Paint Easter spring flowers at Coalport China Museum 13 – 28 April
Go along to Coalport China Museum, near Ironbridge during the Easter school holidays from 13 to 28 April and join floral-themed ceramic family activities. Young artists can decorate a money box, fridge magnet or paper plate with spring flowers such as daffodils, tulips and bluebells using quick drying paint. The daily sessions take place from 11am – 1pm and again between from 1.30pm – 3.30pm. Afterwards explore the museum’s many galleries. The ceramic painting activities carry a charge of between £1 and £4 per item plus entry while the paper activities are included in your admission fee. You can take your finished items home with you on the day. One of the 10 Ironbridge Gorge Museums, Coalport China Museum is open from 10am until 4pm. A great value Annual Passport Ticket allowing multiple visits into all 10 museums can be bought at the entrance or online in advance saving 5%; individual entry tickets are also available at each museum. Activities will vary from day-to-day and some additional costs will apply. The Coalport China Works was built in 1796 alongside the Shropshire Canal, Coalport China Works occupied this factory until it’s closure in 1926. Half a century later, IGMT bought the site and restored it as a museum, now home to the exquisite collections of Coalport and Caughley China. You’ll be amazed by the spectacular treasures made in these quirky buildings – from elaborate statuesque vases to hand-painted miniatures, they were made for everyone from wealthy families to Queens and Tsars. See traditional techniques in riverside workshops, dress-up in the Children’s gallery and step inside the atmospheric kilns. The Ironbridge Gorge Museums are all set in important historic industrial buildings, Explore our award-winning attractions in the beautiful Ironbridge Gorge World Heritage Site. Where will your visit take you? For further information, about the event or an Ironbridge Museum call the Ironbridge Tourist Information Centre on 01952 433 424 or visit www.ironbridge.org.uk. The Gorge is easily reached via the M54 motorway exiting at Telford junction 4 or 6.
A team of budding engineers from Bradfield School reach national finals of F1 competition
A team of six Year 10 students from Bradfield School, Sheffield, are to take part in the national finals of the engineering competition ‘F1 in Schools’ after placing 3rd in the Yorkshire and Humber regional final last month. Having received sponsorship in the form of funding, technical assistance and components from a number of organisations, including UK Steel Enterprise (UKSE), Timkem, WNT and Primetals Technologies, team ‘Sheff1 Racing’ designed and manufactured a miniature compressed air powered car to take part in the event. The group is now hoping to continue its successes at the National final – which is to be held at the Airbus A380 Factory, Broughton, in March – where the vehicle will be analysed, tested and raced. If successful at impressing the judges and taking on the competition, the team will then go through to the next stage which is the World finals. Following on from the team’s successes to date, UKSE – a subsidiary of Tata Steel tasked with providing support to communities affected by changes in the steel industry – has awarded £750 as part of its Community Support Scheme with the funding contributing to the creation of a prototype model, components for the car and branding. The F1 in Schools project is a not-for-profit initiative that aims to change the perceptions of STEM subjects and encourage students to consider careers in engineering. Encompassing a range of disciplines including design, manufacture, branding, graphics and finance, the teams are able to learn and apply the skills in practical, competitive and imaginative ways. Commenting on the project, team member Ben Powell-Wiffen said: “This is our team’s first ever year competing in F1 in Schools and so we’re thrilled to have made it through to the National finals! “The school was offering the project as an extra-curricular activity and, as a GCSE Engineering student, I decided to get involved – it’s been really great fun making and racing the car as well as learning other skills such as finance management and marketing. “We also had the opportunity to visit local businesses including Sheffield Hallam University where we visited Dr John Hart at the Centre for Sports Engineering Research to learn more about the aerodynamics of our car, which was really interesting!” Simon Hamilton, Managing Director of UKSE, added: “I’m delighted that our funding has gone such a long way in helping the team to prepare for the next stage of the competition and have my fingers crossed for a good result! “The immense time and effort that the students have put into the project is testament to their dedication and work ethic, especially having given up their time after school to complete it. They should all be extremely proud of how far they’ve come.” For more information about the team that look part and F1 in Schools click here.
