Daily Archives: 25/04/2017

English

Britain’s Best Story-Telling Show

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

Our Traditional Celtic Story-Teller will be visiting secondary schools throughout this Summer Term.
Bards in the true sense, Celtic Yarn-Spinners entertain and enrich all ages with interactive stories, poems and songs.
Jim MacCool’s Interactive Celtic Yarn-Spinning Show is tailored for Years 7 and 8 students. Jim can also offer a creative writing workshop for Year10.
Should you be interested in having Celtic Yarn-Spinner Jim MacCool come to visit, 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
Now till Friday 21st July 2017
http://www.stratfordfestivalofsalonarts.co.uk/
Dates of Interest
National Poetry Day Thursday 28 Sept 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/
School News

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 class) 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 Medicine Summer School 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.

The Law Summer School 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 overview of this fascinating subject.

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 science students, our popular Physics Summer School has been expanded to include options open to students currently in their GCSE years.

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.

Music, Primary

Key Stage 2 Composing for Non-Specialists

KEY STAGE 2 COMPOSING is an exciting classroom resource for teachers delivering composition lessons in the primary school. This detailed and easy-to-understand book was written by a well-known composer who has researched and piloted new methods designed particularly for non-specialists. However, Music Co-Coordinators will also welcome the background information, practical advice and project ideas in the book.

A complete primary school composing resource

KEY STAGE 2 COMPOSING presents a creative course covering the entire KS2 composing curriculum in a way which is easy for non-specialist teachers to understand and use, and fun to deliver in the classroom. Detailed and timed lesson plans are complemented by thorough explanatory notes; no previous music knowledge is required. The book can form a complete year’s work, or be a resource for all the composing elements in KS2 music lessons.  It could also form the basis for an entire Key Stage 2 music syllabus.  It is based on the methods David Stoll developed when asked by the DfES to look into helping non-specialist teachers deliver composing lessons.

Suitable for music coordinators

The Introduction discusses music lessons and composing, and gives links to the primary school music curriculum.  This is followed by a term’s worth of timed and very comprehensive composing lessons, described in full detail with background notes.   There are then four projects which are likely to take a half-term each to complete, and six one-off short workshop projects for occasional lessons.  All necessary worksheets are included and copyable.

The book concludes with further guidance on inventing new projects, using rooms and equipment, giving performances, and answers to common questions from non-specialist music teachers.

The download price for KEY STAGE 2 COMPOSING is £17.40, including VAT.  This includes a licence for printing, copying and using the product in a non-commercial way within schools.

For more information, or to purchase the book as a download, please go to: https://www.davidstoll.co.uk/product/educational-key-stage-2-composing

Learning Outside the Classroom, Sustainability

How to make your school outdoor shelter and outdoor classroom eco-friendly

We are all aware nowadays of the urgent need to protect the environment and schools too must do their part to adopt techniques and environmental policies in order to help lead the transition to a low carbon economy.

The Eco Schools programme does a very good job of ensuring that this is taught and practiced in UK schools and by implementing more meaningful learning from outside the classroom experiences, this will lead to the development of more positive and inclusive attitudes to eco learning.

Students will not just be told about sustainable development, they will be able to actually participate in it and appreciate a learning space in which they can explore what a sustainable lifestyle means. Children can therefore be part of the environmental awareness process.

The Hideout House outdoor shelters for schools are designed to suit a whole host of applications but more importantly, they have been developed so that children can actually learn from the building itself and its features so that it therefore becomes both a functional and didactic product combined into one.  They embrace a lot of the key cornerstones of the Eco Schools fundamental principles – namely renewable energy, healthy living, re-cycling, bio-diversity and global citizenship.

Our outdoor shelters and outdoor classrooms have the following eco-friendly features:

  • Living sedum roof which attracts bio-diversity and which absorbs CO2 from the atmosphere (it is also a natural insulator so can help reduce energy costs)
  • A renewable energy system which includes a mini wind turbine, solar panel and energy monitoring board with datalogger and power sockets. The energy created from the sun and wind is stored into a battery (which is mounted onto the board) and by way of an inverter is then converted into usable electricity. Children can then tap into pure, green, CO2 free power
  • Special dynamo bike systems which, like above, also create renewable energy. The children have to pedal the bikes to create power which in turn can be used for a whole of creative educational applications
  • Water butt, roof guttering system and planters. The harvested rainwater is stored into a water butt which is then used to water and feed whatever is being grown in the planters. This encourages healthy living and eating
  • Mini lean to greenhouse and recycling bin centres
  • Bird boxes and nature observation panels
  • Manufactured from eco-friendly materials which can show a chain of sustainable supply

The Hideout House Company products are designed to be both fun and engaging too so that children will want to participate time and time again. If they can own the project and be part of it, they will want to learn more. Learning about environmental issues and embracing social responsibilities has to come as second nature to this generation of school children if we are to make any significant difference at all to help saving our planet. After all, there is no Planet B!

If you would like to know how we can help make your school’s outdoor classrooms and shelters more eco-friendly, then please contact us on 01865 858982 or email: info@hideouthouse.com

www.hideouthouse.com

ICT, Primary

Why Change to an Interactive Touchscreen (ITS)?

