Food In Schools

New research from Ofsted has found that parents on low incomes are <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2010/jun/25/poor-children-need-free-meals" target="_blank">struggling to pay for healthy school meals</a> for their children. The report, entitled <span style="font-style: italic;">Food in Schools</span>, also suggests that a third of schools were failing to provide healthy meals for their pupils which meet the <a href="http://www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk/the-standards/the-nutrient-based-standards/guides-and-reports/guide-to-the-nutrient-based-standards" target="_blank">mandatory nutrient standards</a> set out by the previous government.<br /><br />To read the full report, <a href="http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/Ofsted-home/Publications-and-research/Browse-all-by/Documents-by-type/Thematic-reports/Food-in-schools" target="_blank">click here</a>.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTdKDhjtWjuN-PPC2cRNfiluftrA9n9F5rotJ1guaTuLWLoQ6KchV_WeuTeT_hvJVDor7oNFFpib0F7INUHwAb9_Mx360sbr5_ybb8zfj1XCnQTYNiLNLB9hHyt7FBvLiojzNmqtybjg/s1600/SchoolDinner.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486691213752366242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTdKDhjtWjuN-PPC2cRNfiluftrA9n9F5rotJ1guaTuLWLoQ6KchV_WeuTeT_hvJVDor7oNFFpib0F7INUHwAb9_Mx360sbr5_ybb8zfj1XCnQTYNiLNLB9hHyt7FBvLiojzNmqtybjg/s200/SchoolDinner.jpg" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" /></a>

Food In Schools

New research from Ofsted has found that parents on low incomes are struggling to pay for healthy school meals for their children. The repor...

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NSPCC Research Briefings

The NSPCC has recently been issuing a series of research briefings on various child protection topics. These are excellent introductions to the subjects they cover, as they summarise the main issues of each one, as well as containing plenty of suggestions for further reading. To have a look at the latest batch, just click on the links below.<br /><ul style="font-style: italic;"><li><a href="http://www.nspcc.org.uk/Inform/research/briefings/school_bullying_pdf_wdf73502.pdf" target="_blank">School Bullying</a></li></ul><ul style="font-style: italic;"><li><a href="http://www.nspcc.org.uk/Inform/research/briefings/Key_facts_child_maltreatment_pdf_wdf76279.pdf" target="_blank">Key Facts about Child Maltreatment</a></li></ul><ul style="font-style: italic;"><li><a href="http://www.nspcc.org.uk/Inform/research/Briefings/impact_of_abuse_on_health_PDF_wdf73369.pdf" target="_blank">The Impact of Abuse and Neglect on the Health and Mental Health of Children and Young People</a></li></ul><ul><li><a href="http://www.nspcc.org.uk/Inform/research/briefings/children_disclosing_sexual_abuse_pdf_wdf75964.pdf" target="_blank"><span style="font-style: italic;">Children and Young People Disclosing Sexual Abuse: an Introduction to the Research</span></a><br /></li></ul>

NSPCC Research Briefings

The NSPCC has recently been issuing a series of research briefings on various child protection topics. These are excellent introductions to ...

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Information, Please!

