Following their incredible efforts in collecting more than 12,000 pieces of litter from beaches and parks during the summer, pupils from Ysgol Eirias in Colwyn Bay seeded more than 6,000 bulbs and 20 trees on Craig Road, Old Colwyn.

In partnership with Conwy’s Community Development Officer, volunteers from Man Coed VM Ltd, Creating Enterprise, Cartefi Conwy and Ysgol Swn-y-Don, groups from Year 7 upwards completed the task in just a matter of hours and even collected several bags of rubbish on the walk back to school!

Wellbeing Officer Abbie Johnson (pictured) has been leading on a series of programmes to support learners in and out of the classroom, focused on health, inclusivity, and the environment.

“My role is to work with the children so they can reach their potential and become the best they can be, both academically and socially,” said Abbie.

“We are outdoors helping to clean up and conserve the local area, but also holding interventions in numeracy and literacy to give extra support in those areas, and promoting exercise, healthy living, and mindfulness.

“The students have really taken ownership of these schemes, they are from different backgrounds, and different ages and genders, so everyone gets a voice.”

A new Uniform Recycling System will be introduced in the coming year, ensuring pupils can collect jumpers, skirts, trousers, and other items for free, and Abbie has started a new Thursday cookery class, fully funded so learners go home with a hot meal.

For further information on Ysgol Eirias visit: www.eirias.co.uk

This year marks the 30th anniversary of British Science Week, an annual ten day celebration of all things STEM which this year will take place from 8th-17th March. The Kick Start Grant aims to give schools with children who are underrepresented in STEM subjects the chance to organise a programme of fun and engaging events and help the students discover the joy of science.

The grant, created by the BSA with support from UK Research and Innovation, intends to widen access and participation in STEM subjects by providing the opportunity for inspiration and engagement for children who may otherwise not have the opportunity to take part in science and discover their own passion for the subject.

In previous years, schools have used the grants to explore exciting STEM topics and activities such as a school-wide bridge building competition, hosting local ‘Festival of Science’ events, arranging visits to the London Zoo and Natural History Museum, hosting sensory exploration activities for SEND pupils, and more.

Applicant schools should be committed to breaking down misconceptions in STEM sectors and boosting confidence and enrichment for ethnic minority students or students from disadvantaged backgrounds and the BSA encourages applicants to reflect this in their proposed activities.

Susan Matambanadzo, Education Manager at the British Science Association said: “On the 30th anniversary of British Science Week, we are reminded of the great impacts the STEM sectors have on our society. From spaceships to solar energy to food science, it is important children of all backgrounds have the opportunity to engage with the world through science.

“We are dedicated to ensuring all children, especially those who come from disadvantaged backgrounds or belong to ethnic minority communities, can engage in science learning through enriching projects and activities that help them discover their own love of STEM. Through Kick Start Grants, schools will receive the funding to help break down barriers to access a quality and inspiring science education.”

Kick Start Grants range from £150 or £700 depending on the level of activity or event applying schools plan to host. Any state-funded, non-selective schools or colleges in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are invited to apply if they meet at least one of the following criteria:

• Over 30% of pupils eligible for pupil premium or equivalent.
• Over 30% of pupils who are from ethnic minority backgrounds.
• Small school based in a remote and rural location.

Schools that apply for the grants will also be offered the opportunity to join the BSA’s newly launched Engage Teacher Network, a community of 1,500+ teachers who are committed to delivering science engagement activities for all students and who understand the barriers and potential solutions for schools in challenging circumstances. The Engage community encourages all teachers to share ideas, access free resources and apply for grants to help bring science to life for all young people.

Applications for Kick Start Grants close at 11.59pm, Monday 6th November 2023. For more information on Kick Start Grants, or to apply for a grant, please visit: https://www.britishscienceweek.org/grants/

The Kit Scheme, run in partnership with Nike, aims to encourage more young girls across England and Wales to participate in football and builds upon the 7,000 free football kits that have already been given away via the Premier League Primary Stars schools programme since 2017.

Premier League Primary Stars uses the appeal of the Premier League and professional football clubs to inspire children to be active and develop essential life skills. It is available to every primary school in England and Wales, inspiring girls and boys aged 5-11 in the classroom, the playground and on the sports field.

The programme supports teachers with free, downloadable, curriculum-linked resource packs and activities across PE, PSHE, Maths and English. More than 18,700 primary schools across England and Wales have taken part in Premier League Primary Stars to date.

