Falklands : Public Meeting Report (26/05/08)
Submitted by Falkland Islands News Network (Juanita Brock) 28.05.2008 (Article Archived on 11.06.2008)
A public meeting took place in the Court and Council Chamber of the Town Hall at 1700hrs on Monday, 26 May 2008.
PUBLIC MEETING REPORT 26/05/08
By J. Brock (FINN)
A public meeting took place in the Court and Council Chamber of the Town Hall at 1700hrs on Monday, 26 May 2008. Present were Councillors Clausen, Birmingham, Cockwell, Hansen, Robertson, Summers, Stevens, and Rendell. Approximately 50 members of the public attended to view a power-point presentation entitled "Falkland Islands Education Shared Vision" conducted by Alistair Baldwin, Head Teacher at the Falkland Islands Community School and Nick Barrett, Head Teacher at the Infant Junior School.
The presentation outlined how both schools and Camp Education have improved since the last school inspection
Beginning with the Infant Junior School, Mr Barrett explained that the system of education is based largely on what the UK is doing with exception of some regional modifications. He went on to say that there are “SATS” exams for years 2, 6, and 9. Staff were came from Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom with teachers being qualified in those countries.
A new Management Structure has been introduced in both schools as a result of recommendations made at the last school inspection in October 2007. One of the goals is to limit the number of pupils per class to 30.
Transitions were also important with children in nurseries and pre-school being helped to integrate to the Infant Junior School and for Infant Junior School Students being helped to integrate to the Falkland Islands Community School. There are also transitional challenges between the Community School and education in the UK.
Music Math and Art are considered to be Cross-phase training. Special Educational Needs are catered for using specialist teachers. There are links between the schools and Health and Medical Services, the Royal Falkland Islands Police, MPA, British Antarctic Survey, FI Conservation, the Archives, other schools and the EOD to name a few. Special projects include the Alistair Cameron History Project, the Sue Whitley Arts and Crafts Competition and the Commonwealth Essay Competition. Continuing with the DARE Programme, recently started up, the additional resources include health and sex education. It is hoped to bring the DARE Programme into the FICS in the not to distant future.
Alistair Baldwin explained that the Community School will have 20 staff in September to teach 154 students. Next year the number of students will reduce to 142 students. Thanks to new management strategies and equipment the students can be tracked through all of their key stages. The SATS in English have been taken today, he added.
The curriculum is broad based with enrichment provided in afternoon activities, visits, trips, Support from adults, a learning support unit and an alternative curriculum. The curriculum is reviewed on an annual basis. Introducing a course in Business studies is being considered.
Community involvement includes Cross-phased links with the Infant Junior School, Educational visits and outside expertise brought in. Liaisons with the Police and linking with Social Services, using the Street for school fundraising, linking with parents, school and home all help to facilitate dialogue. Also helping are music, drama and dance and an NVQ course in Babysitting.
Positive results from the inspection include the fact that students achieved well and there was a satisfactory level of teaching. The staff were committed and had quality in their teaching. As a result of the recommendations there were two plans put in place to address the negative aspects of the report. This plan includes a clear set of shared values developed to underpin all aspects of work, new management structures, a Deputy Head and 3 (TLRs) as well as 3 LRs being handled by staff already working at FICS. Procedures are in place to protect children and task groups set up involving parents, teachers, police and others.
Plan 2 includes enhanced “SIP” procedures and a new monitoring group, planned lesson and programme monitoring, team teaching and behaviour management , feedback from parents and an evaluation of school performance.
Nick Barrett continued with his presentation on Camp Education. He explained that Camp Education and the Infant Junior School were merged in January this year with a view to a more seamless and consistent education. Advantages include sharing resources and expertise thus achieving the efficient use of resources as well as enhanced co-operation.
SATS results are well above the average in the UK and have been improving steadily for the past 5 years. This is down to much hard work and a new management structure. Mr Barrett went on to say that there are 240 pupils in the Infant Junior School – a figure significant in terms of schools in the UK. The curriculum is augmented by courses in Geography, Alli Liddle’s Conservation course and the Alistair Cameron History Project. Gifted and talented children also are monitored for results. Tests are marked in the UK.
