Monthly Archives: March 2017

Courses

Summer Schools 2017

The Debate Chamber Summer Schools offer students age 11-18 the opportunity to find out more about some fascinating subjects, prepare for university applications, meet like-minded peers and get to grips with some tough intellectual challenges.

The material will be challenging (for the older age-group, about the level of difficulty one might expect in the first year at university), but the atmosphere will be relaxed, with plenty of discussion, debate, and opportunities for students to shape the direction of classes. It is an environment conducive to getting to grips with new ideas.

Working in small groups (usually around 14 students per group) over several days offers participants a real chance to get to know tutors and fellow students and to explore the topics or questions that particularly interest them.

Highlights of Summer 2017:

The five-day Computer Science Summer School, new for 2017, will explore modern developments in the field and provide students aged 15-18 with a practical programming tool-kit for use in future projects.

The Law Summer School for 15-18s, in three distinct five-day Parts to allow time for more cases, more analysis and more debate on some of the most intriguing legal questions. Students can choose to focus on Criminal Law, Civil Law or International Law.

The Philosophy and Critical & Cultural Theory Summer Schools will look at some of the biggest questions in metaphysics, ethics and political theory, giving an opportunity to engage with the work of some fascinating thinkers, and also to develop students’ own skills of reasoning and argumentation.

For students interested in the Social Sciences or Humanities, we have Summer Schools in Economics, International Relations, Politics and History, while Arts enthusiasts should take a look at the English Literature, Classical Civilisations or Art History Summer Schools (all for students aged 15-18).

For aspiring scientists and mathematicians we also have the Physics, Mathematics and Medicine Summer Schools.

Last but not least, we also have a smaller number of courses available for younger students (ages 11-14) in Law, Medicine, Creative Writing, Critical Thinking and Science subjects.

Practical Details:

All the Summer School events will be held at University of London venues in Bloomsbury, Central London, and will take place in July and August 2017. Please note that these courses are not residential, and accommodation must be arranged independently if required.

You can find full details of schedules, dates, costs, student reviews and tutors at http://www.debatechamber.com/summerschools/.

There is a limited amount of bursary funding available for students who would otherwise have financial difficulty in attending – please see our website for details.

To book a place please visit www.debatechamber.com/summerschools/, call us on 0845 519 4827, or email info@debatechamber.com. Places will be allocated on a first come first served basis.

fundraising

How to successfully fundraise for outdoor classrooms

With budgets being ever tightened, schools are increasingly having to look at alternative ways and means of how they fund their outdoor learning programmes and playground projects. But we have built up a lot of knowledge and experience in helping schools find the necessary ways and means of successfully doing this.

But you need to be prepared to put in the effort as without pain, there never is a gain!

Our approach would be to spread your net widely over various ways of raising money so that you are thereby reducing your risk of failure if one doesn’t work out. Here is the plan you need to follow:

  • Apply for a grant. There are various grants out there which will support and fund capital items such as outdoor classrooms and we know which ones to approach and how to approach them. You need to remember that bid writing is incredibly competitive (especially in this financial climate) and time consuming but we can offer you experience-backed advice as to what you need to do in order to be successful
  • Get a crowd funding site up and running. Organisations and schools are increasingly looking at this medium to publicise their project to the local community and beyond. There are now specialist educational crowd funding websites which do not charge but which give you a great platform to promote your project. These websites offer you an opportunity to use video too as an effective medium
  • Be entrepreneurial. Schools are now renting out their premises to generate extra income – before and after school clubs, functions at the week-end and even weddings! The Hideout House outdoor classrooms can also be used for outdoor weddings for example and don’t forget weddings are big business. You just need to apply to the local registrar office for a license to conduct civil service ceremonies. Think too about fitness classes and renting out your sports facilities to local clubs and societies
  • Corporate sponsorship or donations are also a good source of funding. But you need to put some effort in and think like a business. Our local village school sent a flyer round recently asking for money for a bus they wanted to buy at £30K – that is all it said. No mention of what is was going to be used for or how it would benefit the school and children. You need to sell this if you are going to be asking for money – another way would be to ask for set amounts which are easily affordable rather than just saying you want £30K for example.
  • PTA events which a lot of schools do anyway. But make them a little bit more creative and fun otherwise apathy will soon set in from both the PTA and parents. We have developed quite a few creative ideas

If you would like to know how we can help you raise money for outdoor classrooms or any playground project you have in mind (and tell you about all the schools we have already helped), then please contact us on 01865 858982 or email: info@hideouthouse.com

www.hideouthouse.com

Literacy, Primary

What is the single most effective way of utilising pupil premium funding?

There is of course one fundamental issue that affects every other aspect of every child’s education: the child’s level of literacy.

The problem is that once a child at primary school starts to slip behind it can be difficult to tailor instruction towards individuals within a group.  What each child then needs is help and support in his/her specific areas of difficulty.

At this point a highly accurate and rapid system of placing pupils according to their current literacy ability is required, which precisely notes the progress they are making day by day.

But every school needs this analysis, without it taking up more of that most precious resource: time.

One particularly effective solution to this problem is to implement an auto-placement approach which analyses individual ability level and reveals exactly what each student needs to be focussing on in order to ensure literacy progress is achieved.

Then, if the pupil can have one-to-one tuition in a way that is utterly engaging and responsive to her or his immediate literacy needs and within the school’s budget, the issue is resolved.

All of this can be done using Core5 from Lexia.  The analysis, the comparisons with other pupils, the progress, the remedial work – each and every element of a student’s learning journey is tracked and evaluated by Core5.

If you would like to read the case studies involving UK schools which are already using the system please click here. You will then also find on the right of the page the route to having access to the full program for 30 days without any payment or commitment.

If you want to know more about the program, we have all the information you’ll need available here. Alternatively, if you would like to talk first, call 0191 482 1939, or email info@lexiauk.co.uk.

Rob Kay

LexiaUK Software Consultant

School News

Drive not included

What are the legal requirements for operating a school minibus?

A school minibus can be not only expensive but also hugely time-consuming for the person responsible for ensuring that it is fully operational at all times, which is why a growing number of schools are signing up to a minibus leasing contract with Benchmark.

Indeed, leasing a school minibus from Benchmark not only makes financial sense but also means that we assume responsibility for keeping the vehicle properly maintained and roadworthy.

The leasing arrangement makes it possible for schools to fund the minibus through a small payment each month, and, where trips are paid for by contributions from parents and the PTA, it is possible to allocate a part of those payments towards the cost of the minibus – thereby reducing the amount of money the school has to find each month.

And your colleagues will no longer have to spend time ensuring that the school minibus is fully operational at all times as the team at Benchmark will organise for the vehicle to be MOT’d, serviced and repaired* – all of which is included in the lease price.

Unfortunately, however, there is something that we can’t provide and that is the driver. But this is not to say that we can’t help out.

You can find a number of documents covering the legal requirements for operating a school minibus at http://learningoutside.info/index.php/operating-a-minibus-legal-stuff and http://www.minibusleasing.co.uk/specs-options-pricing.php.

At these links you will find:

For more information about leasing a minibus with Benchmark Leasing you can go to our website, call us on 01753 859944 or email minibus@benchmarkleasing.co.uk.

History

History Summer School 2017

The study of history is about a lot more than facts and dates. Questions of the possibility of historical truth, the methodology of its pursuit and the political responsibilities of historians to both the past and the future are central to the craft of the historian. This course offers the chance to explore these and other historiographical questions using some fascinating (and sometimes weird and wonderful) case studies.

The Debate Chamber History Summer School will be of particular benefit to those students who are considering the study of History, or a related subject, at university. This intensive course will be conducted through seminars, lectures, structured activities and informal discussions, in order to create a genuine sense of what studying history at undergraduate level is like. The topics covered over the five days have been specifically selected to challenge and broaden the historical outlook of participants and as such the course requires no specific previous background knowledge (although students are encouraged to bring their own examples to the questions addressed) and is open to all students aged 15-18. The most important qualification is a strong enthusiasm for history!

The Summer School offers students the opportunity to develop their historical studies by tackling areas of study not often covered by the school curriculum. By exploring new and ambitious topics, students will be challenged to confront the unexamined assumptions underlying their interpretations and to develop their analysis of primary and secondary source materials. The course offers students the opportunity to gain a good basic understanding of a broad range of historiographical trends and subject matters, and as a result, students will not only be well equipped make informed decisions about studying history at university, but will enjoy the challenge of being presented with new ideas, and benefit from having their own thoughts critically examined.

Our approach to tuition is varied – lively tutorial discussions, formal debates, lectures, group presentations and close individual reading of primary and secondary source material. Special emphasis is given to developing students’ skills as critical readers at an undergraduate level, by analysing extracts and quotations, as well as images, material sources and oral accounts. Participants will be supported in formulating and presenting their own viewpoints clearly and logically and be encouraged to challenge one another’s positions in a constructive and friendly atmosphere. Class sizes of 14 students per group allow us to give each student plenty of individual attention and useful feedback.

You can view a full schedule for the course, details of tutors and lots more feedback from last year on our website – http://debatechamber.com/project/history-summer-school/

Feedback from Previous Summer Historians:

Before the History Summer School, I had no idea what studying history beyond the facts could be like. After the summer school, thanks to the brilliant tutors and the challenging curriculum, I have a much more in-depth knowledge of the various theories behind historical study and what it is like to further study history. I’d recommend this Summer School to anyone who has even the slightest interest in history, it was probably the most informative and interesting 5 days of my life!

For me, this course was originally planning to be a sort of wake up from the summer. However, the five non-stop history filled days that we were given meant I didn’t just turn on my brain, I excited it: critically looking at intriguing sources. Due to the huge scope of the course, no matter where your interest is you’re bound to come away with a new one. Then too, the lecturers/teachers provided entertaining and enlightening commentary on the sources and historical events that we covered. Discussion amongst the group was always flowing and I was always left with something bubbling in my mind at the end of the day.

You just really need to go, it has changed my outlook on History and my passion for the subject ten-fold!

