How do we equip young people with the skills they need to make their way in the world?
According to the National Institute of Health, nearly one in three of all adolescents ages thirteen to eighteen will experience an anxiety disorder.[i] Young people are currently navigating unprecedented and extraordinary challenges that no generation in history has ever had to face. It has never been more important for children to cultivate the core skills they need to ground them on their journey through adolescence. But how can we equip children with these skills and more importantly, what are they? With a background in theatre, we have always been passionate about the ability of creative play to inspire, motivate and nurture confidence in people. As actors, we love to get lost in stories. But seemingly, this gets harder as we get older and as we transition from childhood into adult life, we forget how to play. We become stuck in our heads and forget how to connect with our bodies. Inhibitions take over and as we juggle the myriad responsibilities that come with modern life, our thoughts become crowded and we lose touch with our creative instincts. As children develop, it is vital that they are given the fuel that they need to keep the fire of their imagination burning. We care deeply about igniting curiosity in children and unlocking their creative potential. Our ACTivate mission is to equip young people with the core skills they need to pursue their goals, take risks and express themselves with confidence, credibility and conviction. Nurturing imagination and harnessing lifelong skills of leadership, team-building and resilience is at the heart of what we do. Every child deserves to experience the joy of imaginative play as they grow and mental health expert, Dr H Barry asserts that this is essential in cultivating emotional resilience in young people.[ii] He breaks down emotional resilience into three broad skillsets, defining it ‘successfully developed personal, social and life skills.’ Personal Skills The personal skills that Dr Barry alludes to include self-awareness, anxiety management, flexible thinking and problem-solving; all skills that are harnessed through drama, movement and collaboration. Flexible thinking, in particular, is deeply embedded in some of our favourite games and exercises. Make it better, Make it worse requires children to think on their feet, inviting them to experiment with bending the arc of a story in different directions. Spontaneous Story-time is a brilliant exercise for encouraging group collaboration and quick thinking. Each child must relinquish control, work as part of a team and embrace the uncertainty of the story’s trajectory. Open-mindedness is everything. Lateral thinking is essential. It is a total delight to watch it unfold and we are always inspired by the narrative twists and turns that are volunteered in the process! Life Skills Taking risks is one of the key tenets of a rehearsal room and any good director or facilitator will create an environment where this is embraced. Its rewards are hard to quantify but Dr Barry praises the benefit of practised risk-taking in the development of key life skills, encouraging curiosity, bravery and trust in one’s instincts. This really is a skill that can be honed and one of our favourite ACTivate mantras encourages students to ‘put your head in the lion’s mouth!’ Nothing beats the satisfaction that comes with breaking out of the proverbial ‘comfort zone’ and this sense of accomplishment is life-blood for young people as they grow. Social Skills Perhaps most importantly, the work we do nurtures the vital social skills that young people need to make their own way in the world. Dr Barry defines these as ‘the successful interaction with the self and environment’ and they include understanding social cues embedded in verbal and non-verbal communication, managing social or performance anxiety and unlocking the power of self-expression. But arguably one of the most valuable skills that is nurtured through creative play is empathy. The act of physically stepping into the shoes of other characters and exploring their experiences is perhaps one of the most effective ways to cultivate empathy.[iii] Studies suggest that children develop empathy from as early as two years old but expert Dr David Walsh maintains that ‘its development requires experience and practice.’[iv] In a polarised world where difference threatens to divide us, empathy is a skill that we need to teach our children more urgently than ever. We can’t afford not to. It is the passport that grants us access to another point of view and we need it to cultivate a truly open mind. ‘Theatre is like a gym for empathy. It’s where we go to build up the muscles of compassion, to practice listening, understanding and engaging with people that are not just like ourselves. We practice sitting down, paying attention and learning from other people’s actions. We practise caring.’ Bill English, San Francisco Playhouse About ACTivate ACTivate offer workshops in Literacy, Character Education and Mental Health to primary and secondary schools across the UK. We are a small team, passionate about equipping students with the core skills they need to pursue their goals, take risks and express themselves with credibility, confidence and conviction. Founders Alex and Phoebe are professional actors with over ten years of experience, working with renowned organisations such as the RSC, BBC, National Theatre and Shakespeare’s Globe. With a background in Education, Alex and Phoebe established ACTivate Workshops to use the skills they have honed as actors to enrich learning, harness imagination and unlock creative potential. We also work with leading CBT Therapists and Senior Psychologists to jointly deliver evidence based and interactive Mental Health workshops, to help students better understand and manage feelings of anxiety. What We Care About Workshops Include: Ultimately, we believe in finding the balance between dynamic, energetic, pure fun whilst allowing space for self-reflection. The ability to tune into feelings and understand how they contribute to actions gives young people the skillset to look inwards and the courage to trust their instincts. We invite children to explore their identity, to be bold and consider the defining questions at the heart of growing up. Who
The Education Committee to probe the pros, cons and practicalities of Sunak’s maths plan
A special one-off session investigating the feasibility of the Prime Minister’s plan for all children to study maths until they’re 18 will be hosted tomorrow (February 7, 2023) by The Education Committee. It follows a speech by the PM on 4 January in which he said the education system should “reimagine” its approach to numeracy. He said: “I am now making numeracy a central objective of the education system. That doesn’t have to mean compulsory A level maths for everyone. But we will work with the sector to move towards all children studying some form of maths to 18.” The cross-party Committee will question witnesses from the National Education Union, the Association of School and College Leaders, and the National Foundation for Education Research, on challenges around training and hiring maths teachers. MPs will also question experts from the Royal Society and education charity National Numeracy on the current quality of maths teaching, and what a system of studying maths to 18 should look like. The last major reforms came in 2015, with an upgrade to GCSE maths that was seen to have made the subject more demanding. The Government at the time issued guidance for schools to increase the time spent teaching maths. Meanwhile, a ‘core maths’ subject was also introduced for post-16s who wished to continue developing their skills without undertaking a full A-Level. The Committee will question whether the most suitable way of continuing maths teaching after secondary school could be through an expansion of the core maths qualification or with T-Levels. Educational policy in England already requires those who achieve lower than grade 4 in GCSE maths at age 16 to continue to study towards GCSE maths post-16. This is a condition of school and college funding for students aged 16-19. Witnesses from 10:00 · Sir Martin Taylor, Chair of the Advisory Committee on Mathematical Education, Royal Society · Niamh Sweeney, Deputy General Secretary, National Education Union · Jack Worth, School Workforce Lead, National Foundation for Education Research · Sam Sims, Chief Executive, National Numeracy · Kevin Gilmartin, Post-16 and Colleges Specialist, Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL)
Let’s Go Zero and OVO Foundation launch Nature Prize for schools
Let’s Go Zero has launched a new Nature Prize for schools in partnership with OVO Foundation, OVO Energy’s charitable arm. The Nature Prize will support schools to increase access to nature for their students and local communities, improve biodiversity in their school grounds, and kick-start climate action. The Let’s Go Zero campaign is a coalition of environmental organisations pushing for all UK schools to be zero carbon by 2030. OVO Foundation and Let’s Go Zero share a belief that all children and young people should have access to nature and are committed to building a brighter, greener future for the next generation. Schools, nurseries, and colleges across the UK can enter for the chance to win a cash prize to implement their own nature projects and bring their students closer to nature. There are 25 prizes available: 10 prizes of £1,000 and 15 prizes of £200, meaning plenty of chances to win. Planting vegetables, creating outdoor learning spaces, or building bug hotels are just some of the ways schools can encourage nature in the school grounds, but the possibilities are endless, and schools are encouraged to be as creative as possible in their entries. There is already a huge amount of research demonstrating the importance of nature connection for children, with those who spend time outdoors experiencing better mental and physical health, and improved well-being. The government, recognising this fact, has made a policy commitment to get children closer to nature, both in and out of school. Money from the OVO Foundation Nature Prize will help to do just that, enabling over 37,000 children and young people to learn in and for nature, whilst improving student well-being. Schools are key places to enact and inspire change in the next generation as well as the wider community. Judges for the Nature Prize will be particularly looking for projects whose impact reaches beyond the school gates. Schools could invite members of the community, local businesses, or other schools in to learn about, or take part in, their nature projects as part of widening the project’s impact. Judges are also keen to see applications from schools in less-advantaged areas, or for projects that benefit less-advantaged students. Access to nature for children and young people is highly unequal across