Embedding a culture of mental health and wellbeing into primary schools
Countless studies are telling us that anxiety in children has significantly increased since the pandemic. A survey of children aged 6-11 by The Happy Confident Company found 43% of children worry about the future and 39% say this distracts them from everyday life and fun. In response to these troubling figures, schools are rightly prioritising mental health and wellbeing, but with limited guidance. Therefore, it’s challenging to know where to begin. One school rising to the challenge is Cunningham Hill School (CHS) in Hertfordshire, which supports pupil’s mental health and wellbeing with a practical and cost-effective whole school programme developed by The Happy Confident Company. Based on the latest research and developed with psychologists, educators and mental health experts, the FEELIT programme develops a common understanding of feelings, behaviours and impacts among students. Crucially, the programme requires no changes to the curriculum as it is based on ten-minute sessions each day. Ground-breaking research shows that just ten minutes of wellbeing and mindfulness a day can be transformative, leading to children feeling better, behaving better and consequently reducing the burden and stress on teaching staff. Cat Shennan, Assistant Head and Mental Health and Wellbeing Lead at Cunningham Hill advises that before embarking on a programme of any type, it’s important first to identify the key people involved in taking responsibility for the programme, and define clear and consistent ways children can share thoughts and feelings throughout the day and across the school. KEY ACTIONS THAT WERE TAKEN TO IMPLEMENT THE WHOLE SCHOOL WELLBEING PROGRAMME: It’s proven that emotional literacy has a huge impact upon children’s confidence in understanding and sharing their feelings. Schools Inherently need a consistent approach that helps pupils feel encouraged and safe to share their feelings. There are plenty of available resources, or schools can develop their own. However, a long term, whole school approach will see children reaping the benefits quickly. CHS used the Happy Confident Company’s FEELITR programme to introduce children gradually to new feelings across each school year through engaging activities with direct links to the academic curriculum. The programme helped develop a common language across the school, while strengthening the school’s wellbeing strategy. Both registration periods during the school day at CHS provide a safe space for the class to connect, reconnect, reflect and, if needed, decompress. Using this time to instil mental health or wellbeing check-ins has been the quickest way to roll out positive change across the whole school. Registration periods: Daily Check-In Arriving at school each day provides an opportunity to reset, and prepare for the day ahead. By providing a feelings check-in at registration, teachers can Identify issues that may need addressing. Check-ins can be done in many ways, from a discreet thumbs up or thumbs down from pupils on entry or roll call, to a more organised daily plotting of their feelings on a feelings mapper. Some teachers have also trialled a second check-in at afternoon registration, which has helped CHS teaching staff to take an umbrella view of the children’s feelings and identify and address any changes or issues that may have arisen across the day. Reflection and Decompression Having tested the benefits of daily journaling for two terms, CHS is in the process of rolling out journaling for Years 3-6. CHS recognised huge improvements in both behaviour and communication from pupils who were using the journal in the trial, as they began to better self-regulate, process and express their emotions. Not only do the pupils benefit, but the teachers are quicker to identify those pupils experiencing challenges, even though they might not have expressed them. This enables earlier intervention when needed. In these journaling periods, CHS is now planning to introduce the Happy Confident Me video programme – presented by Emma Willis – to teach Years 4 to 6 the 10 essential character building skills that children need to thrive, such as resilience, growth mindset, interoception and compassion. Whether building, adopting, or buying a programme to deliver a mental health and wellbeing strategy, it’s essential to consider how the programme links into the existing curriculum. A good programme will wrap into core subjects with ease. CHS has seen this working brilliantly with the FEELIT programme, which adds huge value to the overall philosophy of the school. Mental health and wellbeing can be perfectly integrated into PHSE, English, History, Art and Drama by using emotional literacy to grow skills in both empathy and compassion, creating a safer, more open culture. Exploring characters in history or current affairs; assessing the conveyance of mood and emotions in abstract art; helping children develop their written skills – these all foster a much richer education, with wellbeing at its heart. School Assemblies Whether whole-school, year groups, phases or key stages, assemblies offer an excellent opportunity to embed whole-school ideas, messages and language and create an open and compassionate community. Commencing with a