I would certainly recommend this Summer School to anybody interested in studying history further. The five days covered a large range of subjects and the tutors were very informative, fantastic at helping everyone be involved in discussions. There was a great atmosphere in the sessions and I felt comfortable contributing. I am really glad I attended.

Practical Details:

This Summer School takes place on the 10th-14th July (and repeated 24th – 28th July and 29th August – 2nd September), the venue will be the University of London Bloomsbury Campus. The course fees are £475 per student.

There is a limited amount of bursary funding available for students who would otherwise have financial difficulty in attending – please see our website for details.

To book a place please visit http://debatechamber.com/project/history-summer-school/, call us on 0845 519 4827, or email info@debatechamber.com. Places will be allocated on a first come first served basis.

Behaviour / Motivation, Safety and Security

Body cameras to be trialled in the education sector

The effectiveness of body cameras being used in the classroom is to be trialled by teachers at two schools in the UK, according to a report by the Times Education Supplement (TES).

Both of the unnamed schools have already started to look at early ideas into how they will implement the technology, with an initial idea being that teachers will wear the cameras on their clothes and the technology will be filming continuously.

However, teachers wearing the equipment would be required to activate a switch on the devices for incidents to be recorded and encrypted footage to be saved. As such, wearers of the technology are being encouraged to only switch their cameras to recording mode when ‘low-level’ incidents are developing. Furthermore, they have also been told that they will need to give notice before beginning a recording.

Tom Ellis, a principal lecturer at the Institute of Criminal Justice Studies at Portsmouth University, explains: “There’s very much an emphasis on getting rid of low-level disruption or disorder in the classroom.”

A similar move has already been implemented in schools across the US, while two UK police forces have also pioneered their own technique for using body cameras — see more details about this particular development by clicking here.

In regards to introducing body cameras in the classroom, Mr Ellis is confident that the technology can act as a deterrent. He expanded: “It can be used for self-reflection. It can be shown back to the pupil, one-on-one, and that can have a positive impact without the need to resort to disciplinary process.”

The trial already has a lot of support too, as evidenced by a TES poll which was reported on by the Independent.

According to the survey of over 600 teachers, 37.7 percent expressed that they were in favour of body cameras being used in the classroom. Around two-thirds also expressed that they would feel safer in their working environment thanks to the technology, while 10.9 percent were confident that the equipment will become compulsory in the future.

Body cameras may be a relatively new concept in the UK’s education sector, but the following examples showcase that CCTV systems have already been introduced in schools across the county in an effective manner:

  • Video Content Analysis systems, so that analysis of CCTV images can be carried out to provide meaningful information. For example…
  • The identification of whether objects have been removed from a certain area of the school.
  • The analysis of CCTV images in order to identify specific patterns, like smoke when addressing arson attacks.
  • The ability to establish virtual tripwires that trigger an alert, should someone attempt to cross a specific boundary – eliminating the need to erect walls or fencing at these locations.
  • CCTV in classrooms to address issues of bullying and also assist with teacher training — for the latter, this technology can be used as an alternative to having a teaching colleague present in the classroom throughout the entire lesson.
  • Access control systems, such as those provided by award-winning security specialist 2020 Vision, are specifically designed for educational establishments, so that security personnel can keep updated about who is in a facility once they have been added to turnstiles, gates and barriers throughout the institute.

 

Behaviour / Motivation

What’s better than Facebook?

The answer is, of course, a real book!

A book that gives school and college leavers a snapshot of their final year and can be cherished for many years to come, if Facebook and Whatsapp go the way of MySpace and Friends Reunited…

The final year at school or college is always pivotal in everyone’s life. Why not make a record of it that lasts and lasts with fantastic quality yearbooks from Babyshark from only £3 each?

Unlike many online retailers that you can’t talk to, we are the online yearbook company that actually wants to talk to you. We can even arrange free Yearbook Design Workshops, so get in touch now!

Click here or email hello@babyshark.co.uk to request a free sample.

Babyshark image

Kind Regards

Andrew Baker

Babyshark image

Director

01924 849926

Unit 12
Emley Moor Business Park
Leys Lane
Emley
Huddersfield
HD8 9QY

Registered in England No. 6913248

7 good reasons why a yearbook can’t be replaced by Social Media…
Click here to find out!

To find out more about how easy it is to create yearbooks…
Visit our website: BabyShark.co.uk 

Numeracy

Could we be seeing a rise in mixed ability classrooms?

Why it is more important than ever to ensure that you are using teaching resources that are suitable for mixed ability classrooms

An increasing number of school leaders have reported that replacing teachers is becoming less viable in the light of the recent budget cuts to education. Thus, not only could we be seeing an overall increase in class sizes, but we could also be seeing an increase in the number of mixed ability classrooms.

Which is what makes it so important to ensure that you are using teaching resources that can readily be adapted not only to an array of abilities, but also to an array of age groups.

Brilliant Publications has published an extensive range of resources which are ideal to use in mixed ability classrooms, including The Maths Problem Solving Series Pack which contains differentiated and progressive maths problems for your pupils to solve.

The Maths Problem Solving Series Pack is not only split by year group with six books covering years one to six, but each book is also split into three ability levels for further differentiation.

Furthermore, The Maths Problem Solving Series Pack covers the ‘solving problems’ requirements from the Mathematics programmes of study for KS1 and KS2 in the National Curriculum. The flexible format of the series means that it can easily be integrated with other schemes of work.

For more information or to order the Maths Problem Solving Series Pack, visit http://www.brilliantpublications.co.uk/book/maths-problem-solving-series-pack-345

Alternatively, you can place an order:

  • by phone on 01449 766629
  • by fax on 01449 768047
  • by email to orders@tradecounter.co.uk
  • or by post to Brilliant Publications, Mendlesham Industrial Estate, Norwich Road, Mendlesham, Suffolk, IP14 5ND.

Brilliant Publications,
Mendlesham Industrial Estate,
Norwich Road,
Mendlesham,
Suffolk,
IP14 5ND.

website: www.brilliantpublications.co.uk
email: orders@tradecounter.co.uk

phone: 01449 766629
fax: 01449 768047

Religious Education

“Since Tom started using Education Quizzes, he has really started to sparkle.”

We have made Education Quizzes free for a whole year so that students like Tom can sparkle too

Despite all the revision tips, tricks and techniques, the best way to help your pupils to retain the knowledge that they have learned in their RE lessons is by presenting them with the opportunity to use this knowledge on a regular basis.

However, since there is more than one topic area to cover in RE, it can sometimes be a long period of time until a topic is revisited, by which time your pupils will have forgotten much of what they had previously learned.

Which is why we have produced an extensive library of RE quizzes and made them free to use for a whole year, so that your students can test and revise their knowledge as frequently as they need and want to.

What’s more, Education Quizzes is ideal to set as homework tasks as it involves little to no PPA time – giving you more time to focus on planning and preparing future lessons and assessing the work of your students from lessons which have gone before.

To get a better idea of what Education Quizzes is all about, simply visit www.educationquizzes.com. And to sign your school up for Education Quizzes for free for a whole year, go to www.educationquizzes.com/schools-uk-registrations/.

If you have any queries, you can easily contact us by sending an email to admin@educationquizzes.com.

Primary

Have you got your activity days and summer fete sorted?

With the summer term approaching fast our circus fun days are extremely popular as well as our drop in workshops at fetes and fairs. Fantastiko circus skills sessions are brilliant fun for all ages and abilities and offer an excellent educational experience, whether exploring the “circus topic”, exploring forces in science, as an activity day, a reward, or part of your school fete or fair.

Looking for something fun, educational, and inclusive?

Fantastiko’s workshops are designed to help pupils, teachers and parents feel energised and positive as they work together and learn new things, we also offer personalised certificates to add to a sense of achievement.

Skills range from simple feather balancing and bucket stilts to the more advanced tight wire and unicycle, we even have a trapeze rig that we can bring along.

Want something tailor made without a lot of fuss and hassle?

We adapt our workshops to suit different settings and events for reception all the way up to year 6 – and adults love in joining too.  Fantastiko provide a complete circus package and our offers include everything from; a one hour visit, circus days, ongoing schemes of work, circus science sessions and even a range of themed entertainment.

Prices start from £210+Vat for a half day.

The founders and facilitators at Fantastiko Circus Workshops have been sharing their skills for over 15 years and pride themselves on delivering the best circus package to suit each school and their pupils.

If you would like to bring the magic of circus straight in to your school (or our circus tent marquee) then take a look at our website:

www.circusworkshops.biz

Contact us for more details about the different workshops and entertainment we offer.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Drew Hewett  (Creative Director)

E: drew@circusworkshops.biz

T: 01707 527160 or 07539229256

History

Research Invitation with Reward

We are hoping you may be able to help us in researching teachers’ needs regarding digital educational resources.  We value your opinion and would appreciate your contribution which will help develop history resources to support teaching and learning and save teachers’ time.

Please take our quick survey, which should take 5 minutes to complete and at the end you can enter into a prize draw to win a £60 Amazon gift voucher!

Click on the link below to have your say:

https://www.snapsurveys.com/wh/s.asp?k=149028665519

If you cannot follow the link, please copy the address above to your web browser.

All opinions expressed will be kept confidential and non-attributable.  No sales calls will ever result from you taking part in the research.

Thanking you in advance for your help, I am looking forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely,

Suzanne Brown
Research Executive
Sphere Insights Ltd
020 3031 0837

Literacy, Primary

Interactive Story-Telling and Song Workshops for Primary Schools

http://www.stratfordfestivalofsalonarts.co.uk/

Top Traditional Story-Teller Jim MacCool is visiting Primary Schools throughout the Summer Term 2017.

Bards in the true sense, Celtic Yarn-Spinners enrich and entertain all ages with interactive stories, poems and songs.

Mr MacCool’s tried and tested workshops are a wonderful cross curriculum activity mixing music, literacy, speaking and listening skills in a fun learning experience for pupils and staff.

Should you be interested in having Jim MacCool and his Traditional Story-Telling Workshops come to your school, please telephone me, Joy Atkins, on 020 8688 6951, or you may prefer to email: celticyarnspinner@yahoo.co.uk  for more information.

