Immersive learning Augmented Reality App “Outside 3D” Launches
A new education Augmented Reality [AR] app, Outside 3D, which brings immersive learning to the mobile phone has launched. Available on Android and iOS, Outside is an education app that provides immersive unforgettable learning experiences in augmented reality. The app combines simplified explanations of subject matters with incredible live animations, high quality audio narrations, interesting fun facts, and background soundtracks curated and programmed for each individual subject in augmented reality. Learning about the piano, the human spinal cord or the moon has never been so simple; using a smartphone, tap the category or subject in the app, find and scan a flat surface to place the experience, to open up the immersive experience, where users can start learning. The app comes with a selection of AR content that can be enjoyed for free and for a monthly subscription of $1.99 per month, users can get unlimited access to all content, categories, games, new weekly content and more. Moving beyond the four walls of a classroom, the Outside 3D team has worked with teachers and education professionals to develop rich, engaging content around subject matters ranging from science and technology, music, art, history and space exploration. Users can come face-to-face with an Angler Fish, and discover details such as their nickname being “Sea Devils”. In the sports section, they’ll find out that footballer Cristiano Ronaldo can jump higher than any basketball player in the NBA [whilst watching him do keepy uppies on the dining room table]. And did you know that some asteroids have their own moons? Users will find out whilst having one rotate on the coffee table. Speaking on building the school of the future, founder and CEO, Toro Orero says, “Most young people love learning but don’t necessarily like the process of education in its current or traditional form. That is why we have created Outside 3D. We believe that knowledge should be experienced and not seen as a chore. Experiential learning is one of the most powerful ways to learn, and Outside 3D brings this power to you by helping you experience what you learn.” In the current climate, where millions of young learners around the world have been forced out of the classroom due to COVID-19 and both teachers and parents are moving online to ensure continuity of education, technology continues to be adopted as a primary resource for learning remotely. Apps like Outside 3D are well positioned to complement the existing learning processes, through AR, putting the power of knowledge acquisition quite literally in the palm of users’ hands. Outside 3D is innovating in the ever-growing global e-learning market, currently set at $190 billion and expected to grow to $300 billion by 2025. According to a recent study, augmented reality increases general engagement and long term memory retention. Experiential learning is also regarded as one of the most powerful and efficient ways to learn. As part of the launch, the Outside team has built an Augmented Reality game within the app where subscribers can participate in an exciting treasure hunt in a virtual city and win prizes. In addition to the consumer-facing app, Outside 3D is also working with individuals, schools or organizations to develop white label AR immersive content for providing personalized products. Outside 3D is the brainchild of Toro Orero, a Nigerian entrepreneur, who started his career as a games, animation and software designer and developer, before he moved into the venture capital space, working as a Managing Partner of DDF, a Silicon Valley seed fund for African startups. Toro concludes, “Education and the learning process has always been a passion of mine and with Outside 3D, I’m combining this with my love of technology and product building. With the current global pandemic situation, now is a good time for education providers and parents to explore and adopt new ways of keeping young people engaged and hungry to know more about the world in which they live”.
