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Teachers invited to help shape ‘Compassionate Curriculum’ programme
Teachers are being invited to help shape a ‘Compassionate Curriculum’ schools programme, which allows young people to explore and better understand the symbiotic relationship between understanding dog behaviour and their own mental wellbeing, whilst encouraging the development of empathy, compassion, kindness and understanding.
The proposed programme will tie into the compassion, mental health and kindness elements of the curriculum by demonstrating the resilience, trust, forgiveness and… Full story
‘Mark, Plan, Teach 2.0 is a must-read for school leaders’
Joanna Rigby from UTC Warrington reviews the new edition of the teacher toolkit bestseller for QA Education…
Book review: Mark, Plan, Teach 2.0, by Ross Morrison McGill
(Bloomsbury Education, £16.99)
Ross M. McGill, also known as @TeacherToolkit, is the founder of one of the most popular education websites in the world, supporting teachers globally. Mark. Plan. Teach 2.0 is an updated version of the bestselling first version. A stalwart of evidence informed practice, McGill delivers hints,… Full story
Boost for schools as Sigma donates raft of new laptops
Wakefield and Castleford schoolchildren are set to benefit from Sigma’s new charitable technology initiative, which will see 22 laptops donated to local schools to support pupils and schools with online learning.
Sigma has formed a partnership with IT solutions partner OPUS-UK, to help coordinate and ready the machines for delivery across West Yorkshire.
The true end-to-end service provider will donate the laptops to children at risk of falling behind in their education because they do not… Full story
Ideas for teaching on World Book Day 2021
As World Book Day 2021 approaches, QA Education features a round-up of news and ideas to help your school shine a spotlight on the best-loved children's tales…
Top 10 Children's Books – Love Reading For Kids
If you're looking for something new to read to pupils this World Book Day, check out LoveReading4Kids' Top 10 titles:
1. What Did the Tree See?
2. The Secret Lake
3. The Boy Who Made Everyone Laugh
4. A Tangle of Spells
5. The Last Bear
6. Hom
7. The Nowhere Emporium
8. The… Full story
10 women trailblazers to study this British Science Week
British Science Week takes place on 5-14 March, just as school pupils head back the classes following the latest lockdown. If you're planning some memorable science lessons this week, then put paid to scientist stereotypes with these 10 women trailblazers.
When asked to depict a scientist, too many children draw a white man with ‘mad professor’ hair. Former primary school teacher Abby Harper of education resource experts PlanBee offers a way to show them that science and technology has always… Full story
Daydream Education launches free educational resources and home education tips
Wales-based educational resources provider Daydream Education has made a selection of its downloadable study tools available for FREE to support home education during lockdown. It has also issued a set of tips to help parents ensure their children get the most out of home study.
The Bridgend-based company was founded 25 years ago by Chris Malcom after he identified a need for quality educational posters in school classrooms. Its posters are now in over 90 percent of UK secondary schools and… Full story
Take a virtual school trip with the Ocean Conservation Trust
As most school trips remain off-limits, the Ocean Conservation Trust has launched downloadable lessons and virtual tours of the National Marine Aquarium…
Ocean conservation charity, the Ocean Conservation Trust – which also runs the much-loved National Marine Aquarium – to launch an exciting curriculum learning project.
For 22 years, the Trust has been providing an exciting and engaging learning programme, using oceans as a hook for teachers to deliver all subjects of the curriculum. The… Full story
Jigsaw24 helps school deliver remote learning with iPad
Apple Authorised Education Specialist Jigsaw24 has helped a top preparatory day school in Greater Manchester deploy iPad on a 1:1 basis – just in time for the devices to be used for remote learning in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Lady Barn House School in Cheadle, which can trace its history back to 1873, commissioned Jigsaw24 to help develop a perfect iPad solution that would improve classroom learning and reduce teachers’ workload.
But when the coronavirus crisis led to a UK-wide… Full story
Help to those having difficulties with mental health
As the effects of Covid-19 and school closures continue to ripple through our communities, schools are working tirelessly to support their children. From the practical help of providing food vouchers for the most vulnerable families, to providing home learning resources and looking after the key worker children who need to be in school, teachers have also had the task of supporting the children with their mental wellbeing. Plans are being put into place, and already being executed, to ensure… Full story
Prizes up for grabs as BCIA launches school competition
The Building Controls Industry Association (BCIA) has launched a brand new summer school competition that encourages young people to get their thinking caps on and devise an idea that could help reduce the energy consumption of their schools. The Schoolz Out competition challenges school pupils to design an energy saving product or initiative for their school which uses an element of control to save energy.
Rather than an extra bit of homework, the BCIA says the competition is a bit of fun… Full story
Leading activists still don't trust their government to address racial discrimination
New research from One Young World’s global network of the young leaders highlights how far we still are from achieving racial justice – with 74 per cent of its Peace Ambassadors stating they have no trust in their government to address the issue in the long-term.
Reinforcing this lack of trust in existing leadership, the findings show that over half of the activists surveyed do not think their government will use the current civil rights movement to make meaningful progress in addressing… Full story
How schools can access support
The Government has announced a range of measures so teachers and pupils can access support during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Since the start of the pandemic and introduction of social distancing, schools have adapted quickly to continue to provide their pupils with education and support at home.
To help them to do this, the Government is investing over £100m to support remote education. This includes up to £2,000 per school to help them set up effective digital education… Full story
A quarter of UK parents want to homeschool after the pandemic - here’s how to do it full-time
When Covid-19 closed schools in the UK, millions of parents were suddenly faced with the unfamiliar world of having to homeschool.
