TEACH FIRST FUNDING

The Parliamentary Information Office of the Parliamentary Yearbook has been monitoring progress in Government policy relating to higher education for a major feature in the next edition on further and higher education.

Education Secretary Michael Gove announced earlier this month that the Government will provide further funding to accelerate the expansion of Teach First – the successful charity which recruits top graduates to work in the most challenging schools.

The charity Teach First is a powerful movement founded to directly address the problem of educational disadvantage. Founded in 2002, Teach First has already changed the lives of thousands of young people. Teach First harnesses the energy, enthusiasm and drive of exceptional graduates to provide leadership, motivation and, above all, inspirational teaching in schools in challenging circumstances across England.

Since its founding in 2002, Teach First has placed over 2,520 teachers in schools in challenging circumstances to work with students to raise their achievement, access and aspirations. It has also been voted 7th in the The Times Top 100 Graduate Employers, positioning it as the highest ranking charity in the history of the survey.

The Prime Minister said of the charity

"Teach First is a programme that recognises our shared responsibility for raising standards in schools, combining business, the voluntary sector and schools themselves. Fast tracking exceptional graduates into challenging inner city schools is a great idea and one that should be expanded nationwide."

This month’s announcement means that tens of thousands of children across England will benefit from a £32.4million Government investment in the programme next year – an increase of more than £3million. The majority of this funding goes to Teach First’s 14 university training partners.

The funding will help the charity train 1,250 top graduates, from 70 different universities, next year before they go on to join schools in the most challenging circumstances – double the number who took part in the charity’s Leadership Development Programme in 2010.

The Government has also announced its support of Teach First’s goal to train 1,500 participants in 2014/15 – triple the number who took part in the Leadership Development Programme in 2010.

Education Secretary Michael Gove said:

“The countries which give their children the best education in the world are those which value their teachers most highly and where the profession attracts the brightest graduates.

“Our priority is to deliver robust standards and high quality teaching to all pupils, whatever their background. To do this we must attract highly talented people into education because the quality of teachers has a greater influence on children's achievement than any other aspect of their education.

“By expanding Teach First, the Government is delivering on this commitment.

“Teach First works in primary and secondary schools where more than half of pupils come from the

poorest 30 per cent of families in the UK.

“This expansion will mean that Teach First would be able to reach 90 per cent of eligible schools by 2016, boosting the Government’s commitment to recruit more top teachers across England.

“It will also make Teach First the largest graduate recruiter in the country. It recruits exceptional graduates – those having at least a 2.1 degree – who go through a thorough assessment process and intensive two-year training programme.”

The announcement comes as part of the Coalition Government’s drive to raise standards in our schools, by making it a highly attractive career for top graduates.

Welcoming the additional Government support, Brett Wigdortz, CEO and Founder of Teach First, said:

“I’m delighted that in our 10th anniversary year the Coalition Government has confirmed this significant contribution to support the growth of Teach First.

“We have always been extremely grateful for the cross party support Teach First has received from governments over the past decade, as well as the support of our other partners, including schools, universities and businesses, who collectively ensure that we can achieve our goals.

“This decision will help us to get one step closer to our ambitious aim to ensure that no child's educational success is limited by their socio-economic background.”

The additional Government grant, which accounts for a significant amount of Teach First’s overall funding, will help them to expand into two new regions – Kent & Medway in 2012 and the South West in 2013.

It will also help support the growth of its Teach On programme, which accelerates Teach First teachers to become senior leaders and head teachers.

The Parliamentary Information Office of the Parliamentary Yearbook will continue to report on the progress of the Teach First and Teach On programmes as we go through the months ahead.

Web: Parliamentary Yearbook

Email: parliamentaryyearbook@blakemedia.org

Pension Security

One of the main concerns for people retiring is the safety and security of their pension. With fiscal austerity gripping all of Europe, pensions are being edited and redrafted which has caused major upset in many countries.

