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Teacher Wellbeing Index 2022: record numbers plan to leave profession as mental health suffers

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Record numbers of UK teachers and education staff have considered leaving the sector in the past academic year due to pressures on their mental health and wellbeing. Over half of this group have actively sought to change or leave their current jobs, citing workload as the main factor:

  • 59% of staff have considered leaving the sector in the past academic year due to pressures on their mental health and wellbeing (67% senior leaders, 59% schoolteachers)
  • 55% of those who have considered leaving have actively sought to change or leave their current jobs (58% senior leaders, 53% schoolteachers)
  • 68% of staff who have considered leaving cited volume of workload as the main reason for thinking about leaving their jobs (83% senior leaders, 66% schoolteachers)

 

The findings, part of the 2022 , conducted annually by the charity Education Support in conjunction with YouGov showed that overall, stress levels have increased when compared to 2021. Staff working in education also continue to experience higher levels of depression and anxiety than those reported in the general population.

  • 75% of all staff are stressed (84% of senior leaders, 72% of schoolteachers)
  • 47% of all staff always go into work when unwell (61% of senior leaders, 45% of schoolteachers)
  • 78% of all staff experienced mental health symptoms due to their work (87% senior leaders, 76% schoolteachers)

The sector has been further hit by the cost-of-living crisis with school leaders warning of “catastrophic” measures they will be forced to take this winder – including restricting heating in classrooms and cutting staff. [1] 

 

Matt Quigley, Headteacher said:

 

 “This report correlates directly with my current experience as a school leader. Stress, anxiety and depression are prevalent amongst staff; funding cuts really aren’t helping with me having to ask staff to give even more when they’re already on their knees; it is reasonable to expect that this would then negatively impact on the long-term health and well-being of staff; and, despite working really hard over the last few years – with the challenges we have all faced – in order to create a ‘compassionate culture’ amongst our staff, even for a great staff like ours we are all starting to fray at the edges. This way of working simply isn’t sustainable for much longer and some wide-ranging changes need to be made.”

 

 Commenting on this year’s Index, Sinéad Mc Brearty, CEO of Education Support said:

 

“These findings paint a grave picture for the future of education. The Prime Minister has made clear his commitment to growth and the skills agenda, but the reality of the education workforce crisis will not magic itself away. No-one has sought to create this situation, but these chronic, entrenched dynamics around workload, stress and mental ill health will limit our national ambition for a generation. We are witnessing the slow disintegration of the workforce.”  

“Whilst these data make difficult reading for everyone involved in trying to make the system the best it can be, the simple fact is that we are failing.  Our children and young people deserve so much more from us. It is time to invest in the workforce and to remove the well documented drivers of significant stress in the system.”

To download a full copy of the report, including conclusions and recommendations visit Education Support’s website.

Bournemouth Pupils Use Technology To Unite for Anti-Bullying Week

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Bournemouth school children have been celebrating Anti-Bullying Week by using the latest in educational technology to learn about friendships, kindness and how to stay safe online. 

 

Pupils from Kingsleigh Primary School took part in a week of special activities to mark the event, which included using digital resources from Discovery Education Espresso . Taking place in November each year, Anti-Bullying Week is a nationwide campaign to raise awareness of different kinds of bullying and empower children to take a stand and make a difference.

 

Kingsleigh Primary School pupils began their learning by coming together for ‘circle time’, where they used digital resources to investigate what bullying looks like and how it can be prevented. The children discussed what it means to be a good friend and explored how to take a stand against unkind behaviour. 

 

Next, the pupils took part in a whole-school assembly, where they watched a Discovery Education video about the importance of respect and kindness. Produced in partnership with the Anti Bullying Alliance, ‘One Kind Word’ gave the children lots of ideas for ‘random acts of kindness’, which can break down barriers and brighten the lives of those around them. 

 

Teacher Janet Beauchamp said:

“It was wonderful to see the children work together to take a stand against bullying. Discovery Education’s anti-bullying resources gave us lots of different scenarios to explore and prompted valuable discussion points.  Although the children were already fairly knowledgeable about the different types of bullying, it was a good refresher of how we can beat bullying with kindness.”

 

Discovery Education Espresso offers a vast array of anti-bullying and online-safety resources, spanning all primary key stages and subjects and including video, text, audio, images and interactive activities.  

 

Explore Discovery Education’s award-winning, curriculum-matched digital resources at www.discoveryeducation.co.uk.

