lead to complications such as pulmonary embolism – when a piece of the clot breaks away and blocks one of the blood vessels in the lungs. DVT and pulmonary embolisms together are known as venous thromboembolism (VTE). Each year, more than 25,000 people in the UK die in hospital from a VTE. The reason VTEs result so frequently from hospital stays is due to inactivity. When you are inactive, your blood tends to collect in the lower parts of your body, often in your lower legs. Usually, this is nothing to worry about because when you start to move, your blood flows evenly around your body. However, if you are unable to move for a long period, for example after an operation, due to an illness or even during a long flight (see box), your blood flow can slow considerably, which increases the chances of a blood clot. Anyone can develop it but it becomes more common with age. Other risk factors include: • Having an operation that takes longer than 90 minutes, or 60 minutes if the operation is on your leg, hip or abdomen; • Having an operation for an inflammatory or abdominal condition such as appendicitis; • Being confined to a bed, unable to walk, or spending a large part of the day in a bed or chair for at least three days; • A family history of VTEs; • Being overweight or obese; • Smoking; • Dehydration; • Varicose veins; • Cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy; and • Hormone replacement therapy also makes your blood clot more easily. There is no evidence that taking aspirin reduces the risk of developing DVT. In some cases, there will be no symptoms, but they can include pain, swelling and tenderness in one of your legs (usually your calf ). There may also be a heavy ache in the affected area, warm skin in the area of the clot and redness, particularly
at the back of your leg, below the knee. Be warned too, DVTs are most likely to occur seven days after surgery and pulmonary embolisms tend to occur after three weeks, when most hospital patients are back home. So the more you can reduce your risk factors, the better. Treatment If you have DVT, you will need to take an anticoagulant to prevent a blood clot from getting bigger. Although they are often referred to as ‘blood-thinning’ medicines, anticoagulants don’t thin blood, they alter certain chemicals within it, which prevents clots forming so easily. Two different types of anticoagulants are used to treat DVT – heparin and warfarin. Heparin is usually prescribed first, because it works immediately to prevent further clotting. After this initial treatment you may also need to take warfarin to prevent another blood clot forming. Another treatment is the use of compression stockings to help prevent calf pain and swelling and lower the risk of ulcers developing after having DVT. Stockings need to be worn all day, every day, for at least two years because symptoms of post-thrombotic syndrome may develop several months, or even years, after DVT. As well as wearing compression stockings, you may also be advised to raise your leg whenever you are resting. Source: www.nhs.uk
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Recipe Potato and smoked mackerel pie “PACKS OF SMOKED MACKEREL ARE REALLY GOOD VALUE AND WITH SUCH A STRONG PUNCHY FLAVOUR YOU DON’T NEED MUCH PER PERSON TO MAKE A VERY TASTY MEAL. BEING A BIT OF A PEPPER FIEND, I ALWAYS BUY THE ONES CRUSTED IN CRUSHED BLACK PEPPERCORNS, BUT USE PLAIN ONES IF YOU PREFER. MACKEREL IS ALSO ONE OF OUR MOST SUSTAINABLE FISH SOURCES, SO THEY SCORE PRETTY HIGHLY ON THE ECO FRONT TOO”
SERVES FOUR TAKES 20 MINUTES TO MAKE, ONE HOUR TO COOK
MIKE COOPER
INGREDIENTS 2 tbsp olive oil 25g unsalted butter 3 onions, sliced 1.2kg floury potatoes, peeled and cut into 1cm-thick slices 2 cloves garlic, crushed 250g smoked mackerel fillets, peppered or plain, skinned and flaked 4 tbsp crème fraîche 2 tbsp horseradish sauce 300ml fish or vegetable stock 75g mature Cheddar cheese, grated Salt and freshly ground black pepper
METHOD Put the oil and butter into a large frying pan and set over a medium-low heat. Once the butter has melted, stir through the onions and cook slowly, uncovered, for about 30 minutes or until they are soft and lightly caramelised, stirring every now and then. Meanwhile, cook the potato slices in a large pan of lightly salted boiling water for around 12–15 minutes or until tender. Drain well. Add the garlic to the onion mixture and cook for a further minute. Remove from the heat and stir through the cooked potatoes and flaked mackerel. Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6. Put the crème fraîche and horseradish sauce into a small mixing bowl and gradually pour in the stock, whisking as you go so it comes together as a smooth sauce. Season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Pour the sauce over the potato mixture and lightly fold through so it is evenly mixed, but try not to break up the potatoes and fish too much. Spoon into a baking dish and spread evenly, then sprinkle over the cheese. Bake in the oven for around 30 minutes or until the top is lightly golden and bubbling. Serve hot with a big green salad – a mix of delicious, peppery watercress leaves and spinach is ideal.
