In2science was established in 2010 to unlock the potential of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds and boost diversity and inclusion in the sector to ensure the UK remains at the forefront of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) based industries.

The In2STEM programme provides a once in a lifetime opportunity for young people to collaborate with dedicated volunteer STEM professionals, undertaking cutting-edge research and learning STEM skills in some of Britain’s pioneering centres of STEM education, research and industry.

The programme is for 17-year-olds passionate about STEM and runs from 22 July to 23 August 2024. It offers a blend of online and in-person activities and equips students the skills, knowledge and confidence needed to excel in STEM. The programme is free to join, and the charity provides a bursary, to cover travel and lunch expenses during placements.

The OR Society is partnering with In2scienceUK to sponsor two young people who will have work placements and mentors within operational research at universities. They will also be delivering virtual workshops on operational research for the entire cohort of students participating in the programme at the end of the summer.

Operational research (OR) involves the application of advanced mathematical techniques such as modelling, optimisation, and simulation, with innovative problem-solving approaches, to address complex real-world challenges, and OR professionals are in high demand across many sectors.

However, a recent YouGov survey on behalf of education charity, Teach First highlighted the UK’s STEM skills shortage is at risk of growing, as more than half of parents (51%) from a lower socio-economic background believe their children are “unlikely” to have a career in science, technology, engineering and maths.

According to In2scienceUK there is an annual shortfall of 40,000 STEM skilled workers with the number of future technical jobs forecast to increase. With salaries in STEM being 20% higher than other sectors, In2scienceUK say getting more young people from low-income backgrounds into these professions promotes social mobility and fights economic inequality.

Chiara Carparelli, Education Manager at The OR Society said: “We are excited to help inspire the next generation of young STEM professionals. The In2STEM programme is helping to address the skills shortage and encourage young people to consider a STEM based career such as OR.

“It’s a fantastic opportunity for young people to make informed choices, boost their academic profile and prepare for a successful future in the world of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

“Proficiency in STEM subjects is vital for those aspiring for a career in OR. With technologies like AI and data analytics advancing, job opportunities for OR specialists are expected to surge in the coming years and encouraging young people from all backgrounds into these careers is vital.”

To find out more about In2STEM, including how young people can apply visit: https://in2scienceuk.org/our-programmes/in2stem
To explore the career possibilities within OR visit: www.theorsociety.com/get-involved/or-in-education/careers.

Launched in September 2022, Broadening Horizons was established by the RSC after its Missing Elements report found that talented Black chemists are more likely to leave the profession at every stage of their career path after undergraduate studies than their peers. The programme offers aspiring chemists access to mentoring, networking, and opportunities to gain crucial industry experience from partner companies.

With positive feedback from both participants and partner companies on the inaugural programme, the RSC has expanded the places available and secured further industry backing. Charles River Laboratories, which specialises in products and services to help expedite the discovery, early-stage development, and safe manufacture of novel drugs and therapies, joins 10 of the world’s leading chemistry companies, including Unilever, AstraZeneca, and GSK, to support the programme.

Dr Helen Pain, CEO of the Royal Society of Chemistry, said: “We launched the Broadening Horizons pilot last year to help enact the change that is needed to retain talented Black and minority ethnic chemists. The students and industry partners involved have told us just how valuable they found the programme, which makes us all the more determined to continue delivering an impactful experience for future cohorts.

“We’re excited to welcome the second cohort and are proud to have even more young people taking part this year as we continue this vital work to improve inclusion and diversity in our industry.”

Feedback from the inaugural cohort of 94 participants indicates the programme has so far been hugely valuable in creating an inclusive environment, opening networking opportunities, and showcasing the range of different career paths available in the chemical sciences.

Mechelle Williams, an undergraduate student at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, said: “To be able to walk into a room and see a lot of people and women that look like me was the biggest standout thing. For a long while, there was a point and time when I just wanted to stop. Being on this programme has reignited my fire.”