Half of UK parents uncomfortable with children returning to school after COVID-19 lockdown
Half of UK parents do not feel comfortable about their children returning to school following lockdown, according to early results from a new study asking parents and carers about their children’s mental health through the COVID-19 crisis. More than 10,000 parents have now taken part in the Co-SPACE (COVID-19 Supporting Parents, Adolescents, and Children in Epidemics) survey led by experts at the University of Oxford. Parents, completing the survey since the Government announced the phased return of schools, were asked how they feel about their children returning to school. Notably, parents from lower income households and those not working felt less comfortable than those with higher incomes or those who were employed. There were particular concerns for parents of children with special education needs and/or neurodevelopmental disorders, such as autism, that their child will not get the emotional, behavioural and educational support that they need, or the support they need with transitions to different groups, classes or schools. Andy Bell, Deputy Chief Executive, Centre for Mental Health, said, ‘Parents will naturally be worried about the safety of their children when they go back to school. For many parents and children, especially the most disadvantaged, anxieties that have built up over recent weeks will make the return to school a very worrying time. It’s therefore vital that all schools are fully and properly prepared to create a sense of safety when children return. Children’s mental health cannot be left to chance.’ Parents and carers are concerned about the practicalities of children returning to school, such as managing social distancing, as well as their children, or them, catching or transmitting COVID-19. Only a minority of children and young people are perceived by their parents to not feel comfortable attending school. Parents perceive their children to be most concerned about things being different or uncertain and the enjoyable aspects of school not happening. Other worries relate to friendships and social distancing. While primary school aged children appear to be concerned about being away from home and transitions, secondary school aged children appear to be more concerned about catching COVID-19 and academic pressures. Parents of children with special education needs and/or neurodevelopmental disorders highlighted particular concerns around their children getting sufficient emotional, behavioural and educational support, around support around transitions to new schools or classes. These parents, along with those of children with a pre-existing mental health difficulties, report that their children are particularly concerned about things being uncertain or different, changes to routine, the enjoyable parts of school not happening, and being away from home. Professor Tamsin Ford, Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist at the University of Cambridge, said, ‘It is really important to understand the concerns of parents about their children going back to school so that schools and local services can best support families, and Co-SPACE provides some really useful data about this. The impact of the lockdown will vary according to the home and school circumstances of the child, as well as their age, as will the support needed. Co-SPACE provides important information about which groups might need additional support such as children with special educational needs or disability, mental health difficulties and neurodevelopmental disorder, such as autism. Children with these conditions may find going back to school particularly difficult.’ The Co-SPACE (COVID-19 Supporting Parents, Adolescents, and Children in Epidemics) survey is still open and looking for parents and carers to share their experiences www.cospaceoxford.com/survey. This research is tracking children and young people’s mental health throughout the COVID-19 crisis. Survey results are helping researchers identify what protects children and young people from deteriorating mental health, over time, and at particular stress points, and how this may vary according to child and family characteristics. This will help to identify what advice, support and help parents would find most useful. This research is supported through UKRI Covid-19 funding, and by the NIHR Oxford Health Biomedical Research Centre, the Oxford and Thames Valley NIHR Applied Research Consortium and the UKRI Emerging Minds Network Plus.
Employer confidence slowly picks up in education industry, as jobs and applications rise
The latest job market data from CV-Library, the UK’s leading independent job board, reveals that employer confidence started to pick back up in the education industry last month as lockdown restrictions eased, with job vacancies rising by 18.7% month-on-month. The study looks at job market data throughout May and compares this with figures from the previous month (April 2020) and year (May 2019), to build an understanding of how the UK labour market is really fairing right now. It reveals that applications for jobs in the education sector also rose by an impressive 35.7% month-on-month. However, when looking at year-on-year data, the findings show that job vacancies are still 38.2% lower than a year ago, while applications to these roles are also down 10.1% year-on-year. Lee Biggins, founder and CEO of CV-Library, comments: “As lockdown restrictions begin to ease, the market is starting to show signs of recovery and it’s promising to see job numbers picking back up. However, there’s still a long way to go and we cannot expect figures to return to normal overnight, especially when businesses are under a lot of financial pressure.” Alongside the above, CV-Library’s data shows that competition for education jobs is intensifying. In fact, when looking at the amount of applications per vacancy, this figure has risen by 45.3% year-on-year (6.26 apps per vacancy in May 2020 compared to 4.31 in May 2019). Biggins continues: “The fact that there are less jobs being advertised than normal, and more professionals entering the job market, means competition for jobs is already beginning to intensify. This will put employers in a favourable position as the labour market continues to shift, but it’s important for companies across the industry to think seriously about their recruitment and retention efforts; especially when the furlough scheme does eventually come to an end.”
