WEEKLY UPDATE

Issue 3 4 Friday 17 June 2016

Oxford University (Keble College) – Wednesday 15th &

Thursday 16th June 2016

These extremely popular visits to this world renowned university, mesmerised and inspired the young people that were fortunate to attend. Students found out about Collegiate Universities, the vast Learning Resources available, and what it takes to become an Oxford University student. Student Ambassadors led excursions around the impressive Keble College, including the not-to- be missed Chapel. After a hearty lunch, school students got to find their own way around Oxford City via a Building ‘Treasure’ Hunt. These two days proved to be both Dear colleagues, thought-provoking and informative. On Wednesday, 42 students attended – 15 from Girls I am absolutely delighted to be joining this unique , 15 from Handsworth Grammar School and 12 organisation and to be working with some of the most from ; On Thursday, 40 students went, equally progressive and innovative Head Teachers in spread amongst Hamstead Hall Academy and Broadway . Academy.

Ranjit Garcha, 14-19 Co-ordinator Thank you for your involvement with and support of the Titan Partnership this academic year. I hope you have gained real value and impact from your membership. FINAL REMINDER Calling all Senior Leader s and Business In the coming months I will be setting out the new Managers strategy and direction for the Titan Partnership and this will involve a full review and refinement of the current Thursday 23rd June 2016 9-11am- Sam Ellis offer to our members. Please be assured that in these session presenting 'The Equation of Life'. challenging times we will continue to work closely with you to ensure provision of the services and support We have arranged a date to have Sam Ellis from ASCL that your students and staff need to achieve their full run a session on his Equation of life to help schools with their funding. This session had been highly potential. We are also keen to ensure that as the recommended by one of our Head teachers. leaders you feel fully supported and enabled to successfully lead your organisations. The session will take place at St George’s Community Hub. There are two places available per In the coming weeks and months I would welcome the school and there will be no cost for the session. opportunity to meet with you to explore how we can best work together to create even more benefit and The session will provide an overview of a simple value from your membership going forward. I would approach linking school finance and curriculum also ask that you take the time to complete the delivery with a minimum number of parameters customer satisfaction survey that you will receive that are in effect targets for the school leadership team. A basic spreadsheet will be provided to allow shortly so that we can make improvements where delegates to explore the ideas in detail in the necessary but most importantly build on our context of their own school as a follow up to the successes. session. There will be no need for delegates to use a computer during the session. I look forward to working with you in 2016/17. If you are interested in attending this session please Carolyn Chapman-Lees let us know by contacting carolyn.chapman- [email protected] Chief Executive

NEWS HEADLINES

Issue 3 4 Friday 17 June 2016

Latest Website Information

Association of School and College Leaders http://www.ascl.org.uk/

 Report is a wake-up call on teacher recruitment

ITT  More tests are not panacea to every challenge We are still recruiting the following subjects…

 Biology Schools Improvement Net

 Chemistry http://schoolsimprovement.net/

 Physics  Power to the students: how the nature of HE

 Maths is changing  English  Apprenticeships have gone backwards  Computer Science  Exam cheating now a criminal offence in  Design & Technology China  Primary  David Cameron should start speaking up for white working class

 Students more likely to have higher anxiety

levels  Calls for DfE to justify £1 billion spend on

14 -19 Activities June/July teacher training bursaries

Date Times Event Location BBC Education News Wednesday 22nd All day Cambridge Cambridge June University – http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education 2 schools Thursday 23rd 10am- Amazon Rugeley  No plan to address teacher shortage June 3pm Factory Tours – 2  Thousands of bright students are let down

schools AM + Students doubt university value 2 schools PM  Wednesday 29th 9am-3pm Employability BMETC, Matthew  Teachers subject training too brief June Skills Boulton Campus Appraisal Department for Education Centre – 2 schools http://www.education.gov.uk Wednesday 13th 9am-2pm JLR Plant – 3 Gaydon, Warwickshire July schools  Government has no plan for tackling teacher Thursday 14th 10am- Amazon Rugeley July 3pm Factory shortage Tours – 2 schools AM + 2 schools PM Wednesday 20th 9am-3pm Employability BMETC, Matthew July Skills Boulton Campus Appraisal Centre – 2 schools

NEWS

HEADLINES Issue 3 4 Friday 17 June 2016

Guardian Education http://www.guardian.co.uk/education

 Ofsted chief calls for return of national tests for 14 year olds  Minister tells schools to ignore high court ruling on term-time holidays  Sexting offences increasing in schools  Black and Asian students under-represented

