CIE Press Articles

This item is from Living Streets, one of our 'virtual partners'. The local group meets in our very own Civic Centre.

Schools in deprived areas to receive pedometers
by Andrew Fielding
National Walk to School Campaign Co-ordinator

The government has launched the National School Pedometer Programme to tackle childhood obesity.

The scheme, launched on the 25th of January by Caroline Flint, Public Health Minister, will see 250 schools in deprived areas being given 45,000 pedometers.

The announcement follows a successful pilot in 50 schools last year, which showed encouraging increases in children's activity levels.

The pedometers will be used as a tool supporting a range of lessons, and will increase awareness amongst pupils about the need to be active.

In the pilot the techniques were shown to be particularly effective with less active pupils. It also had a knock on effect with families, as pupils persuaded the parents to go for country walks at the weekend to increase their totals. Children can log onto a dedicated website to log their progress.

Schools interested in applying for the pedometer scheme can register their interest on the website: www.schoolsonthemove.co.uk

This story is courtesy of the DCMS website:

Government Welcomes Report On Creativity In Schools
The Government has taken a major step to making Britain the world's creative hub. A report – Nurturing Creativity in Young People – is published today and follows an independent Review, led by the leading educationalist Paul Roberts. It sets out what more the Government can do to nurture young people's creativity.

Jointly commissioned by DCMS and DfES, the Creativity Review examines key issues such as:

The role of partnerships between schools and the creative and cultural sector,

The opportunities for creative activity in Extended Schools and Early Years' settings,

The development of a Creative Portfolio to celebrate each young person's creative achievements,

The education workforce's role in developing creativity,

Clearer pathways into Creative Industries for young people,

Creating spaces for creative activity through the Building Schools for the Future programme, and

Ensuring Creativity is prominent in the Every Child Matters Framework.

DCMS ministers, David Lammy and Shaun Woodward, and DfES minister Andrew Adonis today welcomed the report at the Creative Economy Programme's Education and Skills breakfast, held at the Design Council.

Nurturing creativity in young people - A report to Government to inform future policy

'Nurturing Creativity in Young People' follows the Creativity in Schools Review, which was led by Paul Roberts, Director of Strategy at IdEA (Improvement and Development Agency). Jointly commissioned by DCMS and DfES, the report sets out what more the Government can do to nurture young people’s creativity.

The report can be read or downloaded at the DCMS site:
http://www.culture.gov.uk/global/publications/archive_2006/nurturing_creativity.htm

The publication of the Rose Report ends two generations of 'look and say' and hybrid approaches to teaching English. Jim Rose has recommended that Synthetic Phonics becomes the primary teaching technique within the National Curriculum.
The report can be viewed or downloaded from the site below:
http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/rosereview

Keeping arts safe - the second edition of the Arts Council document which provides guidance for artists and arts organisations on safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults. Produced with assistance from the NSPCC.

This publication is available free from Arts Council, England via this link on their website:
http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/publications/publication_detail.php?rid=0&sid=&browse=recent&id=489

Teachers to have powers to confiscate and use 'reasonable force' in crackdown on bad behaviour

This article by Anushka Asthana, Education Correspondent for the Observer
Sunday February 5, 2006
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,1702691,00.html

Thanks to Will Woodward and staff.
This first piece by Polly Curtis from 3rd October and the second by Ruth Kelly on the 5th:
http://education.guardian.co.uk/schools/story/0,,1583913,00.html
http://education.guardian.co.uk/policy/story/0,15572,1584581,00.html

Windmill Hills and Roman Road Primary were featured in the Evening Chronicle's education pages on the 21st of July in an interview and an environmental feature respectively.

Pupils from Bill Quay wrote last Thursday's 'Kron' page, mentioning citizenship, conservation, craft, and music projects. Hurrah!

Gateshead Council's Council News publication reported that the number of local jobs created in Gateshead rose by 4.31% in 2003 (an increase of 95,100). These are the last figures available to us from the Office of National Statistics.

Newcastle's Life Science Centre, another of our Cultural Partners, is celebrating its highest visitor numbers since opening in 2000. A total of 230,000 visitors have come through the Centre's doors in the last year, smashing the Centre's target numbers for the year.
For Life's news and plans for 2005, read on...

