West Yorkshire primary school “Borrows the Moon” to inspire children in Science
Meteorites have landed at Birstall Primary Academy in West Yorkshire. Students at the school near Leeds have had the opportunity to get their hands on rare samples of moon rocks and meteorites which were truly out of this world. These rare samples were provided to school through a project called ‘Borrow the Moon’ by the UK’s Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) which provides educational packs in a bid to inspire young people in Science. Hundreds of schools, colleges, universities, museums and astronomical societies throughout the UK have enjoyed the meteorite samples and NASA Moon rock discs since the scheme began. The children were encouraged to reach for the stars and learn more about the Universe around us during a week-long interactive experience of astronomy. They were given the unique opportunity to touch a piece of a space rock not of this Earth as they handled genuine meteorites. The pack provided by STFC included a 1.2-billion-year-old piece of Mars rock and 4.3-billion-year-old nickel meteorite. It is unlikely that children will ever get the chance to hold an object older than this, as Earth itself was formed 4.6 billion years ago. The lunar samples that we received were collected in the late 1960s and early 70s during some of NASA’s first manned space missions to the moon. Jayde Weir, Interim Principal at Birstall Primary Academy, said: “When the opportunity was presented to us at Birstall we leapt at the chance to give out students this once in a lifetime opportunity. “All the children involved thoroughly enjoyed the experience and were fascinated to be able to touch something that was truly out of this world.” Birstall Primary Academy forms part of Focus-Trust – a charitable primary schools trust which is based in the North West of England and West Yorkshire with a vision of providing ‘great schools at the heart of our communities’ where children thrive, achieve and succeed.
Half of UK teachers have experienced harassment by students online
Half of teachers (49%) have been the target of inappropriate use of online devices and social media by students, according to new survey conducted by classroom management and safeguarding software provider, Impero. A similar number (43%) agreed that this type of behaviour is on the rise in UK schools. Around one-fifth revealed they have been approached online (22%) or followed on social media by their students (21%), while 15% have been filmed without permission in the classroom. One in ten have been abused online (11%) and the subject of student group chats (11%). Charlotte Aynsley, safeguarding expert at Impero, says: “It’s not news to safeguarding experts that teachers are often on the receiving end of cyber-bullying, but the extent of the trend is unsettling – especially since harassment of other students is also on the rise. A natural curiosity from children will quite often lead to social media interactions such as follow requests from students; teachers therefore have a responsibility to ‘protect’ their identity so they can’t be obviously found on social media. They should also follow the professional standards around not allowing students to befriend them to prevent any unwanted interactions.” She adds: “In today’s world, you can simply pick up a mobile phone, create harmful or inappropriate content, and share it to a wide audience online without being held accountable. Whilst schools play a critical role in educating students about online safety, the long-anticipated Online Safety Bill will be a huge step towards a safer online world for both adults and children – making platforms more accountable for the harmful content being disseminated.” Growing teaching pressures The survey of 500 UK-based primary and secondary school teachers, also found that the vast majority (89%) have considered leaving the profession as they face growing workplace pressures and classroom challenges. The most common reasons teachers have considered quitting: · Excessive workload (67%) · Anxiety and stress (53%) · Salary expectations (40%) · Lack of support from the school (30%) However, almost one-fifth (17%) cited harassment by students as a key reason, while just 14% expressed a loss of interest in teaching itself. A call for improvement The research also found that the majority of teachers also believe their schools need to improve on issues such as teacher safety and wellbeing (71%), staff retention (65%) and diversity, equity and inclusion (52%). Other areas where teachers called for improvement were: · More effective classroom management technology (69%) · Academic performance (66%) · Student safety and wellbeing (60%) Justin Reilly, CEO, Impero and former headteacher, says: “Teachers have a job unlike any other. Their workloads seemingly increase year-on-year, especially with the continued rise in concerns around student behaviour, academic performance, and safeguarding. There are clear actions which can be taken to remove everyday stresses if we are to empower teachers and retain them. After, all the top reasons for wanting to leave are not linked to losing interest in teaching but are instead rooted in safety and wellbeing concerns. “It is vital to create a safe and open environment for teachers to work effectively and feel valued. This means reviewing practices for engaging, protecting and retaining teachers, as well as swiftly addressing emerging safeguarding issues, such as the myriad of online abuse which we know can cause great harm to both students and teachers alike.”
