| National Education Trust Newsletter
December 2011
December Newsletter
Dear Friends of the National Education Trust
Happy Christmas!
As we approach the end of yet another busy term, please look through our latest newsletter. This edition will tell you about our exciting plans for the coming spring term, and look back at one or two highlights of the autumn term.
We hope you have a very happy and restful winter break, and look forward to working with you all in 2012.
Marc Rowland and the NET Team |
Looking Ahead
 Spring 2012 heralds a host of exciting NET events that will focus on all kinds of topics such as teacher training, the pupil premium as well as our Sixth Annual Lecture. Each event will have high quality speakers who focus on best practice in our classrooms, and the programmes provide excellent opportunities for professional collaboration. You will receive an invitation to each of these events, and for more information now please visit the events page of our website.
Dates for your Diary:
- 'School Wars' with Melissa Benn, Fiona Millar and Sue Robinson on Thursday 9 February 2012 at The New North Community School, London
- Patterns in Play on Thursday 23 February 2012 at Chelsea Open Air Nursery School and Children's Centre
- Sixth Oxford Education Debate - 'Recruiting, training and retaining the best teachers'. With Andy Jones on Wednesday 29 February 2012 at Oxford Brookes University, Oxford.
- Quality and Standards in Early Years. With Kath Townsley, Roy Blatchford and Louise Jackson on Thursday 1 March 2012 at The New North Community school and Children's Centre, London.
- Maths Counts! on 7th March 2012 in the Wirral
- Schools as organisations... How can Technology make it better? With Dr Chris Yapp on 8 March 2012 in Bishop Challoner Catholic Collegiate School, Tower Hamlets, London.
- Sixth Annual Lecture on Wednesday 14 March 2012 at The Inner Temple, London
- What are schools doing with the Pupil Premium? With David Laws MP on Thursday 22 March 2012 at The New North Community School, London
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Sparkling Classrooms
 NET is running a series of roadshows based in schools around the country. The aim is to share best classroom practice, linked to the new Teachers' Standards which come into effect in September 2012. The one-day workshops are practical and offer an array of rich ideas which lead to outstanding classrooms. NET is pleased to announce that the roadshows are being run in association with Pearson publishers.
Visit the website for 2012 dates.
"The course has inspired much exciting work here" Bristol Headteacher
Roy Blatchford and NET Associate Directors are also available to run in-service days for schools on Sparkling Classrooms.
The 'Sparkling Classrooms' publication is available for purchase - Sparkling Classrooms |
Early Years Matter
 NET's Early Years Matter Programme has been travelling all over the country delivering sessions to local networks of Children's Centre staff which focus on family engagement, leadership and practice sharing. The programme aims to improve the lives of the most disadvantaged families by providing Children's Centre staff with training, mentoring and support to deliver consistent and coordinated advice to those who need it most.
Our first two networks of centres are soon to complete their training. We shall be celebrating by showcasing their hard work and presenting them with plaques to show their centre's commitment to development.
Look out for our national 'Quality and Standards in Early Years' Conference
Speakers include: Kath Townsley, HMI Lead for Children's Centre, Roy Blatchford, Director of The National Education Trust and Anne Nelson, National Early Years Consultant.
1st March 2012 at The New North Community School, London N1 8SJ. Book online |
National Gallery Event 30th September 2011
On Friday 30th September, the much anticipated event which NET organised in partnership with the National Gallery 'Dare to be different: Curriculum Innovation through Art', took place in the National Gallery. The day was geared towards providing opportunities for school leaders and classroom practitioners to hear about excellent practice in art from schools, and to learn more about the National Gallery 'Take One Picture' programme. The day began with an introduction from the National Gallery's Director of Education Jillian Barker. In attendance was a mixture of sixty headteachers, art teachers and various educationalists interested in curriculum innovation.
After giving a warm welcome to everyone, Renuka Chinnadurai, (Head Teacher of Bridge and Patrixbourne CE Primary School) and Pam Clubb, (Art Teacher at Bridge and Patrixbourne CE Primary School) took the stage. They spoke about their experience and journey through the extremely successful 'Take One Picture' programme and the benefits it brought to their school.
Ali Mawle (Head of Schools, National Gallery) followed up with an inspiring talk: 'Visiting a work of art – how do schools maximise the potential?'. She gave a super introduction to the aims of the 'Take One Picture' programme, followed by some wonderful examples of work various primary schools had completed in the past year.
