News reports located on this page = 3.

9 in 10 teachers within North West of England wish Schools were preparing students for more than just exams

A survey out this week shows parents, pupils and teachers across the North all agree there now needs to be a significant shift in the education system. As charity Big Change and the Innovation Unit release a new report on reimagining education; with Andreas Schleicher, Director of Education at the OECD, stating current education systems leave:- 'teachers, students and parents feeling disempowered'

Survey data from YouGov and TeacherTapp shows that teachers, students and parents throughout the North want less focus on cramming for exams:-

87% of teachers throughout the North West think School is preparing children for exams, but almost four fifths (78%) teachers wish exams were not the main focus. And less than ½ (43%) of all children aged 11 to 18 across the North of England and Scotland think School should prepare young people for passing exams; compared with 72% who think they should be learning how to manage money and 69% who think they should be learning how to be better communicators.

Across the Region Teachers, parents and students all wanted to see more focus on preparing young people for the future and helping them to become good citizens:-

► 9 out of 10 (89%) of teachers throughout the North West wished School would focus more on improving children's social and communication skills.

► The same number of teachers in the Region also wanted to see more focus on teaching young people how to make a positive difference to society or the planet.

► Almost ⅔ of children aged 11 to 18 living in the North of England and in Scotland (65%) wish that education did more to help students learn about making a positive difference to society and the planet.

► Over ⅔ (68%) of teachers in the Region wanted education to prioritise helping students get the job they want.

► Students in the North and in Scotland wanted to see a shift in how they learn, beyond the traditional classroom setting:-

► Students aged 11 to 18 in the Region feel they learn well when interacting with their peers (79%) and with other adults outside of School (40%); yet this is not the norm in the current education system.

► The survey shows widespread acknowledgement that the education system needs a significant change, but currently, that change is not coming...

► The survey also revealed ¾ of teachers (71%) across the country, thought the Government held the most power to positively reform education. With teachers stating students (8%) and employers (5%) held the least power.

► The survey results come at a time when politicians are being accused of being distracted by Brexit, with very little meaningful change to education policy in recent years.

The new report from Big Change and Innovation Unit demonstrates how important it is for parents, teachers and pupils to be brought along, as well as the communities around them. The 'Reimagining Education Together' report highlights 20 examples from across the world of pioneers who are making change happen in their Schools, communities and on a broader scale. They show how:- businesses, parents, Governments and whole communities can come together to reimagine education and take learning beyond the classroom.

Essie North, CEO of Big Change, said:- "How we approach education; what we prioritise, how we learn and who we value - sets the tone for many patterns throughout society. Yet it is often seen as someone else's problem, something too entrenched to change, or simply just the way things are done. Through exploring global bright spots of change we have seen that the journey to reimagining education starts with people from across the education ecosystem who are not prepared to accept the status quo. They question not only the process but also the purpose of education. They have the vision to look at what we collectively need for the long term. The courage to start the journey when there isn't a road map. And the humility to recognise that it can't (and shouldn't) be done alone. We hope this report reawakens the potential in each of us to play an active role in how we lead change and support the next generation."

Andreas Schleicher, director for the Directorate of Education and Skills at the OECD, said:- "This report from Big Change is an important contribution to the urgent debate on the need for change in our education system. Where systems don't involve actors like parents or teachers in the design of change, they are unlikely to help you with implementing it. That is why educational leaders are rarely successful with reform unless they build a shared understanding and collective ownership for change, and unless they create accountability measures designed to encourage innovation rather than compliance. The exam system in the UK, in particular, is not currently doing this, and teachers, students and parents feel disempowered. This report should lay the foundations for us to give everyone in the system the tools to effect the change we need."

Krista Cartlidge, a teacher in from Bournemouth:- "It is difficult to imagine an education system in which:- 'Every young person is set up to thrive', but achieving the goals suggested in this report would have huge society wide implications: a change so exciting that it is almost difficult to imagine. This requires a systematic change in the way we think, which will need to be fully supported by the wider community, particularly business leaders. This report demonstrates just how powerful it is when different stakeholders come together to articulate their ideas on the purpose of education and how it can be achieved."

Holly Branson, Leadership Team Virgin Group and co-Founder Big Change, said:- "The findings that young people, parents and teachers all agree that more should be done to help students learn about making a difference in society is not surprising. School should be a time for self discovery, building resilience and becoming fully rounded individuals who can make a positive contribution to the world. However, our current system fails to nurture and prepare the 'whole' child for our rapidly changing world. Concentrating instead on highly pressured test based curriculum that cares more about league tables than it does the creation of a thirst for knowledge. We need a seismic shift throughout the entire learning ecosystem. We need to nurture students, embrace their natural curiosity and recognise their individuality."

Lord Jim Knight, Chief Education Adviser at Tes Global and former Minister for Schools and Learning, said:- "This report should be an urgent wake-up call to ministers and all of us in Parliament. I urge leaders from all sectors to learn from the amazing stories of changemakers it tells. We are living in a time where there is an urgent need for change in how we educate our societies; we can see this in the climate of division, the fear about job opportunities, the scale of the problems we face, from climate change to democracy, and the increase in mental health crises. But this is also a time of great opportunity; employers, politicians, young people and parents are desperate for solutions to address these things. Reimagining education is the answer to the questions all parts of society are facing."