Carla Aldington, a PhD student at Imperial College London who has earned an internship with partner organisation Unilever, added: “The Broadening Horizons programme has been absolutely incredible. The first day when we were all together in the RSC’s Burlington House was remarkable. I have never stood in a room with so many other people of colour who are also chemists. For the first time in my whole academic career, I realised I did belong in the world of chemistry. That is a feeling I will treasure forever.”

The chemicals company Johnson Matthey provided mentorship opportunities for students in the first cohort, hosted a visit at its Reading site, and ultimately offered work placements for seven students upon completion of the programme.

Dr Liz Rowsell FRSC, Research and Development Director at Johnson Matthey, said: “While we’re still in the early stages of the pilot, Broadening Horizons has already proved to be a truly impactful programme. It’s been fantastic to meet all the students in the first cohort, discuss their experiences of studying chemistry, and give them some insight into what their future career might look like.

“We’ve spent a lot of time thinking about how best to engage and make a real difference in the programme. We have several work placements available to the students and our talent team is working hard to ensure they deliver meaningful opportunities for skills development.”

The pharmaceutical and biotechnology company GSK has also been involved in the programme from the outset and hosted 25 students at its Stevenage site where they took part in speed networking, visited working labs, and attended panel discussions.

Speaking during a site visit, Dr Rehana Sidat, Vice President of Risk Management at GSK, commented: “We all go through academic journeys, but our lived experiences reinforce who we are, and I think it’s really important to embrace that in our workforces and make sure that everybody has a sense of belonging and feels welcome.

“I think we’ve left the students with a really good sense of who we are, what we do and how they could potentially join GSK. If I can encourage even just one person to stay within the chemical sciences, that’s my job done.”

Open to students and recent graduates of chemistry in the UK or Republic of Ireland from a Black or minority ethnic background, the second year of the Broadening Horizons programme will run until summer 2024.

There are now 11 chemistry-focused businesses partnered with the programme: Nanomerics, RSSL, Syngenta, Unilever, Oxford Nanopore, AM Technology, AstraZeneca, Johnson Matthey, GSK, BASF, and Charles River Laboratories.

To stay up to date with the Broadening Horizons programme, please visit: https://rsc.li/broadeninghorizons.

The research, which aims to examine the lack of female representation and voice in English Literature, found that An Inspector Calls and A Christmas Carol were the two most taught texts, which were studied at 80% and 72% respectively at GCSE level (Year 10 & 11). Both of which are in the top texts taught at KS3 meaning that many pupils are taught the same texts twice between Years 7 and 11. Data was collected from three out of four awarding bodies; Pearson Edexcel, the second largest awarding body, who stated they could not provide us with an analysis of their statistics by the gender of the author.

Within these texts the female characters are either victims or servants, which leaves little to offer in terms of representation of women. While these can lead to important discussions it would be more valuable to students to also have discussions around positive representations of women. Only ever having the opportunity to discuss women as victims of misogyny perpetuates a narrative of women as victims of a patriarchal society, reinforcing the notion of sexual inequality as an expected norm.

Of the female authored books on the approved text list, Jane Eyre and Pride and Prejudice were the most common inclusions, however both are the longest novels on the lists, 624 and 448 pages respectively. This makes it harder for teachers to justify their selection over the shorter male authored texts. The result is that female authored texts are not equally matched in terms of teachability and accessibility to the male authored choices, immediately putting them at a disadvantage.

While authorship is of importance there is also a large discrepancy between the number of female protagonists compared to that of male, and after all, it is the characters and not the authors that pupils will spend most time discussing in lessons. On the set lists 7 in 10 texts for both 19th Century novel and for Modern Prose and Drama have a male protagonist, showing a bias towards the teaching of texts with a male protagonist.

By only providing the option for pupils to engage with male perspectives on the world in the literature they read, not only do boys never learn to empathise with and appreciate the viewpoints and experiences of women, but they also get the clear message that women’s voices and perspectives are less important and less valid.