Nick Perchard, Head of Community and Football Policy at the Premier League said: “We are pleased to be able to launch the Premier League Primary Stars Kit Scheme again in partnership with Nike, this time specifically to support and encourage more young girls to get involved in football.

“The Kit Scheme builds on the League’s ongoing support of women’s and girls’ football, having provided funding to aid the expansion of The FA’s Emerging Talent Centres and pathways for girls aged eight to 16. We hope as many schools as possible take up this opportunity.”

All teaching staff registered to Premier League Primary Stars, and who work with primary school pupils aged 5-11 in England and Wales, can apply for the Kit Scheme. Applications will need to include details on each school’s commitment to girls’ football and how the new kit will support an increase in girls’ participation in the sport.

Dan Burrows, Senior Director of Social & Community Impact at Nike said: “Nike is delighted to partner with the Premier League to launch the Premier League Primary Stars Kit Scheme. Our work with partners like the Premier League is vital to removing cultural, social and economic barriers to participation, so all kids, especially girls, have an opportunity to benefit from play and sport. Together, we can create an active next generation and a healthier and more equitable future for all.”
Successful applicants for the Premier League Primary Stars Kit Scheme will receive a set of Nike Park Short Sleeve shirts, shorts and socks (13 x outfield sets and x 1 goalkeeper set) – with a range of colours available.

The playing kit will be embellished with Premier League on the front of the shirt, No Room For Racism on the sleeve and will be numbered between one and 14 on the back, with Nike 2.0 hijabs also available as required.

Teachers can register for the Premier League Primary Stars Kit Scheme on www.PLPrimaryStars.com ahead of the application window closing on Friday 9 June 2023. Successful applicants will receive their kit during the Spring term 2024.

Each year, British Science Week is an opportunity for students and their wider school community to get hands-on with all things science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) and explore the brilliantly broad range of careers and opportunities in the field.

The grant scheme, run by the British Science Association and funded by UK Research and Innovation, aims to inspire and widen access for children who might not otherwise have the opportunity to take part in science or gain exposure to the sector.

Last year saw schools use their grants in a range of exciting ways, from funding workshops and school trips to Kew Gardens to bringing in external speakers from local universities and businesses such as the University of Hull and Yorkshire Water. The grants also provide schools with additional resources to host STEM-themed competitions and projects; last year the grant enabled one group of Year Seven students to design a wellbeing garden for their whole school to enjoy and another school to grow a ‘spaghetti tower’, to help them understand how energy enables growth.

The grant scheme offers a range of levels to help remove barriers for schools in challenging circumstances, including:

• Kick Start Grant – a grant of £300 for schools to run an activity during British Science Week
• Kick Start Youth Grant – a grant of £150 for students aged 10-19 at school to organise and deliver an activity during British Science Week
• Kick Start More Grant – A grant of £700 for schools to host a science event or activity that involves your students and the local community, for example local businesses and employers
• Combined Kick Start Grant and Youth Grant – A grant of £450 for schools to run an activity during British Science Week and an additional activity organised and delivered by students aged 10-19.

To apply for the grant, schools are encouraged to submit an application for a project that is cross-curricular and challenges science stereotypes which will help engage students who are otherwise underrepresented in STEM. Schools are also invited to use the theme for British Science Week 2023 ‘Connections’ as inspiration for their events.

To be eligible for a grant, schools must meet at least one of the following criteria:

• Over 30 per cent of pupils eligible for pupil premium, early years pupil premium or equivalent.
• Over 30 per cent of pupils who are from minority ethnic backgrounds.
• Be a small school based in a remote and rural location.

The British Science Association is also offering Community Grants of £500 and £1000 to help local community groups run their own projects and activities, in an effort to inspire and expand the number of people who enjoy and take part in science.

The British Science Week 2023 Community Grants and Kick Start Grants are now open for applications. The deadline for submission is midnight 7 November 2022. For full details on eligibility and how to apply, please visit the Kick Start Grants guidelines and 2023 Community Grants guidelines.

Applications will need to be submitted via the British Science Association online forms. Please visit the British Science Week Grants pages to apply.

Coleg y Cymoedd has been awarded the Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme (TASS) dual career accreditation which is given to institutions that demonstrate a commitment to supporting young sportspeople to follow a dual career route – allowing them to reach their potential in education while achieving success in their sport. The college joins Swansea and Cardiff Metropolitan universities as one of only three Welsh higher education institutions with this status.

