Memorandum submitted by the Department
for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Department for
Education and Skills (T19)
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Department for Education and Skills (DfES)
is responsible for ensuring that people living in rural areas
benefit fully from the Government's policies on education and
skills. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
(Defra) works closely with DfES to assist in the effective design
and delivery of education policy in rural areas.
Examples of successful rural proofing in education
include:
— a dramatic reduction in the number
of rural school closures since 1998 with a formal presumption
against closure in place;
— the connection of schools to broadband
internet which has a range of benefits from networking with other
schools to improving the accessibility of teaching materials;
— transport to educational establishments;
where the Education Maintenance Allowance will be available nationwide
to allow post-16s to access education more easily; and
— connexions service provision where
there are specific rural schemes and work is being done to establish
the cost differentials between delivery in urban and rural areas.
The precise outcomes are described more fully
in this memorandum.
There are a number of processes and structures
in place to ensure effective delivery of education in rural areas.
There are regular Ministerial and official-level meetings, the
Cabinet Sub-Committee on Rural Renewal (DA(RR)), the annual Countryside
Agency rural proofing report, Defra's new rural PSA and the Rural
Schools Group established by DfES. There are also structures in
place to feed in views from outside Government—the Rural
Affairs Forum for England, and its regional counterparts, the
role of the Rural Advocate in talking to people in rural areas
and feeding their views back to Government, and the consultation
that was undertaken for the Rural White Paper published in 2000.
INTRODUCTION
The Countryside Agency's State of the Countryside
Report 2002 reported that rural areas have good access to primary
schools, with 92% of households living within two kilometres.
Secondary schools are normally in larger villages and rural towns
with 76% of rural households living within four kilometres.
On average, the Index of Educational Skills
and Training, which is part of the national Index of Multiple
Deprivation 2000 shows that there is less deprivation in rural
compared to urban areas. There are only 286 (17%) rural wards
within the 1,683 wards defined as the 20% most educationally deprived
in England.
Defra's role in education policy is to help
DfES ensure that the design and implementation of education policy
takes particular rural factors into account. A key feature of
rural proofing is that primary responsibility falls to the department
itself—in this case, DfES.
Defra's role is two-fold:
— to assist by making available the
knowledge and understanding that Defra and its agencies, especially
the Countryside Agency, have about the needs and opportunities
in rural areas; and
— promoting the need for rural proofing
at Ministerial and official level and working to ensure that all
departments discharge the commitment to rural proofing contained
in the rural white paper.
Some examples of particular rural factors that
need to be looked at for education policy are the importance of
the school to small rural communities, both as a building and
also as part of the social fabric of the area; the extra costs
associated with providing the school, such as those related to
transport; the higher average cost per pupil of the school due
to lower roll-numbers; any differences needed in teaching methods
and styles due to, for instance, having more than one year group
in one class; and for wider educational needs, the accessibility
of the population to the various courses provided by, for instance,
further education institutions.
A development in Government policy that will
benefit rural areas is Defra's new rural Public Service Agreement
target and the element which will improve access to post-16 education
an training in rural areas.
The Cabinet Sub-Committee on Rural Renewal (DA(RR))
provides a vehicle for discussion and co-ordination of rural issues
at Ministerial level. It considers, among other things, the Countryside
Agency's annual report on rural proofing. On occasion, specific
Departments are asked to contribute a paper about their work in
rural areas.
DfES has established a Rural Schools Group which
consists of senior officials (including from Defra) and representatives
from the education sector and is chaired by the DfES Minister
whose remit covers rural issues.
The Rural Affairs Forum for England has given
rural stakeholders a voice at the centre of government. The Forum
can be expected to want to discuss rural education issues at some
point in the year ahead. It also has its regional forums. Rural
views are also represented to Government by the Rural Advocate.
ISSUES RAISED
BY THE
COMMITTEE
Structures and arrangements put in place by Defra
to ensure that the needs of rural areas are taken into account
in decisions relating to schools made by the Department for Education
and Skills and by local authorities; and the effectiveness of
"rural proofing" education policy.
It is first necessary to consider the structures
and arrangements put in place by DfES.
Structures and arrangements put in place by DfES
Consideration of rural issues is mainstreamed
across all DfES policies. Policy teams liaise regularly wit Defra
colleagues on a range of policy issues and DfES monitor their
progress in a variety of ways including regular reports to the
Countryside Agency.
DfES has fully embedded rural proofing into
its policy development procedures and rural proofing is an integral
part of their Business Planning process. The Department's internal
website provides policy makers with detailed guidance on how to
take account of rural proofing in policy development. This guidance
is further supported by the inclusion of the Countryside Agency's
Rural Checklist. Frequent reminders of the need to ensure that
policy makers take account of the needs of rural communities when
developing policy are also included in articles on the Department's
internal news centre. Again these articles are supported by links
to advice and guidance.