A positive atmosphere is accentuated by the Student of the Week and prize-givings. House points and a specific set of class rules also help to encourage good results and discipline. Competition is limited between inter-house and the MPA School. Competing with MPA is limited as that school only has 19 children. Other competitive events are in PE and Swimming, fundraising, such as Pink Day and social events that raise money for the school.
Throughout the Infant Junior school there is new technology with interactive white boards. Pupils are well cared for in a safe environment
There are currently 20 pupils in Camp Education with 7 staff and schools at Goose Green and North Arm. There are Summer and Winter Schools in Stanley especially during Farmers’ Week. The students participate in the Sue Whitley Arts and crafts Competition as well as the Alistair Cameron History project and there is a fundraising dance during Farmers’ Week.
Camp Education helps isolated students to integrate with others and has outreach with parents with the curriculum matching each child’s educational needs.
Generally, school improvement plans have been written in accordance with the school inspection report. There is greater use of IT equipment with a full time IT person being hired on. Children have to learn throughout their school lives so there are resources to meet that need. Visitors are helping to bring new information and training to the school and there are vocational courses being developed and raised expectations for students’ achievements.
After the presentation the public were invited to ask questions. Roger Spink quoted from the school inspection report that said the standard of teaching was poor and said that the school was given notice to improve.
Alistair Baldwin explained that the inspector only sat in on one lesson and was there for one day. He explained that the new management plans and job role descriptions were instituted as a result of the inspection and that there was some excellent teaching going on in the Falkland Islands Community School. Effective steps had been taken to rectify the problems outlined in the inspection report. Mr Baldwin went on to explain that teachers had to cover for those who were off with long-term illnesses.
Cllr Stevens explained that in October another school inspection will take place to see how things are going with the plans implemented as a result of the last inspection. A Schools Information Management Systems (SIMS) database was going to be implemented so that not only the progress of individual students could be logged and monitored but these could be compared with other schools as well. New software will enable this to be done but a monumental task in the beginning will be putting the available information into the database. Cllr Summers said it was key to track the progress of individual students.
Another parent was worried about assessing pupils’ progress in years 3, 4, and 5. Nick Barrett explained that there were mock exams for students in those years that helped to assess progress. What was important for students was their ability to participate in and take the responsibility for their own education. They needed to be motivated and given guidance in how to move forward.
Assessment is 99% accurate but, admits Mr. Barrett, sometimes a teacher will get it wrong and a student will do better than expected or worse than expected on exams. 99% is quite good.
Another parent worried about the student/teacher ratio in the Infant Junior School. 30 children per teacher seemed to be too much. Mr Barrett explained that besides a teacher in the class with 30 pupils there was a learning assistant as well. Other classes with students with special needs have teaching assistants as well as learning assistants and other classroom assistants. Team teaching also helped until classes became large enough to split. There is an NVQ available at the training centre for classroom assistants.
Cllr Summers questioned the numbers at the Infant Junior School saying that there was 25 staff for 240 pupils. Mr Barrett said that 23 staff were classroom based but the large intake classes do need more staff. However, those needing more staff can have it if required.
Mrs Rendell questioned the diversity between the numbers of students in the Infant Junior School (240) and those in the Senior School (154). Mr. Barrett said that there were more classes – years 1 to 7 in the Infant Junior School, with 8 to 11 in the Community School. Cllr Summers said there was an average of 30 in each year group. The 19 in the MPA school seemed low but it is expected that they will have a new building by 2010.
Cllr Birmingham mentioned the excellent work of the training sector and Director of Education Mrs Booth said that the Community School was working to increase the links with the Training sector as there were students who wanted apprenticeships rather than academic educations. Beginning at age 14 on to age 16 there were various work experience and support activities available for those students. Jock Elliot was looking at transition aspects between the Community School and the training centre. Cllr Summers asked Mrs Booth what was taught at the Centre and she said that NVQs in relation to Tourism, Health and child care were obtainable. These were taught in conjunction with English, Math and IT. There are also opportunities in agriculture, mechanics, plumbing and carpentry.
Part 2 of the public meeting dealt with the pollution coming out of the now sunken Ocean 8. This will be dealt with in Wednesday’s FINN.
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