monthly assembly to talk about the different aspects of Mental Health, CHS used these assemblies to focus on specific issues. The topics and themes were further developed across the month, with resources, activities and curricular discussions around specific themes. Banks of activities for each theme were sent out as home learning during lockdown – creating a stronger nexus between school, child and home. This initiative was so successful that the school now holds fortnightly assemblies exploring emotional literacy, a life skill or a problem, which may be encountered in day-to-day life. The playground can be both an enjoyable experience and a place of conflict, where problems can arise. A mentor or buddy system is a great initiative that can make all the difference. The new child mentor scheme at CHS has proven to be an effective way to encourage children to discuss and take responsibility for their own feelings and behaviour. Mentoring With a separated area in the playground, ‘trained’ Year 6 children support others through play with a range of toys including LEGO and sensory games. These child mentors are supported by the
As our lives become increasingly digital, educating young people about internet safety is vital
Young people are growing up with a wealth of technology and information at their fingertips. This information would have been unthinkable 20, or even 10, years ago. These advancements have provided many benefits, and today’s younger generation can access all the educational content, e-books, and access to video calls that they could ever desire, in a matter of seconds. However, this accessibility comes with a significant threat. Young people are exposed to the darker side of the internet, including disinformation, explicit content, and the ever-present threat of cyberbullying. Over half of 12-15-year-olds have had a negative online experience, and on average, children and young people now spend more time on the internet each week than they do in school, spending around 35 hours online – almost mirroring the length of hours required in a full-time job. The time children and young people have been spending online has been increasing over the last decade, and it is likely it will keep rising. Therefore, it is more important than ever that they are armed with knowledge about how to stay safe online. EVERFI from Blackbaud, a digital education innovator, is on a mission to help teachers tackle these complex issues with Ignition, a completely free and interactive course for secondary school students. Ignition is mapped to the national curriculum and teaches students how to navigate the digital world safely and confidently, as well as how to evaluate the accuracy and perspectives of online content. Despite the wealth of information now available on the internet, not everything online is reliable. Ofcom found that three in 10 8-15-year-olds think that if a website is listed by a search engine, it can be trusted, and only 11 per cent of young people could identify a genuine social media post. Statistics like this are worrying and demonstrate why courses like Ignition are so important. It is not enough to just warn children and young people about the unsuitable content they might find online. Ignition is aimed at 11-14-year-olds, which is an ideal time to ensure young people form healthy and safe online habits. The detrimental effects of high levels of social media use are especially pronounced at ages 14-15 for boys, and 11-13 for girls. 11-14 is also the age at which cyberbullying peaks and, regrettably, England has the highest level of cyberbullying in secondary schools compared to other countries. Matt Evans, a teacher from Shaftesbury High School, said: “I was looking for a resource that tackled the topic of digital well-being and online safety and came across Ignition. It’s ideal. It’s structured with lesson plans and explanations that are teacher-friendly and easy to use. Teaching our students about online safety is absolutely critical, as many of them are vulnerable.” David Wright, UK Safer Internet Centre director and South West Grid for Learning (SWGfL) CEO, said: “The online world has changed immensely over the last decade, and we must make sure to protect children online and create a better internet together. This year’s Safer Internet Day was all about listening to what young people want from a safer internet. This global celebration brought together thousands of organisations and schools to work towards making better online experiences for everyone. “Supporting digital development and online safety in young people has rapidly become one of the most valuable forms of education in recent years. Research from ProjectEVOLVE has shown that there is a need to connect online safety issues to broader topics that young people can relate to within their own lives.” The UK Safer Internet Centre is a leading global partnership of three charities (Childnet, Internet Watch Foundation and SWGfL), that aim to make the internet a great and safe place for everyone. As time progresses, the use of technology will continue to play a large and increasing role in our lives – especially the way young people learn. And with mental health issues amongst children and young people at a record high, and the clear links between mental health, social media