Variety Children’s Charity Partners with I.D.E.A. on New Pre-school App
Variety, the children’s charity, a global non-profit advocating for kids, has partnered with I.D.E.A. on a new app for preschool children to highlight the needs of the differently able. Oville World, is an online collection of learning applications for children aged 2-5 years created by International Digital Educational Access (I.D.E.A.). After a successful launch last year, thousands of young children are using the apps to commence early reading, math, life skills, empathy and safely experience their first app. Oville World’s new partnership with Variety seeks to create awareness on inclusivity and encourage children to be leaders in a diverse society. Intuitive Learning with Oville World Oville World, built intuitively for pre-schoolers, is a collection of safe learning apps that link seamlessly into an online virtual community. In addition to kindergarten prep, Oville teaches important life lessons, including respecting others and taking responsibility. In the game, young players meet characters and explore an imaginary world to discover new houses that contain a variety of games, books, and music. Variety’s new character “Charitee” will give the children playing in Oville an opportunity to engage with a character differently abled than other characters and possibly themselves, as well as participate in being supportive members of a vibrant and diverse community. About I.D.E.A. I.D.E.A. has a mission that stands outside of traditional business goals. Our mission and vision is to impact the world, making it a kinder, gentler more inclusive place for our children to grow in. We build apps, games, toys, video and music that guide the youngest learner on an exploration that helps prepare them for life. Our team has been dedicated to this project for a number of years and every person from our first computer provider to our talented artist who has drawn every bit of Oville, all celebrate our success of Oville World together. “It’s never too soon to learn kindness, understanding and cooperation. The new mantra is Different, but the same,” says Eronne Foster founder and CEO of I.D.E.A. when asked about the fundamental message behind the new content coming to Oville World. “It can be hard for young children to know how to deal with differences. Here through the various characters in Oville, children learn how to celebrate what makes us unique while understanding what also unites us all as a community.” About Variety Variety is an international organization with 40 chapters in 11 countries currently providing support to children across the globe. It is each Chapter’s express position to raise money and awareness for those who are differently abled, providing resources for children and their families and encouraging their communities to be involved in their support. Variety fundamentally believes that there is a strong need for representation and inclusion of differently abled children in modern media and through public education. By advocating for young children to be made aware of those with different experiences early on, Variety intends to foster more meaningful relationships between children of diverse backgrounds and help raise the next generation of empathetic and understanding adults. Technology will change the social learning and development of our young children, which is why Variety feels it is more important than ever to advocate for those who need the extra care and support. Oville World is available in your App store for download https://www.ovilleworld.com/variety-house/
Grow your own potatoes has a new home
The Grow Your Own Potatoes project has a new home with Potato House Ltd website Potato House | Home of High Quality Seed Potatoes | Free UK Delivery and will be going ahead as normal in 2023. DON’T MISS OUT. Sign up for your FREE growing kit NOW registration page Register | Grow Your Own Potatoes Linked to the UK curricula, the aim of this interactive, hands-on project is to educate children all about potatoes: where they come from, how they grow and how they fit into a healthy balanced diet. Open to primary schools nationwide, all schools that sign up will receive a growing kit containing everything they need to grow two crops of potatoes, as well as access to the project support resources on the GYOP website. • Register to receive a growing kit for your school. • Download free curriculum resources including lesson ideas, worksheets, games and colouring sheets for interactive classroom activities. Cross-curricular ideas to support other lessons are also available. • Chance to win prizes for your school.. GIVE YOUR SUPPORT FOR GYOP To help raise funds for GYOP, Potato House have agreed to donate 20% of all takings from the sale of their Children’s patio kits kits for sale Children’s Patio Kit | Seed Potatoes | Potato House | Free Uk Delivery Each kit contains two varieties of seed potatoes and is dispatched free of charge. Visit the website for more information. www.growyourownpotatoes.org.uk
