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New free digital resources and training improve how teachers use geospatial technology in lessons

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Esri UK announces new ‘Teach with GIS’ resources

 

27 September 2022 – Esri UK today announced a major refresh of its flagship teaching resources and support for teachers, Teach with GIS, to help them improve how they teach with GIS software (Geographic Information Systems) across major curriculum areas.

 

Consisting of lesson plans, teaching tools such as videos, interactive maps, mobile apps and dashboards, events and training, the updated website aims to be the ‘go to’ GIS destination for those teaching ages 7 to 18. Esri’s GIS software is powerful digital mapping technology, currently used by over 3,500 schools across the UK, helping students learn about geography and gain new geospatial skills.

 

“GIS has been on the National Curriculum for over a decade, making lessons more interactive and investigative, helping students to understand things more quickly but many teachers we talk to still struggle to use it,” explained Katie Hall, Schools Manager at Esri UK. “The latest version of Teach with GIS is designed to help fix this.”

New additions to the site include a video showing teachers how easy it is to begin using GIS in the classroom, a live streaming section for upcoming live lectures and the ability to book slots in Esri UK’s free training courses for teachers. A monthly event series ‘15-Minute Forums’ has also been added, providing regular updates on how to enrich key curriculum areas with GIS, from tracking hurricanes, wildfires, and volcanic eruptions from space, to using real Met Office data to understand climate change.

 

“This is the first major refresh of Teach with GIS since it was first launched two years ago, designed to support teachers so they can integrate GIS into different lesson plans more easily and enrich their teaching,” continued Hall. “The introduction of live lectures and a new training booking system will make it even easier for teachers to use GIS and bring geography alive for students.”

 

“Any teacher hoping to start or develop their use of GIS will find plenty of excellent expert advice and ready-made resources on the refreshed ‘Teach with GIS’ website. One of the many great aspects of ArcGIS Online is its capacity to visualise change over time, so that we can ‘see geography happen’ – showing coastal erosion, for example,” commented Brendan Conway, geography teacher at Notre Dame Senior School. “Career opportunities using geospatial knowledge and skills are increasing rapidly. The new website acknowledges this very effectively, with a range of judiciously placed profiles of people who use GIS in their work, demonstra​ting real world applications of geographical learning.”

 

Teachers can also sign-up to Esri UK’s free Education programme on the site, which provides free access to its ArcGIS software, teaching resources and training for all UK schools.

Resource highlights include:

  • A live hurricane tracker app which allows students to track hurricanes in real time and see their predicted impacts on people, using data from the National Hurricane Center (NHC) and Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) 
  • 40 years of historic satellite imagery allowing students to go back in time and see the explosive growth of megacities, the impacts of deforestation on Earth’s rainforests, and important changes to their local area 
  • An interactive digital atlas, allowing teachers to switch between 2D maps and 3D models of landforms, to explore geographic processes and landscape histories, with the option to take 3D maps into virtual reality headsets with just a few clicks 

 

Esri UK is holding a free webinar for teachers on Tuesday 11th October 2022, at 4:00-5:00pm, to discuss how best to apply the refreshed resources in lessons. For more information and registration please visit the event website here.

 

WICKED LAUNCHES NEW WEB-HOSTED EDUCATION RESOURCE

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Free lesson plans include ‘Anti-Bullying’, ‘Diversity, Inclusion + Wellbeing’,

‘Secondary English’, ‘Secondary Drama’, and ‘Intermediate ESOL/EFL English’.

 More than 60% savings on Wicked tickets with free teacher ratios and

free school trip planning guide including risk assessment supporting materials.

 

WICKED, the award-winning stage musical that tells the incredible untold story of the Witches of Oz, today announces the official launch of Wicked Active Learning, the production’s new web-hosted teaching/learning resource. Created with teachers, free lesson plans are designed to inspire creativity in the classroom whilst over 60% savings on Wicked tickets (with free teacher ratios) provide opportunities for learning outside the classroom, in support of delivering a broad and rich curriculum.

