Falklands : Falklands Director of Education Report
Submitted by Falkland Islands News Network (Juanita Brock) 24.10.2007 (Article Archived on 07.11.2007)
Mrs. Barbara Booth has reported to the Education Board.
Director of Education’s Report
Following is the text of a report given by the Director of Education at the last Education Board Meeting held on 07 October 2007.
· Restructuring:
The DoE has been working with the Director of Human Resources for the recruitment of an Assistant Director of Education and the amalgamation of IJS and Camp Education. JR asked following Executive Council’s decision, would this result in non-contact time for staff. The DoE confirmed that it should enable greater flexibility and thus free up time for staff to undertake monitoring and development work. The DoE will discuss with the Headteacher organisational adjustments which will need to be made and how best to create non-contact time for staff.
· Staffing:
All new teaching staff have now arrived in the Islands and have settled in well. The DoE is to meet the new Maths/Science teacher during the week. New initiatives associated with PE are street dancing and rugby training. These have, so far, been well attended by the students.
The DoE asked the Board if they wished a letter to be sent to Katherine Nelson on their behalf thanking her for her work at FICS as a teacher and as Acting Headteacher. The board agreed to this proposal.
· Executive Council:
Executive Council approved the Code of Practice to support the Children and Young Persons (Tobacco) Ordinance 2007 and this will be in place in the new year.
Executive Council also approved the extended eligibility criteria for further education. The DoE has met with year 10 students and parents and explained the new criteria. Letters have also been sent to all parents who did not attend the meeting. JR asked if there was a system in place to help disadvantaged children who do not receive support for their studies from home. NS commented that a homework club is in place to help the students but it was felt that students’ progress should be kept under review.
The DoE has also met with year 11 students and parents to explain the current eligibility criteria and timetable for applications for college places in 2008.
· Students:
Year 6 of the Infant and Junior School achieved well in their KS2 SATs. The results are above the UK national average. NS observed that the pupils here are younger than the average age for those taking KS2 SATs. RS also stated that this was an improvement on last years’ results.
GCSE results for 2006/7 were 12% higher than those for 2005/6. These results are the highest attained since 2003 and will stand as a benchmark for further improvement. The DoE informed the Board that the majority of students fulfilled the criteria to secure sponsorship to attend college in the UK. Out of the 15 pupils, 12 successfully met the
criteria; the remaining three pupils are now attending college with parental support.
· A Level Results:
The DoE reported that of the 9 students that sat ‘A’ level examinations in 2006/7, the majority gained results which were in the B and C grades. This is a good and creditable set of results.
· Vocational Results:
RS asked the DoE if she had written to congratulate the student who had gained a National Diploma with Distinction in the BTEC course ‘Construction and the Built Environment’. The DoE confirmed this had been done.
· University Graduate Results:
The DoE has written to the student who gained a 1st Class Honours Degree in Coastal Engineering sending her congratulations on the results. The DoE also informed the Board that one student had withdrawn from a course.
· Library:
The DoE reported to the Board that the library is to benefit from rare and first edition books from a Canadian benefactor. These books have been collected over his lifetime and many are to do with the South Atlantic. The Acting Librarian is looking into the best way to transport the books to the Islands. The Education Department will seek to cover the cost of freight as this is a very valuable collection to be added to the library. The DoE also indicated that she had spoken to Mr John Chilton when she was in the UK, and Mr Chilton is happy to carry on with the programme of repairing and restoring the current collection of books. It would be possible to use the FIGO Office as a collection and returning centre. The DoE will make contact with Mr Chilton to make appropriate arrangements for this work to continue.
· FICS:
Alastair Baldwin, the new Head Teacher has settled in at FICS and is coming to terms with all of the issues that a new school presents.
· IJS:
Students are now working with teachers from FICS on a regular basis.
· Leisure Centre:
The Leisure Centre Manager has been working with Kathleen Bree, the Director of Health & Social Services for the recruitment of the Exercise Referral Officer. The DoE will check on what progress has been made during her absence.
· Schools' Inspection:
Arrangements for the Inspection of the schools, which is taking place in October/November, are progressing well.
· Children and Young People's Strategy Group:
The DARE Programme was discussed at the last meeting which was held on the 13th September 2007. The DoE was asked to follow-up on this matter as there was an ambition to re-establish the programme in IJS and extend it to FICS.
· Election of Education Board Member/s:
All relevant papers have been sent to all parents of school age children seeking nominations to the board. Only 2 nominations for parental representation of children over the age of twelve have been received. The DoE is to verify with the Head Teacher of IJS that no nominations have been received for parental representation of children under the age of twelve.
· Religious Education in Schools
JR informed the board that a parent had expressed a wish to have Religious Education introduced in the schools as an integral part of the curriculum with the re-introduction of religious assemblies. It was suggested that the leaders of both the Anglican and Catholic Churches had been asked/offered to hold religious assemblies. There followed a discussion which touched upon several areas. Why had the assemblies ceased? Would the religious focus be that of the Anglican and Catholic faiths when there were others which should perhaps be considered? The rights of parents to withdraw their children for religious activities and the necessity to clarify if this right to withdrawal should be afforded to staff. The need to provide suitable staffing to supervise children who were withdrawn. It was decided that more information was needed before any decision could be made. JR & RS were tasked to consult with Legislative Council members to determine how about it came that the assemblies had stopped. The DoE was to speak to members of staff and previous Directors to determine if they knew if and how any previous decision had been reached.
· Draft Report to the Education Board
The DoE informed the Board that the purpose of the paper was to extend the membership of the Education Board by including a representative from the training arm of the service. Currently the DoE feels that there is an imbalance of representation between mainstream schooling and vocational education and training. The DoE has referenced the Education Ordinance and it would seem possible for it to be amended. JR stated that it was appropriate that a representative from the training section was present on the Board. RS raised a concern about the arrangements which would be made to appoint such a person onto the Board. DoE suggested that she could follow the process which is used to secure parental representation and involve the Chamber of Commerce in the same way that schools are involved. With regard to the membership of the proposed Vocation Board it was not felt necessary to include a Councilor and it was requested that that requirement be deleted. Members endorsed the submission of the draft report to go to Executive Council.
The DoE informed the board that the annual report was a requirement of the Education Ordinance. The DoE then summarised the report and the following items were discussed:
· 2.10 - An additional year of primary schooling was resolved for year 5.
· 2.11 - RS commented that there is more optimism for an internet connection in Camp in the near future.
· 2.27 - DoE reported that there is insufficient provision for students whose second language is English and this is an issue which needs to be addressed there being an increase in children from South America who don't have command of the English language.
· 3.2 (G) - NS said she has not resigned from the Education Board but her time has expired and the DoE agreed to re-word that phrasing.
· 4.2 - The World Class Tests in Maths and Problem Solving is to be extended down to year 5.
· 4.2 - JR asked for details on the “challenging major project” that Elaine Messer is working on with students from Key Stage 3. DoE to seek this information.
· 4.4 - JR expressed that if the football pitch would not be ready this season for sports day, then another venue should be found as sports day should not be cancelled again.
· 4.4 - DoE informed that she is dealing with the problem of staff being unable to attend the STA conferences in the UK in order to re-validate their qualifications.
· 4.5 - DoE informed the board that John Chilton will continue to repair the books in the Library and funds will be found to cover this work.
· 4.5 - The board felt that an internet connection into the library was important.
· 6.5 - DoE and the Headteacher of FICS are considering the overall standards in ICT and why, in particular, boys seem to be underachieving.
The board endorsed the submission of the report to Executive Council.
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