|
Fairtrade is child's play
SCHOOL children across Liverpool are helping to build a better future for people in the third world. More than 200 schools are being urged by Liverpool City Council to become Fairtrade friendly. The massive push comes during national Fairtrade fortnight which begins this week. Schools are getting involved in spreading the Fairtrade message by teaching fair trade, selling Fairtrade products at tuck shops and holding an assembly dedicated to the topic.
Councillor Paula Keaveney, the city council's Fairtrade champion, said:-
"It's really important that children throughout the city are aware of the unfair rules in third world trade, and realise that they can do something to help. Even small things like making Fairtrade tea and coffee available in the staff room or arranging a fund raising day would go a long way to helping reduce poverty in deprived countries. The city council is dedicated to spreading the Fairtrade message - already, most city council buildings serve Fairtrade products and many of the city's top businesses are also involved in raising awareness wherever possible."
Kingsley Primary School is one of the latest schools to apply for Fairtrade status. A group of Year Five and Six pupils (aged ten and eleven) are dedicated to promoting fair trade issues to their classmates. They have made posters and leaflets to highlight the aims of Fairtrade and have given a big thumbs-up to Fairtrade chocolate, coffee and fruit after having a taster session.
Kingsley pupil, ten year-old Rayhan Abdullah, said:- "Farmers in the third world should get a fair amount of money for the food they produce. I think it's important that people do everything they can to help, and I hope that even more schools get involved with
Fairtrade."
WIRRAL STUDENT TRIUMPHS AT UK SCIENCE FAIR
KEVIN Keelan from Calday Grange Grammar School, West Kirby, Wirral, has scooped one of the top prizes at the prestigious national BA CREST Science Fair in London. He was awarded the London International Youth Science Forum Prize for his project on fibroblast growth factor signalling in embryonic stem cells. He has won the chance to join the 2 week forum of lectures and visits held at the Royal Institution and the Institute of Electrical Engineers.
The fair, held at the Royal Society on 28 February, showcases science and technology projects from students aged
11 to 18 across the UK. At the fair, budding scientists presented their projects to a panel of judges including scientists, educators and science journalists.
A second student, David Vickers, came runner-up for the Best CREST Silver Project with his project "Cone and rod plotting.
Does age or gender affect distribution?"
We hear much about the declining numbers of students opting for science at A-level and university, but very little about the achievements of young people," says Professor Robert Winston, President of the BA (British Association for the Advancement of Science), which co-ordinates the fair. "Every year at the science fair we see many outstanding and innovative projects and we want to celebrate this work. By recognising the creativity and innovation behind these projects, we can encourage young people to pursue a career in science."
The BA would like to thank AstraZeneca, the Research Councils and QinetiQ for their sponsorship of the event and the Royal Society for its support.
|
Pupils at Cinnamon Brow Primary School are flourishing
EDUCATION inspectors
have praised a Cinnamon Brow CE Primary School in Warrington for
being 'very effective' and 'very good' in their Ofsted report. The
school was inspected in December 2004, and the report authors have
commended the school, stating that achievement is 'very good
overall'. The standard of education was deemed as being of 'very
good quality' and teaching was praised for being 'very good' as the
school has a well planned curriculum, which ensures that all pupils
are 'thriving, flourishing and achieving well'. The report
highlighted that pupils' personal qualities, including their
attitudes, behaviour, spiritual, moral, social and cultural
development are 'very good overall'.
The main strengths in the report are:-
1. Good teaching in English, Mathematics and Science ensure that
children achieve average standards by Year Six.
2. A very good nursery boosts children's learning and helps them
settle in extremely well.
3. Pupils with special or other educational needs flourish because
their needs are identified at an early stage and timely and very
effective support is consequently given
4. Excellent financial management meshes in with the very
influential work of the governors
5. A very good Christian ethos permeates all years and pupils are
expected to work very hard
Leadership and management were picked out as one of the school's
many strengths and although the Headteacher, Lesley Sweeney, has
only been in post since September, she has demonstrated 'wise and
decisive leadership'.
Mrs Sweeney said:- "I feel privileged to have joined a
school, which has taken school improvement seriously. We are very
proud of our achievements highlighted in the report and it is now my
job to ensure that we can continue to self-challenge and
improve."
It was noted in the report that parents and pupils alike are very
satisfied with the school and parents particularly like the family
assemblies and approachability of staff.
The school has taken on board the report's recommendations to work
with parents to improve pupils' attendance, punctuality and learning
and strengthen pupils' understanding of the views and beliefs of
other cultures.
Chair of Governors, the Reverend Steve Elstob, is also delighted
with the report. He said:- "I am very pleased with this
report as it reflects the hard work and commitment of all in the
school and gives people in the area a school they can both entrust
their children to and be rightly proud of."
|
