Abbi Molyneux (19, left)) and Lilly Holden (18, right) are the newest recruits to the Leeds-based asbestos management specialists, which celebrated its 10th anniversary and doubled its office space last year.

Appointing the duo represents the company’s commitment to inclusivity and diversity and its investment in the next generation of asbestos analysts. Both trainees are on a five-year path to become qualified asbestos management consultants with full support and financing of their British Occupational Hygiene Society (BOHS) qualifications.

With a passion for STEM subjects, Lilly is hoping her new role will inspire others to pursue a career which reflects the things they love. She said: “I’ve always been practical and hands-on and I’m aware I’m entering what’s traditionally a male-dominated profession – but that’s not new to me as I was one of just two girls studying Design Engineering at New College in Bradford!

“After visiting Inspectas on work experience, I realised it was just what I’d been looking for – interactive, because we are constantly meeting people onsite, varied with the amount of travel and different places that we visit including schools, universities and social housing where asbestos has been removed and there’s a clear career path ahead. Everyone is so friendly and I feel I’m learning a lot every day that I shadow the team.”

Abbi, who joins Inspectas straight from studying law, psychology and criminology at New College in Bradford, is also keen to progress through the key stages to become a qualified asbestos analyst surveyor. She added: “Inspectas has so much experience on the team. We are learning on the job every day and being guided through all the different stages of the asbestos clearance process. It is challenging but it’s such an important service – asbestos still exists inside some buildings but removal and its management is a specialist area that I’m excited to be a part of.”

Inspectas was formed in 2013 by asbestos management professionals Craig Candlish and Matthew Fahy who combined their expertise to launch Inspectas Compliance. Today, the company has a portfolio of more than 150 clients in the education, healthcare, retail, construction and industrial sectors.

Director Matthew Fahy said: “Trainee analyst surveyors are the backbone of our industry and we know it’s historically been a challenging environment for women to work in. We are committed to giving equal opportunity to all of our employees and want to contribute to the diversity and career prospects that are available within this sector.

“We are absolutely delighted to welcome Lilly and Abbi onto the team. Their interest in and passion for our sector is a fantastic basis for us to build their knowledge and education through BOSH training and qualifications and we’re looking forward to watching them develop and flourish in this rich, varied and fast-paced compliance learning environment.”

The International Women’s Day visit saw a group of 30 pupils from Parrs Wood High School meet airport staff in the AeroZone educational facility before taking a tour of the new-look Terminal 2.

More than a dozen colleagues from a wide variety of roles took part in Q&As with the pupils, including women working in airport security, airfield operations, procurement, hospitality and community engagement, in addition to colleagues from partners DHL and Greater Manchester Police.

The pupils also had the chance to explore AeroZone’s interactive education zones and try their hand at some of the jobs they heard about.

In the afternoon, a Terminal 2 tour was led by Jane Daintith, the Head of Terminal Operations, who explained what goes into keeping a busy airport terminal running smoothly and outlined the improvement work taking place as part of the airport’s £1.3bn transformation programme.

Marcella M’Rabety, Head of Education, Skills and Employment, Manchester Airports Group, said: “It was a privilege to welcome Parrs Wood High School pupils to the airport for the day and offer some insight into the wide variety of career opportunities available at a major travel hub such as this one. This is all part of our vision to empower women to seek out the roles and careers that they want to go for, while ensuring that those careers are accessible for all and that we provide a welcoming and inclusive environment.”

Fed up with having to wear uncomfortable and ill-fitting cricket clothes usually made solely for boys, Honor and Cat Black came up with the designs for Maiden to help girls feel more confident on the cricket field. More than just a brand, Maiden is a declaration that cricket – with all its passion and excitement, is for everyone, played at the very top level by both boys and girls, with over 100 million women and girls playing cricket worldwide.

But the clothing worn by young girls starting out or training each week is not made for them, often hand-me-downs from older brothers or boys’ kits that don’t take into account a girl’s curves, comfort or style.