NBA basketball launches free educational resources for secondary schools
The National Basketball Association (NBA) has announced the launch of “NBA in the Classroom,” an NBA-themed educational programme that provides free, downloadable teaching materials for secondary school teachers in the UK. The resources focus on career development, financial management, mental wellbeing and physical education. NBA in the Classroom, which was developed with input from teachers and is available to all secondary schools across the UK, offers a range of downloadable, flexible, curriculum-linked teaching resources for use in PE, PSHE/Health and Wellbeing, careers and/or personal development courses. Students will hear from current NBA players and employees on a variety of topics through video content containing tips, challenges and more. “We are excited to unveil this original programme to help secondary school teachers in the UK educate and inspire students with interactive resources that can be used in a variety of settings,” said NBA Associate Vice President of Basketball Operations, Europe and Middle East, Neal Meyer. “Through ‘NBA in the Classroom,’ we look forward to collaborating with institutions and educators across the UK to help children develop their personal and professional skills and grow as leaders.” Through a range of NBA-inspired challenges, the programme will help students be more active, harness a positive mental attitude, develop financial confidence and nurture skills that employers value, including creativity, numeracy, communication, teamwork and organisation. Resources can be downloaded and used as standalone lessons or personal development sessions and select resources can be combined into full off-timetable enrichment and personal development days or after-school club sessions. Mr Leighton, PE teacher at Kettlethorpe High School, commented on the new resources saying: “At Kettlethorpe, it’s our priority to bring new experiences to our students and engage them in creative ways. NBA in the Classroom fits the bill for this perfectly. Our students were intrigued to discover that there’s so much beyond just the game, from mental attitude to wide-ranging careers such as sports journalism, social media and physiotherapy. The programme is diverse and easy to add into lesson planning” NBA in the Classroom builds on the league’s on-court youth development initiatives in the UK. In partnership with Basketball England, the NBA currently runs 21 Jr. NBA Leagues that reach 630 secondary schools and nearly 10,000 Year 7 and 8 children each year. In addition, the Jr. NBA basketballscotland League features seven leagues and a Jr. NBA Wheelchair Basketball League, while the Jr. NBA Basketball Wales League is currently running in each of Wales’s 22 local authorities. Register to NBA in the Classroom for free today and receive a free digital poster and get access to a range of engaging, curriculum-linked resources that will equip your students with the tools they need for a brighter future. Web: https://classroom.nba.com/
Government regulator to investigate ESS moving schools on to three-year contracts
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is investigating whether education software company ESS is abusing a dominant position to push schools into accepting a new three-year contract. The investigation will assess concerns around a contract change made by Education Software Solutions Ltd Group (ESS) – the largest provider of school management information systems in the UK. The company is requiring its customers to move from one-year contracts to three-year contracts and the CMA is considering whether schools were given sufficient time to consider their options, such as moving to an alternative provider instead of renewing with ESS for the full three years. The CMA said it was concerned that this change makes it more difficult for alternative providers to compete with ESS to win business. In the UK, most state schools are required to have a management information system in place. These systems