Tag: character

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Training Times – March 2015

Training Times front page March 2015Training Times – March 2015

The March edition of Training Times is now in schools, with a spotlight on Herts for Learning’s science and MFL teams.

The link to the online version can be found here: Training Times March

This HfL monthly newspaper has something for governors and staff based in schools, whether looking for a little light reading on current educational news or for courses to further your professional development.

This edition includes:

  • “Grit Gets Grades” – a look into the new focus on character education and what two Hertfordshire schools are doing to give pupils grit
  • Science and MFL – how can these teams support you?  An introduction to the Lead advisers for Science (Joanna Conn) and Modern Foreign Languages (Jackie Rayment), their background and priorities.
  • Dame Carol Ann Duffy, Britain’s Poet Laureate, entertained at HfL’s national poetry conference, “The Power in Poetry: Language as Play” in March.
  • The Early Years pupil premium – School Leaders said they were inspired at HfL’s “Ready for Early Years Premium and Ofsted Inspection of Early Years” conference in February.
  • HfL’s new SBM service – headed by Natalie Dalvarez, the service aims to support school improvement, raise teh profile of SBMs and help standardize a role that is still new to many schools.

…and much more!

If your chair of governors would like to receive extra copies for the governing body please get in touch. We welcome any feedback or content suggestions for future editions.

Please contact HfL journalist Jessica Broadbent at jessica.broadbent@ hertsforlearning.co.uk with your feedback or if you would like your school to be included.

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CBI asks Ofsted to assess character

John Cridland of the CBI calls for assessment of character educationCBI leader calls for Ofsted to assess character education

John Cridland, director general of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), has argued that school inspections should focus on whether schools are producing “well rounded people” rather than exam outcomes.

Speaking to an audience of academics, Cridland said that:

changing the inspection framework to ensure an equal focus on how schools are supporting the development of key attitudes and behaviour as on the more traditional academic measures would be a good first step in producing the well rounded young people business needs.

The Secretary of State for Education, Nicky Morgan, has emphasised previously her commitment to character education and the Department for Education announced the recipients of funding from its character grants scheme last week.

For more discussion of how governors can ensure their school is promoting their pupils’ personal development, see this recent Governing Matters article: Character education (NGA Membership required to access).