Wicked Active Learning assets and experiences will also enhance students’ levels of cultural capital and personal development as well as contributing ideas and resources that support SMSC and the PSHE and Citizenship curriculum. Additional free assets include theatre-maker career videos, a 20-page resource guide to assist in the planning of education trips (including information to support the completion of risk assessments), lesson plans (currently including Secondary English, Secondary Drama and Intermediate ESOL/EFL English), together with Anti-Bullying resources developed in partnership with the Anti-Bullying Alliance, and Diversity, Inclusion + Wellbeing resources developed in partnership with Twinkl.

“With themes of self-esteem, discrimination, and identity,

Wicked delivers an enriching live theatre experience that supports

both the quality of education and personal development elements of the

Ofsted framework and enhances our students’ level of cultural capital.”

 Head Teacher, All Saint’s School, Sheffield

The acclaimed production, which has been proudly supporting the work of the Anti-Bullying Alliance and Mousetrap Theatre Projects since 2007 and the National Literacy Trust since 2010, has twice been voted ‘Best Theatre Production for Schools’ at the annual School Travel Awards and delivers an outstanding live London theatre experience, with a story that explores themes of self-esteem, identity, prejudice, victimisation, propaganda and fake news, peer pressure, ambition, and friendship.

Michael McCabe, UK Executive Producer of Wicked said: 

“We recognise and value the benefits of creative education and do all we can to encourage participation in creative arts subjects, artistic expression, and cultural attendance. Alongside our ongoing charitable endeavours, we are pleased to provide free classroom resources and lesson plans for all schools, as well offering over 60% savings on class and year group tickets and free teacher ratios in support of learning outside the classroom, personal development, and the delivery of cultural capital. Our story of identity, prejudice, propaganda, and friendship continues to resonate strongly with schools, and we are grateful to the many teachers whose invaluable contributions and guidance have helped shape these lesson plans and resources, as well as for their shared vision and passion to deliver quality arts education and engagement for all.”

 “One of the most successful musicals of all time” (BBC News), the London production of Wicked is now in its 17th year at the Apollo Victoria Theatre, where it has already been seen by more than 11 million people.

 R SMSC   R PSHE   R Citizenship   R Personal Development   R Anti-Bullying   R Wellbeing

  • School Class + Year Groups save over 60% on Wicked tickets
  • Free teacher ratios + extra tickets purchasable
  • Book now/pay later flexibility + free exchanges
  • Free 20-page ‘Planning Your Education Visit’ Guide
  • Free risk assessment supporting resources
  • Free classroom resources + lesson plans
  • Option to include an official workshop or Q&A
  • Coach/minibus drop-off/pick-up point directly outside the theatre
  • 1 minute from London Victoria Mainline and Underground stations

School Class and Year Groups + Youth Groups

 Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday 7.30pm + Wed 2.30pm term time performances:

 10-99 Tickets

Band A/B seats reduced to £25.00

Band C/D seats reduced to £19.50

 100+ Tickets

Band A/B seats reduced to £22.50

Band C/D seats reduced to £17.50

 For requests outside of the above parameters, please submit an enquiry to Hello@WickedActiveLearning.co.uk

Rates applicable to Primary (Year 3+), Secondary, HE, FE, EFL, ESOL, youth and performing arts groups.

 Free Teacher ratios

1 free secondary teacher ticket with every 10 tickets purchased (11th ticket is free)

1 free primary teacher with every 5 tickets purchased (6th ticket is free)

1 free Youth Group Leadership/Volunteer Team ticket with every 10 tickets purchased (11th ticket is free)

Extra tickets

Extra teacher/staff/Leader/Volunteer Team tickets can be purchased at the applicable group ticket price.

Tickets + resources: www.WickedActiveLearning.co.uk

Lesson Plans currently include ‘Anti-Bullying’, ‘Diversity, Inclusion + Wellbeing’,

‘Secondary English’, ‘Secondary Drama’, and ‘Intermediate ESOL/EFL English’.

Anti-Bullying resources developed in partnership with: Anti-Bullying Alliance

Diversity, Inclusion + Wellbeing resources developed in partnership with Twinkl

Benefits and resources presented may not apply when booking through third party agents.

Recommended for Primary Year 3+. Workshops & Q&As not included in ticket price. All sales subject to availability and T&Cs

Surfers Against Sewage are launching free Teacher Training to help you get the most out of the Plastic Free Schools Programme.

