School Rips Up the Rulebook to Create Future-inspired ‘Flexible Classrooms’ for Pupils
Independent West Sussex prep school, Windlesham House, has opened a number of new flexible classrooms as part of its commitment to invest in innovative learning spaces that are equipped to prepare children for the changing world. Break out spaces and floor cushions have been installed in place of traditional desks and chairs In line with its four-year digital strategy, the school has opened the flexible classrooms to foster a collaborative learning environment that inspires reflection, resilience and ownership, while promoting autonomy. The new flexible classrooms are divided into a range of coloured zones aimed at modelling critical thinking, questioning and risk taking. The Gather Zone (in orange) is where the modelling and teaching happens in short 15-minute blocks to avoid cognitive overload. The Collaboration Zone (in green) is a learning space where pupils can discuss ideas, talk to each other, use whiteboards to model thoughts or iPads to complete work such as short films which can be presented in different formats. There is also a Reflection Zone (in blue) which is a quiet, independent area of learning where pupils can work alone and listen to music on their headphones. READ MORE QA NEWS: Teacher Recruitment and Retention Remains Most Pressing Concern READ MORE QA NEWS: Research finds parents support for Ofsted reform Commenting on the modern learning spaces, Ben Evans, Headmaster at Windlesham House, said: “Environment and setting plays an essential role in learning. “Children can spend many hours every day in a classroom, so it is important that they feel safe, happy, calm and able to learn effectively. “We are keen on inspiring a community of confident, productive young learners. Our flexible classrooms give them a variety of innovative spaces where they can work collaboratively with peers or independently in a peaceful zone as needed.” The school’s flexible classrooms include a variety of soft furnishings from comfy sofas, and floor cushions as well as high- and low-level desks with writable surfaces to inspire freedom of movement. These classrooms will play an essential role in the pupils’ learning day to day and are designed to nurture a community that learns, studies and explores the changing world, while personalising individual learning habits. “It is our belief that removing the physical barrier of a ‘teacher behind a desk’ will encourage greater and more active collaboration in lessons as well as improved concentration. Our flexible classrooms also give children the time to reflect on their choices, putting them in control of their learning journey. School is not just about passing tests, it is about critical thinking, questioning and risk taking in a safe and fun environment,” added Mr Evans. Teachers are now able to plan lessons with the various spaces in mind giving the pupils differentiated tasks and learning outcomes. The feedback from pupils has also been very positive. One Year 5 pupil said: “I love the new flexible classrooms and the furniture. When I first walked in, I noticed a speech bubble with words and their meanings. I think it will help me to learn better because the room is relaxing and calming for studying.”
Discover the joys of drawing and painting with Go Sketch
‘Is Talent a Myth?’ by Go Sketch founder Emma Shannon As a young child many of us loved art and would have easily picked up a crayon and started drawing with a sense of freedom and exploration. When I became a primary school teacher, I enjoyed seeing this same joy when children were given the opportunity to draw or create a clay sculpture in class. However, for many, this sense of joy and abandon when creating art does not last. As we get older, many adults leave this pastime behind them. Drawing becomes something that young children do with ease and adults do with caution. As an art teacher I have noticed that there is a sense of judgement that starts from about age 8 or 9 and grows into adulthood. Instead of being present in the moment while creating art, we start thinking “Is this a good or a bad drawing?”. We look around at our classmates and we start comparing our drawing to others. As a teacher, I began to wonder what causes this shift in attitude from “I can draw” to “I can’t draw”. Is there anything I can do as a teacher to stop this transition? When I decided to leave full time teaching and set up Go Sketch to focus in on art education, I started listening more to what children, parents and teachers started expressing around art ability and one word kept popping up again and again. That word was ‘talent’. I would hear it in class when children would ask the ‘talented’ child to help them draw something. I would hear it in other teachers who would sometimes openly pick out a child as having talent in front of the other students. I would hear it in some of the art birthday parties I taught, when parents would come up to me and say (in front of the children), “James is the talented one in this group”. I would also hear children and parents express a lack in this ‘talent’. They would often say “I’m not creative” or “I can only draw a stick man”. So what is this elusive ‘talent’ people keep talking about? Talent is defined as an ‘innate ability in a particular field’ that exists naturally rather than being learned through experience. Talent becomes a magical quality that you are either born with or not. In some ways, this can make the person with the ‘talent’ feel very special and what is the harm in that? It is a great feeling when someone sees something special in you and celebrates it. The downside to this belief in ‘talent’ for the ‘talented child’ is that it is a lot to live up to and can cause problems if the said ‘talented’ child draws something they don’t like. I have seen this in