The Stratford Festival of Salon Arts
organises
The National Tour of Traditional Celtic Story-Tellers
running from
Mon. 20th March through to Friday 21st July 2017
http://www.stratfordfestivalofsalonarts.co.uk/

DATES OF INTEREST
National  Poetry Day Thursday 28 Sept. 2017
October is National Poetry Month
National Story Telling Week 27 Jan.- 3 Feb.2018

Joy Atkins
Stratford Festival of Salon Arts
15 Warwick Road Stratford-upon-Avon CV37 6YW
Tel. 0208 688 6951
celticyarnspinner@yahoo.co.uk
http://www.stratfordfestivalofsalonarts.co.uk
October is National Poetry Month

Geography

Free speakers and resources from Compassion in World Farming

Many pupils are passionate about the welfare of animals though, if surveys are to be believed, many of them do not know how their bacon, eggs and milk are produced!

Food production is a growing topic of debate whether you are talking about the ethics of how we treat animals, how we produce healthy food, and how we can feed a growing population.

Finding time to discuss topics such as animal welfare and sustainable food production is doubly valuable – it gives pupils an important understanding of a range of ethical and environmental factors and it encourages great debates!

To help you to engage your pupils in such discussions we provide a free speaker service and a pack of resources including a film and discussion activities which can be adapted for pupils of different ages, abilities, and levels of confidence.

To enquire about a speaker or to order a free resource pack, please email education@ciwf.org.uk with “Geography mailshot” in the subject title.

To view or download the resources directly, including films, please go to our Geography webpage.

Yours faithfully

Phil Brooke
Education Manager
Compassion in World Farming

PS We’ve had some wonderful evaluations from teachers for our talks and resources:

“We have really ‘enjoyed’ using your pack.  It stirred up a huge amount of interest and discussion”
“Thanks for inspiring and IMPORTANT material – which is very difficult to come by.” 

Links and contacts:

Email: education@ciwf.org.uk
Tel: 01483 521 965
Education website: ciwf.org.uk/education
Geography webpage: ciwf.org.uk/geography
Speaker service: ciwf.org.uk/speakers

Primary

What is the most effective way of inspiring outdoor play in a world filled with gadgets?

A recent survey of 12,000 parents showed that around 75% felt that their children preferred playing digital games as opposed to active outdoor play.

Many parents agree this is not ideal: which raises the question, what is the most effective way of encouraging children to engage in more active play before school, during breaks from class work, and after school? And indeed what approach is most likely to be seen and appreciated by parents?

“With so much focus on academic attainment, there can be pressure on teachers to stay in the classroom which means children are missing out on so many experiences that will benefit them through their lives.” – BBC environmental report.

“There is a clear play imbalance emerging… children need to be exposed to varied stimulus. Allow a child to be free outside with no structure and no gadgets and you will marvel at what they can achieve.” (Educationalist, Sir Ken Robinson).

This imbalance is a problem we have faced head on, and as a result we have designed a variety of resources and play equipment to inspire active play for pupils in KS1 and KS2.

With a variety of imagination play resources, strategy games, playground and after school activities, our range supports schools in the challenge to inspire active play.

By encouraging activity outside the classroom, PE and games are not relied upon as the sole source of active play.

Imagination play resources, including dens and playhouses, offer enchanting and comfortable spaces for children to play together in boundless make-believe worlds. Team games bring exciting strategy to the playground, promoting motor skills and improving communication.

Play is a wonderful revitaliser, helping pupils to feel more eager and ready to learn.

Big Game Hunters‘ selection of high quality outdoor games and equipment includes Giant Chess and Draughts, Giant Tower games, Giant Snakes and Ladders and unique wooden playground games.

If you would like to learn more or view the range, visit us at biggamehunters.co.uk.

Ordering for your school is quick and simple; simply sign up, log-in and you’ll have the option to checkout and pay later on invoice. You can also email purchase orders to sales@biggamehunters.co.uk

For guidance on choosing play equipment for your school, contact Big Game Hunters at: sales@biggamehunters.co.uk

Hannah Hemsley
Big Game Hunters
t:  +44 1865 392 439   dl: +44 1865 392 439
a:  Chadwick Farm, Garford, OX13 5PD

w: biggamehunters.co.uk

e:  sales@biggamehunters.co.uk

w: sportsballshop.co.uk

School News

Overcoming Mental Health and Behaviour

“In order to help their pupils succeed, schools have a role to play in supporting them to be resilient and mentally healthy. There are a variety of things that schools can do, for all their pupils and for those with particular problems, to offer that support in an effective way.”

Read More from DfE

Dear Colleague,

Mental health and Behaviour are both intertwined with one another and as such; schools, academies, pupil referral units and any educational establishment should work to ensure that the students that are dealing with mental health issues get the support that they need without being misinterpreted as “the naughty kids” that end up with disciplinary measures.

We have worked with the Rodillian Academy Trust for several years and with the trusts ‘Positive Discipline’ model students learn in an environment that helps to identify and support students with mental health. This model includes aspects such as a resilience curriculum…

Read More

The document “Mental health and behaviour in schools – Departmental advice for school staff” explains that “Poor mental health undermines educational attainment… disproportionately large numbers of pupils with conduct and emotional disorders fall behind in their overall educational attainment, missing school and/or being excluded.”

We at EDLounge have worked with over 50 schools, PRU’s and Academies to find ways to impact on behaviour and attainment by providing an educational support system for students with mental health issues that are school refusers and/or are on an exclusion. We are now able to provide a secure platform that allows students that are being educated off site to;

  • work through a pathway of learning catered to their academic needs;
  • work through pathways of learning designed around resilience and behaviour repair work;
  • but ultimately the system allows for a connection to your establishment.

By providing a student a live streamed video feed to a; teacher, support worker, mentor, outreach worker and/or safeguarding officer. These members of your team can work with the students directly, encouraging meaningful intervention, leading to a positive and successful reintegration back into mainstream education.

Find out more

To learn more about how EDLounge can impact student attainment and attendance by addressing behavioural and mental health issues, please contact on 01909 568 338 or email me at sam@edlounge.com with the subject “MentalHealth17”.

Kind Regards,
Sam Warnes

T: 01909 568 338
F: 01909 568 350

E: sam@edlounge.com

W: www.edlounge.com

School News

You are responsible.

The fact is that not all students have access to mainstream education. This can be for a range of reasons, students that have been removed due to behaviour or students that have barriers due to health reasons or special educational needs. As educators we are responsible for making sure that the students who can’t access the mainstream classroom, for any reason, still access curriculum relevant education.

EDLounge has developed two systems; EDClass, designed alongside a multi academy trust, and EDVirtual, designed alongside a large pupil referral unit. By using these systems, both educational establishments have seen a vast improvement in their attendance figures.

EDClass is a remote learning platform that allows your students the opportunity to work through a unique pathway designed to suit their educational needs with online supervision from our tutors. Students are able to work through curriculum relevant work from our bank of 7,500+ lessons. There is also a comprehensive suite of lessons for behaviour repair work.

Read More

The EDVirtual system is an online virtual classroom where your staff can support, teach and/or deliver their own content or take from the learning resources available on the system. The virtual classroom allows face-to-face communication via webcam and headset. This method has proven successful in the reintegration of long term absent students back into mainstream education.

Read More

Our goal is to ensure that all students that are users of EDClass and EDVirtual gain a valuable and meaningful education. We will also hope to have more and more students reintegrated back into mainstream education or as close to as we possibly can.

If you would like a free demonstration or trial please give us a call on 01909 568 338 or email us at contactus@edlounge.com.

Kind Regards
Sam Warnes
Creator of EDLounge

T: 01909 568 338
F: 01909 568 350

E: contactus@edlounge.com

W: www.edlounge.com

Primary

Assessment “without levels”

Has your solution to assessment ‘without levels’ been to develop your own set of Excel spreadsheets?

Lots of schools have taken this route, because it gives them the sort of flexibility and control, which they want: but it’s not without its own problems.

Your own Excel spreadsheets can involve a lot of time consuming manual work, if you don’t have someone who can write appropriate macros or progam the worksheets using VBA.

Your school will usually be very dependent on the person who set up the spreadsheets, and vulnerable if that person leaves.

So, wouldn’t it be great to have all that flexibility and control without the associated problems?

Our Online Primary Progress toolkit has, we believe, enough flexibility to support almost any assessment policy. It’s also a modern online database system, professionally programmed, so you don’t have to worry about maintaining it.

We have designed it with two simple aims – to create a tracker which is easy to use and which can be customised to a school’s precise needs.

For instance, you can import your own curriculum, edit the National Curriculum Programme of Study statements or use the NAHT model. You can give statements different weightings or set some as KPIs or non-negotiables.

You can you set your own assessment grades, assess pupils at either Statement or Subject level or both; enter assessments at any time and set your own reporting dates.

You can filter results by groups such as boys/girls, pupil premium, SEN, first language, ethnicity or create your own groups and filter results by these.

You can report on subject attainment and progress, percent attaining an agreed level in Reading, Writing & Maths combined, or meeting your own Age Related Expectations, plus percent of statements achieved, if you assess at that level.

In addition to the standard reports by year group, class and individual pupil, we can extract data from the database and create free customised reports to your own specification.

So, if you aren´t 100% satisfied with your current assessment tracking system, why not check out our Online Primary Progress toolkit at primaryprogresstoolkit.co.uk?

If you need more information, or would like to discuss your specific needs, email me at statsed@gmail.com or ring me on 01279 652183.

We can also give you free access to a demo site, where you can try out the toolkit for yourself.

Roger Watson

Statistics for Education, 5 Bridge Street, Bishop’s Stortford, Herts, CM23 2JU
Tel: 01279 652183; Email: statsed@gmail.com

Literacy

Why Macbeth with Pictures?

A story about witches, ghosts, murders and moral values by the greatest dramatist of them all: what else does one need at KS2?

