Policy Statements and Initiatives

DfES: Youth Minister Parmjit Dhanda has taken to the streets to find out what young people really think, in a national tour with his movements shadowed by a group of young film makers.

He is making 7 stops on his trip, visiting a wide range of projects & youth groups, canvassing their opinions on topics such as society, Government and the state of modern Britain. He intends to talk to as many young people as time allows - including those from the poorest and most challenging backgrounds.

His findings are to be reported back to key policy formers and opinion makers in a key note speech at The Youth Summit on 25 June. They will also be used to inform future thinking around youth policy in the Department for Education and Skills, building on the Youth Matters strategy of 2005.
Press release ~ The Youth Summit ~ Youth Matters – Next Steps ~ The National Youth Agency  ~ First Light Movies ~ Need2Know website ~ Channel 4 Education ~ MV project ~ Xtrax ~ Knowle West Media Centre  ~ Patchway Youth Centre - South Gloucestershire Council ~ Bolton Lads and Girls Club ~ Youth Opportunity Fund and Youth Capital Fund

DfES: Secretary of State for Education and Skills, Alan Johnson, has announced that 484 schools across England have been chosen to run a major two-year pilot, from September 2007, which will trial ‘new ways to assess, report and stimulate progress in schools, so that no child falls behind or gets stuck at any stage’.

As part of the pilots, thousands of children who are making slow progress will receive a short burst of 10 hours of extra one-to-one tuition - in English and/or Maths - on top of their normal school hours, to help them get back on track.  21,500 pupils will receive tuition in English and 21,500 in maths (some will receive both). Pilot schools will have specific targets to help more children to move up two National Curriculum levels.  

The Department also published a report, 'Making Great Progress', which is based on the experiences of twenty schools where children make ‘excellent progress’ between the ages of seven and eleven years old.

The report claims that regular tracking of children's progress is one of the most effective things that successful primary schools do to help their pupils achieve the best they can.  It shows that strong, enthusiastic leaders create a culture where learning is valued and 'boffins' are not bullied.
Press release ~ 'Making Great Progress' ~ Keeping up - pupils who fall behind in Key Stage 2 ~ Making Good Progress: How can we help every pupil to make good progress at school? ~ Disengagement from secondary education: a story retold

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