 

There comes a time with all technology when more modern equipment supersedes it. Years ago we used blackboards with chalk. Several generations later we were using Interactive whiteboards (IWB) with projectors. Believe it or not these have been in circulation in schools for around twenty years.  However time moves on and schools are now moving over to Interactive Touchscreens. These have all the benefits of IWBs plus many more:

  • Use up to 75% less power
  • Crystal clear viewing in any light conditions
  • Useable in any rooms and are not wall dependent
  • No shadows
  • No need for unsightly projector fittings

There are several brands of ITS on the market but only one is so confident of its product that it offers a warranty of up to Seven Years. GeneeWorld offers a warranty on all its touchscreens of between five and seven years.

Genee is already a world renowned  brand in the education market as the leader in visualiser technology. They have used this knowledge of classroom technology and interactivity to design a board that can not only interact with legacy software, but has its own bespoke Spark software for giving you the very best results. To watch a 12 minute video of these products go to http://www.arkel.co.uk/genee.

Arkel Computer Services is a specialist Geneeworld partner and can offer you best prices for all Genee products. If you have a requirement for an ITS, visualiser or any other Genee product please call Arkel on 01858 432495 or contact sales@arkel.co.uk

For orders placed during April, prices of Interactive Touch Screens start from: £1217

However, for your guidance we have listed the price of some of the more popular products below:

G-Touch Slim 55” De Luxe with built in Android: £1217 (Special Offer Price while stocks last)

G-Touch Slim 65” Classic: £1773

Larger Screens are also available from 70” up to 86”. Prices on application.

We also offer a full installation and fitting service in your area. Please call 01858 432495 for prices which will vary according to quantity and size of the boards.

Genee Visualisers From £128

All prices are subject to delivery charges and VAT.

Arkel also offer all other forms of IT hardware and technical support. For a better idea of the scope of how we can help, go to: www.arkel.co.uk or call us on 01858 432495 or email sales@arkel.co.uk

Arkel Computer Services Ltd, 38 Granville St, Market Harborough, Leics. LE16 9EX

Maths

Can this calculator take over from the Casio FX 83GT Plus …..?

The Casio FX 83GT+ is the UK’s best selling scientific calc…and deservedly so.  It’s been setting the pace in many UK schools and is  the first choice for GCSE exams for many students.

But now there is an alternative…… It’s the Logik LK 83XP which has almost all the features of the FX 83GT Plus  (no verify or recurring decimal)  and with one big advantage…… it’s dual power.  This combination of battery and solar power  prolongs battery life and gives  extra reassurance when used in exams.

The LK 83XP has a THREE year guarantee* and is suitable for all exams where a calculator is allowed.  Features include:  252 functions,   “textbook (true) display,”  check, correct and replay,  stats. calculations, prime factorisation, hard plastic keys, slide on case etc.

It’s a calc which can see your students all the way from year 7 to GCSE and at a surprisingly modest price.   (*excludes LCD damage)

Further details on:   www.signposteducational.co.uk

or phone 020 7515 1797  or email: info@signposteducational.co.uk

Signpost Educational Ltd., PO Box 999   London  E14 6SH

Geography

“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 Geography 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 Geography, 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 Geography 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.

School News

Your Leavers’ Yearbooks

It’s not too late to order! 

If you’re thinking about Yearbooks for your 2017 Leavers and haven’t yet ordered, don’t worry, BabyShark can produce your books within two weeks and from as little as £3 each!

Why order from BabyShark? Check out the article “Yearbooks – 5 Good Reasons” in our blog for more information. Or request your free yearbook sample right away by emailing: hello@babyshark.co.uk

We’ll even include a free personalised notebook with every sample request received before 18 May.

So if you’re still looking for a yearbook supplier remember there’s still time to get in touch with BabyShark for a fast turnaround and the UK’s lowest prices. Lets get started….

Babyshark image
Kind Regards
Andrew Baker

Babyshark image

Director
01924 849926

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

Nursery, Primary

Quality and affordable teaching supplies to support the curriculum

Early Years Resources is a reputable supplier of cutting edge educational resources for Nurseries and Primary Schools throughout the UK and worldwide for 25 years.

Our team consists of experienced teachers and specialists buyers who have sourced innovative and “hard to find” products designed to aid in the delivering of the curriculum and the development of pupils’ skills in the classroom.

Our extensive range of curriculum based resources includes:

  • English – focusing on communication; equipping pupils with a strong command of spoken and written language and nurturing a love of literature
  • Mathematics – teach the key mathematical aims; problem solving, fluency and reasoning in a fun and exciting way
  • Science – broaden pupils’ scientific view of the world through exploring, asking, analysing and observing

To view our range of products visit our website or view our digital catalogue .

Great reasons to shop with us

  • Over 6000 resources to choose from including Art and Craft, Furniture and Outdoor Equipment
  • Resources selected by our team of experienced teachers and specialist buyers
  • 25 years of supplying educational resources to primary schools and early years settings
  • Educational establishments in Ireland can now order directly through our website.
  • Easy ways to order – online, phone, email, fax and post

For further information, feel free to contact us on (+44) 161 865 3355 or email sales@earlyyearsresources.co.uk.