Haskins Garden Centre in Roundstone partners with Ferring Primary School to donate houseplants
Haskins Garden Centre has partnered with Ferring Primary School to donate houseplants to the school in Worthing. The head teacher of Ferring Primary School, Mrs. Silk, visited Haskins in Roundstone on Sunday January 20 to meet with Nick Joad, the general manager of the Roundstone garden centre, and to collect a variety of houseplants for the school. Haskins’ donation will benefit massively to staff members and students at the school, which selected the following houseplants: Phlebodium Fern Maranta / Calathea Tradescantia Bromeliads Houseplants help to make the air less toxic by purifying the air and eliminating any volatile organic compounds. Studies also show that humans are generally happier when surrounded by a plant. Rooms can be full of airborne pollutants, with carpets, paint and even people harbouring toxins – especially in the winter months, when windows are closed to the cold air outside and central heating is ramped up indoors. Nick Joad, the general manager at Haskins in Roundstone, commented: “We are extremley delighted to have partnered with Ferring Primary School to help raise awareness of the benefits that introducing a green leafy houseplant into a school environment can bring. We have teamed up with the school to kick-start the New Year and help boost concentration, improve air quality increase concentration and reduce stress levels by providing them with complimentary houseplants.” Mrs. Silk, head teacher at Ferring Primary School, added: “We are very grateful to Haskins for the various houseplants that were kindly donated to us. Children and staff have commented on how attractive the plants are and how cheerful they make them feel.” Haskins now operates 4 of the largest destination garden centres in the country and has ambitious plans to expand further over the next few years. Haskins Garden Centre in located in Angmering, Littlehampton, West Sussex. Visit www.haskins.co.uk to view the houseplants on offer and many other things also for more information.
CLOSED – Win a collection of 100 ideas books from Bloomsbury books worth £53
Bloomsbury Books is a leading independent publishing house established in 1986. It has companies in London, New York, Sydney, and New Delhi. Its four divisions include Bloomsbury Academic and Professional, Bloomsbury Content Services, Bloomsbury Adult Publishing, and Bloomsbury Children’s Publishing. They are now hosting a competition for teachers to win: 100 Ideas for Primary Teachers: History – £13.49 Teaching history without reference to genuine historical sources from the relevant period is unimaginable, as engaging with real historical material can inspire and captivate pupils’ interest. By introducing them to a source-based approach, their learning can be transformed and their historical skills developed. 100 Ideas for Primary Teachers: History is brimming with imaginative ideas to teach history in the primary classroom. With each idea based on an original historical source from The National Archives, this book takes a skills-based approach that will not only help pupils understand the methods of historical enquiry, which is a key aim of the National Curriculum, but also make history real, captivating and exciting. Themed to cover different source types, including photographs, government reports, cartoons, royal seals, manuscripts, and private and official letters, this book is ideal for building a picture of the past. The historical sources can be previewed in the book and downloaded from a companion website, allowing them to be integrated into teaching tools. 100 Ideas for Primary Teachers: Questioning – £13.49 Questioning is key to effective teaching and learning, yet practical questioning strategies that are immediately useable in the classroom can be hard to come by. 100 Ideas for Primary Teachers: Questioning presents practical strategies, games and activities not only to help teachers improve their own questioning in the classroom but also to allow pupils to develop an understanding of how they too can ask effective questions to develop their learning. Using philosophical approaches including ownership, authenticity, balance and Socratic principles, Peter Worley, co-founder of The Philosophy Foundation, provides guidance and ideas on how questioning can help pupils reach the next step and activate their own thinking. He also encourages teachers to reflect on their practice and the effect of questioning on children’s progress. The ideas in this book are applicable to all subjects in a primary teacher’s curriculum and are ideal for establishing good questioning strategies and a solid understanding of this core element of teaching. 100 Ideas for Primary Teachers: Engaging Parents – £13.49 Parental engagement with children’s learning is the best lever we have to raise achievement in schools. However, there is a gap between what is known from the research and actual practice at the chalkface in schools. Parents are still often seen as ‘helping’ the school, rather than having a direct role in their children’s learning. Bringing together one of the main researchers in the field and an educational consultant, this book utilises their experience to present 100 evidence-based ideas to help primary teachers engage parents in their children’s learning. 