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmmDCDPJ5KhGgWdvBxjUJsTvB0tA79F6jD6U8W5gIKTwjEd6n_SajNzwPcmeLiKEAcPZocGPwbZny0mRrNaHL4sF351NU9WhJA92nFWCjdyh4vElzE-lUJBjwDLgcAup4lC_WzMIWt5_A/s1600/Chickens+6-10+002.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485354302125474882" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmmDCDPJ5KhGgWdvBxjUJsTvB0tA79F6jD6U8W5gIKTwjEd6n_SajNzwPcmeLiKEAcPZocGPwbZny0mRrNaHL4sF351NU9WhJA92nFWCjdyh4vElzE-lUJBjwDLgcAup4lC_WzMIWt5_A/s200/Chickens+6-10+002.jpg" style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" /></a> <div>I recently did an online interview with a representative from <a href="http://www.bizymoms.com/preschool/top-blogger-interviews/topics-in-early-childhood-education.php" target="'_New">bizymoms.com</a>. Of course I took the opportunity to visit their site and see what they have to offer. I found a wonderful wealth of information to assist busy moms (and others) in these days of information overload.</div><br /><div>There is such a monumental library at our disposal when we turn on our computer. I remember telling a group of students in my creativity class this spring that there was no excuse for not having documented information included in an assigned paper. When I was in school, the library was and had to be my best friend. Whenever I needed to find out more information about a subject I had two choices: interview someone who knew more about the subject than I did or go to the library and research the topic. Most of the time, I had to choose both options. I know that there are strong negatives that come with using a computer. But, the positives are so wonderful. It is a joy to type in a word and then see where it takes you in the process. </div><br /><div>One of our new supposed-to-be-a-hen young chickens started crowing this week. This is not good as we are not allowed to keep roosters in our city boundaries. I went to the computer and learned that you can actually perform a little surgery on the rooster and take out his crowing capacity. Not that I would or could, but it was nice to know it was a possibility. No, I think that Bluebell...I mean Blue, is going to the bird rescue farm for a life in the country. I'm no surgeon, but it was fascinating to find out that there are several blogs and websites about keeping chickens in the city.</div><br /><div>Websites on the computer can be marvelous resources. Learn something new today. Check out <a href="http://www.bizymoms.com/preschool/top-blogger-interviews/topics-in-early-childhood-education.php" target="'_New">bizymoms.com</a>. </div>

Information, Please!

I recently did an online interview with a representative from bizymoms.com . Of course I took the opportunity to visit their site and see w...

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Free Schools

Anyone who's followed the news over the last few days will have heard about the coalition government's plans to set up 'free schools'. The issue has divided many parents, teachers and the public, with strong feelings on both sides of the debate.<br /><br />The idea of free schools is based on similar institutions in Sweden and the USA. Essentially groups such as parents, teachers, charities or businesses are given the freedom to set up their own tax-payer funded schools, which are not under the control of a local education authority. Applications to do so must be approved by the Department of Education, and it is anticipated that the first free schools will be opened in September 2011.<br /><br />Further information about free schools is available from <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/10350661.stm" target="_blank">this BBC article</a>, while <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/10161371.stm" target="_blank">this link</a> provides more information using a simple Q&A format. A picture of how the new institutions could work in practice is <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/10138787.stm" target="_blank">provided here</a>, while details on the application process for setting up a school are <a href="http://www.education.gov.uk/freeschools/settingupafreeschool" target="_blank">available directly</a> from the Department of Education.<br /><br />If you're interested in the debate surrounding the rights or wrongs of free schools, then you can read a <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/columnists/matthewd_ancona/7840664/Michael-Gove-has-a-precious-chance-to-save-our-schools-from-the-state.html" target="_blank">supportive article</a> from the <span style="font-style: italic;">Daily Telegraph</span>, and a <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/jun/18/free-schools-not-benefit-children" target="_blank">critical piece</a> from the <span style="font-style: italic;">Guardian</span>.

Free Schools

Anyone who's followed the news over the last few days will have heard about the coalition government's plans to set up 'free sch...

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A Century of Fatherhood

If you've ever read the crude comic called <span style="font-style: italic;">Viz</span>, you may know that one of the regular strips is called 'Victorian Dad'; he's a very old-fashioned, strict character who is based on <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/8744135.stm" target="_blank">stereotypical ideas of how fathers behaved</a> many decades ago.<br /><br />Now a new programme entitled <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00swhjq" target="_blank"><span style="font-style: italic;">A Century of Fatherhood</span></a> sets out to challenge some of these assumptions, and tell the true story of the changing role of the father in the UK during the last hundred years. Drawing on personal testimony, archive footage and new research, the three-part series begins on BBC4 on Monday 21 June at 9pm.

