QiSS News and Regional Updates
QiSS Newsletters
The latest QiSS Newsletters are available to download|
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Kent Learning Plus Celebration Event 16th March 2012
On Friday 16th March QiSS was proud to be invited to speak at the Kent County Council’s Learning Plus Celebration Event at Oakwood House Maidstone. This annual event recognises the achievements of schools from across the county in a variety of fields. 33 awards were presented to schools and these were collected by their heads, managers, teachers and pupils. Awards presented included Healthy Schools Kent Healthy School Status, Healthy School Enhancement; the Kent Healthy School Enhancement Model and the RSE (Relationship & Sex Education) Quality Mark.
In addition, four schools were awarded their Quality in Extended Services (QES) at Emerged, Established and Advanced levels. These were:
Schools being presented with their QiSS Awards by Danny Crates
These schools were at different points in their journey with QiSS butthey all share a common commitment to providing a variety of high quality learning opportunities for their pupils and the community. We were proud to be able to recognise this with them and look forward to a continued collaboration.
The key note address was given by Danny Crates, Olympic Paralympic Gold medalist in Athens and Flag Bearer at the Beijing games opening ceremony. In this Olympic year Danny, gave a topical and inspirational speach, recounting his personal and sporting battles and successes. His mixture of humour and honesty about the road to achievement resonated with both young and old.
Students form Milestone School (QES Advanced) maintained the Olympic theme by entertaining us with an interactive dance performance, which they had developed themselves, depicting a variety of sports and the Olympic rings.
Milestone students interactive dance
Danny then presented each school in turn with their awards, after which he allowed us to get a close look at his Olympic gold medal, a privilege for all concerned.
Ian Durrant, Danny Crates and Sue Vardy
Ian Durrant & Sue Vardy, QiSS
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Teaching Awards 2011 winner - UK Panel
Wren Spinney Community Special School
The Henry Winkler Award for Special Needs
A successful town centre sweet shop has been created by Wren Spinney Community Special School to give students valid work experience, contact with the public and vocational qualifications. Now there are plans to create an associated workshop for all students including the most disabled. The idea, driven by inspiring headteacher Debbie Withers, wins the ?10,000 prize. Henry Winkler OBE, the Hollywood actor ('The Fonz') and dyslexic author who's given his name to this Teaching Award, thinks it's a brilliant idea and says he wouldn't mind working there himself - 'send me an application!' says Henry. The shop in Kettering town centre sells old-fashioned sweets, party bags and craft items. Working with a consortium of 8 other special schools, Wren Spinney plans to involve as many young people as possible. Parents say their children blossom and grow in confidence in this 'normal' environment.
http://www.teachingawards.com/henry_winkler_award|
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An invitation to all schools and voluntary and community sector (VCS) organisations wanting to deliver high-quality extra-curricular activities. 3 CPD Training Days, Leeds, Coventry and London. Follow this link for more details|
Voluntary and community sector organisations
Follow this link to find out more|
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QISS TOOLS
The following tools are available to QiSS Database users:
QiSS on-line Survey Tool - Survey Thing
This powerful tool allows anyone with a database account to view or create and distribute surveys. Once created, Survey Tool provides a web link which can be distributed to as many users as you wish to complete the survey. Alternatively, restrictions can be placed on respondents, for example making the Survey time limited or password protected.
Survey Thing contains the tools to create open and closed questions for use with children or adults. It also contained a data summary function, allowing the results to be instantly displayed. Alternatively, should users want to undertake a more sophisticated analysis, Survey Thing will allow users to import their results into Excel and more complex data analysis packages.
Access to Survey Tool is available to all our colleagues free of charge. It can be accessed through the QiSS National Database|.
QiSS has also put together a User guide| to the Quality in Study Support and Extended Services (QiSS) On-line Survey Tool, which takes users through every step of survey construction.
For further information contact Ian Durrant at the QiSS Office
QiSS on-line Action Planning Tool
The questions contained within the QiSS online action planning audit should ideally be answered with reference to this ELO document. The tool may be accessed via www.qissnationaldatabase.org.uk| or http://elo.qissnationaldatabase.org.uk|
If you would like access to this tool, please contact Carol Standen carol.standen@canterbury.ac.uk| 01227 86 3029
Database user accounts can be obtained on request from Sue Vardy or Carol Standen at the QiSS office.