usage and cyberbullying, ensuring young people understand how to use the internet safely has never been so important. EVERFI’s Ignition course helps teachers tackle this challenging topic in a way which will keep their class engaged, while arming them with the knowledge they need to navigate the digital world and utilise its wide-ranging benefits safely. It is not only completely free to use, but also a time-saver for teachers; doing all the hard work for you with built-in assessments and comprehensive impact reports that show how much pupils have learnt and understood. We shouldn’t expect the progress of technology to slow down. We should, however, be trying to keep up and educate young people of the importance of internet safety. If you’d like to learn more about how EVERFI’s free Ignition course can help your students, visit https://everfiteachers.co.uk/our-resources/ignition/, where you can also find a range of other amazing and completely free courses to upskill your class
BBC relaunches leading children’s writing competition 500 Words on World Book Day
The UK’s most successful children’s writing competition, 500 Words, will relaunch this September, supported by BBC Teach with BBC Breakfast hosting the initiative for 2023. The BBC is now searching for teachers and librarians across the UK to register their interest in joining the judging panel to help choose the best entries later this year. 500 Words is a UK wide competition to find the most talented young writers. Since it was first launched by Chris Evans on The Radio 2 Breakfast Show in 2011 and continued by Zoe Ball until 2020, the competition has received over a million stories written by children, generating more than 440 million words to date. Once again, the competition will enjoy the support of Her Majesty The Queen Consort. Her Majesty has a longstanding commitment to championing literacy and creative writing, and has supported the 500 Words competition every year since 2015. In a recent conversation with BookTrust and Joseph Coelho, the Children’s Laureate, to mark this year’s World Book Day, The Queen Consort spoke about the importance of creative writing competitions like 500 Words and Her Majesty’s ‘joy’ that the competition is being relaunched. Joseph Coelho said: “Putting pen to paper doesn’t have to be that scary, which is what is so wonderful about 500 Words. There are no rules!” The Queen Consort replied: “There’s no rules – they can sit down and write exactly what they like.” New for 2023, World Book Day ambassador Sir Lenny Henry will be making his debut on the 500 Words judging panel, alongside the original judges – award-winning and best-selling authors Frank Cottrell-Boyce, Francesca Simon, Charlie Higson and former Children’s Laureate Malorie Blackman. Lenny will also read a special CBeebies Bedtime Story to celebrate World Book Day on 2 March. He will read Luna Loves World Book Day by Joseph Coelho, a story about a little girl’s excitement to dress up as her favourite book character, meet an author and illustrator and buy a new book with her book token. The grand final will take place on World Book Day 2024, where 50 finalists will be invited to a star-studded event at a special location. Previous locations for the final have included Windsor Castle, Hampton Court and the Tower of London. With a focus on primary schools, the entries will be split into two age categories – 5-7 year olds and 8-11 year olds. Chief Content Officer at BBC, Charlotte Moore said: “We are thrilled to once again host the 500 Words competition and help discover a range of young authors with big imaginations. It is fantastic that the competition will be supported by The Queen Consort and we do hope teachers and librarians across the UK will get involved in this chance to help find the writers of tomorrow.” Author and 500 Words judge, Charlie Higson said: “I am so excited to take part in this year’s 500 Words! We can’t wait to see what stories today’s kids want to tell. I know that my fellow judges and I will be laughing, crying, gasping and I’m sure left feeling amazed at all the talent on display.” BBC Breakfast presenter, Jon Kay said: “We are delighted to be championing 500 Words and look forward to the no doubt stellar entries from talented, aspiring young writers up and down the country that are sure to follow in due course.” Teachers and librarians can find out more information about volunteering to take part in the first round of judging at BBC Teach. The Reading Agency will then whittle down the entries into a top 50, which are then passed onto the final judging panel who will select the bronze, silver and gold winners in each of the two age categories. The competition is focused on imagination and creativity, rather than spelling, punctuation or grammar, encouraging children of all abilities to enter. To help raise awareness in schools, encourage as many entries from young creative minds as possible and provide further support for teachers, BBC Teach will run the competition in partnership with World Book Day, The Reading Agency, Libraries Connected, The Publishers Association and Oxford University Press. A host of famous faces will read out the six winning stories, with narrators from previous years including the likes of Dua Lipa, Benedict Cumberbatch and Jodie Whittaker.