action, where the talented child is incredibly hard on themselves and sometimes stops trying to advance their drawing in the fear that they will draw something ‘not good’ and lose the magical label of ‘talented’. I believe this idea of talent can also be a factor in the shift from children thinking they can draw to suddenly and sadly realising that they can’t. If you believe in talent as an innate ability then art is simply a door that is open to only the chosen few and the moment you draw something you don’t like, that door is slammed shut as proof that you do not have this magical quality within you. Drawing and painting becomes a cautious activity that people tiptoe around or avoid altogether. So do I believe talent is a myth? In a word yes, but I feel I need to explain this further. In my experience of teaching art over the years, to both children and adults, I have noticed a few things. The first thing is that people who are said to possess this ‘talent’ for art are very often the same people who have a deep passion for drawing, painting and creating. It is this passion that drives them to create most days, filling sketchbooks and studios with their artwork. Is it not this drive and hard work that results in artwork that they are proud of rather than an ability they were born with? I would say celebrating their effort and passion for their craft means more than simply saying that they were born with that ability. Secondly, if you ask any artist if they draw, paint or create something they don’t like sometimes, the answer is always yes! The creative process relies on people being able to experiment, try out new ideas and take risks. Therefore, it makes sense that the results of this exploration will sometimes create artwork the artist is happy with and sometimes create results that they are not happy with. But creating something you don’t like is just the beginning! We need to teach children to think like artists and keep shifting and changing their work until they get to the desired result rather than just stopping in their tracks. Finally, ‘talent’ relies on the belief that there is a desired standard of art to be reached. That a piece of art is either good or bad. As many children and adults will know, if they come to our art classes online or in person, I start every class with the same thing. I remind everyone that I believe that there is no such thing as good art and bad art, there is only art you like and don’t like and guess what? We all like different art! So rather than aiming for a perceived idea of what good art is, you should be exploring your own style and deciding what you actually like yourself. We can still teach the skills in the classroom but instead of them doing a step by step piece of art where all pupils create the same thing and then unsurprisingly compare results with the ‘original’, we can create a more free
Teacher recruitment and retention remains most pressing concern for education providers in 2024
Teacher recruitment is the highest priority for education providers in 2024, with more than half (56%) of senior education professionals ranking attraction and retention of staff as the biggest problem facing their organisation today and 59% saying they expect it to remain a priority throughout the year. Meanwhile, a third (31%) of teachers and education professionals ranked tackling inefficiencies as the second biggest current challenge for their organisation and 43% said boosting efficiency and increasing productivity was a priority for the coming year. The findings are reported in the Advanced Education Trends Report 2023/24, which compiled the findings from a survey of more than 6,600 senior decision makers from a variety of sectors in the UK including 267 teaching or education professionals. Mark Dewell, Senior Vice President, Education, Government and Social Housing from Advanced, said: “The education sector faces significant challenges in teacher recruitment and retention. “The DfE’s own data released in June 2023 shows that almost 40,000 teachers left the profession this year for reasons other than retirement – the highest ever number of resignations since records began in 2010. It’s not at all surprising, therefore, to find that staffing is the absolute highest priority for education leaders this year. “The battle to deliver quality education in the face of a staffing crisis and real-term budget cuts is having a serious impact on the sector’s ability to deliver quality results. Some organisations have made the decision to reduce staff numbers to cope with underfunding, which is having a negative impact on the curriculum they can deliver and does little to allay concerns over retention of top talent,” Dewell continued. The Advanced Education Trends Report 2023/24 also examines the uptake of new technology in the education sector. Around one in 10 (12%) of education providers are using AI tools in learning – which is less than half of the general rate of uptake of AI tools across businesses in the UK. The main reason for lack of AI adoption is lack of budget – 40% of education leaders said that financial pressures were the reason that they had not invested in new technology. A third (30%) reported that they hadn’t yet adopted AI at work due to concerns over the risks it may present to their organisation, while 20% said it was down to a lack of knowledge or guidance on best practice for implementation of AI. “Technology can be a secret weapon to help educators tackle their concerns around talent attraction, as well as supporting a host of other issues in their organisations, yet there is seldom sufficient budget to allow education providers to invest in modern tech systems,” continued Dewell. “Nearly half (46%) of education professionals are juggling a combination of on-premise and cloud-based infrastructure. Trying to integrate disparate systems can make things very inefficient, slowing people down with multiple sign-ins and managing data held in different formats. “With organisations having to achieve more with less, implementing the most appropriate technology is a crucial step that should not be compromised on. It can help drive efficiencies and more effective processes that benefit teaching staff, administrative teams, and of course learners themselves.” The full report is available at https://www.oneadvanced.com/trends-report/sector-trends-reports-2024/ Read more QA Education news