There is a growing awareness (as a recent report on young people’s reading has revealed) that children today brought up on the internet and multi-channel TV are showing less and less inclination to read.

This is an issue that we, as publishers of Shakespeare, have faced and one that we feel we have answered with a unique publication of “Macbeth” for use in primary schools.

Our approach takes the majority of Shakespeare’s original text and offers it alongside both a modern English translation and page upon page of full colour illustrations.

The value of the combination of the original text and the contemporary “translation” is obvious – but there is also an added bonus from including the illustrations throughout.

The report on the decline in reading in young people I mentioned above also reveals that where young people are provided with suitable illustrations their willingness to read, and the level of knowledge that they take in, is greatly enhanced.

In our approach Shakespeare’s characters are presented in a way that allows KS2 children to consider and debate the questions that Macbeth raises: questions about whether Macbeth is a hero, who is to blame for Duncan’s murder, and indeed, what makes a good ruler of a nation, can all be considered in a more approachable manner.

This new edition of Macbeth in full colour with both the original text and a modern English translation is now being widely used in primary schools across the UK and is available direct from the publisher.

You can get a feel for the book here. Then just click on the small pictures that run down the web page to the right of the cover picture, and you’ll see exactly what individual pages of the resource look like.

There are more details of how to order on the website.  And If you would like to know more please do email us at info@shakespearecomics.com or call 01691 770165.

I do hope you find the approach of interest.

Simon Greaves

Primary

A time for change

In this ever changing world is it possible to meet the growing needs of year 6 pupils in the limited time available in the timetable?

“Adolescence is a critical period in human development – we must provide our young people with all the support they need to ensure a smooth transition to adulthood.” Dr Stephanie Burnett Heyes University of Birmingham

There is no doubt in the teaching and research communities that the vast amount of physical, emotional and life changes that a year 6 pupil goes through in the build up to leaving primary school and starting secondary school has an enormous effect on their future lives and learning.  Supporting pupils through the transition is essential; however it can be difficult to bring sensitive issues and topics to life in the classroom.

A few of the PSHE association guidelines for KS2 suggest covering the following topics:

Examining what affects physical, mental and emotional health.

Exploring and critiquing how the media present information and how the media impacts our judgements and self esteem.

To be aware of the different types of relationships and recognise those which can be unhealthy.

Understanding the differences and similarities between people and considering the factors that influence these.

How their bodies may change.

To listen and respond respectfully to a wide range of people.

We believe it is possible to cover these areas and more by utilising a creative format.

“In 80% of primary schools, outside speakers made a valuable contribution to the PSHE education programme.” OFSTED Report on Personal Social and Health Education.

The team at Tip of the Iceberg Theatre Company have been delivering theatre in education projects for 20 years. The ethos has always been to respect every young person as an individual and to empower them to learn about themselves and then relate that to the world they live in, therefore developing a foundation for a healthy mental attitude for life. Each show and the follow up workshops are developed alongside schools, teachers, pupils and experts on the topics to ensure that the experience is informing, involving and inspiring to those that take part.

“Changing Britain” is designed to explore all aspects of life changes that year 6 pupils have highlighted as key issues and that they requested support with. Our infamous vlogger “Big Sister” presents tonight’s episode which follows the life of a range of year 7 pupils as she delves beyond the surface asking “How do changes really affect us and what can we do about them?”.

Download a flyer with further information here:

http://www.tipoftheiceberg.biz/pics/Changing%20Britain%20Year%206%20Flyer4email.pdf

Tip of the Iceberg weave topics into the lives, experiences and personalities of the characters so they don’t appear too didactic for the audience, however, there are many areas that can then be drawn on further in our workshops and discussions.

At the heart of great PSHE and pupil support is looking at self-esteem and strategies to develop positive mental health and wellbeing. Our follow up workshops help pupils to relate the topics to their own lives and experiences in a fun, nurturing environment.

The play lasts 30 minutes and the workshops are adapted in length to suit the number of pupils and the school timetable.  We offer half and full day packages, however our delivery is bespoke to your needs and requirements.

For more detailed information and how we can work in partnership with you please don’t hesitate to contact us.

E: tourbooker@tipoftheiceberg.biz or admin@tipoftheiceberg.biz

Tel: 01707 527140 or 07519 593711

English

Why Macbeth with Pictures?

A story about witches, ghosts, murders, and moral values by the greatest dramatist of them all: what else does one need at KS3?

There is a growing awareness (as a recent report on student reading has revealed) that teenagers today, brought up on the internet and multi-channel TV, are showing less and less inclination to read.

This is an issue that we, as publishers of Shakespeare, have faced, and one that we feel we have answered with the production of Macbeth.

For our volume takes the majority of Shakespeare’s original text and offers it alongside both a modern English translation and page upon page of full colour illustrations.

The value of the combination of the original text and the contemporary “translation” is obvious – but there is also an added bonus from including the illustrations throughout.

The report on the decline in student reading I mentioned above reveals that where students are provided with suitable illustrations their willingness to read, and the level of knowledge that they take in, is greatly enhanced.

In this manner, emotionally powerful, complex characters are presented in a way that allows students to consider and debate the demanding questions that Macbeth raises.  Questions such as whether Macbeth is a tragic hero, who is to blame for Duncan’s murder, and, indeed, what makes a good ruler of a nation, can all be considered in a more approachable manner.

This new edition of Macbeth, in full colour with both the original text and a modern English translation, is now being widely used in schools across the UK and is available direct from the publisher.

You can get a feel for the book here. Then just click on the small pictures that run down the web page to the right of the cover picture, and you’ll see exactly what individual pages of the resource look like.

There are more details of how to order on the website And If you would like to know more please do email us at info@shakespearecomics.com or call 01691 770165.

I do hope you find the approach of interest.

Simon Greaves

CPD

Evidence-Based CPD – do more for less

What is the most effective way of making Evidence-Based Teaching easy to access and quick to learn?

One solution is to offer your colleagues anytime access to an Evidence-Based Teaching resource that can be personalised to their teaching needs.  A resource they can tap into as and when they need it.

Of course, you will want the resource to be broken down into quick-to-learn sequences that your colleagues will find immediately relevant and easy to apply to their classroom practices.

Value for money will be an important consideration and, since student success is the only real measure of value, the Evidence-Based Teaching resource will need to support your current in-house professional learning strategies.  Strategies such as coaching, teaching and learning groups, and whole school literacy.

Covering a variety of topics such as Behaviour, Independent Learning, Whole Class Teaching and Assessment for Learning, the HOW2s will save you both time and money when compared to buying in traditional CPD or sending teachers out on training courses. And the good news is the HOW2s pass the Education Development Trust’s CPD test

Take a look at our pricing here. Use offer code SCHOOLS17 to get 20% off standard school subscriptions until the end of March 2017.

Call 01277 202812 or email me at info@teachinghow2s.com to arrange a time for us discuss HOW2s – as an ex-SENCO and deputy head i/c CPD, I promise no hard-sell.

Want to find out more?  Watch Nico’s video. Nico is a Maths teacher and uses the HOW2s extensively in his classroom.

Best wishes

Ian Harris
Creator – HOW2s

Tw: @teachinghow2s

Primary

What is the most effective way of helping children to develop their problem-solving skills?

It could be argued that the possession of good problem-solving skills is all that it takes for pupils to achieve high attainment across the subjects, not least because every subject area requires pupils to use problem-solving skills at some point or another. Yet, despite this, the curriculum doesn’t cater for lessons specifically in problem-solving.

Which is why we have developed CRAMES – creative games that will help children to develop their problem-solving skills in only five minutes a day, making them ideal to use at the start of the day, between lessons, at the end of the day, and whenever else there might be a spare five minutes.

CRAMES are user-friendly activities that get children thinking creatively, ranging from ‘What if?’ and ‘How many ways …?’ questions to ‘describing things from a different point of view’ and ‘choosing which you would rather be’.

Furthermore, CRAMES focuses on a variety of themes and thinking methods, from fluency, synectics, flexibility, imagination, originality, and risk taking, to elaboration, curiosity, lateral thinking, problem solving, and evaluation.

You can order CRAMES for just £13.99 in a number of ways, including:

• on our website

• by phone on 01449 766629

• by fax on 01449 768047

• by email to orders@tradecounter.co.uk

• or by post to Brilliant Publications, Mendlesham Industrial Estate, Norwich Road, Mendlesham, Suffolk, IP14 5ND.
Brilliant Publications,
Mendlesham Industrial Estate,
Norwich Road,
Mendlesham,
Suffolk,
IP14 5ND.

website: www.brilliantpublications.co.uk
email: orders@tradecounter.co.uk

phone: 01449 766629
fax: 01449 768047

Nursery

A great start to learning their tables

Times Table Plates image

Give your little children a great start to learning their tables with these charming Plates, Bowls and Beakers.

The children get really involved with the characters and this generates a very strong interest within them to learn the tables, meaning they go off to their next school with a great head start.

Please look at our website www.timestableplates.co.uk  and email or telephone us to ask questions, or seek a sample.

With best regards

Bob Norfolk
Times Table Plates

01273 960950

rnorfolk@hotmail.com

Business Studies, Economics

Debate Chamber Summer Schools 2017 Booking Now Open

Debate Chamber Summer Schools offer students 11-18 the opportunity to find out more about some fascinating subjects, prepare for university applications, meet like-minded peers, and get to grips with some tough intellectual challenges.

The material will be challenging (for our older age-group, about the level of difficulty one might expect in the first year at university), but a relaxed atmosphere, with plenty of discussion, debate, and opportunities for students to shape the direction of classes creates the perfect environment for getting to grips with new ideas. Working in small groups (usually around 14 students per group) over several days means a real chance to get to know tutors and fellow students and to explore the topics or questions that particularly interest each individual.

Highlights of Summer 2017 for students interested in current affairs:

The Economics Summer School for students aged 15-18. Focusing on political economy and macro-economics, the five-day Economics Summer School will include seminars on a diverse range of topics, from financial and currency markets to an analysis of economic inequality and its potential remedies. We will also be looking in some detail at the causes and prognosis of the Eurozone crisis, and evaluating more generally the success of ‘austerity’ policies both in the UK and in the wider global context. The continuing impact of Brexit for both the UK and other economies will also be examined. The focus throughout will be on debate and discussion, and on encouraging and supporting students to engage critically and actively with the material.

