BAE Systems launched the nationwide educational event in 2005, engaging and inspiring around 1.3 million pupils since then. The RAF joined as a partner in 2008, with the Royal Navy adding its support in 2015.

Designed to spark excitement and interest in STEM subjects, the programme offers a highly interactive experience for primary and secondary school students aged 10 to 13 years old, demonstrating practical applications of scientific and technological concepts in real world scenarios.

This year’s series launched today at St Mary’s College in Hull and will go on to visit more than 500 schools up and down the country, bringing Artificial Intelligence (AI) to life as around 130,000 pupils use the technology to create songs and accompanying music videos with the help of a robot dog called Lexi.

The scheme is so successful that the Royal Navy, Royal Air Force and BAE Systems have now agreed to continue delivering the roadshows until at least 2030.

Tania Gandamihardja, Group Human Resources Director at BAE Systems, said: “As one of the UK’s leading advanced engineering and technology companies, we have a long history of nurturing young talent and helping to educate young people on the value of studying STEM subjects.

“I’m proud of the part our schools’ roadshows have played in that over the last 20 years and delighted that we have secured this new funding to take us up to a quarter of a century of inspiring young minds in this way.”

The roadshow has visited over 5,000 schools across the length and breadth of the UK in the two decades since its launch, covering topics such as electricity, space, magnetism, energy, maths, waves, physics and biomimicry.

Maria Stead, Head of School at St Mary’s College in Hull, said: “We are very excited to be able to host this STEM roadshow at St Mary’s and to work with such an innovative and important local and national company.

“As we move into an ever-greater technological future, we want our students to be at the forefront of all such developments and therefore being part of a day like today is an amazing opportunity. We know our youngsters will take a lot from the experience and that this will help to shape their future paths.”

Together, BAE Systems, the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy employ thousands of engineers across the world and are committed to engaging with young people through initiatives like the STEM roadshow to encourage and support a highly skilled workforce of the future.

Commander Chris Pinder, Royal Navy STEM Programme, said: “The Royal Navy relies on STEM expertise to design, build, deploy and maintain our world-class ships, submarines and aircraft around the world.

“Galvanising the engineers and scientists of the future is essential and the additional funding to maintain this excellent programme is hugely welcome.”

SaveMyExams surveyed 1,000 UK students, uncovering that 8 in 10 have felt the pressure of exam anxiety. While many students face this emotional burden, only a small proportion are seeking help to manage it. The data reveals that just 14% of students receive exam revision support from their parents, while a significant 7 in 10 choose not to seek help at all.

In response to these concerning findings, SaveMyExams has launched a unique ‘Exam Anxiety Relief Kit’. This comprehensive kit equips students with a variety of practical tools designed to help manage stress and anxiety during revision and exam periods.

The survey’s findings align with the aims of Children’s Mental Health Week, which seeks to encourage conversations about mental health, raise awareness, and reduce stigma. The research clearly demonstrates that exam stress is rapidly becoming a significant mental health concern. An overwhelming 85% of students reported experiencing exam anxiety, with one third admitting that anxiety is a constant presence in their lives.

A quarter of teenagers also revealed that their anxiety levels were above an 8 on a scale from 1 (very calm) to 10 (unmanageable anxiety). These figures underline the urgent need for enhanced support and increased awareness of the mental health impact caused by exam pressures.

Only 14% of students reported receiving exam revision support from their parents, while a staggering 71% admitted to suffering in silence, choosing not to seek any help to manage their anxiety. Among the 29% who did seek support, half revealed that talking to friends was their primary method for relieving exam anxiety. Meanwhile, 20% turned to physical exercise as a coping strategy. Almost 30% of teenagers also shared that they had started using breathing exercises or meditation to combat their anxiety during the exam period.

Constance Mantle, CEO at SaveMyExams, comments on how children can use educational tools when revising to help relieve exam anxiety: “Children’s Mental Health Week is the perfect time to highlight the need for greater support. The fact that so many teens are experiencing exam anxiety is worrying. We know that anxiety can impair cognitive functions like memory retrieval and problem-solving, which directly impacts exam performance. This can have serious negative consequences on students’ future ambitions, but more significantly their mental health.“

The consultation, which runs for 90 days, includes a proposed reduction of 400 (FTE) academic staff and the possibility of School and subject closures and School mergers.

Vice-Chancellor, Professor Wendy Larner said: “The precarious financial position of many universities, particularly in the context of declining international student applications and increasing cost pressures, and the need to adapt to survive are well documented.

