Walsall EBP - Partnership News (Summer 2001)

Walsall EBP - Achieving Success Together

Partnership News - Summer 2001 - Issue 10

It's Business As Usual

In spite of the changes taking place all around it Walsall EBP is continuing to provide its normal high quality service to all of its partners.

The changes include:

- At the end of March 2001 Walsall Training and Enterprise Council, along with the three other Black Country TECs, ceased trading to be replaced by one Local Learning and Skills Council (LLSC) for the Black Country.
- The LLSCs have a wide-ranging remit covering the whole of the Post 16 educational and training agenda including:

- school sixth forms
- further education
- training

but excluding higher education. - As part of the changes which brought about the Learning and Skills Council, the way in which education business partnerships are funcded has also changed. Walsall EBP along with Dudley, Wolverhampton and Sandwell EBPs have formed the Black Country Education Business Links Consortium to act as the contracting body under the new arrangements.
- With the final closure of Walsall TEC, at the end of June 2001, Townend House will cease to be available as a home for Walsall EBP and we are looking for new premises. We will of course inform all of our partners of our new location details nearer the time. For ease of contact it is intended to retain the same telephone, e-mail and Web site details.

Engineering 2000

To celebrate the importance of engineering and manufacturing to the local economy Walsall Education Business Partnership organised Engineering 2000 at the prestigious New Art Gallery in Walsall. It was opened by the Mayor of Walsall, Councillor Brian Douglas-Maul and featured Johnny Ball, the TV personality, who gave an amusing and informative presentation on Maths and Technology.

The event attracted over 2000 people and it gave visitors, of all ages, the opportunity to take part in exciting, "hands-on" engineering activities under the guidance of engineers from local companies.

Engineering 2000 was supported by:

- South Staffordshire Water
- West Midlands Fire Service
- Transco
- Performance Through People
- Walsall College of Arts and Technology
- BT
- WISE (Women Into Science and Technology) Vehicle Programme
- Palfrey Infant School
- Beaver Electronics
- International Motors Group

Each of the supporting organisations were presented with certificates to acknowledge their support.

South Staffordshire Water were later presented with a commemorative plaque to mark their outstanding commitment and support for Engineering 2000 which included seconding Jason Raghunanan to help organise the event.

Funding for the event came from the Single Regeneration Budget, the West Midlands Industrial Club, the Campaign to Promote Engineering and Walsall Education Business Partnership.

Impact Theatre

Year 11 students in fourteen Walsall secondary schools recently watched a performance by Impact Theatre, thanks to Walsall EBP in association with Prospects Careers. Impact Theatre use drama to present information about possible Post-16 career options in a highly entertaining way which reinforces the schools' careers education programmes.

The 45 minute presentations featured:

- the Education Maintenance Allowance
- A levels
- GNVQs
- Training
- NVQs
- Jobs
- Modern Apprenticeships
- Further and Higher Education

The interest, response and feedback from the students in all of the schools showed that the events had met a definite need.

Performance Management Day

As part of its drive to improve standards in schools the DfEE is seeking to introduce Performance Managment as one of the tools, and school managers are anxious to learn more about it. Many companies moved down this route several years ago and it was with this in mind that Walsall EBP worked with South Staffs Water to organise a session, for head teachers, based on the company's own experiences of introducing and operating Performance Management.

The feedback from the day was extremely positive.

Business Awareness Days

Youngsters Against Crime

Walsall EBP recently joined forces with West Midlands Police to organise a pioneering conference aimed at finding new ways of tackling crime. 150 pupils aged 12 to 16 from Pool Hayes, St Thomas More and Willenhall secondary schools came together to discuss ways of tackling criminal damage, litter, graffiti and drugs in their areas.

Representatives from Walsall MBC Environmental Health Department, drugs workers and police were on hand to offer advice and guidance on how these issues might be addressed.

The conference built on the work already started by teachers at the three schools, last Summer, when they took part in five-day teacher placements looking at crime-related issues.

It is hoped to replicate this approach in other areas of the borough

Environment Awareness Day

Walsall EBP worked recently with the New Art Gallery and several Walsall Council Engineering and Town Planning Officers to enable pupils form Palfrey Girls' School to consider a number of environmental issues. These included town centre litter and waste and a range of transport related problems.

Equal People Day

Year 9 students from Pool Hayes Community School recently had the chance to consider a range of equal opportunity issues thanks to Walsall EBP and twenty six representatives from the local business community. They were involved in a number of activities including "What's My Line?" and job selection procedures.

Investors in People Successes

The number of Walsall schools who have successfully achieved Investors in People status now totals 47. The latest successes are:

- Alumwell Infant School
- Blackwood School
- Blakenall Heath Junior School
- Christ Church CE Primary School
- Chuckery Primary School
- Delves Junior School
- Elm Street Infant School
- Elmore Green Primary School
- Leamore Primary School
- Leighswood School
- Meadow View Primary School
- Millfield Primary School
- New Invention Junior School
- Old Church CE Primary School
- Pheasey Park Farm Primary School
- Watling Street Primary School

The following schools have recently been re-accredited as Investors in People, having already held the award for three years:

- Greenfield Primary School
- St Peter's Catholic Primary School
- Sunshine Infant amd Nursery School

Community Programme Presentation

Walsall EBP works closely with Walsall Football Club on a number of programmes involving pupils from local schools and makes regular use of many of the excellent facilities at Bescot Stadium. The activities include numeracy and literacy days, team building days and safety awareness courses. Walsall EBP has often accessed funding from external agencies to meet the costs of these programmes and regularly shares the benefits with Walsall FC to ensure that its Community Programme is not 'out of pocket'.

Stop Press

Young Chef of the Year

The heats and Walsall finals of the Rotary Club 'Young Chef of the Year' have recently taken place and produced a very high standard of competition.

The winners were:

- Junior section - Matthew Strange, Queen Mary's Grammar School
- Senior section - Leanne Smith, Pool Hayes Community School

Matthew and Leanne will now represent Walsall, in their respective age groups, at the regional finals at Stafford.

Walsall EBP is supported by the Black Country Learning and Skills Council, Advantage West Midlands and the Government's Single Regeneration Budget