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This is a call to action. Primary School Teachers – sign up to our new training and gain the skills and confidence to lead change-making environmental education in your classroom. Let’s inspire a new generation of Ocean Activists.

How? Simply make sure you are signed up to our Plastic Free Schools Programme where you will receive the link to save your place.

Who is Surfers Against Sewage?

Surfers Against Sewage is a charity of water lovers campaigning to protect the ocean and all it makes possible, by taking action on the ground that triggers change from the top.  

Find out more about Surfers Against Sewage here.

 

What is Plastic Free Schools?

Plastic Free Schools is a system shaking, change making, pupil-led education programme. This ground-breaking programme equips and empowers young activists with the tools to create positive, lasting environmental change and teaches pupils that they should never underestimate the power of their voice.

Pupils will learn how to run their own campaign in the fight against single-use plastic; from challenging government and industry to creating tangible change in their schools and forming sustainable habits that will continue into adulthood.

Most importantly, Plastic Free Schools is free and easy to sign up to. Simply click here.

Want to find out more? Click here.

 

Why is this programme so important?

We know that in order to thrive as people, we need a thriving ocean. By signing up to this programme, you are taking direct action to address the ocean and climate crisis. With millions of young activists on board, we can end plastic pollution on our beaches by 2030.

When and where is the Teacher Training?

Wednesday 12th October – 16:30-18:00

Tuesday 1st November – 16:30-18:00

The sessions will take place online.

Why sign up to our new Teacher Training?

In these sessions, you will deep dive into what Plastic Free Schools is all about. You will further your knowledge, understanding and skill set needed to successfully deliver the programme and continue to fuel environmental action in your primary school and beyond.

What will the two sessions involve?

Session One: Wednesday 12th October 16:30-18:00

  • How to become accredited – the five objectives of PFS Primary.
  • From the classroom – talks from teachers on their PFS journey.
  • What are the challenges to accreditation? How do we overcome these? Small group discussion to generate and share new ideas to take back to your school.

 

Session Two: Tuesday 1st November 16:30-18:00

  • How to get your school onboard – tips and tricks from the teachers who have succeeded at this.
  • The PFS resource library – a digital scavenger hunt to explore the resources that have been created to help you on your PFS journey.
  • Launching the PFS online community – VIP access to the new online community – connecting teachers across the Plastic Free Schools network to each other, and to the SAS team.

 

 

How to save your place:

This training is exclusively for primary school teachers who are signed up to our Plastic Free Schools programme. If you’re not already set up, don’t panic! You can easily and quickly register your school here. (Did we mention it’s completely free?).

If you’re already onboard, you’ll find a notice with the link and event password at the top of your dashboard. Log in here.

 

Any questions? We’d love to hear from you. Get in touch at education@sas.org.uk

Pantene and Ideas Foundation Announce ‘Power of Hair’ Schools Programme to Increase Positive Representation and Understanding of Afro Hair

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Pantene has today announced its partnership with non-profit, creative education organisation, Ideas Foundation. Together, the organisations are launching a series of ‘Power of Hair’ lesson plans, which are free for educators to download, with the aim to close the Afro Hair cultural education gap and increase positive representation and understanding of Afro hair in schools. 

 

A recent study by World Afro Day with Shift Insight on over 500 educators found that only half of teachers (52 per cent) have the confidence to openly discuss issues of race and ethnicity with students, and almost a third (29 per cent) said they were unable to correctly identify a scenario involving Afro hair discrimination1. 

A further study by Pantene found that 9 in 10 Black people in the UK (93 per cent 2) have faced microaggressions related to their Afro hair, and school was highlighted as the most common place where the discrimination took place. 

 

To help drive change, Pantene and Ideas Foundation have teamed up to create and implement a series of creative ‘Power of Hair’ workshops, focusing on raising awareness of Afro hair discrimination, promoting hair confidence, and equipping students with creative and essential skills, from team working to confidence building for the future.

 

Following rigorous testing and development, reaching 1,400 students across 24 schools throughout the UK, the ‘Power of Hair’ workshop material is now available as downloadable lesson plans (available here), designed to be woven into the curriculum for primary and secondary students across English, Humanities, Science, Art, Design and Marketing.