“We know here at Cardiff University that it is no longer an option for us to continue as we are. Our new strategy, co-created with our community, lays out an ambitious future for our University where it is collaborative, innovative, and delivering value for Cardiff, Wales and the wider world.

“Securing that future, in the context of tightening finances, means we need to take difficult decisions to realise our ambitions to enhance our education and research, and improve the staff and student experience.

“We have worked diligently to create initial proposals for a slightly smaller University, refocused around our core and emerging strengths – a University ready to leverage new academic opportunities, prepare students for an adapting world and meet changing market demands as they arise.

“At the same time as putting forward these proposals to reshape our current activities, we will be working on a new model for flexible lifelong learning, new opportunities in transnational education, and new approaches to learning and teaching.

“Our proposals aim to create a more focused, higher quality research environment for staff and students that is world-leading with cynefin, place and co-creation at its heart.

“We also want to ensure a consistently excellent education experience for students of all backgrounds and experiences.

“I want to stress that these are proposals and our final plans will be shaped by our community – both internal and external – through formal consultation. The scale of the challenge will remain, but the way that we address it will certainly be refined and developed over the next 90 days.” ​

The proposed changes include:

• a reduction of academic headcount by c.400 FTE (7% of total workforce), using compulsory redundancy, only if absolutely necessary​
• ceasing subjects and programmes in Ancient History, Modern Languages and Translation, Music, Nursing, and Religion and Theology
• increasing student and staff ratios across the University, while at the same time revising our approaches to learning, teaching and assessment, and simplifying bureaucratic processes
• bringing complementary disciplines together through proposed school mergers. The creation of the School of Natural Sciences (merge Chemistry, Earth Sciences and Physics), School of Data Science, Computing and Mathematics (merge Computer Science and Maths), School of Human and Social Sciences (merge Social Sciences, Geography and Planning) and School of Global Humanities (merge English, Communication and Philosophy, Welsh, and remaining elements of History Archaeology and Religion and Modern Languages)​.
• Professor Larner said: “I know that these proposals impact some staff more than others and they will cause a great deal of uncertainty and anxiety for those potentially impacted.

“We have done everything that we can to avoid reaching this position, but ultimately we know that annual rounds of cuts demoralise our staff, affect our students, and limit our ability to retain and grow new partnerships with our community here in the UK and elsewhere. We need to act now to ensure that we are able to deliver on the aspirations of our new strategy and have a viable university for the future.

“These academically-led proposals aim to reverse our deficit trend and create headroom for new revenue-generating activities to be established,” she added.

A related process to reshape the professional and support services to support our academic aspirations has already begun. ​

Staff briefings were held on Tuesday 28th January and will continue throughout the week. The business cases for each School will be made available through the University’s staff intranet. Current students and other key external stakeholders will be updated on the proposals.

The consultation will run for three months and final plans for approval are expected to be considered by the University Council in June 2025.

The latest in Lenovo Education’s portfolio includes new laptops, running Windows 11 or ChromeOS, built to help students and teachers embrace next-level digital learning, as well as take advantage of generative AI applications to boost everyday productivity. These education solutions and more will also be presented at Bett 2025 January 22-24, where Lenovo will introduce insights on AI in education and its collaboration with Ducati in STEM learning.

“Education around the world continues to evolve with the learning advancements and solutions enabled by technology,” said Stuart King, Executive Director and Global Head of Education Segment, Lenovo. “And Lenovo is responding to the needs of CTO’s, IT administrators, educators, and students for flexible, reliable devices in the classroom and digital learning scenarios, as well as systems that can leverage AI to enhance both teaching and learning.”

Featuring enhanced connectivity and added durability backed by Lenovo’s testing methods for education, Lenovo’s new laptop solutions mean teachers, students and parents can rely on innovative technology that helps them sustain the highest levels of continued learning. The comprehensive line-up of compute devices and accessories includes the Lenovo Chromebook Plus 2-in-1 (14”, 10), Lenovo Smart Charger, Lenovo Device Intelligence for Education, Lenovo 13w 2-in-1 Gen 3 PC, as well as the Lenovo 500w, 300w, and 100w Gen 5 PCs.

It’s estimated that over 20% of the global population is neurodivergent, but traditional classrooms often exclude these students by prioritising norms designed for neurotypical learners. These environments create significant challenges, forcing neurodivergent students to expend energy masking their differences rather than focusing on learning. This research tackles these barriers head-on, reshaping how we think about inclusion and engagement for all.

