Blog: Rob Wright |
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afPE Health and Safety Update - June 2010 Water Safety and Sun Protection
Water testing by PCC has shown that the quality of the water at Oreston Quay at high tide meets the EU 2012 Standards which is better than some of the Blue Flag beaches in the region! People using this area for water sports should still wash their hands before eating or drinking and bath or shower then they get home.
Water Safety
A project funded by RoSPA, and reported in RoSPA's 'Safety Education' Summer 2010 edition, has come up with an interesting conclusion relating to traditional life-saving advice. Instead of immediately attempting to swim or wave for help, researchers at the University of Portsmouth are advocating 'float first'.
Apparently tests have showed that staying as still as possible in the first few minutes after tumbling into water (a major cause of drowning fatality in the UK) increases survival time by enabling air trapped in clothing to keep the head above water and slowing the rate at which the body cools.
This clearly places massive demand and expectation on a less than water confident child in a hostile life -threatening environment so appropriate training and rehearsal seems to be critical to its success.
On a slighter lighter note, a recent Child Safety Education Coalition (CSEC) project on water safety which took part at the National Water Sports Centre, Nottingham included the following quote from a Y6 pupil:
'I learnt how to save people from drowning in the water, by throwing something that floats like a football, or string and stick which I have to hold onto. I enjoyed it'
One hopes that the 'holding onto' does NOT refer to the football!
Sun Protection
Let's hope we continue to experience a bumper summer with lots of opportunity for activity outdoors.
So if the sun intends to be kind to us let's ensure that our pupils adopt sensible precautions and wear suitable clothing, including hats, and utilise sun block wherever necessary.
Sport Leaders UK Update
QCF Is Coming - Do You Know What It Is?
You will have heard us talking about big changes coming as we move from the National Qualifications Framework (NQF), to the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF). But do you really feel comfortable with what this is, and how it will affect you running a Sports Leaders UK course?
Our website now features an Introduction to the Qualifications and Credit Framework, and copies of the Sports Leaders UK Technical Updates to help you.
So, what do you need to do?
The fundamentals of what we do still stand, however we have also been using this opportunity to streamline our systems to make them more customer friendly. Our new Approved Assessment Centre Application Form and Course Application Form are now available.
New Age Range - Level 1 Award in Sports Leadership and Level 1 Award in Dance Leadership
We've lowered the starting age for our Level 1 awards. Candidates can now start these qualifications from age 13. Read more at Level 1 Award in Sports Leadership, and Level 1 Award in Dance Leadership.
Level 2 Award in Sports Leadership
We have a brand new qualification being launched in September 2010, the Level 2 Award in Sports Leadership. This qualification is designed for candiates aged 14+ and is an ideal progression for candidates who have achieved the Level 1 Award in Sports Leadership.
Level 3 Award in Day Walk Leadership and Level 3 Certificate in Basic Expedition
We currently have two qualifications that meet the needs of 'the outdoors'. The Level 2 Award in Day Walk Leadership, and the Level 2 Award in Basic Expedition Leadership. The transition onto the QCF has given us the opportunity to review these qualifications, which has resulted in them being re-levelled. As of September 2010, these qualifications will now be the Level 3 Award in Day Walk Leadership and the Level 3 Certificate in Basic Expedition Leadership.
Price List
The price list for 2010/11, including any changes brought about by the framework change in September, was issued with the 'QCF Special' Technical Update. It can also be found on our website - see Fees & Charges.
National Qualification Framework (NQF) Courses (pre-September 2010)
The last date a course can start under the current National Qualification Framework is 31st August 2010. All courses that start on or after 1st September 2010 will be registered to the QCF. All certification for NQF courses must be claimed by 31st August 2013.
QCF Resources
Tutor Resource Pack Order Form
We have been busy re-writing our Tutor Resource Packs (TRP) to ensure they reflect the changes brought about by the QCF, and to offer new ideas to assist with running a Sports Leaders UK course. As you will have already heard, anyone who has bought a TRP since 1st February 2010 will automatically receive the new electronic TRP free of charge, once they are available. If you would like to order the new QCF TRP, please use our new Tutor Resource Pack Order Form.
Record of Achievement
As you will have read in the Technical Update, as of September 2010, we will no longer provide Log Books, but will instead require all candidates to compile a Record of Achievement. Using feedback we've received from customers, we have re-designed these to be in an A4 format, which can be placed in a ring binder, making it easier to add candidate evidence. We are in the final stages of producing the new Record of Achievements, and they will be with you for all courses starting in September 2010.
