News
Pupils targeted in superbug fight
18th November 2008
Schools are being urged to teach pupils about infection control as experts step up the fight against superbugs.
The Health Protection Agency's e-Bug teaching resource uses interactive games and lesson handouts to explain the need for prudent antibiotic use. It will be made available to schools across the UK and the rest of Europe from 2009. The teaching pack is being launched to coincide with the first ever European Antibiotic Awareness Day. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control is co-ordinating the day which will see a series of campaigns launched across EU states. In England, the Department of Health will relaunch its Antibiotics! Do You Need Them? advertising campaign, which was first run at the start of this year. The over-use of antibioitics is considered one of the key reasons for the rise in so-called superbugs because it gives the bacteria the chance to build up immunity to the drugs. The ECDPC will also unveil a breakdown of how each country is doing in tackling antibiotic resistant infections. Throughout the UK , MRSA rates have begun to fall, although the HPA recently warned of a rise in a new breed of antibiotic-resistant bugs. The e-Bug teaching resource, which includes lesson plans, handouts and interactive games, has been developed by the HPA for primary and secondary school pupils. It includes information on good microbes, bad microbes and the importance of hand hygiene as well as warning about the over-use of antibiotics.
'Superficial' inspections warning
17th November 2008
The short, sharp Ofsted inspections present a "superficial snapshot" of England's schools and rely too much on test
and exam results, a report claims.
The report by the think tank Civitas says poorly trained inspectors take a "tick-box" approach to gauging quality. Civitas says Ofsted reports - used by many parents to judge schools - do not give a "well-rounded picture". Ofsted denies relying on test results, and says it considers other evidence, including the observation of lessons. The Civitas report is a collection of essays by nine authors, among them a practising inspector, two head teachers, a parent and a former chief inspector.
They focus on the new "light touch" regime introduced in 2005. Whereas in the past a school could have up to 18 inspectors visiting over four or five days, under the new system this has been reduced to a maximum of five over two days, it points out. One contributor, serving inspector Sarah Drake, said there were some advantages to the new system including a more collaborative approach using schools' self evaluation materials, less disruption for teachers and more frequent inspections. But other elements were less successful, including the tightness of the schedule which could make work difficult and limited the number of lesson observations. "There is a real time shortage for inspectors with the new inspection regime. Thoroughness is imperative for sound inspection judgements," she said. She also noted: "Delays in getting validated statistical data about Sats, GCSE and other test results mean that what we are using can be up to 16 to 18 months out of date."