The ‘Power of Hair’ lesson plans are vital, and educators have one of the most important and influential roles in delivering these to students. Pantene and the Ideas Foundation are committed to working closely with teachers to offer training on the workshops to ensure these are being delivered to students sensitively and correctly, in addition to delivering a number of facilitated workshops in schools across the country over the next three years.

 

Dr Rolanda Wilkerson PhD, Pantene’s Principal Hair Scientist and Creator of the Pantene Gold Series collection said: “Our school years are a crucial period in our lives to form life-long foundations for confidence, self-love, and creativity. We are so proud to have worked on this important educational tool so that children with all hair types can have a full educational experience and we can work to reduce hair discrimination in the UK and beyond.”

 

Ideas Foundation CEO Heather MacRae, commented, “This project has given us an opportunity to work with hundreds of schools – using creative approaches to explore identity, discrimination and hair confidence through science, English, humanities, and art.  Schools have loved the workshops we have offered. 

 

Peter Thomas, National Association for the Teaching of English said: “We have been delighted to work on this project – giving young people the opportunity for creative writing and expression inspired by the topic of hair.”

Pantene is committed to helping more people have more great hair days and believes educating students across the UK to celebrate all hair types will help on that journey. 

 

Dr Rolanda adds: “At Pantene, we believe everybody deserves to be celebrated and represented fairly, and without discrimination. The ‘Power of Hair’ workshops are an important part of empowering hair confidence in the future generation and reminding people that ‘everybody deserves a good hair day’.”  

 

Educators can find the workshop lesson plans available to download now from the Pantene UK website (here), which also includes details on how schools can apply for a facilitated workshop as well as detail on how to enquire about the next ‘Power of Hair’ workshop teacher training session. 

 

 

 

Celebrate Pride Month 2022 with British Army LGBTQ+ student resources

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The British Army is marking the start of Pride Month by urging secondary school teachers to download its free, award-winning resource, LGBTQ+ Voices. It helps students build upon their understanding of the LGBTQ+ community, including trans rights. The LGBTQ+ Voices aligns to the Gatsby Benchmarks for good careers education, creating a space for discussion of careers and workplaces through curriculum learning. 

LGBTQ+ Voices has been downloaded more than 2,000 times since it launched last year and provides teachers with curriculum links to PSHE or Health and Wellbeing, Citizenship and History. It features both a lesson plan and an assembly with interactive tasks. Together, they aim to challenge perceptions of the LGBTQ+ community and help students aged 11–16 understand the importance of diversity and inclusion.

The award-winning resource enables students to explore the contributions of LGBTQ+ Army personnel past and present. It features four fascinating case studies, including Deborah Penny, the first trans soldier in the British Army.

Many teachers feel ill-equipped to answer any questions that students may have around trans rights. It is hoped that LGBTQ+ Voices will play an important contribution to the current debate. By giving students the tools that they need, they can play their part in addressing the inequality and discrimination felt by the trans community. Students will understand why being an LGBTQ+ ally is so very important, even if they don’t identify as LGBTQ+.

LGBTQ+ Voices was developed with teachers and support from the Army LGBTQ+ network. Teachers have remarked how the resources are “rich in information”. They offer “powerful” learning, are “self-contained” and are “simple to use”, especially for non-specialists and those less confident in discussing LGBTQ+ topics.

Lizy Watson, a lead practitioner for teaching and learning at Philip Morant School and College, said: “This resource challenges perceptions, linking modern day inclusion efforts with the exclusion of the LGBTQ+ community throughout history. The materials allow for discussion and reflection within the context of a self-contained presentation, making them well-suited to PSHE and history lessons or assemblies. It’s a powerful and engaging resource, without being overly complicated or time consuming. The links to modern day case studies and well-known historical figures will speak to a range of pupils and provide a unique perspective that can facilitate powerful conversations. As a form tutor myself, I consider this a ‘must use’ resource.”

Major Jennifer Close added: “LGBTQ+ Voices is part of the British Army’s dedication to addressing the inequalities within our organisation. We developed the free resource to help students understand the importance of creating an inclusive and supportive space for LGBTQ+ people – in and out of the classroom. Ethel Mary Smyth and Alan Turing are historical figures we all recognise. LGBTQ+ Voices addresses the selfless contributions of Ethel, Alan and every single LGBTQ+ service personnel. We do hope schools will choose to mark the start of Pride Month by downloading LGBTQ+ Voices.”

