The National Strategies: a review of impact

"This report evaluates which aspects of the National Strategies’ programmes had been effective and which less so, and how leaders and managers at regional and local levels of the National Strategies judged their impact. Almost all the schools visited considered that the National Strategies had contributed to improving the quality of teaching and learning and the use of assessment, and valued their materials. However, the frequent introduction of new initiatives had led to overload and diminished their potential effectiveness. Evaluation of the impact of the National Strategies’ many programmes was also a weakness at national and local level." - cover

Good professional development in schools: how does leadership contribute?

"This good practice report considers what makes continuing professional development work so well in successful schools. It identifies four key questions that effective school leaders regularly ask themselves about the quality of their arrangements for professional development. The report then sets out the key characteristics of good practice associated with the four areas and illustrates these to help all schools learn from the examples. It also identifies three barriers that confront schools." - cover

Models for schools of public health: A scoping review and synthesis of existing evidence

The final report on 'Models for schools of public health: A scoping review and synthesis of existing evidence' produced by Steven, Lombardo and Goodall and commissioned by Public Health Gateshead is now available. To date, existing evidence regarding models (organisational, structural, managerial, administrational) for Schools of Public Health (SsPH) has not been systematically collected or synthesised. This study aims to begin to fill that gap by using a combination of rapid review and scoping review techniques to retrieve and assess existing literature to identify potential and existing models, themes and issues and where possible highlight strengths and weaknesses

History in schools and the problem of 'the nation'

The article examines the enduring popularity of a form of school history which is based predominantly on the idea that the transmission of a positive story about the national past will inculcate in young people a sense of loyalty to the state; a reassuring and positive sense of identity and belonging; and a sense of social solidarity with fellow citizens. England is one of the countries which has to at least some extent moved away from this model of school history; but the past few years have seen suggestions for a move back to a history curriculum which focuses predominantly on the transmission of ‘Our Island Story’; and which presents a positive rendering of that story. The history curriculum in England is currently under review; and public pronouncements by politicians; academic historians and newspaper editorials suggest strong pressures towards a restoration of what is often termed ‘traditional’ school history; which was prevalent in English schools before the advent of what has been termed ‘New history’ in the 1970s. The paper questions some of the arguments which have been put forward in order to justify a return to a history curriculum based on a positive and unproblematic narrative of the national story and suggests that such a course of action is based on some unexamined assumptions and a limited understanding of pedagogy and learning. The final section of the paper outlines several weaknesses and flaws in the arguments for reverting to a traditional (i.e. ‘nation-based’ and celebratory) form of school history; and some of the dangers inherent in such a project

Moving English forward : action to raise standards in English

"This report sets out to answer the question: how can attainment in English be raised in order to move English forward in schools? It is recommended to all who teach the subject, those who lead the subject, and headteachers of primary and secondary schools. The findings are based principally on evidence from inspections of English between April 2008 and March 2011 in 268 maintained schools in England. Part A highlights the main strengths and weaknesses in English and presents the evidence from the survey inspection visits. Part B draws on this inspection evidence to analyse 10 areas of weakness and recommend appropriate action to improve practice in each area" - front cover