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PSA Teachers' E-Newsletter: March 2017

Dear Colleagues,

As we approach the Easter holidays we hope that you have had a successful and enjoyable term and wish you a refreshing break. This month, amongst other things, we bring you:

- News from Pearson/Edexcel  

- A New Teachers' Topic Guide on Nationalism 

- The announcement of a PSA-PES Seminar on Parliament, Globalisation and Ideology

- Information about this year's Applying to Study Politics workshops for students applying to university in Autumn 2017

Pearson/Edexcel Politics A Level Qualification Approved

As you will no doubt be aware, OfQual has now approved Pearson/Edexcel's AS and A level Politics qualification, which will be first taught from September 2017. 

Course materials are available here

OfQual approval of AQA's qualification is currently pending. 

PSA Teachers' Topic Guide on Nationalism

This month we publish the latest in our series of Teachers' Topic Guides, which provide extra reading and questions for Politics teachers and students alike. The theme of this guide is Nationalism. As you will be aware the new Politics A level will mainstream the teaching of ideologies in the qualification and the PSA is keen to develop resources to assist with teaching this. 

This Nationalism guide was written by Professor Jonathan Bradbury from Swansea University who is also Convenor of the PSA's Territorial Poliitcs Specialist Group. It can be downloaded here. You will need to be logged on with your PSA membership to access this. 

Please let me know if you have any suggestions for themes for future Topic Guides by emailing me via: josh.niderost@psa.ac.uk

PSA-Parliament Education Service Seminar Day

Following on from the success of last year's PSA-Parliament Education Service Seminar Day, we will again be collaborating in order to bring you an event on the theme of: Parliament, Globalisation and Ideology.

This Seminar Day will bring together Politics teachers, politicians and academics to share in a dialogue around the current place of the nation state in the global order, with a particular focus on how ideological frameworks conceptualise the state within global politics today. Globalisation was seen to herald the death knell of the traditional nation state and its ability to monitor and control the boundary between the domestic and the international arenas. However, the rise of populist politics and moves towards economic protectionism across the Western world, in light of the Brexit vote and the Trump Presidency, have highlighted a reassertion of the nation state in global politics. These developments have also split political parties and arguably realigned the battle of ideas and the conventional left-right divide. They have also opened up questions regarding the robustness and role of democratic processes as well as challenging traditional approaches to protest and dissent.

This will take place on Tuesday 13 June at the Houses of Parliament in central London. 

For more information and details of how to register please email me via: josh.niderost@psa.ac.uk

2017 Applying to Study Politics Workshops

As with previous years the PSA will again be holding Applying to Study Politics Workshops across the country over the coming months. These events enable students who will be applying for university in Autumn 2017 an opportunity to gain a better understanding about the reality of studying Politics at undergraduate level and its benefits.

This takes place through a series of talks including an academic lecture; a talk on admissions and career options; a talk by current students; and often a guest speaker who works in the political sphere and can give a practitioner’s view point.

We are still confirming the exact schedule and are expecting to hold events in London, Nottingham, Manchester, Cardiff, Edinburgh and Belfast. The Edinburgh event will take place on Tuesday 27 June. For more information and to register for this workshop please email me via: josh.niderost@psa.ac.uk

Watch this space for details of the other workshops!

Final Call for PSA Conference Schools Talk with Alasdair Allan MSP

April will see the PSA Conference take place at Strathclyde University in Glasgow (10-12 April). As part of the programme of events there, the PSA has organised a talk for Highers/A Level students by Alasdair Allan MSP. 

Alasdair is the Minister for International Development and Europe in the SNP Government at Holyrood. He was previously the Minister for Learning, Science and Scotland's Languages (2011-2016) and Minister for Learning and Skills (2011). Since 2007 he has been the MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar (previously the Western Isles). 

He also has a PhD in Scots Language and before being elected to the Scottish Parliament had a career in journalism and communications, including for Gaelic publications and the Church of Scotland. 