The UK is feeling the brunt of this, for the first time in over 40 years, British surgeons, general practitioners, nurses and most associated with the NHS have gone on strike due to pension changes. This has all happened due to worries and fears over the security of their pension. When people are willing to essentially put other’s lives at risk in order to ensure their own future security – something must be wrong. This begs the question of, just how safe are people’s pensions, and what steps can be taken to ensure everybody has financial security in their retirement, especially in an ever ageing population?

Steps need to be taken to ensure that pensions are secured; steps which will prevent strike-action which could severely upset the functioning of EU member state, and steps which will also ensure that economic troubles aren’t exacerbated by actions which affect the stability of pensions.

Yet, the pensions themselves depend on the stability of jobs available. With rising unemployment, many are seeking work which will not guarantee them a secure pension, and thus will not guarantee them an easy retirement. It is all well and good to only think of the now, and put the future aside until later, but with the way the economy is, young adults are being forced to think about how to secure their future for 30 or 40 year’s time, before it is too late.  It is therefore down to EU member states to cohesively agree on how to effectively deal with employers who risk their workers’ pensions.

The last thing people want to worry about when retiring is whether their pension is going be able to support their future life. Especially when, nowadays, the amount of years a person spends in retirement tends to equal the amount of time they actually spend working.

Source: http://eypuk.co.uk/pension-security

AUNG SAN SUU KYI ADDRESSES BOTH HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT

The Parliamentary Information Office of the Parliamentary Yearbook adds to the welcome given by Members of both houses when she addressed them yesterday.


Nobel prize winner and newly elected parliamentarian Aung San Suu Kyi addressed members of both Houses in Westminster Hall yesterday (Thursday 21 June) at 3pm during her visit to the UK and became the first non-head of State and only the second woman to address both houses. The other is of course Her Majesty the Queen.


Commons Speaker, John Bercow MP, gave a welcome address introducing Aung San Suu Kyi’s speech. Mr Bercow said:


“This Hall has hosted many events over the past 900 years. In recent times only a few international figures - Charles de Gaulle, Nelson Mandela, Pope Benedict XVI and Barack Obama - have spoken here. Today Daw Aung San Suu Kyi will become the first figure other than a Head of State, the first woman from abroad and the first citizen of Asia to do so.


“This is not a break from precedent without a purpose. The courage of our guest is legendary. She has withstood the unimaginable suffering of separation from her family and her people with a dignity, fortitude and resolve which most of us can barely conceive. Her connections with the United Kingdom, reinforced in Oxford yesterday, are intimate. She has been the symbol of resistance to a regime which even in an imperfect world has been exceptional in its barbarity. As the UN has documented, and from three trips to Burma's borders I can myself attest, this is a cabal guilty of rape as a weapon of war, extra-judicial killings, compulsory relocation, forced labour, deployment of child soldiers, use of human minesweepers, incarceration of opponents in unspeakable conditions, destruction of villages, obstruction of aid and excruciating torture. Burma has become a beautiful but benighted land where fear runs through society like blood flowing through veins. One woman has now defied a dictatorship of such depravity for two decades. That is why Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, a leader and a stateswoman, is here with us this afternoon.


“However, there is room for cautious optimism. The recent election to Parliament of our guest, accompanied by 42 of her colleagues, and the release of many political prisoners are welcome signs of reform. We earnestly hope that further, and fundamental, reform will ultimately lead to the freedom, democracy and rule of law which we have so long enjoyed and the people of Burma have too long been denied. There is an Asian saying that a journey of a thousand miles must start with a single step. We are proud that one such step will be taken in this Parliament today.


“Parliamentary colleagues, ladies and gentlemen, it is my privilege to welcome the conscience of a country and a heroine for humanity, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.”


In her address she said it was important to empower the people of Burma, and now was her country's time of greatest need. Ms Suu Kyi said:


"I am here in part to ask for practical help, help as a friend and an equal, in support of the reforms which can bring better lives, greater opportunities, to the people of Burma who have been for so long deprived of their rights and their place in the world.


"My country today stands at the start of a journey towards, I hope, a better future. So many hills remain to be climbed, chasms to be bridged, obstacles to be breached.


"Our own determination can get us so far. The support of the people of Britain and of peoples around the world can get us so much further."