the UK: it has been reported that, on average, 12% of children never, or rarely, visit natural environments. The Nature Prize seeks to address this and ensure that every child and young person has access to nature and can learn about protecting the planet. Applications from schools in areas particularly vulnerable to climate impacts are also encouraged, alongside projects that will help schools adapt to changes brought about by climate change. Adaptation is a major theme of the Department for Education’s Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy (2022) as schools face significant challenges from flooding, water scarcity, and heat stress. Projects helping schools’ adaptation efforts are an essential tool in improving the resilience of school communities and are a great way of impressing the judges and winning a prize. Competition entries will be judged by Let’s Go Zero team members and OVO employees in an online vote. Judges hope to see a wide range of projects being entered and are excited to see just how creative schools can be. Hannah Howard, Head of OVO Foundation said: “We know how important it is for children to have access to nature, and to be equipped with the skills, knowledge, and opportunities to protect it. We hope the OVO Foundation Nature Prize will act as a catalyst for schools to kickstart climate action within their grounds, helping students, teachers, and wider communities to connect with nature.” The OVO Foundation Nature Prize opens during Fairtrade Fortnight (27 Feb-12 March) which will be celebrated by Fairtrade Schools, a coalition member of the Let’s Go Zero campaign. The focus of this year’s fortnight is the harmful effect the climate crisis is having on our food systems and presents a great opportunity to raise students’ awareness of fair food growing in the UK and around the world. Schools might also take inspiration from Fairtrade Fortnight when designing their projects for the Nature Prize, perhaps by growing food or setting up a community vegetable garden. Entries for the competition are now open and will close at 23:59 on Monday 6th March. Visit The OVO Foundation Nature Prize – Lets Go Zero to apply or find out more details.
GCSEPod offers pupils access to over 500 hours of free content during NEU strikes
One of the UK’s leading education software providers, GCSEPod, will offer 525 hours of free content to students on 1 February, and all future strike days, to support teachers and help ensure learning is uninterrupted while members of the NEU union go on strike. The content being made available has been hand-picked to align with the knowledge and confidence gaps highlighted in a recent survey of 80,000 GCSE students answering over 1 million assessment questions. To view all the content available visit: https://www.theaccessgroup.com/en-gb/education/resources/free-curriculum-content/ Described as the ‘Netflix’ of education, GCSEPod is used by 1,659 schools across the UK, both in the classroom and to assist with at-home learning and revision. The free content will be available to all schools and learners, regardless of whether they currently use GCSEPod. With many schools expected to close to the majority of students on the planned strike days, GCSEPod hopes to minimise the pressure on teachers and ensure that learning can continue. Original, English Language, GCSE style exam papers will also be made available to English and Welsh exam boards. These can be easily downloaded and printed off for pupils without access to technology on strike days. Emma Slater, Head of Education at GCSEPod, said: “We appreciate that the decision to strike is by no means an easy one for teachers and understand that the last thing they want to see is pupils falling behind at a crucial point in the academic year. By offering free access to content that aligns with the knowledge and confidence gaps including video content from across the core and options subjects, we believe that pupils and teachers at all schools taking advantage of the offer will benefit. “Studying Shakespeare, revising the topic of energy, stretching yourself with statistics or geographical skills. With over 100 videos being made available online across all areas of the curriculum teachers and SLT can rest assured that we have their learners covered over the coming month.” Rosie Tucker, a science teacher based in Devon, said: “The situation for teachers is becoming almost untenable and forcing many, like myself, to consider leaving the profession altogether. While we’ve had a small pay rise, this hasn’t come from extra government funding, it’s come from the schools themselves – things urgently need to change. “While we are not required to set work on the days of the strikes, many of us will be working extra hours over the next few days to ensure that pupils have work to complete and that learning can continue from home. By offering GCSEPod to students we are confident that pupils will access engaging and useful content that they are familiar with. At the end of the day, no one wants to see pupils losing out.” Covering 30 GCSE/ IGCSE subjects, users of the GCSEPod learning and revision tools are proven to achieve one grade higher, on average, than non-users. The GCSEPod content and assessments are accessible both in the classroom and at home, providing learners more flexibility and freedom when it comes to managing their progress and revision. To find out more visit: GCSEPod curriculum content and assessment
What is the role of English in 2023 and beyond?