Alasdair is sure to give an illuminating talk on contemporary Scottish politics and the place of Scotland in the global context. 

This talk will take place at the Technology & Innovation Centre, Strathclyde University, Glasgow on Tuesday 11 April from 11.30 - 12.30. 

Attendees receive a free lunch and free one day access to the PSA conference and are welcome to attend panel discussions that take place that day. Panels later that Tuesday include a Designing Democracy roundtable with ex-Home Secretary Lord Blunkett and Lord Norton of Louth as well as a roundtable on the Impact of the French Presidential Election. 

Please see a poster for the event here. If you and your students are interested in attending please let me know via email

Examiner Opportunities at Pearson

Pearson currently have exciting opportunities for qualified teachers to join their Assessment Associate Team, as Examiners for their GCE A Level Government and Politics qualification.

If you have any queries regarding the role, please contact the AA Recruitment team on aaresourcing@pearson.com. For more infromation about Examiner opportunities at Pearson please click here

Parliament Education Service - Teachers' Institute

Applications for the Parliament Education Service's Teachers' Institute are now open!

Teachers of Government & Politics, Citizenship and related subjects, and other education professionals, can apply to experience an intensive, informative and unforgettable course based at the Houses of Parliament. The programme covers travel costs, residential accommodation and most meals. All resources, workshops and events are free of charge.

Dates for the nest Teachers' Institute are 3-5 July 2017. 

 Applications close on 2 April 2017!

The Teachers' Institute offers:

-A tour of the Palace of Westminster
-The chance to watch debates in the chambers
-Q&A with Members from both Houses
-Informative sessions to improve delegates' knowledge of Parliament and democracy
-Activities that will help to develop classroom resources
-Networking opportunities

For more information and to apply please see here

Let Teachers SHINE 2017 Competition - Now Open

The 2017 Let Teachers SHINE competition is now open! Their annual competition, supported by tes and Capita SIMS, to find the next big idea in teaching will stay open for applications until midday on the 24th of April, when they will choose a few winning Teachers to partner with on their projects.

Now in its sixth year, the Let Teachers SHINE competition aims to find innovative methods of teaching that inspire children to succeed both at school and beyond it. The competition is for projects that aim to benefit students who experience disadvantage, and try to improve their educational achievement in literacy, numeracy and/or science.

SHINE will provide funding up to £15,000 and other support to help get the projects off the ground, or to launch it to a wider audience. To date, they have invested over £1.4 million into 54 innovative Teachers, benefiting thousands of children all over the country.

For more information please see here

News from the PSA Blog

The PSA Blog features contemporary content from academic members of the PSA in response to news or fresh research findings. 

In light of the triggering of Article 50, Andrew Crines (Liverpool University) asks: We’ve had the notification, but can the UK agree on the right path for Brexit?

Feargal Cochrance (Kent University) explores the passing of an iconic figure in Martin McGuinness: A pivotal figure in the Northern Ireland Conflict

Finally, Sam Power (Birmingham University) examines US Politics in Living the Legislature: Teaching Congressional politics through simulation

Keeping up-to-date with the PSA schools' initiatives

Follow the PSA on Twitter or search for the #PSAschools hashtag for real time updates on all our schools' activities, news and campaigns.

As a PSA Teacher Member you have full access to the Schools’ Area of the PSA website.  Here you can find all the latest information about the following initiatives we offer to schools:

•         Free Speakers Programmes for Schools sessions
•         Free professional development resources
•         Free subscriptions to leading publications, including Political Insight
•         Priority registration to PSA schools' events
•         Priority registration for student career workshops

Keeping In Touch...

Don't forget, members can access the Teachers' e-News archive online here.

We're always keen to hear from you, so please keep in touch or let the PSA know how we can serve you better. If you feel any colleagues would be interested in this e-Newsletter, please forward them a copy.

With very best wishes,

Josh Niderost

Programme Development and Outreach Officer

020 7321 2545
PSA Head Office, 113a Jermyn Street, London, SW1Y 6HJ.