Talented Children Conference in university offers Thursday 16 June 2016  Two-thirds of students in England feel degree cost is not good value Titan were delighted to welcome delegates from our members, from schools across the country and international partners at the Talented Children Parliament UK conference on Thursday 16th June at the MAC. The http://www.parliament.uk/education project, which aimed to share best practice between teachers in each of the partner countries to better  Government must address incoherent identify and encourage our most able learners, was approach to teacher training presented by our project partners from Czech  Sexual harassment and violence in schools Republic and Turkey. We were also joined by Sue discussed with experts Mordecai and Hilary Lowe of NACE who gave  Education professionals questioned on insightful and inspiring welcome and key note teacher supply speeches. The workshops demonstrated the learning gained by the partners who visited schools in the Czech Republic and Turkey. Rebecca Richardson Times Educational Supplement and Daniel Locke-Wheaton (AUEA) and Liz Coleman http://www.tes.co.uk/ (St Francis Catholic Primary School) delivered the UK

workshops on classroom strategies for stretch and  No pay rises until Christmas challenge.  DfE attempt to keep thousands of foreign teachers ‘likely to fail’ Presentations and handouts will be made available on the Titan website.  Disastrous funding cuts could lead to closure of SEND units  Bring back SATs for 14 year olds

Latest Reports, Legislations & useful

information Titan Partnership VLE  Statutory guidance: Keeping Titan Partnership is looking for Nursery/Early Years, Primary, secondary subject and Special school children safe in education specialists to lead on the development of areas of our VLE. Can you help? If so, please contact  Guidance: Academy conversion: [email protected]. important dates

Issue 3 4 Friday 17 June 2016 Upcoming Meeting Dates

Tuesday 21st Aston & Nechells 9.00a.m.- Nechells POD June Consortium meeting 12.00 p.m. Wednesday NW Sharing Panel 8.15-10.00 St George’s Community Hub 22nd June a.m. Wednesday 29th Titan ITT Conference 4.00-6.00 St George’s Community Hub June p.m. Thursday 30th Titan CPDL CoP 8.00-9.00 St. George’s Community Hub June a.m. Tuesday 5th Titan ITT Exam Board 9.30a.m. - St. George’s Community Hub July 2.00 p,m. Wednesday 6th Titan Primary G&T CoP 2.00-4.00 St. George’s Community Hub July p.m. Thursday 7th Titan Executive Committee 8.00-10.00 Birmingham Science Park July Meeting a.m. Thursday 7th 14-19 Pathways and 9.30-11.30 St. George’s Community Hub

July Progression meeting a.m. Wednesday 13th NW Sharing Panel 8.15-10.00 St. George’s Community Hub July a.m.

Titan Partnership is delivering the EUBULLY project funded by the European Commission to tackle both cyber bullying and bullying. EUBULLY will operate in England, Wales, Ireland, Romania and Greece and have a specific focus on creating safe and secure environments in both physical and virtual environments so that young people aged 5-18, parents, teachers and support staff in schools and other organisations can discuss bullying openly. Schools and other organisations will benefit from the training offered by leading experts in Theatre in Education and a chance to trial out new anti-bullying apps to support and educate young people.

The EUGANGS project, led by the Titan Partnership, is a €400,000 project funded from the European

Commission’s Lifelong Learning programme. University College Birmingham and Walsall College are delivering training for professionals and community activists to operate effectively in gang related environments. In July 2014 Titan hosted visitors from Cyprus, Greece, Italy and Romania to observe the innovative work going on with gangs in Birmingham, and national training programmes are now being delivered in each country. The next transnational meeting will take place in Rome in June.

The MLEARN project is progressing well; our international project focuses on using hand-held technology in the classroom. Following research carried out by the University of Lancaster, teachers are being trained in how to use mobile technology such as tablets, mobile phones and other hand-held devices, and our aim is to inspire teachers to plan and deliver innovative lessons using handheld technologies which engage learners across the curriculum. All involved in the project have the opportunity to share ideas and good practice following the “training the trainer” sessions held in July 2014 for staff and trainers from the Netherlands, UK, Romania, Italy and Greece, led by experts from Hamstead Hall Academy. Those expert trainers are now cascading the training to colleagues in their own schools across the 5 countries. The Titan Partnership has been awarded €300,000 from the European Commission’s Lifelong Learning Programme (COMENIUS) for MLEARN, to work with Titan member primary and secondary schools. The main outcomes will include a new training programme.