 

KnowBe4 Launches New Mobile Learner App for Anytime, Anywhere Cybersecurity Learning

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KnowBe4 empowers end users by introducing security awareness and compliance training on the go at no additional cost 

London, UK (November 28, 2022) – KnowBe4, the provider of the world’s largest security awareness training and simulated phishing platform, today announced it is launching the new KnowBe4 Mobile Learner App to empower end users by introducing security awareness and compliance training on the go at no additional cost to customers, improving user engagement and strengthening security culture. 

With a large majority of the world’s population using smartphones today, mobile training revolutionises the way people learn. This new app will enable end users to complete their security awareness and compliance training conveniently from their tablets or smartphones, giving them 24/7/365 access. 

“The KnowBe4 Mobile Learner App is the first of its kind to launch in the security awareness and compliance training space, making it easier than ever to train users while subsequently strengthening an organisation’s security culture,” said Stu Sjouwerman, CEO, KnowBe4. “This new app will enable IT and security teams to improve engagement and completion rates for required training thanks to a seamless user experience. This will also help users to associate security with their personal devices, keeping it top of mind all the time rather than only when they are at work on their computers. We are making this substantial new capability available at no additional cost to all subscription levels as a show of our commitment to supporting our customers’ security and human risk management objectives.” 

Based on subscription levels, KnowBe4 offers 100+ Mobile-First training modules that were designed specifically for mobile. The KnowBe4 Learner App supports push notifications for custom announcements, updates on assigned training as well as KnowBe4 newsletters. 

The app is available for iOS and Android, and free to all KnowBe4 customers with a KnowBe4 training platform subscription. For more information, visit https://www.knowbe4.com/mobile-learner-app.  

About KnowBe4 

KnowBe4, the provider of the world’s largest security awareness training and simulated phishing platform, is used by more than 54,000 organisations around the globe. Founded by IT and data security specialist Stu Sjouwerman, KnowBe4 helps organisations address the human element of security by raising awareness about ransomware, CEO fraud and other social engineering tactics through a new-school approach to awareness training on security. Kevin Mitnick, an internationally recognised cybersecurity specialist and KnowBe4’s Chief Hacking Officer, helped design the KnowBe4 training based on his well-documented social engineering tactics. Tens of thousands of organisations rely on KnowBe4 to mobilise their end users as their last line of defence. 

National Institute of Teaching publishes first phase of inaugural research on mentoring for teachers

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The National Institute of Teaching (NIoT) has published the first phase of its inaugural research project, ‘Mentoring and coaching trainee and early career teachers: conceptual review and current practice survey’. The aim of the research function of NIoT is to find workable and evidence-based solutions for the most urgent and complex teacher professional development challenges faced by schools everywhere.

 

The mentoring project draws on a diversity of perspectives and reference points from across the teacher development and wider education sectors*, bringing together a wide range of experts, organisations, skills and expertise. This first phase clarifies definitions and approaches – and explains the theories behind how schools-based mentoring can achieve a range of positive outcomes.

 

To inform the project’s recommendations to the sector, this phase also includes findings from a Teacher Tapp survey of around 300 mentees in their first five years of teaching and more than 1,000 mentors**, including:

 

  • Mentees in the sample were generally positive about being mentored: 87 per cent named at least one benefit, particularly greater confidence and improved teaching practices.
  • Whilst almost all mentors report experiencing some benefits, most also named some detrimental effects, and these frequently relate to lack of time and mentoring detracting from other activities.
  • A third of primary teachers in the sample did not feel that they had been given an appropriate mentor – twice the proportion of secondary teachers, who will typically work in schools with larger staff teams.
  • The benefits and challenges of mentorship reported by mentees did not differ substantially between those who were mentored by their line manager and those who had a separate line manager and mentor. However, more than half of all teachers surveyed said they would prefer not to be mentored by their line manager.

 

This work will help inform the final stage of this project, the publication in Spring 2023 of recommendations on effective practice for mentoring in primary and secondary education. Recommendations will also be informed by a review of the evidence. We will bridge gaps in evidence with practical, transparent and actionable recommendations that can benefit the whole school system, including other teacher-development providers, as well as NIoT’s own programmes. 

 

Executive Director of Research and Best Practice, Calum Davey, said: “Achieving our mission to improve the quality of teaching across the country means conducting rigorous research on areas of professional development that are challenging for schools to implement.”