100 Ideas for Primary Teachers: Engaging Parents presents ideas for supporting the most effective forms of parental engagement, which are grounded in both the literature in the field and practical experience of working with schools and families. This book offers a clear, concise and easy-to-use format that takes into account how busy schools and teachers truly are! 100 Ideas for Primary Teachers: Coding – £13.49 Coding comprises half of the National Curriculum strands for computing, and 100 Ideas for Primary Teachers: Coding is packed with resources that will give every teacher the confidence to deliver it. The easy-to-follow and practical activities in this book will be invaluable for all teachers, whether they are new to coding and just getting to grips with the basics, or are more experienced and wish to expand their repertoire. All the ideas have been carefully selected and written to be appropriate for the widest range of pupils’ ages and abilities, and to be used with most coding platforms and devices – making them compatible with any existing scheme. Readers can also access and download additional free resources and templates online – 100 ideas is just the start! Review – “Martin Burrett never fails to amaze – on Twitter, at a TeachMeet, with #UKEdChat and, in this case, in his books. He knows computers, he knows primary education and he knows how to engage pupils in their learning! This book covers all aspects of primary coding that teachers need in the classroom.” – Liam Murphy, Junior School Assistant Head, @ThisIsLiamM, For more information about Bloomsbury Books please click here To enter this competition please click on the Rafflecopter competition below: a Rafflecopter giveaway *The administrator of this competition is QA Education Magazine (“administrator”). By participating in the competition, each Entrant unconditionally accepts and agrees to comply with and abide by these Official Rules and the decisions of Administrator, which shall be final and binding in all respects. Administrator is responsible for the collection, submission or processing of Entries and the overall administration of the competition. Entrants should look solely to Administrator with any questions, comments or problems related to the Competition. Administrator may be reached by email at socialmedia@euromediaal.com during the Promotion Period. * This giveaway will close at 12.00am, 30th April 2019. * The prize is collection of 100 ideas books from Bloomsbury books . The prize is non-transferable, non-refundable. There is no cash alternative. * Open to UK residents aged 18 or over, excluding employees of the Administrator, the sponsor, their families and anyone else professionally connected with this promotion. * There is one compulsory entry which requests that to enter the competition you answer a question based on the “100 ideas books from Bloomsbury books” infromation. Additional entries are available. * The prize winner will be asked to provide their email address so that contact can be made to arrange prize delivery, and their name and county be published in the next issue of the magazine * By entering the competition, you grant the Administrator permission to add your details to the mailing list, share your email address and any other personally identifiable information with the other competition Entities
Resetting the education system to ensure digital literacy
Caroline Kennard, international business development director at Encyclopaedia Britannica, discusses the technical revolution and how schools can prepare by increasing digital literacy… Parliament has recently launched an inquiry into the education system and its standards in what they have termed the “Fourth Industrial Revolution”. This inquiry focuses on the suitability of the current school curriculum with the increased use of technology in all aspects of life, including in the classroom and in the workforce. With the vast increase in the use of technology in all stages of life, students and teachers are facing a dilemma: how do they comprehensively develop digital literacy skills while also feeling engaged with the course materials. Responding to this challenge, the next way of curriculum being explored shifts the focus in the classroom from a more rigid formulaic exam route to a more creative curriculum that provides greater opportunities for engagement and the enrichment of learning. This need for an education that teaches reflection, critical thinking, and questioning is becoming more apparent, particularly as the importance of digital literacy grows alongside the digital and tech-centric workforce of the future. Additionally, despite the skills gap in the workforce, employers continue to have an expectation that the employees already possess the necessary skills to live, work, and succeed in a digital society. Further, this expectation relies on educators preparing pupils for life after schooling by making sure digital literacy is engraved throughout their course work. Responding to this deficit, education technology providers have recognised the necessity of ensuring digital literacy of students and have started to develop products that empower teachers and students in developing these skills. In particular, tools that help students filter our misinformation can be extremely beneficial for their overall learning, but also allows them to improve their ability to filter out less credible sources. The internet is arguably the most frequently used dataset by students and effectively leveraging education technology resources of this nature, identifies unique relationships and produces valuable insights that provide deeper context and connections. This ability to ensure the accuracy of information limits students’ use of untrustworthy knowledge-sources and protects them from online manipulation. Shifting the learning frameworks to focus on the substance of learning will allow students’ digital literacy skills to be developed more effectively. Instilling critical thinking skills, an awareness of the necessary standards of behavior expected in online environments, and an understanding of the shared social issues created by digital technologies, is not only best-practice, it is a prerequisite for ensuring the next generation are well-equipped to tackle the workforce of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. See Encyclopaedia Britannica to help improve digital literacy.