DfES have also established a contact point within
the Department who regularly liaises with colleagues in Defra
and the Countryside Agency on rural issues. Further direct links
have also been established between policy makers in key areas
such as Connexions which again help to ensure that any policy
developments or decisions do not disadvantage rural communities.
DfES also run a Rural Schools Group which consists
of senior officials (including from Defra) and representatives
from the education sector and is chaired by the DfES Minister
whose remit covers rural issues. It will consider all issues surrounding
schools in rural areas.
As part of the ongoing dialogue, DfES provides
regular reports to the Countryside Agency on the Department's
work on rural issues. An updated example of the type of report
that the Department submits to the Countryside Agency is attached
at Annex A.
Rural issues have been taken into account in
a variety of areas in recent years. For example, the recent Education
White Paper, the presumption against rural school closures, the
ICT in Schools Programme (formally the National Grid for Learning)
and the Small Schools Fund.
Structures and arrangements put in place by Defra
The Rural White Paper sets out the Government's
current rural policy, and includes some specific items on education.
Defra has a team working on education issues in rural areas. There
is daily contact with different policy teams in DfES on a wide
range of issues.
As well as the ongoing contact, there have recently
been bilateral meetings at both senior official and Ministerial
level. Defra's Director of Rural Economies and Communities has
met separately with DfES' Director General, Youth; the Director
General, Schools; the Director for Adult Learning; and the Director,
Strategy and Communications. The Minister of State for Rural Affairs
met with the Secretary of State for Education and Skills in December.
As a result of the December meeting, a joint DfES/Defra taskforce
led by senior officials has been established to take forward the
joint DfES/Defra agenda. The taskforce's progress will be monitored
by Ministers at two-monthly meetings.
The Countryside Agency's annual rural proofing
report is part of the system established in the Rural White Paper
to ensure that the needs of rural areas are taken into account
in policymaking.
A further development that will benefit rural
areas is Defra's new rural Public Service Agreement target, particularly
the element focused on improving access to post-16 education and
training in rural areas. Although this relates to the whole of
post-16 education, some of the impact will be on schools especially
those providing a sixth form level education and maybe those with
out of hours learning facilities.
The Secretary of State for Environment, Food
and Rural Affairs chairs the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Rural Renewal
(DA(RR)). This receives the Countryside Agency's annual report
and takes a variety of papers from around Government about policy
work and delivery in rural areas.
Defra has established the Rural Affairs Forum
for England as a means of enabling rural stakeholders to ensure
that their voice is heard at the centre of government and that
they are able to contribute to policy formulation. It is envisaged
that a future meeting of the Forum will cover rural education
issues, giving a wide range of stakeholders the opportunity to
contribute.
Defra is also undertaking a review into skills
education and learning in rural areas. This was promised in the
Government's response to the Curry Commission report on the future
of food and farming and covers two areas. Firstly it will examine
the provision of business related education and training in rural
areas, with a view to establishing if there are deficiencies which
are holding back rural areas and a model for improving that. Secondly,
it will look at the provision of training and other support for
rural-specific businesses and occupations. It is focused on Defra's
work on the vocational skills base of rural areas, and aims to
provide a set of recommendations to take this work forward, in
particular for the Spending Review 2004 process.
Progress in implementing the provisions of the Rural
White Paper relating to Supporting local schools; and progress
in ensuring that rural schools remain open and able to deliver
high quality education.
Presumption against closure of rural schools
Low numbers of pupils in small rural communities
and higher (per pupil) costs in small schools could put rural
schools at risk of closure. A formal presumption against the closure
of local schools was adopted in February 1998, and was incorporated
in the Rural Services Standard the Rural White Paper 2000. This
ensures that the need to preserve access to a local school for
rural communities is taken into account when considering closure
proposals.
The presumption against the closure of rural
schools was introduced in February 1998. Prior to this, an average
of 30 rural schools were approved for closure per year. Since
1998 the number has reduced to an average of three approvals per
year.
The DfES has not said that any rural school
will not close, but the case for closure needs to be strong and
the proposals clearly in the best interests of educational provision
in the area. The Department does not itself bring forward proposals
to close rural schools. Since September 1999, most statutory proposals
for changes to schools have been decided by a School Organisation
Committee or, if the Committee could not agree, by an independent
Schools Adjudicator.
Closure can make sense, for example when all
the parties are in agreement or when an alternative school can
offer superior facilities within an acceptable travelling distance.
In some cases schools may be failing to provide an acceptable
education, or they may be in run-down premises that could be refurbished
but only at a disproportionate cost when the long-term viability
of the school was in doubt. Each case is decided on its individual
merits in the light of the factors given in the Secretary of State's
Guidance on Statutory Proposals.
