Latest news with #SpecialEducationalNeedsandDisabilities
See - Sada Elbalad
11-06-2025
- Politics
- See - Sada Elbalad
British Council Egypt Expands Capacity Building Partnerships to Strengthen Education, Leadership, Youth Skills Development
Ahmed Emam The British Council Egypt is accelerating its investment in capacity building across Egypt's education, youth, and creative sectors through a growing portfolio of partnerships and initiatives. From teacher training and university leadership development to curriculum reform and youth empowerment, the British Council's work is equipping individuals and institutions with the skills, tools, and confidence to shape a more inclusive and prosperous future. This follows recent high-level meetings between Egypt's Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Dr. Mohamed Ayman Ashour, and a senior delegation from Advance HE and the British Council. Discussions focused on strengthening academic leadership, governance, and the professional development of university staff, in alignment with Egypt's Vision 2030. In the school education sector, the British Council continues to build the capacity of teachers through the Teacher Excellence Award (TEA) programme, developed in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Technical Education. In Gharbia Governorate alone, 21 English teachers were recently honoured for completing Level 1 of the programme, equipping them with modern, learner-centred teaching strategies. As part of our broader collaboration with the Ministry, we also supported efforts to promote inclusive education through a nationwide Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) campaign. Aligned with Egypt's Vision 2030, the campaign aimed to raise awareness, foster greater societal integration for students with diverse learning needs, and encourage more inclusive attitudes within schools. The British Council also plays a leading role in national curriculum reform, working with UNICEF to co-develop a new English Curriculum Framework for Grades 10 to 12. This reform aims to embed 21st-century skills and align learning outcomes with the needs of the labour market, ensuring that young people are better prepared for higher education and employment. Beyond the classroom, the Council's capacity-building agenda extends to Egypt's creative and youth sectors. Through the Creative Makersprogramme in Upper Egypt, young creatives are receiving training in design thinking, business development, and entrepreneurship. Meanwhile, initiatives such as Digital Innovation Programme 2024, delivered in partnership with the Ministry of Youth and Sports, and GIZ, are empowering young women, men and people with disabilities in civil society, services, infrastructure and programmes provided by the state. The British Council is also deepening local engagement with government partners. In a recent meeting, the Vice Governor of Giza, Hind Abdelhalim, and British Council Country Director Mark Howard discussed opportunities for collaboration in public service and community development in Agouza. Speaking on the breadth of the Council's capacity-building work, Mark Howard said: "Capacity building is at the heart of everything we do in Egypt. From teacher development and university leadership to youth skills and creative entrepreneurship, we're proud to work alongside Egyptian institutions to create meaningful, long-term change. Together, we are unlocking the potential of Egypt's people and building the foundations for a more inclusive, skilled, and connected future." These efforts are part of the British Council's wider mission to foster connections, understanding, and trust between the people of the UK and Egypt through education, culture, and shared values, contributing to sustainable development and national progress. read more Gold prices rise, 21 Karat at EGP 3685 NATO's Role in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict US Expresses 'Strong Opposition' to New Turkish Military Operation in Syria Shoukry Meets Director-General of FAO Lavrov: confrontation bet. nuclear powers must be avoided News Iran Summons French Ambassador over Foreign Minister Remarks News Aboul Gheit Condemns Israeli Escalation in West Bank News Greek PM: Athens Plays Key Role in Improving Energy Security in Region News One Person Injured in Explosion at Ukrainian Embassy in Madrid News China Launches Largest Ever Aircraft Carrier Sports Former Al Zamalek Player Ibrahim Shika Passes away after Long Battle with Cancer Lifestyle Get to Know 2025 Eid Al Adha Prayer Times in Egypt News Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly Inaugurates Two Indian Companies Business Fear & Greed Index Plummets to Lowest Level Ever Recorded amid Global Trade War Arts & Culture Zahi Hawass: Claims of Columns Beneath the Pyramid of Khafre Are Lies News Flights suspended at Port Sudan Airport after Drone Attacks News Shell Unveils Cost-Cutting, LNG Growth Plan Videos & Features Video: Trending Lifestyle TikToker Valeria Márquez Shot Dead during Live Stream Technology 50-Year Soviet Spacecraft 'Kosmos 482' Crashes into Indian Ocean
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Northern Ireland Department of Education To Launch Research Study to Evaluate AI's Role in Advancing Literacy for Students