To mark its achievement, the college hosted a launch event at its Nantgarw campus which welcomed student athletes and their parents as well as guests from partner sports and education organisations to hear about the scheme and what it will mean for future learners. The evening included a talk from special guest Helen Phillips MBE (pictured centre), Non-Executive Chair of Commonwealth Games Wales.

Alun Davies, Dual Career Lifestyle adviser at Coleg y Cymoedd said: “The TASS accreditation is a prestigious recognition for the college and we are so proud to see that the strategies we have implemented to support our student athletes are being celebrated.

“We pride ourselves on being a place where learners’ academic and sporting goals are both fully supported, enabling them to gain qualifications alongside their sports pursuits without compromising either.

“Becoming a TASS dual career accredited site will help place Coleg y Cymoedd on the competitive path with other sporting institutes in Wales and across the border. The accreditation will also enable us to continue building connections with local sporting institutions and attract a greater number of talented athletes to the college in the future.”

Following a rigorous assessment process, Coleg y Cymoedd was awarded the accreditation in acknowledgement of the various initiatives and extra support it provides to athletes studying at its campuses. Its flexible academic policies include arranging catch up sessions with teaching staff when learners’ sports clash with lessons, access to online notes and additional resources, and even rescheduling deadlines or exam dates in exceptional circumstances.

31 talented student athletes will be selected to take part in the TASS programme at Coleg y Cymoedd, covering a diverse range of sports including but not limited to rugby, fencing, karate, gymnastics, football, netball, athletics, swimming, gymnastics, and taekwondo.

Among these learners are Welsh junior world champions who have represented Wales at the Commonwealth Games and GB Performance Squads. Each of them will receive one-one academic and lifestyle support from a qualified practitioner, with tailored plans based on their individual needs, which will depend on the nature of their sport.

They will also have access to top training facilities and advice around areas like nutrition and strength and conditioning, as well as personal development workshops focused on developing their skills and resilience.

Guy Taylor, TASS National Director, said: “TASS Dual Career Accreditation Scheme is an important measure to ensure that talented athletes are allowed the flexibility to pursue an education and enjoy a more well-rounded life. Through the programme, learners acquire skills and formal qualifications that are needed to help them find alternative careers, either alongside their sporting activities or once their sporting days are over.

“It’s important to us to recognise those institutions who place precedence on their athletes’ education. We’re delighted to be awarding TASS Dual Career Accreditation to Coleg y Cymoedd in recognition of the great policies they have in place to offer an effective and lasting dual career structure within the college.”

Launched in 2017 and available to every primary school in England and Wales, Premier League Primary Stars uses the appeal of the Premier League and professional football clubs to support pupils in the classroom, the playground and on the sports field.

Premier League Primary Stars’ range of more than 640 curriculum-linked activities support teachers to build their pupils’ confidence in key areas from Maths and English to PSHE and Physical Education and can be used off-the-shelf or tailored to suit teachers’ needs. More than 58,000 teachers have downloaded and used the free curriculum-linked resources since the programme began.

To mark the five-year anniversary, the Premier League is launching the Active Summer Challenge. This brand new initiative will challenge pupils to find five ways to keep active during the summer holidays, a time when fitness levels can drop. The new resources are now available for teachers to download for free on the Premier League Primary Stars website.

Exclusive content featuring Premier League players, club coaches and experts has been created to support teachers to inspire pupils deliver impactful PE lessons. Nine out of 10 teachers believe that they have seen an increase in pupils’ enjoyment of sport and physical activity linked to the programme.

In addition to PE, English and Maths resources, Premier League Primary Stars also supports teachers to deliver classroom-based discussions and activities on important societal topics such as anti-discrimination, mental health and gender stereotypes linked to No Room for Racism, Wellbeing Stars, and Rainbow Laces. After using the PSHE resources, 72% said that their pupils understand more about how to challenge prejudice and discrimination and 79% of teachers said their pupils have a better understanding of how to look after their own wellbeing.

Natalie Sutton, School Manager at Sandfield Close Primary School, said: “The Premier League Primary Stars programme has opened up so many opportunities and doors to us that we wouldn’t have been able to open on our own. We’ve had such a positive experience since joining back in 2018. It is important to measure progress but for me, it is also important to see our pupils expand their thinking and learn about key subjects in a fun and engaging way. It has all been so positive for us as teachers, but more importantly beneficial to the learning of our pupils.”

www.PLPrimaryStars.com

A recent inspection judged the school to have made sufficient progress in relation to the recommendations following the most recent core inspection. As a result, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education and Training in Wales has removed Ysgol Bro Sannan from the list of schools that are in need of significant improvement.

