Employability hit hardest by lockdown according to UK students
More than half (54%) of UK pupils aged 16-18 believe the COVID-19 pandemic caused greater disruption to their employable skills-based learning – such as data analysis and communication skills – than to their learning of academic subjects, leaving them less prepared to enter the workforce, according to a new survey from Tableau, the world’s leading analytics platform (NYSE: CRM). The nationwide research, which explored the impact of lockdown on the education of pupils in years’ 10-13, also found that less than half (47%) of students feel that their school education has prepared them for the world of work, while almost two fifths (38%) are unaware of the key skills sought after by employers. A Royal Society report during lockdown suggested that school time lost because of the pandemic could harm the UK economy for the next 65 years due to its negative impact on the future skills of the workforce. Discussing the results in relation to the UK’s data skills gap, Professor Pat Tissington, Academic Director of Employability and Skills at University of Warwick said: “To speed up the UK’s economic recovery, it is vital that educational institutions prepare pupils for the world of work and give greater focus to the skills that are becoming increasingly important for employers, such as data analysis. “Data skills are relevant for a wide range of roles, yet the research from Tableau shows that almost half (47%) of students find the concept of data analysis a little scary. This precedes the pandemic; in the last two years almost half (46%) of UK businesses have struggled to recruit for roles that require data skills. More needs to be done to equip pupils with the digital skills they need in the workplace if the UK is to avoid a huge data skills gap.” For UK employers, the need for digital skills has spread far beyond traditional IT job roles, with two in three (68%) job postings outside the technology sector seeking data-literate candidates and many lower-skilled roles demanding basic data literacy skills. Meanwhile the lack of data-driven skills could have a severe impact on the UK economy – costing as much as £2billion annually. Commenting on the results of the survey, Dan Pell, General Manager and Senior Vice President for EMEA at Tableau commented: “Although lockdown disrupted skills learning, we know that there was already a problem with data skills education. This seriously limits career opportunities for young people right across the country, and those who aren’t able to demonstrate data skills will be at the back of the jobs queue. “We’re not just talking about skills for jobs in the tech industry here; we’re talking about skills used daily in almost every job – the confidence to handle and understand data. Building back better is a unique opportunity for a resetting of priorities when it comes to ensuring our children are best prepared for life beyond school.” As well as feeling unprepared for work, the study also found that 80% of pupils would like schools to work more closely with businesses to make education more relevant to employers. Dan Pell added: “At Tableau, we know it’s not just the responsibility of schools and colleges to teach pupils the digital skills they need – but future employers too. For this reason, we have free data literacy e-learning courses for children, young people and adults., to help anyone learn the foundation data skills they need for the ever-evolving digital requirements of employers.” The Tableau free e-learning course provides an introduction to data skills and is accessible from any device with an internet connection. Students who have completed the course can add it to job application forms and university and college applications. Research methodology The survey by Vitreous World, commissioned by Tableau, was conducted to gain insight into UK pupils and their understanding of employer wants and sentiment towards data analysis. The quantitative survey was conducted in May – June 2021, at a +/- 3.1% margin of error, and interviewed 1,005 students in the UK, with equal representation across years 10, 11, 12 and 13. About Tableau, a Salesforce company Tableau helps people see and understand data. Tableau’s self-service analytics platform empowers people of any skill level to work with data. From individuals and non-profits to government agencies and the Fortune 500, tens of thousands of customers around the world rely on Tableau’s advanced analytics capabilities to make impactful, data-driven decisions. For more information, please visit www.tableau.com. About Salesforce Salesforce is the global leader in Customer Relationship Management (CRM), bringing companies closer to their customers in the digital age. Founded in 1999, Salesforce enables companies of every size and industry to take advantage of powerful technologies—cloud, mobile, social, internet of things, artificial intelligence, voice and blockchain—to create a 360-degree view of their customers. For more information about Salesforce (NYSE: CRM), visit: www.salesforce.com About Vitreous World Vitreous World is a leading consultancy delivering global data solutions to marketing and media industry stakeholders. The core team currently has over 200 years of collective research knowledge and is the home of trusted data. The experienced team has founded – or joined – some of the industry’s leading accreditation schemes including being founders of the Public Relations and Communications Association Research Best Practice Committee, and a Market Research Society Company Partner. For more information, please visit www.vitreousworld.com.