Research initiative, led by Oxford Brookes University (OBU) and using Amira, will evaluate evidence-based AI reading interventions to support students and inform national literacy policy BELFAST, Northern Ireland, June 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Northern Ireland Department of Education announced it will fund a national research study to evaluate the impact of AI-powered literacy interventions on reading outcomes with Amira Learning (Amira), particularly for disadvantaged pupils and those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), as part of the RAISE initiative. The study, led by Oxford Brookes University (OBU) and using Amira, will assess the effectiveness of evidence-based AI literacy tools on improving reading outcomes. The study will use a matched-pair design to identify rigorous, policy-relevant evidence to inform national literacy policy and support targeted interventions. For this study, over 15,000 participating pupils will first complete a brief 15-minute baseline assessment to evaluate their literacy skills and identify potential challenges such as dyslexia. This assessment utilizes Amira's AI-powered technology, developed from decades of research at Carnegie Mellon and validated by leading universities, which listens to students read aloud and identifies reading challenges through next-generation assessment capabilities. Over the duration of the study, pupils will engage with Amira, an AI-assisted reading tutor for frequent sessions totaling 20-40 minutes weekly for 12 months. The research methodology includes continuous monitoring and data collection to evaluate effectiveness. Teachers will receive face to face and online training from Oxford Brookes University to support teachers to interpret assessment data through detailed reports, enabling them to identify struggling readers and then implement individualized, evidence-based, targeted interventions aligned with the Science of Reading. This comprehensive approach supports Northern Ireland's ongoing shift toward evidence-based tools making a positive impact on reading outcomes while providing data-driven insights to inform both classroom practices and broader educational policy decisions. Professor Tim Vorley, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Oxford Brookes University, said, "This study gives us a chance to rigorously test how tools like Amira can support what we already know works in primary reading. It's about applying the evidence, not replacing it—with technology that complements and boosts the professionalism of the teachers, rather than competing with it." Minister of Education, Paul Givan MLA, said, "Literacy is core to allowing pupils to access knowledge and all areas of learning within the curriculum. It is the key to unlocking the curriculum and a love for learning. I am looking forward to the outcomes of this research project and how these can inform my Department's policy going forward." Mark Angel, CEO of Amira Learning, said, "Literacy is the foundation of all learning, and it's critical that we ground our efforts in evidence-based practices that actually move the needle for students. This study is an important opportunity to show how AI and the Science of Reading can come together to deliver real, measurable impact in the classroom. At Amira, we're proud to support educators with reading solutions that are not only research-backed, but proven in practice." For more information, visit: About Oxford Brookes University Oxford Brookes is one of the UK's leading modern universities, and is amongst the world's top universities in 23 subject areas. Set in a world-famous student city, it enjoys an international reputation for teaching excellence as well as strong links with business, industry and the public sector. The University is a national leader in teacher education, with over 25 years' experience in preparing teachers, supporting schools, and shaping education policy. Its research in primary literacy, inclusive pedagogy and professional development has informed practice across the UK and beyond. Through its education publishing and development arm, Hamilton Brookes, the university works directly with schools and systems to co-design practical resources that help teachers apply research in real-world settings. Visit for more information. About Amira LearningAmira Learning accelerates literacy outcomes by delivering the latest reading and neuroscience with AI. Propelling gains exceeding human tutoring, Amira is the only AI edtech validated by university and SEA efficacy research. Amira bridges assessment, instruction, and tutoring across one seamless cycle, helping districts achieve instructional coherence. Serving more than 4+ million students and trusted by more than 2,000 schools worldwide, Amira is the intelligent assistant teachers need to turn students into motivated and masterful readers. Visit to learn more. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Amira Learning
The Irish Sun
26-05-2025
- The Irish Sun
I was THROTTLED by boy, 14, in front of my class – but was hauled in front of jobsworth school bosses who disciplined ME
A TEACHER was disciplined by jobsworth school bosses after refusing to teach a pupil who throttled her in front of her class, she claims. Mum Laura Linklater was so traumatised by the incident in Bradford, West Yorkshire, she quit her job and now 3 Laura Linklater 'got in trouble' for refusing to teach her attacker Credit: Laura Linklater 3 Laura's attacker returned to her form group the next week without any warning Credit: Getty The 40-year-old said her teacher training did not 'prepare me to handle' such a To make matters worse, she said the following week the While teaching the Year 10 class, Laura said one pupil suddenly became aggressive. She told The Sun: 'He was really tall, really big and very angry. Read more News 'He came into my class one day barging 'Suddenly, he had me up against the classroom wall Laura described how a 'I was left shaking,' she said. Most read in The Sun She went on to say: 'I was only told he'd been 'dealt with', before he turned up to my registration class next Monday, without a "I refused to teach the student. I didn't blame him; but I refused to have my aggressor in my classroom.' Boy, 7, in school 'knife attack' bid In a subsequent meeting with a superior, she claims she was told 'it's your job' to teach the teenager, and so she threatened to quit. 