Delve into the world of BBC micro:bit
A heartfelt thank you to everyone who has registered and received their free pack of BBC micro:bits. So far, more than 19,000 primary schools have signed up – and there’s still time to register before the 18th December deadline. If you’ve received your BBC micro:bit pack and are thinking “What now?”, here are some ideas and inspiration. Get up close The thought of coding can seem daunting, but the best way to dispel your fears is to try out the technology. There’s a brilliant introductory video by EduTuber, Maddie Moat. In just four minutes, she takes you through everything that has arrived in your BBC micro:bit pack. She explains what each part of the micro:bit device does and how to get it up and running. Maddie also takes you through creating code using Microsoft’s Make Code, and how to download it to your device. Tap into the free training and resources The Micro:bit Educational Foundation has created a comprehensive suite of online training courses. I suggest you start with Meet the Tiny Computer. It’s just 35 minutes and gives you the opportunity to try two coding projects for yourself. There are also face-to-face courses taking place near you that are free to attend. BBC Teach has developed teaching resources, including making a funny voice recorder featuring CBBC series, Bros in Control. Or spark the imagination of every football fan in your class by creating a kick strength data logger as featured in the CBBC series, The Football Academy. Shake up an assembly Consider introducing your school to the possibilities of the BBC micro:bit with a presentation during an assembly. To help, BBC Teach has created a useful assembly video. CBBC Newsround Presenter, De-Graft Mensah, and YouTube Gamer, FalseSymmetry, reveal some of the fun things they can do with their micro:bit such as playing noughts and crosses, creating a teleporting duck and trying out a compass. Lesson planning The BBC micro:bit can be used across the curriculum, but I suggest that the best place to start is with computing. The Micro:bit Educational Foundation has designed a sequence of six lessons for KS2 pupils with everything you need to deliver the lessons. Share ideas with colleagues It’s a good idea to work with a fellow teacher, maybe from the same year group, who is also introducing their class to the BBC micro:bit. Exchange notes on what worked well with your respective classes, what you both found more challenging, and what you might do next. Get involved in our playground survey Next year, BBC micro:bit will be partnering with the Office for National Statistics to get primary schools involved in a large-scale playground survey. Sign up to the BBC Teach newsletter to be the first to know all the details. By Cerys Griffiths For more inspirational ideas (or to sign up for your BBC micro:bit pack), please visit www.bbc.co.uk/teach/microbit
Gogglebox star Baasit Siddiqui celebrates Nottingham school’s Apple award
Former teacher and Gogglebox star Baasit Siddiqui has seen the importance digital learning plays in children’s education following a visit to the forward-thinking Parkdale Primary School which has been recognised by Apple for its commitment to “continuous innovation using technology”. Mr Siddiqui, who previously worked as an IT teacher, visited the school to see first-hand the innovative technology championed by the Parkdale community, which has led to its status as an ‘Apple Distinguished School’. The school, part of the Transform Trust family, has been recognised by Apple as “one of the most innovative schools in the world” for its commitment to continuous innovation in education through its digital practice and whole-school integration of products, such as iPads, to create exemplary learning for its pupils at school and at home. Mr Siddiqui said: “It is super exciting to see digital technology being used in such an innovative way, but it is not a flash in the pan. There is a lot of thought and effort going into it and at the heart of it is ‘how does this benefit the children and the teaching team?” “It is encouraging to see so much effort has gone into this, not just from the school, but from the wider trust as well, giving teachers that autonomy to experiment with technology, see what works, celebrate successes, and this ultimately benefits the children. “The children take pride in championing the cool stuff they are doing using digital technology and that makes them well-rounded, confident young people and the fact that Parkdale provides that environment is lovely to see.” Apple Distinguished Schools are recognised as centres of leadership and educational excellence, with a clear vision for how technology-rich environments support learning goals. As an Apple Distinguished School, Parkdale invited educators across the country to visit and experience the benefits of digital learning and how technology allows pupils to let their creativity flow using platforms, such as Chatterpix and Sketchers School, designed to