THIS WEEK 19-25 NOVEMBER 2011
SATURDAY
MESSAGE UNSANITISED
World Toilet Day was held to highlight news that 2.2 million children under the age of five die from diarrhoea every year, with nine out of 10 deaths down to unsafe water and inadequate sanitation.
SUNDAY
TSAR TALKS TOUGH ON LAZINESS
Government behaviour tsar Charlie Taylor told a newspaper that schools need to address the problem of pupils doing the minimum in lessons. He added that some “outstanding” schools could be downgraded.
MONDAY
CUTS SPARK POVERTY WARNING
The UK’s four children’s commissioners banded together to express concern over the impact of Government spending cuts, claiming the austerity programme could push more families into poverty.
TUESDAY
GIBB REASSURES INDEPENDENTS
Schools minister Nick Gibb told headteachers at the annual conference of the Girls’ Schools Association that sponsoring failing state schools would not lead to dumbing down.
WEDNESDAY
HOW TO HOLD ON TO THE BEST
Sutton Trust chairman Sir Peter Lampl and National Confederation of Parent Teacher Associations chief executive David Butler gave evidence to a parliamentary select committee on attracting the best teachers.
THURSDAY
COLLEGES ‘COULD GO UNDER’
Sixth Form Colleges’ Forum chief executive David Igoe told his AGM - and a watching schools minister, Lord Hill - that colleges faced going bust if funding cuts continued.
FRIDAY
BRAINWAVES TO BEAT THE BULLIES
A conference taking place at Birkbeck, University of London, will hear how girls are targeted more often than boys by online bullies and will discuss ways in which teachers can help stop cyber bullying.
NEXT WEEK 26 NOV-2 DEC 2011
SATURDAY
A KICKING FOR CONSUMERISM?
A day after Black Friday kicked off the US’s Christmas shopping season, the UK is holding Buy Nothing Day to highlight, organisers say, “the environmental and ethical consequences of consumerism”.
SUNDAY
ROAD SAFETY STEPS UP A GEAR
This year’s Road Safety Week, the theme of which was “Too Young to Die”, ends with organisers calling for the Government to introduce compulsory education in schools on the dangers of driving.
MONDAY
A CHORUS OF APPROVAL
Children’s choir Young Voices, which is drawn from 2,500 schools, begins the first of three shows at the LG Arena in Birmingham, with 10 more performances planned in Sheffield, Manchester and London.
TUESDAY
WINTER OF DISCONTENT
Chancellor George Osborne will use his autumn statement to give the official - and grim - update on the state of the economy. Await the consequent public sector cuts.
WEDNESDAY
PENSIONS ANGER HITS LONDON
Thousands of teachers will join other public sector workers in a day of strike action over the Government’s proposed reform of their pensions. A high-profile march is planned for central London.
THURSDAY
EDUCATION CALL ON AIDS DAY
The 23rd World Aids Day will see the National Aids Trust call on the Government to make sex and relationships education compulsory within the national curriculum.
FRIDAY
THIS HAPPY BAND?
Heads’ union ASCL Cymru’s conference will come to a close in Cardiff. At the top of the agenda will be the publication next week of the school banding system, which loosely compares to league tables.