The English skills developed throughout learners’ school lives play a vital role in their futures. As a subject, English opens the minds of young people, enabling them to explore ideas, opinions and attitudes and express their own, and in doing so supports the development of morally responsible, empathetic individuals who can positively influence the world around them. As well as this intrinsic significance, achievement in English is an important steppingstone, a key to unlocking future doorways and prospects: the skills that are so deeply at the heart of English – of clear, purposeful and appropriate communication in a range of forms and media – are prized highly by employers and higher educators alike. And yet, for many years, English as a preferred choice for A level students has been in decline. We know from our own conversations and research with schools, that many learners struggle to connect and relate to their experience of English at GCSE, unable to see its relevance and value to their lives – an issue compounded by a political focus on the employability benefits of studying STEM. For some, including those from areas of disadvantage (45%), pupils with SEND (42%), global majority groups (21%) and boys (19%), English is much less likely to be seen as appealing and accessible. Individuals who feel the subject is irrelevant, or simply not for them, risk missing out on far more than a reading list. After all, words are a priceless currency: they emote, they express, they connect, they influence. Those who can use them well will forever be at an advantage in our interconnected world, best equipped to hear and understand others, and to be heard and understood themselves. With A level entries declining by more than 20% since 2017, it is vital that we change the tide in opinion on this pivotal core subject. To do this, we must answer the challenge clearly given to us from our young learners: what is English for and why is that important to me? Relevance, representation and modernity Creating the right conditions for every learner to want to engage – igniting their love of language, and expanding their view of the subject – involves an objective look at inclusivity in the curriculum. Learners should be able to connect with English as a subject, identifying with their experience of the curriculum as well as encountering narratives and voices that may perhaps be unfamiliar to their immediate world. Much thinking is already underway in English departments across the country to embed diversity and representation into the English syllabus in a meaningful way. Joy Mbakwe, Head of English at Lilian Baylis Technical College, explains the situation as she sees it: “Classrooms around the UK are growing in both voice and diversity, empowered by the interconnectedness of our modern world and, as a consequence, an increasing number of our students feel alienated by choices being made at department level concerning what is taught.” One of the major roles English holds is to give shape to the world around our students. Consequently, non-diverse curricula mean many students are not accessing the world as it truly is. For those who don’t feel represented themselves, it can be a small step from there towards disengagement. For those who don’t see others represented, their capacity to develop in sync with the increasingly global context of society is being limited. Tabatha Sheehan, Head of English and Media at Westonbirt School, is one of many schools driving forward the necessary change: “We are more committed than ever to making the curriculum as representative as possible, to opening up our students’ minds to the world outside their neighbourhoods, and to ensuring that no young person feels excluded by the books we teach and read. Our curricula needs this. Our children need this. It’s time for change.” As two-thirds of teachers seek more diverse and representative texts in the next curriculum reform and just under half of teachers more modern texts, it seems a diverse English curriculum matters now more than ever if we are to successfully help learners see English as a living, breathing, ever-evolving subject discipline. English and employability A future English curriculum should arguably have as one of its explicit purposes getting young people work-ready. Employer bodies have long since asked for more deliberate attention to be paid to the development of real-world employability skills through school curricula and qualifications. With almost half of employers believing young people leaving school are not work-ready, these concerns should not be dismissed. In developing the English curricula and qualifications for the future, we would serve young people better through working with employers to identify vital content and skills, to develop real-world tasks that are systematically embedded into the English curriculum