While work in recent years has been done to increase diversity, often this is implemented with a two birds one stone approach with new additions added to the approved text list by female authors of colour. While this is a great first step, it often involves swapping out less studied texts for new novels meaning few schools will be inclined to change the status quo. The message is clear; the supremacy of white male writing cannot be challenged. The core canon of white male authors is not being changed, and by combining gender and race, it disproportionately affects the representation of white female authors and male authors of colour, who have been all but erased from the modern prose and drama paper.

Rachel Fenn, Founding Member of ESIS & English teacher comments: “While these stats are shocking, they are hardly surprising. The traditional canon of English Literature has always valued the white male voice over others since its creation in the early twentieth century. However, for the next generation to grow up challenging a patriarchal view of the world, both boys and girls need to be exposed to strong and empowering representations of women, not the voiceless victims and servants we see repeatedly in the perennially popular texts taught in English lessons. We are what we read – is it any wonder how Andrew Tate has managed to infiltrate the schooling system and violence against women remains such an endemic problem in our society when our academic curriculum spins this narrative in every lesson?

While improving PSHE offered in schools is a step in the right direction to improve equality and address sexism, it fails to tackle the underlying systems which perpetuate the ideology that women are less than and their voices are not worth being heard. This is why ESIS is striving so hard to push examining bodies to ensure an equal balance of male and female authored texts and protagonists, and provide schools with meaningful practical support to help them change the texts they teach. We’ve had enough of virtue signalling and platitudes; we want action, and we want it now.’

You can read the research in full and explore ways to get involved on the End Sexism In Schools website: https://endsexisminschools.org.uk/

Premier League Primary Stars provides teachers in England and Wales access to free downloadable curriculum-linked resources covering English, Maths, PE and PSHE, helping to support children’s learning both in the classroom and on the sports field.

Pupils at Martins Wood Primary School in Stevenage, where Mr. Brown is a teacher, received a Premier League Primary Stars assembly, learning about the League’s core values of being ambitious, inspiring, connected and fair before pupils could have their photo taken with the Premier League Trophy.

From there, the Premier League Trophy visited Mr. Brown’s Hazel Class, where Year 4 pupils discussed allyship, listened on as they had questions on diversity answered by Crystal Palace manager Patrick Vieira, before they designed a football shirt to promote diversity in a team.

Commenting on the free resources available for teachers, Mr. Brown said: “All the Premier League’s resources on anti-discrimination are fantastic.

“The lessons where I’ve based them on Premier League Primary Stars resources have been some of the most powerful lessons that I’ve had.

“Being a person of colour, now a teacher of colour, having those conversations a lot more and having them more in the classroom have been [beneficial] to me.

“Not only are [the resources] easy to deliver, but they also give you that starting point to open the door to what can be tricky conversations.

“The resources are really fun, they’re really engaging. You get the children out of their seats, you get the children being creative, you get the children to really think about those difficult conversations and how they can apply the values from them into real life.”

Mr. Brown is one of 8,900 teachers who has helped engage more 267,000 young people in primary schools across England and Wales, using Premier League Primary Stars No Room For Racism resources.

The free lesson plans and activities available via PLPrimaryStars.com cover equality, diversity and inclusion, allyship and stereotypes, encouraging important conversations at both Key Stages 1 and 2 (five to 11-year-olds).

Take a look at Premier League Primary Stars No Room For Racism, Racism and Inclusion, resources here.

You can hear more from Kit and pupils at Martin Wood Primary School here.

Since launching in March 2019, No Room For Racism has brought together the League’s work against racial discrimination and the Action Plan is embedded across all Premier League activity.

Over the last five seasons, match rounds have highlighted the ongoing action undertaken by the League and clubs and send a clear message to fans, urging them to take action when they see or hear racism and the work done via Premier League Primary Stars plays a key part in the process of educating pupils about what it means to be an ally and what can be done to end racism.

Premier League Primary Stars offers a range of resources, mapped to National Curriculum topics in English and PSHE, which aim to educate pupils about the negative impacts of racism and what can be done to tackle it. Visit plprimarystars.com for more information.

