A report released today by from crime reduction charity Nacro, says thousands of children may be missing from the school system and it wants the Government to tackle truancy by providing a more flexible national curriculum, putting practical and vocational education on an equal footing with academic learning.The report, ‘Missing Out’, finds that children who have stronger practical skills can become disillusioned by a system that places too much emphasis on academic achievement – and that can lead to future offending.

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The government’s training schools programme has had a positive effect on initial teacher training, according to a report today from the Office for Standards in Education. But Ofsted says the schools involved in the scheme could achieve even more with better self-evaluation.Under the first two phases of the scheme, which began in 2000 and 2001, 82 schools were given training school status. With it they were given extra funding to develop and disseminate good practice in Initial Teacher Training and to train teachers to mentor trainees. Today’s Ofsted report, ‘An Evaluation of the Training Schools Programme’, finds that it represents good value for money.

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This document from the Office of Government Commerce sets out guidance for public bodies making use of the innovative procurement technique of eAuctions. The process involves suppliers competing in real time by bidding lower as the auction unfolds. eAuctions comply with the EC Directives on Supplies and Services, Utilities and Works. They offer efficient, open and transparent negotiations either for lowest price or most economically advantageous tender, as part of a full procurement process. They give value for money efficiencies in public sector contracts. Cost savings of 20 – 25% are not uncommon.Further information and case studies on the use of eAuctions can be found in “eProcurement: Cutting through the hype”, at http://www.ogc.gov.uk/index/asp?id=2314

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