Understanding the Issues Around Inflation in the Education Sector
In the UK, inflation may as well have been the word of 2022. As prices soared around the country, with everything from your loaf of bread to your energy bills affected, it felt as though it was going to be the most expensive year on record. Enter: 2023. This year, inflation continues to push prices up, and a pretty brutal recession is predicted, with a shrink in the economy of around 1.2%. In other words, get ready for more. But what do these soaring prices mean for the education sector? We’ve done some digging and put together everything you need to know, as well as some tips to help your school survive the year ahead. Spending Per Pupil Is Declining In the academic industry, it’s well-known that spending per pupil has been on the decline for some time now. Between the academic years of 2009/10 and 2019/20, it fell by 9% in England in a drastic cut that was felt across schools and colleges. Because of this, the government planned on pumping in additional funding to increase spending per pupil, which would have restored levels back to the 2010 outlook. The government went ahead with this funding, but due to inflation, the amount they put into schools was comparatively lessened. Now, the costs the government anticipated are drastically higher, making the money they’ve given have to go much further. Unfortunately, this means that spending per pupil won’t increase in 2023. By 2024-2025, it’s expected that it’ll still be a whopping 3% lower than 2010 levels, leaving children and schools worse off now than they were 15 years ago. School Budgets Are Stretched to the Limit The lack of government funding is worsened by costs rising far quicker than anyone anticipated at the beginning of 2022. In fact, it’s expected that for 2022 to 2023, costs will skyrocket by 6% for schools, making already tight budgets even tighter. A perfect storm of circumstances has led to this rise in expenses. Energy costs are being continuously pushed up, making it far more expensive to heat schools over colder months, fuel costs have gone through the roof, and the financial impact of Covid-19 still has many academic establishments reeling. Combine all of these factors alongside inflation, and you start to realise just how out-of-pocket UK schools currently are. Fortunately, the growth in pupil funding does cushion the blow. Though not enough to make inflation easy on schools by any means, it should help tide them over until the economy straightens out again. Fewer Teachers and Lower Pay There’s already a teacher crisis happening in the UK, with not enough staff available to fill positions and the number of graduates training to enter the teaching profession at an all-time low. Now, inflation is adding to the problem. As the value of the pound drops and costs increase, the value of wages is also reduced. Teacher salaries are already notoriously low, and whilst for every 1% increase in pay, there’s a 2% uptick in graduate recruitment, the same can be said when put in reverse. The lower wages fall, the fewer graduates will sign up to become a teacher. Unions are demanding a rise in pay for teachers from the government to help combat inflation. However, the proposed rise in the starting salary from £28,000 to £30,000 p/a isn’t set to meet the mark. In other words, the future of the teacher crisis is looking rather bleak. How Can Schools Survive Inflation? There’s no doubt that battling inflation as a school in the UK isn’t going to be smooth sailing. However, there is support available, and there are some clever ways of keeping your doors open and your children safe regardless of the economy. Be Aware of Government Support Schemes Fortunately, the government has created some support schemes for schools. For example, they’ve provided a 6-month support scheme that began at the beginning of October 2022 and runs until March 31st 2023. In this scheme, schools can take advantage of reduced rates of £211 per megawatt hour for electricity and £75 for gas. Keep an eye out for more schemes and help that you could take advantage of. There’s also other, non-cost-of-living-crisis related support available for schools, like their technology funding and grants. If you haven’t already, now is the perfect time to cash in on them and alleviate the strains on your budget. Educate Parents on Government Help It’s crucial you give out information on government help to parents, too. When parents are struggling, their children will undoubtedly suffer. Let them know of widespread help, like the Household Support Fund, and remind parents of their eligibility for free school meals. Don’t Be Afraid