Review of the National Award for Special Educational Needs Coordination Provider Group quality assurance processes

This report examined the quality assurance (QA) processes set up by the Award Provider Group when National Award for SEN Coordination oversight and funding (for teacher training) were withdrawn by the Department for Education in 2014. We interviewed 22 members of the Provider Group, including individuals from long-term and new (post-2014) providers. Data analysis showed that the QA processes worked well, providing the rigour and checks that the Provider Group were seeking. Members’ commitment to and belief in the importance of the National Award have led to the generation of a collaborative approach between competitors, and this is proving to be innovative, dynamic and supportive. However, to ensure they can continue to maintain the integrity and improve the quality of the National Award, the QA processes would benefit from: revisions to the Quality Standards Framework; creating an external reference group; involvement with external professional bodies such as the Chartered College of Teaching; continuing to publish a list of approved providers; public endorsement from an outside agency such as the DfE

The binary fraction of planetary nebula central stars I. A high-precision, I-band excess search

In an attempt to determine how many planetary nebulae derive from binary interactions, we have started a project to measure their unbiased binary fraction. This number, when compared to the binary fraction of the presumed parent population can give a first handle on the origin of planetary nebulae. By detecting 27 bona fide central stars in the I band we have found that 30% of our sample have an I band excess between one and a few sigmas, possibly denoting companions brighter than M3-4V and with separations smaller than approximately 1000 AU. By accounting for the undetectable companions, we determine a de-biased binary fraction of 67-78% for all companions at all separations. We compare this number to a main sequence binary fraction of (50+/-4)% determined for spectral types F6V-G2V, appropriate if the progenitors of today's PN central star population is indeed the F6V-G2V stars. The error on our estimate could be between 10 and 30%. We conclude that the central star binary fraction may be larger than expected from the putative parent population. Using the more sensitive J band of a subset of 11 central stars, the binary fraction is 54% for companions brighter than approximately M5-6V and with separations smaller than about 900 AU. De-biassing this number we obtain a binary fraction of 100-107%. The two numbers should be the same and the discrepancy is likely due to small number statistics. We also present an accurately vetted compilation of observed main sequence star magnitudes, colours and masses, which can serve as a reference for future studies. We also present synthetic colours of hot stars as a function of temperature (20-170kK) and gravity (log g= 6-8) for Solar and PG1159 compositions.Comment: 22 pages, 6 figures, 12 tables, accepted by MNRA

Primary Teacher Education in England: Forty Years On

This article examines the relationship between pre-service teacher education (ITE) for primary schooling and primary teaching in England between 1974 and 2014 and explores the ‘fitness of purpose’ of the current system of preparing teachers for the classrooms of the twenty-first century. Our historical analysis suggests that, despite forty years of change in ITE, there are still a number of unresolved issues in ITE. These include: how to prepare for the multi-subject, class teacher role which the majority of primary teachers still undertake; how to equip future teachers to deal with the social and emotional aspects of primary teaching; how to ensure that they are creative and flexible practitioners, able to cope with the demands of future curricula, pedagogical changes and the new roles and responsibilities which will inevitably occur during the course of their teaching careers in the next decades of this century; and how to structure ITE to provide adequate long term foundations for the necessary professional development as a teacher

Evaluation of the impact and effectiveness of the National Award for Special Educational Needs Coordination

This report presents findings of an independent evaluation into the effectiveness and impact of the National Award for SEN Coordination. Questionnaire data were collected from 1,109 school staff, 532 parents/carers and 9 pupils; we also interviewed 20 SENCOs and 15 parents/carers of children with SEND. Key findings included: • Statistically-significant evidence that a majority of NASENCO Award-holders and trainees felt that the Award increased their confidence in some aspects of all three Award domains of Professional Knowledge and Understanding; Leading and Coordinating Provision; Personal and Professional Qualities. • Award-holding survey respondents commented on aspects of course delivery that allowed them to reflect on their SENCO role. These included discussion and sharing practice with other SENCOs, academic study and tasks, and the taught sessions. Some commented on the challenges of completing Master’s level study with their employment in school. • Issues that SENCOs thought should be addressed in the Award in future included practical advice that was applicable to the SENCO role; budget management and funding training; working with outside agencies; supporting pupils; training, supporting and managing staff; and understanding/implementing current legislation. • School staff who were not SENCOs were asked for their views of the support provided to them by their SENCO. The majority of respondents knew if their school SENCO had achieved the Award or not. A large majority reported that their SENCO supported them in almost all aspects of the three Award domains. The SENCO’s role in working with parents/carers was the aspect most often highly rated by school staff respondents; other highly-rated aspects were concerned with working strategically to develop support systems, both within and beyond the school, followed by supporting pupils’ learning and progress. • The majority of parents/carers who responded to the survey did not know if their child’s school SENCO held the Award. Most parent interviewees reported that they had not heard of the Award before completing the survey. • Around half of the pupils in our sample felt that they were able to get help at least some of the time at school, and that this help came mainly from staff at school or from family. The Report concludes with recommendations to government, Award providers, schools and individuals

Racism, Prevent and education: insisting on an open space

In this article we first discuss the Brexit referendum and its links to changes in the nature of racism in England, drawing on Burnett’s (2013) work to demonstrate how ‘local conditions, national politics and global conditions’ have prompted violent racism in new areas of the country. Within this atmosphere of heightened tension, anti-Muslim abuse and attacks have risen over the past two years, with a proportion of these incidents taking place in universities. We then examine the implications of the counter-terrorist Prevent agenda, arguing that educators’ statutory duty to ‘have due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism’ is in considerable tension with the university statutory duty to uphold freedom of speech/academic freedom; this ‘duty of care’ effectively requires university staff to act as agents of the state. We argue that this threatens to damage trust between staff and students, restrict critical enquiry and limit discussion, particularly in the current circumstances of sector insecurity that have arisen from a combination of neoliberal policies and falling student numbers. We then examine disturbing trends that characterise students as vulnerable and university life as potentially damaging to well-being, and how these link to anti-extremism dialogue that is expressed in epidemiological and therapeutic language; the vulnerable are framed pathologically, as ‘at risk’ of radicalisation. Developing the argument on how these conditions present a threat to freedom of speech/academic freedom, in the final section we argue that universities must keep spaces open for uncertainty, controversy and disagreement

Natural Connections Demonstration Project, 2012-2016: Analysis of the Key Evaluation Questions

This report provides a detailed discussion of the key evaluation questions relating to the impact of the Natural Connections Demonstration Project. The project's aim was to encourage teachers to take curricular learning outside