are used to handle student information, such as attendance and safeguarding. Some schools have told the CMA that the process for selecting an MIS is often lengthy and can involve complex procurement steps. The CMA will be considering all relevant issues, including the concerns raised by schools and whether it should be imposing interim measures while its investigation is ongoing. Ann Pope, Senior Director of Antitrust at the CMA, said: “We have heard concerns regarding ESS’s contract changes. Thousands of schools rely on management information systems and their choice of supplier should not be restricted. The duration of the ESS contract has been significantly extended and schools should be able to pick the best provider for their needs. “While ESS has made some changes to its original position, such as the introduction of a possible 6-month break clause, some schools tell us this is still not enough time. A formal investigation will allow us to consider this matter properly.” As part of its investigation, the CMA will also consider the pricing of some ESS product packages – specifically, it will look at how ESS’s management information system product is being sold alongside its financial management software. This could encourage customers to buy both products and deter customers moving away from ESS. The CMA is concerned that, by adopting such a pricing strategy, market players that only offer one of these services may be unable to compete, potentially leading to an uncompetitive market in future. More information is available on the Investigation into the conduct of ESS case page https://www.gov.uk/cma-cases/investigation-into-conduct-of-education-software-solutions-limited
Children’s author Sarah Morrell announces free end of Primary event
A children’s author is hosting a free online event for up to 100 primary schools to celebrate their next adventure to secondary school. West Yorkshire author Sarah Morrell and Hashtag Press are will be talking about her new book ‘A Head Full Of Magic’ on 16th June 2022. Sarah swapped criminology for children’s books and since signing with prize-winning independent publishing house Hashtag Press, based in south-east England, she hasn’t looked back! Released this week, A Head Full of Magic is already getting rave reviews from the fiercest of critics – children – as well as librarians, booksellers, parents and teachers. This middle grade fantasy fiction about the last term of Primary School, is sure to be a big hit with readers aged 8-11, particularly those who enjoy books by J K Rowling and Maz Evans. “A laugh-out-loud, middle-grade story with a mixed raced protagonist who can talk to animals. A young Dr Dolittle – perfect for children seeking a story bursting with magic!” Fleur is used to balancing her two different cultures – from her English Mum to her West Indian Nan – but when she discovers that she can talk to animals she finds herself in a whole new world! Can her new powers help her take down Celeste ‘The Best’ the hockey-loving, ankle-smashing new girl, once and for all? “I read this book in 24 hours, it’s the fastest I’ve ever read a book, and the first book I’ve finished so far this year. I loved Sir Barclay and Fleur’s adventures!” – Macy Lewis, 11 years old, Kent, England In honour of the last term of Primary School, after a crazy couple of years thanks to Covid for these young students, and to celebrate their next adventure on to Secondary School, Sarah and Hashtag Press are hosting a free online event for up to 100 schools across the country on 16th June 2022. For more details: https://y6aheadfullofmagicevent.eventbrite.co.uk About the Author Sarah lives in West Yorkshire and worked as a Criminologist until she fell in love with writing and quickly swapped a life with crime for a life with rhyme! She is married with three awesome kids who keep her on her toes whilst she is plotting and sharing her latest stories. Sarah has self-published two picture books. ‘The King and the Cockerel’ was a finalist in the Wishing Shelf Book Awards in 2018 and ‘Molly’s Magic Brolly’ picked up a Silver Award in 2019. She is currently working on a number of middle grade and children’s picture books and has a couple of book club novels up her sleeve too. When she is not writing, she loves nothing more than to run, bike or swim in the hills of Holmfirth and recently entered her first Triathlon. Next New Year’s Eve, she will not be making any sports related resolutions… Sarah is an active SCBWI Member and a Volunteer Ambassador for Candlelighters Charity.