ZEROplus Announce Successful New Fire Testing for their Entire Finprotect Plus Range
Leading door hardware supplier, ZEROplus have recently achieved BS EN 1634-1:2014 for their entire Finprotect Plus range. The new fire rating for the Finprotect Plus finger protection strips means they successfully provide an impressive fire integrity of up to 240 minutes on previously tested steel-based doorsets and up to 120 minutes on timber-based doorsets. And the entire range provides fire protection regardless of the exposure direction. According to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), a staggering 30,000 people trap and seriously crush their fingers in doors every year. And many of these people, particularly children, will require surgery. Mark Lockley, Managing Director of ZEROplus, explains: “Painful finger-trapping accidents are far more common than you might think. “Although many of these incidents happen in environments catering to children, older people and those with special needs, a serious finger-crushing accident can happen to anyone. And every door presents a potential risk. “To eliminate this risk, finger protection strips should be fitted to the hanging side of doors. Particularly in public buildings such as residential homes, schools, nurseries, leisure centres and libraries, having finger protection strips fitted to doors is essential to prevent painful finger injuries.” The Finprotect Plus range of door finger protection strips are quick and easy to install and will continue to prevent injury year after year. They’ll help you meet your building’s health and safety requirements, avoid severe injuries and protect employees, residents and visitors. And as the complete Finprotect Plus range is now fire-rated to BS EN 1634-1:2014, they can also be installed on fire-rated doors. Mark continues: “As with any hardware fitted to a fire door, finger protection strips must be as fire-rated as the door. To comply with current fire safety regulations, any finger protection strips installed should have undergone independent third-party testing to standards such as BS EN 1634-1:2014. This European standard ensures that your finger protection guards meet the required fire resistance level.” Along with their impressive fire rating, the Finprotect Plus range is fully tested to class 2 of BS 8613:2017, meaning the finger protection strips successfully prevent fingers from entering the gap between the doors and frame when force is used. Tested to one million cycles, the Finprotect Plus range is available in three different profiles to suit hinged doors and double action doors on floor springs, suits both internal and external doors and has a totally concealed fixing. To learn more about Finprotect Plus and the extensive range of fire-rated door hardware products from ZEROplus, please visit zeroplus.co.uk or call 01785 282 910.
Safeguarding the next generation: How a London school is using technology to tackle inappropriate behaviours and give students a voice
A number of UK schools are turning to technology to safeguard their pupils, with more than 20,000 students currently benefiting from a first-of-its-kind safeguarding platform — including a school in London which praised its “huge impact” on the school’s culture. Barking Abbey School, a secondary school and specialist sports and humanities college, located in the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, welcomed the technology in 2022 as it looked to integrate it as a way to give its students a voice. Centred on helping schools gain a better understanding of their culture, the platform, imabi Inspire, is designed to make students feel safer and better represented. Offering named or anonymous reporting to flag inappropriate behaviours, the chance to provide feedback via surveys, targeted guidance from trusted sources, as well as acting as a portal for essential school information – it’s an ‘all in one place’ safeguarding resource. Barking Abbey School integrated the platform as part of its existing anti-bullying ambassadors initiative, who were used to launch the app to fellow students and help spread the app’s use amongst their peers. Within the first two months of launch, the platform saw more than 30 reports from students – providing a vital window into incidents and scenarios teachers were previously unaware of. Recognising its potential, the platform soon became a resource that students fully embraced, empowering them with access to a pool of essential functions and resources, which Kayden, a student and anti-bullying ambassador at the school, described as “a very big help to those who feel unsafe.” Kayden also remarked: “I feel like being safe is a privilege and if someone was to take that away from me, it would be a very big problem. imabi is very easy to use, and even if you don’t really know that much about technology, I think it’s a very good concept and I’m happy my school has introduced it for me and my peers.” Tahrima, also a student and anti-bullying ambassador, added: “imabi was introduced when I was in the middle of year eight, and I think, in my world, that was basically the school telling the students that they are taking our safety seriously. I think that was a really big thing and having imabi available proves this to me.” The platform