Speak Up is the NT’s new national programme which sees young people, who have been most affected by the pandemic, working in collaboration with local artists and teachers to co-create artistic responses to issues that are most important to them. Responding to the current challenges in schools, the programme aims to develop young people’s self-expression, wellbeing and personal skills, with an open-ended offer to make creative projects in their local area.

The NT is collaborating with LUNG as Creative Associates to deliver the training of artists and teachers and to develop the creative ambitions of Speak Up. LUNG is a campaign-led verbatim theatre company which works closely with communities nationally to shine a light on political, social and economic issues in modern Britain to ensure hidden voices are heard.

Speak Up is taking place in selected schools across Doncaster, Greater Manchester (Salford, Wigan, Rochdale), Havering, Sunderland, Wakefield and Wolverhampton, with the project extending into additional areas in 2023. The NT’s current Theatre Nation Partnership organisations are Cast in Doncaster, The Lowry in Salford, Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch, Sunderland Empire and Sunderland Culture, Theatre Royal Wakefield and Wolverhampton Grand Theatre.

As part of the pilot with secondary schools across Wakefield, Sunderland and Greater Manchester, students have taken part in a variety of creative sessions to empower them to tell their own stories and connect with each other and their local communities. Sessions have included creating a mural around the theme of equality and exploring storytelling methods through a variety of artforms such as film making, animation and stand-up comedy. Artists, partner organisations and young people have used the sessions to work collaboratively to design what Speak Up is going to look like for them in their schools for the next three years.

Speak Up is generously supported by the Mohn Westlake Foundation which shares the NT’s belief in the power of youth voice and working with young people to enable positive change in their lives, schools and local communities. Through a £3.3million grant to deliver the programme nationally, Speak Up will reach hundreds of thousands of students, with the majority of the funding distributed to partners enabling local employment of producers and artists.

Rufus Norris, Artistic Director of the National Theatre said, “Speak Up is a crucial part of the National Theatre’s work in levelling up, giving agency to young people nationwide whose voices often go unheard and that the Covid pandemic hit even harder. This innovative model will empower young people to share their views on current issues and put them at the heart of the creative process. We are excited to build on our in-depth relationships with our Theatre Nation partners across the country to deliver this new programme, guided by the creative vision of LUNG with invaluable funding from the Mohn Westlake Foundation. Together we will support young people to become leaders of the future and make positive change in their own lives and in their communities”.

Marit Mohn and Stian Westlake, Trustees and Founders of The Mohn Westlake Foundation said, ”We understand that the pandemic has created unprecedented levels of isolation and disenfranchisement for young people. We are delighted to be extending our partnership with the National Theatre to increase access to the arts in particularly hard-hit areas of the country. By investing in young people, our leaders of the future, Speak Up will put them at the heart of the creative process, empowering them to combat these challenges, and rediscover their voice.”

Amanda Parkes, Head of School at Oxclose Academy, Sunderland said, “Speak Up has reignited a love for group creativity that Covid decimated. Through taking part in Speak Up, our students have blossomed and learned so much about themselves and opportunities the arts offer them – and, more importantly, how valuable their voice and place in this world is. Their energy and engagement are electric and pupils have stepped up to the challenge, taken risks and found their voice.”

Connor, 13, pupil at Oxclose Academy, Sunderland said, “Speak Up has given me opportunities to work with lot of different types of artists. I have really enjoyed working practically and have grown in confidence when working as part of a group”.

www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/speak-up

The national student voice initiative was created to bring students from across the Trust’s 43 academies together to encourage them to use their voices to drive change and make a difference.

This year marked the introduction of the first fully-fledged democratic elections, which gave the students the opportunity to take part in a 10-step election that included nominations, full in-person campaigning, ballot elections and an exciting results day.

The students campaigned on a range of issues that mattered the most to them and used their voices to effectively communicate their points and inspire others. Their campaigns have centred on issues such as mental health, championing diversity, and bolstering the voices of those who are disadvantaged.

The elections were split into OAT’s four regions, with academies electing up to 4 students, dependant on the size of their academy to represent their voices regionally. Now the regional student teams have been elected, they will nominate and elect 20 members to form the National Student Voice who will represent and act on behalf of OAT’s 33,000 students.

