News From North East November/December 2007

Inside this issue...

Click on to your chosen topic from here

Glow
Research from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation
Sector Skills Alliance Scotland (SSAScot)
Teacher Induction Scheme
Scottish Government Website
Froth and Bubble
Contributions

Glow

Glow is the new name for the Scottish Schools Digital Network. It is a national schools intranet, digitally linking Scotland's 800,000 educators and pupils. Glow is funded by the Scottish Executive and managed by Learning and Teaching Scotland (LTS) in partnership with RM.

News of the latest developments can be found in the Glow Newsletter.

There is also a short video on the Glow website which gives an overview of the aims of the initiative.

Research from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation

'Attachment to place, social networks, mobility and prospects of young people'

This study explores how young people's attitudes towards education, training and work opportunities are shaped by their social networks and attachment to place, and looks at how interventions might widen their horizons and improve their prospects.

Sector Skills Alliance Scotland (SSAScot.)

Provides a forum for the exchange of information on skills issues and to promote awareness and understanding of Sector Skills Councils and Sector Skills Bodies.

SSAScot works both within the Skills for Business Network, with the Sector Skills Bodies and between the network and the wider stakeholder arena.

“It facilitates the work of both the Sector Skills Councils and Sector Skills Bodies in Scotland by:

Promoting communication and the sharing of good practice
Acting as a conduit by bringing individuals, stakeholders and organisations together; and,
Encouraging and fostering the exchange of information.

In its facilitation role SSAScot supports and organises events and conferences, provides guidance and advice to Sector Skills Councils, Sector Skills Bodies and key stakeholders and is a resource for information generally on skills issues.

In its communication role SSAScot provides formal and informal communication channels between the Sector Skills Councils, the Sector Skills Bodies, the SSDA and stakeholders in the wider lifelong learning arena. SSAScot organises seminars, conferences and meetings and issues periodical bulletins in a variety of formats, including the weekly e-intelligence bulletins and the three-times yearly MA Bulletin magazine.”

Sector Skills Alliance Scotland website.

Teacher Induction Scheme

(Extracts from Scottish Government website)

“All newly qualified teachers in Scotland are required to complete a period of probationary teaching service before being awarded full registration as a teacher with the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS). Scottish trained, newly qualified teachers are eligible for a guaranteed one-year teaching post with a Scottish local authority. This scheme is known as the Teacher Induction Scheme.

The offer of a one-year teaching post guaranteed to every “eligible” (see details on website) student graduating from a Scottish university with a Teaching Qualification.
A maximum class commitment time - equal to 70% of that of a full-time teacher - is guaranteed, with considerable time set aside for professional development.
Access to the services of an experienced teacher who will provide support and act as a mentor.

At the end of the Teacher Induction Scheme, you will be granted full registration as a teacher with the GTCS, assuming you have met the requirements of the Standard for Full Registration (SFR).”

Preference Waiver Payment Pilot

“The Preference Waiver Payment is payable to those students who are prepared to accept a post anywhere in Scotland for their probationary year. The payment is currently £6,000, which will be payable in three instalments; £3,000 in August 2008, £1,500 in January 2009 and £1,500 in April 2009. Payments are made by the local authority to whom you have been allocated, and are gross amounts, non-pensionable, and subject to deductions in respect of income tax and National Insurance contributions.”

More details on the Scottish Government website.

Scottish Government Website

Date	Section	Publication
02/11/2007	Education and Skills	Choosing a School - A Guide for Parents [Guidance] Choosing a School - A Guide for Parents
06/11/2007	People, Communities and Living	Rural Scotland Key Facts 2007: People and Communities, Services and Lifestyle, Economy and Enterprise [Publication] Summary of key facts related to rural Scotland
07/11/2007	Education and Skills	Teacher Induction Scheme 2008/09 [Publication] Information about the Teacher Induction Scheme 2008/09
08/11/2007	Education and Skills	Review of Scotland's Colleges: Promoting Excellence: The Scottish Government's Response to the Review[Report] The Scottish Government's response to the Review of Scotland's Colleges
09/11/2007	Education and Skills	Learning to Read a New Culture: How Immigrant and Asylum Seeking Children Experience Scottish Identity through Classroom Books [Report] Web Only Research Report in the Education Sponsored Research Series
09/11/2007	Education and Skills	Education and Schooling for Asylum-Seeking and Refugee Students in Scotland: An Exploratory Study [Report] A Web Only Full Report Accompanying Insight 38
20/11/2007	People, Communities and Living	Gypsies/Travellers in Scotland: The Twice Yearly Count - No. 12: July 2007 [Publication] Gypsies/Travellers in Scotland: The Twice Yearly Count - No 12: July 2007

Froth and Bubble

The meanings and origins of over 1,200 English sayings, phrases and idioms.

Whether you want to resolve a friendly argument over how a saying or phrase originated or whether you just enjoy words, you'll probably find something here to interest you on The Phrase Finder website.

The site also has a collection of well-known misquotations.

The Great Fuel Filler Cap Debate…

You know when you've got a new car or a rented one, and you pull up for fuel and think "Now which side of the car is the filler cap on?"…stay with us on this…

Our regular reader from the Wemyss told us that you can tell by looking at the fuel gauge on the dashboard; you look at the little icon or picture of a fuel pump. Whichever side of the icon the fuel nozzle is on, is the same side as your vehicle’s fuel filler cap. Apparently there is quite a debate taking place on the web as to whether this is true.

(Bet you check next time you’re in the car.)

Contributions

If you would like to contribute an item to the newsletter we would be delighted to hear from you. Contributions can be emailed to info.ne@careers-scotland.org.uk or faxed to 01592 623199