Small Schools Fund
Many rural schools are also small schools and
benefit from the Small Schools Fund. This Standards Fund grant,
worth a total of £80 million a year, provides extra funding
from which small schools can meet proportionately higher administrative
and other costs, and also encourages the development of innovative
approaches to collaboration to raise standards and reduce burdens.
For 2003-04 funding will be made as part of the new "School
Support Staff" grant.
Small Schools Fund money is allocated to Local
Education Authorities (LEAs) according to the number of primary
and special schools with 200 pupils or less and secondary schools
with 600 pupils or less. The funding is particularly intended
to support collaborative projects, such as shared bursars or pooled
administrative staff, although an element of it can be spent on
extending hours of existing administrative staff, buying in staff
cover or investing in ICT equipment.
LEAs can retain a small percentage of funding
to set up collaboration projects. LEAs therefore have a key role
in facilitating collaboration and "clustering" in small/rural
schools. This is important not only for the success of the Small
Schools Fund but also for other linked policies, for example,
the promotion of shared bursar arrangements (part of the Bursar
Development Programme) and shared curriculum activities.
IT/Broadband Access—ICT in Schools Programme
Evidence from the USA has shown that IT/Broadband
access can have positive benefits to pupils in rural communities
and help them overcome potential barriers to learning such as
access to information.
The latest broadband target was announced by
the Prime Minister recently—"Every primary and secondary
school in the England will have broadband Internet access by 2006".
The target is for all schools to have a broadband
connection by 2006 at bandwidths appropriate to their particular
circumstances and needs. Typically, primary schools should be
connected at a minimum of two megabits per second (Mbps) and secondary
schools at a minimum of eight Mbps by 2006. All connections should
be "symmetric" ie the same speed in both directions.
A broadband internet connection not only helps
schools access learning or teaching materials, but also helps
schools collaborate together and link up as networks in remoter
areas. The Government has committed over £300 million over
the next three years to provide all schools with broadband capability,
and a sparsity factor is included in the resource allocation formula,
to take account of the higher cost of providing broadband connections
to rural schools.
The DfES have set up ten Regional Broadband
Consortia (RBCs) of LEAs to help deliver broadband access to schools
in their region through working together to procure broadband
telecommunications more cost-effectively than would be possible
in isolation. RBCs should provide co-ordinated and cost-effective
Internet connectivity for schools, including those in rural areas.
The DfES is encouraging LEAs and RBCs to consider
local connectivity issues when formulating their strategies. This
would include any rural issues such as remoteness or lack of infrastructure,
thereby ensuring that rural-specific issues are taken into account.
Issues for Rural Schools
The cost of providing similarly powerful connections
varies significantly depending on geographical factors and proximity
to modern telephone exchanges. The cost of providing broadband
to smaller and remote schools can sometimes be prohibitively expensive.
For those schools not scheduled to be upgraded
to broadband until the end of the period (August 2006), asymmetric
solutions such as ADSL or satellite could provide an interim solution.
Schools adopting this solution should have a plan to upgrade to
true broadband by 2006.
Schools in particularly remote areas will never
be able to receive broadband using the conventional fixed-line
solution, as the cost of installing the cable would not provide
value for money. Wireless solutions, using radio signals, can
be used to deliver broadband in these circumstances. This type
of solution involves high initial capital costs but relatively
low running costs after installation.
Education Maintenance Allowances
Spending Review 2002 announced that the Education
Maintenance Allowance will be extended nationally from September
2004. This follows extensive evaluation of the pilots which showed
increases in participation (of 5.9 percentage points) and retention
(of 7.3 percentage points). Education Maintenance Allowances are
means tested funds paid to students aged 16 to 19 to help them
with costs of attending college or sixth form. Evaluation shows
that the main use of these funds are on transport, books and other
study related equipment.
Community and Extended Schools
The Government has encouraged the Community
schools network to give schools an opportunity to share ideas
and experiences. This is of particular relevance to schools in
rural areas as often the school is the only "community"
building in an area, so its facilities are often important to
that settlement. This takes forward in a more structured way the
community schools agenda.
Extended Schools is the initiative that the
Government is using to encourage community use of schools of schools
for non-educational purposes. These may be for health clinics,
advice services, leisure facilities or other community uses. In
rural areas, where small settlements often lack a community facility,
the use of the local school makes a lot of sense. With the current
interest in village halls and similar buildings, extending the
use of the local school—a building connected to all the
utilities, including broadband internet—is something which
can bring enormous benefits to a community. Defra has worked extensively
with DfES officials in recent months to ensure that the guidance
for the new Extended Schools initiative effectively reflects rural
issues such as ensuring there is transport provision for afterhours
activities.