'He (a superior staff member) found this shocking, and I got in trouble for refusing to teach my attacker.' She added: 'I was having to fight for my Laura said after the meeting: 'I held my tears in long enough to find a classroom to After the meeting, a 'But that was only because of the exceptional kindness of this individual.' Months after the incident in late 2012 she left her job, describing the incident as 'the last straw'. Laura added: "My decision to "You'd be stunned by the number of home educators who are teachers - who've seen the system from the inside out and don't want their kids to go through it." I held my tears in long enough to find a classroom to cry in. Laura Linklater former teacher A survey last month by the NASUWT teachers' union shows that Laura's experience is shockingly common in the profession. It showed that two fifths of school teachers have experienced In detail, 20% of the survey's 5,800 respondents said they had experienced being hit or The results also suggested that such abuse is set to get worse, with a staggering 81% of teachers believing the number of pupils showing violent and abusive behaviours had increased. Thankfully, Laura had received basic self defence training while doing a previous job at PREVENT, working with She fears without this previous training, she would not have been able to keep her attacker away until he was removed. Laura explained: 'My PGCE training did not prepare me to handle kids who towered over me. 'I was given one day of theory-based Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) lectures. 'You come out of it blinking in the sun, with no idea what you're doing.' My teen's school referred me to the POLICE because of a few sick days – I'm fuming but people ask why I'm kicking off By Kate Kulniece A MUM has revealed she's been Mum Sara Louise took to TikTok to rant after being notified that the authorities would be coming to do a welfare check on her child, who is in Year 10. The furious mum explained that her daughter has ''some additional needs'' - which Sara felt like were ''not met by the school''. In ''I only had phone calls to check in and see if she was okay. Some of them I didn't even answer,'' Sara said in The outraged mum went on: ''This term, she's been off for 11 days and they've rung me twice in the 11 days. ''And today, when I answered the phone call, she asked me if she could come out and do a welfare check - and I kindly declined. ''I said 'No, I don't want you to come to my house','' Sara said, adding that her teenager was ''absolutely fine'' and didn't ''want any interaction with the school''. Under the Education (Penalty Notices) Regulations, schools usually consider a welfare check when a child has missed 10 school sessions (equivalent to 5 days) of unauthorised absences within a rolling 10-week period. Schools may conduct a welfare check sooner if they have concerns about a child's wellbeing, even if the absence is shorter. Before a home visit, schools will usually try to contact the parents first to understand the reason for the absence. ''I'm fuming. Because I have now declined, they're telling me that they have a duty of care - which is fine - and safeguarding and all the rest of it, to come out and do this check.'' Sara, who is in the process of moving her daughter to another school, noted that getting the police involved felt as if she was ''hiding'' and ''abusing'' the child. ''I know they haven't said that - but the way that comes across is, like, sinister.'' Despite the school notifying Sara, the mum said there was no chance she was going to the child's school to let them know the daughter was fine ''when she's fine''. ''And there's not a cat in hell's chance that they're coming to my house to see that she's fine.'' The furious mother, who insisted the school had never given ''a s**t'' about her daughter, knew there'd be backlash after posting the clip - but said she didn't ''give a crap''. If the authorities do show up, Sara said she'd be having the conversation with the police from her camera. ''This is what you get for doing what's right for your kid.'' Despite the incredibly high rate of pupil assaults, no mandatory training exists for teachers to deal with violent assault, sexual harassment or sexual assault from pupils. Jennifer Moses, National Official For Equalities and Training at the NASUWT explained: 'Schools are only obligated and trained to deal with pupil-on-pupil or staff-on-pupil violence and 'Schools should have something in their anti-bullying policies or staff handbooks that addresses violence and harassment from pupils, but this is not nationally addressed. "There may be schools that provide this specific training, but I would guess it is very limited, and I am not aware of any such schools.' In a situation where The 2023 NASUWT Behaviour in Schools Report showed that just 55% of teachers reported behavioural incidents to their manager within their school or college. Of those who did not report such behaviours, 36% felt their capability would be called into question as a result. In March, another NASUWT survey showed that nearly half (49%) of female teachers had experienced physical abuse or More than double the number of female teachers said they had been hit or punched by pupils (36%) compared to their male counterparts (13%). This kind of violence is often embedded in 'Amy', a former primary school teacher in London who has chosen to remain She said: 'I was teaching a year 3 class, and a 'This boy refused to take any authority from women, and frequently called me a 'black b****'. 'He kept telling me: 'I'm going to hit you, I'm going to hit you.' 'Then he pulled out a pair of scissors and attacked me with them. 'It was only because we had a 'I'm only 5'2' and this boy was incredibly strong. 