The resource showcases the diverse skills involved in a day in the life of the British Army and provides teachers with an exciting way to teach geography that captivates students.

The Applying Geographic Skills resource provides an in-depth look into the diverse roles within the British Army that utilise geographic skills, from logistics to strategic planning, broadening students’ understanding of how geography is applied in different careers. By presenting geography in the context of real-world Army scenarios, this innovative resource offers teachers an exciting way to make geography lessons captivating and relevant for students aged 11–16.

With robust curriculum links, the resource addresses a critical need in the education sector. A recent study by the Geographical Association (2024) reveals that 70% of UK teachers need more accessible and high-quality resources to effectively deliver the geography curriculum. Furthermore, 48% of teachers report their workload as unmanageable most or all of the time (Engineering UK, 2023), underscoring the necessity for additional support and innovative teaching materials in geography education.

The new resource introduces students to essential geographic skills in data, map, and GIS analysis. In one of the featured activities, students work to analyse a range of data to determine a location for a Forward Operating Base (FOB). The resource includes two 45-minute lessons and a 60-minute session with presentations and worksheets, with activity options and extensions for KS4.

The British Army’s free platform, British Army Supporting Education, is a one-stop shop of award-winning resources available to support teachers. It offers engaging, curriculum-led resources and the ability to organise inspiring workshops, work experiences, and career development services.

The Applying Geographic Skills resource is now available for free on the BASE website here. You can also explore their full range of resources, covering leadership, mental wellbeing, character education, employability skills, STEM, and key calendar moments such as Black History Month, Remembrance, and VE Day on their lesson library here. With these supportive educational resources, the British Army positively impacts the educational experience of young people and empowers them for the future.

The entry, which was submitted by Year 9 pupils Hannah, Millie and Lily, was selected from 1,483 entries by 2455 students from 145 different schools.

In response to the competition brief, the three girls created an innovative information vending machine dispensing facts and figures, as well as a short film, to raise awareness of the benefits of working as a ‘dramatherapist’ within the NHS. They were presented with the award by Annie Laverty, Director of Patient and Staff Experience at Newcastle Hospitals, at a special school presentation event after which the pupils’ achievement and their winning film was displayed on a giant DigiVan which toured Newcastle stopping at iconic locations across the city.

The ‘Step into the NHS’ secondary school competition launches at the start of each school year and an overall national winner is selected from a number of regional winners. It has been designed to highlight the 350 different career pathways on offer within the NHS – one of the world’s biggest employers.

Annie Laverty said: “It was a pleasure to attend the school assembly and be able to listen to all the students with such brilliant ideas. To have the winning proposal out of 1483 entries is very special indeed – I’m sure the school is deeply proud.
“A big thank you, too, from all of us in the NHS, for helping to create awareness of the huge variety of NHS careers that are available to young people after leaving school.”

Kirsty Ridley, Head of Careers, NHSG, said: “We’re so proud of Hannah, Millie and Lily for winning the national award in this prestigious NHS competition. Their innovative solution was recognised by the judges as a truly original and powerful way to raise awareness of the rewarding career of dramatherapist. The creativity the girls displayed by presenting their findings as a vending machine, which popped out key facts was impressive, and they were so excited to see their film being shared across Newcastle on the DigiVan.”

“Understanding the many varied and specialist roles out there is so important to pupils as they develop their skills and prepare themselves for the world of work, so taking part in this competition has been hugely beneficial not only to our winners, but to every pupil who meticulously researched, planned and delivered their thoughtful entries based on a diverse range of healthcare careers.”

Darren Aldrich, Head of Communications at NHS Health Careers, said: “We’d like to congratulate Hannah, Millie and Lily on their incredible NHS job advert and being crowned our Step into the NHS secondary school overall competition winners for 2023-2024. Our judges were bowled over with the girls’ highly original concept and the research they’d undertaken to bring the role of NHS dramatherapist to life. We’d like to thank everyone from Newcastle High School for Girls for their hard work, in particular recognising the achievements of the school’s highly commended awardees.

“Every year, we are always impressed with the hundreds of amazing entries from students exploring the more than 350 NHS careers. We hope that this win will inspire students to raise their career aspirations and help them feel more confident in their job-seeking skills.”

Newcastle High School for Girls is an independent all-through 3-18 all-girl school that is part of the Girls Day School Trust (GDST).

Stewart’s Melville College and The Mary Erskine School will become a single, co-educational school from the start of the 2026-2027 academic year. The new school, which includes the ESMS Junior School, will collectively be named Erskine Stewart Melville and provide education for pupils aged 3-18.

Both schools already operate in part as a co-educational (diamond) model, with the junior school and sixth forms delivering the curriculum in this way. Once the transition takes place, all parts will become a simplified, single structure, operating as one school throughout every year group.

Anthony Simpson, Principal of Erskine Stewart Melville, said: “This is an exciting new chapter for the School. As we look to the future, this new simplified structure will enable us to broaden the curriculum and create a more inclusive environment that reflects the modern world. Our current schools are fantastic, inspiring excellent exam results every year and offering an extensive range of co-curricular activities. As we move to a fully co-educational model, our primary focus will remain unchanged – to provide a world class education that will give our students the skills and mindset they need to thrive.”