Get ready for the relaxation of restrictions with Tillr’s Post-Lockdown Recovery Toolkit
It is acutely ironic that 2020, a number associated with complete clarity of vision, is a year of unmatched confusion when it comes to looking into the future. Given the unprecedented nature and scope of the restrictions imposed in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, nobody can claim any expertise in knowing what happens next. However, it can be stated with certainty that the organisational and logistical challenges associated with the relaxation of lockdown will be enormous. Local government will be faced with a fiendishly difficult task in overseeing and implementing measures introduced by Whitehall. Increasing numbers of local authorities have turned in recent years to Tillr, the developer of a software platform that facilitates the rapid digitalisation of operational and regulatory procedures. Councils have been asking with some urgency for content related to Covid-19 to be added to their Tillr accounts. They need help protecting their staff, the public and local businesses. Tillr has responded with a Post-Lockdown Recovery Toolkit, which will help with the creation and maintenance of Covid-secure workplaces, open spaces and local amenities. A nation is looking for answers – at Tillr, we believe we are in prime position to deliver one. Tillr: A story of innovation and excellence In the five years since Tillr was founded in 2015, our eponymous platform has become a trusted and reliable name in the sphere of digitalisation of local authority processes. More than 20 councils across London and the South-East have turned to Tillr to save time and money by digitalisingtheir operations in areas such as sports and leisure, waste management, parks and open spaces and highways. The immediate result of working with Tillr is a reduction in administrative tasks, followed by a gradual improvement in the way a client understands its own data through enhanced analytics. Key to Tillr’s growth has been the way we position ourselves as a partner rather than simply a service provider. Our six-strong team works closely with clients to ensure the platform meets their requirements. Every client is different – and the platform is designed to be highly configurable to cater for the particular circumstances of each organisation and the use they wish to put it to. An asset that’s fast to install and roll out The flexibility of the Tillr platform will be a crucial facet of the Post-Lockdown Recovery Toolkit. Each local authority will face varying challenges when the time comes to implement and monitor activities after restrictions on people’s movement are relaxed. Our toolkit contains templates that will help with areas such as social distancing, the unauthorised opening of premises and the implementation of policies relating to new rules governing locations such as shops and restaurants. Speed is key. This is an asset that can be delivered quickly – and updated fast too. If an announcement in Westminster changes social distancing parameters at 5pm, that will be reflected in our service by 9am the following day. The toolkit has already been used to good effect. One London borough was concerned about breaches of social distancing guidelines in its parks and decided to start monitoring. We added a template to its Tillr account within 24 hours of receiving the request so that the council could record instances of breaches. We know there will be considerable interest in this product across the public sector. We have had discussions with the Mayor of London’s office, the Greater London Authority and several boroughs in the capital, as well as Sussex Police. Free of charge to existing customers Tillr does not see this asset as an opportunity to exploit the desperation for solutions in the post-Covid world. We want to make it as easy as possible for local authorities to access the toolkit and trial it. We believe there will be a strong response from the public sector, so we are making is available quickly and on a non-profit basis. Indeed, existing council customers – more than 20 bodies across the South-East – will be offered the toolkit completely free for 12 months, provided they agree in advance to contribute to the content on the platform. Variations to help related sectors Tillr is already actively preparing to develop a separate version for police forces, whose requirements will be different to those of councils. We are in discussions already with Sussex Police, one of two forces who already take advantage of the Tillr platform. After that, we believe there could be yet another version for educational establishments such as schools and nurseries, where the application of social distancing restrictions will be particularly challenging. It is also possible that the toolkit will become available to the private sector, where there will be post-lockdown issues for businesses such as restaurants, pubs and those in the events industry. Contact us today to access the toolkit We are in discussions with existing clients already. But for those new to Tillr, the best way to register your interest is to contact us on hello@tillr.io or via our website. We suggest getting in touch as early as possible so that you can be ready to implement and monitor post-lockdown restrictions as soon as they are in place. Get ready for the relaxation of restrictions with Tillr’s Post-Lockdown Recovery ToolkitGet ready for the relaxation of restrictions with Tillr’s Post-Lockdown Recovery Toolkit
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 queue, the kit comes in four different 400mm x 500mm stencil options, which instruct people to stay two metres apart, keep their distance, or indicate where they should stand when queuing. A ruler, two cans of highly visible line marker paint (either yellow, red or white) and a hand held applicator, are also included in the kit. The new social distance stencil kit is part of the Visusafe Personal Protection range, which is manufactured from good quality, high performance materials, helping organisations to comply with Public Health England guidelines, which ensure materials are as robust as possible and cleanable, providing maximum protection. Jim Roberts, product manager at Beaverswood, said: “During the COVID-19, it’s critical to ensure people are effectively protected in the workplace, staying safe and minimising the spread of the virus. Our new stencil kit is part of a package of measures that does that, providing a fast, easy to use and cost effective solution.” More at www.beaverswood.co.uk or tel; 0118 979 6096 or sales@beaverswood.co.uk