Local Education Authority funding
The Government has consulted on creating a fairer
financial regime for schools which includes a "sparsity"
element to reflect the costs of school transport in rural areas,
and the resulting recent formula review on local government reflected
those issues. The new formula recognises factors such as transport
costs, higher average costs per pupil and population sparsity.
School Transport
LEAs must provide free transport if they consider
it necessary to enable a pupil to attend school, and they may
help other pupils with their fares. Free transport is always necessary
for a pupil of compulsory school age (5-16) who attends the nearest
suitable school if it is beyond the statutory walking distance
of two miles for children under eight years and three for children
aged eight and above. This ensures that education for compulsory
school age pupils is accessible to rural communities.
In cases where pupils do not qualify for free
transport, LEAs may help by paying all or part of the pupil's
travelling expenses. They may take account of parental means in
deciding whether or not to do so. But it is for each authority
to decide whether and how to exercise these powers.
Additionally the new local government funding
formula contains a "sparsity" element to reflect the
costs of home to school transport in rural areas and to help rural
primary schools. Many urban authorities also receive extra funding
for "sparsity" to reflect those extra costs
Connexions
Connexions is an advice and guidance service
that is now working across most of England and which will be national
by April 2003 in 47 partnerships which follow Learning and Skills
Councils boundaries. Connexions offers support to all young people
between 13 and 19 on a wide range of issues, not simply careers.
To do this it works inside but also beyond institutions. To enable
delivery, Personal Adviser support is allocated to schools, colleges
and "outreach" work on a partnership-wide basis, determined
locally according to an agreed and transparent formula which takes
account of the size of young people's need. Support is also available
via electronic links such as Connexions Direct, one-stop shops
in centres of population and in some rural areas via mobile facilities.
Defra officials have been very much involved
in ensuring the Connexions programme is delivered effectively
in rural areas, and there are regular ministerial and official-level
meetings on the subject. A study of the impact of rurality on
Connexions delivery is being carried out and due to report early
in 2003. The Connexions funding formula is regularly reviewed.
Stakeholder involvement
The Government has also helped establish the
Forum for Rural Children and Young People to help shape policy
and practice on children's and young people's issues, including
education, to meet rural needs. This provides a valuable opportunity
for children and young people in rural areas to feed into the
work of Government.
Education White Paper
The national consultation process drew responses
from rural interests. In the White Paper, consideration was given
to how to deliver specialisms through smaller schools. A "cluster"
approach has been developed to allow smaller rural schools to
pool resources and experience. Two of the diversity pathfinder
projects are rural (in Cornwall and Hertfordshire). The City Academy
model has also been extended, so it could operate in rural areas.
Federations
Federations were introduced by the Education
Act 2002 and provide for networks of schools to be created, as
is described in the case study below about the Lincolnshire Rural
Academy. They greatly enhance an area's institutional capacity
on education and so improve the opportunities on offer to the
population.
Academies
The Education Act 2002 extended provision to
all age Academies and for Academies in rural areas. Academies
are publicly funded independent schools which are a key element
in the Government's strategy for raising educational standards
in the most difficult and challenging areas. The involvement of
sponsors in Academies is key to the change in culture and attitude
required to break the cycle of underachievement.
Best practice both in this country and abroad.
CASE STUDIES
Broadband in Rural Schools in the South West:
The regional purchasing power held by South
West Grid for Learning—SWGfL—has enabled the Grid,
operating as a single entity, to negotiate highly competitive
prices for a scalable solution for the supply of broadband connectivity.
This solution is available throughout the Grid region at a standard
cost. Through the SWGfL, schools in remote geographical locations
have already been connected to broadband services. In the SW region
such schools acting individually or even within an individual
LEA would either have been unable to secure broadband connectivity
or would face a substantial cost. The contract has the flexibility
to enable LEAs with existing communications infrastructure to
capitalise on that investment whilst still connecting to the SWGfL.
Buckfastleigh Broadband Community Network:
The town and community of Buckfastleigh exemplify
present concerns about the "digital divide"—the
possibility of exclusion from the information revolution stemming
from the physical inability of some communities to access digital
resources but also impairing the development of digital literacy
in the community and access to developing opportunities for e-learning—likely
to be of particular benefit in sparsely populated areas.
In Buckfastleigh a "community broadband
network" is being implemented, connecting key public facilities—School;
Town Hall; Library—using the latest Broadband technologies.
A Marketing and Public Broadband Internet Access Centre (WAVE)
in the High Street will promote and demonstrate Broadband services.
There are also plans to extend the broadband network to a number
of strategic locations around the town. This integrated community
based approach makes implementing broadband far more cost effective
than planning connections in isolation.
Lincolnshire Rural Academy
Lincolnshire is a distinctly rural area. There
is a lack of life chances due to poor access, low service provision,
few cultural attractions and a single sector employment base.