to Ask For Community Help As a school, you’re a pillar of the community. However, in times of crisis, it’s not a bad thing to ask for help from the same people you support. Ask those in your community to donate old clothes, toys, and educational materials that may be of use to your pupils. With struggling families, every donation counts. Shop Around For New Suppliers From builders to caterers, everyone is pushing their prices up at the moment. Rather than taking fee hikes at face value, shop around for new quotes to see if you can find the same services at a lower price. When inflation hits, every penny counts! Final Words Inflation has been tough on many industries, including the education sector. Fortunately, we know that the cost of living crisis won’t last forever, and in the meantime, it’s crucial to keep pushing for more government support. Hopefully, this article has shed some light on how inflation has affected schools across the country, as well as given you some tips to keep your pupils happy and healthy in tough times. By Kate Sheppard
Biggest discounts for teachers to treat themselves this month
Education staff are invited to show themselves some love with exclusive deals and perks through Discounts for Teachers. People working in the education sector can access hundreds of discounts for incredible gifts for themselves or for their loved ones, thanks to exclusive perks and offers from popular retailers and travel companies and many more. Teachers work incredibly hard to support their pupils each day, which often leaves little time for self-care or to indulge in trips and activities. In the run up to the most romantic holiday of the year, Discounts for Teachers – a free membership scheme – has joined forces with retailers to help all staff, in any role working across the education sector to spoil themselves, or that someone special. Anyone working in the education sector can treat themselves to some beautiful jewellery with a 30% discount at Abbot and Lyon, along with a new outfit using Oliver Bonas’ 15% discount. Bloom and Wild are also offering a 30% discount on first orders; teachers can show themselves some self-love with a fresh bouquet or order flowers straight to their loved one’s door in time for Valentine’s Day. Hard working education staff can also take themselves on a relaxing spa break of their choice, using the SpaSeeker 7% discount on all their spa holidays – a perfect treat for half term. These small perks and offers can go some way towards alleviating any work-related stress and help teachers to make time for their mental and physical wellbeing. Teachers can also benefit from a little luxury from Liz Earle, which is offering up to 22% off on luxury botanical skincare and haircare. These gifts will have staff looking and feeling their very best. Look Fantastic is another great deal, with 22% off high-end beauty products, helping teachers and other education sector workers to make swoon-worthy savings on these luxury items. Alongside gifts, members can access great deals on experiences for a romantic getaway. Virgin Experience Days is offering 20% off on a range of activities. This deal allows teachers to take a break and discover new countries on incredible mini breaks, experience the most delicious cuisines with fine dining offers or even get their heart pumping with a bungee jumping experience. Whilst Hotel.com can help teachers book their next holiday with a 10%discount on over 300,000 hotel listings from around the world. Meanwhile, if in need of a little bit of inspiration, Buyagift is offering deals on over 4,500 different experiences, including West End shows, rally driving and two-night breaks, providing an experience for everyone, whatever their heart desires. Discounts For Teachers’ research, showed that through the free membership scheme, members have saved an average of £2,262 per year. 91% of their members say that discounts help them to afford a higher quality of life. Jacqui, a teacher who is a member of Discounts For Teachers, said: “Discounts For Teachers really affects my wellbeing and arguably my quality of life, because it means I can afford to treat myself.” Other exclusive offers include 20% off Lovehoney and 15% off The Perfume Shop. Members can also earn cashback on purchases at over 80 retailers with the Ode Card. This is a Visa Prepaid card that can be used online or in-store to earn cashback at retailers such as Asda, Sainsbury’s, Argos, Boots, Primark and many more. Learn more about the Ode Card here. Education staff are invited to show themselves some love with these unique deals and perks this Valentine’s Day – and continue doing so year-round.