 

“We chose teacher mentoring as our first research project because mentoring is a fundamental element of trainee and early career teacher training and, when done well, is a powerful way to support, develop and retain effective teachers. Issues such as capacity and expertise persist, which mean that schools can struggle to identify appropriate mentors and to provide them with sufficient time and support. 

 

“Schools, training providers and policy makers can benefit from guidance on where to focus effort and resource. Working closely with our research partners across the sector, the next phase of this project will analyse the evidence and findings to produce evidence-based recommendations.  These will inform our own training programmes and, crucially, be proactively shared with everyone in education for the purpose of benefiting teachers and pupils everywhere.”

 

To read the full conceptual review and research findings, go to niot.org.uk/teacher-mentoring-research.

 

* The core project team consists of education and research experts including teachers, leaders and academics.

 

The expert panel has senior-level practitioner, academic and provider representation from seven leading teacher training universities, providers and academies. 

 

** This data was collected via the Teacher Tapp survey app in early July 2022 in order to give an overview of current mentoring practice in state-funded schools in England for teachers with fewer than five years’ experience.  

Esri UK provides mapping expertise for Department for Education’s major new climate project

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Nature Park project will map grounds of every school, creating one vast nature park roughly twice the size of Birmingham

 

The Department for Education (DfE) has released further details of its National Education Nature Park, created to teach children of all ages about climate change and improve biodiversity across the country. Esri UK is providing a digital mapping platform and expertise in biodiversity mapping to help underpin this exciting initiative, first announced at COP26 by the Education Secretary. 

 

The National Education Nature Park will engage young people and teachers with nature, supporting them to play a driving role in mapping and monitoring biodiversity on their grounds using citizen science and, critically, taking action to enhance it. The DfE believe this could play an important part in increasing biodiversity across the education estate and have a real impact on halting the decline of nature in England.

 

The Nature Park project will map, manage and enhance the grounds in every school, college or nursery in the country, creating one, vast nature park roughly twice the size of Birmingham. Students will have the opportunity to transform their green spaces into their own Nature Park and play leadership roles in studying, managing and enhancing biodiversity and climate resilience.

 

To deliver the project, DfE has created a partnership led by the Natural History Museum working with Esri UK, the Royal Horticultural Society, the Royal Society, Royal Geographical Society, Learning through Landscapes, Manchester Metropolitan University and other supporting partners. 

 

The partnership will be working with Esri UK to devise digital tools for use by children and young people, such as mobile apps, enabling them to map the biodiversity of their school grounds and its improvement over time. 

 

“We are delighted to be working with the Department for Education and partners on the National Education Nature Park initiative,” said Stuart Bonthrone, Managing Director of Esri UK. “Biodiversity and environmental sustainability are at the heart of much of the work that Esri UK and our customers are involved in globally and we have a long-standing commitment to Education, providing our software free to schools in the UK and around the world. We are therefore particularly proud to be part of this initiative which closely reflects the core nature and values of our business.”

 

In addition to improving biodiversity across the country and engaging young people in nature, the application of biodiversity mapping will help children and young people develop competences in mapping, numeracy and spatial awareness. The Nature Park will therefore help pupils and students to develop skills in data visualisation and analysis, encouraging analytical thinking and problem solving.

 

The project is a perfect fit for Esri UK. For over 50 years, Esri has been committed to the conservation of the planet, developing geospatial solutions that help to protect it. In the UK Education sector, over 3,000 schools currently use its Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software as part of the Esri UK Education programme, which provides free access to its software, teaching resources and teacher training.

 

The partnership will be creating a wealth of curated and quality assured information and teaching resources easily accessible to teachers to support them in delivering climate education across the curriculum. A new climate action award scheme will also recognise the work being undertaken in all education settings to protect green spaces and promote biodiversity.

 

To find out more about the National Education Nature Park, schools and students can read the Department for Education’s blog and register for updates on the Natural History Museum’s website.

THE DYING ART OF LETTER WRITING: 1 IN 3 CHILDREN IN THE UK HAVE NEVER SENT OR RECEIVED A LETTER

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Research from Nationwide Building Society and The Diana Award has revealed that a third of children (32%) have never written a letter, with a similar amount (35%) having never received one either. However, the same survey concluded that 4 in 5 (84%) children of all ages would be excited to receive a letter in the post! This includes older children (75% of 15-year-olds) as well as younger children (93% of 7-year-olds)! 