The proportion of young people staying on into further education
post 16 is low, and problems persist with literacy and numeracy
skills. Graduate retention and recruitment of skilled teachers
also present significant challenges.
Lincolnshire County Council has established
a "Rural Academy" within the Rural Action Zone of South
Holland District Council. The Academy aims to use information
and communications technology to bring together eight secondary
schools, 43 primary schools, two special schools, two further
education colleges and two higher education institutions. Specific
projects include new multimedia approaches to learning, supporting
modern foreign languages teaching, family learning with adults
and children learning together and supporting adult basic and
key skills. Access will also be provided to health, cultural and
Connexions services.
The aims of the Rural Academy include to:
— develop new approaches to learning;
— increase opportunities for "out
of hours" learning;
— enhance key skills (literacy, numeracy
and ICT);
— develop family learning programmes;
— provide guidance for all young people
through the Connexions personal advisers;
— ensure access to the "community
grid for learning";
— develop a community arts project
on school sites, linked to a national gallery;
— improved access to libraries, cultural
and heritage sites;
— address skills shortages to create
an adaptable workforce; and
— create sustainable partnerships,
including clustering arrangements between businesses, communities
and schools.
Specific projects within the Rural Academy include:
— Classroom of the future—to
develop new approaches to learning through the use of new multimedia
communication and projection units; and to use this new technology
to engage learners more actively within lessons.
— Supporting modern foreign languages
teaching—imaginative use of ICT to facilitate contact for
learners with a range of native speakers; to share best practice
in teaching foreign languages; and to improve foreign language
skills in the workplace through workplace conversations with GCSE
and A Level pupils and their teachers.
— Family learning—to support
adults and children learning together, through building links
and sharing resources between family learning schools; and using
conferencing as a means to deliver master-class sessions with
interaction between participants situated in different venues.
— Adult skills—to support adult
basic and key skill delivery by providing increased access to
learning content; providing a non-threatening introduction to
the use of Windows through a touch-sensitive whiteboard; and providing
tutors with a vehicle to develop interactive lessons.
Working with partners
The Rural Academy will increase opportunities
for learning and participation by bringing together partners and
organisations to address challenges and barriers, particularly
in rural and sparsely populated areas. Organisations which are
prioritising and supporting work within the Rural Academy include:
— The personal adviser work of the
Connexions Service.
— Cultural Services including tourism,
libraries and heritage.
— Education Business Link.
— Learning and Skills Council.
— Further Education Colleges and Universities.
Partners bring expertise and resources to enhance
the capacity and flexibility of the Rural Academy. In return they
gain from being at the forefront of educational developments using
the latest ICT equipment.
What has been achieved so far
Enhancement of cultural and social opportunities
within the area and easier access to all services. The beginning
of e government for the Lincolnshire/South Holland community.
Next steps
— Family Learning programmes increased
across all establishments.
— Business Forum established to begin
workplace-learning opportunities.
ICT IN PRACTICE
IN THE
USA
Rural Alaskan Schools
Technology is improving virtually all aspects
of rural education for teachers, administrators and students in
the Northwest Arctic Borough School District (NWABSD), where rural
students now have access to many of the same tools as urban students.
Until 1998, schools in the district had little
communication with each other and with district administrators.
Students interacted only with other classmates, few of whom were
the same age or grade level. Teachers from different schools only
met occasionally at training events, and even sending mail was
a challenge. Principals in village schools had to send mail via
plane to the largest town in the school district.
Teachers and students also had minimal access
to resources.
In 1998, the district hired General Communication
Inc. (GCI), an Alaskan-based telecommunications company with expertise
in delivering Internet services to rural schools, to drop the
56K Internet lines in all 12 schools. To keep the schools up to
speed, GCI's full-time E-Rate specialist helped the schools apply
for and win federal funding to upgrade their connections.
Impact on Students
The technology has helped to combat the districts
truancy problem by making school more interesting and fun for
students. Students are more engaged in learning, excited about
school and have a greater awareness of the larger world. Teachers
also use the internet in a variety of ways to provide hands-on
learning opportunities for students. For example, a popular lesson
with many teachers involves the students use of e-mail provided
by GCI's School Access. Each student has an "E-Pal,"
a peer in a different state or country to chat with via e-mail.
E-Pals allow students to learn about geography, history and social
science, while enhancing their writing and communication skills.
The Internet also enables students to expand
their knowledge of the world outside their village and learn lessons
unavailable in textbooks. A Middle school student uses the Internet
to research stocks
The amount of time students spend on the Internet
doing research, writing papers and e-mailing friends has made
them incredibly computer savvy. Recently, more than 50 students
volunteered to attend a three-week summer academy to improve their
reading, math and technology skills. Six students completed an
A+ Certification Class, a testing program that measures knowledge
in computer hardware and software. The technology department,
impressed by the students' technological capabilities, hired them
for the remainder of the summer.