Each regional student leadership team selects three issues to focus region-wide projects and initiatives on. Last year, the student leadership team for the West highlighted LQBTQ+ campaigns as a salient issue and as a part of this commitment organised a pride campaign to celebrate diversity.

A crucial part of the Trust’s national student voice councils is their contributions to the #WeWill campaign, a national social action project. Through the campaign, the student councils have supported the creation of various projects that centre on health, recycling, the arts, eco-sustainability, and all share the same goal of making a difference in the communities in which the academies serve.

The student voice teams were also instrumental in organising the Trust’s Ukrainian humanitarian appeal which utilised the collective power and support of the community of academies. With the student network already in place, the national student voice team were able to quickly and effectively organise a Trust wide appeal that enabled them to raise over £15,000 for the Disasters Emergency Committee.

The final round of elections will take place over the next few weeks, where the incumbent regional student voice ambassadors will have the opportunity to put together pitches for their campaign to be part of the national council.

Holly Weaver, Former Chair of National Student Voice at Ormiston Academies Trust, said: “I thoroughly enjoyed my experience as Chair of National Student Voice, working closely with other passionate students to enact change and draw attention to the issues we really care about.

“It was good to see how our opinions were valued and were influential in deciding the #WeWill projects. It is important that these projects are shaped by pupils’ ideas as it will ensure they have the most impact on our community.”

Debbie Kinsella, Lead Practitioner for Enrichment at Ormiston Academies Trust, said: “This year’s student voice elections have been truly fantastic. Hearing the passion, thoughts and ideas of our students has been inspiring and I look forward to seeing the amazing work that they do in their time as ambassadors.

“We created our regional and national student voice as a way to bring our students together and to motivate them by showcasing how they can affect change and make a difference. It has been wonderful to see our students be so dedicated and enthusiastic about making the most of their positions.”

Ahead of last week’s launch in Paisley of UNBOXED: Creativity in the UK ( the free

Can you firstly tell us a bit more about About Us and the event itself?

It’s one of the 10 UNBOXED projects, a celebration of STEAM and of creativity across the UK. We’re bringing poetry and STEM together and showing how they complement each other. It just takes a bit of imagination (and some fantastic technical know-how) to bring these different disciplines together.

In its simplest terms it’s a light show, part of a collaboration between Stemettes, 59 Productions (who create productions like this), and The Poetry Society, who work on poetry and the promotion of poetry. It aims to engage with young people, and engage them with STEM and STEAM. The light show takes you on a 30 million year journey from The Big Bang to us here in Paisley, looking at civilization, what happens with cells and early human life and how we’ve ended up here, looking up at Paisley Abbey and how we all are connected to the universe. Technically we’re all made of star stuff, so that that’s what the whole event is about, it’s a celebration of Paisley and its place in the universe.

We’ve done a lot of work in the community and in local schools in the last couple of months, working through poetry workshops, working through STEM and coding workshops, and so what the children have created is a big part of the light show as well. We’re hearing their poetry and seeing it, we’re seeing the avatars that they’ve created in elements of their animations.

Awe was the key word that we had in mind when we were pulling this together, so that’s in essence what the show is about – awe and bright lights and a celebration of Paisley.

Can you elaborate on the STEAM acronym for those maybe unfamiliar with it?

STEAM stands for science, technology, engineering, arts (and design), and maths – it represents a combination of all those disciplines. You can’t do STEM without art and design, without that creativity and expression. If you look at something like product design, it’s easy to see that the most impactful have that appreciation for the arts. All of them have leant into some of the skill sets that we have in the arts. Indeed, you’re much more likely to win a Nobel Prize in the sciences if you’ve engaged with the arts during your upbringing, which runs counter to the image people maybe have of scientists, that the best scientists have only ever done science and only ever do science. In fact, being able to recognise those softer artistic skill sets, combine them through collaboration and communication, that’s really where we solve problems properly.

So that’s the heart of STEAM and of course this About Us project and the whole of the UNBOXED Learning Programme.