 

Nationwide and The Diana Award, with the help of a number of familiar faces like Will Poulter, Molly Rainford, Steph Houghton and many more, want to change this shocking statistic by launching The Positive Post Box campaign. Not only is the campaign an attempt to bring back the joys of letter writing and tap into children’s excitement for the dying art, it also has an underlying motive to tackle bullying in schools through spreading positivity and mutual respect. 

 

As the campaign kicks off, over 120,000 children from 300 schools have received their very own Positive Post Box and are about to take part in one of the biggest pen pal schemes the UK has ever seen! 

 

Research by Nationwide Building Society has showed the devastating impact bullying can have on young people with a number of shocking statistics coming to light. 

 

  • 8 in 10 (83%) children have experienced bullying, with the vast majority (84%) stating that the bullying took place within the school grounds. 
  • Half of the children surveyed (50%) said the reason for the bullying was because of their appearance
  • Over a third (36%) stating it was due to social factors
  • A quarter (25%) of the children surveyed stating the bullying took place online

 

The data shows that school children are acutely aware of the scale of bullying in the UK as well, three quarters (75%) were aware that their friend(s) had been bullied.  

 

It’s not just children that feel the impact of bullying as well. 

 

  • Almost 7 in 10 (68%) parents surveyed said bullying at school has negatively impacted their mental health
  • The statistics show that bullying in school can have long-term effects: parents reported a negative impact on confidence levels in both social situations (71%) and at work (54%)
  • Nearly 7 in 10 (67%) parents surveyed said they still hold insecurities in adult life about what they were bullied about in school, mainly relating to appearance (69%). This is particularly so with females, with three quarters (75%) of female parents surveyed said they still hold on to appearance / weight related insecurities, whilst just under 2 in 5 (39%) male parents surveyed said the same. 
  • Over half (55%) of parents surveyed, who are nervous about their child being bullied because they know what an impact it can have on their whole life.

 

The research is difficult to read but highlights just how important campaigns like this are to tackle bullying as early as possible. The aim for the campaign is to do it in a positive way, focusing on positive behaviour, words of affirmation and encouraging actions. During The Positive Post Box campaign hundreds of thousands of letters filled with kind messages will be delivered to children around the UK helping to raise awareness and make a major impact on children’s mental health. 

 

CBBC star and Positive Post Box Ambassador, Molly Rainford, spoke about the campaign:  

 

“I’m delighted to take part in a campaign like this and I wish when I was in school there was a project like this to spread positivity. Getting the chance to write my own letter was really rewarding, it’s been years since I wrote a letter but I will be definitely picking up a pen more often and getting creative. I think it’s really important that these campaigns exist to encourage children to speak up, write down their feelings and also show their creativity. I hope the Positive Post Box is going to help loads of children across the country.”  

 

Rhys Stephenson, presenter and The Diana Award ambassador spoke about the campaign:  

 

“I’m so proud to be taking part in such a positive project. As somebody who has spoken publicly about bullying before, I will also support initiatives that spread positivity and respect. I can’t wait to see all of the children reading and writing their letters.”  

 

Director of Advertising & Marketing at Nationwide Building Society, Paul Hibbs commented:  

 

“Working with The Diana Award to promote mutual respect to tackle bullying head on by spreading messages of hope and positivity is an honour. 

 

“The on-bullying stats are pretty scary, so anything we can do to combat the root of the problem is vital, and that’s what we hope to do with this partnership. We want to show children who may be suffering they’re not alone, too. At Nationwide, mutual respect has always been a core value to us, so we are incredibly proud to be able to drive such a positive message and promote equality, respect and inclusivity in society.” 

 

Deputy CEO of The Diana Awards, Alex Holmes added: “On the back of our annual Big Anti-Bullying Assembly with Nationwide Building Society we’re delighted to be part of this brand-new campaign which encourages kindness through the revival of letter writing. We’ve received an overwhelming response from the launch with over 120,000 children set to be involved across the whole of the UK. 

 

“Simple written messages of kindness can have a positive impact on both the sender and receiver. At The Diana Award we’re passionate about tackling bullying behaviour by empowering young people to make change. We’re looking forward to seeing young people across the county putting pen to paper and sending their messages when the post boxes start to be delivered on October 31st.” 

 

Alongside this campaign, Nationwide Building Society is working with The Diana Award to train an extra 10,000 Anti-Bullying Ambassadors in over 660 primary schools across the UK over the next three years. Through this initiative, school children can develop key skills around tackling bullying, celebrating difference and supporting their peers, online and offline.  