Schools across the UK will be taking part in My Money Week 2021
Schools across the UK will be taking part in My Money Week 2021 from 14th June to 18th June! My Money Week is a national activity week run by financial education charity Young Money and supported by Santander, which provides primary and secondary pupils with an excellent opportunity to gain the skills, knowledge and confidence they need to manage money well now, and in the future. The theme for this year’s My Money Week is money and the future. In response to the pandemic, this year’s resources, available in English and Welsh, focus on raising aspirations and preparing children and young people to make informed financial decisions for their futures. Teachers across the UK will be delivering exciting and engaging activities, using the interactive learning resources created by the experts at Young Money. Below are just a few examples of the activities schools will be delivering. Primary school pupils will be investigating jobs and how they could earn money in the future, they’ll also be finding out why adults pay tax. Secondary school students will be exploring the real cost of Buy Now Pay Later schemes and considering the choices they’ll have for their Child Trust Funds. Financial education is crucial for young people as it enables them to make informed financial decisions and thrive in today’s society. Without the skills built through financial education, young people are at risk of financial difficulties, exclusion and debt. In the light of recent research relating to young people’s personal finance habits including a 2021 report from Citizens Advice Bureau which found that a quarter of young people making Buy Now Pay Later repayments haven’t been able to pay for food, rent or bills as a result, initiatives like My Money Week become ever the more important. During My Money Week, Young Money will be celebrating the valuable financial education taking place across the UK as well as the creative and diverse approaches teachers employ to make learning about money memorable and meaningful! This year Young Money is also conducting an impact evaluation of My Money Week in partnership with University of Edinburgh Business School and supported by Santander. Fermin Martinez de Hurtado, Sustainability Strategy Manager at Santander UK, said: “At Santander we are committed to supporting people in our communities by building their financial capability and understanding. It’s never too early to learn about money and it’s important that young people have the skills and confidence they need to manage their money well. We’re delighted to support Young Money on these engaging activities for My Money Week to ensure that all young people are engaged and equipped with the right tools to manage money in their everyday lives and ensure they are set up to prosper.” Sharon Davies, Chief Executive of Young Money comments: “I’m delighted to see so many educators taking part in My Money Week this year! We’re extremely grateful to Santander for their generous support, which will ensure that schools and families can access free, engaging and current financial education resources”.
The PTI partner with inspirational subject leaders to deliver summer lecture series for teachers
Dan Snow, Simon Schama and Danielle de Niese will join the PTI’s Subject Enrichment Series The PTI has announced a series of online professional development lectures for teachers in June and July 2021 to support teachers to deepen knowledge of their subject areas. The PTI Subject Enrichment Series gives teachers an opportunity to attend lectures by the finest minds in their subject fields including Simon Schama, Lord Martin Rees, Dan Snow, Tracy Borman, Marcus du Sautoy and Danielle de Niese over a two week period. Lectures include: Should history wars be fought in the classroom? with Simon Schama; The changing historical landscape with Dan Snow; The universe with Lord Martin Rees; The power of geography with Tim Marshall; The private lives of Tudors with Tracy Borman and ‘X+Y: A mathematician’s manifesto for rethinking gender with Eugenia Cheng. Dan Snow MBE, Historian and PTI Ambassador, said: “In a year marked by the global pandemic, landmark protests, the climate crisis and political turbulence, it will be fascinating to know how 2020 and 2021 will go down in the history books and what aspects of our society will have changed forever. In my lecture I hope to explore how we broaden the curriculum and rethink what we teach as historians. The PTI’s Enrichment Series is a brilliant space for teachers across the nation to re-ignite their passion and dive deeper their subject field. It is these teachers who will inspire the next