Here are links to some of this week’s education-related news:

Schools:

• Schools are “queuing up” to complain about the quality of marking in this year’s key stage 2 Sats, which is making a “mockery” of the efforts of teachers and pupils, according to a headteachers’ union.
• The decision by teachers in the moderate ATL union to go on strike last week could inspire thousands of heads to take to the picket line, a heads’ leader has claimed.
• Almost a hundred infants are so badly behaved they have to be sent to “sin bin” schools designed to cater for unruly teenagers, new figures reveal.
• The government is publishing new guidelines for parents and teachers in England which it hopes will mean more children go on school trips. However, teaching unions have criticised the plans, which you can read online here.
• In an article in this week’s TES, the mayor of London calls for a significant increase in the number of training places available for would-be classics teachers.
• A vocational version of the International Baccalaureate is being trialled, but there are fears for its prospects.
• Schools in England are being given financial incentives by the government to use certain phonics materials to teach reading, MPs have said.
• MPs have criticised government plans to test pupils on their reading ability at the age of six, warning that it will put children off reading for pleasure. Literacy experts have also written to the education secretary, pleading with him to do a U-turn on the plan.

• The number of pupils in England eating school lunches has risen for the third year running, data suggests.
• In the last month, 97 schools became academies – the equivalent of more than four opening every school day.
• Schools are being given the top rankings by Ofsted inspectors for good management rather than the standard of teaching, claims the outgoing head of the watchdog.

Universities:

• Record numbers of students face missing out on university as higher education applications top 700,000 for the first time.
• High-attaining comprehensive school students are significantly less likely to attend top universities than their independent school rivals with the same grades, new research has revealed.

Other News:

• All two-year-olds will be given a compulsory “progress check” under Government plans to identify children failing to develop properly at a young age.
• Three brothers from Greater Manchester are travelling to school in a rather unusual way – by unicycle.
• A pre-school in Stockholm says its goal is to free children from social expectations based on their sex.
• A school in South Yorkshire is hosting a 17-hour Harry Potter viewing marathon.

Next week’s Teaching Events include:

• 2nd July to 24th July - Tour de France
• 4th to 10th July - Move It Week
• 11th July - World Population Day
• 14th July - Bastille Day

Mousetrap Theatre Projects is an independent charity dedicated to creating opportunities for young people with limited resources, opportunities, support or disabilities to engage with the best of London’s theatre. They are currently offering lots of theatre offers for school groups which you can take advantage of. You can find out more about the project in this Youtube video:

Click here to view the embedded video.

The charity also run a project called the Teacher’s Preview Club. This club aims to make theatre more affordable, allowing teachers to preview a show prior to taking a school group – or simply enjoy theatre productions with friends or colleagues. For an annual membership of £25 teachers can buy two reduced priced tickets each time they book. Find out more in this Youtube video:

Click here to view the embedded video.

If you’re interested in taking part, you can register for the club here.

Let Nature Feed Your Senses is an England-wide project to provide farm and nature reserve visits for children, older people, people with disabilities, and others who have difficulty visiting the countryside. The visits are supported by the Big Lottery and Natural England and are tailored to suit different ages and abilities.

www.letnaturefeedyoursenses.org

For more information and to get an idea of who has already enjoyed one of our farm visits, visit the website where you will also find all the contact details you need to arrange a visit to a farm near you. Here’s a video report from the BBC which gives more information about the project:

School Providers is a directory for teachers and educational workers in schools, colleges, nurseries and children’s centres allowing them to find the help they need to enhance their curriculum. Examples of their listings include:

• Guest speakers
• Sports coaches
• Drama groups and workshops
• Field trips
• Musicians
• Language workshops
• Sixth form enrichment ideas
• Sports tour operators and activity centres

www.schoolproviders.co.uk

You can search for different providers using the search tools. There is also a ‘Help & Advice‘ section with tips for those thinking who are considering booking a provider for their school.

The Natural History Museum has just launched new learning resources to support school visits to Cocoon, the interactive visitor experience at the heart of the new Darwin Centre. There are pre and post-visit sections introducing students to an activity which they gather information for as they go round the Cocoon experience. They can be used in the classroom or set as homework.

Back at school, students follow up their visit by presenting what they found out to their class. There are separate activities for Key Stages 3 and 4, and for post-16 students.

• KS3 – ‘How do Scientists study Biodiversity at NHM?’ Pupils take on the role of a News reporter, radio show presenter or scientist to communicate what they learn about research This is supported by free booklets for pupils to use whilst in Cocoon.
• KS4 – Careers activity where pupils take on the role of an interviewer or interviewee for a post working as a Scientist at NHM.
• Post-16 – Expedition plan activity where pupils find out more about Leishmaniasis or Malaria in preparation for writing an expedition plan

To access the resources go to www.nhm.ac.uk/a-day-in-the-life. To find out more about visiting the Natural History Museum with school or college students go to http://www.nhm.ac.uk/education.

Peter Richardson has started a ‘map of outdoor learning experiences’ (also known as MOLE) which teachers can use and contribute to.

The map, created using Google Maps, identifies opportunities for learning outside of the classroom, all of which have been contributed by other teachers. You can also add to the map yourself, sharing places that you have explored with your classes.

Here’s a video which explains a little more about the map:

Find out more on Peter’s blog or click here to view the map so far. This looks like a wonderful resource which is building all the time. Take a look at the map and don’t forget to add new places to it. It only takes a few seconds but the locations you add might give other classes a valuable new learning experience that they might not otherwise have known about.

The Journey Journal is a special passport sized book that encourages young people to (re)think the places they visit. It has been written for use during holidays, school trips and to support the transition between primary and secondary school.

The Journey Journal site explains that “going somewhere new is a massive opportunity to discover and make sense of the cultures, environments, issues and alternative ideas. The Journey Journal is a clever little interactive book that is packed with things to record, think and do. Using the Journey Journal encourages critical and creative thinking, helping the traveller to see their world in new ways.

Copies of the Journey Journal are usually £4.49 incl UK P&P) but you can get a copy for just £2.50 (with free P&P) by using the code ‘SAGT’ when you order in their online shop.