Has asking schools to combine very different disciplines like this been a challenge?

When the proposition is explained clearly, and the benefits of this sort of cross-curricular work are articulated in a way that makes sense for schools, then we find buy-in comes pretty quickly. The resources that we’ve put together as part of this allow teachers to see for themselves how it can work in the classroom and benefit their pupils. Obviously, schools have been through a really tough time during the pandemic, and we’re now approaching exam season and all the stresses and demands that come with that, but fundamentally we’re aiming to build something here for the longer term and we really do hope, through the excitement of events like the light show, that we will inspire the younger generation to take their first steps on this great journey.

You are very passionate about this, where does your inspiration come from?

Creativity inspires me, curiosity about how things work and how the things we build create a legacy long after we’re gone. I took a VCR apart when I was younger, trying to understand how the cassette went into the machine, how the mechanism played the tape – basically breaking things down to understand how they fit together and how, once you understand that, you can solve problems with the knowledge you’ve gained.

Of course, once you talk about solving problems, then you can start working for the greater good – and that inspires me as well, the idea that things don’t always have to be harder, faster, stronger, bigger or whatever as an end in itself, rather that those attributes are really just a means to an end, and that the goal is using all of the resources at our disposal to make life better for all of us.

I’d also like to see us drawing on a much more diverse pool of talent than we do currently, and I’m inspired to realise that goal, because the more diverse the pool, the more diverse the voices we hear and the better the things we create will be.

How do you show children that STEAM is fun and not just “boring” technology?

Children like to play. If you give them the right environment to play and to create, who doesn’t want to express themselves?

Recently we were running a hack on Healthcare and getting young children to build apps. They loved it – I’m thinking of two little girls who spent the weekend building a house app because they had included talking fruit in their app and to them it was the most hilarious thing they’d ever seen. It’s one of those things where you don’t have to force them because they’ve made something, they’ve explored, they’ve played with the technology.

A couple of years ago we did a big data hack using Twitter and it was so interesting to see what interested the young people we had at the hack. One of them was obsessed with Chelsea Football Club and so that was what she dived into, analysing the Twitter feeds of Chelsea players at that point and generating infographics from them. Her little sister was obsessed with Build-a-Bear so she went around and collected some fantastic information on that. There was another girl who wanted to find  out the best member of One Direction.

Everyone has passions. Everyone sees problems that they’re very aware of, and they’re growing up with all of these, and so they’re really, really aware of what needs to be solved. They really care, and so I think it’s being able to show technology in that context, and allow people to get creative.

What age range are you targeting with the resources you mention?

Basically from 4 to 19, the gamut of primary and secondary education.

Knowing what you know about STEM in schools, do you think there’s enough collaboration between these disciplines in mainstream education, or do you think that there could be more focus on collaborating and skill sharing?

There could always be more. Collaboration is one of those things where the more you do, the more you learn, the better you get, so I think there’s definitely more that could be done. I do actually think it’s an interesting one. Teachers are between a rock and a hard place I think on this, because exams are not (for the most part) collaborative. Most SLTs have particular KPIs and metrics they look at to gauge how well their schools are doing, but I think with a bit of imagination these metrics can actually be made to work to provide a more collaborative setting in schools – for example, how can school leaders reward time that’s spent in collaboration? How can they reward this future skills work by teachers which is happening in their schools? Obviously, it does require investment, experimentation, and a little bit of thinking outside the box to give teachers agency to be able to try new things.

I think teachers do want to do this, but at the moment there’s a sense that there’s not enough positive reinforcement and support for those teachers when they do go a little bit outside the box, so we do certainly need more support and buy-in from SLTs to help build these core skills of collaboration – don’t forget, these skills are going to help close up the gaps that have been left by the pandemic and really address many of the issues around wellbeing and lost learning which we’re hearing so much about now.