allows educators to receive reports of unwanted behaviour more easily and more quickly — whilst also improving triage and recording practices. It also eliminates the need to have multiple communication channels and systems to get key messages and alerts to students, with the option to push real-time notifications to a student community, attaching guides and documents. Commenting on her school’s use of imabi Inspire, Stephanie Gibson, Senior Deputy Headteacher at Barking Abbey, said: “As a school, we are always looking at how we can improve our safeguarding practices. We did try a worry box email which is quite common in schools, but it just wasn’t being used. In November 2022, we launched imabi Inspire and it’s had a huge impact already. I think it’s really important that young people feel empowered to actually stand up when they don’t think something is right or fair. I would 100% recommend this app, it’s so easy to download and set up.” Barking Abbey is just one of many schools that have been using the app. Across 2023, the platform saw more than 800 reports of inappropriate behaviours across its user base in the last year – with one incident at a different school seeing the removal of a teacher (who is subsequently being investigated by police) thanks to reports received from pupils via the app. Mark Balaam, CEO and founder of imabi, commented: “We are already seeing the profound impact our platform is having on safeguarding school children in the UK. Barking Abbey is a standout example of where it’s been fully integrated and is making a real difference. It’s incredibly rewarding watching the students’ relationship with the app evolve. It’s also been great to hear feedback from teachers too, as ultimately, this is a tool for key decision makers to create the safest educational environment possible for their students. The platform is exclusively tailored to each school, with an admin portal allowing you to create and manage your own customised content, so we really look to be an extension of the team and offer the best possible solutions.” For more information on imabi Inspire, please visit: https://www.imabi.com/inspire For more information on Barking Abbey School, please visit: https://www.barkingabbeyschool.co.uk/ and for more information on its partnership with imabi, please visit: https://www.imabi.com/barking-abbey
Safeguarding Education: Navigating Regulations for Online Safety in Schools
In the UK, there are several regulations and guidelines that specifically impact the educational sector in relation to online safety. In this article, we delve into the major regulations impacting schools and colleges across the UK, with a focus on internet use. Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) A cornerstone in the sphere of safeguarding education is the Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) guidance, updated and enforced since September 2023. This guidance, produced by the Department of Education, sets out the legal duties and responsibilities of schools and colleges concerning the welfare of children and young people. A key facet of KCSIE is its comprehensive coverage of online safety, categorizing web-related risks into four areas [p. 35-36]: content, contact, conduct, and commerce. These 4Cs cover the potential dangers students face in the online sphere, from exposure to inappropriate content, such as pornography and extremist propaganda, to the risks associated with peer pressure and criminal exploitation. General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and Data Protection Act (DPA) The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) remains in domestic law as the UK GDPR. Operating in tandem with the Data Protection Act (DPA), these regulations apply to all organizations, including schools and colleges, handling personal data. Ensuring the security of personal data, the regulations mandate appropriate technical and organizational measures to guard against unauthorized processing, loss, destruction, or damage. The UK GDPR and the DPA do not specifically list the technical security measures you must use. Instead, it asks for a level of security that makes sense for the potential risks involved in how you handle data. Compliance with these regulations necessitates a thoughtful approach to data security. While the UK GDPR and the DPA do not prescribe specific technical security measures, they demand a level of security commensurate with the potential risks. Educational institutions must consider the profound consequences that poor data security can have, ranging from identity theft to financial loss and fraudulent activity. Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 Additionally, the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 places a duty (p.9) on schools to have “due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism.” This includes online radicalization and the promotion of extremist ideologies. Schools are expected to pay particular attention to online activities and to provide internet safety education to students. Technological Solutions for Compliance To comply with the regulations listed above educational organizations have to find and apply the right technological solutions. In this case, cloud web filtering can become the first line of protection. This type of solution helps organizations restrict access to potentially dangerous, malicious resources that can somehow compromise the data they store and prevent children from encountering any kind of inappropriate, harmful, or explicit content. Besides, it does not require hardware infrastructure, which makes the solution preferable. To ensure the protection of personal information and comply with the regulations listed above, educational organizations must adopt suitable technological solutions. Cloud web filtering emerges as a first line of