A coalition of organisations led by Learning through Landscapes is calling on headteachers to make 60 minutes of playtime the absolute minimum for every child on every school day. The charity, which leads the UK and Republic of Ireland (ROI) Outdoor Classroom Day campaign, says that a sufficient amount of time to play outdoors as part of the school day is the single most important thing that schools can do to tackle the growing crisis of mental health issues in children and young people. 

Article by Simone Martorina, business manager VI, Epson UK 

They say our school years are the best of our lives, and it is remarkable how fast they pass, so it is undoubtedly integral that teachers and pupils get the absolute most out of them. The methods of teaching are constantly evolving too, with technology increasingly embraced in classrooms up and down the country. With time in education so precious, it is important that not a second is needlessly lost – and using old, outdated tech is doing exactly that.

Lost time

Children from Little Sutton C of E Primary School are celebrating their success at the recent 2019 Ellesmere Port and Neston Cross Country Finals. The Cheshire school, located on Berwick Road in Little Sutton, picked up three awards with year 3/4 boys taking the trophy for first place, year 5/6 boys receiving a runners up certificate and the girls team narrowly missing out on the placings. Little Sutton C of E Primary School also took the trophy for best overall performing school, based on the accumulated points from each individual child.

Only a third (33%)of parents feel confident helping their child with homework, according to new research by Oxford Home Schooling.

The study, carried out by the home education provider, looked into parents’ attitudes towards their children’s homework, and tested their knowledge with some typical Year 3 homework questions, written in collaboration with primary school teacher, Victoria Humphreys.

Of 1,000 parents surveyed, just one in sixteen (6%) managed to answer all three of the homework questions correctly, which were taken from the Key Stage Two syllabuses for English, maths and science. 

Captain Fantastic is excited to announce the launch of Feeling Fantastic – the highly anticipated Mindfulness, Wellbeing and Resilience classes designed specifically for KS1 and KS2 children, to help them understand their feelings and develop life skills to manage their emotions.

Each year, approximately 1 in 4 people in the UK suffers from a mental health problem and 75% of all mental illnesses start before the age of 18*. Captain Fantastic believe that creating well-balanced and healthy children who can learn to manage their emotions is equally as important to getting good grades, if not more. Their aim is to help every child to live a happy and well-balanced life.

45 teams from around the world advance to BIEA 2019 International STEM Competition

Born Free, in association with the British International Education Association (BIEA), has announced the shortlist for the 2019 BIEA International STEM Youth Innovation Competition. 

Since its launch in January 2019, the competition has received huge interest from schools and teachers from around the world - reaching 30,000 schools globally and drawing applications from 34 countries and regions. 

After an intensive and rigorous marking process, 45 teams are through to the next round based on their qualification scores, representing 18 countries and regions including UK, China, USA, Australia, Canada, India, Kenya and many others.

Getting students interested in and excited about STEM subjects is imperative in today’s modern climate. The demand for a highly-skilled workforce is ever-increasing, but the reality is that too few graduates are entering into science, maths and engineering careers. In fact, research from 2018 showed that the skills shortage is costing the sector an estimated £1.5 billion a year. So, what can be done to bridge the gap? 

To truly inspire a young generation, we need to look beyond the textbooks and use real life examples to demonstrate their capabilities and prove that they can make a difference. After all, STEM is everywhere - you just have to look close enough. 

A recent study has revealed that 93% of parents, of children aged 2-5 years old, believe toddlers of this age group are spending too much time in front of electronic devices.

The data, by Kiddi Caru, also shows that 60% of this group have given their toddlers a tablet, with over half (57%) being just 3 years old and under.

When asked what their child uses the devices for, TV shows came out on top with 79% of toddlers using screens to watch their favourite shows. 59% use the devices to play games, the same number who use them for educational apps, and 50% for watching films.

Children and young people are becoming increasingly anxious, experiencing low mood and self-esteem. In this blog, Lecturer in Child and Youth Studies Melanie Smith looks at what can be done to support childrens mental health.

The mental health and wellbeing of our children and young people is a high priority, particularly in the current education climate where the emphasis on exam results and attainment has resulted in a mental health ticking time bomb.