A joint plan to improve school discipline has been published by the Discipline Stakeholder Group. It is intended to support action in and out of the classroom. Schools will be expected to use a mix of new approaches, such as behaviour co-ordinators, staged intervention, restorative practices, the Motivated School, the Solution-Oriented School, and Cool in School.
The group, made up of a range of interests including the Scottish Executive, unions and local authorities, aims to consolidate the commitments made in the executive’s Better Behaviour, Better Learning strategy, which set up a positive behaviour team. Its members will work with teachers, schools and councils to develop and sustain “proven approaches” to positive behaviour.
There has been little shift in the pattern of applicants seeking places in higher education, according to figures from the UCAS admissions service. The number of Scots applying for a university or college place in Scotland has declined by 0.5 per cent, while the number from England applying for an HE place in Scotland has risen by 1.9 per cent. This compares with an overall UK application increase of 5.3 per cent.
Learning Unlimited, which broke new ground in teachers’ professional development, has thrown its lot in with Cambridge Edu-cation, a consultancy which does similar work in England and abroad. Michael Burke, LU director, said that “with the backing of a financially strong partner, we can develop new learning and teaching materials and bring our existing products to a wider market”.
Would-be medics no longer have to tread the university path exclusively to become doctors. Perth College and St Andrews University have endorsed a programme in which a one-year pathways to medicine course at the college could lead to a place on the six-year medical course at the university. It is targeted at the over-21s.
Oxfam has teamed up with schools in East Renfrewshire Council to recycle school uniforms. Its Clark-ston branch, with eight primaries and three secondaries, will offer skirts, ties, trousers and shirts for under pound;2; blazers Pounds 15. Oxfam said it wanted to exploit the fact that many children grew out of uniforms before they were worn out, while raising money for its work.
The latest badge of achievement for young Scots is to go to those who put their efforts into volunteering. The Youth Achievement Awards for Volunteering will recognise those aged 14 and over who take on different levels of responsibility and initiative while volunteering organising anything from a live gig to a skiing residential.
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