The Politics Summer School for students aged 15-18. This five-day course will include seminars on key questions within political theory and philosophy, workshops on important policy areas, and analysis of changing voter behavior in both the UK and US. The Summer School will conclude with a full day Mock Parliament, with participants taking the role of MPs, forming parties, making policy and debating legislation.

The International Relations Summer School for students aged 15-18. This course will introduce the central theories involved in the academic study of IR – realism, liberalism, constructivism and Marxism – and will then look at a range of detailed case studies in order to apply, test and explore these theories. Topics covered will include military intervention, international law, development aid, the impact of changing oil prices, regional sessions looking at China and the Middle East, and the European response to the migration crisis.

Practical Details:

All the Summer School events will be held at University of London venues in Bloomsbury, Central London, and will take place in July and August 2017. Please note that these courses are not residential, and accommodation must be arranged independently if required.

You can find full details of schedules, dates, costs, student reviews, and tutors at http://www.debatechamber.com/summerschools/. There is a limited amount of bursary funding available for students who would otherwise have financial difficulty in attending – please see our website for details.

To book a place please visit www.debatechamber.com/summerschools/, call us on 0845 519 4827, or email info@debatechamber.com. Places will be allocated on a first come first served basis.

Languages

Free KS4 Spanish presentation on shop vocabulary from Boardworks!

Help your KS4 students commit important shop vocabulary to memory with our free presentation!

An engaging picture quiz reinforces key words and tests your students’ recall.  Then challenge your class to unscramble the letters and reveal the names of products sold in the different shops!

An interactive reading comprehension quiz ensures that your students are confident in understanding a passage written in Spanish, and checks their vocabulary recognition.

Find the presentation now on our MFL free stuff page:
www.boardworks.co.uk/mflfreestuff

Kind regards,

The Boardworks team

English

Interactive Story-Telling and Song Workshops for Key Stage 3

http://www.stratfordfestivalofsalonarts.co.uk/

Top Traditional Story-Teller Jim MacCool is visiting Secondary Schools throughout the Summer Term 2017.

Bards in the true sense, Celtic Yarn-Spinners enrich and entertain all ages with interactive stories, poems and songs.

Mr MacCool’s tried and tested workshops are a wonderful cross curriculum activity mixing music, literacy, speaking and listening skills in a fun learning experience for students and staff.

Should you be interested in having Jim MacCool and his Traditional Story-Telling Workshops come to your school, please telephone me, Joy Atkins, on 020 8688 6951, or you may prefer to email: celticyarnspinner@yahoo.co.uk  for more information.

The Stratford Festival of Salon Arts organises
The National Tour of Traditional Celtic Story-Tellers
running from  Mon. 20th March through to Friday 21st July 2017
http://www.stratfordfestivalofsalonarts.co.uk/

Dates of Interest
World Story-Telling Week Starts on Mon. 20th March 2017
October is National Poetry Month

Joy Atkins
Stratford Festival of Salon Arts
15 Warwick Road Stratford-upon-Avon CV37 6YW
Tel. 0208 688 6951
celticyarnspinner@yahoo.co.uk
http://www.stratfordfestivalofsalonarts.co.uk

Primary

How schools are responding to the budget cuts in education and…

…why now is a better time than any to get 5 in 1 Staff Absence Insurance

According to an article in the Guardian, schools are being forced to do things that they would prefer not to do in order to save money, from axing a subject and closing the library, to stopping all school trips and asking parents to help with tidying up and maintaining the school.

Which is why now is a better time than any to get 5 in 1 Staff Absence Insurance.

With 5 in 1 Staff Absence Insurance Cover, not only can you claim back the huge costs of supply cover, but it also offers the additional benefit of making cashflow forecasting easier. Giving you complete budget certainty!

What’s more, Staff Absence isn’t all that is covered under this policy. Our 5 in 1 Staff Absence Insurance Cover also includes cover for Staff Wellbeing, Occupational Health, Maternity and HR & Management. Thus it is likely that with our insurance you will be able to release funds into your budget for services that you are already paying for.

Scroll down to see a summary of what’s included in the policy or simply fill in this form to get an Instant Staff Absence Quote and join the 800+ UK schools that already have 5 in 1 Staff Absence Insurance Cover. Alternatively, please do call us on 0113 2161144 or email sales@schoolsuk.com.

What’s covered in the policy?
1) Staff Absence Insurance: Stress Cover, Paternity Cover, Adoption Leave Cover, Jury Service, Compassionate Leave, Stranded Cover, Carer Cover…
2) Staff Wellbeing: eye tests and replacement glasses, extensive Employees Assistance Programme, cash back on therapies, 24 hour GP helpline, diagnostic scans, Personal Accident Cover up to £100,000, Critical Incident Support, booklets for staff and a Wellbeing App download.

3) Occupational Health: occupational health reports, face to face consultations, nurses visit, counselling services, pre-employment screening and a full referral service (at no additional charge).

4) Maternity Cover: our Standard Cover will provide up to £3,500 per claim however we’ve also created a freestanding policy that allows you to select the level of coverage that you need from zero to over £15,000.

5) HR & Employment: unlimited telephone and email support, advice for HR and Employment Law issues, attendance at hearings and appeals where dismissal is a possibility, regular updates on changes to the law, free places for the Head and School Business Managers at our Education and Employment Law seminars, the equivalent of one days’ attendance on site each year from an HR specialists or employment lawyer.

 

Primary

The Story of Mallory Twitch

A story written by Carolyn Kelly, a Play Therapy UK registrant, for a little boy who just couldn’t ask for help. It starts:

Once upon a time there was a sailor called Mallory Twitch who lived on a little red boat in Pebbletown.  Mallory Twitch was a very talented sailor and his skills were admired by everyone who saw him.

All the sailors moored their boats in the safety of Pebbletown Harbour.  But Mallory Twitch kept his boat anchored outside the harbour because Mallory Twitch did things his own way.  He spent every morning sailing and every afternoon eating cheese and chutney sandwiches. 

But there’s much, much more to play therapy than being able to tell a story.  Every child is different so different therapeutic stories must be produced individually.  Some children in therapy will choose sand tray or clay or puppets or music or other media so the therapist must be trained to communicate with the child (not just observe) in all of these.

It’s essential that schools only employ or contract Play Therapists that are on a register accredited by the Professional Standards Authority and clinically supervised, to quality assure their work. www.playtherapyregister.org.uk

Otherwise the school is taking a big risk.

Overall 20% of the UK’s children have issues that are effectively treated by play therapy.  Investing in training a member of your teaching staff will soon be repaid through less disruption in classes, motivated pupils, better learning, reduced staff stress, happier parents and a better deployment of the pupil premium funding.

If you want to know the rest of Mallory’s story, how play therapy is already working in over 2000 primary schools in the UK and the training that is available in 13 centres all over the country, please email Monika at mokijep@majemail.com

www.playtherapy.org.uk

School News

Maximum Engagement is Vital

Which workshop is best for your transitioning students, for your ambitious students and for those in need of additional motivation?

If you wanted to see a fantastic adventure movie, you wouldn’t buy a ticket to see ‘La La Land’ at the cinema this week – even though it is supposed to be excellent.  Similarly, you wouldn’t book a spa weekend if you wanted some high adrenalin action over the Easter break.

Booking a workshop to motivate a particular group of students or to hit a specific target is no different.  One glove really does not fit all.  You need specialist options designed for the distinct purpose.

To maximise the achievement of every student, you need to ensure they are fully engaged and motivated to a high enough level that they actually want to learn.

It is precisely why Thinkers in Education has devised a wealth of far-reaching STEM and skill development workshops over the past decade with movie-like scenarios and game-like structures.  Students cannot help but be drawn in by the experience and find themselves benefitting massively.

And, with a huge 20% discount on any of the Double Session workshops hosted in May and June 2017, you could include two vastly different groups of learners in two separate sessions within the same day – in an extremely cost effective way.

Our Double Session workshops are perfect motivational experiences for science week, activities week, transition days and induction programmes – and options are available for pupils in year 5 through to year 13.

To take advantage of this offer you simply need to register you interest before April 7th and quote the code HHDS17.  If you go on to book a Double Session workshop in May or June, we will automatically do so at the discounted rate.

For more information you can call us on 01603 520866 or email us at info@thinkersineducation.co.uk

We will be delighted to discuss your requirements and advise you which of the workshops will best meet your particular purpose.

Alternatively, you can go online and view the options yourself:  Click here.  You will see the range of activities and scenarios available.  You can even try our incredibly easy to use ‘How to select an event’ guide from the drop down menu if you want a good overview.

We endeavour to make the whole experience, from discussion to delivery, as easy and useful as possible.  The Double Session workshops are an ideal place to start exploring the specialist options available.

Matt Hackett

PSHE, School News, Special Needs

It’s tough being a teen

What does it mean to an autistic student to be a teen?

The word “teen” originally meant (in the 17th century) injury, harm, suffering or grief.  Later it came to mean irritation, annoyance, anger or rage.

By the 18th century it came to have the current meaning of being the period of life between being 13 and 19 – a handy mix of the end of each number (fifteen etc) and the perceived behaviour of young people of that age range.

It was not until the 1920s that the word “teenager” was added to the lexicon, but the combination of meanings remained – being between 13 and 19, and expressing undue amounts of irriTation, annoyance, anger, etc.

The teens can of course be difficult years for many school students, but for those who suffer from autism spectrum disorder the period can be especially troubling as information and advice for teenagers generally doesn’t cater for those who view the world in a wholly different way.

Which is why SEN Press has produced the Teen Issue Value Pack, suitable for students aged between 14 and 19 with autism or other special educational needs and a reading age of around seven.