John Steers (General Secretary for National Society for Education in Art & Design) spoke about what the arts can teach children as well as the economic value the creative industries possess in his speech titled: 'Art and Design at the Crossroads – Ways Forward'. Last but not least was Philippa Cordingley's (Chief Executive of Centre for the Use of Research in Education) presentation about positive and effective examples of curriculum innovation: 'Curriculum Innovation & Curriculum Change - what works?'.
The day finished with a delicious buffet provided by the National Gallery and an energetic, whistle-stop tour given by Ali Mawle of the paintings used in the Take One Picture programme in the National Gallery itself. It was a fantastic treat to be taken around the collection and Ali's enthusiasm was infectious! A wonderful end to an extremely successful day.
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Inner Temple: The Schools Project Open Day
Friday 11th November
I had the pleasure of attending the annual Schools Project Open Day on Friday 11th November which NET and the Inner Temple jointly launched in 2008. The project aims to ensure that all students, regardless of their background, are aware of the opportunities available to them at the modern Bar and to raise aspirations towards professional careers generally. Through workshops and activities, the programme challenges stereotypes about the profession, provides information about the legal system of England and Wales and promotes social mobility at the Bar. Year 12 and 13 students from state schools in Greater London, interested in a legal career, were invited to attend the day.
To read more of this article please click here.
Vivienne Watson Project Officer
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 A NET hello.
Rachel Kennedy, a new member of the NET team, has taken on the role of Early Years Administrative Officer.
After graduating from Roehampton University with a Bachelors degree in Education with Childhood and Society, Rachel went on to work at the national charities '4Children' and the 'Terrence Higgins Trust' as an Intern in their policy departments. Rachel also has direct experience of working with children as a nanny, tutor and nursery assistant. Rachel will be working closely with Louise Jackson the National Programmes Manager on Early Years Matter.
 Andy Jones has joined NET as a Leading Thinker.
Andy Jones is Pro-Vice Chancellor and Dean of the Institute of Education at Manchester Metropolitan University. He has worked extensively as a drama-in-education teacher-trainer, in-service tutor, consultant across all phases of education and held a range of senior posts, including that of Deputy Director of the Institute. His work has taken him all around the UK and to Israel, China, the Netherlands, Dubai and the USA. Andy is Vice Chair of the UK Universities Council for the Education of Teachers (UCET). He is also a trustee of the Brightside Trust, Reddish Vale Cooperative Trust and the Alsager Schools Trust.
Please click here to see the other members of NET's Leading Thinker community. |
NET Ambassadors Programme
The NET Ambassadors programme, our network of former interns and staff, is in full swing. Please read below to see what some of our Ambassadors have been up to since leaving NET.
 Vicky Clayton
Since leaving NET in the summer Vicky Clayton has been enjoying the beginning of her BA in Human Sciences at Oxford University as well as all the other opportunities that university has to offer! In particular she has picked up rowing and fencing and is fascinated by the research she is conducting into cognitive bias in career choice for a local ethical careers charity. As ever, Vicky will be busy at Christmas, this year volunteering with the Charities Evaluation Services and gaining an insight into the third sector as a whole. Vicky hopes to continue her links with NET by volunteering for NET's sister charity, Adhyayan, in India over the summer of 2012.
Sophie Hulse
I am currently a part-time Postgraduate student, studying for a research Masters in Human Rights at the University of Manchester. I interned at NET in the summer of 2010 with Amisha Modi. My time at NET showed me how much I enjoy research in a professional setting - I had never before considered research outside of my undergraduate degree. I hope to work in the field of policy scrutiny, ideally in the field of International Aid or Aid Agencies. I aim to specialise in the role of education in developing countries, as well as famine and famine relief in the Horn of Africa, more specifically Somalia.
Alongside my degree I am taking some computer courses with Pitman Training to boost my office applicable skills. Aside from my studies I try to fit in as much travel as I can- Manchester can be very cold and damp! In April I'm planning to take part in the University led Morocco Hitch-a hitchhike race to Morocco, competing against almost all other UK Universities. As I also love gardening I volunteer at a community kitchen garden educational cooperative in central Manchester.
Please contact the NET office on office@nationaleducationtrust.net for further details about the programme. |
Please get involved whether by holding a seminar, attending one of our events, asking us to come into your school to act as a fresh pair of eyes (Blink) and help you to make it even better, or sending comments to comments@nationaleducationtrust.net.
NET needs you to be part of that voice shaping the education service ahead.
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