“A learning space where everyone feels safe, happy, and part of the community”—that’s the vision of Matt Harrison, lead researcher at the University of Melbourne and co-founder of the University of Melbourne Neurodiversity Project. Identifying a significant gap in education, Harrison’s collaboration with SMART set out to amplify the voices of neurodivergent students.

“Our extensive literature review found that only a very small number of studies actually included the voices of neurodivergent students. By engaging directly with these learners, we gathered authentic insights into strategies and tech tools that make a real difference,” said Harrison. This groundbreaking, student-centred approach delivers unparalleled data to empower educators with evidence-based solutions for fostering inclusive classrooms.

The research identified 36 actionable recommendations tailored for education leaders and teachers. These insights provide a roadmap for implementing technology and designing inclusive spaces that support diverse student needs. From specific tech tools to enhancements of existing classroom practices, the findings offer practical, scalable steps that educators can use immediately to increase inclusion and engagement.

Among the actionable steps emerging from this research are:

• Transforming Engagement: Adopt specific EdTech tools that affirm student voices, identities, and self-identified needs.
• Empowering Student Voice: Involve students as collaborators in choosing and implementing tools and other classroom options.
• Child-Centred Practices: Shift away from traditional behaviour-based approaches and focus on each student’s strengths and needs.

This research highlights technology’s transformative role in creating equitable learning environments in classrooms around the world. “These recommendations offer educators and education leaders a clear pathway to designing classrooms that prioritise inclusivity,” said Jeff Lowe, SMART Technologies Executive Vice President. “By listening to the voices of neurodivergent students and understanding their needs, we can ensure our technology considers those needs, creates meaningful change and success for all students.”

For SMART, inclusion has always been a priority. This collaboration not only validates the positive impact of its current products but also drives future innovations designed to meet the needs of all learners. By incorporating neurodivergent perspectives into future product design and development, SMART is setting a new standard for inclusive technology that supports every student’s success.

SMART is showcasing this groundbreaking research and technology to support neurodiverse learners for the first time at Bett 2025 in London. Educators and school leaders are invited to visit SMART’s block party launch event at Stand SP20 at 11:00 am on day one of Bett to take a session with Tisha Poncio to explore the findings and experience the technology, including an informative session. Plus, join Katie Novak and Anthony McGeeney at the SEND Village for a deep dive into the recommendations for ensuring neurodivergent student success. To explore the full findings and begin implementing these strategies in your school or classroom, access the research report here.

The innovative app-based platform empowers and supports schools’ sustainability efforts as they put into action their 2025 Climate Action Plan. However, having reached the 2025 deadline many schools are still finalising this as the new year begins.

NZB and Points4Planet are using their partnership to drive change in the education sector by providing the tools for schools to overcome sustainability challenges and remain on the pathway to net zero.

Already helping to improve the sustainability of over 20 schools across the UK, Points4Planet tracks activity using a school’s unique data, enabling staff and students to understand their carbon footprint and implement real change.

In addition to laying the foundation for a net zero strategy, as schools implement sustainable practices such as installing EV charging points, to encouraging pupils to walk to school where possible, students and staff can earn Planet Influencer Points. These in turn can influence real-world projects, funded by partnered organisations, including Greggs and Travis Perkins.

As the first construction partner with this ambitious scheme, NZB is supporting the initiative by providing schools with insight into how to decarbonise their estates. Offering expert advice and support via the app, this partnership will enable schools to make long-term positive changes that will benefit students, staff and wider communities as well as the environment.

Hannah Gains, National Education Manager at Net Zero Buildings, said: “With climate action firmly on the agenda and net zero targets moving ever closer, many schools face a challenging year as they seek to make sustainability a core focus.

“Through our partnership with Points4Planet, alongside our expertise in creating net zero in operation buildings, we want to inspire positive change in the education sector, by showing schools and pupils just how much impact they can make for the environment.”

1. How to win the picky eater dinner time battle

TfL’s Travel for Life programme supports the next generation of Londoners to travel towards a brighter, safer and more sustainable future. By completing activities that promote walking and cycling to school and the safe use of public transport, primary and secondary schools can become Bronze, Silver or Gold accredited. The programme is administered by London Transport Museum in partnership with London’s Borough Officers.