'Had the TA not been there, this boy could have run out of the school gates with these scissors.' This boy refused to take any authority from women, and frequently called me a 'black b****'. 'Amy' former teacher Training and support for this teacher were, again, worryingly absent in the aftermath of this attack. 'I had absolutely no training for these kinds of incidents,' Amy said. 'After the attack, the teaching assistant asked if I was OK, but there was no 'The lack of help was so normalised that it's only now that I realise I should have been better protected by the school. 'The only feedback I received was the mother of the child on the phone having a right go at me. 'There's no way I would ever go back into teaching of any form because of my experiences - I don't want to be in those environments. 'I don't know how to keep myself safe.' Pupils armed with weapons The April NASUWT survey showed teachers reporting attacks from pupils with more than just classroom scissors - using weapons such as Again this is not limited to secondary schools, as Amy recalls a year 6 student Many teachers feel that while the behaviour of pupils is getting worse, the tools and deterrents they have available to them to maintain order in classrooms are becoming increasingly scarce. "We can't use language like ' She added: 'When I started teaching, you could take designated 'Now there's not a chance you could have that kind of system in place - you can't have anything where you are seen to be punishing or 'When there's no sanctions, when everything has to be positive the whole time, there's no way of managing the class. 'One of the things that schools did have for really bad behaviour situations or children that were repeated offenders, is that they could 'But now, schools are reluctant to exclude kids - because from the top down, they were instructed to reduce the total number of exclusions.' Susan found the consequences of this toothless sanction system were She said: 'I experienced a range of behaviours from 'This included being physically pushed, kicked or spat at. 'I've been in situations where I've had to 'It didn't matter what stage of school you taught at, you could still be assaulted. 'It was scary, even if they were little, because there's so much 'Students wouldn't have to apologise for an attack on a teacher, especially if they have an additional support need.' In 2024, 40.5% of all pupils in 'As soon as a child has an additional support need, it's like you can't separate that need from She added: 'I believe we've got a proportion of children who are diagnosed with having an additional support need, when they have a behaviour issue.' Susan also noticed a A study for the children's commissioner for England in 2023 found that a quarter of 16-25 year olds in the UK had first seen pornography while in primary school, leading to a normalisation of 'There's a lot more primary school children making inappropriate comments against teachers - it was 'I definitely think, you know, part of that problem is because of the rise in social media and children having access to devices much younger.' 'There's a dislike for females and it's obviously derived a lot from Susan quit teaching just before the start of COVID to start a tutoring service, as she felt that as a regular teacher she was spending far more time managing behaviour than actually 'I love 'I felt a lot of the time in the classroom that I was 'Teachers nowadays do much more 'We're the front line for everything, but we're also the first person that gets shot when something doesn't go right. 'I hear from my ex-colleagues who are still teaching that post COVID, it's got much, much worse. 'The demands on teachers have massively gone up, but the funding and support hasn't - if anything, they've been The Sun has approached Laura's former school for comment. Do you have a similar story? Email 3 Two fifths of school teachers have experienced physical abuse or violence by pupils in the last 12 months Credit: Getty
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
MP calls for fairer funding for county schools
A Gloucestershire MP is calling on the government to make school funding "fairer", with pupils in the county receiving up to £1,000 less each year compared to other parts of England. Cameron Thomas, the Liberal Democrat MP for Tewkesbury, held a debate at Westminster Hall on Tuesday where he highlighted the discrepancy. He said teachers in the county and across England are "on the front line of a genuine crisis to which they have been given no real answers". The Department for Education (DfE) said it will review the way school funding is calculated ahead of the 2026/27 academic year. More news stories for Gloucestershire Listen to the latest news for Gloucestershire The government pays local authorities money to provide education services through what is called the Dedicated Schools Grant. It uses a number of measures such as deprivation levels and local costs to calculate how much each area should receive. A spokesperson said: "We are reviewing the schools and high needs national funding formula (NFFs) for 2026-27 and the following years, recognising the importance of establishing a fair funding system." Gloucestershire is currently in the bottom 20% when it comes to school funding. This means pupils in the county receive up to £1,000 less each year compared to the 20% best funded areas. Thomas, 42, said this has an impact on pupils and teachers, with one Gloucestershire head teacher telling him he spent his holiday fixing the school as it could not afford to employ a caretaker. Speaking to the BBC after the debate, Thomas said: "Quite literally for a pupil it means they are being invested in to a lesser degree than pupils elsewhere in the country, and it might have a significant impact on the opportunities that are available to pupils within the education