Figures for 9 in 10 obtained via an all teacher data was gathered by:- 'Teacher Tapp' with a sample size of 3200 teachers across Primary and Secondary Education. Also within this report, all children's and parent's figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc.

500 homes in fuel poverty to benefit from central heating

AROUND 30,000 households within the City of Liverpool live in fuel poverty, meaning residents are unable to keep their homes heated at a reasonable cost, and almost 10,000 of these are without gas central heating.

Liverpool City Council has been awarded a grant of ₤1.27 million from the Warm Homes Fund for first time gas central heating, which is being match funded by Warmer Energy Services, who will be responsible for the installation of the systems into homes that are eligible.

The Council's Healthy Homes team, which works to improve energy efficiency and insulation of homes for the most vulnerable, will identify and target properties in the poorest areas over the next 2 years.

In addition, Healthy Homes has qualified energy awareness officers on hand to:-

► Give advice on understanding bills and using less energy.

► Look at how residents can switch to a cheaper energy provider.

► Check to see residents are receiving all the benefits they are entitled to energy efficiency measures including:- boiler replacement, loft and cavity wall insulation, LED lightbulbs and draught proofing.

Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for Housing, Councillor Lynnie Hinnigan, said:- "We know there are huge numbers of people in this City who are on a low income and struggle to pay their fuel bills, and as a result, can become poorly, and in worst case scenarios can lose their lives. We know that in 2016 to 2017, winter deaths were 16% higher than expected overall, and almost 27% higher for people aged over 85, which is simply not acceptable in this day and age. This funding will enable us to help hundreds of households heat their homes properly and efficiently, making a massive difference to their health and reducing their energy costs."

The service is free to those who meet the eligibility criteria; which include being a homeowner with inadequate heating or insulation, a long term illness or disability or a low household income, less than ₤8k in savings and in fuel poverty.

The Health Homes team can be contacted by calling:- 0800 012 1754 or emailing:- HealthyHomesprogramme@Liverpool.Gov.UK.

Sefton Youth Offending Team is "Good" in some areas, but requires "improvement."

THE team responsible for tackling youth crime in North Merseyside is delivering an inconsistent service, according to a new report. HM Inspectorate of Probation conducted a routine inspection of Sefton Youth Offending Team (YOT) in February 2019. Inspectors found staff and senior managers were committed to delivering high quality services, but more robust systems and processes are needed to support this ambition. The Inspectorate has given Sefton YOT a:- 'Requires improvement' rating; its 2nd lowest grade.

HM Chief Inspector of Probation Dame Glenys Stacey said:- "Sefton YOT does have some areas of strength, including a skilled and committed workforce supporting young people to turn away from crime. However, we would have liked to have seen greater progress since our last inspection in 2013. The YOT needs to gain a deeper understanding of the children and young people that it works with, and use its own data to improve performance."

Inspectors found many children and young people involved with the YOT had been excluded from school or had special education needs. In a sample of cases, more than half of children and young people had specific education, employment or training needs; senior leaders should have been aware of this fact, but it was only uncovered during the inspection.

To make matters worse, education and employment representatives were missing from the YOT's Management Board. For the past 18 months, there has been no education representative from the Local Authority, and the attendance of the employment and learning lead has been sporadic.

Sefton YOT's work with children and young people subject to Court orders or who were being dealt with outside the Court system was mixed.

Inspectors found staff did not always assess cases thoroughly to analyse the safety and wellbeing of children and the risk of harm they could pose to others. Assessments were only completed to an adequate standard in around ½ of the inspected cases. The YOT should do more to involve other agencies, such as the Police and Children's Social Services.

In one case, an inspector noted:- "The planning to keep a child safe did not involve the young people's Social Worker enough. The plan didn't go far enough in terms of ensuring the safety and wellbeing of the child, so if it was implemented, it would have been unlikely to make a difference."

Specialist services were under pressure, with children and young people facing 18 week waits for mental health services. Inspectors reported better provision for substance misuse referrals, with most children and young people seen within 5 days. There was also good support from the YOT and Catch22, a not for profit organisation, for those involved in serious organised crime.

While inspectors were pleased to see the YOT had an improvement plan in place, they were less impressed with the poor level of detail to monitor and track progress. The YOT will now use the outcome of this inspection to set out concrete actions.

Dame Glenys said:- "Sefton Council is going through a period of reorganisation, which will affect many services including the YOT. Staff and partners feel positive about the developments, particularly the opportunities to prevent children and young people coming to the attention of the YOT in the 1st place. I hope this report and our recommendations will help Sefton YOT to make improvements and deliver a more effective youth offending service."

What do you, our readers think about this? Please do email us your views and thoughts on this subject. Does it affect you or someone you know? Please email us via:- News24@SouthportReporter.Com.