and could, in the future, feature more prominently in high stakes assessment, including a more central role for oracy. Competency in such skills could be recognised through micro-accreditation such as digital skills badges and skills passports, supplementing their grade and giving a more complete view of what every learner can do. In doing this, we can simultaneously develop and evidence key skills valued by employers and more obviously show to learners the relevance and application of what they are learning. A curriculum for our time, and for all A coherent and relevant English curriculum should have a logical flow that tantalises GCSE students with rich, engaging subject material that speak to how language is power and language shapes identity. In this way, a KS4 curriculum of the future could introduce learners to the fields of socio-linguistics, child language acquisition and semantics – helping open their minds to the role that language plays in shaping meaning and identity and encouraging onward study through earlier exposure to such rich subject content. As with any subject, an English curriculum is never complete – it is always evolving and being refined. Our current students have lived through extraordinary times in the rapid development of how humankind communicates, shares information and influences each other; it is not
Children suffering from heart-breaking effects of food poverty in Britain
Children are unfairly facing the effects of diet equality as the cost-of-living crisis sweeps the UK. Children living on the breadline are suffering due to chronic food inequality, according to scientific evidence presented at a British Nutrition Foundation conference. Case studies featured youngsters who shared the hardship of trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle when their parents are forced to choose between heating and eating. Variables such as too much access to cheap food outlets and not enough access to free school meals play a major role in contributing to diet inequality. Professor Corinna Hawkes, Director, Centre for Food Policy at the University of London described the issue as “critical and topical”. The latest government data shows that more than four million children are living in poverty across the UK as a result of austerity, the pandemic and the ongoing and spiralling cost of living crisis. Insufficient access to nutritious food is a key part of defining poverty or food insecurity, with children being some of the worst affected. The BNF shared findings of a study conducted by Professor Julie Brannen and Professor Rebecca O’Connell which found that half of parents living in low-income households sheltered their children from food insecurity by limiting their own food intake or skipping meals. While three quarters of mums said they bought or prepared meals that were ‘filling rather than nutritious’, by bulking out meals with cost-effective carbohydrates like pasta or rice. But the dependency on high sugar, high fat, convenient food only exacerbates the problem of diet inequality with young people and children, not developing tastes for ‘good or nutritious’ foods, it was heard today. In a poignant statement read by Prof Brannen, a boy called Jimmy said: “sometimes I go to bed hungry. I just started to grow and when I started to grow, I think my belly started to grow too”. That is why the importance of eating at school must not be overlooked, as several nutrition experts including Katie Palmer, Programme Manager for Food Sense Wales presented. Despite all children in Brannen and O’Connell’s study coming from low-income households, only half were entitled to free school meals. Many of these children said the allowances were not enough to fill them up and that they felt embarrassed by the smaller portion sizes they may receive compared to their classmates who paid. Those discrepancies brought about feelings of shame and embarrassment in children living on lower incomes, with some saying they felt singled out by staff and lunchtime supervisors. The effects of living hand to mouth stretch beyond its health implications, with the social ramifications rarely spoken about. Professor Hawkes, the host of the British Nutrition Foundation Annual Day said: “Food is about so much more than nutrition. It is hugely symbolic and plays a major role in people’s lives.” Furthering the discussion around the significance of Free School Meals in a struggling climate, attendees also heard about several other schemes across the UK which are striving to ensure children have access to healthy food, all year round. Sara Stanner, Science Director, British Nutrition Foundation said: “We recognise the need for all children to have access to healthier food in schools, alongside provision of good food and nutrition education which we support through our Food-a fact of life education programme”.
