PA/BESA Education Conference to explore impact of recent changes to education policy

Press Release
07 Nov 2014

07 November 2014

Following a period of significant change in education policy, The Publishers Association’s third annual Education Conference, in partnership with the British Educational Suppliers Association, will explore the impact of these changes on teachers, schools, assessors and publishers.

Delivering Quality in Changing Times comes one term into the teaching of the new national curriculum and at a time of change in the assessment framework and as preparation is underway for the next generation GCSEs and A-levels.  Sessions include:

  • Life after Levels: an opportunity to hear views from schools and publishers on the new assessment models from the Assessment Innovation Fund
  • One Term In: teaching experts will share their views on the new curriculum at primary level and discuss progress with implementation and potential obstacles
  •  Acceptance of Change:  views will be shared on how the changes to the national curriculum and assessment are being accepted and implemented by schools
  • Next Generation GCSEs and A levels: panellists will explore what the changes mean and how publishers and educators can use this year of preparation

With education under the spotlight as a key policy issue before the next General Election, the new Minister of State for School Reform, Nick Gibb MP, will update delegates on the Government’s reform agenda while Mike Cladingbowl, National Director for Inspection Reform at Ofsted, will give insights at a time when the inspectorate is taking account of the removal of National Curriculum levels.

Richard Mollet, Chief Executive of The Publishers Associations, said:

“Over the past four years education policy has under gone radical change.  This conference is ideally timed and will allow for an exchange of views on the opportunities and obstacles presented by the reform agenda, as well as hearing from publishers how they are responding to the challenge and creating products which are designed to help educators manage these changes and succeed in the new environment.”

Caroline Wright, Director of the British Educational Suppliers Association, said:

“Thousands of teachers are using our members’ exciting new curriculum resources to help introduce the new National Curriculum to their pupils. This year’s conference aims to provide publishers and classroom resource suppliers with vital insights that will help them continue to develop the top quality assessment and curriculum resources that serve schools so well.”

ENDS

NOTES TO EDITORS

The Conference will take place on Thursday 20 November 2014 at King’s Place, 90 York Way, London N1 from 9.30am.  To register, and see the full programme, visit The Publishers Association’s website.

The Publishers Association is the leading trade organisation serving book, journal, audio and electronic publishers in the UK. Membership comprises 114 companies from across the trade, academic and education sectors.  Its core service is representation and lobbying, around copyright, rights and other matters relevant to members, who represent roughly 80% of the industry by turnover. www.publishers.org.uk.

The British Educational Suppliers Association is the trade association representing over 300 educational suppliers in the UK, including manufacturers and distributors of equipment, materials, books, consumables, furniture, technology, ICT hardware and digital-content related services to the education market.

BESA has a Code of Practice to which all members must adhere, along with a stringent membership process, both of which assure buyers of a high standard of quality in both product and customer service.