Extract taken from Pie! By Genevieve Taylor, Absolute Press, paperback, £12.99
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SHUTTERSTOCK
Travel
Travel plans in ruins? WITH ITS CLEAR BLUE WATERS, SUNSHINE AND ANCIENT TEMPLES, THE GREEK ISLAND OF KOS OFFERS A RELAXING BREAK WITH SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE
I
t’s slightly disconcerting to find that the numberone rated attraction on Kos is nowhere to be found on the island. It’s actually on Nissyros, an hour’s ferry ride from the Kos town of Kardamena. Other things that play with your mind are that Kos, one of the Dodecanese islands, is just off the coast of Turkey, a long way from mainland Greece and cos lettuce may not be named from it after all, with linguists suggesting it’s more likely to be named after the Arabic for lettuce, khus. Still, all isn’t lost. Day trippers from Kos to Nissyros are dropped off in Mandraki – a relatively unspoilt village that’s reminiscent of Santorini without the crowds – and a 20-minute bus journey later you’re walking over rocks to look at bubbling pools. If active volcanoes are your thing, it’d be a shame to miss the caldera, fumaroles and rhyolitic lava that will take you back to your geography lessons as a child, or maybe as a teacher. Be warned though, if you don’t like the smell of rotting eggs, it is perhaps best avoided. Kos itself is the birthplace of Hippocrates, who is said to have studied medicine at the Asklepieion (healing temple) just outside Kos town. With its well-preserved ruins, hilltop position and sea views, it’s well worth a visit. Kos town, meanwhile, draws many visitors from the Turkish resort of Bodrum, a 60-minute ferry hop away. It’s notable for the castle and for Eleftherias Square. Beautiful
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views combine with ruined walls for great photos at the castle and after a bit of scrambling around, it’s hard to beat sitting to watch the world go by in one of the square’s many coffee shops, bars and restaurants. Don’t forget the beaches either. Kos has some lovely ones – possibly the most pleasant being Agios Stefanos, famed for its clear shallow waters and the ruined early Christian basilica, which sits on a small island, a 300m swim from the beach. In terms of weather, the hottest time of the year is August (average temperature 79º Fahrenheit or 26º centigrade) and the most hours of sunshine (14) come in July. For all those travelling from Britain, the good news is that there is barely any rain from June to August. Slightly out of season, when prices are cheaper, it’s still warm. In May, it’s relatively dry and the average temperature is 68º/20º and in October, although you can expect more rainfall, it’s still a pleasant 66º/19º.
KOS ON THE WEB www.kosinfo.gr www.greekislands.com/kos en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kos www.lonelyplanet.com/greece/dodecanese/kos www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Tourism-g189444-Kos_DodecaneseVacations.html
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Recycle your magazine and seven days later it could come back as your newspaper.
The possibilities are endless.