Only half of UK parents read with their child every day, according to recent data
A new report for Nick Jr. by the National Literacy Trust shows that fewer parents engaged in home learning activities during lockdown compared with pre-pandemic levels. Research suggests that about 1 in 5 parents said they had struggled with a lack of confidence in their abilities as a new parent during the pandemic. Our Early Words Together programme improves parents’ confidence to support their child’s literacy activities at home Only half of parents said that they read with their child at least once a day in 2021, compared with two thirds in 2019 A quarter reported that they did not chat with their child at least once a day, compared with a tenth in 2019 Research shows that improving young children’s pre-school language skills could boost the UK economy by up to £1.2 billion over the course of their lifetimes Nick Jr. and Blue’s Clues & You! are partnering with the National Literacy Trust to run Early Words Together programmes to combat the issues arising from underdeveloped communication skills in children A report compiled for Paramount as part of a wider partnership between the National Literacy Trust and Blues Clues & You! shows that parents of young children engaged in fewer home learning activities in 2021 than did in 2019 – despite spending more time with them at home during the coronavirus lockdowns. A survey conducted for the National Literacy Trust in 2021 asked 1,562 parents of children aged up to five-years-old across the UK about how often they carried out seven key home learning activities: reading, chatting, playing, singing, painting/drawing, looking at the alphabet and playing outside the home (e.g., at a library or play group). The findings revealed an overall trend of fewer parents engaging in all seven home learning activities in 2021 compared to in 2019, despite spending greater periods in the home and with their children due to restrictions put in place to fight COVID-19. The study asked parents about their activities over the previous week finding that a quarter of parents reported that they didn’t chat with their child every day in 2021, compared to ten per cent in 2019. Similarly, only half of parents said that they read with their child at least once a day in 2021 compared with two thirds in 2019. The negative effect of COVID restrictions on the learning development of young children has been established by studies such as new Ofsted report (2022), which looked at education recovery in early years providers, and found that the pandemic had affected children’s communication and language development. The Education Endowment Foundation’s study echoed this, revealing the negative effect of pandemic restrictions on the vocabulary development of young children due to children being less exposed to conversations and everyday experiences in more typical education settings. Further research by Pro Bono Economics (Kerr & Franklin, 2021), commissioned by KPMG UK in collaboration with the National Literacy Trust and BBC Tiny Happy People, has shown the wider societal impact that improving young children’s pre-school language skills could have, reporting an economic boost of up to £1.2 billion to the UK economy over the course of their lifetimes, while failing to support these children could cost up to £327 million for each cohort of three-year-olds over the same period. In response to this growing problem, Nick Jr. and Blue’s Clues & You! are partnering with the National Literacy Trust to run Early Words Together programmes in some of the most-affected areas in the country. With toolkits and activities inspired by Blue’s Clues & You!, the programmes are proven to help children’s early language and communication and phonological awareness skills. In addition, a further 500 Early Years Settings nationwide will receive free Blue’s Clues & You! learning materials and activity guides to improve their skills within their setting and at home to build parent’s confidence as their child’s first teacher and help their children be ready for school. Venetia Davie, Vice President, U.K. & Ireland at Paramount Consumer Products said: “The Early Words Together programme is a wonderful way for young children across the UK to have fun with their favourite Blue’s Clues & You! characters whilst learning vital language and communication skills to help them prepare for school and beyond. “The findings of this research have highlighted the impact of COVID restrictions on children’s language development and we’re determined to be part of the solution by creating a series of creative toolkits and activity guides built around children’s curiosity and appetite to learn new things.” Kirsty Cunnington, Programme Manager for Early Years at the National Literacy Trust comments on this exciting new programme, saying that “The pandemic has had a drastic impact on families with young children, with early years vocabulary and social development hit particularly hard and jeopardising their future development for decades to come. “During this difficult time, parents and carers have been unable to access key support networks that can give them the confidence and knowledge to create a strong home learning environment. The Early Words Together programme is dedicated to reaching and supporting parents and carers to create an engaging and lively home learning space and giving them the knowledge and skills to confidently help young children overcome the obstacles of the last two years.” Read the full report at https://literacytrust.org.uk/early-language-skills-the-role-of-the-home-learning-environment-and-emerging-insights-into-the-impact-of-the-pandemic