Practical strategies to help students navigate stress
Earlier this term, National Stress Awareness Day marked an important opportunity to reflect on the negative impact stress can have on a person’s physical and mental health as well as their general wellbeing. Young people in particular can feel significant stress when faced with the pressure of achieving at school and in their exams. In fact, 60% of young people have felt so stressed by the pressure to succeed that they have felt overwhelmed or unable to cope. This can place an enormous strain on schools, many of which are unequipped to deal with the rise in students struggling with everyday battles over their self-image, confidence, social media and unhealthy relationships. In order to support students and tackle these ongoing challenges, schools need to help them develop techniques to manage stress. Through our bespoke workshops, we teach young people techniques and practical strategies to navigate this stress and prioritise mental wellbeing. It is also important for us to explain in which situations each technique is best to use. Support with feeling overwhelmed In times of high stress, for example in the lead up to an exam or during times of conflict with friends, anyone, and especially young people, can feel overwhelmed. In this circumstance, students can use specific breathing techniques that seem simple but are extremely effective. This includes the well-known STOP technique which encourages young people to take a moment to be calm. The technique requires a person to stop what they are doing, take a breath and focus on something else, such as what is happening outside. Following this, students are normally ready to focus again and can be present in lessons. Furthermore, sometimes students take five minutes to blast their favourite song or dance it out like nobody is watching to distract them from the source of their stress long enough to be able to refocus and continue with their learning afterwards. It can also be difficult for young people to recognise the stages leading up to feeling overwhelmed, and then once they’re consumed with stress it can be hard to deescalate. For this reason, it is important teachers also support students to recognise why their stress is increasing too much and encourage them to undertake breathing techniques, and identify and tackle the problems which are overwhelming them Handling longer-term stress Additionally, schools should be promoting self-care in dealing with longer-term issues around stress. Students should be encouraged to sleep well and take time out of their day for activities that are good for their wellbeing, such as getting outside and doing something they enjoy. This can help young people manage their stress. Stress can have a real impact on the success of young people and so it is imperative schools do what they can to fully support students to handle overwhelming feelings. Providing them with the advice and top tips to deal with stress will support them throughout the rest of their education and beyond. By Yvonne Kekeliadis, Founder and Creator of Brightstarz
Teacher training providers and trainee teachers hit by cost-of-living crisis, according to NASBTT survey
The “very real” impact of the cost-of-living crisis on Initial Teacher Training (ITT) providers and trainee teachers has been revealed today (November 29) in new research undertaken by the National Association of School-Based Teacher Trainers (NASBTT). In her opening address at the NASBTT Annual Conference 2022, Executive Director Emma Hollis said that having battled through the recent ITT market review and reaccreditation process, rising costs and inflation were now directly hitting the sector. She reported that this year’s trainees are already withdrawing as a result of increased costs, and outlined the key aspects of ITT provision that are in danger of being cut. The survey, undertaken by NASBTT this month amongst over 80 ITT providers, found that: 93% of providers report the cost-of-living crisis, and rising costs, are having an impact on their ITT provision. When asked how their provision is being impacted key themes include the cost of travel for trainees proving to be prohibitive, trainees not applying or withdrawing, as well as staff and operating costs. Staff salaries, pay award increase and energy prices are the three rising costs causing providers the greatest concerns in their 2022-23 ITT budget. As a direct result, 48% of providers expect a budget shortfall this year and a further 34% believe this is a possibility. However, looking forward, 82% say it is ‘very likely’ or ‘likely’ that their provision will impacted further in 2023-24. Aspects of ITT provision that are in danger of being cut or affected as a result of rising costs are: Staffing (loss of staff or increased workloads due to being unable to recruit for need). Teaching/training resources. Payments to schools. Fewer face-to-face meetings/training. Potential closure of provision. 88% of providers report that the cost-of-living crisis, and rising costs, are having an impact on trainees. The three areas that trainees are most affected are fuel/transport; wellbeing and energy prices. Other areas include mortgages/rent, food and clothing. 47% of providers have had trainees already withdraw as a direct result of the cost-of-living crisis (ranging from 9 in 2 providers down to 1). 