She stressed that it had been less than 100 days since she was on the campaign trail in Burma and went on to have the electoral success that that has made her opposition leader in parliament.


This remarkable personal transition encourages her in her belief that "before too long" Burma will become a truly democratic society.”


But she warns that Burma's transition will be tough - "the most difficult road we have ever walked", she said in the address.


Vital, in her view, is help in building Burma's democratic institutions and education, and developing a "clean and efficient" civil service.


Ms Suu Kyi concluded her speech by saying there was a lot more work to be done before reform in Burma was complete.


She said: "I would ask that our friends, both here in Britain and beyond, participate in and support Burma's efforts towards the establishment of a truly democratic and just society.”


Lord Speaker, Baroness D’Souza, gave a valedictory address thanking Aung San Suu Kyi following her speech. She said:


“On behalf of the House of Lords, and everyone here today, may I express our collective and heartfelt thanks for your inspiring words.



“We all espouse freedom and democracy but few of us are called upon to pay for and uphold these principles by spending 15 years in detention. Your presence here today is a testament to your courageous approach of steadfast non-violence and reason in the face of an oppressive, powerful and determined regime.

“Your struggle has reverberated around the world. It has forcibly reminded us that free and fair elections, a free press, an independent judiciary, and the institutions of civil society are the cornerstones of democracy and individual freedom. We take these freedoms for granted at our peril. Democracy is never won once and forever – it is a process requiring constant vigilance. Today you have reminded us of the struggle that must continue in Burma and elsewhere.



“In post-war Europe we have seen that it is possible for countries to make the transition from totalitarianism to democracy, and I trust that this will give you hope and encouragement for the journey ahead.

“Your stand against repression has been at the heart of the National League for Democracy’s struggle. I am sure that at times during your long campaign you must have felt unbearably lonely, though as you yourself have said, the Nobel Peace Prize allowed you to feel part of the international community. And indeed, through you, your people and your country were always in our minds.

“Now, together, we must use this occasion of your address to fellow parliamentarians to renew our own determination to be part of the struggle for liberty whenever and wherever it arises.”



 The proprietors and staff of the Parliamentary Yearbook add to those good wishes and will follow closely Burma’s transition to a true democracy.


Web: Parliamentary Yearbook

Email: parliamentaryyearbook@blakemedia.org

Strike two on UK ‘white paper’

Hopes for a public release of the United Kingdom’s ‘white paper’ on the evolving relationship with its remaining overseas territories were dashed on Monday by another delay. 

Representatives of the Cayman Islands governor’s office said Monday that the UK Foreign Secretary was hoping to launch the review of the proposal via a statement in parliament, but a date for that release had still not been agreed upon. 

A previous draft of the document was inadvertently put on the UK Foreign and Commonwealth office’s website on Friday. However, a representative of Cayman Islands Governor Duncan Taylor’s office said that was not the final document. 

A final proposal is expected out later this week, said Steve Moore, head of the governor’s 
office in Cayman.  

The “white paper” document was initially set to be revealed in UK Parliament in May, but “pressures on the parliamentary timetable” has required the date to be moved back, representatives of Cayman Islands Governor Duncan Taylor’s 
office said. 

The overseas territories, including the Cayman Islands, have separate constitutions and most territories have elected governments with varying responsibilities for domestic matters. The governor, who is appointed by and represents Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, retains responsibility for external affairs, internal security, defence 
and civil service.

White papers are sometimes used by governments and businesses to educate readers and help facilitate decision-making by presenting information from sources deemed expert and based on relevant research.

 

The 1999 UK white paper, titled “Partnership for Progress and Prosperity, Britain and the Overseas Territories”, focused largely on citizenship, sustainable development, human rights, drug trafficking and financial accountability. 

An abbreviated public consultation process held last year resulted in a number of recommendations made by Caymanians and others regarding where the relationship with the UK should go. 

No independence

Although Cayman’s most recent Constitution was only finalised in 2009, the last UK-led effort at modernising governance in its territories started in 1999 and Britain’s government is seeking again to “determine the priorities that will guide the revision and updating” of that relationship. The UK once hoped to have a new “white paper” proposal based partly on advice and suggestions it receives from the overseas territories in the early part of this year. 