A message from the Youth Sport Trust.
"Over the last few weeks you may have seen several different reports and rumours concerning the future of sport, school sport, Sports Colleges and School Sport Partnerships. During what is a period of inevitable change we wanted to write to you and re-assure you that we are doing all we can personally, and as an organisation, to ensure as many people as possible are aware of the excellent work you are doing and the impact it is having. As you know the Youth Sport Trust is an independent company limited by guarantee with charitable status and we are totally committed to delivering better opportunities for young people to participate, perform and lead in sport in partnership with you - and that will never change!
Government have announced the process for the Comprehensive Spending Review, the exercise which sets departments plans and priorities for 2011/12 to 2014/15, and the results of this are anticipated in the early autumn. It is only then that there will be any informed decisions about the future. You will be aware that significant additional cuts are expected in public expenditure and that there is also a strong commitment to devolve significant amounts of central funding directly to schools. During this period there are likely to be lots more rumours about what will and won't happen and we'd urge you not to take too much notice of these and to wait for the outcomes of the review.
We continue to believe that School Sport Partnerships provide a highly effective and efficient delivery mechanism. Indeed we believe that they are the only way to ensure that every school creates opportunities and that consistency of delivery is available for young people of all ages and abilities. It is on this basis that we will keep advocating at all levels and with a wide range of individuals and organisations - we would urge you to continue doing likewise.
In what we know is a difficult time please stay positive and let's keep our focus where it needs to be - delivering the very best sport opportunities for young people.
Thanks again for all you continue to do for young people through sport"
With kind regards,
Baroness Sue Campbell (Chair) and Steve Grainger (Chief Executive)
Curriculum Update; Important information from the Department for Education on the primary curriculum and Key Stage 3 level descriptions
Please find below an official communication to schools from the Department for Education (DfE) regarding the curriculum.
The previous Government accepted recommendations put forward by Sir Jim Rose to implement a new primary curriculum from September 2011. Ministers announced today that the Government does not intend to proceed with the new primary curriculum.
Ministers are committed to giving schools more freedom from unnecessary prescription and bureaucracy. They have always made clear their intentions to make changes to the National Curriculum that will ensure a relentless focus on the basics and give teachers more flexibility than the proposed new primary curriculum offered.
The Government intends to return the National Curriculum to its intended purpose - a minimum national entitlement organised around subject disciplines - and will shortly announce its next steps.
In the meantime, the existing primary curriculum will continue to be in force in 2011/12 and schools should plan on that basis.
Ministers have also decided not to proceed with the revised level descriptions which were due to come into force for Key Stage 3 from this September. Secondary schools should therefore continue to use existing level descriptions.
Information on the Department's website will be updated as announcements are made and more detail is available. Please visit www.education.gov.uk/curriculum for the latest news and answers to your questions.
The use of coaches in PPA time.
We have received a number of enquiries in the last month about using Sports Coaches to cover for PPA time and are aware of 1 school in the SSP that has been doing this and individuals and organisations who have been offering their services to schools. afPE have warned against this for many years due to the expectations in the Public Service Agreement and NCPE that children are entitled to 2 hours of high quality PE. Their advice is that sports coaches may teach classes in timetabled PE provided they only assist or support the work of a qualified teacher in school, are subject to the direction and supervision of a qualified teacher and have satisfied the head teacher, through a risk assessment, that they have the skills, experience and expertise required to carry out the specific work. As well as expertise in the range of activities taught coaches need to demonstrate competence in delivery of the national curriculum process model, good class control and group management showing appropriate relationships- teaching children not coaching sport.
If schools choose to use coaches in this way they should ensure that they are not missing the opportunities that class teachers have to develop children within and outside the classroom linking both areas. They will also be expected by OFSTED to have a system of regular monitoring and evaluation of the coaches work which will be inspected against the TDA HLTA standards. If schools feel their teaching staff are not able to teach satisfactory PE lessons the LDA can provide training at no cost to the school to support and develop colleagues. Children may benefit far more from other areas of the curriculum being contracted out whilst teachers teach PE.
Coaches are a very valuable part of the school workforce, the contributions which they make to OSHL and when they work alongside teachers during PE lessons add value to the experiences of children. Their use as cover for PPA time is something that the SSP feel is not educationally sound, our coaching team have been told never to work in this way!
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