UNBOXED: Creativity in the UK – funded by all four governments of the UK – is the biggest, most ambitious creative programme ever presented on these shores. The programme offers a once in a lifetime opportunity for pupils aged 4-19, to become immersed in science, technology, engineering, the arts and maths (STEAM), through a range of remarkable projects across the UK and FREE online learning experiences. Explore the free resources today https://unboxed2022.uk/learning-programme

Millions of young people across the UK are set to benefit from a unique schools’ programme that puts creativity and collaboration at the heart of learning based on real-world examples.

UNBOXED: Creativity in the UK is launching the programme designed to inspire young people, aged 4 to 19, with its creative projects showcasing collaborations across science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM).

The UNBOXED projects involve hundreds of events and activities across the UK and online, and cover a range of ideas, including space and science, the environment, growing and sustainability, and history and community. From a bio-diverse forest in a city centre to a North Sea offshore platform transformed into a giant artwork, schools can experience first-hand these creative successes when engineering and design, scientific research and technological innovation, including AR and artistic work, come together.

Designed by educators, teachers, technicians and artists with a wealth of experience in STEAM, this free learning programme from UNBOXED includes engaging and fun lesson plans, worksheets and presentations to stimulate young people’s creative thinking, encourage global citizenship and develop the skills they will need for the future of work. The resources are aligned to the curriculum across all home nations and suitable for enrichment and personal development. The programme is entirely flexible and offers a complete blend of class-based, online, real-world and location-based learning.

Resources currently available are linked to About Us, an immersive journey through 13.8 billion years of our history from the Big Bang to the present day; Our Place in Space, designed by renowned artist and writer Oliver Jeffers, which recreates the solar system as a 10-kilometre trail here on earth and Dreamachine, an artwork you ‘see’ with your eyes closed, which explores the human mind, as part of a massive research project into human perception.

Future resources will be based on StoryTrails, one of the biggest people’s history projects ever undertaken; Dandelion, a Scotland-wide growing project that reimagines the harvest festival for the 21st century; Green Space Dark Skies, which considers the environment and the UK’s beautiful landscapes; PoliNations, which is inspired by the fact that almost 80 per cent of the UK’s plant life originates from overseas; GALWAD: A story from our future, which projects the population into 2052, and SEE MONSTER, a feat of engineering and design that transforms a decommissioned off-shore North Sea platform into a space to playfully explore reflect the great British weather, reuse and sustainability.

According to a recent report from the Policy & Evidence Centre ”The promotion of creativity in educational settings can help young people build entrepreneurial skills and improve their future employability”. The UNBOXED Learning Programme recognises the importance for teachers to provide future skills-based and real-world learning to the classroom and seeks to reinvigorate creativity in every classroom in the UK. It believes creativity – our creativity – has the power to change the world.

Bhav Patel, Year 5 Teacher at West Hill Primary School, Staffordshire, said: “The resources we had from About Us were brilliant. They give children the ability to combine their creativity and science knowledge, through writing a poem based on space. It was so popular we had children asking to stay in rather than go out and play. The free resources are perfect for any teacher to just pick up and build into their lesson planning to increase engagement in the classroom and provide an exciting learning experience.”

UNBOXED: Creativity in the UK is the biggest and most ambitious creative programme ever presented on these shores. It is funded and supported by the four governments of the UK, and is co-commissioned with Belfast City Council, EventScotland and Creative Wales.

Explore the free resources and join the UNBOXED Learning Programme today: unboxed2022.uk/learning-programme

The boys’ secondary school in SE23 has been proud to hold a Stonewall Bronze award for three years which has demonstrated their commitment to LGBTQ+ equality and inclusion. To achieve Gold there was lots of progress which included writing a Trans-inclusion policy, adapting the School Journey policy to be LGBTQ+ inclusive, and collating LGBTQ+ inclusive lessons from across the curriculum.

Mayor of Lewisham Damien Egan and Cllr Chris Barnham, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services and School Performance, visited the school to celebrate with staff and students, and to see some of the work in practice.

Mayor Damien Egan said: “Every child should feel safe and valued in school. Forest Hill are changing the experience of LGBQT+ children in school and I hope other schools will copy their success. Well done to everyone at Forest Hill School for this incredible achievement – we are very proud of you!”