generation of historians, writers, scientists and geographers.” Professor Marcus du Sautoy OBE, Mathematician and PTI Ambassador, said: “The power of passion and subject knowledge in teaching is undeniable. At school, my teachers gave me the key that unlocked the door to the magical world of mathematics that I’ve spent my life exploring ever since. The PTI’s Enrichment Series is about giving teachers the chance to connect with their subject and discover new ways to enthuse their students. During my lecture, I hope to remind teachers what an extraordinary subject maths is, so that they can take their enthusiasm and inspire the next generation of mathematicians.” Additional subject expert speakers include, Marcus du Sautoy, Howard Goodall, Michael Wood, Tara Versey, Joelle Taylor, Danny Dorling and Klaus Dodds. The PTI’s lecture series aims to support learning for teachers, develop new ways to enthuse students, reflect on teaching methods and to discuss ways to improve the curricula. Carolyn Roberts, Co-Director of The PTI and Headteacher at Thomas Tallis School, Greenwich, said: “It is no secret that this past year has been a turbulent, challenging time for teachers across the country. Now more than ever, it is essential that teachers are given the chance to briefly step back from the pressures of the classroom and school and immerse themselves in a series which deepens their knowledge and passion for their subject. Our Summer Enrichment Series provides an opportunity for teachers to be inspired by Britain’s leading subject experts connect with like-minded subject leaders and drive long-term department change that will contribute to whole-school improvement and inspire young people, whatever their ability”. Subject Leaders who book events on this series will be able to join the PTI Subject Leadership Programme, a national network of subject leaders who meet annually to share best practice and to work together to improve subject provision. The programme encourages schools to engage in curriculum improvements and other projects that will result in better subject provision, as well as motivating teachers to deepen their subject knowledge. Over 1,000 school departments are members of the Subject Leadership Programme. The Subject Enrichment Series will include lectures and workshops covering Art, English, Geography, History, Mathematics, Modern Foreign Languages, Music and Science, is open to teachers at all levels and takes place from 21 June to 2 July 2021. Members of the PTI can attend any event for free. For non-members, this series costs £45 which includes a place on all of the events. To book, please go to: www.ptieducation.org/events
Winners announced for Inaugural Malala Yousafzai secondary school writing competition
A competition for secondary schools, created to help combat severe disruption to learning and isolation that students faced over Covid-19 school closures, saw more than 1500 pupils across the UK submit their written work. Four UK secondary school pupils have been announced as the first-ever winners of a new creative writing competition backed by the world’s youngest Nobel winner, Malala Yousafzai, and the National Literacy Trust. The inaugural 500 Word Malala Yousafzai Competition was launched in September 2020, asking students to submit their original creative stories. The aim of the competition is to use creative writing to boost the confidence, mental health, and literacy skills of school pupils who have experienced prolonged disruptions to learning and isolation from friends and family over two academic years. The competition has provided a much-needed creative outlet for young people who have been struggling with the impact of the pandemic on their education and mental health. Research by Young Minds found that 80% of young people said that the coronavirus pandemic had made their mental health worse, while 87% of respondents said they had felt lonely or isolated during the lockdown period. More than 1500 pupils from around 400 secondary schools submitted pieces of writing or graphic novels, which could be either fiction or non-fiction and in any genre. Amongst the winners was twelve-year-old Katie Barnett, from Bishop Luffa School in Chichester, West Sussex, who entered a short story titled “The Three Little Pigs and Covid-19”. Ada Lovelace Church of England High School in Ealing, London had two winning entries, “A Living Hell” by Mark Robinson, aged 13, and “A Chicken’s Road to Heaven” by Deema Mahmood, aged 11. The creative writing competition was backed by Malala Yousafzai, campaigner for educational equality and the youngest ever recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, who congratulated the winners. Malala