Forum issues new safety guide for apprentices preparing to return to college
As Scotland’s colleges and training centres discuss reopening, the Construction Industry Coronavirus (CICV) Forum has helped develop a new set of guidelines designed to keep staff and apprentices safe. Compiled by Forum members the Scottish Joint Industry Board (SJIB), the Scottish Electrical Charitable Training Trust (SECTT), SELECT and SNIPEF, the presentation outlines practical day-to-day measures that colleges and apprentices can take to protect against COVID-19 when studies resume. Its overarching principles are protecting the vulnerable, keeping contact lists updated, providing staff with relevant training, offering suitable facilities for hand washing etc, and ensuring that physical distancing is properly policed. Other measures in the downloadable PowerPoint, entitled Lessons to be Learned, include: Face coverings – ensuring apprentices cover their faces in enclosed places where it is difficult to keep 2m away from others. This covering can be made of cloth or other textile through which people can breathe, e.g. a scarf. Travel to college – physical distancing is advised when travelling in vehicles to and from college, with single occupancy of vehicles being preferable. If this is not possible, apprentices should sit as far apart as the vehicle allows. Tools, equipment and plant – all tools and equipment should be properly sanitised as frequently as possible to prevent cross-contamination, with cleaning materials provided. Only one person should use the same equipment and plant. Toilet facilities – restrict the number of people using toilets at any one time and ensure a physical distance of 2m is maintained. Ensure visual hand washing guides are clearly visible and enhance the cleaning regime, particularly door handles, locks and flush handles. Canteens and eating arrangements – apprentices and students should be encouraged to bring a packed lunch and flask, break times should be staggered, everyone should wash their hands before eating and hand sanitiser provided. In addition, diners should sit 2m apart, pre-packed food should only be sold and contactless or card payments used. Corridors – wherever possible, introduce a one-way system on access routes, making clear there is one door in and another door out and marking up walkways to clearly indicate 2m spacing. First aiders – to avoid risk of infection, responders should minimise hand contamination, avoid touching their face and clean their hands frequently. FFP3 or FFP2 masks, gloves, aprons and eye protection should be worn during treatment, with any disposable PPE disposed of afterwards. Cleaning – ensure all frequently-touched objects and surfaces are regularly cleaned and disinfected. Risk assessments – all documentation for workshops and classrooms should be reviewed before colleges reopen and should align with any relevant Scottish Government guidelines. The guidance also urges college staff to make apprentices aware of cough etiquette and other do’s and don’ts, as well as alerting them to the symptoms of Coronavirus and what to do if they start to display them. It is also says staff should share the guidance with all lecturers and apprentices on a continual basis, with any apprentice not following the rules reported to their training provider for immediate action. The guidance was compiled by Fiona Harper, SELECT’s Director of Employment and Skills and The Secretary of the SJIB, and Barrie McKay, Training and Development Manager at SECTT. Other essential input came from members of the CICV Forum Health & Safety Sub-Group, including Martyn Raine, Technical and Skills Manager at the employers’ federation SNIPEF. Fiona said: “With ongoing discussions about the resumption of studies, we are all obviously keen that apprentice safety is put firmly at the forefront. “These recommendations are designed to be practical and easy to follow, with clear guidance on how to protect both apprentices and the college facilities themselves from the ongoing thereat of Coronavirus.” To help spread the message even wider, the presentation is being adapted into an animation that will be shared on social media and websites, encouraging apprentices to stay safe during their studies. Fiona added: “In everything we’re doing, the message is clear: We must work together to stop this virus, safeguard the young people in our industry and protect our wider communities and families.” Download the guidance from www.cicvforum.co.uk/downloads
BCMG awarded grant from Paul Hamlyn Foundation
Birmingham Contemporary Music Group has been awarded a significant grant to lead a ground-breaking project that supports and develops composing in primary schools. Listen Imagine Compose Primary is a three-year project that will see BCMG work with children, teachers and composers in 6 Birmingham and 3 Bristol primary schools to better understand how children compose and progress as composers. The project also aims to improve the quality and frequency of how and when composing is taught in primary schools. The project is a partnership between BCMG, Sound and Music, Birmingham City University, Birmingham Music Education Partnership, Bristol Plays Music and the individual schools. The main activity in schools will take place between September 2020 and July 2022 and see teachers working alongside professional composers to plan, develop and teach composing to children in Year 4 and then Year 5. The project has a strong research element which will be led by Professor Martin Fautley from Birmingham City University. This will enable the findings of the project to be shared widely and generate a national conversation about composing in primary schools. Nancy Evans, BCMG Director of Learning, explains: “Composing has been part of the national curriculum in the UK since 1987 and is a fundamental part of the development of children’s musicality. However, evidence has shown that, in reality, the amount of composing in primary schools is limited and of variable quality. Similar approaches are taken with all age groups which can mean children make little progress. Teachers can feel restricted by time, space and resources as well as lack confidence and skills. This project will allow us to address some of these issues and influence how composing is taught and learned in primary schools nationally.” In Sound and Music’s recent national survey #CanCompose, 95% of teacher respondents said that they thought young people need more opportunities to create and compose music. 