The new Constitution gives the locally elected government heretofore unseen decision-making and advisory powers related to security and international relations matters – as well as additional internal governance powers within the Cayman Islands Cabinet. 

According to the chairman of the committee in charge of collecting and evaluating information gleaned from last year’s Cayman Islands public survey, the latest governance review does not set independence for the overseas territories as its goal. However, Lemuel Hurlston said it is doubtful Cayman will gain too many new governance concessions from the UK without taking that step. 

“The British government has made it clear that this is the next step,” Mr. Hurlston told a group of about 20 people in the audience at West Bay’s Sir John Cumber Primary School in November. “They’ll tweak it [the Constitution], but they’re not going to advance it to any other stage. 

“But as long as the Caymanian people express their wish to remain British, that’s an option. Independence is not going to be forced on anyone,” he said.

Source: http://www.compasscayman.com/caycompass/2012/06/26/Strike-two-on-UK--white-paper-/

Middlewich mum takes life saving message to Parliament

A MIDDLEWICH mum has taken her inspirational message about saving young lives all the way to Parliament.

Linda Boden, who lost her son Andrew, 26, to cardiac arrest spoke to MPs in London about the importance of having defibrillators in all schools.

According to charity SADS UK (sudden arrhythmic death syndrome), around 270 cardiac arrests occur in British schools each year.

Yet 100,000 petition signatures are needed just for the issue to be debated in the House of Commons.

Linda, of Dean Street, said: “It is with a lifetime of regret that I could not save my son Andrew.

“But if I can save one other mother or family member from going through the same heartache then I will.”

The 57-year-old spoke at a parliamentary reception as part SADS UK’s Big Shock Campaign.

Linda told the Guardian she met an inspirational schoolboy called Ned Ingarfield, of Horsham, West Sussex.

The 11-year-old collapsed three times at school and it was through SADS UK that he got the treatment he needed and a defibrillator in his school.

Linda, a cashier at Tesco Express, said: “After he gave a talk, his mother flung her arms around him and I thought I wish I could do that with Andrew.

“It’s that grief that gives you the get up and go as you don’t want anyone else to suffer this.

“To know lives are being saved is what it’s all about. You never get used to the loss but you learn to deal with it.

“I had to keep the heartache until I got home.”

Previous fundraising by Linda has led to defibrillators being available at Middlewich High School, Middlewich Primary School and Cledford School.

Linda added: “This is lifesaving equipment we are talking about so lets stop talking and start doing.” 

The Resuscitation Council (UK) suggests a defibrillator should be available wherever medical treatment is more than 5 minutes away.

Anne Jolly, founder of SADS UK, said: “With the average response time of the Ambulance Service being eight minutes, in practical terms this means the whole of the UK.”

- In 2000, the Government put 680 defibrillators into public places, but none of these were donated to schools.

 Source:http://www.middlewichguardian.co.uk/news/9778292.Middlewich_mum_takes_life_saving_message_to_Parliament/

SUSTAINABLE EVENT STANDARD

The Parliamentary Information Office of the Parliamentary Yearbook is currently gathering news items for major features on the impact of the London Olympics for publication in the next edition

 

London 2012 has contributed to the development of a new global sustainability standard that helps event organisers reduce carbon emissions and waste, manage the biodiversity of venues and achieve a diverse and inclusive workforce.

 

Launched this month, in response to a global demand, ISO 20121, the international standard on sustainability in event management will potentially be part of a very influential global legacy.

 

The standard, developed by co-opted experts from 30 countries, provides a common international language for sustainability in the events industry and a practical benchmarking tool. It takes a management systems approach for running more sustainable events, which should lead to improvements in key sustainability issues such as venue selection, transport, recycling or reusing demolition waste, creating a sustainable food strategy, promoting healthy living and creating skills, employment and business legacies.

 

ISO 20121 is a sustainability standard created for the international event industry, by the event industry.

 

Since 2010, over 30 countries (including UK, North America, Japan and Sweden) have been involved in the creation of a standard based on BS 8901, the British standard for event sustainability.