educate and inspire. This ties in perfectly with Transform Trust’s vision to raise aspirations and provide equitable life chances for every child, while its values (Respect, Kindness, Equity and Creativity)- underpin every aspect of school life, inside and outside of the classroom. Visitors heard informative talks from Jenny Hinton, Parkdale’s digital lead, and Abdul Chohan, vice president of Showbie, an innovative app helping teachers create and manage assignments, give feedback, and communicate with pupils in one place. Mr Chohan said: “Transform Trust has been working with the Showbie team to embed research-based practices with assessment and feedback as a day-to-day practice. This is enabling the Trust to ensure that every child has equitable access to learning. “Showbie works with schools, Multi Academy Trusts in the UK and with schools globally to embed a digital strategy that empowers teachers to provide the best possible learning experience for their students. “I have seen the amazing and engaging work the children at Parkdale have been able to experience through their digital learning. “We are moving from translation to transformation. Teachers explain their concepts to their children, and we want children to become independent learners. We are moving the scaffolding, providing support initially but then we want the children to speak, explain, talk and show how they’ve understood something. They can use this on different platforms such Showbie and Chatterpix. It is essentially children demonstrating they have understood something.” Apple Authorised Education Specialist and Apple Services Provider, Jigsaw24 has worked alongside Parkdale and Terri Stockton (Education Business Manager at Jigsaw24) was integral to the smooth running of the day. Terri said: “As Apple Professional Learning Specialists, Jigsaw24 is really proud to be working with Parkdale and this amazing trust. “Jenny’s relentless passion and hard work to empower the school is inspiring to see and we’re proud to be behind this, supporting the great work at school and trust level. “We have seen first-hand their continual progress and how confident the children are with this digital empowerment.” Peter Hillier, Parkdale head teacher, said: “We are delighted to be recognised as an Apple Distinguished School for 2023-26. Our digital progression has been a long-term objective for us since we first rolled out one-to-one iPads for our pupils at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. “Following this, our staff and children have been on a continual journey of discovery; supporting, enhancing, and extending their teaching and learning through technology. Our children are fully engaged in these learning opportunities and have really embraced the way that technology enables them to interact with, and understand, the wider world in a meaningful, impactful way. “Our children engage with the technology with real enthusiasm, learning very sophisticated digital skills, and making good choices on how to use the technology to support their learning.” Transform Trust CEO Rebecca Meredith commented: “We are so proud of the way our staff and children have embraced technology to support their creative curriculum and extracurricular activities inside and outside of the classroom. “Our digital trust lead and executive head teacher Phil Herd has been instrumental and innovative in building our knowledge across the trust. Pete, Jenny and the team at Parkdale have literally sparked magic at this school and you can see it in the children’s faces as they proudly share their digital know-how with their peers, teachers and visitors. “We are delighted that they have all been recognised for their innovation and digital excellence. Digital progression is a trust-wide focus for us, and we are equally delighted to see how far all of our schools have come on their journeys of discovery.” This accolade coincides with Transform Trust’s acceptance to become an Apple Regional Training Centre for 2023. This further highlights the Trust’s commitment to facilitating training for all staff to develop skills and build confidence to improve the way they use technology effectively at school and online. Read more QA Education News
The Power of Music Education Programs in Schools