said: “Every child has a story to tell. The Connected Creatives competition sums up exactly why I became an activist in the first place – young voices really do matter, but too often they’re ignored or silenced. “The response to the competition has been inspiring – hundreds of young people took part, and the quality of the writing was impressive. It shows how important the provision of creative outlets like Connected Creatives are, in helping students to improve writing and digital skills, connect with peers, and share their work. Well done to all the pupils, as well as the teachers and schools that supported them. “I’d like to congratulate both Mark and Deema on their winning stories. In writing “ A Chicken’s Road to Heaven”, Deema did a wonderful job of creating an engaging narrative – with a twist – from the point of view of Paprika the chicken. Mark’s story, “A Living Hell”, is a tense read that vividly captured the emotions of a soldier on the battlefield. “I’d also like to say well done to Katie Barnett from Bishop Luffa School. Katie’s entry is a very clever retelling of a children’s story with a topical twist – what if the classic ‘Three Little Pigs’ was set during the Coronavirus pandemic? It’s amusing, but also does a great job in reminding us all of the importance of staying safe. “Writing and storytelling have been essential in my fight to improve educational equality and the rights of girls to learn. Congratulations to the winners, runner up, shortlisted students and everyone that took part in the competition. I hope that you all continue to raise your voice.” The competition took place on Connected Creatives, an EdTech platform that is free to use for schools, teachers, and pupils, in order to encourage diversity of writing and fairness in educational opportunities. Connected Creatives was launched in 2020 by Dr Yasmin Hussain (EdD), an educationalist who won the Queen’s Anniversary Award – the highest national Honour awarded in UK further and higher education – for her work on the development of ‘Mother Tongue, Other Tongue’ with Professor Carol Ann Duffy DBE. The Connected Creatives platform can be used for classroom or homework tasks, creative writing clubs, or extracurricular activities. Students have the choice of self-publishing their work – allowing students to consume and comment on content submitted by peers – or keeping pieces of writing private, eliminating the pressure of writing for an audience. Connected Creatives empowers students to retain control over their work and who sees it. All work and comments are moderated by teachers before publication to keep the platform safe and age-appropriate. The platform is also now used internationally; Teachers and pupils at St Francis Catholic College in Sydney, Australia requested access to the tool whilst studying Malala Yousafzai in English lessons, becoming the first users outside of the UK. Dr Hussain has worked with international literacy experts, the National Literacy Trust, and colleagues across the education sector on the development of Connected Creatives. Dr Yasmin Hussain said: “No-one could have foreseen the huge challenges that teachers and students have faced over the previous two academic years. It is more important than ever that young people have access to tools that provide them with a safe creative outlet, new ways to learn, and opportunities to build confidence and improve mental health. “Creative writing is a valuable talent, and vital in building key skills such as literacy, independent thinking, and problem solving. “The quality of entries to the 500 Word Malala Yousafzai Competition has been phenomenal. It’s so important to celebrate the hard work and talent of young people, especially given the challenges that school pupils have faced recently. I am absolutely thrilled at the positive response we have had from schools. Teachers and pupils alike have really embraced the platform and the competition. “I would also like to thank OrCam Technologies and Proper Goose for their generosity and support in providing prizes for the first-ever 500 Word Malala Yousafzai Competition. Both organisations share our values of educational fairness, and aim to provide young people with the tools and assistance they need for reading and
Fiona Miller – Director of People Programmes at IGD