Honor and Cat Black are on a mission to reshape the future of female cricket with their innovative designs, meticulously crafted to girls’ unique needs – both in terms of function and fashion, making girls feel confident on the pitch, encouraging them to play and look their best. The apparel is both stylish and comfortable, ensuring it won’t let you down – a common fear for girls who regularly have to wear whites or sports kit.

Honor Black, 16, Co-Founder of Maiden says: “It’s been a journey of passion and dedication. Cricket was a game we fell in love with as kids. But every time we wore those oversized jerseys and trousers, it felt like we were borrowing someone else’s dream. With Maiden, we want every girl to know that this dream is theirs, too.

“We put a lot of thought and detail into each of the clothing’s designs and have had really positive feedback from girls who have tried them so far. We want to champion girls’ cricket; highlight what a fantastic sport it is in instilling confidence in young women and in building a community of girls supporting girls, championing others’ success and looking and feeling good along with way.”

Cat Black, 14, Co-Founder of Maiden adds: “Maiden is more than just clothing. It’s about creating a sense of belonging; a community where girls, whether they are players or supporters, feel empowered and seen.”

The launch range includes Mid-on Tops, Pace Pullovers, Nightwatch and Test Match Trousers together with prices ranging from £35. Ethically made in Portugal, the products are sustainable and durable. The girls strongly feel that they have a responsibility to be protective towards the environment for future generations of female cricketers.

Maiden are currently on the lookout for Maiden ambassadors – young female cricketers keen to wear the apparel on the field and inspire other girls to play and look their best. Those interested in becoming an ambassador please fill out a form here.

NFER has published a report, Tutoring sustainability: Understanding the views of school leaders, after gathering the views of a nationally representative sample of senior leaders from primary and secondary schools in England. This included those who are currently participating in the NTP, have previously participated in the NTP, and have never participated in the NTP. The survey took place between 10 and 15 March 2023.

The results found nearly two thirds (65 per cent) of the 52 per cent of senior leaders currently using the programme are planning to continue using it in the 2023/24 academic year. Three quarters (76 per cent) currently using the NTP believe it is improving the attainment of their disadvantaged pupils, while 73 per cent believe the programme selection guidance allows them to prioritise pupils most in need of academic support.

However, views on the cost-effectiveness of the programme are split (42 per cent believe it is cost-effective and 45 per cent do not) while 58 per cent of surveyed leaders do not think tutoring is a long-term solution to closing the attainment gap for disadvantaged pupils.

The top five reasons given by senior leaders for dropping out of the NTP were:

1. Reduced subsidy (55 per cent)
2. Annual funding arrangements for the NTP made it difficult to forward plan (35 per cent)
3. Difficulties sourcing suitable tutors (28 per cent)
4. Administrative burden required to access the funding was too high (27 per cent)
5. Reporting requirements for the funding were too burdensome (23 per cent)

Dr Ben Styles, NFER’s Head of Classroom Practice and Workforce, said: “School leaders mostly believe the NTP is helping disadvantaged pupils, but many feel this support comes at too high a cost in terms of finances and administration.

“Tutoring is not yet embedded in schools. Long-term financial support is needed alongside reductions to the administrative burden on staff.

“Leaders would also benefit from much more notice on changes to funding arrangements, so they can forward plan and budget properly.

“Overcoming these barriers is vital if tutoring is to win the hearts and minds of schools and be seen as a sustainable way of helping to close the attainment disadvantage gap.”

The study also found:

• Almost all (91 per cent) senior leaders currently using the NTP feel it has allowed them to offer support to more disadvantaged pupils and more than two thirds (68 per cent) have been able to hire or use additional staff. But nearly half (47 per cent) reported that their school only offers tutoring during normal lesson times.
• Issues with NTP funding arrangements are the main reason schools are stopping delivery of the programme, but only 46 per cent of senior leaders agree that providing tutoring would be their top priority if more funding was available for supporting disadvantaged pupils.
• The ability to source suitable tutors, administrative burden and time required to implement the NTP are barriers to sustainability as they are reducing take-up and/or causing drop-out from the programme.
• More than half of all senior leaders surveyed (61 per cent) believe that other types of support are more effective than tutoring for improving attainment amongst disadvantaged pupils, including 42 per cent of senior leaders planning to continue using the NTP next year.
Among numerous recommendations, the report calls on the Government to:
• Explore how additional financial support can be made available to schools over a longer period, to allow tutoring to become embedded in schools.
• Provide schools with more notice about funding arrangements for new programmes to allow them to forward plan.
• Review and reduce the administrative requirements to access, implement and report upon NTP funding and that of other future programmes.
• Work with schools and tutoring organisations to understand their requirements for tutors and consider how best to recruit and retain tutors as part of a wider school workforce strategy.
• Undertake further research to investigate which aspects of tutoring and its implementation can be optimised to improve attainment outcomes for disadvantaged pupils, so that best practice can be shared among schools.

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.

Tech4Schools is an initiative designed to tackle the issue of digital poverty and digital access – an issue which excludes many disadvantaged children and families across the UK from basic learning, work and career opportunities. Research from Teach First has revealed that one in five children who were home schooled in 2021 due to the pandemic, did not have access to an appropriate device, and around 10.2 million people (20 per cent) in the UK lack the digital skills needed for everyday life.

Following £360,000 funding from Amazon, Teach First will select schools in need from disadvantaged communities across the UK to receive support. Each school will receive a donation of £18,000 to fund devices to use at home and in-class, as well as other tech peripherals they may need, such as keyboards and headphones. Participating schools will also receive bespoke support from the Learning Foundation on how to embed a digital culture within the school, how to engage with parents, and how teachers can best use devices to enhance learning opportunities for young people of all ages.

In addition, the Learning Foundation’s online Community Hub will run a dedicated space for school staff participating in this scheme, to share best practice and learning, together with masterclasses and short “how to” sessions, with Q&As for participants. Schools will also gain support from experts within their Teach First community, and receive ongoing access to products and savings with In Kind Direct.

The Learning Foundation will evaluate the impact of the scheme with support from the University of Nottingham Trent, who has been commissioned to assess how the device donations and digital support affect pupils’ attitudes to learning. Only a limited number of schools (20) have been selected to participate in Tech4Schools, but if the programme is successful, it is hoped the scheme will be rolled out to more schools with the support of all four partners.

Elizabeth Anderson, COO, The Learning Foundation, comments: “In an increasingly digital world, it’s never been more vital that all our young people have access to the right technology for their education. But we know that hard-pressed schools aren’t always able to provide this.

“As we celebrate our 21^st birthday supporting schools with tech this year, we’re incredibly grateful to Amazon, as well as our partners In Kind Direct and Teach First, for coming alongside us to help us continue to empower these schools, and their pupils.”

Beth Knight, Head of Amazon in the Community, Europe, comments: “I’m delighted that we’ve been able to provide schools with much needed devices and to help equip young people with the skills and equipment needed to unlock their future potential. Amazon is proud to be part of Tech4Schools.”

Paul Buchanan, Interim CEO from In Kind Direct, comments: “We believe everyone deserves access to life’s essentials and that no usable product should go to waste. So many children without access to technology and connectivity have already missed out and are continuing to miss out on their education. We don’t want any child to feel left behind, that’s why we’re working alongside Amazon, The Learning Foundation and Teach First to ensure schools get the technology and support they need to provide their students with equal opportunities in learning. In Kind Direct is supporting by ensuring participating schools have access to the products they need, when they need them”

Russell Hobby, CEO from Teach First, commented: “The pandemic revealed several inequalities in our education system, and the digital divide was one. It remains serious as technology is playing an increasing role in pupils’ learning. If young people from poorer backgrounds do not have equal access to devices and the internet, then the attainment gap will grow.

“That’s why, through the Tech4schools initiative, we’re working with our partners to identify and support schools that most need new digital devices and tech support. Together, we hope to address the ongoing digital divide within education and equip the younger generation with the digital skills they need to excel in school, work and beyond.”

The findings are published as three-quarters of schools in the UK celebrate Anti-Bullying Week reaching over 7 million children and young people. The campaign urges children across the country to reach out to friends and trusted adults if bullying is taking place.