The inspection report highlighted efforts made by the school and Caerphilly County Borough Council in developing a robust leadership structure, which has helped Ysgol Bro Sannan make good progress against nearly all of its priorities following the core inspection. A reorganisation of the staff structure has also helped ensure the school is making best use of its teachers’ and assistants’ expertise.

Richard Edmunds, Director for Education and Corporate Services at Caerphilly Council, said “This report is excellent news and demonstrates the efforts by everyone involved. It’s reassuring to see that the report recognises the challenges presented by the Covid-19 pandemic and, despite these, teaching staff have still shown great progress in supporting pupils to improve their numeracy and literary skills, as well as their independent learning skills.

We understand that there are still aspects of the school’s work which could be developed and are committed to supporting them to improve even further.”

Chief Education Officer for Caerphilly, Keri Cole, added “I am delighted to celebrate the progress made at Ysgol Bro Sannan. Under the leadership of the headteacher and Governing Body, the school has worked tirelessly to secure rapid improvement, which has had a very positive impact on learners and their families.”

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

Schools can explore the programmes in depth and register now FREE at hayfestival.org/schools, while pupils can apply to take part in the Beacons Project at hayfestival.org/beacons-project.

Welsh language Scribblers Tour events take place in-person on 3 November at Bangor University and on 4 November at Aberystwyth University, bringing creative inspiration direct to transition-year pupils (Years 6 and 7). Welsh poets Gruffudd Owen and Rufus Mufasa will lead the workshops alongside host Aneirin Karadog at both universities, with writers Mererid Hopwood, Eurig Salisbury and Hywel Griffiths adding to the programme at Aberystwyth, while Osian Owen joins at Bangor.

A free in-person Programme for Schools will then take place 24-25 November at Hay Festival Winter Weekend in Hay-on-Wye with six events for KS2-3 pupils. Sessions will also be broadcast online for pupils unable to travel to the booktown, adding to the free Programme for Schools digital archive and offering pupils all over the UK the chance to see their favourite writers and get creative.

On Wednesday 24 November, events for KS2 pupils include writer Onjali Q Raúf (The Lion Above the Door), illustrator Rob Biddulph (Peanut Jones and the Illustrated City) and author Emma Carroll (The Week at World’s End). On Thursday 25 November, events for KS3 pupils include writers Sally Nichols (The Silent Stars Go By) and Nicola Davies (The Song that Sings Us), and rap-poet Karl Nova.

Meanwhile, the Beacons Project, a free workshop residency for 16-18-year-olds interested in writing, will run through Hay Festival Winter Weekend, 24-28 November, offering the next generation of writers a tailored weekend of inspiration featuring Festival guests from across the main programme.

Over the past 18 months, Hay Festival’s education events have taken place digitally, reaching 100k pupils in more than a thousand schools across the UK and beyond, part-funded by the Welsh Government and Hay Festival Foundation.

Aine Venables, Hay Festival Education Manager, said: “We’re back for our first in-person events for schools since 2019 and we’re energised to welcome pupils and teachers again to our events. In a year of enormous challenges for young people and educators all around the UK, we’ve been pleased to connect with thousands digitally and can’t wait to re-connect with that same spark of inspiration in live events. Our free Welsh Scribblers Tour, Winter Weekend Programme for Schools, and Beacons Project offer a chance for young people all over Wales to engage with writers and their work. Everyone is welcome.”

Jeremy Miles, the Minister for Education and Welsh Language, said: “I’m very pleased to see that we have been able to support Hay Festival’s Programme for Schools once more, giving young learners access to a variety of creative and cultural experiences, both digitally and in-person.

“Cultural and creative learning will form a crucial part of our new Curriculum for Wales, and I’m pleased we’ve been able to work with Hay Festival to provide children throughout Wales with a rich series of events this autumn.”

Upcoming Hay Festival events for general audiences this autumn include international editions in Spain and Peru, along with Hay Festival Winter Weekend, which brings writers and readers together for a year-end wonderland of in-person and online events to inspire, examine and entertain, 24-28 November, in Hay-on-Wye, Wales.

Now in its 22nd year, an eclectic mix of speakers and performers will lead the hybrid Hay Festival Winter Weekend programme in five days of conversations, candle-lit storytelling, comedy, music, and family workshops. These will be the first Hay Festival events in the UK with ticketed audiences in two years, with the full programme due to be released at the end of September.