“With 18-24 year olds disproportionately affected by the economic impact of COVID-19, it is more vital than ever that businesses work in partnership with education and government to support the employment prospects of young people. “This month, the Government’s Skills and Post-16 Education Bill has been introduced, aiming to create a system that is fit for the future, providing the skills that people need for well-paid jobs and opportunities to train throughout their lifetime. At IGD, we are committed to playing our part in creating that system. “The food and consumer goods industry is the largest private sector employer, employing one in seven people in the UK, and IGD is uniquely placed to bring together industry professionals and young people to deliver nationwide skills development programmes to tackle this societal challenge at scale. “We harness the passion our industry has for people development and by working together, to date we’ve given 60,000 young people vital employability skills training to develop their capability and potential to thrive in the workplace. “We’re working in partnership with Job Centre Plus, secondary schools and colleges and some of the biggest names in the FMCG industry to deliver large scale work experience programmes to thousands of young people, and our virtual work experience week [24 May – 28 May] will highlight the skills needed for a career in the industry. We’re bringing together professionals from major retailers and manufacturers, from CEOs to apprentices, to run daily masterclasses on sales and marketing, engineering and technology. “As well as supporting young, unemployed people, this week is open to students in higher education, and secondary school students in years 10-13, so we can provide experiences of the working world to students who would normally be undertaking physical work placements at the time. “It’s great to see this work experience programme having an impact, with 91% of previous participants telling us it’s developed their skills and 86% telling us they’re more confident about their employment prospects. Many have got in touch to tell us how this support has already helped them to secure a job! These actions will provide vital support and training to kick-start young peoples’ careers at a time when they need it most. It also supports the attraction of young talent into our fast-paced, innovative and resilient industry. For further information, please visit: https://www.igd.com/social-impact/feeding-britains-future/work-experience
ALDI Launches children’s lorry design competition with team GB
With just over two months until the Olympic Games in Tokyo, Aldi is running a nationwide competition with Team GB, calling on budding child artists to submit a design for its latest lorry. The UK’s fifth-largest supermarket is inviting school children aged between five and 14 to enter a hand-drawn design by Friday 25th June that celebrates fresh, healthy food. The competition is the next step in Aldi’s longstanding partnership with Team GB, and the shortlisted entries will be judged by Team GB athletes – including the Brownlee brothers, Jade Jones, Lois Toulson, Lutalo Muhammad, Max Whitlock and Shauna Coxsey – who will select one winner for England and Wales, and one for Scotland. This initiative also forms part of Aldi and Team GB’s Get Set to Eat Fresh programme that aims to inspire young people to build their understanding and love of healthy, fresh food. Over the past five years, the programme has reached more than 1.9 million children across the UK. Winners will see their design on an Aldi lorry, which will deliver food and drink products to stores across the country. The supermarket will also reward the winning artists with Aldi vouchers and an exclusive Team GB goody bag. The winners’ schools will receive £1,000 to spend at Aldi. Mary Dunn, Managing Director of Corporate Responsibility at Aldi, said: “The Design a Lorry competition is the latest in a series of initiatives we’re delivering in partnership with Team GB to encourage young people to think about healthy eating. “We are looking forward to seeing the entries and hope that those taking part will learn about the benefits of choosing to follow a healthy diet along the way.” Tim Ellerton, Commercial Director at Team GB, said: “Throughout our partnership with Aldi on the Get Set to Eat Fresh programme they have continuously created new and innovative ideas to engage and inspire young people around the topic of eating fresh and healthy food. “This is a fun opportunity for school pupils to see their creativity rewarded and for their schools to benefit also. We look forward to seeing the end results.” Alongside the Design a Lorry competition, the Get Set to Eat Fresh programme also offers a series of teaching resources, which can be used to educate children about eating well, the skills they need to cook for themselves and how fresh, healthy food powers Team GB’s champion athletes. These can be accessed at getseteatfresh.co.uk/. Schools and parents can sign up to enter at getseteatfresh.co.uk/designalorry.