A Century of Fatherhood

If you've ever read the crude comic called Viz , you may know that one of the regular strips is called 'Victorian Dad'; he's...

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Local Authorities and Home Education

A new report from Ofsted focuses on how well <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/10332680.stm" target="_blank">local authorities are able to monitor home education</a>. Inspectors found that while the majority of home schooled children were happy with the education that they were receiving, current regulations mean that councils face a difficult challenge to ensure that all children are receiving adequate support. To read the full report, <a href="http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/content/download/11232/132819/file/Local%20authorities%20and%20home%20education.pdf" target="_blank">click here</a>.<br /><br />This <a href="http://bcftcschildhoodeducation.blogspot.com/2010/01/review-of-home-education.html" target="_blank">previous post</a> on home education should help you to understand some of the other issues surrounding this topic.

Local Authorities and Home Education

A new report from Ofsted focuses on how well local authorities are able to monitor home education . Inspectors found that while the majority...

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Site Makeover

<span style="font-family:georgia;">If you're a regular visitor and you think the site looks different then don't panic - all of the information hosted here is still intact, but I've given things a bit of a makeover. You should also notice a new collection of information / advice pages just below the 'Childhood and Education' header. Hopefully readers will enjoy the new look, all feedback is welcome.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">New research is still a little thin on the ground at the moment (see </span><a style="font-family: georgia;" href="http://bcftcschildhoodeducation.blogspot.com/2010/05/childrens-sector-on-hold.html" target="_blank">previous post</a><span style="font-family:georgia;"> for details), so if there are any topics which readers would like to see featured, then let me know and I'll try to put together some useful resources to share with all of the site visitors.</span>

Site Makeover

If you're a regular visitor and you think the site looks different then don't panic - all of the information hosted here is still in...

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Child Protection & Grandparents

2 pieces of information from recent days:<br /><ul><li>The government has ordered an <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/10280710.stm" target="_blank">independent review of child protection in England</a>, to investigate how social workers can spend more time with children and improve their links with other agencies</li></ul><ul><li>The <a href="http://grandparentsplus.org.uk/" target="_blank">Grandparents Plus</a> charity has put together a detailed review of evidence entitled <a href="http://grandparentsplus.org.uk/publications_files/Grandparenting%20in%20Europe%20Report.pdf" target="_blank"><span style="font-style: italic;">Grandparenting in Europe</span></a>. Even if you're not interested in the topic of grandparenting, the report contains an overview of family and childcare policies in 10 different countries, covering such areas as parental leave and benefits.</li></ul>

Child Protection & Grandparents

2 pieces of information from recent days: The government has ordered an independent review of child protection in England , to investigate h...

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Using the World Cup in the Classroom

Continuing the theme of the previous post, <a href="http://www.teachers.tv/" target="_blank">Teachers TV</a> has put together a collection of films relating to football and South Africa for use within the classroom. The selection of topics covered is diverse including raising boys' achievement, citizenship, racism, history and science. To view the full list, <a href="http://www.teachers.tv/world-cup" target="_blank">click here</a>.

Using the World Cup in the Classroom

Continuing the theme of the previous post, Teachers TV has put together a collection of films relating to football and South Africa for use...

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Welcoming Everyone to the Table