The importance of music in our society needs no explanation. It is a universal language used for well-being, community, creativity and, more importantly, education. The music industry contributed £4 billion to the UK economy in 2021 and is empowering students of all levels to become more motivated and confident learners. Music education gives students a lifelong advantage and offers them benefits ranging from uncovering hidden passions and social development to academic achievements. Due to these merits, a new emphasis has been placed on music programs in schools in England as part of the refreshed National Plan for Music Education (NPME). This article aims to discuss the benefits of musical educational programs in schools and how they impact student development. Why music education is more vital than we may realise? The power of music is more far-reaching than originally realised but music curriculums around the UK are under threat. The Ofsted 2023 Report on Music Education outlined a shocking reality for many institutions: “Many school leaders reported that in the last few years they had decided to reduce the extent to which they were subsidising instrumental lessons, because of wider pressures on school budgets. Others had stopped providing instrumental and vocal lessons.” Even more shocking is that approximately half the primary schools visited did not currently offer any instrumental or vocal lessons. Learning about music and having the opportunity play is a critical part of a rich and rounded education. Outside of nurturing creativity and emotional intelligence, music is influential in many aspects, including: Cognitive Development Having the opportunity to play a musical instrument is critical in developing language, motor skills, enhanced memorisation and collaboration skills – especially when started early. Academic Achievement Research demonstrates that young people playing a musical instrument showed better academic outcomes and progress than those not playing. Emotional Wellbeing Music provides a unique outlet for self-expression and creativity, fostering a positive emotional environment within schools. Social Skills and Teamwork Musical education often involves collaborative experiences that contribute to the development of essential social and teamwork skills. What is the government’s plans? The NPME lays out a vision that enables all children and young people to learn to sing, play an instrument and create music together, whilst also having the opportunity to progress their musical interests professionally. This ensures that children in key stages 1 to 3 have at least one hour of classroom music teaching, with options to join your school choir, vocal group or ensemble. This is alongside opportunities to take music qualifications in secondary school. It also outlines how schools should support interests in music education outside of their curriculums, whether that means going to live concerts to listen to live music by your local community or performing outside of school. What can young people get involved in outside of school? There are currently 120 Music Education Hubs (MEHs) in the UK that are designed to support the musical aspirations and education of young people. These are supported by £75 million of central government funding to ensure that every child aged 5-18 has the chance to sing, learn a musical instrument, and take part in rewarding music experiences. Some hubs have a budget set aside for commissioning work and have a company of teachers from the music industry who deliver all manner of learning services to community groups, art organisations and schools. What can you do as a Music Educator? Keeping students engaged is your responsibility as a music educator. Utilising these tools and methods will have you on your way to becoming an invaluable advocate for music education: Ensure a diverse musical offering Offering a variety of instruments is a good way to keep your students pursuing music education and teach diversity of creativity. If you’re fortunate enough to be able offer lessons for larger instruments such as the cello, investing in cello insurance will help protect your investment for other students to enjoy for years to come. The same applies to any other instruments in your collection. Share your success on social media Utilise social media or school communications to promote any classroom accomplishment. This provides hard evidence of how musical programs have impacted your students and the real-life benefits. Getting your students’ families involved will help influence advocacy in your wider community. Familiarise yourself with local education funding Make sure you get up to date with the policies related to music education that will affect your institution. It’s also recommended that schools cultivate relationships with local government policymakers to keep the best interests of their students at the forefront of decision-making. Read more QA Education news
Using AI to support teaching and learning in Alternative Provision settings
