A new website has been launched by the Department for Education and Skills to help schools make links with other countries. The Gateway was developed by the British Council and it allows pupils to learn more about different cultures and be a significant boost to raising standards in the classroom. Schools now have quick and easy access to a wealth of information on developing an international dimension to all aspects of education. The site also gives teachers the chance to exchange ideas withcolleagues throughout the world.The Gateway includes a built-in partner-linking facility, links to other international education websites and a powerful search facility. There are also links to professional development for teachers, school leaders and educational authorities.

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The administration of Charter Mark, the prestigious award for excellence in public service has been handed over to four contractors. The Cabinet Office retains ownership of the scheme and will continue to promote its benefits to the public sector. The move was prompted by the cost of assessment which smaller organizations were reluctant to meet and by the limitations of the Cabinet Office budget which could only fund a small assessment team.The four assessment companies, who work to an agreed benchmark for services, have been accredited by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service. Assessment charges are on a graded scale depending on the size of the candidate organization. The companies are in competition with each other and they will provide quotes to potential candidates for the award.

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By Paul Henderson, Sylvia Summer, and Thara Raj.The book provides a foundation for workers from a variety of backgrounds who wish to adopt, or are already using, a community development approach to their work in reducing health inequalities. The content is designed for people who have some responsibility for improving a community’s health and wellbeing, and who are in direct contact with communities. It is not aimed at any one type of professional group, discipline or organisation. It contains a self contained course to be used individually and in tutor groups. The emphasis is on developing new ways of working with others to meet different challenges. The authors recognise that this is a long-term process, but the book is intended as a starting point. There is a description of the skills, experience and resources needed for the course.

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