A quarter of British 6–11-year-olds have chosen their tech devices over spending time with friends in person
A quarter (25%) of British ‘Generation Alpha’, children born after 2010, would rather spend time on their iPad, tablet, smart speaker or other devices than socialise with their peers in person, according to exclusive online research from global cloud communications platform Infobip. The research, commissioned with global public opinion firm YouGov, polled British children aged 6–11 years old and found that a fifth of girls (20%) and nearly a third (30%) of boys have chosen spending time with devices over spending time with friends in person. The survey aimed to assess the impact technology has in children’s lives at home and at school in a unique study which polled children directly. Results reveal strong appetite for the use of technology in the classroom: two-thirds (67%) of 6-11 year olds would like to use a tablet for learning in school, and over a third (35%) believe VR headsets would make a welcome addition to the classroom. In fact, nearly two-thirds (64%) would like to use laptops in classrooms, three-fifths (61%) would like to use smartboards, and a third (32%) would like to use smartphones. Meanwhile, nearly half (48%) of Generation Alpha already use their own devices for schoolwork. The research also found that: Two-thirds (66%) of Generation Alpha started using tablets such as iPads by the age of five or younger. Incredibly, a third (34%) of Generation Alpha children have used a tablet by the age of just three years old or younger. Two-fifths (42%) say they have been speaking to smart speakers from the age of six or younger. Half (48%) of Generation Alpha spend at least an hour a day on their iPad or tablet. In terms of the most popular ways to communicate, over a third (37%) of 6–11-year-olds surveyed are on WhatsApp – with nearly three-quarters (73%) of 11 year olds well-versed in this channel. SMS isn’t far behind, with almost a third (29%) of Generation Alpha still using this more traditional texting method and a third (35%) using Facetime. Catherine Thevenot, Professor in Cognitive Developmental Psychology at the University of Lausanne, said: “Generation Alpha has embraced technology like no generation before it. With the advent of the virtual classroom, the pandemic heightened reliance on tablets and laptops, with video-conferencing replacing the white board, and keyboards replacing pencils and paper. Children are now back in classrooms, but the way they have learnt over the past two years will shape the way they view the world and how they study – and after that, the world of work – for decades to come. “With these rapid technological changes, the impetus is on the adults in their lives to guide them to use digital tools for learn and play in the most positive and safe way possible – both in the home and the classroom – to ensure these digital experiences will enrich this future generation as potential employees and active citizens.” Giuseppe Perrone, Corporate Social Responsibility Manager at Infobip, said: “Despite all the headlines about Millennials and Generation Z, it is Generation Alpha who have been surrounded by technology since the moment they were born. They are learning habits that are radically different from the ones older generations developed at an early age. They are accustomed to a world of efficiency and smart technology, so when they’re presented with problems, they expect to be able to receive swift answers and solutions.” To better understand the opinions of teachers, as well as identify challenges and solutions, a focus group was organised by Roots Research, to which teachers from across the UK were invited to share their perspectives. Points of view from teachers in the UK* Location Age of the children in their classrooms Quote Teacher in Brighton, East Sussex 6–7-year-olds “I think that the jobs Generation Alpha children will have when they grow up do not even exist yet.” Teacher in Brighton, East Sussex 7–8-year-olds “Both boys and girls are really enjoying and embracing the use of technology equally. When I now ask some of the girls what they want to be when they are older, many of them say they would like to be a gamer, so it’s no longer seen as a ‘boy thing’ to do.” Teacher in Solihull, West Midlands 5–6-year-olds “There are positives to technology, however, I have found there are some downsides: kids who are glued to devices are lacking in their communication and social skills. For some children who use tech in the wrong way, overuse of these devices is having a detrimental effect.” “Kids have iPads at home but the way they use them at school differs. Our very first lesson for each term is internet safety. We must train kids on how to use technology safely and what they can do, and who they can turn to, if something doesn’t feel right. It’s so important that this first lesson is spent drilling e-safety into their heads.” Teacher in Oldham, Greater Manchester 7–8-year-olds “We’ve kept on using software on iPads and computers for homework which were first introduced due to lockdown. We have kept this on as it engages children better particularly if there are recorded clips from teachers.” Giuseppe Perrone, Corporate Social Responsibility Manager at Infobip concludes: “When implemented correctly, technology in the classroom can be a great tool to engage children and inspire learning. Outside of the classroom, technology is all around them, both as an aid to learn, as well as play. It is up to the adults in their lives – both parents and teachers – to ensure this technology is used positively, inclusively and safely.” * The quotes were gained from a focus group that took place on the 10th of November 2021 and was organised by Roots Research.