Fleur Sexton, Deputy Lieutenant West Midlands and CEO of dynamic training provider, PET-Xi, with a reputation for success with the hardest to reach, discusses harnessing the power of AI to support teaching and re-engaging learners in alternative provision (AP) settings According to Government statistics, in the last school year the permanent exclusion rate (as a proportion of the overall school population) for pupils eligible for free school meals (FSM) was approximately four times greater, at 16.02, than those not eligible at 4.26. Suspension rates for pupils with an education, health and care plan (EHC) was 17.63, those with special educational needs (SEN) support but no EHC plan was 18.59 and those without SEN was 4.59. Permanent exclusions followed the trend, with those with EHC plans at 0.13, those with SEN and no EHC plan at 0.25, followed by those with no SEN at 0.05. The rates may look relatively small, but they equate to 6,495 permanently excluded children, and 578,280 suspensions. For all these suspended, temporarily or permanently excluded pupils, alternative provision (AP) becomes the ‘last stop’ to provide them with an education and improved life chances. Can AI open up opportunities and provide a pathway towards educational and social equity for these disadvantaged young people? There are over 160,000 autistic pupils in schools across England. 70% are in mainstream school, with the remaining in specialist education, home educated or alarmingly – out of education altogether. ‘Persistent disruptive behaviour’ – the most commonly cited reason for temporary or permanent exclusion from mainstream education – often results from unmet or undiagnosed SEN or social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs. These pupils find themselves unable to cope in a mainstream environment, which impacts their mental health and personal wellbeing, and their abilities to engage in a positive way with the curriculum and the challenges of school routine. A multitude of factors all adding to their feelings of frustration and failure.According to the SEND and AP improvement plan, (March 2023) ‘…82% of children and young people in state-place funded alternative provision have identified special educational needs (SEN) 2, and it (AP) is increasingly being used to supplement local SEND systems…’ Children excluded from school face a bleak future, with just 4% achieving a pass in English and maths GCSEs, and 50% becoming NEET post-16. Exclusion is often referred to as ‘the pipeline to prison’, and the statistics support that: 42% of prisoners were expelled or permanently excluded from school, 59% truanted, and around 47% of those entering prison had no school qualifications. Currently AP is in crisis. Some excluded pupils on waiting lists for a placement have online lessons or tutors, others are simply not being educated. Oversubscribed AP settings lead to increased class sizes and reduced teacher:pupil ratios, so they no longer receive the levels of additional support they need. Other unregulated settings provide questionable educational advantage to those who attend. AI can help redress the balance, and provide part of the solution. Those attending AP, often have well ingrained negative associations with learning. The first barrier is to find ways to re-engage them. To do this the content must be meaningful to them, it must connect to the real world and reflect their own experiences. A persuasive essay about school uniforms, may fire the debate for a successful learner, but it is probably not going to be a hot topic for a child struggling with a chaotic or dysfunctional home life. If that child is dealing with high levels of adversity – being a carer for a relative, keeping the household going, dealing with pressure to join local gangs, being coerced into couriering drugs and weapons around the neighbourhood – school uniform does not hold sway. It has little to do with their life. Asking the group about the subjects they feel strongly about, or responding to local news stories from their neighbourhoods, and using these to create tasks, will provide a more enticing hook to pique their interest. After all, in many situations, the subject of a task is just the ‘hanger’ for the skills they need to learn – in this case, the elements of creating a persuasive piece, communicating perspectives and points of view. Using AI, teachers have the capacity to provide this individualised content and personalised instruction and feedback. Supporting learners by addressing their needs and ‘scaffolding’ their learning through adaptive teaching. AI can be a ‘third’ teacher in the room, alongside the class teacher and assistant. For example, if a learner is having difficulty grasping a concept – especially an abstract one, the AI tutor can produce several relevant analogies to help explain it. AI can also be used to develop interactive learning modules, so the learner has more control and more of a sense of ownership over their learning. This is by no means a replacement for teachers or teaching assistants. AI is purely an additional support, that, coupled with approaches that promote engagement with learning, can support these disadvantaged and often vulnerable children and young people, enabling them to access ‘a world-class education that allows them to reach their potential and live a fulfilled life, regardless of their background.’ (DfE) Fleur Sexton, CEO PET-Xi www.pet-xi.co.uk. Read more QA Education features
Major round of appointments to NASBTT Board of Trustees