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXFfiOIMxrRT8xiJcTRX0VRAcynv8tQAL8mEtYmKX1EUtavSHDuxvNvCV2XBpBIIAvp8Y95MfqS1l0nYg_VvzCoxKWY4fFWH_lWy33Yr2UUNbT1T0owyYyzvQqC4kPrfFMc4bm8GHHmoI/s1600/Feb.+2010+Grandkids+and+Art+025.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480209030032707458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXFfiOIMxrRT8xiJcTRX0VRAcynv8tQAL8mEtYmKX1EUtavSHDuxvNvCV2XBpBIIAvp8Y95MfqS1l0nYg_VvzCoxKWY4fFWH_lWy33Yr2UUNbT1T0owyYyzvQqC4kPrfFMc4bm8GHHmoI/s200/Feb.+2010+Grandkids+and+Art+025.JPG" style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 156px; CURSOR: hand" /></a><br /><div>I am currently attending the NAEYC Professional Development Conference being held in Phoenix. I attended a wonderful workshop today about welcoming all children to the table in the classroom.<br />Sometimes 'null' curriculum (curriculum that we don't intentionally teach, but the children still learn) is reinforced as much as the 'explicit' curriculum (core standards). What do children understand about life in the classroom by the way we respond to daily occurrences?<br />We watched a video of an interview with an elementary child, Mary. Mary stated that when another child asked the teacher why Mary had two dads instead of a mom, the teacher responded, "We are not going to talk about that in this class." Mary felt unsupported and the result was that some children began to taunt Mary at recess. She began to dislike coming to school because she thought she must be a bad person. </div><br /><div>While there are many more issues that can occur in the classroom, this episode is an example of when teachers choose not to address something they personally find uncomfortable. That refusal can speak volumes to the children.<br />Since our job is to support ALL children, we need to be prepared to address null curriculum issues when they happen during the school day. Much like taking a test, if we are prepared, we can address the issue and support the child. I try to ask my pre-service teachers, "What will you do or say if this happens? Or this?" I believe prior thought and understanding can prepare these future teachers to respond appropriately.<br />As educators, we need to always remember that a child seldom is in the position to choose his religion, culture, lifestyle or family makeup. Even though our values may be different, it is critical to support that child in his educational journey. Not doing anything or refusing to have the discussion is not an option. If the teacher in the video was uncomfortable addressing the issue, she only needed to say, "That is the makeup of Mary's family. Isn't it wonderful that all of our families are different and we can be happy." I like the part of NAEYC's Code of Ethical Conduct which says, "...do no harm."</div>

Welcoming Everyone to the Table

I am currently attending the NAEYC Professional Development Conference being held in Phoenix. I attended a wonderful workshop today about we...

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Love Football, Love Reading

Unless you've been living on another planet in recent weeks, you can't fail to know that the World Cup kicks off in South Africa next week. To tie in with the event, the <a href="http://www.literacytrust.org.uk/" target="_blank">National Literacy Trust</a> have put together a toolkit for all who work with children to encourage reading and writing through the event. In particular it has been inspired by their own forthcoming research that found that one-third of boys struggle to find reading material that interests them, although the Trust is keen to emphasise that girls can get involved too.<br /><br />The toolkit's title is <em>Love Football: Love Reading 2010</em>, and it can be downloaded <a href="http://www.literacytrust.org.uk/assets/0000/3808/01394_NLT_World_Cup_2010_activities_book_V4.pdf" target="_blank">from here</a>. Users will find that it contains ideas for displays, activities, games and much more.<br /><br /><br /><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478855341193073282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwuonx2ttgjMQb3QWlAVY40MdTBm7WeCe4oeg2SeRdXBnx1BCIqenolbwiS1uujQAu6fMfqYSxcjjU4PUIZcW5HBmMdjN3G1KI0vaSk2yiRZDzWBcjStzIZxHE5rWgFmHEtN02lsU_EQ/s200/WC1.jpg" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 135px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 159px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" />

Love Football, Love Reading

Unless you've been living on another planet in recent weeks, you can't fail to know that the World Cup kicks off in South Africa nex...

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Levelling the Playing Field

A little slow off the mark with this one, but earlier in the year UNICEF UK published <a href="http://www.unicef.org.uk/publications/pdf/levelling-playing-field.pdf" target="_blank"><span style="font-style: italic;">Levelling the Playing Field</span></a>. This is a report which examines the services available to unaccompanied or separated migrant children who have arrived in England by using 3 different local authorities as case studies.

Levelling the Playing Field

A little slow off the mark with this one, but earlier in the year UNICEF UK published Levelling the Playing Field . This is a report which e...

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