Latest Press Release
The Prince's Cambridge Programme for Teaching is launched
6th June 2006
The Prince of Wales and The University of Cambridge are today announcing a new partnership, offering training to state school teachers of English and History with an emphasis on subject depth.The new partnership will build on the enthusiastic response from teachers to The Prince of Wales’s Education Summer School over the past four years. The Education Summer School has offered an annual forum for teachers to step away from the classroom, hear from an inspirational range of speakers, and rediscover the depth and breadth of the subjects they teach. Each year it has been oversubscribed and many delegates have reported that they have changed classroom practices as a result of the course.
A new charity is being formed to take forward the partnership with the University of Cambridge. The partnership will be known as The Prince’s Cambridge Programme for Teaching and at its heart will continue to be an annual residential course. Lord Wilson of Dinton, Master of Emmanuel College, University of Cambridge and former Cabinet Secretary, will be Chairman of the Charity and the Programme. Bernice McCabe will continue as Co-Director of the School.
Lord Wilson said:
“Over the last four years, the Education Summer Schools have inspired and enthused English and History teachers around the country to broaden the range and depth of their teaching. It is clear from what they tell us that there is a gap in the market for more teaching career development which focuses on the content of what is taught in the classroom, rather than on professional skills.
“I hope that The Prince’s Cambridge Programme for Teaching will continue to provide a forum for teachers to re-examine their classroom practices and put scholarship and love of learning at the heart of their teaching.”
Alan Johnson, Secretary of State for Education and Skills said:
“The Prince of Wales Education Summer School has over the last four years offered valuable professional development opportunities for teachers of History and English. The new partnership with The University of Cambridge is a very welcome development as it will ensure the continuation and widening of these opportunities which are so beneficial to teachers.”
Graham Holley, Interim Chief Executive of the Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA) said:
“It is vital that all teachers, including those specialising in English and History, keep up to date with teaching skills and enhance their subject knowledge throughout their careers.
“We are delighted to support this initiative to help more teachers – and therefore their pupils – fulfil their potential.”
In addition to an annual residential course, the new teaching programme will provide support for regional events, an alumni network and one-day courses and seminars.
More than 80 teachers will attend this year’s School between 7th and 10th June. The guest speakers will include Melvyn Bragg, Stephen Fry, Lord Adonis, Robert Harris, Michael Morpurgo, Lynne Truss, Michael Wood, Kate Adie, Professor Gervase Phinn, David Starkey and academics from the English and History facilities at The University of Cambridge. They will give lectures on topics ranging from “Irony and Shakespeare’s The Tempest” to Medieval Kingship and teaching Victorian fiction.
The opening day will focus on the great stories in literature and history with a panel featuring Robert Harris, Stephen Fry and Michael Morpurgo and chaired by Melvyn Bragg. Following a discussion the teachers will come up with their own lists of the 10 great literary works or 10 great events of British history.