The Classroom Quality Standards (CQS) provide a universal, classroom level, self-evaluation tool to support schools in improving provision for their more able, gifted and talented pupils. http://ygt.dcsf.gov.uk/LibraryResources.aspx?libraryId=12
Following this consultation, revised versions will be provided on CD-ROMs and made available free to all schools. Here is Naace's response.

In this month's Sharing Success we welcome Paul Springford who is Naace's Professional Officer. Paul will be live in this month's 'hotseat between 8-9pm on Tuesday 11th November. The second live 'hotseat' will be on Wednesday 26th November between 7-8pm.

Paul's profile:

My career in education began in another century when I took a PGCE course and then worked as an English teacher in secondary schools in Southampton and Peterborough. In the early 1980s, schools in England were given half a computer by the DTI to stimulate the UK industry, and I became an enthusiastic adopter. The reasons I believed in English as a subject are not very different from the reasons why I believe in ICT.

Later in the eighties I was seconded to and then permanently employed in local authority work with Cambridgeshire and I've found it hard to get away. I became involved in using communications technology at an early stage with projects using e-mail, Prestel (anyone remember that?) and BT's early internet service for education, CampusWorld. I can't remember when I joined Naace, but I'm certainly not one of the originals.I've really enjoyed the opportunity to work as professional officer for the association this year.

I'm not very technical, and still surprised that at least half of my working life has depended on things with plugs. Never mind the technology, I've been lucky and worked with some outstanding people from my earliest encounters with ICT. And most of them are probably Naace members.

Members are invited to comment on the strategic objectives proposed for this influential body.

Following announcements in early January 2007 about changes to the status of the KS3 online ICT test, Naace sought responses of its members and collated their views to inform discussions with Ministers.

Here you will find both the inputs and the outputs from this successful and timely event.

Full text of the Naace response to the QCA secondary curriculum review, available for browsing or to download in Word format.

Naace celebrated twenty-three years of advancing education through ICT, and its recognition as the key professional association for ICT practitioners at all levels, including school leaders, subject managers, teachers, advisers and consultants. Anyone with an interest in ICT in any aspect of education can now join Naace and the Association encourages an inclusive and creative approach to the development of effective teaching and learning of ICT and promotion of e-learning strategies.

This one one-day conference to appraise developments in the use of electronic data and implications for institutional and multi-agency planning enabled colleagues to get together for the purpose of updates, advice, guidance, hints and tips, presentations and hands-on sessions.

In this month's Sharing Sucess Julie Cooper, Chair of Governors at Gloucester Road Primary steps into the Naace 'hot-seat'. Julie will be 'live' on Wednesday 9 and Wednesday 16 April between 7-8pm. Other features include Theo Kuechel's article originating from the Naace talklists regarding e-learning, a progress report on the Oracle funded 'Let's Play Project' and a summary of issues from last month's 'hot-seat'. Jim Fanning provides a fascinating two-day blog from The Tideway School.

In this issue, Mick Waters will be in our third 'hotseat'. I shall be giving Naace Members a sneak preview of the first of a series of ICT updates going into schools shortly. Also this month there is a focus on a brilliant day at St Paul's CoE Primary School Manchester as well as a summary of issues raised when Gareth Davies was the guest in last month's 'hot-seat'.

If you feel that you could make a contribution to Sharing Success please contact me at primaryeditor@naace.co.uk