 

Chaired by UK based Fiona Pelham from Sustainable Events Ltd, this standard is likely to change how the event industry considers their social, economic and environmental impacts. ISO 20121 is suitable for all sizes and types of events, or members of the event industry supply chain.

 

London 2012 has been a vital catalyst for the creation of ISO 20121 and, along with a number of their supply chain, they are committed to the immediate implementation of ISO 20121 as a demonstration of best practice in action.

 

In 2011, the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) became the first Organising Committee to be independently certified to the British Standard 8901: Specification for a Sustainability Management System for Events. ISO 20121 was developed following the success of BS 8901.

 

LOCOG and the Olympic Delivery Authority have both successfully implemented ISO 20121 making London 2012 one of the first to adopt the standard. Other early adopters include Coca-Cola and Games venues Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy and Earls Court.

 

David Stubbs, Head of Sustainability at LOCOG, said:

 

“London 2012 is proud to have been the catalyst for ISO 20121. This is a piece of legacy with the potential to transform how events around the world consider their economic, environmental and social impacts."

 

Howard Kerr, Chief Executive of BSI, said:

 

“Over the next few years as sustainability becomes an inherent factor in all businesses, this standard will provide the event industry with an opportunity to lead. We hope that future initiatives, small or large, will be inspired by the good work started by LOCOG in partnership with BSI in this important area of sustainability”.

ISO 20121:2012 specifies requirements for an event sustainability management system for any type of event or event-related activity, and provides guidance on conforming to those requirements.

ISO 20121:2012 is applicable to any organisation that wishes to:

 

·         establish, implement, maintain and improve an event sustainability management system

·         ensure that it is in conformity with its stated sustainable development policy

·         demonstrate voluntary conformity with ISO 20121:2012 by

o    first party (self-determination and self-declaration)

o   second party (confirmation of conformance by parties having an interest in the organisation, such as clients, or by other persons on their behalf)

o    

o    an independent third party (e.g. a certification body)

·         ISO 20121:2012 has been designed to address the management of improved sustainability throughout the entire event management cycle.

 

ISO 20121:2012 was developed by ISO project committee, ISO/PC 250, Sustainability in event management. It is available from ISO national member institutes. It may also be obtained directly from the ISO Central Secretariat, price 146 Swiss francs through the ISO Store.

 

The Parliamentary Information Office of the Parliamentary Yearbook will continue to report on the lasting legacy of the London Olympics as we go through the months ahead.

 

Web: Parliamentary Yearbook


Email: parliamentaryyearbook@blakemedia.org

APPRENTICESHIPS

The Parliamentary Information Office of the Parliamentary Yearbook has been monitoring progress in Government policy relating to higher education for a major feature apprenticeships and further education in the next edition.

The Government has recently announced a series of tougher standards to drive up the quality of apprenticeships. These include 12 month minimum durations for all apprenticeships from August 2012, except where 19+ apprentices have prior learning that means that a shorter period is possible and public funding is reduced, driving improvements in training and workplace learning.

A new report published last month shows that Britain’s apprentices are getting promoted, improving their confidence and taking on more responsibility in the workplace.

The results are taken from the Apprentice Learner Survey of 5,000 apprentices and provides fresh evidence of the real value of apprenticeships.

Key findings include:

Satisfaction amongst apprenticeships is high. Almost nine in ten apprentices (89%) were satisfied, rising to 92% amongst completers.

•    One third of individuals who had finished their apprenticeship had received a promotion (32%), and of those in work, three quarters reported taking on more responsibility in their job (75%).
•    Three quarters (75%) of all former apprentices in work were taking on more responsibility.
•    Eight out of ten apprentices believe that their apprenticeship has improved their ability to do their job, provided them with sector-relevant skills and knowledge, and improved their career prospects.
•    Apprenticeships also equip individuals with the confidence they need to fulfil their aspirations, with almost nine in ten (87%) strongly agreeing that they are more confident about their own abilities as a result of undertaking the apprenticeship.
•    Nearly two thirds (62%) agreed that the course had improved their overall quality of life.
•    A second survey of over 4,000 employers also shows high satisfaction rates among businesses.
•    Key findings include:
•    Satisfaction among employers is high. 88% employers were satisfied (with 69% being very satisfied) with the relevance of the training (just 4% were dissatisfied on this measure).
•    85% were satisfied (with 66% being very satisfied) with the quality of the training provided by their provider (only 7% were dissatisfied).
•    Nearly half (47%) had already recommended apprenticeships to other employers.

