Teachers TV

Very occassionally I dip into teachers TV.

becuase my interest is 14-19 vocational, I do search these areas and I came across this video.

http://www.teachers.tv/video/25749

It's a relatively basic introduction but it's a little out of date with some of the numbers, particualrly in relation to the numers taking the Diploma.  Nevertheless it's a very good introduction to the subject and it does cover all the angles from university to employers to equivalence.

Recommended if you need to know more or indeed need to help colleagues know more.

Jonathan Wells - Guroo

The leading independent resource for Functional Skills

Ofsted GCSE Maths comments

Widely reported today are problems with Maths teaching in secondary schools.  Only half of all lessons are good enough according to ofsted who go on to say that one of the main reasons is that lessons are often too focussed on process and not on application.

Music to my ears frnakly - that's the whole point of functional skills, application of skills and it means that if we can get the teaching and practice of functional skills right, it can make a huge difference to the overall teaching of Maths.

I'm off to develop some examples of maths applications!

 

14-19 adverts in the press

Has anyone noticed just how many 14-19 adverts there are at the moment? or is it just usual for this time of year.

Daily Mirror

Its not just the Guardian and the teleraph that's getting in on the act for describing the changes in Education - now it's the Daily Mirror with a full page now.

And it's a very good one - informative and well written with only one slightly misleading headline referring to the fact that a Foundation Diploma is worth 5 GCSE without saying this is grade D-G.

I shall be putting it on our website when I have a moment and can scan it!

Daily Mail Advert

WoW - a full page advert in the Daily Mail today advertising changes in the 14-19 curriculum. Makes some failrly bold claims as well - "Every Student ....... guaranteed an appropriate place"

I wonder if this is the start of a concerted effort to get the right information out or just a one off - hope it's the former, can't possibly be a bad thing at all.

Functional Skills at KS3?

I've just been catching up on three weeks worth of TES - one of the pleasures of a short holiday in August.

One story that caught my eye was Functional Skills at Key Stage 3. I found this a little bit hard to understand at first and in fact a colleague from another company phoned me to ask what it was all about and I had to admit I didn't know anything about it!

In all fairness, I still haven't got to the bottom of my understanding but I think that it's to do with the new KS3 curriculum that starts now with the roll out this year to year 7 only. I shall do some more digging - in the meantime if anyone knows out there - your comments welcomed.