Teachers can download LGBTQ+ Voices for free at: https://bit.ly/3MUwfwE

New Resources Supporting the Integration of Minecraft: Education Edition into Classroom Instruction Now Available from Discovery Education

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Discovery Education today announced the availability of a host of new resources designed to support the integration of Minecraft: Education Edition (M:EE) into classroom instruction.  Accessible through Discovery Education’s award-winning K-12 platform, these resources complement M:EE’s ability to inspire student exploration, experimentation, and expression. Discovery Education is the worldwide edtech leader whose state-of-the-art digital platform supports learning wherever it takes place.

 

The Minecraft: Education Edition Channel, now available within the Discovery Education platform, provides educators useful lesson plans as well as ready-to-use activities that support students as they explore Minecraft Worlds and uncover important subject area content and skills. Furthermore, students can demonstrate creativity and showcase evidence of learning through an editable showcase board built within Discovery Education’s content creation tool, Studio. With Discovery Education’s dynamic set of learning supports, educators have a new set of resources supporting the integration of M:EE into Discovery Education’s math, SEL, STEM, and science lessons. 

 

Connecting educators to a vast collection of high-quality, standards-aligned content, ready-to-use digital lessons, intuitive quiz and activity creation tools, and professional learning resources, Discovery Education’s K-12 platform facilitates engaging, daily instruction in any learning environment.  

 

Discovery Education’s team continues adding, contextualizing, and organizing exciting new content as well as timely and relevant resources to the platform each month in response to current events and the ever-evolving needs of educators. These resources, sourced from trusted partners, are aligned to state and national standards, and help educators bring the outside world into STEM, math, science, and SEL instruction every day.

 

Minecraft: Education Edition takes everything players love about Minecraft and adds collaboration tools, classroom controls, and more into an open-world game where the only limit is students’ imagination. Available for Windows, iPad and Chromebook, M:EE includes exciting immersive worlds such as Sustainability City, that invites students to explore aspects of sustainable living, from forestry to wastewater, recycling to clean energy, and more, and Code Builder, a feature that allows educators and students to explore, create, and play in the immersive Minecraft world by writing code.

 

“Minecraft: Education Edition offers educators a powerful tool with which to engage students and we are excited to offer resources that support its integration into instruction,” said Mike Synoground, Senior Vice President of Product Design at Discovery Education. “Together, we are building exciting learning environments that promote the development of creativity, digital citizenship, and critical thinking skills that prepare today’s learners for future careers.”

 

For more information about Discovery Education’s digital resources and professional learning services, visit www.discoveryeducation.com, and stay connected with Discovery Education on social media through Twitter and LinkedIn.  

 

NBA LAUNCHES SECONDARY SCHOOL PROGRAMME FOR TEACHERS IN THE UK

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– “NBA in the Classroom” Offers Range of Free, NBA-Themed Educational Resources and Materials –

 

The National Basketball Association (NBA) today 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 that focuses 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 beginning today, 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.

 

For more NBA information, fans in the UK can visit NBA.com/UK, the league’s official online destination in the UK, and follow the NBA on Facebook (NBA), Twitter (@NBAUK) and Instagram (@NBAEurope).

 

About the NBA

The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a global sports and media organisation with the mission to inspire and connect people everywhere through the power of basketball.  Built around five professional sports leagues:  the NBA, WNBA, NBA G League, NBA 2K League and Basketball Africa League, the NBA has established a major international presence with games and programming available in 215 countries and territories in more than 50 languages, and merchandise for sale in more than 200 countries and territories on all seven continents.  NBA rosters at the start of the 2021-22 season featured a record 121 international players from 40 countries.  NBA Digital’s assets include NBA TV, NBA.com, the NBA App and NBA League Pass.  The NBA has created one of the largest social media communities in the world, with 2.1 billion likes and followers globally across all league, team, and player platforms.  Through NBA Cares, the league addresses important social issues by working with internationally recognised youth-serving organisations that support education, youth and family development, and health-related causes.