 

The find out more about the initiative and download your very own digital pack here: https://www.antibullyingpro.com/take-action/positive-post-box  

Amazon launches the Alexa Young Innovator Challenge to help young people bridge the skills gap, as research shows demand for jobs that require computer science, AI or machine learning skills are expected to increase by 40% over the next five years

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Amori, Hannah, Maya, Deborah and Erika,l all in Year 8, from Prendergast Ladywell School pictured at Amazon’s Jobs Fair of the Future event, marking the launch of the ‘Alexa Young Innovator Challenge’, an AI-inspired educational programme for secondary school pupils, at their offices in London. New research reveals that computer science and AI related roles could contribute £71 billion a year to the UK economy. Photo credit: Matt Crossick/PA Wire.

 

London, 8 November 2022 – Amazon has launched the inaugural Alexa Young Innovator Challenge, an educational programme for secondary school students aged 13 – 18 to create an Alexa Skill to promote social good in their community. Designed to inspire young people about the potential of AI, teachers and educators will be able to access free curriculum-linked lesson plans and materials to engage students, while supporting the development of AI learning in UK classrooms. By taking part, schools will have the chance to win prizes, including £2,500 worth of tech products for the winner and a £2,500 donation to their school. The 20 runners up will also receive an Amazon gift card to the value of £250, redeemable on Amazon.co.uk and £500 will be donated to their school.

 

New research – commissioned by Amazon from YouGov – found that currently, 79% of STEM teachers have limited access to AI resources and 64% to computer science resources in general, highlighting the real difficulties schools face when trying to engage students in this vital field. Of the 72% of secondary school teachers surveyed who agree that schools should be making an active effort to increase education and resources around AI and computer science, three quarters (75%) say that without this, there will be long-term skill gaps.

 

YouGov’s research showed strong support for boosting AI learning in UK schools among secondary school teachers, students and parents, with 65% of secondary school teachers agreeing that AI should be part of their school’s syllabus, and 87% of the UK STEM teachers surveyed believing access to free AI and computer science learning resources linked with the national curriculum would help students better engage in computer science. 69% of all secondary school teachers believe that education in computer science better prepares students for future careers in all sectors.

 

By taking part in the Alexa Young Innovator Challenge, students will be able to explore the possibilities of using AI to help solve societal issues ranging from climate change and healthcare, to poverty and homelessness. Winners will be selected in two age categories, together with 20 runners-up, by judges including Technology Director at Amazon and UK Ambassador for Amazon Future Engineer, Lauren Kisser; YouTuber and computing graduate Tobi Brown, who is a member of The Sidemen; TV presenter and STEM education advocate, Carol Vorderman MBE; computer scientist and entrepreneur Professor Sue Black; and maths and computing prodigy, and Stemettes founder, Dr Anne-Marie Imafidon.

 

Chris Hillidge, Director of STEM at The Challenge Academy Trust said: “This competition is an amazing opportunity for students to engage with coding in a real-world context and use ‘tech for good’. Coding in a real world context is a valuable learning opportunity for young people and the Alexa Young Innovator Challenge gives young people to influence the world around them in a positive way.”

 

AI is ‘science fiction’ to one in three secondary school children

 

Teaching AI in secondary schools will also help the almost half (46%) of secondary school children surveyed who said they would like to know more about careers using computer science and AI. One third (33%) of secondary school children surveyed said they have only heard of AI in science fiction movies and literature.

 

To help remedy this, Amazon is also offering virtual Class Chats with schools across the UK, where Amazon leaders and current apprentices will share insights from their education, career journey, and discuss the future potential of AI with teachers and students. This comes as research reveals that 82% of secondary school teachers believe their students would be more interested in AI and computer science if they had the opportunity to speak to industry leaders in these sectors.

 

Youtuber Tobi Brown and Amazon’s Lauren Kisser pictured with students from Prendergast Ladywell School at Amazon’s Jobs Fair of the Future event, marking the launch of the ‘Alexa Young Innovator Challenge’, an AI-inspired educational programme for secondary school pupils, at their offices in London. New research reveals that computer science and AI related roles could contribute £71 billion a year to the UK economy. Image courtesy of Matt Crossick/PA Wire.