programme. "But the other victims of this are the teachers. "My head teachers are having to make decisions as to who they can afford to keep in term of their staff and who they need to let go." Thomas has welcomed the government's promise to review the funding formula but said it must result in an increase in the overall money given to schools across England. He believes the government could increase taxes on technology and social media companies to pay for it. "Quite simply, I'm looking for more equity," he said. "What I'm not asking for is to withdraw funds from those more lucratively funded areas of the country. I just want to make sure Gloucestershire gets it's fair share. "I certainly wouldn't like to see Gloucestershire less funded than it is now, it's already in a terrible state and any decrease to their existing funding would be ruinous." Alongside general mainstream school demands, councils across England are also struggling with the increasing costs associated with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) provision. In Gloucestershire, it is estimated the SEND budget will reach a deficit of £170m by the end of the 2028 financial year. The government currently allows local authorities to run this section of the budget at a deficit, but there is currently no clear plan as to how or when councils will be expected to balance this debt. The funding formula for the Dedicated Schools Grant was last reviewed in 2018/19. Follow BBC Gloucestershire on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630. MP banned from Russia after taking aid to Ukraine Funding worth £4.7m to create extra school places Parents devastated pre-school could close over lack of funding Department for Education
BBC News
21-04-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Kent County Council election: when is it and how do I vote?
The polls will open in the Kent County Council election on 1 means the vast majority of people in Kent will get to have their say over who runs many of their local is a huge job – the local authority looks after the largest population in the UK, with more than 1.6 million candidates pound the pavements, knocking on doors and dropping leaflets through our letterboxes, here is everything you need to know about the upcoming election. What does Kent County Council do? County councils provide services that cover the whole of their biggest areas of responsibility is social care for both adults and are also in charge of education, including school places, the Kent Test, free school meals and support for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (Send).Councillors set policies around transport too, including bus travel and fixing road community grants and youth hubs also receive council most of Kent, borough, district and city councils act as a second tier of local government and have different responsibilities, like deciding where homes can be aren't any district, borough or city council elections in Kent this you live in Medway the set up is different. That is because council services are run through a unitary authority. That is one authority in charge of all local services. Medway Council held its last election in May 2023, so it's not due one this year. When is the election and how do I vote? Polling day takes place in the rest of Kent on 1 you have registered to vote you should receive a polling card in the post. This will tell you where to go to deadline has passed to apply for a postal vote and if you have applied for one you may have received it already. If you forget to post it before polling day, you can hand it in to your local polling station on polling need ID to vote, after the previous government changed the means you will need a valid form of photo ID, like a driving licence or a can find a full list of accepted forms of ID you don't have one of these, you can apply online for a Voter Authority Certificate, but it must be done before 17:00 on 23 votes will be counted on 2 May, with the final result due by the evening. Who has been in charge? Kent County Council has been Conservative-run for most of its fact, since it was created in its current format in 1974, it has had a Conservative leader for all but four 1993 and 1997 the authority was led by joint leaders from Labour and the Liberal 1997 the Conservatives won back their majority, which they have held onto since, although their authority was shaken in the 2013 election when Ukip became the second largest party on the council, before losing all their seats four years last election was in 2021, when Boris Johnson was still prime minister and the Conservatives were benefitting from a surge in support following the roll-out of the Covid Tories secured more than 70% of the seats on the year every seat on the council is up for election - meaning residents will elect 81 councillors across 72 divisions. But aren't our local authorities changing anyway? This could be the last time Kent residents are asked to elect county councils like Surrey, East and West Sussex have had their elections cancelled this is because they have been selected to be part of a priority programme for local government government wants to create unitary authorities in each county that are responsible for all local services and are overseen by a directly elected mayor - similar to London and is thought this different structure will pave the way for more devolution of power - meaning local leaders are given more money and and Medway had applied to be part of the priority programme, but were not as the next county council election will not be due for another four years, the authority in Kent could well find itself part of the re-organisation programme before the next term is up. Where can I find out more? You can find out more about the county council elections, including who is standing in your area, here.