Six education and training leaders have been recruited to the National Association of School-Based Teacher Trainers (NASBTT) Board of Trustees. Cat Scutt MBE, Deputy CEO, Education and Research at the Chartered College of Teaching, brings a range of sector-wide expertise to the NASBTT Board. A former English teacher, Cat’s roles have since focused on supporting teacher development both online and through face-to-face activities, with a particular emphasis on development using digital technology, through collaboration and by engagement with research and evidence. She has worked as a teacher and advisor in the state and independent sector, as well as in corporate learning and development. Cat leads the Chartered College’s work around teacher development and certification, including the Chartered Teacher programme, and its research activities and publications, including its award-winning Impact journal. Damilola Dauda is Head of Operations at the Teacher Development Trust (TDT). She joined TDT in 2021 as Delivery Partner Manager, beginning her new role overseeing the operational delivery of TDT NPQs and other offers last March. Damilola’s career in education started with teaching summer school to primary school children in Nigeria as a teenager, before gaining a teaching English as a foreign language qualification and then becoming a qualified teacher via the PGCE route. She spent six years as a secondary Maths teacher in an inner-city school in London and then two years teaching abroad in Peru. Jo Anderson, SCITT Programme Director at Wildern Partnership SCITT, has 25 years’ experience in education and has held roles as ITT Programme Director for ten years, External Moderator and more recently DfE ITT Market Associate. She is a secondary MFL specialist and over the years has taught primary MFL, secondary ICT and computing, and has led early career development in a variety of settings. Keith Ford, Programme Manager at Somerset SCITT, has been a primary education class teacher, middle leader, senior leader and Headteacher of both a small rural school and large primary school, including autism centre. Across his career spanning 25 years he has always supported ITT and ITE. Keith has been a governor of various primary and secondary schools alongside his professional roles, giving him an understanding of the strategic importance as well as the accountability of governance. Kikelomo Agunbiade, a Research and Training Consultant, trained as a science teacher through the Teach First scheme and has worked for a number of education charities and teacher training organisations. Her roles have included leading the DfE-funded Researchers in Schools niche ITT route, North London Manager for Teach First and running CPD for Teaching Schools, Heads, middle and senior leaders for SSAT. She currently provides education consultancy services including training on race and diversity, education and market research (qualitative and quantitative) and strategy development. Stephanie Rodgers is Deputy Headteacher – Curriculum and Assessment at Dr Challoner’s Grammar School. Her senior leadership responsibilities have included the set up and leadership of Astra SCITT in Buckinghamshire which has been through the ITE Ofsted inspection process in both 2018 as a new SCITT, and in 2023 under the current ITE Inspection Framework. Stephanie led the reaccreditation process for Astra SCITT as part of the ITT Market Review and the formation of Astra Teaching School Hub, and is now also an Ofsted inspector for ITE. The appointments follow the arrivals of business and finance specialists Alison O’Dornan and Sidikat Taiwo in the past 18 months, and new Chair of Trustees Anna Richards last November. Anna said: “We are delighted to welcome our new Trustees who bring such a wealth of experience in ITT, education and commercial professionals to NASBTT. The diversity of our Board is now truly reflective of our membership, and together we look forward to reviewing, shaping and supporting NASBTT’s strategic direction.” NASBTT Executive Director Emma Hollis added: “I would like to formally and warmly welcome our new Trustees. Damilola, Kikelomo, Cat, Keith, Stephanie and Jo joined us for their first meetings earlier this month and we are really excited to be working with them as we, and the ITT sector, enter a new phase moving into 2024-25.” Next week (28th and 29th November), NASBTT is holding its online Annual Conference 2023 Mind the Gap, sponsored by MOSAIC. Speakers include DfE, Foundation for Education Development, nasen, National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER), Ofsted, TDT and a number of SCITTs, HEIs, and Teaching School Hubs. Read more QA Educations News
Jo Brand backs Glasbury Arts project to provide free harp tuition