Councillor Barnham said: “What a fantastic accomplishment for Forest Hill School! Schools in Lewisham are exciting and vibrant places to learn, where all children and young people should thrive and reach their full potential. It’s been great to learn more about the work happening in this school and to meet the staff and students involved.”

Michael Sullivan, Headteacher at Forest Hill School, said: “Huge congratulations to all staff and students who have helped us achieve this fantastic award! At Forest Hill School, we are wholly committed to continuing to improve our inclusion and celebration of LGBTQ+ people and identities.”

Mo Wiltshire, Director of Education and Youth at Stonewall, said: “We’re delighted that Forest Hill School for boys has won the Stonewall School Champion Gold award. Our judging panel was impressed by their dedication to LGBTQ+ inclusion and the work they do to create an inclusive and welcoming environment for their gay, bi, trans and queer students.

“LGBTQ+ inclusive education is transformative for LGBTQ+ young people and makes the world a safer and more accepting place for all. It’s wonderful to see Forest Hill School embrace LGBTQ+ inclusion and we look forward to them continuing their great work in this area.”

The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) works with thousands of young people, teachers, and partner theatres each year to ensure everyone has access to an arts-rich education and the opportunity to unlock their potential. This autumn, RSC Learning is offering a wide range of resources and activities for teachers and learners, many free to use, including online performances and videos, workshops and professional development opportunities.

Jacqui O’Hanlon, RSC Director of Learning and National Partnerships said: ‘All young people deserve an arts-rich education. We know this develops the life chances of children, contributes to their wellbeing, develops skills and behaviours that mean they do better at school, enhances employability and creates engaged citizens who make a positive contribution to the world we all live in.

‘We have so much evidence as an arts sector about the ways in which arts-rich schools and arts learning unlocks potential and reveals new ways to see ourselves, others and the world around us.  All young people and schools should have access to artists and resources that support learning outcomes for children and develop pathways for their future, equipping them to go out and thrive in today’s world’.

Examples of RSC Learning activities

The RSC’s Certificate in Teaching Shakespeare develops teachers’ skills knowledge and confidence in using RSC rehearsal-room approaches in the classroom.

In addition, any school, anywhere in the UK can book a teacher professional development day led by RSC artists at a venue of their choice.

‘Live’ Lessons explore the characters, themes and language of Shakespeare plays and the Shakespeare Learning Zone contains an informative and interactive catalogue of games, videos, galleries and key learning resources, giving students the chance to find more about each play or revise ones they know well. The newest additions will be The Comedy of Errors and As You Like It, including specially commissioned films of actors in rehearsals and in performance.

The new ‘Clore Learning Centre online’ workshops enable any school anywhere in the UK to book a workshop with RSC artists to explore the contemporary relevance of Shakespeare’s plays to our lives and world today. Online Workshops on Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet or The Tempest are available throughout November and December 2021.

This year, the RSC has been working with Samsung Electronics UK to create Next Generation Introduces – a series of films that explores the theatre careers available off stage. These films feature RSC Acting Artistic Director, Erica Whyman, and RSC Director of Digital Development, Sarah Ellis, as well as representatives across Costume, Technical and Marketing departments. The full set of films are now available at https://www.rsc.org.uk/learn/young-people/next-generation/introduces

Sophie Edgerley Harris, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility at Samsung Electronics UK said: “At Samsung, we believe it is our duty to help to equip the next generation with the skills they need to thrive in a technology-driven future. We all have a part to play, and are committed to giving everyone equal access to knowledge, skills, and resources. We are delighted to partner with RSC to deliver these films to open up career opportunities in the sector and allow young people to shape a better future for themselves and their communities through technology.”

The RSC is also hosting a programme of events this Autumn, including a Free School’s Broadcast of The Tempest from 15 – 19 November 2021, a Primary open day for the RSC’s upcoming production The Magician’s Elephant – a brand new musical based on the novel by children’s author, Kate DiCamillo – on 25 November 2021.

All resources and event information are accessible via the Learning section of the RSC website: rsc.org.uk/learn