Skills Minister John Hayes said:

“I am delighted by these impressive survey results which show nine out of ten apprentices are satisfied with their training and a third have received a promotion as a result.

“We are succeeding in making apprenticeships a gold standard option for ambitious young people and sending a crystal clear message that technical excellence is as essential and highly valued as academic prowess.

"However, while these survey results are excellent I am relentless in my focus on improving quality and we will use these valuable results to identify areas where more work is needed.”

David Way, Chief Executive of the National Apprenticeship Service, said:

“We are very pleased to see high levels of satisfaction amongst employers and apprentices in these surveys.

“These findings will inform our work as we continue to raise standards and focus on ensuring that all apprenticeships offer a good experience as well as encouraging more young people and employers of all sizes and sectors to engage.”

A third report has also been published. ‘The Employer Investment in Apprenticeships and Workplace Learning’ is the first study into the net financial benefits of training to employers.

The study assesses the amount that employers themselves invest in apprenticeships. This ranges from £39,000 per apprenticeship (level 2 and 3 combined) in engineering to around £3,000-£4,000 in retail or hospitality.

The study also looks at the time it takes for an employer to recoup their investment where the apprentice is a new recruit, which averages at around one to two years.

The earlier this week it was announced that entrepreneur and founder of School for Startups, Doug Richard, is to lead an independent review into the future of apprenticeships for the Government.

The Richard Review of Apprenticeships will look at how to build upon the record success of recent years by:

•    Ensuring that apprenticeships meet the needs of the changing economy
•    Ensuring every apprenticeship delivers high quality training and the qualifications and skills that employers need
•    Maximising the impact of Government investment.

Looking to the future, the review will examine how apprenticeships can continue to best meet the needs of employers, individuals, and the wider economy; which learners and employers can and should benefit most from apprenticeships; and what the core components of a high quality apprenticeship should be.

Mr Richard was selected by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the Department for Education for his strong reputation in the spheres of both business and business education, enabling him to provide an independent analysis of the future priorities of the Government’s scheme.

Business Secretary Vince Cable said:

“To build a prosperous economy we need a skilled workforce. The apprenticeship programme has been a real success, not only boosting chances for young people, but also helping businesses to address their skills gaps.

"However in the past vocational youngsters have been let down by weak courses and our competitors have stolen a march. I have just come back from a fact finding mission to Germany where two-thirds of young people take some form of apprenticeship by the time they are 25.

"To keep pace it is vital that we build on our initial success and continue to look at how apprenticeships can adapt to meet our future needs in the fast-evolving global economy.

“The Richard Review will do just that, establishing the core principles that will keep apprenticeships relevant to the future needs of individuals, employers and the wider economy. Doug Richard’s experience as a business mentor and setting up his School for Startups make him the perfect candidate to complete this task.”

The review should identify the best of current practice and recommend ways to extend this.

Key questions to be considered include:

•    What should the core components of an apprenticeship be - to meet the needs of employers (large and small), individuals, and the wider economy?
•    Who should apprenticeships be for – which types of learners and employers can benefit most from apprenticeships?
•    Are there elements of apprenticeships which should be simplified or stripped back?
•    Are the qualifications which are undertaken as part of an apprenticeship sufficiently rigorous, and recognised and valued by employers?
•    How should delivery arrangements adequately ensure all that apprenticeships provide significant new learning and acquisition of new skills, rather than the accreditation of existing ones?
•    Are there opportunities to improve the impact and value for money of public investment in apprenticeships?

 The review should report in Autumn 2012.

The Parliamentary Information Office of the Parliamentary Yearbook will continue to report on the progress of the apprenticeships schemes as we go through the months ahead.

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Email: parliamentaryyearbook@blakemedia.org


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