Impact on Teachers
Students are not the only benefactors of technology
at school. For the first time in the school district, teachers
have access to resources they never had before. For example, teachers
can collaborate with each other via e-mail about lesson plans
and useful Web sites they find. They can also use the Internet
to enhance their curriculum and actively involve students in class
activities. In addition, teachers no longer have to spend their
vacation taking classes at universities miles away; many now take
online classes from schools throughout the country.
GENERAL EXAMPLES
School Administration
Many institutions have used ICT to improve their
administrative functions and introduce on-line student registration.
In USA, Broward County School District in Florida worked with
IBM to build a central data warehouse which teachers and administrators
use to document, access and assess students' performance records
and target underachievers. This has helped the District to implement
its School Accountability and Improvement policy. Some schools
in Sweden use ICT for student examinations and assessment.
Curriculum Delivery
The use of ICT is growing across all levels
and adopted for cross-curricular delivery (not just as a subject
in its own right) to enhance the quality and effectiveness of
the teaching-learning process.
Others
Denmark is currently piloting the use of text
messages on mobile phones and computers to boost the performance
of under-achieving 14-17 year olds. Since they are familiar with
the technology, the "under-achieving" pupils have began
asking for homework.
Secondary schools in Singapore and Malaysia
have successfully used computer clubs as an extra-curricular activity.
Distance/ Virtual Learning
The increasing widespread use of ICT in open
and distance learning has proved particularly useful in higher
education in the provision of virtual mobility and flexible learning
choices for non-traditional students. In USA, institutions use
ICT for distance learning in degree and non-degree courses.
Teacher Training
In view of their essential role, present and
future teachers are being trained and equipped to use ICT and
teaching innovations. Sweden, through the Tools for Learning (1999-2001)
has trained about 40% teachers in service along with their pupils
in small groups, on how to use ICT in the classroom.
Network
Through ICT, students and teachers have improved
and forged electronic networks at national and international levels
via email, video-conferences, telematics, etc. Primary and secondary
maths and Science teachers use LabNet in USA to gather ideas and
materials to enhance teaching and learning. Similarly, Canada's
SchoolNet has been used to create cyber-classrooms linking students
and teachers from prisons, rural and isolated communities; and
Europe is successful in creating e-communities of students and
teachers through its Schoolnet.
27 January 2003
Annex A
Rural Proofing in the Department for Education
and Skills: Existing/ new major policy developments that have
been rural proofed
| Policy development
| Rural proofing activity | Policy adjustments and outcomes
|
| Sure StartRural dimension: how far this initiative to tackle social exclusion among young children will target rural needs and whether its delivery suits rural circumstances.
| The Sure Start Unit worked closely with the Countryside Agency to identify needy rural areas and see if the standard Sure Start model needed adapting. The Agency was involved in a workshop for rural bidders.
| The bidding guidance was changed to suit rural circumstances eg giving longer planning cycles and allowing for higher unit costs. There are currently 13 rural Sure Start programmes in total. In addition, another £22 million mini-round is being specifically targeted at pockets of deprivation, mostly in rural areas.
|
| Extension of free nursery placesRural dimension: how far this reaches the rural population, where there are fewer facilities and generally fewer local childcare providers.
| The Department has become involved in an advisory capacity with a Countryside Agency project to map existing childcare facilities and develop an indicator of rural provision.
| Too early to assess the impact of the mapping work, though extra rural childcare places already being delivered through ongoing Early Years Development and Childcare Partnerships.
|
| National Childcare StrategyRural dimension: extent to which meets the needs of deprived children in rural areas and what facilities exist for rural delivery.
| Strategy pre-dates 2001-02, but in this year the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnerships, who deliver it, held rural workshops, a secondee was placed in DfES to take forward rural issues and a "Rural Solutions Award" was established to encourage rural thinking.
| A number of policy developments have been introduced specifically to enhance the initiative in rural areas. From April 2001 8,728 new childcare places were created in Cornwall, Devon, Durham and Lincolnshire.
|
| Children at risk cross-cutting review(part of the 2002 Spending Review) Rural dimension: how far will it consider rural delivery issues and propose solutions suited to rural areas.
| Defra and the Countryside Agency sit on the steering group for this review.
| Too early to assess. |
| Neighbourhood NurseriesRural dimension: whether an appropriate proportion of the planned new nurseries will be established in dispersed rural communities, where it has often proved difficult to establish such facilities.
| EYDCPs were asked to prioritise areas according to need and strategic plans. Flexibility was created so they could also identify additional pockets of disadvantage, often in rural communities. So far, Neighbourhood Nurseries (NN) Monitoring returns from EYDCPs shows that 54 NN, around 5% of the total will be located in rural areas (as defined by the EYDCPs), providing 1,694 childcare places.
| Too early to assess. |
| Education White PaperRural dimension: how far its objectives for more specialist schools and creating more choice between schools can be delivered in rural areas.
| There was a national consultation process to which rural interests respond. Consideration was given to how to deliver specialisms through smaller schools.
| A "cluster" approach is being developed to allow smaller rural schools to pool resources and experience. Two of the diversity pathfinder projects are rural (in Cornwall and Hertfordshire). The City Academy model has also been extended, so it could operate in rural areas.