 

Dr Anne-Marie Imafidon said of her involvement: “Supporting women in accessing resources and information to help them consider careers in STEM has always been my number one priority. The tech revolution never stops and we know that AI is going to be a vital part of the future of the industry so it’s great to see an initiative like the Alexa Young Innovator Challenge identifying this and looking to help inspire the kids of today, who will be our future scientists and technologists. I am passionate about the role of creativity and imagination in technology and development, and I think showing kids what tomorrow’s world of work could look like does exactly this.”

 

The launch of the Alexa Young Innovator Challenge reinforces Amazon’s commitment to support the education and skills development of learners from all backgrounds. It forms part of Amazon Future Engineer – Amazon’s comprehensive childhood-to-career programme that inspires, educates and enables children and young adults to realise their potential in computer science through bursary schemes, teacher training, and online tutorials. Since launching in 2019, Amazon Future Engineer has reached over 280,000 students across the UK.

 

“AI is the world’s fastest growing technology[i] and the UK is striving to be among the world’s leaders in this field, with 56% of businesses planning to increase investment in AI technologies within the next three years,[ii]” said Lauren Kisser, Technology Director at Amazon and UK Ambassador for Amazon Future Engineer. “Through the Alexa Young Innovator Challenge, we hope to not only build confidence in students’ ability to understand and control this incredible technology but also inspire young minds, regardless of their background, to realise their potential as creators, thinkers and builders of the future; using AI to create innovative solutions to real world problems.”

 

For further information about the Alexa Young Innovator Challenge visit https://www.amazonfutureengineer.co.uk/ayic

 

[i] https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-ten-year-plan-to-make-britain-a-global-ai-superpower

[ii] Amazon Future Engineer, September 2022, Capital Economics

 

Capital Economics methodology
This research has been commissioned by Amazon from Capital Economics, an independent macroeconomics research consultancy. The views expressed remain those of Capital Economics and are not necessarily shared by Amazon. While every effort has been made to ensure that the data quoted and used for the research behind this document is reliable, there is no guarantee that it is correct, and Capital Economics Limited and its subsidiaries can accept no liability whatsoever in respect of any errors or omissions. This document is a piece of economic research and is not intended to constitute investment advice, nor to solicit dealing in securities or investments.

 

Based on official data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), Capital Economics has used a broad definition of ‘computer science related’ jobs to estimate the number of computer science related jobs in the UK economy and their contribution to economic output. A range of data and projections on demographics, the labour market, economic growth and adoption of technology have been used to generate estimates of future demand for computer science roles.

 

YouGov parents, secondary school teachers and secondary school pupils survey

All UK parent, UK secondary school teachers and UK secondary school pupils figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc.  Total sample size was 2031 teachers (1,792 secondary school teachers and 239 headteachers), 1,079 teenagers aged 13-18, and 1,002 parents of children aged 18 and under. Fieldwork was undertaken between 2nd – 21st September 2022.  The survey was carried out online.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1 in 10 children now need speech therapy: Language expert stresses its importance

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The number of five and six-year-olds who need speech and language support at school has risen by 10% in England over the past year, BBC analysis shows.

Experts claim the increase, which is substantially greater than in previous years, is partly due to the lockdown limiting social interactions.

Danielle Saccardi, a language expert at Preply, says it’s extremely important for optional speech therapy sessions to be offered and encouraged in primary school curriculums.

“Speech is the way language is expressed and received, and without being able to grasp the precise movement of the mouth and the way words should be pronounced, learning a language can prove extremely difficult, and limiting.

“Some pupils may struggle with spoken language, therefore schools should consider how they will identify pupils that need additional support around oral speaking. 

“Identifying and helping a child who has difficulties developing skills such as comprehension, clarity, voice, fluency and sound production at an early age is extremely important.

“Therapy will safeguard and promote the welfare of children with communication and interaction needs, as well as further development of effective public speaking skills which can help with career advancement.

“It is not always easy to identify if a child has a speech impediment or difficulty with language development, especially amongst a large number of pupils. 

“So whilst speech and language therapists can work directly with children, families, and other education professionals, this is an external service which is not included in the normal school curriculum. 

“Therefore therapy would be obtained externally. SLT for Kids provides speech and language therapy services directly to a school or education setting.

“However, to have any sort of consultation, assessment or treatment, it is an external service therefore must be manually reached out to by a parent or school.

“Having a speech therapy service on the main curriculum would help to diagnose children at an earlier stage, ensuring they are receiving the best possible education and support for future development.”