Two big names from two very different parts of the arts world – Jo Brand and harpist Catrin Finch – feature in a new short film telling the story of a Glasbury Arts project providing free harp tuition to students in a secondary school on the Welsh borders. The film, released tomorrow (Nov 17), has been made thanks to the passion and commitment of award-winning cinematographer Richard Greatrex (Shakespeare in Love, A Knight’s Tale), who gave his time and expertise to enable Glasbury Arts, a small community charity in mid-Wales, to shine a light on the project and raise both awareness of the project and funds to enable its expansion. Harps in Schools features Catrin Finch, Head of Harp at the Royal Academy of Music and comedian Jo Brand, talking about how Glasbury Arts, founders of the annual international Glasbury Arts Harp Summer School, set up the experimental project to provide free harp tuition to students at Gwernyfed High School, especially those whose families cannot afford to pay. Catrin and Jo are joined in the film by students and parents explaining what the project has meant to them. Funding for state schools to provide free music tuition for young people ended in the mid-nineties when the government removed music from the core curriculum and most, not all, local authorities completely cut the funding. Today, if a state school wants to provide music tuition it has to charge parents, meaning that the majority of young people do not even consider learning to play an instrument. Harps in Schools provides a unique opportunity for young people, whose parents cannot afford to pay to experience the pleasure and satisfaction of a playing a musical instrument – “the beginning of a music service in our part of Wales” declares Catrin Finch. Visit glasburyarts.co.uk/film or visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSnOxDkWLYY to watch Harps in School, a short film made by award-winning cinematographer Richard Greatrex and his team about this innovative project. People can donate to what Jo Brand describes in the film as ‘such a good cause’, either via the link on-screen or by sending a cheque made out to Glasbury Arts Ltd at 5 Twin Oaks, Glasbury-on-Wye.
NHS England launches annual school careers contest
Schools across England are being invited to join an exciting curriculum-linked contest which raises career aspirations and teaches pupils about the National Health Service. Developed in partnership with teachers, the annual Step into the NHS competition encourages secondary school students to research and create a job advert for an NHS profession while learning about more than 350 careers in the health service. Winning pupils will be presented with Amazon gift vouchers and have the chance to see their work displayed in the local community. Participating schools are provided with a wealth of free learning resources and lesson plans. Previous entrants have emphasised what a fulfilling learning experience the contest is, with 90 per cent of teachers saying Step into the NHS has helped their students understand the range of career opportunities in the NHS. The resources are aligned to the KS3 curriculum, helping teachers meet several of the Department for Education’s careers strategy aims and the Gatsby benchmarks for Good Career Guidance. This year’s national winner, 14-year-old Tanvir Tamber, impressed the judges with a poster and video exploring the role of an A & E doctor. Now the pupil at Derby Moor Spencer Academy, Derby, has been rewarded by seeing her winning entry tour her home town, including schools and shopping centres, on the side of an environmentally-friendly advertising van. She said she had enjoyed researching a career for which she had a ‘genuine passion’. “The highlight was discovering the amount of insight needed and the range of conditions you have to be able to deal with, enabling you to discover your eventual specialism,” she added. Tanvir’s teacher Carol Eziz said: “Our other students asked lots of questions and are really proud that one of their own has created something so wonderful. ‘The competition gave us a great opportunity to promote thinking seriously about careers in the NHS and see that if you put in hard work and effort, amazing things can happen.” Hundreds of schools take part in the Step into the NHS competition every year. This year’s resources are newly-refreshed and include a ‘ready to go’ lesson plan which can be delivered in just an hour. Teachers can find full details here:- https://www.stepintothenhs.nhs.uk/secondary-school Read more QA Education News
Education Committee to probe why so many teachers are quitting
The Education Committee will question experts from think tanks to understand how turnover in the teaching workforce compares with other professions in England and with education sectors in other countries. The cross-party Committee begins its investigation tomorrow in an attempt to help the DfE develop strategies for retaining teachers. At the Conservative Party conference Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced a number of policies and financial incentives designed to encourage new entrants to teaching and retain current staff. Daniel Kebede, General Secretary of the NEU, said they were unlikely to work, commenting there was ‘no magic wand’ to create the numbers needed to fulfil sufficient needs. Mr Kebede commented: “The recruitment and retention crisis is caused in the main by excessive workload and below inflation pay. This is a root and branch problem not solved by bursaries, ‘golden hellos’ and other Whitehall gimmicks.” The Education Committee will hear that the teaching profession is seeing increasing levels of churn. 