Embargo: not for publication until 00.01 am Wednesday 15 May
A premature rush to digital and online technologies by the BBC is jeopardising the 'window on the world' provided by schools television services, according to the former head of educational broadcasting at the Independent Television Commission.
The very survival of schools television is now at stake and lies in the hands of government, according to Robin Moss, writing in the latest issue of Cultural Trends, the arts, media and heritage journal published by the Policy Studies Institute. The development could have a particularly damaging impact on poorer and less able pupils, and the author calls on the government to protect schools television in its long-awaited Communications Bill.
New research undertaken for Cultural Trends suggests that the BBC has already broken its promise to maintain investment in schools television. The author cites evidence to suggest that a 'severe cut' has already occurred in funding for these services, which has resulted in the BBC offering 21 fewer new programmes than average to primary schools, in the academic year 2001/02.
In some important curriculum areas, like Personal Social and Health Education, the BBC is offering only six programmes to primary schools amounting to 1 hour and 50 minutes, compared with 41 programmes offered by Channel 4. And the BBC education officer field force, which liaises with teachers, has been cut from 12 posts to five.
In the current academic year, Channel 4 has offered twice as much output for primary schools as the BBC, and three times as much new programming. And the author fears that withdrawal from schools television by the BBC will encourage Channel 4 to cut services unless specific measures to protect them appear in the new bill.
Schools television services have been increasingly influential and respected since they were launched in 1957. Teachers and government have consistently lauded schools television for enhancing basic literacy and numeracy of under-privileged pupils and multi-ethnic classes. In 1995, over three quarters of primary school teachers were using television or video once a week in lessons praised by OFSTED and nine in ten said that television provides a 'very useful starting point' for lessons. The British system has been uniquely successful and is admired across the world, according to the author.
An 'unpublicised change of policy' by the BBC in 2000, however, has put these achievements at risk, according to the report. Education Minister Estelle Morris has announced that the BBC would be at the centre of an initiative to develop a digital curriculum, using media that remain unproven in their ability to support teaching and learning. The drive towards a digital curriculum also risks leaving behind pupils from poorer families, for whom the 'digital divide' is already widening.
'Digital and online media have not been proven to have as positive educational benefits as schools television, and they may well be of less direct benefit to poorer and less able pupils' said Robin Moss. 'However, this policy could be self-fulfilling. As the BBC cuts output in schools television, programming will become less attractive and schools will abandon television, apparently justifying the BBC's strategy.'
Contact: Michelle McNally at PSI: 020 7468 0468 Mobile: 07719 313095
Notes for Editors
1. Robin Moss's chapter, 'Closing a Window on the World: convergence and UK television services for schools' is accompanied by two critical commentaries: 'The Coming Revolution in Education?' by Paul Kelley, Headteacher of Monkseaton Language College, and 'The Power of Multiple Media: schools in the digital age' by Josh Hillman, Head of Education Policy at the BBC, which puts the case for the Corporation.
2. 'Closing a Window on the World: convergence and UK television services for schools, is in Cultural Trends 40, published by Policy Studies Institute. Press review copies are available from the PSI Communications Team on 020 7468 0468. Cultural Trends 40 is available from Taylor and Francis on 01256 813000 priced £41.
3. Dr Robin Moss was Head of Educational Broadcasting at the Independent Broadcasting Authority and the Independent Television Commission from 1983 to 1999, having previously been a teacher and Director of Audio-Visual Services at the University of Leeds.
4. Policy Studies Institute is a registered charity and has no association with any political party, pressure group or commercial interest.