Morrisons launches Little Library Book Exchange
– Morrisons will be donating 50,000 books to help families in need – – Customers can also bring unwanted books to Morrisons Little Libraries where children and families can pick up a book for free – Morrisons has launched a book donation and exchange station for children – the Morrisons Little Library – in its stores across the UK which aims to promote reading and literacy in children, particularly those who come from disadvantaged backgrounds. The Morrisons Little Library was inspired by Canterbury-based children’s author, Rebecca Smith, who approached Morrisons asking for help to tackle the issues surrounding children’s literacy and the lack of availability of books at home. Morrisons Little Library exchanges will be set up in stores across the UK from this week. Customers can bring along unwanted books to donate and all children, teenagers and parents can pick up a book for free. Books will also be donated through the initiative to local schools and community groups, via Morrisons Community Champions. David Potts, Morrisons CEO, said: “The past year has been extremely difficult for everyone and we want to help as much as we can. We know that our younger customers love reading but some may not have access to books of their own. That’s why we’re launching the Morrisons Little Library – so every child has the chance to enjoy reading and brighten their future.” Rebecca Smith said: “To think that there are children who have never enjoyed a bedtime story is heart-breaking. Stories change lives. Every child and every parent should have access to that experience. The Morrisons Little Library provides that potentially life-changing access.” Research from The Open University, which has been involved in shaping the initiative, shows that reading books helps children to start conversations, spark imagination and support emotional wellbeing. The National Literacy Trust recently reported that children who own books are six times more likely to read above the level expected for their age but that one in 11 disadvantaged children don’t own a single book. Teresa Cremin, Professor of Education Literacy at The Open University, added, “It’s been great working with Morrisons to help make the Little Library idea a reality. Reading benefits children and young people in so many ways and is especially vital after such a difficult and disruptive year, as it creates a safe space to escape and learn.” To continue to support children’s literacy, Morrisons has created a new book – Cedric The Seed – and will be publishing 50,000 copies. The book will be distributed nationwide by Morrisons Community Champions to local community groups and schools to ensure they are reaching those who need them most. Cedric the Seed has been written for Morrisons by Danielle Corrigan from Saddleworth, who began writing children’s books last year whilst she was homeschooling her own children. Danielle began writing positive stories for children to read last year to help them cope with the mental health effects of lockdown. Inspired by the pandemic and how lives were changed in an instant, the book follows Cedric, a small sunflower seed as he is separated from his family and friends. His journey is full of unexpected adventure, friendship and fun as when Cedric begins to grow, he realises his friends and family were there all along. The initiative is the latest from Morrisons which aims to make good things happen and bring hope to the nation. Last month, Morrisons gave away over 2.5 million packets of sunflower seeds to customers to grow at home and half a million postcards for people to send messages to their loved ones who they haven’t been able to see due to lockdown. Morrisons Community Champions have also launched the “Little Sunshine” awards which aim to recognise those who have gone above and beyond to help their community during the pandemic.
UK-wide study reveals reading habits among 1.1 million school pupils during the pandemic
Major study from Renaissance Learning reveals reading skills improved over lockdown periods, with many children picking up longer books of greater difficulty Research from the National Literacy Trust shows lockdown reading helped improve wellbeing of children dealing with the pandemic One of Us is Lying by Karen M McManus and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K Rowling were favourite books read during lockdown by secondary and primary pupils respectively David Walliams, Julia Donaldson and classics like Roald Dahl are among most-read authors The annual ‘What Kids Are Reading Report’ from learning and assessment provider Renaissance Learning reveals how children reading during the pandemic saw both an improvement in their reading skills and a marked uplift in reading enjoyment levels. The study of over 1.1 million pupils across the UK and Ireland shows reading skills improved over lockdown periods with many children picking up longer books of greater difficulty.* Additionally presented in the report are findings from a survey of 4,141 pupils by the National Literacy Trust** which show three in five children said reading made them feel better during lockdown. 32% also said reading helped them when they felt sad because they could not see friends or family. Better reading While the number of books read overall dropped by 17% compared to the previous year, during school closures reading levels increased. And when they read, children were inclined to pick up more challenging books for their age. The books they chose were longer and read with better comprehension. Primary school children and those up to Year 7 in particular improved on their reading levels by reading more demanding texts. The data on reading habits and activity was complemented by responses from the National Literacy Trust’s Annual Literacy Survey, which found that reading for pleasure dipped at the beginning of 2020, and recorded its lowest level of self-reported reading enjoyment since 2005 (48% of children).