The research finds that both those being bullied and the children who bully others have a bad experience of school life, disliking going to school, feeling less safe and having poorer relationships with their teachers.

The research underlines the lasting effects of being bullied, with children frequently on the receiving end having significantly poorer wellbeing than those who do not report being bullied at all. Interestingly, those who frequently bully others have the poorest wellbeing whether they bullied online or face-to-face.

Anti-Bullying Week takes place from the 14 to 18 November and has the theme Reach Out. The week will kick off with Odd Socks Day on Monday 14th November, where adults and children wear odd socks to celebrate what makes us all unique.

This research is released along with an open letter from the Anti-Bullying Alliance consortium of over 200 organisations calling on all adults to consider the example they are setting to children and young people about how we treat each other.

Whilst there are many examples of kindness and respect that we can share with young people to showcase how we should treat each other, far too often children see negative discord amongst adults that influences their behaviour. We believe it imperative we consider the impact our words and actions have on the children and young people who are learning from us.

The campaign is supported by many celebrities and influencers, including Anti-Bullying Alliance patron and children’s television star Andy Day who with his band Andy and the Odd Socks is releasing the single ‘Calling Out’, bringing alive playgrounds, classrooms and assemblies across the UK.

Martha Evans, Director of the Anti-Bullying Alliance said: “Children and young people need to know there is help out there if they are being bullied or are witnessing bullying. It starts by reaching out to someone you trust if you need to talk. Reaching out to someone you know is being bullied. Reaching out to consider a new approach.

“And it doesn’t stop with young people. From teachers to parents and influencers to politicians, we all have a responsibility to help each other reach out.

“That is why members of the Anti-Bullying Alliance have written an open letter calling on adults to consider the example they are setting to young people about how we treat each other.

“Whether it is during a Twitter spat, arguments in parliament, a relationship breakdown on the latest reality TV show, or a row on the street; children are too often watching. They are listening and they are learning from us.”

Andy Day, patron of the Anti-Bullying Alliance and CBeebies presenter said of Odd Socks Day: “We are over the moon to be working with the Anti-Bullying Alliance again on such an incredibly important issue. Encouraging acceptance of individuality at an early age can help prevent bullying later in life and raising awareness on the issue of bullying is very important to us. Odd Socks Day is a fun day where we can do all of this! We would LOVE for your school to get on board!!”

For more information, please see: https://anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk/anti-bullying-week/anti-bullying-week-2022-reach-out

The newly appointed Waterstones Children’s Laureate (2022-2024), Joseph Coelho (pictured left), has revealed details about the first campaign in his role as the foremost representative of children’s literature.

The award-winning performance poet, playwright and children’s author will launch ‘Poetry Prompts’, in partnership with BookTrust, on National Poetry Day tomorrow marking the beginning of an epic celebration of the power of poetry in all its forms. Through the campaign, Coelho aims to break down the fear often associated with reading and writing and show why poems are for everyone, alongside the joy that writing, reading and performing poetry can bring to our lives.

National Poetry Day also marks publication of Coelho’s latest collection Blow a Kiss, Catch a Kiss: Poems to share with little ones (Anderson Press, 3+), and his YA verse novel The Boy Lost in the Maze (Otter-Barry Books).

Coelho said: “Poetry Prompts is my invitation to the nation, young and old, to become poets. We turn to poetry at weddings, funerals and births because it goes beyond mere words and translates the soul. But there is baggage associated with poetry that I want everyone to put down – to allow everyone to reclaim the birth right of poet. So often I’ve met children and adults scared to put pen to paper, terrified of ‘getting it wrong’ – this has repercussions in all aspects of life. I want to show everyone that poetry is for them, that we can enjoy the rules and break the rules.”

From National Poetry Day onwards, Coelho will share a weekly ‘Poetry Prompt’ video to inspire the nation, young and old, to write poems and to become poets. Each video will see Coelho exploring a different subject or technique – such as similes, onomatopoeia and figurative language – and showing how this can be brought to life in fun and engaging ways through poetry.