To achieve Gold accreditation, a school must have reduced car use by six per cent or achieved 90 per cent of the school run being made using sustainable transport. The number of schools awarded Gold in 2024 was 735, a 10 per cent increase compared to 2023.

Bromley currently has the largest proportion of Gold schools, at an impressive 63 per cent, followed by Islington at 49 per cent and Havering at 45 per cent. Meanwhile Waltham Forest currently has the largest overall number of schools participating in the TfL Travel for Life programme, with 81 per cent of its schools involved. Bromley and Islington also have large numbers of schools participating, with 74 and 71 per cent of schools respectively.

St Gregory’s Catholic Science College in Brent recently achieved Gold accreditation, having only signed up to TfL Travel for Life in March 2023. With a motto “swap the ride for a park for a park and stride,” the school is taking several actions including measuring the air quality in its immediate surroundings, holding assemblies and creating a podcast on active travel.

TfL Citizens, delivered by London Transport Museum, is one of the five TfL Travel for Life programmes and is for children aged 10-11. It now has more than 100,000 pupils and 91 per cent of London schools taking part, preparing children for travelling to secondary school and teaching skills such as journey planning.

Numerous studies point to the health benefits of walking and cycling to school, with national charity Living Streets citing improvements in mood and behaviour in children who travel on foot. With the Government’s target for 55 per cent of primary school aged children walking to school by 2025, TfL is calling on London schools not currently participating in TfL Travel for Life to sign up to the scheme, to reap the benefits of better air quality and improved health.

Fewer parents driving children to school also improves road safety, as TfL works to eliminate all deaths and serious injuries from London’s transport network as part of its Vision Zero programme. Following several measures taken by TfL, there has been sustained improvement in safety for under-16s on London’s roads. In 2023, the number of children killed or seriously injured on London’s roads was reduced by 40 per cent against TfL’s 2010-14 baseline.

Professor Greta Defeyter, Director of the Healthy Living Lab at Northumbria University, has been awarded an OBE in recognition of services to education.

Professor Defeyter has spent the last 20 years researching how meals and enriching activities can be, and are being, provided to millions of children across the UK through schools and community organisations.

Her work has significantly influenced the Department for Education’s rollout of a National School Breakfast programme and funding of the Holiday Activities and Food programme for children and young people across England.

She established the Healthy Living Lab in 2006 to investigate the impacts of school breakfast clubs on children’s health, social and educational wellbeing. Working with Kellogg’s, the Greggs Foundation and Blackpool Council between 2008 and 2019, her research demonstrated that breakfast clubs can improve school attendance and punctuality, motivation, social relationships, educational attainment and quality of life for many children.

This evidence has supported the nationwide expansion of breakfast clubs over the past fifteen years. In September the Chancellor announced a £315 million free breakfast club programme that would provide free school breakfast clubs in all state-funded primary schools next year.

Recognising that school holidays brought difficulties for many families, Professor Defeyter expanded her research. Her evaluations of holiday clubs and city-wide holiday programmes evidenced the need for the UK government to alleviate holiday hunger and ensure that children and young people were offered nutritious food and engaging activities outside of term time as well as during the academic year.

As a result, in 2021 the government announced that up to £220 million was being made available to local authorities across England to fund the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme.

HAF and the new HAF Plus programme, which has been co-designed to make it more engaging for older children, provide activities and healthy food to nearly one million children and young people during the school holidays each year. The HAF Plus framework has also been adopted by supporting organisations, such as Kitchen Social, funded by the Mayor’s Fund for London, and has been implemented across all London boroughs.

More recently, Professor Defeyter has been researching broader issues around poverty, school meals, and the Healthy Start Scheme. Through her work with national charities, schools, supermarkets, and caterers, she is currently advising the UK and Scottish Governments on developing national strategies and policies to eliminate the need for food banks. This includes the introduction of Affordable Food Clubs and Cash First Plus programmes; both designed to maximise household income and improve dietary intake and overall wellbeing.

The Order of the British Empire (OBE) is awarded to those who have made a significant impact in the arts, sciences, charitable work and public service.

Professor Defeyter said: “I am both delighted and astonished at being awarded an OBE. To be recognised in this manner for my research with children, young people and families is a humbling experience.

“Most importantly, I would like to thank all the organisations, local authorities, charities, children, young people, parents and carers who trusted me, and worked alongside me to conduct this research that has enabled societal change.

“Finally, I wish to thank all my research colleagues within the Healthy Living Lab for all of their support in conducting the research that has made a difference to millions of children and young people. I thank you all!”