Teachers back modernising design and technology curriculum
Leading digital media learning company Pearson, has today announced plans to drive forward a new, future-focused design and technology (D&T) curriculum that inspires children and young people to become the creative problem solvers of the future. Calls for change come as new research, released today, amongst 2,200+ secondary school teachers and leaders shows that around half believe modernising the subject will benefit the curriculum. The same number also support both the move to design and technology addressing global challenges like climate change and equipping learners with the skills needed in a future workforce. Strengthening the role of the subject is also backed by two thirds of art and design teachers specifically. The new design education curriculum, which utilises the expertise of cross-sector organisations, including digital insights from Microsoft and Google, would support a natural transition from its current focus – the creation of existing consumer ‘products’ that too often end up in landfill – to a more sustainable approach in which learners are challenged to design solutions for citizens that address key global issues. This could be through the physical prototyping of products and spaces, but also through the digital design of services, experiences, infographics, apps, websites, marketing campaigns, laws, policies, social movements, and more. Sharon Hague, Senior Vice President of UK Schools at Pearson, said: “Design and Technology has provided decades of valuable skills to young people, however, in the face of continued national decline in take up of the subject alongside rising costs associated with the current workshop infrastructure and a shrinking teacher workforce, it is no surprise that many people are supporting change. “Together with leading organisations and educators, and driven by growing feedback from learners, we have started to outline our collective vision for a future-proofed and relevant design education curriculum that all students will be able to identify with. Our aim is to strengthen the subject’s position in schools, equip learners of today with the skills to solve tomorrow’s real-world problems and support the career aspirations of all learners, while hopefully giving much-needed security to the brilliant design teachers who will be at the centre of this reinvigorated subject.” Chloe Haggerty, Head of Digital and Creative Arts at a secondary school in Essex, said: “A new D&T curriculum is needed – it is time for the subject to evolve. Many students see the limitations of D&T in its current form and switch to Art, Craft and Design. This new design education curriculum proposed by Pearson would give students more opportunity to explore and design things with autonomy. In a world where digital software and solutions are key to future life and learners are acutely aware of the real problems facing the world, it is vital that the subject takes the necessary steps forward.” Headteacher, Karen Gracie-Langrick, continued: “Never has there been a greater need for, and within, education for children to be engaged in a holistic curriculum which develops analytical concepts and enquiry skills alongside the additional dimension of human endeavour. This innovative curriculum has been designed with a higher purpose in mind – enabling pupils to gain the 21st century skills, agency and agile mindsets required for them to succeed in tomorrow’s more equitable and sustainable workplaces.” Supporting both the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development goals and the Department for Education’s vision for the UK to be “the world-leading education sector in sustainability and climate change by 2030”, the proposed plans lay the foundations for a 5-19 curriculum that has at its heart themes such as sustainability, circular economy, design thinking, systems thinking, collaboration creativity and innovation. The proposed plans for a reinvigorated design curriculum bring a new focus on design that will augment art, craft and design pathways, widening learner choice and progression routes. Minnie Moll, CEO of the Design Council, said: “We need to re-design nearly every aspect of how we live our lives to tackle the climate emergency and so the Design Council welcomes a curriculum that equips young people to design for the planet. Studying design at school is a crucial talent pipeline – our research shows that seven in ten of today’s 1.97 million people working in design studied it at GCSE level. The decade-long decline in students studying the subject presents a major and urgent risk to the sector’s future. We must inspire the next generation of designers if the UK is to become a thriving green economy.” Sharon Hague at Pearson continued: “Design education has the power to create a better world. In our inaugural School report, climate change and sustainability was one of the top five themes that teachers want to see included in the national curriculum with as much time and emphasis as core subjects. At the same time almost half of headteachers plan to teach climate change and sustainability in their school by 2024. Design education is perfectly placed to lead this integration, with the learners of today central to the development of systems and solutions that can influence society’s future for good.” Over the next few months, Pearson will be collaborating with educators, learners, organisations, industry leaders and policymakers as they work together to create a #newdesigncurriculum that is fit for the future. To find out how you can get involved, visit http://go.pearson.com/thefutureofdesign