New resources launched for schools to help make sure school uniform is affordable

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The Children’s Society is launching new resources today for all state primary and secondary schools to help them navigate the changes set by new school uniform laws. These resources were developed in partnership with the Child Poverty Action Group and Children North East, and based on years of hands-on work with schools and families. 
 
The new law, the Education (Guidance about Costs of School Uniforms) Act 2021 which passed in April 2021, requires schools to follow new statutory guidance on uniform costs, instructing them on how they must keep prices down so their policies are more inclusive for children from low-income families.   
 
Schools are required to implement the guidance in time for parents buying uniform for the new school year in Autumn 2022 – or Summer 2023 if it breaches a pre-existing contract or formal agreement with a supplier. The new resources have been designed to help schools understand the guidance and be able to implement the changes to their policies.   
 
The new cost of school uniform law was a result of seven years of campaigning from The Children’s Society to make school uniform affordable and a Private Members Bill from Mike Amesbury MP. Young people had told The Children’s Society back in 2014 how not being able to afford the correct uniform meant they were given detentions or even being excluded. It also made them feel embarrassed amongst their peers and resulted in being bullied or feeling isolated.   
 
The charity went on to publish three research reports The Wrong Blazer in 2015, 2018 and 2020 revealing that many schools have unnecessarily strict uniform requirements, such as making families buy uniform at specific and often expensive shops or having lots of branded items. This meant that for families living on the breadline, it was the choice between letting their child turn up with incorrect uniform and facing the consequences or going without the basics.   
 
Mark Russell, Chief Executive of The Children’s Society, said: “School should be a place where every child feels they belong. A uniform can bring the school community together and develop a sense of school identity but high standards shouldn’t have to mean high costs. Long uniform lists put pressure on family finances and expensive uniforms can even push parents into debt or force them to make hard choices to ensure their children have the right kit.  

“Our research in 2020 found that 1 in 8 families were having to cut back on essentials, such as food or heating to cover the cost. The stress of having the wrong uniform, and fear of being singled out, has a real impact on pupils’ confidence and well-being. They may even be taken out of lessons because of incorrect uniform, losing essential learning time. 

“We have designed these resources to help schools understand and be able to navigate the new statutory guidance in front of them. We invite all schools to download our resources so they find it easier to update their school uniform policies making them more affordable by the start of the next school year.” 

Head of Child Poverty Action Group’s Cost of the School Day programme Kate Anstey said:  

“We know that parents struggle with the cost of school uniform and that kids are excluded from activities and even given detentions for not having the right kit. Following the new government guidance, we’ve brought together our insights in this series of resources to support schools to develop affordable approaches to uniform and ensure children are not priced out of school life.”   

 
Luke Bramhall, Head of Youth Services and Poverty Proofing at Children North East, said: 

“At Children North East we frequently hear directly from children and their families about the impact uniform costs have on household income through our Poverty Proofing© the School Day work. The recent government guidance is an important step in the right direction, enabling educators to create accessible uniform that will reduce costs and remove stigma associated with not being able to afford expensive uniform costs. We are pleased to have worked with both organisations to produce this series of resources aimed at supporting schools to implement affordable uniform policies.” 

 

 The Resources can be downloaded for free from http://childrenssociety.org.uk/school-uniform-resources 

UNBOXED PUTS CREATIVITY AT THE HEART OF UK-WIDE LEARNING PROGRAMME DESIGNED TO INSPIRE MILLIONS OF YOUNG PEOPLE

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Millions of young people across the UK are set to benefit from a unique schools’ programme that puts creativity and collaboration at the heart of learning, based on real-world examples. 

UNBOXED: Creativity in the UK is launching the programme designed to inspire young people, aged 4 to 19, with its creative projects showcasing collaborations across science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM).

The UNBOXED projects involve hundreds of events and activities across the UK and online, and cover a range of ideas, including space and science, the environment, growing and sustainability, and history and community. From a bio-diverse forest in a city centre to a North Sea offshore platform transformed into a giant artwork, schools can experience first-hand these creative successes when engineering and design, scientific research and technological innovation, including AR and artistic work, come together. 