The Teen Issues Value Pack consists of six story books, each exploring a different teen issue, with relevance to the ASDAN award programmes ‘Transition Challenge’ and ‘Towards Independence’.   Also included is a CD-ROM providing digital versions of the above titles, which are ideal for interactive whiteboard presentations and for students who would also benefit from listening to the text.

It is possible to edit and save the text to make your own differentiated texts, and there is also an extensive range of activity worksheets and interactive activities that encourage reading comprehension, including page-by-page notes for all the stories and assessment resources (feedback sheets and student record sheets).

The complete set of resources containing two copies of each of the six readers, the complete teacher book, and the CD Rom is available for £139 plus VAT.  Individual elements from the pack are also available separately.

You can see more details and sample pages from the readers, and details for ordering individual items as well as the full pack on our “Teen Issues” web page.

For further information, please email info@senpress.co.uk or call 01582 833205.

Janie Nicholas

Languages

Pinot! The Musical – Only 3 Shows Left

June 14/16 Wimbledon.  French through music and theatre!

Out of 16 performances of Pinot! The Musical only 3 are now left!

  • Wednesday 14 June 10.30am
  • Wednesday 14 June 1.30pm
  • Friday 16 June 1.30pm

Pinot! The Musical is the latest thing in language learning. An exciting musical show which gets pupils and teachers singing along in French!

The show is just one hour long and is especially effective with   6 – 12 year olds.    The show takes place in the New Wimbledon Studio Theatre

Booking Pinot! The Musical

  • Book through ATG tickets at the New Wimbledon Studio Theatre box office, http://www.atgtickets.com/groups/
  • School groups pay £12.00 per pupil seat (Note: sponsored / funded seats have all been allocated for 2017 – email info@singinfrench.com if you wish your school to go on the waiting list for funded seats for the next season in 2018)
  • Schools qualify for one FREE teacher place with every 10 pupils – maximum 70 pupils per performance
  • Please email info@singinfrench.com when you have booked through Wimbledon Theatre so that you can claim your FREE CD/Songbook pack and FREE mp3 files of show songs.

Pinot! The Musical, the fun-packed comedy musical that makes learning French exciting, is coming to the New Wimbledon Studio Theatre this summer.  Don’t miss this wonderful ‘sing along in French’ musical show!

Set in Paris, the story of Pinot! The Musical follows the adventures of a young Russian cyclist with a dream – to win the Tour de France!  Follow him and his Cossack dancing friends on their thrilling journey!  On their way they meet colourful characters, including a beggar and a bag lady who tell the story in English, and a clumsy policeman who keeps chasing them. The show’s catchy songs make learning French easy for children of all ages – and pupils and teachers will not be able to resist singing along!

French songs cover the following curriculum topics:

  • days of the week
  • alphabet
  • numbers
  • months of the year
  • verbs Etre and Avoir – to be and to have
  • phrases ‘qu’est-ce-c’est’ (what’s that?);  ‘je ne sais pas’ (I don’t know); ‘c’est la vie’ (that’s life) ;
  • question words
  • opposites (big/small grand/petit etc.)

Schools will receive a FREE CD/Book pack plus FREE mp3 files of all the French show songs as soon as they book so pupils start to prepare to sing along lustily on the day!

Yours sincerely

Marie

P.S. Don’t forget, if you are interested in sponsored/funded seats for your school for the 2018 season, please email info@singinfrench.com to go on the waiting list.

www.singinfrench.com

info@singinfrench.com

Literacy

Interactive Story-Telling and Song Workshops for Primary Schools

Top Traditional Story-Teller Jim MacCool is visiting Primary Schools throughout the Summer Term 2017.
Bards in the true sense, Celtic Yarn-Spinners enrich and entertain all ages with interactive stories, poems and songs.
Mr MacCool’s tried and tested workshops are a wonderful cross curriculum activity mixing music, literacy, speaking and listening skills in a fun learning experience for pupils and staff.
Should you be interested in having Jim MacCool and his Traditional Story-Telling Workshops come to your school, please telephone me, Joy Atkins, on 020 8688 6951, or you may prefer to email:  celticyarnspinner@yahoo.co.uk  for more information.
The Stratford Festival of Salon Arts organises
The National Tour of Traditional Celtic Story-Tellers
running from Mon. 20th March through to Friday 21st July 2017
http://www.stratfordfestivalofsalonarts.co.uk/
Dates of Interest
World Story-Telling Week Starts on Mon. 20th March 2017.
October is National Poetry Month
Joy Atkins
Stratford Festival of Salon Arts
15 Warwick Road Stratford-upon-Avon CV37 6YW
Tel. 0208 688 6951
celticyarnspinner@yahoo.co.uk
http://www.stratfordfestivalofsalonarts.co.uk
CPD

Engage boys in education and maintain their interest

What is the single most effective way to engage boys in education and maintain their interest?

According to the DfE, “Girls are outperforming boys in all the main attainment indicators at ks4” which is what makes it so important to implement a whole-school strategy that will not only engage boys in education but that will also maintain their interest.

Which is precisely why Mengage has devised a workshop entitled
The Boy Problem: Raising boys’ achievement – what can schools do?

The Boy Problem: Raising boys’ achievement – what can schools do? is an evidence-based, experiential workshop in which your staff will be taught about the most effective ways to close the widening gap between girls’ and boys’ attainment in education.

This workshop offers practical solutions and covers five main areas of concern, including: male learning styles, boys’ participation in education, addressing literacy concerns, a male-inclusive classroom, and the importance of creating a whole-school strategy.

The Boy Problem: Raising boys’ achievement – what can schools do? is delivered in three hours and costs £895. For more information or to discuss a booking, you can contact Liam by email at liam@mengage.co.uk or by phone on 07788725318.

Alternatively, you can visit our website at www.mengage.co.uk to see what else we offer with regards to mental health and accredited mentoring.

School News

What is the single most effective way of utilising pupil premium funding?

 

There is of course one fundamental issue that affects every other aspect of student’s education: their level of literacy.

The problem is that once a student starts to slip behind it can be difficult to tailor instruction towards individuals within a group.  What each student needs is help and support in his/her specific areas of difficulty.

At this point a highly accurate and rapid system of placing students according to their current literacy ability is required which precisely notes the progress they are making.

Every school needs this analysis, without it taking up more of that most precious resource: time.

One particularly effective solution to this problem is to implement an auto-placement approach which analyses individual ability level and reveals exactly what each student needs to be focussing on in order to ensure literacy progress is achieved.

Then, if the student can have one-to-one tuition in a way that is utterly engaging and responsive to her or his immediate literacy needs and within the school’s budget, the issue is resolved.

All of this can be done using Lexia Strategies Reading Skills software.  The analysis, the comparisons with other students, the progress, the remedial work – each and every element of the anecdotal work is tracked and provided by Strategies.

If you would like to read the case studies involving UK schools which are already using the system please click here. You will then also find on the right of the page the route to having access to the full program for 30 days without any payment or commitment.

If you want to know more about the program, we have all the information you’ll need available here. Alternatively, if you would like to talk first, call 0191 482 1939, or email info@lexiauk.co.uk.

Rob Kay

LexiaUK Software Consultant

School News

Looking to save on your Teacher Planners?

Well, I think I can help.

Our range of Budget Teacher Planners are designed to meet the changing demands of our customers and budget constraints many schools are up against.

Starting at only £4.95 our Budget Teacher Planners come in B5 or A4 and include the following;

  • Durable twin loop wire binding
  • Double sided fold out dated year planner
  • Undated diary pages printed in black
  • 6 period day layout
  • Attendance & assessment registers

If you’d like to receive more detail and a tailored quote for your 2017/18 planners simply let me know your requirements and I’ll be in touch right away.

Alternatively, you can contact me on 0113 231 0995, I’d be delighted to help.

Kind Regards

 

 
Olaf Surtees
Education Planning Consultant
PENSTRIPE
tel: +44 (0)113 231 0995
www.penstripe.co.uk
School News

What is the single most effective way to reduce your school’s expenditure on staff absence cover?

The answer is simple: by providing staff with extensive health and wellbeing advice and services your school can prevent many staff absences due to sickness and thus reduce your school’s overall expenditure on staff absence cover.

Which is why Schools UK has put together a generous Wellbeing Package for schools.

The Wellbeing Package consists of eye tests and replacement glasses, 24 hour GP helpline, diagnostic scans, critical incident support, booklets for staff a Wellbeing App download, extensive Employees Assistance Programme, and cash back on therapies (physiotherapy/ acupuncture/ reflexology).

If, however, there is a case where the wellbeing package isn’t enough to prevent a staff absence due to sickness, we also offer Staff Absence Insurance which will enable you to claim back the huge costs of supply cover.

And not only does Staff Absence Insurance cover the costs of absences due to sickness, but it will also cover the costs of absences due to stress, paternity, adoption leave, jury service, and compassionate leave, among just a few.

The Wellbeing Package and Staff Absence Insurance are just two of five things that your staff are covered for under our 5 in 1 Staff Absence Insurance.

With 5 in 1 Staff Absence Insurance you will also get:

  • Occupational Health – occupational health reports, face to face consultations, nurses visit, counselling services, pre-employment screening and a full referral service (at no additional charge).
  • Maternity Cover – our Standard Cover will provide up to £3,500 per claim; however we’ve also created a freestanding policy that allows you to select the level of coverage that you need from zero to over £15,000.
  • And HR & Employment – unlimited telephone and email support, advice for HR and Employment Law issues, attendance at hearings and appeals where dismissal is a possibility, regular updates on changes to the law, free places for the Head and SBM at our Education and Employment Law seminars, the equivalent of one days’ attendance on site each year from an HR specialists or employment lawyer.

Simply fill in this form to get an Instant Quote and join the 800+ UK schools that already have 5 in 1 Staff Absence Insurance. And if you quote the code SCHOOLS10, you will be eligible for a 10% discount.

Alternatively, please do call us on 0113 2161144 or email sales@schoolsuk.com.

Primary

A secret, fun, and effective maths teacher at every meal?

This is what Times Table Plates provide at a one off cost of less than £2 per item.

