Teach Secondary - Issue 13.2

THE SPEECH: GillianKeegandelivers keynote at Bett 2024 WHO? Gillian Keegan, Secretary of State for Education WHERE? Bett 2024, ExCeLCentre, London WHEN? 24th January 2024 We’re working closely withmany countries to share best practice when it comes to bringing AI and education closer together. One example is Estonia. They’re introducing a model whereby teachers set the strategy, students set their preferences and AI will do the planning and measuring to deliver a bespoke learning path for each student. The students get personalised feedback to improve their learning, and the teachers get diagnostics to help themunderstand how their pupils are performing and where they can improve. Last month, I spoke with students at Claverham and Heathfield community colleges about how they’re using technology in the classroom and what AI might mean for their education. They talked to me about how to use tools like ChatGPT to help with their revision (and not just do their homework quickly). They spoke about the need to use the technology safely. I left feeling reassured that our young people are willing to embrace the changes that AI will make to the classroom, but that they’re also aware of the challenges it might bring. I also want to reassure those of you who think that AI, or any other technology, is somehow going to replace our brilliant teachers. It is not. No technology can replace them. It’s about giving them the confidence they need to succeed. THE RESPONSE: ASCLcomments onChatGPTtrials in schools FROM? Rob Robson,ASCL’s lead on artificial intelligence REGARDING? An announcement byThe Education Endowment Foundation that it will be trialling the use of ChatGPT for lesson planning purposes WHEN? 31st January 2024 “Artificial intelligence is being integrated into the lives of teachers, leaders and students, enhancing lesson planning and potentially extending its influence to assessments in the future – a development we welcome. However, it is important to acknowledge that AI, while valuable, will not be the remedy for the current workload crisis faced by the teaching profession. At the core of this crisis lie profound challenges related to recruitment and retention, issues that no amount of AI can address.” Action on absence The government has announced a series of newmeasures aimed at tackling persistent absence among school students.These include increasing the number of attendance hubs – knowledge and information sharing centres run by schools with consistently high levels of attendance – from 14 to 32, and expanding its attendancementor pilot programme with an investment of ‘up to’ £15 million over three years. The attendancementor pilot programme is currently being piloted inMiddlesbrough, Doncaster, Knowsley, Salford, and Stoke on Trent, in partnershipwith Barnardo’s, providing one-to-one support to persistently absent pupils and their families.The extra investment will see trained attendance mentors assigned to a further 10 areas from September this year. Commenting on the announcement, Children’s Commissioner Rachel De Souza said“I amhopeful that thesemeasures will arm local authorities and schools with real-time information about school absence rates and provide vital support for children who face barriers to attending school.” Leora Cruddas CBE, chief executive at the Confederation of School Trusts,meanwhile noted that “CST supports the government’s campaign to improve school attendance… However, this will not be enough to fix the crisis.The issues around school attendance aremuchmore complex than perhaps they were prior to the pandemic, owing to a rise in mental ill health, a breakdown in support services, and the number of young people now living in poverty or destitution...What we certainly need is a cross-government strategy and a cross-government commitment to child poverty reduction, and we don’t yet have that.” SPEECHES AND CORRESPONDENCE Forget the media-friendly soundbites – what else was in those announcements and letters you missed? 15-16 MARCH 2024 Education@Dyslexia Show 2024 | 1 MAY 2024 The Schools &Academies Show | 13/27 JUNE 2024 Eastern/Northern Education Shows SAVE THE DATE 15-16 MARCH 2024 Education@Dyslexia Show2024 NECBirmingham dyslexia.show/education The Dyslexia Show is amajor exhibition dedicated to dyslexia and neurodiversity aimed at individuals, employers, parents and educators. For the latter group, Education@ Dyslexia Showwill feature an extensive line-up of CPD seminars led by expert speakers, along with plenty of opportunities for sharing SEND advice and best practice with school leaders and teachers from around the industry. 13/27 JUNE 2024 Eastern/Northern Education Shows Newmarket Racecourse/Bolton StadiumHotel easterneducationshow.uk / northerneducationshow.uk June sees a pair of events taking place at either end of the country, both aimed at school leadership and senior administration staff.At the Eastern Education Show and Northern Education show, attendees will get to see talks fromthe likes ofAdele Bates, RavWilding (Eastern),Michael Rosen and Dr Pooky Knightsmith (Northern), and take in a series of illuminating sessions on a range of topics. 1 MAY 2024 The Schools &Academies Show ExCeLLondon schoolsandacademiesshow.co.uk Over 180 education suppliers will be in attendance at this event for school leaders and MAT staff, showing off a plethora of products and services intended support educational planning and operations, alongside a series of presentations discussing the latest education trends and policy developments.Of course, there’ll also be CPD opportunities aplenty, via an extensive series of workshops and training sessions. 07 teachwire.net/secondary N E WS | M A R / A P R