The authors of a new white paper have explained how their primary school intervention MiMo – Minimum Input Maximum Output – can improve maths, literacy and personal skills in short six-minute sessions.

Tamara Nathan & Myrom Kahaner published the white paper to outline their research and confirm that in just six minutes a day following the unique combination of activities of the MiMo Programme, skills in maths and literacy and many developmental areas can be enhanced.

The white paper states: “In 2007 England had plummeted from third to nineteenth in an international league table of children’s literacy levels and 2018 saw a slide to 49th.

Dr Richard Harrold (Data Protection Officer at ACS International Schools) outlines the most effective methods to meet GDPR regulations

One year on from the introduction of the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR), compliance remains one of the greatest challenges for schools in the UK. An ongoing task at ACS International Schools, data protection brings its own set of challenges for international school administrators. 

Gratnells has launched the brand new MakerHub, the newest member of the Gratnells Maker family and the perfect addition to any science preproom, lab, maker space or STEM club.

Designed to be a double-sided, multi-functional resource trolley that promotes collaborative working in the classroom, the MakerHub is ideal for teachers, technicians and STEM coordinators preparing practical activities for their lessons. 

New Horizons Children’s Academy is celebrating after being the first school in the Kent local authority area to achieve the SEND Inclusion Award.

The SEND Inclusion Award offers mainstream schools the opportunity to review, develop and gain accreditation for their provision for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). Specifically, the award concentrates on ‘outcomes’ for pupils and how schools can demonstrate the impact of their SEND provision.

Internationally recognised literacy programme Lexonik has been praised by head teachers for its work with children from areas of high deprivation in the North West. A special education event was held at South Shore Academy to showcase Lexonik’s work in the region, with more than 700 students across nine Blackpool schools, as part of the Government’s Opportunities Areas project, which is supported by the Blackpool Headteacher’s Group and the charity Right to Succeed.

Lexonik aims to improve reading ages following six separate hour-long sessions.

Rolls-Royce and Discovery Education Launch Pioneering Partnership to Bring STEM Learning to Derbyshire Primary Schools

An exciting new partnership to inspire the next generation of scientists was launched at Rolls-Royce HQ in Derby on Friday.

Teachers from local primary schools visited the Rolls-Royce Learning and Development Centre to celebrate the start of the new initiative, which sees the company joining forces with Discovery Education to support STEM learning.

FundStar, a not-for-personal-profit enterprise set up by serial entrepreneur David Evans MBE, has been formally launched today after successful trials to offer schools a strategic and co-ordinated approach to their fundraising activity.

As schools experience a reduction in real-terms funding and increased costs, the pressure to raise money by alternative means is growing. Whilst campaigns for more central government funding continue, schools must consider every route to pay for both the ‘bare essentials’ and the added-value opportunities which will help children to thrive in their education, and many are inviting parents to contribute to the cause.

The MINI.MU can be made by kids aged 8+ with no prior experience and aims to inspire young people to apply their creative minds to technology. Each kit contains everything needed to build a glove from scratch, encouraging children to learn to sew, engage in electronics and code. The MINI.MU is built using the educational microcomputer the Micro:bit designed by the BBC in the UK. Once constructed, each MINI.MU glove can be used by children to make music using the movement of their hands, using the sensors in the glove.

MI.MU Managing Director Adam Stark said: “We can’t wait to see what kids will do with the MINI·MU gloves. We want to support young people in exploring music, technology, creativity and making and hope the MINI·MU will do just that”.

At a time when resources to support children with speech and language difficulties is at best inequitable or at worst inaccessible*, GL Assessment has unveiled a toolkit to help primary schools easily screen and support children with speech and language difficulties. 

WellComm Primary has been created in conjunction with speech and language therapists at Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust. It is designed to help schools quickly identify children aged six to 11 who may be struggling with their speech and language development and offer ideas for immediate support.