Public four times more likely to think apprenticeships offer young people better job prospects than university
People are four times more likely to think apprenticeships offer young people better job prospects than university, according to new research from tech startup Multiverse, shifting from the long held perception that a university degree provides young people with the best chance of succeeding in life. The new report finds that almost half of the public (44%) believe apprenticeships offer young people better job prospects and preparation for the workplace than university, while just one in ten (11%) thinks the opposite. The research also challenges perceptions that apprenticeships are widely seen as an option for other people’s children. When presented with the choice between university and an apprenticeship for a family member, fewer than two in ten (17%) respondents said they would prefer a relative to go university, in contrast to almost three quarters of respondents (73%) who said they would want a family member to do an apprenticeship. This is a view shared across all income groups, with just two in ten (19%) of the highest earners preferring a family member to go to university rather than begin an apprenticeship. Multiverse’s representative poll of 1,517 people in England also reveals that seven in ten people (70%) believe that apprenticeships should receive more government support than universities. When asked about how they would like to see funding divided, respondents allocated two thirds of cash to apprenticeships on average and only a third to universities – approximately the opposite of the current proportion. The new research comes as Multiverse sets out a number of recommendations to remove barriers and unlock the potential of apprenticeships in the UK, calling on the government to make it easier for small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) to access funding to train up the next generation of their workforce. Recommendations include: Euan Blair, CEO at Multiverse, said: “This National Apprenticeship Week, it’s great that we continue to see more and more demand for apprenticeships; not only from prospective apprentices themselves, their family members, and wider society, but from a huge volume of employers, both large and small. The contribution apprentices make to businesses and society is enormous – the Government’s own data shows that for every £1 spent on an apprenticeship, more than £28 is put back into the economy. “Beyond that, apprenticeships are fulfilling the potential of millions of people, diversifying our workforce across the UK, and addressing some of the most critical skills gaps, particularly in digital and tech. Our report provides clear evidence of the opportunities apprenticeships are unlocking in Britain.”
Early years leader backs Shaping Us campaign led by the Princess of Wales.
A Worcestershire teacher who launched a free toddler group at a leading county prep school has given her support to a new campaign to focus on the importance of early years of children. Shaping Us is a new long-term campaign from The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood, spearheaded by The Princess of Wales, which aims to transform the issue from one of scientific interest to one of the most strategically important topics of our time. Louise Hannis, Head of Early Years at The Downs Malvern, who set up her own group ‘Hoot’ after spotting a need for extra support for lockdown babies said she was passionate about how pivotal the first five to seven years can be to a child’s developmental and future happiness. She said the Shaping Us campaign was a great boost in terms of raising the profile of the work that goes on to not only nurture young children but to support their key carers in early years. “Hoot is as much for the parents as it is for the children and I think the Shaping Us campaign recognises that support for those people who are a child’s closest support is important too,” said Louise. Having herself dealt with postnatal depression following the birth of her daughter, Louise recognised similar struggles in the parents she saw through lockdown and as a teacher also understands how crucial a happy and positive start can be to a child’s formative years. She said: “In the limited time we had to spend outside our own homes, I was seeing more and more new parents who clearly had very little external support. “The parents I was seeing even on our limited trips out to the supermarket or the park were overwhelmed, emotional and completely isolated. I knew I had to do something as soon as I was able to.” Louise, alongside her team, launched Hoot in April 2022. Open to parents of children at The Downs Malvern as well as the wider community, the free weekly (term-time) sessions offer a range of activities from messy play to songs, storytelling, sports and games. For parents, the sessions offer an opportunity to meet other parents who might have faced similar struggles through lockdown. Having qualified as an Early Years teacher in 1998, Louise is also passionate about seeking out the most innovative and effective teaching methods to create an environment which is both happy and has the most impact on attainment in the first years of school. Louise uses methods which maximise all the senses