Professor Andy Long, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of Northumbria University, said: “We are delighted to see this recognition for Greta and her work. It is clear that her research over the last two decades has informed and influenced government decision making which has led to a positive, and meaningful, impact on the lives of children and families across the country.”

Professor Defeyter has already received several accolades for her work. In 2006 she was named as a Children’s Food Hero by Sustain, following notable award winners, Jamie Oliver and Ed Balls. In 2015, she was made a Fellow of the British Psychological Society in recognition of her research with children living in areas of social and economic deprivation, and in 2020 she was named as one of the country’s top 100 change makers by the Big Issue for her research and policy impact on childhood food poverty in the UK.

She has a number of executive roles and fellowships with organisations. These include being an executive member of the North East Child Poverty Commission, a Fellow and incoming President of the Health and Food Council at the Royal Society of Medicine, and Chair of Feeding Britain’s Academic Advisory Board.

Professor Defeyter will formally receive her OBE at a ceremony later in the year.

The Institute’s latest report highlights that economic growth in the UK is at risk due to a stark skills divide among regions, with London and the South-East continuing to attract highly qualified workers, leaving other regions trailing behind in educational attainment.

If the trend continues, by 2035, 71 per cent of Londoners and 65 per cent of adults in Scotland are estimated to hold a degree, compared to just 29 per cent in East Yorkshire and 39 per cent in Norfolk.

27 per cent of adults in the West Midlands have qualifications below GCSE level, compared to just 9 per cent in West London, a gap wider than in Ireland, Norway of Finland.

Laura Lodwick, Chief of Hub Operations for Talent for and Digital, said: “For the UK to grow as a whole, the government, local councils and regional businesses need an aligned investment strategy across education and training and a strategy to retain top local talent.”

“This retention strategy should centre on skills training, with local businesses offering courses and constant upskilling opportunities that lead towards career progression and perks that encourage people to stay within their communities. UK growth will be fuelled by a policy of people AND innovation, equipping individuals across the country with expertise in fast-growing areas such as AI, which will drive productivity and efficiency. Technology has no boundaries, so making all regions a more attractive option for the UK’s digital nomads can play an important role in bridging the digital skills gap.”

Closing the skills gap between London and the rest of the UK would require an additional 4 million non-Londoners to obtain a higher education qualification.

In England, the recently set up Skills England is in charge of overseeing training and education, as well as reforming the apprenticeships system, while Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own agencies.

Sheila Flavell CBE, COO of FDM Group, commented: “For the UK to expect significant growth in crucial sectors such as technology, the UK workforce needs to be equipped with core skills including data and analytics, software engineering and IT operations in order to drive that growth across all regions. While London is an important growth hub, if the majority of tech skills are concentrated there then how can we expect regional growth to keep pace.”

“Businesses across the regions should work closely with Skills England to identify the high growth disciplines and key skills that will support the development of a highly skilled digital workforce. A degree isn’t the only form of education to gain digital skills, apprenticeships and business training initiatives offer upskilling and reskilling in a real-world environment. Training programmes incorporating experiential learning can instil continuous learning of core skills, simulating real-world scenarios to give people industry-standard experience and expertise. This will help foster a UK-wide workforce ready to lead global innovation.”

A push for skills in the UK will be important for Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Plan for Change from December, which promised “more people in good jobs, higher living standards, and productivity growth in every part of the United Kingdom.”

Elizabeth Anderson, CEO of the Digital Poverty Alliance, said: “There are upwards of 19 million people in the UK who are digitally excluded according to our research with Deloitte, many of which lack the essential digital skills to get online, let alone obtain a degree. While the focus is on higher education, it is vital that the government, local councils and education bodies also recognise the extent of the skills gap for those without digital access. Those who are looking to use a laptop and access essential services such as online learning and education, which many of us take for granted.”

“From a policy perspective, the government’s pledge to break down opportunity and focus on disadvantaged children within its Plan for Change is key. Digital sits at the heart of education, with a move towards examinations taking place online rather than written, and with nine in 10 students surveyed expected to complete homework or coursework online. We must this see as part of this provision for children to access technology in the classroom, and teach digital literacy including critical thinking and online safety. Taking this approach across the country will ensure children in all schools are given at least a basic level of digital education.“

“Skills on social media do not translate to using a keyboard or more complex computerised platforms, and one in five children do not have access to a device suitable for learning at home in the first place.”