9.7% of teachers left the workforce in 2021/22; 91% of that number left to pursue a different career. DfE research from 2021 found that 24% of teachers left the profession within three years of qualifying. In a 2018 OECD study, England was shown to have had a higher proportion of teachers who said they wanted to leave the profession compared to an average across the 38 member states. MPs will question witnesses on how the Government should develop an effective workforce plan, and whether best practice or strategies could be learned from other public services such as the NHS. There will be questions on how the career development, pay and workloads of teachers in England broadly compare with other sectors to see what lessons could be applied to the education sector. The cross-party Committee will also be interested to hear about the effectiveness of recent interventions from the Department for Education such as the School Workload Reduction Toolkit and the Education Staff Wellbeing Charter, which promoted flexible working and access to mental health and wellbeing resources. Evidence already heard by the Committee has suggested that among contributors to workloads are providing pastoral care for pupils, preparing for Ofsted inspections, data collection and marking. MPs have also heard growing concern about non-specialist teachers filling in for lessons in subjects such as physics and maths due to staff shortages across the country. Evidence session Teacher recruitment, training and retention Tuesday 14 November, 10:00, Committee Room 15 Watch live on parliamentlive.tv Witnesses from 10:00: From 10:45: Read more QA Education News
Educational Resources Inspired By ‘The Boy, The Mole, The Fox And The Horse’, Released Today
Award-winning Author Charlie Mackesy has partnered with National Literacy Trust, Penguin Random House UK and BBC Teach to share free educational resources inspired by his beloved bestseller The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse. Since the publication of the book in 2019, and 2022 animated film adaption, Charlie has received messages, pictures, hand-made books and drawing from teachers and children who have engaged with the story in classrooms and online platforms. In response, a collection of resources has been produced to assist teachers with their lesson plans, assemblies, and performances providing an opportunity for children to explore the messages of the book. Together with writer and musician Charlotte Freud, Charlie has produced a musical for schools adapted from the Oscar winning animated short film currently available on BBC iPlayer. Written to be performed in schools by children from Years 1-6. A playscript, sheet music, sing-along learning videos, performance tracks and backdrop artworks will all be available for free on the BBC Teach platform from 3 November 2023. The musical play has six easy-to-learn new songs for children to perform both as soloists and ensembles – allowing groups of all sizes and ages to take part. The performance-based resource pack engages children in the book’s messages through interactive sessions. Charlie Mackesy says “I hope perhaps it opens up the world a bit more to children, giving them a deeper understanding of the messages of the book. I hope learning the lines as simple mantras will allow them to repeat them all their lives, and stay in their hearts. “I hope it gives teachers and children alike, permission to explore – feel free to do what they like – perform every word faithfully; or change some lines as they see best; leave out whole scenes or just rehearse and perform one of them; workshop it, make it different or even find themselves creating a while new play all of their own. I hope they enjoy it.” In partnership with the National Literacy Trust and Penguin Random House UK, a resource pack including Assembly Plans and Activity Packs for KS1 And KS2 has been made available in celebration of World Kindness Day (13th November). These resources link directly to the national curriculum, in particular the PSHE Association’s programme of study, and explore ways we can show kindness to one another and invite children to think about their own wellbeing. Partner and publisher of The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse, Penguin Random House UK, will also donate books to over 64 primary schools for a World Kindness Day “kindness drive”. A gesture followed by Puffin’s World of Stories team, who will be gifting over 450 copies of The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse: The Animated Story (published to accompany the animated short film) to teachers and librarians attending their regional networking sessions during November. Read more QA Education news