We hope you enjoyed reading the first edition of the ‘Teacher Education at Loughborough’ newsletter. The purpose of the newsletters is to provide you with a concise update on what we are doing here at Loughborough as well as a summary of what is going on in the world of teacher education generally and within our specialist subject areas of Design and Technology, Physical Education and Science. The first newsletter has now been uploaded onto our website:

www.lboro.ac.uk/teacher-education

where all future editions will be placed.

Hello again!

Loughborough Design SchoolRaising the profile of STEM

Physical Education High quality physical education

in schools and CPD

Science Further expansion of Science Team

Teacher educaTion aT Loughborough

in ThiS

iSSue

NEWSLETTEr EDiTioN2 MAY 2013

running like clockwork

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Forthcoming teacher education conference at LoughboroughAs mentioned in the first newsletter, we are organising a teacher education conference for our school-based ITT staff (ITT Co-ordinators and Subject Mentors) as well as for NQTs who trained at Loughborough. This will take place on Thursday 27th June 2013 at Holywell Park from 9.30am to 3.30pm. The main rationale underpinning the conference is our desire to further strengthen the relationship between the University and our Partnership schools. We would also like to: develop the quality assurance role of ITT Co-ordinators and the mentoring skills of subject staff; support Loughborough-trained NQTs; and increase the number of Science placements within our Partnership.

The conference programme includes morning sessions for ITT Co-ordinators and Subject Mentors working together on issues associated with implementing the Teachers’ Standards and on mentor development. There will be a separate morning programme for Loughborough-trained NQTs. The afternoon includes subject-specific sessions for Subject Mentors and NQTs, and a tailored session specifically for ITT Co-ordinators.

We are excited about the forthcoming conference and look forward to seeing you there. More details and application forms will be posted out to our Partnership schools after Easter.

Dr Jo Harris director of Teacher education j.p.harris@lboro.ac.uk 01509 223250

in Edition 1 of this newsletter, i mentioned the ergonomics and human factors input to trainees before they started their Phase 1 placement. i concluded by saying that we would write about how this developed. on their return, 13 trainees (of 16) introduced ergonomics activities which were ‘built into’, rather than ‘bolted onto’ their lessons. This is a fantastic achievement which enhances a key aspect of pupils’ design education. After phase 2, i will be collating these activities for publication in a practitioner journal.

This term, in collaboration with the School of Mechanical Engineering and Loughborough Design School we have introduced the trainees to an advanced laser cutting project. It aims to push the capability of laser cutters by using the technology to produce complex components for a STEM project. The project, a laser made mechanical timer provides teachers and pupils with files to

DESigN AND TEcHNoLogY

NEWSLETTEr EDiTioN2 MAY 2013

Nigel Zanker Pgce/MSc design and Technology Programme director

n.p.zanker@lboro.ac.uk 01509 222661

The Draft PoS for Key Stage 1-3 were published by the DfE on Thursday 7th February 2013. This is a document for consultation, which closes on April 16th 2013. It is accessible from, http://www.education.gov.uk/a00221262/reform-national-curriculum. It is important that everyone in the D&T community responds and also contacts their MP with their thoughts and concerns. The recommendations as they stand will be very damaging for Design and Technology Education for teachers and pupils in schools and we need to work hard to get them changed.

cut and assemble their own mechanical timing mechanisms. It allows pupils to learn about mechanisms and apply their mathematics knowledge to design their own products that contain mechanical systems. As part of the research project into the use of laser cutters in school the D&T PGCE students attended a one day course about laser technology and safety. All of our resources are available for free at clocks.lboro.ac.uk. The resources are part of a PhD research project and we invite any teachers who wish to use the resources to also join in the survey to help improve the project and investigate its effectiveness. More information, email clocks@lboro.ac.uk

It is developments, such as these, in subject knowledge, which are essential if Design and Technology is to survive in a future curriculum. Policy makers do need to be convinced that technology is being securely embedded in a design curriculum.

Teacher educaTion aT Loughborough

Since the last newsletter there have been a number of developments which concern the status and development of high quality physical education in schools. These include:

PHYSicAL EDucATioN

Dr Mike Waring Pgce/MSc Physical education Programme director

m.j.waring@lboro.ac.uk 01509 223212

The consultation on the National Curriculum which sets out the Government’s plans to reform the National Curriculum in England has been launched. You will be pleased to know that the national curriculum in physical education (along with English mathematics and science) is statutory at all key stages. There is also no plan to make any changes to the key stage structure. The National Curriculum Consultation Documents can be found at: http://www.education.gov.uk/aboutdfe/departmentalinformation/consultations/a00221262/reform-national-curriculum. We would encourage you to engage with the consultation so as to ensure the future development of high quality physical education and school sport.

afPE have launched the ‘afPE Quality Mark for Physical Education and Sport’. With the absence of Ofsted subject inspections in schools, the intention of the afPE Quality Mark is to recognise, through a succinct self-review and evaluation process, the strength and quality of physical education and sport in a school. Schools across the UK are invited to apply for the afPE Quality Mark. For further details please visit the following link: http://www.afpe.org.uk/news-a-events/636-afpe-launch-quality-mark-for-physical-education-a-sport?format=pdf

The Health and Safety Update from afPE which deals with teaching ratios, and recent case law and the importance of expert guidance in the safe practice of physical education. http://afpe-mail.org.uk/lists/lt.php?id=fEpTAFVuBQgFSFANTlEMuQNW

We would also like to draw your attention to an opportunity on the 15th/16th June 2013 for Loughborough NQTs to acquire a British Gymnastics Level 1 trampolining qualification for half the usual price. If you would like to register for this please contact Nick Bromell (N.R.Bromell@lboro.ac.uk).

Finally, we would welcome any suggestions you may have regarding the content of this newsletter. That includes particular things you would like to know more about, as well as to share with other NQTs which you think would support their professional development needs.

in the last newsletter, i was able to tell you that, with the secondment of Mike Walsh from one of our Partnership schools, the Science Team had expanded. i am pleased to be able to say that the team has expanded even further; Lisa Duffin has now joined the team with the role of Visiting Tutor. Lisa is an experienced ex-Loughborough teacher who has worked in several of our Partnership schools and will shortly be visiting some of the more easterly partners.

I also asked if any of our Partnership teachers would be interested in contributing to the course. Again, I am pleased to be able to report that several teachers have joined us as either school-based Mentors or in contributing to the taught element of the PGCE. For example, Partnership teachers have delivered sessions on Differentiation and APP. In addition, some of our existing Mentors have shared their expertise by contributing to Mentor training sessions while others have been involved in the interviewing of prospective trainees. Many have found it

European teacher educators, in a project funded by the European Union (ICT for IST). The intention of the project was to develop and trial resources that trainers of science teachers could draw upon in order to support trainees in their use of ICT in their lessons. If you would like a complimentary copy of the resource DVD then please contact me.

Finally, we would welcome any suggestions about either the content of this newsletter or suggestions for future training which you think would support your professional development.

SciENcE

NEWSLETTEr EDiTioN2 MAY 2013

an interesting and enjoyable experience to be involved in the interview process. If you are considering becoming a Mentor in the future but are wary of taking on the responsibility then have you considered shadowing the existing Mentor in your school and becoming an Assistant Mentor? If you are interested in being involved then please feel free to contact either me or Sarah Turner.

Another development that has taken place recently is Loughborough’s involvement, alongside a group of other university-based

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Teacher educaTion aT Loughborough

John Twidle Pgce/MSc Science Programme director

j.twidle@lboro.ac.uk 01509 222766