to ensure whether a child is an audio, verbal or kinetic learner the information will be easy to access and retain. “Lots of our work is research through play and I use a huge variety of physical resources around a key topic,” she added joking that car boot sales were one of her favourite places and she was never happier than when she had a weekend to fill her spare room at home with learning aids from model aardvarks to toy zebras. “If a child wants to sit and get stuck into a task in the classroom then they can, but they also should be able to walk around, perhaps use touch or taste something, or even listen to music to help them retain information that will boost their learning.” Louise admitted some people might see that as chaos but it was organised chaos and encouraged children to also enjoy observing how others learn too which had a beneficial outcome. Her methods are working with 100 per cent of Louise’s class measuring at secure in their learning with 75 per cent on track to achieve greater depth this year “The Shaping Us campaign is shining a light on an area greatly in need and one which has the potential to make such a huge difference,” added Louise. “I am proud of the work that goes on in this area but we know so much more can be done. “When it comes to going above and beyond I know I do it because I can see how crucial it is to get it right at this stage. It’s important to lay the foundations here for a happy, resilient and positive future. Hoot was a way to make that support more accessible from the beginning. We build on that in the classroom by making sure we use the most impactful teaching methods and as teachers know we are always willing to learn too so that the well being of the children we are looking after is always a priority.” The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood has launched the Shaping Us campaign to raise awareness of the life-changing impact a supportive and nurturing world, around children and those who care for them, can have. Hoot runs from 9:30 to 11:00 every Friday during term time, with places bookable through www.thedownsmalvern.org.uk
Call for more early years settings to recruit male workers
“Children under the age of five are being denied positive gender role models in many nursery settings as the people who are educating and caring for young children do not reflect the society those children are living in and being brought up in.” June O’Sullivan, CEO of the London Early Years Foundation (LEYF). To mark National Apprenticeship Week (6-12th February), LEYF is calling for more gender-diversity across the Early Years workforce by encouraging schools, career advisors and recruiters to proactively promote more flexible attitudes towards gender roles and cut the stigma attached to it. The aim being to encourage boys and young men to consider school courses and work experience which can provide career pathways into early education and childcare. This comes at a time when less than 3% of the childcare workforce are men. Incorporating as much diversity into a setting not only supports learning outcomes but ensures children see both positive male and female Early Years teachers from an early age. LEYF, which runs 40 social enterprise nurseries across London, says careers advice should communicate to boys and men that working in early education and childcare is fulfilling, challenging, and offers good career progression. The advice needs to ‘normalise’ male participation in the childcare industry – offering men clear information about what the work involves, the kinds of qualities and skills required, and the varied pathways that exist for men who want to consider a career in early years, including entry at higher education level. With women stereotypically viewed as the main care givers, it’s a career few men would even consider – but this needs to change. Over the past two years, LEYF has designed an innovative, male-only cohort of apprenticeships in Early Years (working with the under 5’s) to help boost the number of men joining the sector. Using research carried out by LEYF over the past ten years has enabled the organisation to better understand why men work with small children and, more importantly, what the children think about having male teachers and educators. The 12-18-month salaried training programme offers hands on experience and training in one of LEYF’s diverse settings. Upon successful completion, all apprentices will be given a guaranteed interview for a LEYF teacher post. At present and out of LEYF’s 857 employees, 6.7% of its workforce are male which is well above the average sector of 3%. The ambition is to increase this to 10% – especially given that 84% of LEYF parents want to see more men working in childcare. June O’Sullivan MBE and CEO of London Early Years Foundation (LEYF) adds: “As evidence shows, men and women interact with children in subtly different and complementary ways. When you combine both parts, children’s learning and development becomes much more enriched and this is hugely important.” Michelle Samuels, Apprentice Manager at LEYF explains: “For many reasons, childcare is not a career pathway which many young men often consider because of the negative stereotypes associated with it and a lack of information from schools, careers advisors and recruiters. However, we now want to see this change by promoting more flexible attitudes towards gender roles and encouraging young men to consider a career in the Early Years.”