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| Presumption against rural school closuresRural dimension: low numbers of pupils in small rural communities and higher (per pupil) costs in small school could put rural schools at risk of closure.
| The policy of a presumption against rural school closures pre-dates 2001-02. It was taken forward as a rural White Paper service standard. There has been no new initiative this year, although the existing guidance has continued to be applied and promoted.
| Since 1998 the number of rural schools approved for closure has fallen from average of 30 a year to three per year.
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| Skills for LifeRural dimension: rural accessibility to education/training facilities and to information for this national strategy to improve adult literacy and numeracy skills.
| The priority groups identified in Skills for Life acknowledge that adults with basic skills needs in disadvantaged communities will include rural areas as well as urban locations.We are extending the pathfinder model to test the new infrastructure for those learners whose first language is not English. The ESOL pathfinders have yet to be chosen but are likely to include one in a principally rural area. In addition one of the aims of the pathfinder projects is to investigate ways of improving / increasing access to ESOL learning.
| Pilot activities in Pathfinder areas include rural locations in Cambridgeshire and Gloucestershire, which are being evaluated.
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| UK online centresRural dimension: the aim of widening access to IT in disadvantaged communities offers particular potential to assist remote communities.
| Rural considerations have been built into the development of UK online Centres. The Department is working with the Countryside Agency on an evaluation of the rural centres.
| The bidding guidance was broadened to include rural areas with significant transport problems and pockets of deprivation within more prosperous areas. Rural areas have been specifically targeted by the initiative. The DfES have been working with the Countryside Agency on a joint project "Pubs online", to establish up to 10 CMF funded UK online centres in pubs within North Yorkshire, of which 12 out of 15 are now operational.
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| Wired up Communities InitiativeRural dimension: The aim of providing households with the technology to connect to the internet offers particular benefits to remote communities.
| The initiative has been piloted in seven communities, including two rural.
| Unlikely to be any further work in this area. An online tool kit will be published for other communities to use.
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| ICT in Schools Programme (formally the National Grid for Learning Programme) Rural dimension: whether rural schools are benefiting fully from the roll out of this 1998 IT initiative.
| Initiative pre-dates 2001-02, but ongoing funding decisions were made this year. A sparsity factor is included in the resource allocation formula, to take account of the higher cost of providing broadband connections to rural schools.
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| Extending assistance with access/travel costs to educationRural dimension: ensuring the funds being developed operate well in rural areas, where travel distances tend to be longer and costlier.
| Several rural areas are included in the current 58 Transport Pathfinder Initiatives. A second tranche of 12 Pathfinders will be launched in October and these include three rural areas.Changes to the legislation surrounding post 16 transport are being introduced in Jan 2003 through the Education Act 2002. These changes will lead to greater collaboration in planning and will provide a co-ordinated set of local transport policy statements supported by LEA, LSC, Passenger Transport Authority and college partnerships. This will result in: more effective use of the funding available, more equitable levels of support between colleges and schools and increased participation and retention of young people in further education. Transport costs in rural areas tend to be higher and services poorer. Young people in these areas will benefit from the improvements made as a result of partnership working.
| No adjustments considered necessary at this stage.
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| Merged Fund to assist small schoolsRural dimension: could be particularly beneficial in rural areas, where there are more small schools that may want to work jointly.
| Rural issues were considered at the development stage, which was prior to 2001-02.
| No further adjustment considered necessary, as policy designed for small schools.(£80 million/yr. in total has been allocated for the period to 2004.)
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| Local Learning PartnershipsRural dimension: extent to which these Partnerships, which help improve collaboration between providers of lifelong learning and ensure that learning features in local regeneration strategies, will reach rural people and their needs.
| Consideration of rural issues by individual Partnerships.
| Many examples of specific projects/activities covering wide range of issues relevant to rural communities.
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| LearndirectRural dimension: Ufi/learndirect develops learning materials which allow people and businesses to learn in "bite-sized chunks" online through the Internet at a pace and at times that suit them and wherever they have access to the Internet - at one of nearly 2000 learning centres, at home or at work. Ufi/learndirect's activities are relevant to people with all kinds of backgrounds, social and economic circumstances and skill needs. Courses include environmental services and retail and distribution.
| Rural issues considered. | Ufi/learndirect's activities are relevant to people with all kinds of backgrounds, social and economic circumstances and skills needs. Courses cover areas such as environmental services and retail and distribution.