There is much interaction between the children, even those with no previous interest in their tables, and instant recall is  very strong both in the classroom afterwards and for the rest of their lives.

Why not look at the website www.timestableplates.co.uk  and email or phone  to ask questions or request a sample.

With best regards

Bob Norfolk
Times Table Plates

01273 960950
rnorfolk@hotmail.com

Primary

Support your pupils’ learning through gamification

Computers and consoles are becoming a central part of pupils’ lives, and so game-based learning – the integration of gaming into learning – has never been more popular in schools.

Game-based learning encourages active engagement from pupils through interactive learning and instant gratification.

Our platform provides 85 educational games, each featuring a range of puzzles and questions that have been designed based on criteria from any National Curriculum and covering subjects including:

English – covering spelling, grammar, and sentence structure.

Maths – including topics such as addition, subtraction, time tables, shapes, and angles.

Science – explaining the basics of the solar system, speed, time, and elements.

Internet Safety – internet security, viruses, and staying safe online.

All of our games are available in additional languages to help EAL students on request.

We can help your establishment in promoting and supporting learning through our platform by enabling:

  • Instant tracking of pupils’ answers, understanding and progress, allowing you to easily identify their strengths and weaknesses and plan lessons accordingly.
  • Customisable multiple choice questions, giving you the ability to quiz individuals on specific topics, match our content with your lesson plans, or edit a game’s difficulty levels based on pupils’ needs.
  • Social elements to encourage interaction between pupils and creating an incentive for learning to beat the class’s high score.

Read More

For more information about how EDArcade can help students through game based learning, please contact us on 01909 776 915 or by email at mail@edarcade.com with the subject “GBL2017”.

Kind regards,

Sam Warnes
Creator of EDArcade

T: 01909 776 915
F: 01909 568 350

E: mail@edarcade.com

W: www.edarcade.com

PE

Educate your Year 11 students that are affecting attainment

With the exam season looming and PE exams now weighting 60% on theoretical knowledge, are you confident that your year 11 students are prepared, or are some of your students affecting the teaching and learning in your classrooms?

EDVirtual is a simple and proven way to engage your year 11 students off-site. Within our virtual classrooms your staff, alongside EDLounge staff, have the capacity to educate your students on specific timetabled pathways via a live video stream.

Learners follow a unique pathway designed around their needs and achieve support when they require it. This will ensure each student reaches their full potential in a controlled and safe environment.

Our platform includes lessons and mock exams for BTEC sport to test your students’ understanding and easily identify any weaknesses, allowing you to allocate suitable catch up programmes to your students before it’s time to sit the real thing.

Read More

Out Latest Case Study

In just six weeks following an English and Maths programme, we achieved the following results:

  • 15 students in 1 (KS4) class had a 93% success rate.
  • 353 out of 420 sessions were attended (meaning an 83% overall attendance, creating a 4% increase in whole school attendance)
  • Two students were successfully reintegrated back into mainstream education
  • 36% of students had 100% attendance
  • One student increased attendance by 15%, another by 43%

Read More

To find out more about how this was achieved please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us on 01909 568 338 or email us at contactus@edlounge.com.

Kind Regards,

Sam Warnes
Creator of EDVirtual

T: 01909 568 338
F: 01909 568 350

E: contactus@edlounge.com

W: www.edlounge.com

PE

Free BBL game tickets for your school basketball team

Complimentary tickets to a British Basketball League game for your school when you spend £150 on Molten balls.

I am contacting you from Sports Ball Shop regarding our free BBL game tickets for schools offer:

sportsballshop.co.uk/British-Basketball-League-Tickets.html

Sports Ball Shop, a sports equipment specialist and leading school supplier, has teamed up with Molten to offer you and your school basketball team free tickets to a British Basketball League game.

We are giving away 10 free tickets to each qualifying school for selected British Basketball League games.

Claim your free tickets and find your nearest British Basketball League game:

Claim my free tickets >

All you need to do is spend £150 on Molten balls in one transaction. This can include any combination of Molten balls; we have a range of training and match quality basketballs, footballs and volleyballs which can be found at: https://www.sportsballshop.co.uk

As well as a vast range of sports equipment, we provide resources, guides and Coaches’ Corner which offers a range of coaching packs created through working closely with teachers and coaches.

To claim your free tickets, or to find out more, simply contact us at sales@sportsballshop.co.uk

Kind regards,

Stuart Cardy;

School News

Academic Summer Schools 2017

The Debate Chamber Summer Schools offer students age 11-18 the opportunity to find out more about some fascinating subjects, prepare for university applications, meet like-minded peers and get to grips with some tough intellectual challenges.

The material will be challenging (for the older age-group, about the level of difficulty one might expect in the first year at university), but the atmosphere will be relaxed, with plenty of discussion, debate, and opportunities for students to shape the direction of classes. It is an environment conducive to getting to grips with new ideas.

Working in small groups (usually around 14 students per group) over several days offers participants a real chance to get to know tutors and fellow students and to explore the topics or questions that particularly interest them.

Highlights of Summer 2017:

The Summer Law School for 15-18s, in three distinct five-day Parts to allow time for more cases, more analysis and more debate on some of the most intriguing legal questions. Students can choose to focus on Criminal Law, Civil Law or International Law, or to attend all three Parts for a comprehensive introduction to legal study.

The English Literature Summer School for 15-18s, now in three 5-day blocks to allow time for greater discussion of contemporary literature, and a more in-depth look at various literary critical perspectives. Students can come to Part 1 for literature up to 1790, including Chaucer, Shakespeare and Milton, to Part 2 for literature of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, or to the brand new Part 3 which covers contemporary poetry, prose and drama.

The Philosophy Summer School for students aged 15-18 offers five days of challenging material, covering a range of philosophical topics including meta and applied ethics, political philosophy, epistemology, metaphysics and logic. A great introduction to philosophy as a subject, as well as an opportunity to develop an all round academic skillset which will benefit students in any discipline. This course is complemented by the Critical and Cultural Theory Summer School which explores the ‘continental’ approach to philosophy.

The Medicine Summer School for students aged 15-18 comprises a series of two-day events with specialist sessions on cardiology, paediatrics, oncology, emergency medicine and many other topics – enabling students to attend a wide-ranging introduction or select the sessions most relevant to their interests.

Our Physics Summer School is now in two separate five-day events, with Part One being relatively maths-light and open to all students from 15 upwards, and Part Two more mathematically focused, and reserved for students who will have completed AS Level (or equivalent) Maths by Summer 2017.

For those who will have completed AS Maths, we also offer the Mathematics Summer School, five-days of intensive and challenging material, which will really give participants the opportunity to stretch and develop their mathematical skills.

For those interested in the Humanities and Social Sciences, we have Summer Schools in Economics, International Relations, History, Politics, and Classical Civilisations.

Practical Details:

All the Summer School events will be held at University of London venues in Bloomsbury, Central London, and will take place in July and August 2017. Please note that these courses are not residential, and accommodation must be arranged independently if required.

You can find full details of schedules, dates, costs, student reviews and tutors at http://www.debatechamber.com/summerschools/.

There is a limited amount of bursary funding available for students who would otherwise have financial difficulty in attending – please see our website for details.

To book a place please visit www.debatechamber.com/summerschools/, call us on 0845 519 4827, or email info@debatechamber.com. Places will be allocated on a first come first served basis.<

English, Literacy

Why young people are reading fewer books

Why we need to understand how the internet has changed young people’s attitudes to reading: a free report

“Attitude” is not everything, of course, but it counts for a lot.  The young person who enjoys reading will self-evidently read more than the young person who thinks books are old fashioned or just plain boring.

But of late something has happened – for researchers have noted a change both in the attitude of many young people towards reading and in the way they make judgements on the validity of the knowledge that they have.

Indeed it is being suggested that this is quite probably one of the biggest changes in attitude towards reading and knowledge since the evolution of mass market paperbacks 90 years ago.

The first awareness that a change of immense proportions was happening occurred when academics started to complain that some undergraduates who were perfectly capable of taking their courses were simply not reading set texts at all.

Research also showed that many of these students who regularly used the internet were not accepting that they knew facts (even where they had a perfect knowledge of an issue) unless they could verify the fact on the internet.  In short, they have started to believe the internet more than their own learned knowledge.

Such attitudes towards reading have also permeated through secondary and primary school, but it has taken a while to understand exactly what is happening in terms of how young people now see books and magazines.

And it has taken even longer to work out how knowledge can be presented to bright, but reading-averse young people.  However new research has revealed a way forward.

The full details of the research and the solution are contained in the free report, “Understanding how the internet has changed young people’s attitudes to reading and what can be done about it”.  The report gathers together research and commentaries from various academic sources and presents a new clear approach to working with young people who simply don’t read books and who doubt their own knowledge unless they can verify it on-line.

For a copy of this report simply email click on the link below:

http://www.files.schools.co.uk/How_to_overcome_the-aversion-to-reading-in-the-internet-generation.pdf

School News

Create an Effective and High Performing Learning Environment

Research has shown that having the right classroom furniture has a positive effect on both children’s health and their classroom development. For teachers it improves classroom management, increases productive learning time and interaction with pupils.

Our team of specialist buyers and experienced teachers has sourced quality, affordable, durable and easily maintained classroom furniture that is flexible to accommodate different teaching and learning styles.

Whether you need to furnish an entire classroom or simply require individual pieces of equipment; Early Years Resources has an excellent selection to choose from. Our range includes:

  • Classroom Tables and Chairs – ergonomically designed tables and chairs for children that allows movement and encourages good posture.
  • Storage Solutions – Tray storage, shelving and cupboards.
  • Book Storage – enhance your library setting with our selection of bookcases and bookshelves.

We have over 6000 exciting and innovative products, to view our range of products visit our website or view our digital catalogue.

Ordering from us is easy, simply email sales@earlyyearsresources.co.uk with the items needed, quantities required and your delivery address. We will then provide with a quote including shipping costs.