Godstone Farm! Discover – Explore – Play!
Godstone Farm is home to over 500 animals, plus cosy play areas and an extensive challenging outdoor play area. We look forward to sharing 40 years experience of true farmyard fun with your group. Our schools program has been designed to complement Reception and Key Stage 1 subjects from the classroom. With entrance to the farm for the whole day and an agenda of tailored morning activities we can offer a perfect mix of indoor and outdoor enjoyment. A dedicated picnic barn is offered to all school visits and 1 adult goes FREE per 5 children. When the kids need to let off steam, our indoor play barn is the perfect place, where children can explore, climbing up obstacles and whizzing down slides. Set against the stunning back drop of the Surrey countryside is our huge outdoor play area providing a challenge for all ages. Sandpits, climbing frames, swings and slides, all with a twist, provide daring and fun activities for adventurous students. Make sure you leave time for Den Building, navigating the Woodland Maze, riding on the tractor and going back in time with our resident dinosaurs. With all these years behind us delivering fantastic learning experiences, we are sure everyone, including children, teachers and helpers will thoroughly enjoy the visit. Our structured school visits include: Entrance to the farm for the whole day A morning of activities with one of our farm team Afternoon free time to explore the farm One free adult per 5 children Free parking with ample spaces for coaches Picnic barn for lunch Activities to choose from include: Tractor ride, meet the animals, pig feeding, horse & pony talk, Farm animal talks, Food (April-July, recommended for Year 2 plus), dinosaur discovery, duck feeding & talk, and minibeasts! We are super easy to get to being located just off J6 of the M25, making a visit from Surrey, London or Kent hassle free. Being in the rolling Surrey hills we have so much more to offer than just the structured program of activities, we are in beautiful countryside, with stunning views and nature & wildlife all around. Find out more
Little Owl Farm
Little Owl Farm is a family run business owned by Mr John Beck and Miss Cindy Bramhall. We are located on Lower Ship Farm in Grains Bar, Oldham, OL1 4SX. We opened our doors in March 2016 offering our visitors the benefit of local access to the countryside and the opportunities we have to offer; a safe environment to engage in hands-on activities with exposure to the living environment. Our animals are housed both inside and outside and our friendly ducks, chickens, and peacocks roam freely about the area. We have a variety of animals to meet and feed including rabbits, pigs, goats, sheep, tortoises, fish, donkeys and owls. Tawny Owl Toilets provides the necessary hand washing facilities and is wheel chair and push chair accessible. Cindy’s Café serves locally sourced fresh food and drink options with indoor seating and our outdoor eating area boasts a picturesque view of the countryside. The view is equally impressive from our picnic area. The parking area has ample room for all vehicles (ie car, van, mini bus, coach, tractor) to negotiate safely. We advise for anyone with additional needs to please call ahead to arrange for safe vehicle access via the footpath. During term time we offer educational group visits to include curriculum based sessions lead by a qualified teacher. We work closely with teaching staff to ensure that the content relates to current topics and key learning outcomes are met. Our School Visitor’s Pack includes Risk Assessments and we provide additional topic related handouts for students to complete in review of their session at Little Owl Farm. Miss Bain (Reception Teacher, St Mary’s RC Primary, Littleborough) says; “We have been returning to Little Owl Farm for the last few years and find it the perfect setting for our annual Early Years trip & the children love it! The owners Cindy and John are extremely personable and always offer a warm welcome. They work closely with you to plan the details of your day and always offer a wide range of activities.” During the school holidays we offer themed activities and crafts, Forest School Taster Sessions and of course, the opportunity to meet all our farmyard friends! Please visit our Facebook page for our schedule of activities and events. Little Owl Farm aims to provide a safe, friendly and FUN opportunity for all ages and abilities to learn about the countryside, small animals, agriculture and the importance of sustainability of the local environment. Find out more
Vlogstar Challenge comes to NewVIc!