On Wednesday 20 April the Board of BALTIC announced the appointment of a new Director. American Peter Doroshenko is expected to take up the post sometime this month. In a statement issued by BALTIC, Mr Doroshenko said:
“BALTIC has established itself by making a truly outstanding contribution to contemporary art on an international stage. I am excited and proud to be offered this opportunity to continue to develop BALTIC’s unique activities. I am looking forward to working with he board, the staff and the funders in building on BALTIC’s early success to ensure it has an exciting long-term future, making a full contribution to the North East and the world of contemporary art.”
Mr Doroshenko’s most recent job, from 2003 until earlier this year , was as director of Belgium’s largest contemporary art gallery, S.M.A.K (Stedelijk Museum Voor Actuele Kunst), in Ghent. Aged 43 and originally from Chicago, he was previously director of visual arts at the University of Wisconsin, in Milwaukee, and senior curator at the Contemporary Arts Museum in Houston, Texas. Mr Doroshenko has written extensively about contemporary art and since 1999 has been a visiting lecturer at arts institutions in Houston and Vienna.
BALTIC has been run by acting director Andrew Lovett since the resignation of Stephen Snoddy.

The RSPB celebrates a new generation of children interested in birds, wildlife and their local environment with the publication of the January watch results. Well done to all Gateshead Schools who took part. We hope to have a wildlife/environmental CPD session for Cultural Ambassadors this year, so watch this space and your fortnightly e-bulletins.
http://www.rspb.org.uk/schoolswatch/index.asp

Our thanks to Andrew Simpson, the Arts and IS staff at the Department for Culture, Media & Sport press office for permission to publish the following links from the 29th of March and the 1st of April:
Creative Sparks: a five-year plan to give every schoolchild the chance to take part in high quality arts and culture in school:
http://www.culture.gov.uk/global/press_notices/archive_2005/dcms050_05.htm
and the £6m challenge fund to boost innovation in the arts:
http://www.culture.gov.uk/global/press_notices/archive_2005/dcms057_05.htm

Last Thursday's Evening Chronicle 'Pop the Question' column had another Swallwell Primary pupil giving the low-down on school life. Nine-year-old Elizabeth Sparham enthuses about maths, yard games, school lunches,tennis and her fun teachers!

Following the resignation of David Blunkett on Wednesday the 15th December, union leaders and the opposition comment on the youngest ever female cabinet member as Ruth Kelly takes over.

This story, by Matthew Taylor, appears courtesy of Will Woodward and the Guardian Education desk.

Last Thursday's Evening Chronicle School Pages saw Jamie McCubbin report on his favourites at Swalwell: PE lessons, school meals, football and Mr Hewitt!

This is a Department for Education and Skills Press Release under the title:Music Boost for schools with new champion and more money on 24th November 2004:

The drive to improve music education was given a significant boost today with the announcement by School Standards Minister David Miliband of a further £30m funding over the next three years, and a new appointment to push forward the Music Manifesto.
Read on for more good news for schools music...

As promised, ten-year-old Rhys Peebles represented Swallwell Primary in last Thursday's Pop the Question in the Newcastle Evening Chronicle. Design and Technology, Messrs. Hampson and Hewitt and rugby get the thumbs up from Rhys, who would like to be a pilot one day.
Chocks away!

Circus performer Mr Ramon Martinez recently put on a juggling, balancing and magic show for the pupils at Swalwell Primary school, Gateshead. Ramon's sons Ashley and George attended the school and had asked their father to put on the show. "The performance was fantastic fun - just the kind of new experience which the Government is asking us to bring to children now", said teacher Andrea Robson. Swallwell Primary pupils will be in the news on Thursday the 25th of November in the Pop the Question column of 'Top Class' in the Newcastle Evening Chronicle, so look out for them!

Sport England's work to make children more active has paid off handsomely at Oakfield Junior School in Low Fell, Gateshead. The school has just been awarded Activemark Gold for a variety of after-school fitness clubs including dance, acrobatics, basketball, tennis, multi-sports, rugby and cheerleading! "The take-up has been phenomenal" said Headteacher Helen Gladstone. The Newcastle Evening Chronicle also carried the story on Thursday the 4th November 2004.
Three cheers!

Congratulations to Denise Whalton of Ryton Junior School who picked up the Teaching Assistant of the Year Award for the North East and Cumbria at this year's regional Teaching Awards ceremony at Gosforth Park. Look out for Denise at the National Ceremony, featured on BBC2, in November. Well done!

Nominations for the 2005 awards are now open: anyone can nominate inspiring teachers, Heads and assistants online at:

www.teachingawards.com

An article by Bill Macnaught, Head of Cultural Development at Gateshead Council, featured in A-I (artsindustry) magazine on June 4th this year. The article, 'After the Baltic' , saw a focus on people rather than buildings in the next phase of Gateshead's cultural plan.

Wednesday May 26th saw Education Secretary Charles Clarke launch a report by Demos and the Green Alliance, although he may stop short of endorsing all of its recommendations. Children have fewer opportunities to play and learn outside of the home and classroom, affecting their skills, physical fitness and confidence. Weekly school safaris, out-of-classroom teacher training, walking to school and extended school hours are favoured.