Celebrate Remembrance Day 2022 with diverse voices from the British Army

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London, 25 October 2022: Ahead of this year’s Remembrance Day celebrations on 11 November, the British Army has developed new, free resources that introduce students to the ways different groups commemorate Remembrance, highlighting diverse voices and experiences. The resources have been designed to encourage students to further explore the vital, unsung role of women as well as members of the LGBTQ+, Sikh and black communities. 

The resources have been created for students aged 11-16 across all four nations. They present schools with a fresh and engaging approach to Remembrance Day. Students will learn what Remembrance is, why we come together to commemorate it and the diverse ways that we commemorate Remembrance. Individuals will also develop key skills and knowledge on the topics of similarities and differences. 

This year’s resources have been designed to encourage students to think about the parades and memorials they will have seen – perhaps a theatre production too. The cenotaph is traditionally associated with Remembrance Day, but students will be encouraged to find out more about The Women of World War II Memorial. It remembers the seven million women who served, either in the armed forces or on the Home Front. And at the Imperial War Museum, visitors can see the Memorial to Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities who lost their lives to conflicts in the name of Britain’s Empire and Commonwealth. 

Students will be asked to think about the different varieties of poppies that are worn to mark Remembrance and their individual significance. Did you know that the Khadi poppy honours the contribution of Indian soldiers to Britain during World War I? And did you know that the purple poppy commemorates the animals that have been victims of war? 

Students can further explore subjects touched upon in the Remembrance resources. They will learn about the remarkable contribution of diverse voices standing shoulder to shoulder with Army personnel past and present, including women and members of the black and LGBTQ+ communities. It also includes a Sikh Service pack produced in association with the Defense Network and historian, Gurinder Singh Mann. It allows students to understand the varied contributions of Sikh soldiers throughout the history of the British Army. 

Julian James, a design technology teacher in Wales, said: “For too long, assemblies celebrating Remembrance Day have always followed the same outdated format. To mark this year’s poignant event, the British Army is providing schools with a fresh approach to presenting such important, historical information. Its resources feature music, thought-provoking images and stimulate questioning. The Army’s lesson resources are undoubtedly a new way of keeping the tradition of Remembrance Day going, while deepening students’ knowledge of its meaning and relevance to their lives.” 

Major Jennifer Close added: “Remembrance isn’t just about why we remember and who we remember, it’s also about how we remember. Through our work with schools across the UK, we have revisited just what Remembrance Day means to students. We have worked with teachers and Army personnel to create resources that will spark discussion in the classroom – and beyond. The events around the world are a constant reminder that Remembrance plays a part in all our lives.  We hope that in the run-up to Remembrance Day, our resources will help students shine a new light on their past and their future.” 

Parent Zone hosts sixth Digital Families conference

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Parent Zone is pleased to announce that its annual Digital Families conference will return for 2022 at the Royal Society of Arts on Tuesday 18 October 9.00am to 4.00pm. The free conference is the only annual event to examine the challenges and opportunities of raising and educating children in a digital world. Digital Families 2022 marks a rare opportunity to hear from speakers across the worlds of technology, education, parenting and online safety. The conference also gives space to network with like-minded professionals across the digital landscape. 

 

Vicki Shotbolt, founder and CEO of Parent Zone, said, “We are delighted, after three Covid-affected years, to be hosting the sixth annual event. The timing for Digital Families couldn’t be better. While the long-awaited Online Safety Bill is stalled under a new Prime Minister, the digital landscape becomes more complex. From crypto collapses and marketing in the metaverse to Web 3.0, we need to find new ways to help children and parents respond to the changing online world. That means asking the right questions. Digital Families 2022 provides a space to do just that.”

 

Among the exciting speakers is Faith Rogow, Ph.D., media literacy education leader in the U.S. and the founding president of the National Association for Media Literacy Education. Clinical Psychologist and researcher Dr Elly Hanson will also be sharing her insights into pornography and its impacts on young people. Additionally, Dr David Zendle, one of the world’s leading experts on the social impacts  of video game monetisation, will give a talk on children’s gaming and the growing threat of financial exploitation of children online. Further events not to be missed include Callum Hood from the Center for Countering Digital Hate talking about incels; Sam Sharps from the Tony Blair Institute discussing digital opportunity; and Lord Jim Knight in conversation with Vicki Shotbolt.

 

In-person spaces are fully-booked, but it’s still possible to register to participate online and/or join the waiting list for in-person attendance. Please see here for further details: parentzone.org.uk/digitalfamilies