“To date, more than 4,500 young people from across London and Essex have been trained on how to create, shoot and edit vlogs!” This week NewVIc Performing Arts students have been working on a social media project with facilitator and former Rising Star Vlogstar Challenge winner Justyn Hollett, exploring how to shoot, edit and produce their own vlogs. This unique training and competition is run by the Jack Petchey Foundation and Media Trust. The Vlogstar Challenge is also working in partnership with YouTube and the Evening Standard. The Vlogstar Challenge seeks to inspire and establish a new generation of media influencers from across London and Essex. Now in its fourth year, this unique training initiative and competition gives 16-25 year olds the relevant technical and creative skills they need to create their own vlogs, develop their voice and share their passions with new audiences. As well as learning the technical skills needed to produce impactful content, NewVIc students were also given the opportunity to discover and articulate what is important to them, in an engaging and positive way that gets noticed. In the workshop students showcased the vlogs they produced in small groups to Justyn and other NewVIc staff and got feedback on their productions. All of the students that have taken part in the workshop will be invited to submit their best vlogs to the 2019 Vlogstar Challenge. Students watched Justyn’s winning vlog from 2016 titled ‘I am bravescar’,about his personal journey of suffering from third degree burns and scarring. Student vlogger Devayne added: “I really enjoyed today’s sessions and the ideas and stories shared by Justyn. I was really inspired with his vlog and his journey and have taken on board all the feedback given on our productions. We learnt all about the key aspects of creating vlogs, from framing and recording to what is best trending. I liked the challenge Justyn set us, we had to come up with vlog ideas, shoot and edit with our mobile phones and present the vlog in a short space of time. I will definitely enter the Vlogstar Challenge 2019, watch this space!” Devayne Level 3 Performing and Production Arts and Music Technology Year 2 student “This is a great opportunity for young students to get involved in this competition and have a chance to become the next big vlogstar! We support their passions and creativity, help with learning new skills and develop young people’s voices across social media. It is so much fun, it will open doors and you can get so much out of this. I look forward to seeing NewVIc students and their productions in the competition and hopefully in the finals at YouTube and Google Head Quarters.” Justyn Hollett Facilitator and former Rising Star Vlogstar Challenge winner For more information about the college please contact: Shah Rahman srahman@newvic.ac.uk 020 7540 0651
Education professionals feel too guilty to take sick days and it’s affecting their mental health
CV-Library offers advice to those who are feeling overworked or struggling with mental health Research from leading job site, CV-Library, has found that the majority of education professionals (65.1%) actually only take one or two sick days a year. What’s more, only 14.3% said they have ‘pulled a sickie’ in the last 12 months. The study sought to uncover just how many sick days the average worker takes each year, and the affect this has on their physical and mental health. Worryingly, two thirds (66.2%) of professionals in the sector said they feel too guilty to take time off when they’re genuinely ill. When asked why they feel too guilty to call in sick, the main reason was because they didn’t want to leave their team in the lurch (39.2%). Other key findings include: Over one in four (29.4%) don’t like taking sick days as they believe it reflects badly on them A further 15.8% say their boss is not very understanding if they are ill And over one in 10 (15%) say calling in sick is frowned upon in their workplace Additional research from CV-Library explored the impact that working overtime can have on people’s physical and mental health. According to the study, two thirds of education professionals (65%) confess to working more than their contracted hours, with 15.4% working an extra 15 hours each week. Lee Biggins, founder and CEO of CV-Library, comments on the finding: “We’re all guilty of overworking ourselves, especially if we’re trying to make a great impression. But the truth is, going into work when you’re not feeling well is counterproductive. When we’re unwell we find it hard to be as alert and it can be difficult to focus. “What’s more, depending on the nature of your illness, you could pass this on to other members of the team or to the pupils, causing it to spread. Therefore, it’s best to take time out to look after your mental and physical health when you need to, so you can return to work feeling fresh and productive.” CV-Library offers its advice to professionals in the education industry who feel guilty about taking sick days, or have an employer who makes them feel bad for doing so: Speak to your manager: If you feel your manager is being unfair, try speaking to them about your situation, whether it’s problems with your physical or mental health. Together you might be able to come to an arrangement to suit both parties. Create work-life balance: If being overworked is affecting your health, try to create a better work-life balance. Be careful not to take too much work home with you in the evenings. Practise self-care: Take time for yourself before/after work and on your weekends. Do something you enjoy or that helps you unwind. Exercise can be a great way to de-stress and boost your mood. Find a new company: If your boss isn’t able to help or your existing company is not very supportive, it might be time to search for jobs elsewhere! Look for an employer who offers flexible working or mental health days and a culture that promotes work-life balance. If it’s time to find yourself a new role, in a company that encourages you to look after your health, browse over 195,000 live vacancies today!