The first ‘Poetry Prompt’ will tie in with the theme of this year’s National Poetry Day – the environment – and will see Coelho creating a new poem inspired by the sounds of the environment, and showing the freedom that comes with poetry having no rules – ‘it’s your poem and you’re the boss’ – with the suggestion that poems can even be written on a leaf fallen from a tree, bark of a branch, or a stone.

The bitesize video series – each lasting under ten minutes – will be shared on the BookTrust website each Monday morning, with teachers encouraged to share during registration time to help inspire students to pick up a pen and start writing their own poem. BookTrust, the UK’s largest children’s reading charity and who manage the Laureateship, are set to distribute a Poetry Prompts poster to almost 20,000 primary schools to help inspire children to take part in the campaign and create their own poems.

BookTrust and Joseph Coelho will also be collaborating with the Centre for Literacy in Primary Education (CLPE), who are the National Poetry Centre for Primary Schools, to create a host of resources to accompany the Poetry Prompts, which will be available to download on the BookTrust website and free for use in schools, libraries and at home to encourage further learning and exploration of poetic form and literacy. These resources will be accessible to everyone and will encourage children to read and perform Joe’s poetry and be inspired to come up with ideas for their own poems. Coelho has been a patron of the CLPE since 2019.

Diana Gerald, CEO of BookTrust, added: “At BookTrust we believe all children should be able to enjoy the lifechanging benefits that reading and sharing stories can bring. Poetry can be a powerful gateway into storytelling and can help children to develop their creativity, imagination and inspire them to read, write or perform their own stories to express a whole range of emotions or topics that they are interested in. We’re incredibly proud to support Joseph Coelho on his mission to break the misconceptions about poetry and hope children and families are inspired to celebrate poetry in all its forms and use it to find their own voice.”

The proposals for the first primary school at the development of the former barracks at Waterbeach have been announced by Cambridgeshire County Council. The new school will be called Deneia Primary Academy, to reflect the history of the area, and will be a part of Anglian Learning, a multi academy trust based in East Anglia covering Cambridgeshire, Essex and Suffolk.
The school will be built as part of Urban&Civic’s Waterbeach development and, subject to successful final planning permission, will offer education for children from age four through to eleven. Deneia Primary Academy will open from September 2024.

Anglian Learning has been working with Urban&Civic, Van Heyningen & Haward Architects, Cambridgeshire County Council and the constructors of the school, RG Carter, throughout the design stages. The new 630 place, 3 form entry academy will have extensive grounds and will be an environmentally friendly building. The school will be built as a nearly net zero energy building and whole life carbon emissions are minimised within the proposals. These designs will produce a building and grounds that are resilient in the face of climate change.

Provision for each year group at the school will be created using linked classrooms and shared breakout spaces to facilitate flexible and creative approaches to learning. The academy has additional facilities to provide bespoke provision for children with special educational needs.

The school has also been carefully designed into the wider development by providing nearby woodland play areas and a car free zone, so the children can walk, cycle and scoot safely to school. It will also have a shared public square in front of the school for parents to meet and the community to come together.

Jonathan Culpin, CEO of Anglian Learning (pictured), said: “We are delighted to be the sponsors for this new primary school. As a Trust our vision is for dynamic, empowered learners who will thrive and lead within their community. Deneia Primary Academy will be built with an outstanding setting and learning environment, both indoors and outdoors, and this will enthuse the children in their learning and deliver on our ambition.”

Rachael Johnston, Executive Headteacher for Deneia Primary Academy, said: “I am thrilled to be leading the establishment of this new school for Anglian Learning. The eco-credentials of the school build with sustainable and reusable materials, will significantly influence our curriculum. For example, the extensive grounds, including mature woodland, pond and wildlife area will provide the opportunity for outdoor learning through our Forest School whilst the orchard, with heritage fruit trees, will provide pupils with the experience of growing their own food and will be incorporated in lessons on cookery and nutrition.

“As an Anglian Learning school, there will be a strong focus on the arts, due to the formal Memorandum of Understanding that the Trust has with Arts Council England and our commitment to embed arts and culture within all of our academies.”

