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.”
Financial planners go back to school to shine spotlight on real world maths uses
Experts from Acumen Financial Planning went back to school recently to give pupils a math lesson with a difference. Aiming to equip the younger generation with financial literacy and knowledge, they gave insights into financial topics from understanding pay slips and budgeting, to workplace and personal pensions, income tax and national insurance. The financial planning team were welcomed into a variety of different maths classes with pupils ranging from S4 to S6 and taught as part of their National 4 and 5 Application of mathematics classes. They included Nicola Doohan Recruitment and Development Manager, Keith Mackie, Director, Chris Hewson Chartered Financial Planner, Charlotte Thomson Financial Planning Administrator, Andrew McRae Trainee Paraplanner, Emma Graham Financial Planning Administrator, Rhiain Hammond Marketing Executive and Andrew Masson Paraplanner. They also gave insights into Acumen working life with a client case study and the pupils also discussed examples involving people in their 20s, their financial goals and objectives, as well as their attitudes towards money, budgeting and saving. To help engage the youngsters, these topics were presented through interactive quizzes, group discussions and videos from their financial education series which launched earlier this year. Nicola Doohan, Recruitment and Development Manager at Acumen Financial Planning said: “Acumen Financial Planning is passionate about educating younger generations about finance and ensuring they are fully equipped with financial knowledge when entering the world of work for the first time. Having worked with a variety of different schools previously, the financial group’s outreach work is continuing to assist young people in understanding day-to-day financial practices.” Elizabeth Mackenzie, a teacher at Kemnay Academy added: “We began working with Acumen in May 2022 with the aim of enhancing the finance unit of our National 5 Applications of Maths course for our S4, 5 and 6 pupils. We cannot thank Acumen enough for the impact they made with our pupils. “It was fantastic for our pupils to have the opportunity work together with experts from a variety of roles and levels within the financial planning industry who are all so passionate about their job. This brought real authenticity to the learning and helped our pupils see the benefit of the knowledge and skills that they are developing in Maths and that these are skills for learning, life and work. We look forward to continuing our work with Acumen to positively impact our pupils’ experiences here at Kemnay Academy.” Having worked with a variety of different schools previously, Acumen Financial Planning’s outreach work is continuing to assist young people in understanding day-to-day financial practices. Local schools interested in accessing the educational videos or for more details about recruitment opportunities can contact Nicola Doohan on 01224 392350 or opportunities@acumenfp.com
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)