Designed by educators, teachers, technicians and artists with a wealth of experience in STEAM, this free learning programme from UNBOXED includes engaging and fun lesson plans, worksheets and presentations to stimulate young people’s creative thinking, encourage global citizenship and develop the skills they will need for the future of work. The resources are aligned to the curriculum across all home nations and suitable for enrichment and personal development. The programme is entirely flexible and offers a complete blend of class-based, online, real-world and location-based learning. 

Resources currently available are linked to About Us, an immersive journey through 13.8 billion years of our history from the Big Bang to the present day; Our Place in Space, designed by renowned artist and writer Oliver Jeffers, which recreates the solar system as a 10-kilometre trail here on earth and Dreamachine, an artwork you ‘see’ with your eyes closed, which explores the human mind, as part of a massive research project into human perception.

Future resources will be based on StoryTrails, one of the biggest people’s history projects ever undertaken; Dandelion, a Scotland-wide growing project that reimagines the harvest festival for the 21st century; Green Space Dark Skies, which considers the environment and the UK’s beautiful landscapes; PoliNations, which is inspired by the fact that almost 80 per cent of the UK’s plant life originates from overseas; GALWAD: A story from our future, which projects the population into 2052, and SEE MONSTER, a feat of engineering and design that transforms a decommissioned off-shore North Sea platform into space to playfully explore reflect the great British weather, reuse and sustainability. 

According to a recent report from the Policy & Evidence Centre ”The promotion of creativity in educational settings can help young people build entrepreneurial skills and improve their future employability”. The UNBOXED Learning Programme recognises the importance for teachers to provide future skills-based and real-world learning to the classroom and seeks to reinvigorate creativity in every classroom in the UK. It believes creativity – our creativity – has the power to change the world.

Bhav Patel, Year 5 Teacher at West Hill Primary School, Staffordshire, said: “The resources we had from About Us were brilliant. They give children the ability to combine their creativity and science knowledge, through writing a poem based on space. It was so popular we had children asking to stay in rather than go out and play. The free resources are perfect for any teacher to just pick up and build into their lesson planning to increase engagement in the classroom and provide an exciting learning experience.”

Priya Lakhani OBE, Board Member of UNBOXED: Creativity in the UK and Founder of CENTURY Tech, an artificial intelligence education company that develops tools for schools, said: “UNBOXED is exploring creativity and collaboration across STEAM subjects, which is becoming increasingly important for people entering the world of work. As we emerge from the lockdown, the UNBOXED Learning Programme immerses young people in real-world examples of creativity, showcasing STEAM in action through an exciting programme of experiential projects across the four nations. As well as stimulating young minds, teachers will find it a useful addition to their curriculum activity.”

UNBOXED: Creativity in the UK is the biggest and most ambitious creative programme ever presented on these shores. It is funded and supported by the four governments of the UK, and is co-commissioned with Belfast City Council, EventScotland and Creative Wales.

Explore the free resources and join the UNBOXED Learning Programme today: https://unboxed2022.uk/learning-programme 

 

ICAEW LAUNCHES NEW MATHS RESOURCES FOR GCSE PUPILS

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Free maths resources based on real-life scenarios, such as planning a summer holiday or analysing business performance, have been made available for GCSE pupils by chartered accountancy body WICAE.

 

ICAEW has partnered with online education company Nebula Learning to launch the resources, which are designed to make GCSE maths more relevant to teenagers’ lives.

 

The resources will also help pupils prepare for their exams; a quarter of GCSE maths questions involves the application of maths to real-life settings.

 

The new teaching resources have been mapped against the national curriculum for Key Stage Four pupils and cover a wide range of topics. These including using algebra to compare mobile phone contracts, analysing business performance with statistics, and using geometry to budget a home renovation.

 

The downloadable resources are now available for all secondary schools across the UK following a successful pilot phase in 2021.

 

Sharon Spice, Director, Global Marketing, Brand and Belonging, ICAEW, said:

 

“These new resources will help teachers provide an engaging approach to maths lessons by bringing the subject to life, so young people can use maths in the situations they may face in the real world.

 

“Given that a quarter of GCSE maths exam questions are set in a real-world context and cause pupils the most struggles, we were keen to ensure that our resources cover these scenarios and link back to the national curriculum and exam content. We hope teachers and pupils find them useful.”