** However, the first lockdown also signalled a marked change in this downward trend. During school closures many more pupils began to enjoy reading again with 56% of young people saying they enjoyed reading either very much (24%) or quite a lot (32%). When it comes to reading choices during Covid-19, almost seven in ten children said they had read more fiction either on paper or on-screen during lockdown, with most turning to adventure stories that was by far the most popular fiction genre.** Favourite books and authors During the first lockdown One of Us is Lying by Karen M McManus and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K Rowling topped the leader boards of the favourite books for secondary and primary school pupils respectively. David Walliams and Julia Donaldson became even more popular. J. K. Rowling made a very substantial re-appearance with 36 mentions as more primary school pupils picked up the Harry Potter series again, while Roald Dahl sustained his popularity. Suzanne Collins showed an increase in popularity. However, Jeff Kinney declined in popularity and Roderick Hunt almost disappeared altogether. This past year also saw more children discover new authors. According to National Literacy Trust data, almost one in two pupils (46%) said they had read new books, while one in seven said they had turned to a book they had read before.** From 2020 to 2021 there was little change in favourite authors overall, Jeff Kinney, David Walliams and Roald Dahl remained popular. J. K. Rowling re-appeared in the 2021 overall list, Jill Murphy was a new entrant, and Roderick Hunt declined in popularity. The ‘What Kids Are Reading Report’ was written using Renaissance data analysed by University of Dundee academic Professor Keith Topping. He comments: “During the lockdown overall, pupils were tending to read longer books of greater difficulty and with greater comprehension. Having more time to read gave children the chance to immerse themselves in literature and schools should encourage more reading time now that they are open again. “It is great to see that primary age children are reading more difficult books and this should be reflected at secondary school age where book difficulty this year plateaued. Secondary schools need to encourage their pupils to attack more difficult books.” Renaissance Director John Moore said: “Lockdown has been difficult for many children, especially when schools were closed and they could not access school libraries or see their friends. At Renaissance we took steps to support teachers during the uncertainty of school closures, so it is pleasing to see this year’s report emphasise the importance and benefit of reading on academic achievement and wellbeing. “Knowing that reading really helped younger children to feel better throughout the pandemic is very encouraging. It’s promising to see that when pupils had a choice of books to hand many chose a more challenging book, and one that perhaps allows for more escapism. “At Renaissance we have long advocated for dedicated time to read, and for the importance of schools to encourage a love of reading among pupils; whether it’s a favourite author recommended by peers, a non-fictional book about a hobby they enjoy or a timeless classic. This report highlights how important it is that everyone has access to books and what schools need to do to re-engage children with reading for enjoyment while giving them space and time to read more.” Dr Christina Clark, Head of Research at the National Literacy Trust, comments: “Our research into reading enjoyment indicates that having more time to read and the increased autonomy of book choice, along with the opportunity to read for its own sake, were key reasons why more young people are enjoying being immersed in stories. Half of the children agreed that at such a time as the lockdown, reading improved their wellbeing and encouraged them to dream about the future, offering a refuge for a source of calm, escapism and relaxation. Schools should be encouraging pupils to read to entertain a variety of purposes not
Charity runs free school workshops for military children this June
Military children’s charity Little Troopers is inviting primary schools and their service children to sign-up to a free virtual workshop this June. The two-hour live workshop is completely free to attend and is part of a virtual roadshow that the charity is undertaking across England from 7th to 18th June for military children aged 4 to 11. Suitable for groups of any size, the workshop will give service children the opportunity to come together with others in a similar situation to explore some of the unique challenges they experience as members of the British Armed Forces community and to celebrate what it means to be a ‘Little Trooper’. The session will be delivered by an experienced team of facilitators using Little Troopers’ primary school resources incorporating storytelling, movement, group discussion and drama. The activities are designed to encourage military children to feel proud of their identity as a forces child and to give schools the tools to help service children navigate any challenges they might face, either now or in the future. Louise Fetigan, founder of Little Troopers, comments: “There are estimated to be more than 75,000 military children in UK schools and these children often experience life a bit differently from their civilian peers. Our Little Troopers At School project has been running for four years now and is all about giving schools useful information and resources to help them support their service children in the classroom. “We’re really excited to be able to offer our virtual workshops to primary schools across England this summer – something that we’ve been planning for a long time. Whether a school has two service pupils or two hundred, these workshops are a fun and engaging way to get these children together and focus on their needs and experiences. We can’t wait to meet all of your Little Troopers!” The dates for the Little Troopers virtual roadshow have been organised by county so that pupils will be logging in at the same time as other children in their local area. For more information and to book a space on your nearest workshop visit www.littletroopers.net/littletroopersatschool Little Troopers is a registered charity supporting children who have parents serving in the British Armed Forces. For more information visit www.littletroopers.net