Free hearing screenings at a Liverpool Exhibition

EXPERTS from the national charity Deafness Research UK will be attending the Royal College of Nursing Congress and Exhibition at The Arena and Convention Centre, Liverpool (stand E35) between 22 April and 24 April 2013, where they will be conducting free hearing screening for visitors.

Sponsored by the Big Lottery Fund, Deafness Research UK provides free hearing screening and advice on ear health to businesses, schools and exhibitions throughout the country to encourage regular checks to make sure problems are identified and dealt with early.

Screenings take no longer than 15 minutes and up to six people can be screened at a time with experts from Deafness Research UK on hand to offer information and advice while reinforcing the importance of looking after your hearing.

"1 in 6 people in the UK are affected by a hearing loss, so our free hearing screening service is a great way to check if your hearing is as it should be. The stigma associated with deafness means many of us are too embarrassed to admit we cannot hear as well as we used to. Some people wait 10 to 15 years to see a doctor. This is a tragedy, because while there is currently no cure for deafness, if diagnosed early enough, there is much that can be done to combat hearing loss." said Vivienne Michael, Chief Executive of Deafness Research UK.

The RCN Exhibition will be held at The Arena and Convention Centre, Liverpool between 22 April to 24 April 2013, and is free to attend for RCN members and non-members, with hearing screenings available from Deafness Research UK on all 3 days.

Deafness Research UK has produced a free leaflet Just Diagnosed with Hearing Loss? which is available for all. It explains in simple language how hearing loss is diagnosed and what your options are if you have a hearing loss.

Copies can be obtained at the show or from Deafness Research UK by calling them via their Freephone number:- 0808 808 2222 or via emailing:- info@deafnessresearch.org.uk.

A North Liverpool nursery school is chosen to become a national teaching school

A nursery school in North Liverpool has been selected for an important new role aimed at further raising standards. Everton Nursery School and Family Centre, along with its 4 partner primary schools (All Saints Catholic Primary School and Anfield Children's Centre, Barlows Primary School and Fazakerley and Croxteth Children Centres, Our Lady Immaculate Catholic Primary School and The Beacon C.E. Primary School) is 1 of only 150 schools in England to be granted teaching school status in the 3rd wave. The designation by the National College for Teaching and Leadership entitles the school to lead the training and professional development for staff.

The headteacher from the successful school will now attend a formal induction at the National College's learning and conference centre in Nottingham in April 2013. The teaching schools initiative began in 2011, marking a shift towards school centred training and development. The programme gives outstanding schools the freedom and autonomy to lead a group of schools, working with other partners including at least one university, to deliver high quality support for teachers and leaders at all stages in their career.

Dr. Lesley Curtis (Headteacher of Everton Nursery School and Family Centre) said:- "I am delighted for Liverpool and for Nursery Education to be part of the National College teaching schools programme, to share our work both locally and further afield. I am also delighted to gain National Leader for Education (NLE) status also."

The National College has responsibility for the designation and quality of the teaching schools programme, working closely with the Department for Education (DfE), as the national network grows to 500 teaching schools by 2015.

Maggie Farrar, Executive Director at the National College, said:- "Teaching schools like Everton Nursery School and Family Centre with their primary school partners should be proud of their achievement as they need to be at the top of their game to take on this role; outstanding in their own performance and have a track record of raising standards through school-to-school support. With some 350 teaching schools around the country we are now well on our way to creating a self-improving school-led education system. These are the schools that are blazing the trail by harnessessing the finest teaching talent in the profession to drive school improvement in innovative ways, and bring real benefits to pupils and staff. Trainees can learn from the best teachers in action and those who want to move up the career ladder are exposed to excellent practice within and beyond their immediate school."

As they develop, teaching schools working with other schools and universities will help to provide the next generation of teachers and headteachers and support schools in challenging circumstances.