defense since it enables institutions to restrict access to potentially harmful and malicious resources (which can compromise the data organizations store) and prevents children from encountering any kind of inappropriate content with no need for extensive hardware infrastructure. Cloud web filtering, exemplified by solutions like SafeDNS, acts as a shield, safeguarding data integrity and preventing exposure to inappropriate content. When selecting a web filtering solution, institutions should carefully assess key features. The chosen product must align with relevant rules and regulations, offer a comprehensive range of categories for blocking, and ensure regular updates to the web filtering database. Additionally, the effectiveness of customer support and user reviews should be considered in your decision-making process. A focus on education is essential in keeping children safe online, ensuring that electronic communication remains secure, and providing a foundation for responsible online activities and social media engagement. Stay informed and advocate for robust internet safety measures to protect students and promote a secure learning environment. By Tom Hall – SafeDNS Expert
Researchers find widespread support for Ofsted report card plan
Parents and teachers want Ofsted inspections and the school accountability system to be more transparent, well-rounded, and less high-stakes, a major new report into public support for education reform has found. And they have agreed that it is time to scrap the one word judgements that can taint schools for years. Published in the same week that Ofsted’s critical report of Caversham Primary School was named as a factor in the suicide of headteacher Ruth Perry, research commissioned by the Laidlaw Foundation has found that mums, dads and carers are overwhelmingly in favour of a report card-style Ofsted accountability model, along the lines of Labour’s proposed reforms. Only 6 per cent of those polled said they didn’t like the idea of doing away with the current “one-word” judgement system. As well as conducting polling, the report’s authors, Public First, also spoke to focus groups of teachers and educationalists to explore the on-the-ground reality of meaningful reform to the education system. The parental desire for more balanced accountability is likely to be a reflection of an appetite for a broader curriculum offer. While parents want schools to maintain a focus on academic outcomes, they are also very keen to see expanded extra-curricular activities and the teaching of “life skills”, such as healthy eating and digital and financial literacy. Parents are almost twice as likely (57%) to name preparing children for adult life as an essential task for schools compared to preparation for further academic study (32%). Some 54% of parents would prefer for their child to go to a school prioritising extra-curricular activities and life skills, versus 37% that prefer that their child goes than to a school prioritising academic achievement and exams. As a result, the report’s authors have called an extended school day, as well as an injection of funding into the system to pay for it and staff to run it. Importantly, while academy trusts and schools would be held accountable for this extended provision, it would need to be designed in such a way that it would not increase stress or workload for heads and teachers, possibly by bringing in civic groups to run the sessions. The report had 10 key findings: The report also included nine recommendations for reform based on the views of parents, teachers and educationists. Susanna Kempe, chief executive of the Laidlaw Foundation, said: “A third of children do not pass their English and maths GCSE at age 16; for children who have received Free School Meals at some point in the last six years, this figure rises to more than half.[1] At the same time, employers complain that new recruits lack core work skills, there is a dramatic rise in mental health issues amongst the young, teachers are leaving the profession in droves and senior leaders find the stress of Ofsted inspections beyond intolerable, with devastating consequences. The current system of accountability is not working. We can and must do better. Parents, carers and the teaching community know what matters. If we start to trust that, and measure that, education can be the extraordinary force for good it ought to be.” Ed Dorrell, partner at Public First, said: “The ultimate reward for getting this right could be the creation of a new generation of happy and healthy young people. Often acting through successful multi-academy trusts, primaries and secondaries could once again become community and civic institutions – institutions that are capable, ultimately, of playing a role in helping to rebuild our fractured society and local communities. “This research suggests that there is huge appetite both within and outside the education system for something akin to this vision, but only if the reforms needed to make it happen are conceived of, funded and delivered well.” Read more QA Education news
Win a £1,000 Gardening Bundle For Your Local School With Westland