54% said that CPD for themselves and colleagues would be the key thing that would benefit their pupils learning to compose and 39% reported never having had any CPD for teaching composing or creative music making. 53% of school-based teachers cited ‘opportunities to work with professional composers’ as a key thing that would benefit their pupils in learning to compose. Judith Robinson, Head of Education, Sound and Music says: “I am thrilled and excited that our partners, Birmingham Contemporary Music Group, have secured such a significant award from Paul Hamlyn Foundation for Listen Imagine Compose Primary. Listen Imagine Compose Primary enables us to work towards achieving a number of the recommendations we made as a result of our #CanCompose report.” Professor Martin Fautley, Birmingham City University, Faculty of Health, Education, and Life Sciences says: “Listen Imagine Compose Primary is a significant piece of both activity and research. It will investigate an area which we currently do not know a great deal about, but which, we hear anecdotally, is one where some primary school teachers can struggle. At a time when all music education in schools is facing problems of one sort or another, this is an important step forwards, which we hope will not only benefit the teachers and the schools, but, importantly, the young people in them.” Catherine Sutton, Head of Programme – Education, Paul Hamlyn Foundation says: “A wealth of research shows that children in schools which are rich in the arts are more resilient, healthier, do better in school, are more likely to vote, to go to university, to get a job and to keep it. PHF is delighted to support Birmingham Contemporary Music Group’s Listen Imagine Compose Primary project. Composition in the primary music curriculum is an area which is often overlooked. This project will offer children opportunities to express themselves creatively and will enhance their learning in this important area. We are keen to support the project’s focus on researching the pedagogies that foster progress in composing and on sustainably developing teachers’ practice.” The Listen Imagine Compose Primary project builds on BCMG’s 20 years of experience working with young people in and out of school through their Learning Programme. www.bcmg.org.uk
Lockdown learning: New data reveals online learning trends for UK students
New data from online learning platform, Firefly, reveals learning trends in the UK with parents eight times more engaged with their children’s studies than they were prior to COVID-19. The data analyses activity from over 400,000 students across 500 schools which shows the shape of school day has significantly shifted since going online – with a clear morning rush with 81% more learning now occurring before 1pm. As well as its existing school clients, Firefly has offered all schools around the world access to its platform free of charge. While findings are consistent across all age groups, the data shows a spike in online learning from primary schools who were not previously engaging with online learning in the same way. Primary school students are 17 time more likely to engage with online learning now than prior to the pandemic – potentially highlighting a new future for early learning practices. The morning rush is in part due to a shift in teachers streaming lesson and engaging students with video form time which tends to take place at the start of the day. In addition, Firefly has seen schools across the country adapt to ensure online learning is a success with many now streaming assemblies for students at the start of the day. Firefly has also found that students learning appetite varies based on the day of the week – with activity on the platform 20 per cent lower on a Friday compared to Monday. It’s not only students who are adapting to a new learning week – Firefly has found new trends from teachers navigating online learning practices. Most notably, teachers are spending 9 times as much time online on a Sunday preparing for online learning and setting tasks for the week ahead compared to before the pandemic. While there is an increase in parental involvement in student learning, this is taking place after bedtime as families continue to juggle life during lockdown. Parents are much more likely to access the platform out of hours, with nearly a fifth of time outside the hours of 6am-6pm. Currently 1.2 billion children in 186 countries are affected by school closures due to the pandemic. As schools begin their next phase, online learning will still be integral to education as children go back to in person learning at different times, understanding how children respond best to this form of learning is essential. Joe Mathewson, Founder of Firefly comments: “We have seen an unprecedented shift in how schools operate and how learning is managed, yet we have seen the majority of schools adapt to this quickly and continue to deliver a great education. “The data highlights how we can continue to use online learning to its full advantage to ensure going forward we are creating and inclusive and successful education system that will get the best out of every student, as well as the importance of parental involvement.” James Hoyle of Skipton Girls’ High School and designated EdTech Demonstrator School commented: “Since the significant transformation of the education sector to online we have seen a fantastic transition and new independence for all our student. “Firefly has been essential for this, with 96% of students reporting they can continue making progress with their learning online. The ease at which digital learning has happened has meant we will continue using Firefly as a platform and ensure online learning is built into education going forward.”