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| Learning and Skills CouncilsRural dimension: whether the strategies of these new local bodies address the particular training needs of rural economies and rural communities, and how they deliver training to dispersed populations.
| Views on skills strategies sought via a national discussion document, "Meeting Sector Skills Needs". Has held some discussions with the Countryside Agency about rural trades. Local LSC offices have worked closely with local partners to develop locally focused delivery plans.
| Too early to assess fully, but will be delivered locally with Council members drawn from the local community, so scope for rural interest to be raised.
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| Modern apprenticeships schemeRural dimension: how this proposal to provide an apprenticeship place for everyone who wants one is accessible to rural communities provides choice in opportunities and meets the needs of rural economies. Plans to create an entitlement to a Modern Apprenticeship may be more challenging in rural areas where there are fewer medium and large businesses and greater distances.
| Activity of Learning and Skills Councils applies.
| Too early to assess. Outcomes will occur through local delivery by Learning and Skills Councils.
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| ConnexionsRural dimension: how easy it will be in rural areas to establish this integrated service, providing a personal adviser and advice service for teenagers on careers, further education and other support needs.
| Defra sit on the Ministerial Connexions Group. The Countryside Agency has been asked to act as an "expert reader" of the Connexions Partnership business plans. From 2003-04 Government Offices (GOs) will lead on the assessment of these business plans which will place greater emphasis on concentrating on local needs and will enable GOs to obtain the views of local voluntary organisations on the services offered to rural young people in their region. Connexions Service National Unit are currently investigating the costs in delivering Connexions in rural and urban areas. CSNU are also involved with the Countryside Agency's study into developing practice in rural Connexions Partnerships. Both of these will report in early 2003. The Connexions team is also represented on the Rural Children's and Young People's Forum.
| The Departments guidance for phase two and three Connexions Partnerships was adjusted so that their business and delivery plans are rural proofed using the checklist.44 Partnerships are now live. The remaining three Partnerships will go live in 2003 to cover the whole of England
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| Increased Flexibility for 14-16 Year OldsRural dimension: early evaluation findings in 2003 will reveal what proportion of the 30,000 placements in colleges being created will benefit rural young people.
| The Department and the Learning and Skills Council, in developing this initiative, considered rural areas during the allocation of funds.
| Funding covers support with travelling costs.
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| Centres for Vocational ExcellenceRural dimension: whether any located to serve rural communities and if suited to needs of rural economies.
| Rural pilots. | Three of the 16 Pathfinder COVES, announced in July 2001, are in rural locations. Two deal specifically with agriculture, the other on supporting Tourism post-FMD.
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| Excellence in CitiesRural dimension: whether this type of scheme could be applied to rural areas as well as cities and, thereby, target rural disadvantage.
| Targeting of smaller areas of disadvantage considered.
| This scheme has been expanded to include Excellence Clusters, which will tackle small pockets of educational disadvantage.
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| Special Education NeedsSmall Programme FundRural dimension: There may be issues concerning the delivery of this in rural areas and the ability to create partnerships to bid for funds.
| There is a general aim to support bids from across the country.
| The 47 successful bids in 2001-02 included three in rural areas (in Devon, Somerset and Suffolk).
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| Early Excellence CentresRural Dimension: Whether any Early Excellence Centres are rural
| One of the key aims of the Early Excellence Centre (EEC) programme is to establish a nation-wide—including in rural areas—network of beacons of excellence which provide local foci for training and dissemination activity to support the wider development for high-quality integrated services. Particular care is taken in selecting centres which provide models of good practice in both urban and rural areas, giving good geographical spread.
| Of the current 91 EECs, nine are either in rural areas, and/or serve rural communities, in: Bedfordshire, Cumbria, Cornwall, Devon, Herefordshire, Northumberland, Oxfordshire (2), Somerset. They typically offer both centre based and outreach services to meet the needs of their scattered and often isolated communities.
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| Review of 14-19 education—flexibility in the curriculumRural Dimension: Whether the aim to use a collaborative approach to provide a more flexible and integrated education for 14-19 year olds is deliverable in rural areas where there are often greater distances between schools and fewer medium and large businesses to offer training etc.Whether the plans to use ICT to overcome problems with distance will provide education of a comparable quality to that in more accessible areas?Whether Small businesses can be brought into the 14-19 educational sector
| The policy has always had rural issues as a key dimension. Several of the 50 areas invited to submit a proposal for pathfinder status in 2002-03 are rural ones.
| The Green Paper 14-19: extending opportunities, raising standards, proposed pathfinders to inform the full national development of the 14-19 phase. Year one pathfinders will be announced in autumn 2002 and will include rural pathfinders enabling the testing of the practicalities of collaboration in a rural area.
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