96% of providers are ‘concerned’ or ‘very concerned’ that more trainees may withdraw due to the cost-of-living crisis. When asked what would support them, key ideas and ‘requests’ for help include financial support (bursaries across all subjects and phases, childcare costs, hardship funds, transport costs etc), and funding staff wage increases for providers – most are linked to teacher pay so are facing increased staff costs with no corresponding increase in tuition fees. Outside of the cost-of-living crisis, 45% of providers state that the ITT market review and reaccreditation process has impacted the financial strength of their organisation. When asked ‘how’, the key themes are: Impact on time/capacity and workload with no additional staffing (it is simply unaffordable to recruit help). Risk of large national providers undercutting/competing in areas already struggling to recruit. Schools unable to meet the additional requirements of mentoring and removing offers of placements/requiring more funding. Costs associated with increased staffing to meet new quality requirements effectively – especially requirements around lead mentors and general mentor training – funding available does not cover the actual costs. Closure of provision. “We cannot ignore what we are seeing here,” Emma said. “These are worrying trends, and we have to acknowledge and respond to the very real threats in front of us today before we can really consider the future following the market review. “Trainee recruitment is already challenging. If we look at secondary, for example, Ministers are likely to miss their trainee teacher target for next year by a third, the ninth time in the past ten years that targets have been missed. Whilst I have repeatedly said that the glimmer on the horizon is this is all happening at a time of economic uncertainty – and history shows that during periods of economic difficulty there is generally a boom in applications for teacher training – clearly financially-hampered ITT providers and financially struggling trainees will not lead to a positive uplift on these gloomy recruitment figures. “We will be discussing these findings with government, and sharing these with other sector representatives, to draw attention to the issues raised and the workable suggestions being proposed by ITT providers through the survey.” In a wide-ranging speech, Emma also called on schools to “open their doors to trainee teachers, not just when they are recruiting new teachers but in supporting their training right from the start”, and highlighted the availability of time and capacity for mentoring that is “causing some concern for our sector”. The NASBTT Annual Conference, which this year is titled ‘Reflect, Connect, Refocus’, runs until 1st December. Speakers include the Department for Education, Ofsted, Chartered College of Teaching, Education Endowment Foundation, National Foundation for Educational Research, National Institute of Teaching, Teaching School Hubs Council and Teacher Development Trust.
Welsh broadband firm brings interactive STEM programme to south Wales schools
Pupils in the Vale of Glamorgan have become the first in Wales to benefit from new science education workshops provided by Wales’s home-grown internet company, Ogi. Delivered in collaboration with leading interactive education practitioners, Science Made Simple, the new programme brings broadband technology to life, helping schools to embed ultrafast connectivity and showcase the real-life application of STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) subjects throughout the new curriculum. The initial pilot programme launched during the autumn term with three schools in Llantwit Major, coinciding with the completion of Ogi’s initial broadband works programme in the Vale of Glamorgan town. Classes of pupils from years 5-9 from Ysgol Gymraeg Dewi Sant, St Illtyd Primary School, and Llantwit Major Secondary School took part in the pilot, designed and delivered by Science Made Simple and engineers at Ogi. Sarah Vining, Head of Brand and Engagement at Ogi, said: “We talk a lot about the benefits of ultrafast broadband here at Ogi, and this initiative gives pupils the opportunity to build their own piece of the puzzle; learning more about the technology they use each and every day.” At Ysgol Gymraeg Dewi Sant, following an assembly that introduced using the electro-magnetic spectrum to transfer information – showing how light travels through fibre – pupils took part in an electronics workshop where they built and soldered their own slice of a network, emulating the delivery of data using a circuit board, resistors, capacitors, transistors and LEDs. Ms Pearson, year 5 teacher at Ysgol Gymraeg Dewi Sant, said: “We are always excited when there are opportunities to further develop science and particularly the STEM suite of subjects in our school. The interactive workshops provided ‘real life’ opportunities and the support Ogi offered during the session was so inspiring, thought provoking and gave pupils a tangible example of how electrical circuits are used in our everyday lives. “The echo of enjoyment, confidence and discussions following the session showed the impact the team had on all learners.” Session leader, Dan Reed from Science Made Simple, said: “It was great to see pupils getting stuck in, learning new skills like soldering, and seeing the theory in reality as the session went on. Their enthusiasm is so inspiring. Everyone left with a working kit to take home to show their families. We had lots of smiles by the end of the day.” Following the successful pilot, Ogi is now looking to expand the programme to schools across south Wales in 2023. Ogi’s Sarah Vining, added: “This is a generation who were heavily reliant on broadband and connectivity for home schooling, entertainment and support during the pandemic. So, while broadband is brilliant for gaming, and keeping in touch with friends, we want to create excitement about the technology behind the ‘magic’ too, inspiring a new generation of engineers and data scientists. “These groups have shown a real understanding and appreciation for the inner workings of a broadband connection, taking nothing for granted as they explore the science that continues to keep them connected to the world around us. “That’s why it’s essential we continue to help schools access opportunities like this, which demonstrate the real-life application of these vitally important STEM subjects.” The internet company is now using feedback from the initial pilot to help design the next phase of the programme roll out in 2023.