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 another illness, an accident, or through suicide or homicide. Prior to the pandemic, many schools already felt ill equipped to deal with bereavement within the school community – and now face having to manage the issue of death and loss on a large scale, as well as providing support to grieving children on an individual level. For this reason, Winston’s Wish – a UK charity that provides bereavement support to children, young people and the adults who support them – is offering free online bereavement training for teachers and has worked in partnership with NAHT (The National Association of Head Teachers) to produce a new schools bereavement policy template. Suzie Phillips, Head of Clinical Governance and Professional Development at Winston’s Wish explains: “The demand from teachers and school leaders, looking for support in managing bereavement when schools re-open, has never been so high. Concerns we are hearing range from ‘how do we tell the children that their teacher has died from Covid-19’, to ‘how can we safely support a grieving child in line with social distancing regulations’. These trainings and resources will provide essential support to school staff handling bereavement, as they plan to return from lockdown.” Free online bereavement training for teachers The free online bereavement training, written by Winston’s Wish, draws on the charity’s many years of experience in supporting bereaved children. It will help teachers and school staff to understand how grief affects a child or young person and how they can help them to cope with their grief. Two online courses are available, aimed at both primary and secondary schools, and can be accessed here https://www.winstonswish.org/bereavement-training-courses-schools/. The first course is an introduction to childhood bereavement and the second course explains some of the ways supporting adults can help. “While the courses are designed for schools, they would be useful for anyone who works with bereaved children”, adds Phillips. New schools bereavement policy template In partnership with NAHT (The National Association of Head Teachers), Winston’s Wish has produced a new schools bereavement policy template that schools can download and adapt for their individual circumstances. The policy provides effective support to pupils and staff for before and after bereavement, and covers both expected and unexpected deaths. It covers policy (such as PSHE) and procedure, safeguarding, roles and responsibilities, with step-by-step guidance on what to do, and information for further support. The purpose of the example policy is to support settings to develop their own policy that will support children, families and staff in school when a death in the school community has occurred and in doing so to be aware of, and sensitive to, individual, family, cultural and religious factors that influence people’s responses to both death and suicide. It is recommended that all education settings have a bereavement policy that will enable appropriate and effective responses to be made in the event of a death within the school community. To access the simple to adapt example bereavement policy template visit https://www.winstonswish.org/schools/ “Sadly every school is likely to be touched by bereavement at some point. We’ve always known that being prepared in advance for such an event helps schools to respond in the best way possible. Over the last few months, over 37,000 people have tragically lost their lives to Coronavirus. This means that pupils and school staff will have lost grandparents, parents and even members of their own school community. We know that schools will have a vital role to play in supporting these pupils and their families. We are pleased to have been able to work closely with Winston’s Wish to produce guidance that we believe our members will find invaluable.” James Bowen, The National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) Bereavement within the school system Coronavirus-aside, on average every 1 in every 29 children will experience the death of a parent by the age of 16 – which is one in every UK classroom. “It’s vital – and even more so now”, says Fergus Crow, CEO of Winston’s Wish, “that schools have a bereavement policy in place, and that teachers and staff understand how to support the grieving children and young people in their school.” Teaching professionals looking for further advice and guidance about bereavement issues within the school community are advised to call the Winston’s Wish Freephone National Helpline on 08088 020 021, or visit the dedicated schools hub on the website at winstonswish.org/schools Winstonswish.org/schools Freephone National Helpline: 08088 020 021