Caroline Foster, Project Director at Urban&Civic (pictured), said: “This is a significant milestone for the development, and we are really pleased to be working with an Academy Trust that shares our vision for the community. We look forward to continuing to work closely with the County Council and Anglian Learning on the delivery of Waterbeach’s first primary school in an inspirational woodland setting.”

Deneia Primary Academy will be the sixteenth school to join Anglian Learning. Formed in 2016, the Trust spans education from early years through to Year 13 with nine primary schools, six secondary schools including two sixth forms.

The new school will have a Local Governing Body, comprising members of Anglian Learning, the local community and parents. It will be at the heart of the community at Waterbeach New Town, a thriving, diverse community in a sustainable and well-connected location in Cambridgeshire. The development will be delivered in phases with each phase containing the facilities, amenities and services the new community needs – from homes and schools through to green space, play areas, sports facilities, shops, eateries and community spaces, all connected by an extensive network of footpaths and cycleways.

To find out more about Deneia Primary Academy and to register an interest in places at the school, please contact enquiries@anglianlearning.org.

Each participating school will receive 100 books, covering a range of titles across fiction, non-fiction, poetry and mythology; from much-loved classics to new voices. Authors included in the selection are Matthew A. Cherry, Malala Yousafzai, Ibtihaj Muhammad and S.K. Ali and more. Each school will also receive a class set of The Good Turn by Sharna Jackson.

Research by Lit in Colour, carried out by Penguin Books and the Runnymede Trust in 2021, revealed a stark picture of under-representation of Black, Asian and minority ethnic authors in the teaching of English Literature in this country. This is relative both to these authors’ place in contemporary British literary excellence and school population demographics. According to the research, 82% of young people do not ever recall studying a book by a Black, Asian or minority ethnic author, while 70% agree that diversity is part of British society and should be represented in the school curriculum.

The research also found that a key barrier for primary school teachers was a lack of ready-made resources available from teaching sites that are focused on diverse texts. This is a significant challenge for educators who rely on these for the basis of their planning.

In response to this, Twinkl are producing a comprehensive set of learning resources that aim to make it as easy as possible for educators to create a full lesson around these titles and immerse learners through a selection of activity sheets to be used alongside the books and as follow-on activities.

Twinkl’s comprehensive series of educational resources will cover 20 titles that will support bringing new literature to classrooms. The learning materials will consist of various worksheets and activity packs. These include 60-second reading activities, to biography fact files and writing packs. These resources will be available to freely access online and can be used in connection with Penguin’s Lit in Colour book list.

Zaahida Nabagereka, Penguin Random House’s Head of Social Impact, said, “Partnering with Twinkl on this first ever UK wide Lit in Colour Primary School donation is a really significant step in addressing the barriers the Lit in Colour report identified in 2021. We are committed to supporting teachers to take diverse books into their classrooms with confidence, and key to that is resources. This collaboration strengthens the argument that we can achieve more when we tackle systemic issues together.”

David Angrave, Twinkl’s Chief Operating Officer, said, “As a global education publisher, we are delighted to work with Penguin on such a meaningful campaign. Our Lit in Colour resources aim to engage learners in a wide variety of diverse titles in the classroom. Through a range of voices in books, children can discover different cultures and identifiable characters.

We are looking forward to continuing to collaborate with Penguin with this campaign and help build an inclusive outlook which celebrates differences and what brings us together.”

Sharna Jackson, author of The Good Turn, “When I was younger, there was a pronounced lack of access to many books that reflected my experience – as part of the curriculum, or in my school library. It’s why I wholeheartedly support the transformative work that Lit in Colour does to expand and enrich the curriculum. I am so incredibly proud that The Good Turn can be a small part of this change, as this donation from Lit in Colour and Twinkl will make an enormous difference to thousands of young readers who deserve to see themselves and their experience reflected in the books stocked on their school library shelves.”

To find out more about how your school can get involved with the Lit in Colour book giveaway, please visit https://www.penguin.co.uk/lit-in-colour/twinkl-partnership. Primary teachers can apply by completing this short form by Friday 30th September.