Westland Horticulture, home to brands such as Big Tom, Boost, Resolva, Unwins, and Kent & Stowe, is excited to announce the New Horizon Fund that will support school gardening projects across the UK and Ireland in 2024. Is your local school’s outdoor space in need of some love and care to help it thrive? At Westland, we believe everyone deserves to get closer to nature, and we know just how much children benefit from getting outdoors. School gardening projects help to support children’s wellbeing, from being more physically active, enjoying the fresh air, and the feeling of empowerment that stems from nurturing a garden and watching it thrive. Gardening also taps into all children’s senses, from the abundance of colour that gardening can bring, the scents of flowers, the texture of different soils and plants, to even the taste of homegrown fruits and vegetables. A school garden offers teachers a wonderful location to educate children on a variety of subjects, and Westland wants all young people to have the opportunity to reap the benefits of getting outdoors and stuck into gardening. The New Horizon Fund aims to create a greener future for all, and will support community garden projects, from schools, allotments, hospices, and care homes, across the UK and Ireland. Each prize will comprise of a collection of gardening essentials from Westland, from compost, seeds, tools, plant feed, and much more, to the value of £1,000. Each prize bundle will be individually created based on the project’s needs to them transform their space. How to get your local school involved If your local school could benefit from receiving a donation from Westland’s New Horizon Fund to help its outdoor space thrive, nominate them at www.gardenhealth.com/new-horizon-fund. There will be multiple prize draws throughout the year, in March, June and September, with at least five bundles being awarded at each stage, so there’s plenty of opportunities for your local school to be gifted a bundle. The sooner you enter, the better chance you have. The final closing date will be 1st September 2024. Help Westland grow the fund Growing media, which includes composts, is the No.1 consumed gardening product. With every bag sold of Westland’s New Horizon peat free compost, the fund grows and grows. Every time you buy a bag of New Horizon, you’ll know you’re contributing to community projects that will greatly benefit from an improved outdoor space. New Horizon Peat Free Organic All Plant Compost Success in gardening all starts with compost, and with Westland’s New Horizon compost, you can be sure it is great for the garden, and great for the planet. Our relentless pursuit of excellence in ingredients, processes, and quality has resulted in our most environmentally friendly and highest performance compost range ever. It provides everything plants require for optimal growth and health. The New Horizon compost is our most sustainable variety and is the leading sustainable brand in our growing media category. It’s naturally peat free, it’s 100% sustainably sourced, and helps all plants and nature thrive. New Horizon has been specially created to be the perfect blend for vegetables, fruits, and flowers. The ingredients start to nourish plants immediately and continue to feed for up to 6 weeks. Summary Terms & Conditions for the New Horizon Fund: UK & ROI, 18+. Entry Period 1: 00:01 01/12/23 – 23:59 01/03/24. Entry Period 2: 00:01 02/03/23 – 23:59 01/06/24. Entry Period 3: 00:01 02/06/23 – 23:59 01/09/24. Scan the QR code or visit www.gardenhealth.com/new-horizon-fund and complete the online form with your nominated cause and statement (max 250 words) explaining how your cause will use the prize to enter the relevant Competition. No purchase necessary. Prizes: 1 of a minimum of 5 x Westland product bundles per Entry Period to be donated to your chosen cause, valued at £1,000 (or Euro equivalent) each. Max 1 Prize per charity/cause. Full T&Cs & Prize details:www.gardenhealth.com/new-horizon-fund.
Discovery Education news service Espresso visits Channel 5 News
Two budding young reporters took centre stage at the Channel 5 News studio this week, when they interviewed Dan Walker about how to spot real and fake news. Harrison, 7 and Alice, 11 met the presenter as part of a special edition of Espresso News – an award-winning news service for primary schools. Produced in partnership with ITN Productions, Espresso News brings the world’s biggest stories to thousands of classrooms every day via Discovery Education’s dynamic digital learning platform, Espresso. The special bulletin – ‘What’s the Real Story?’ – takes young viewers on a tour backstage at ITN HQ, home to 5 News, to reveal how news is made and why fact-checking is so important. Featuring interviews with 5 News Editor Debbie Ramsay and presenter Dan Walker, the film gives insight into the world of news production and offers tips to help children build a critical eye for the stories they consume. Interviewing Dan Walker inside the famous 5 News studio, Harrison and Alice asked the presenter how young people can tell if news is reliable. Dan Walker explained how journalists fact-check and why it’s important for children to question where stories come from. “Today more than ever, it’s important that you trust the news you hear,” said Dan. “That’s why we spend a lot of time making sure that what we tell you is true, fair and accurate.” Speaking after the interview, young reporter Alice said: “I really enjoyed presenting Espresso News with Harrison, it was an amazing experience! I loved seeing the Channel 5 studios!” Howard Lewis, Discovery Education’s UK and International Managing Director, said: “Espresso News brings current affairs and world events to pupils of all ages, in classrooms around the world. “We’re delighted to create this new bulletin in partnership with ITN’s News, as it will empower teachers to help their pupils to become critical 21st century news consumers. ” The ‘What’s the Real Story?’ bulletin is available now to Espresso subscribers across the UK and around the world and can be viewed here. In addition to this special, Espresso also offers a host of curriculum-matched resources to help primary school children spot fake news and build digital literacy skills which can be found here. Discovery Education is the worldwide edtech leader whose state-of-the-art digital platform supports learning wherever it takes place. Explore Discovery Education’s award-winning digital learning services at www.discoveryeducation.co.uk Read more QA Education News