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Cryptic crossword
LIFE MEMBERS’ REGIONAL GROUPS These groups are known to be active. Please email naht@redactive.co.uk or call 020 7880 7666 with any additions or changes AVON ASSOCIATION OF RETIRED HEADS AND DEPUTIES President: Beatrice Murray Tel: 0117 962 0573 Hon secretary: Daphne Spitzer Tel: 0117 950 4936
com or Malcolm Shore (berilldon@aol.com)
BANES (BATH AND NORTH EAST SOMERSET AND WEST WILTSHIRE) Anna Grayson Tel: 01225 742 877 Email: annagrayson@icuknet.co.uk
LONDON RETIRED HEADTEACHERS’ SOCIETY Chairman: Don Crispin Tel: 020 8651 5330
BOLTON RETIRED HEADS ASSOCIATION Secretary: Brian Essex Tel: 01706 221 028 Email: essexbrian@hotmail.com
When completed, you will find two congratulatory phrases hidden in the grid. Across 1 Mail disturbed lairs. (4) 3 Wholesome girl on turn at transport Company with debts. (10) 10 Face-to-face I sound ready to cry. (7) 11 Occasional landings. (5/2) 12 Welsh man due to land in female material. (7) 13 Change previous change. (6) 15 Eastern powder back for brilliance. (5) 16 Spanish gent with small group of people and dubious role. (9) 18 Recall in pre-mini scenario. (9) 21 The lottery could indulge Greek slave. (5) 23 Bloodless fruit for another. (6) 25 Starting to keep anthems, rock and opera, King Elvis improvises here. (7) 27 Northern eel confused about bird to qualify for peerage. (7) 28 Parent-in-law totally opposed to renegades. (7) 29 Mixed gain surrounding Oscar wasting away. (10) 30 He is in a complete whirl. (4)
Down 1 The ‘if’ in trifle, darling. (10) 2 Make bread soundly, not quite complete, wanting more. (7) 4 Leaderless assignations from a pact. (9) 5 Tremble, not quiet, beneath Cowes! (5) 6 Othello is back, not quite complete, packed out. (7) 7 So, nerve changed for your turn in court. (2/5) 8 Guardsman without British Rail past 1ac. (4) 9 Dormant US city with camping equipment. (6) 14 Do Sky votes lead to murder and hanging author. (10) 17 Collapse on holiday on Irish County. (9) 19 Screen reptile. (7) 20 North on opposite pole to be better ceaselessly. (7) 21 Therefrom: quite the opposite for this old legal word. (6) 22 Sporting garment with a change in the middle is spotted. (7) 24 Sounds like musical storage device is not very well. (5) 26 Mighty Mystic start to the alphabet. (4)
Compiled by Life members Gale Freshwater and Anthony Hunt. Answers to the crossword can be found on page 3.
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LONDON BOROUGH OF SUTTON Janet Overell Tel: 01737 556 684
NAHT CYMRU Carys Brown Tel: 01656 650 685 Email: carysbrown@gmail.com
NORFOLK RETIRED HEADTEACHERS ASSOCIATION BRADFORD Chairman: Brian King Secretary: Pamela Reader Membership secretary: Tel: 01535 631 628 Jill Wigy. Tel: 01603 432 115 Email: Les33pam@talktalk.net Secretary: Bill English Tel: 01362 850 433 BURY (LANCASHIRE) LIFE MEMBERS GROUP NORTHERN IRELAND Dorothy Bailey. Tel: 0161 766 Dr Desmond Hamilton 3972. Email: dorothoy.bailey Tel: 028 9076 0731 @ntlworld.com Email: desmondhamilton@ btinternet.com COVENTRY AND WARWICKSHIRE NORTH EAST Secretary: Yvonne Rich Eric Fisk Tel: 01669 620 112 11 Field House, Priory Road, Email: cloudcottage@fsmail.net Kenilworth, Warks CV8 1RA NORTH WEST ENGLAND DONCASTER Dave Johnson Acting secretary: Tel: 01257 253 556 Email: Mike Townsend davejohno69@gmail.com Tel: 01302 728 032 Email: mickayt@tiscali.co.uk NORTH YORKSHIRE RETIRED GROUP ESS-EX HEADS Sue Lonsdale York. Vice-chairman: Helen Tel: 01904 744 209 Jackman Tel: 01277 822 247 Email: sue.lonsdale@tiscali. co.uk GWENT NOTTINGHAMSHIRE John Granger Tel: 01633 769 684 Email: Eileen M Else Tel: 0115 923 4863 john.granger@ntlworld.com OLDHAM KENT AND MEDWAY Ossie Millar Tel: 0161 624 7268 HEADREST Membership secretary WAKEFIELD (two groups) Jean Pilcher, 34 Sandown Recently retired heads: Drive, Rainham, Kent ME8 Colin Moran 9DU. Email: jeanpilcher@ Tel: 01924 240 494 Email: hotmail.com cmoran@nahtwf.force9.co.uk LEEDS RETIRED HEADS SOCIAL GROUP Peter Spencer Tel: 01943 872 722 LINCOLNSHIRE RETIRED HEADS SOCIAL GROUP Gini Smith: vasmith@hotmail.
Senior retired heads: Alwyn Peel Email: alwyn. peel@ntlworld.com WESSEX Ralph Cooper Tel: 01202 513 101 Email: ralphandcarole. cooper@ntlworld.com
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