Great reasons to shop with us

  • Delivery worldwide
  • Quick and helpful quotation service
  • 25 years of supplying educational resources to schools worldwide
  • Over 6000 resources including Outdoor, Furniture and Art and Craft equipment
  • Resources selected by our team of experienced teachers and specialist buyers

For any other information, feel free to contact us on (+44) 0161 865 3355 or email sales@earlyyearsresources.co.uk.

Primary

Why (I feel as if) I know everything there is to know about Hepatitis A

The reason that you should get a noticeboard for your school is the same reason that (I feel as if) I know everything there is to know about Hepatitis A

At my local doctor’s surgery there is a notice which says “Please switch off your phone!”, so when I am waiting to see the doctor, keeping my brain occupied can be something of a challenge. In hindsight, I should probably bring a book along with me, but each time I forget.

This aside, it doesn’t take long for my eyes to start wandering around the waiting room and before I know it I’m reading anything and everything that my vision will allow – from posters about the risks of contracting an illness abroad, to the surgery’s ‘out-of-hours’ policy.

The thing is, the notices in the surgery’s waiting room never change, so for the past ten years (at least) I have been reading the exact same poster about Hepatitis A.

Long story short, when one waits, one reads. Which is precisely why you should get a noticeboard for your school – because parents will read anything and everything in their sight while waiting to pick their child up from school – making it a highly effective school-to-parent communication system.

Indeed, if your school is thinking about buying a (new) noticeboard, Greenbarnes has a range of styles which you can see on our website. Alternatively, please do call us on 01280 701093 and we’ll be pleased to discuss our boards, send you a brochure, and give any advice and guidance that you may require.

English

Discover Doddle with a free meeting!

Book a free visit today with one of our experienced Education Consultants!

This thirty-minute meeting will show you exactly how Doddle English can transform teaching, homework, and assessment within your department.

Doddle’s interactive presentations, activities, and worksheets have been updated for the most recent specifications and are mapped to all major exam boards.

Our range of in-depth, engaging resources covers all aspects of popular set texts, such as An Inspector Calls, Romeo and Juliet, and Frankenstein, as well as all four Assessment Objectives for the English Language specifications.

Self-marking quizzes report automatically to your online markbook, allowing you to take a purely diagnostic approach to your lesson planning and delivery. This enables meaningful analysis of results at an individual, class, and departmental level, and aids tracking of key groups, such as Pupil Premium students.

Our Education Consultants look forward to discussing your school’s needs at a time and date to suit you.
www.doddlelearn.co.uk/bookavisit

Philippa
Doddle

Primary, Special Needs

Every Classroom Needs A BabbleGuard!

Don’t you just love it when you see a simple idea and you think to yourself – ‘why didn’t I think of that?’ That’s what teachers and education professionals have told us when they see the new BabbleGuard from Connevans.

BabbleGuard is a beautifully simple solution to encourage all students to keep the classroom noise at a comfortable level, promoting concentration, listening and learning.

Using an attractive LED bar which fits neatly on top of an interactive whiteboard and a sophisticated sound sensor, BabbleGuard changes colour depending on the level on sound in the Classroom. Using the traffic light pattern of green, amber and red it is simple for even the youngest children to understand.

BabbleGuard can be used in a wide range of learning environments, is quick to set up and easy to use. The teacher doesn’t need to do anything, the students can see for themselves.

More information on the brand new BabbleGuard is available here … http://www.connevans.co.uk/product/14457645/

To arrange a free trial, either phone me on 01737 247571 or email to phil@connevans.com  and leave the rest to us!  (Please don’t delay, early indications show that BabbleGuard is going to be very popular!)

We look forward to hearing from you.

Phil Boswell

Director – Connevans Limited – supplying schools since 1961

PS: My wife is a Primary School Teacher and being my wife she tells me what she really thinks and she loves the BabbleGuard 🙂

As of 2016 we are very proud to be … by Appointment to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II Manufacturer and Supplier of Audio Equipment https://www.royalwarrant.org/directory?query=connevans

Art

Research: students who use web-based testing progress at a faster rate

Students who regularly test their literacy and numeracy skills with web-based games progress fastest overall across the subjects

According to recent research, carried out by Andrew Gallacher (an education coordinator at the University of Glasgow), students who regularly test their numeracy and literacy skills with web-based games progress fastest overall across the subjects.

Which is exactly why Education Quizzes exists – and why we are offering free sign up for schools to Education Quizzes for a whole year.

Our library of KS3 Art and Design quizzes cover an extensive range of topic areas, making them ideal for revising what your students are being taught in their Art and Design lessons, past and present.

Education Quizzes is also ideal to set as homework tasks as it involves little to no PPA time – giving you more time to focus on planning and preparing future lessons and assessing the work of your students from lessons which have gone before.

To see the KS3 Art and Design quizzes that we have produced thus far, toggle through the topic area links below. Alternatively, you can email admin@educationquizzes.com to request more information.

If you would like to sign up free to Education Quizzes for a year, simply visit our schools’ registration page – www.educationquizzes.com/schools-uk-registrations/. 

Topic area

Techniques 

Organising Projects 

Evaluating and Analysing Art 

Painting 

Drawing 

Sculpting 

The Impressionists 

Abstract Art

Pop Art

Modern Art

See more

Primary

Moral dilemmas at Mill Lane Junior School

What is the single most effective way to help your pupils to develop their emotional intelligence?

It is vital that children work to develop their emotional intelligence, for emotional intelligence is what guides thinking and behaviour and enables one to adjust emotions to different environments, people and circumstances.

Yet emotional intelligence can be incredibly difficult to teach to children, which is why Brilliant Publications has produced 50 Fantastic Assembly Stories for KS2.

50 Fantastic Assembly Stories for KS2 covers a range of topics, from listening, cooperation, and learning from experience, to determination, courage and honesty.

This wonderful collection consists of 50 assembly stories (set in Mill Lane Junior School – a fictional school), each of which provides a moral dilemma for the character(s) to consider or tackle. The impact of the way in which the character deals with the dilemma is significantly greater as pupils are able to relate to the character and the character’s dilemma.

Thus, children will be interested to find out what the characters do in different situations, whether it is confronting a bully or admitting that they have made a mistake.

The stories can be used at specific times of the year, when issues arise, or whenever you are suddenly called upon to do an assembly. They can even be introduced into the curriculum where appropriate.

To order 50 Fantastic Assembly Stories for KS2 for just £17.99, simply visit our website.

Alternatively, you can purchase the Assembly Book Bundle for just £59.96 which consists of 50 Fantastic Assembly Stories for KS2,  Brilliant Class-led Assemblies for KS2, Brilliant Stories for Assemblies, and More Brilliant Stories for Assemblies.

Other ways to place an order with Brilliant Publications include:

  • calling us on 01449 766629
  • sending a fax to 01449 768047
  • or by sending your order in the post to Brilliant Publications, Mendlesham Industrial Estate, Norwich Road, Mendlesham, Suffolk, IP14 5ND.

Brilliant Publications,
Mendlesham Industrial Estate,
Norwich Road,
Mendlesham,
Suffolk,
IP14 5ND.

website: www.brilliantpublications.co.uk
email: orders@tradecounter.co.uk

phone: 01449 766629
fax: 01449 768047

Art

Art History Summer School 2017 – Booking Now Open

The History of Art spans tens of thousands of years; from the ancient cave drawings at Lascaux to contemporary cutting edge installation and performance works, with each piece and period having something important to show us about human life. The Art History Summer School provides a five-day whirlwind tour through some of the key moments in the development of Western artistic practice. It also offers an opportunity for students to get stuck into some big philosophical questions in the field of aesthetics – What is art? How can we judge ‘good’ art? Is it meaningful to speak of the ‘progress’ of art?

The Art History Summer School offers an overview of the subject which seeks to explore and expand the traditional canon. Students will be introduced to a variety of approaches to Art History, including post-colonial, post-modern and feminist theories of art.  This course will be taught by post-graduates from top universities and is structured in a way that gives a taste of undergraduate learning through a small group lecture and seminar format. The Summer School will offer a lively and interactive environment for students, allowing participants to express and develop their own thoughts and ideas together with tutors and like-minded peers.

For those keen on pursuing Art History at university, the course will give a broad introduction to some key areas of Art History which will enable students to speak more confidently about these periods, artists and themes and to discover more about areas which they might be interested in pursuing in more depth in the future. For those considering Art History in a more vocational light, there will also be material looking at the practical task of curatorship, as part of which we will be taking a trip to the National Gallery.

No prior knowledge is required to attend this course, all we would ask is that students have a strong interest in art and a willingness to engage actively with some fascinating and challenging material.

Feedback from previous students:

“The Art History Summer School was a wonderful experience! The lecturers made the subject fascinating, and I really enjoyed learning about the many different areas of art history. I would definitely recommend this summer school to anyone interested in learning more about the subject or considering studying it at university!”

“A really useful week, I would definitely recommend the Summer School to anyone thinking about History of Art as a degree. It covers such a broad range of topics, you come out feeling like you have a really good understanding of lots of aspects of art.”

“This course is perfect for people who haven’t done any History of Art before! It helps you learn how to look at a piece of artwork differently and provides a vastly broad but also quite detailed introduction to the subject. It has been incredibly useful, as I am now positive that I want to study it at university!”

Practical Details:

The cost of the five-day course is £475 and it will be held at the University of London in Bloomsbury on the 21st–25th August 2017. Places will be allocated on a first come first served basis.

There will be a limited number of bursary spaces available for those who would otherwise have financial difficulty in attending – please see our website for details.

To book a place please visit http://www.debatechamber.com/summerschools/art-history-summer-school/ call us on 0845 519 4827, or email info@debatechamber.com. Places will be allocated on a first come first served basis.

School News

What do you think are the most important issues in health and well-being?

What schools and teachers think is important to us

youcansay is a service for gathering and acting on young peoples’ views and experiences. We ensure that when there are new issues affecting young people, they are included in our well-being and health surveys.

Knowing what schools and teachers think are the most relevant topics is important to us. If you are able to help, please answer this two minute survey. If you provide an email address we will be able to send you a summary report when the survey closes.

To do the survey now click here