While the new routine has certainly had its challenges, a new study has revealed that nearly a quarter of Brits (24%) are considering home-educating their children even after the pandemic is over.
For those who are thinking of homeschooling full-time, Greg Smith, Head of Operations at home education provider Oxford Home Schooling, has provided five tips on how… Full story
Scribblerzone celebrates National Writing Day with the launch on a children's writing competition
We know that research shows that children who love writing write 7 times above their expected levels at school.* We also know that children love writing competitions as can be seen by the thousands that enter the BBC’s 500 words competition.
Tonya Meers co-founder of ScribblerZone says “National Writing Day is an annual event that celebrates writing and we love to do anything that encourages children to write which is why we are running a writing competition for 7-13 year olds.”
There are 2… Full story
Schools pulling teacher training placements for 2020-21, according to NASBTT survey
A “worryingly high” number of schools say they pulling teacher training placements in the next academic year, according to the findings of a survey by the National Association of School-Based Teacher Trainers (NASBTT).
From 247 responses to a survey which closed on 1st June, 124 School-Centred Initial Teacher Training (SCITT) providers, School Direct Lead Schools and HEIs have reported that school partners had informed them they are unable to participate in training programmes in 2020-21.
… Full story
Eco-Activists' Online Streaming Platform Backed By PM's Father To Be Offered Free For 32,770 Schools Across Britain
The world's first online streaming platform for Eco-Activists, Ecostreamz (www.ecostreamz.com) backed by PM Boris Johnson's father, Stanley Johnson, will be offered free for 12 months to 32,770 schools across Britain. Johnson, a keen conservationist, is an Honorary Ambassador of Ecostreamz.
The platform embraces viewpoints from both sides of the political spectrum, and has been in talks with organisations from the Ape Alliance to Extinction Rebellion about embracing the platform, hosted on… Full story
New visusafe stencil kit has the markings of an effective aid for schools in COVID-19 fight
Improved management of social distancing in schools during the COVID-19 pandemic is provided by a new floor stencil kit from visual communication solutions specialist Beaverswood.
Part of the Visusafe Personal Protection range, the stencil kit can be used to quickly mark out two metre spaces on the floor and other eye-catching public information messages to ensure people are kept safe and secure and that strict social distancing is observed.
Suitable for external areas outside where people… Full story
Free teaching toolkit to support children’s health and wellbeing for reopening schools
The charity Coram Life Education has launched a free online teaching toolkit for primary school teachers, supporting pupils’ mental health as they adjust to a new school environment post-lockdown.
For pupils, time away from school may have set them back academically, and affected their emotional and social wellbeing, whilst teachers are preparing to adapt to the new constraints of social distancing, reduced class sizes and stretched resources.
The toolkit is designed to build children’s… Full story
Free bereavement training and new bereavement policy for schools
As some schools reopened on 1st June following weeks of coronavirus closures, it is highly likely that many teachers and pupils will be returning having experienced a bereavement. This may be someone in a pupil’s family or friendship group who has died, or someone within the school itself, such as a teacher, a caretaker or dinner lady, or even another pupil.
With more than 37,000 Covid-19 mortalities to date, these deaths may be as a direct result of the virus, or it may be because of… Full story
Wellbeing amongst teaching staff drops since lockdown in new survey
60% of teaching professionals rated their wellbeing positive before lockdown restrictions, dropping to 32% since lockdown has been in place
More than four fifths (81%) believe their employer has a responsibility to look after their wellbeing
47% say having adequate mental health support from their employer has also become more important since lockdown
Wellbeing amongst teaching professionals has taken a dive since lockdown restrictions were enforced in March, according to a new survey… Full story
Staff retention during a pandemic: what the UK education sector needs to know
Although some announcements have been made in regards to when children might return to classroom learning, most year groups in schools, as well as colleges and universities throughout the UK remain closed for the foreseeable future. The education sector has had to make big changes to the way they communicate with, as well as the way they educate pupils, students, parents – and staff.
But what exactly does COVID-19 mean for staff retention in educational institutions during this period? Is it… Full story
Re-opening schools and colleges - employers questions answered
The government has asked schools and FE colleges to start to re-open from 1 June for some students has caused a large amount of controversy. Many schools and colleges have remained open to the children of key workers and those who are vulnerable, but opening up to a wider group of children will need careful preparation. This article by Joanne Moseley at national law firm Irwin Mitchell, explains the issues you will need to consider.
1. Conduct a risk assessment
All employers must take all… Full story
Supply Teacher Furlough Pay – making it fair
This week has seen the debate around furlough eligibility for supply teachers and agency staff reach fever pitch. For many school leaders, agency staff aren’t just the saviours who swoop in at the last minute to cover sickness absence - they’re a critical part of the team, the community and the fabric of the school. Chetan Sood, Head of Operations, Teacher Booker looks at what schools and agency workers need to look out for.
The coronavirus disruption has shone a light on the good, the bad and… Full story
EduCare Make Courses Free in Response to School Closures
As COVID-19 continues to have a far-reaching socio-economic impact on the UK, it can be difficult to navigate and adjust to the big changes to our routines and environments.
Duty of care and safeguarding training specialists, EduCare, recognise the impact that school closures will have on the safeguarding of children and young people, and have made a number of their courses and resources available for free online.
The courses and resources, which are usually only available to customers, can… Full story