The decision by the School followed a comprehensive review of its operations, including a thorough assessment of the curriculum, co-curricular opportunities, wellbeing provision and operational efficiency.

Anthony Simpson continued: “The new structure is far more efficient, and beyond unavoidable VAT increases, it will help us to limit substantial fee rises. Crucially, it will also enable us to continue investing in innovative teaching and learning.”

Erskine Stewart Melville Senior School will be located at the current Stewart’s Melville site on Queensferry Road, whilst Erskine Stewart Melville Junior School will be on the Ravelston site. When the new School opens its doors, it will leave just three single-sex schools in Scotland, reflecting a long-standing trend towards co-education.

The new school name, Erskine Stewart Melville, honours the original founders of the schools and its new logo borrows heraldry from each of the schools. Established in 1694, it is one of the oldest schools in Scotland.

A new report by King’s College London highlights how fewer girls in England are studying computing at secondary school since the curriculum became narrower in scope and the authors call on the incoming government to take action to address the problem.

The report finds girls are more likely than boys to say they don’t enjoy computer science GCSE, it does not align with their career plans or it seems more difficult than other subjects.

The authors also warn some can be deterred by pervasive stereotypes about the jobs available that use computing or digital skills. When pupils were asked to name famous computing people, men, in particular the tech entrepreneurs such as Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg, dominated the top 10 list with only two women included – Grace Hopper and Ada Lovelace – both of whom are long deceased.

To ensure computing is a subject that appeals to more young people the authors make a set of recommendations including the urgent need for curriculum reform, improving support for computing teachers and changing the current narrative around computing to focus beyond male tech entrepreneurs.

They point out that a wider range of digital skills are vital for individuals to participate in modern society and will be needed if the UK is to realise its aim to become a “science and technology superpower.”

Principal investigator Dr Peter Kemp, Senior Lecturer in Computing Education at King’s College London, said: “It is imperative that we see action to encourage more girls to take computing at school so they can develop the digital skills they will need to be able to participate in and shape our world.

“The current GCSE is focused on computer science and developing programming skills, and this seems to deter some young people, in particular girls, from taking up the subject. We need to ensure computing is a subject that is appealing to all pupils and meets the needs of young people and society.”

The report explores the impact of a 2014 curriculum change in England from Information and Communications Technology (ICT) to a greater focus on Computer Science that elevated computer theory and programming skills.

It highlights how 43% of those who took the GCSE in ICT were girls in 2015 compared to just 21% taking GCSE Computer Science in 2023.

Maggie Philbin, technology broadcaster and Director of TeenTech, an organisation which promotes digital skills, supported the report recommendations saying it is vital all young people have the opportunity to develop digital skills.

She said: “At the moment, many students see the subject as ‘difficult’ and vote with their feet if they are aiming for the best grades. It’s time to take a fresh look at the subject and work with teachers to design a curriculum which is more appealing and which teachers feel confident to deliver.”

The Subject Choice Attainment and Representation in Computing project (SCARI) report was a three-year study funded by the Nuffield Foundation and co-authored by Dr Peter Kemp, Dr Jessica Hamer and Meggie Copsey-Blake, all of the School of Education, Communication & Society at King’s, and Professor Billy Wong of the University of Reading.

Through a survey of almost 5,000 students, they found that, among girls who did not opt for computing at GCSE level, 74 percent said they did not enjoy it compared to 53 percent of boys. Also, 56 percent of these same girls felt it did not align with their career plans. Among Key Stage 3 pupils, girls were more interested than boys in topics such as digital media, project work and presentation work which were closer to the previous ICT curriculum.

The research also involved interviews with 45 stakeholders including teachers and school leaders and analysing 960 school documents. It revealed many teachers and senior school leaders were dissatisfied with the new GCSE Computer Science specification and felt unprepared to teach it. The teachers called for better access to continuous professional development, especially around ensuring equality, diversity and inclusion, as well as subject-specific training.

Pete Dring, Head of Computing, Fulford School, York, said: “Every student should be leaving school with the digital skills required to thrive in the workplace and society. We need to reform the curriculum to include a comprehensive computing GCSE that provides essential skills and knowledge beyond just Computer Science.”

To encourage more girls to take computing and to give all young people access to better digital skills, the report recommends:

• Reforming the computing curriculum with a focus on broader digital skills
• Promoting and enhancing teaching training and professional development
• Supporting inclusive computing education in schools
• Reframing the computing narrative
• Showcasing diverse digital opportunities
• Increasing access to out of school digital making

The authors call for a concerted commitment from policymakers, educators, business and other relevant parties. Otherwise, they warn: “The lack of women in computing may lead to heightened vulnerabilities and the dominance of men in shaping the modern world.”

Launching in September, the new scheme, TeachFood, will see the creation of a 9-month campaign featuring a variety of tools, resources and support networks designed to educate and attract aspiring food teachers.

Resources include the TeachFood toolkit, an online platform delivering videos, graphics and case studies from food teachers, as well as information on how to pursue a career in food teaching. In addition, a questionnaire will also be shared with those who engaged with the platform, with questions to help indicate the likelihood of users entering the food teaching profession following the campaign.

The news of the project comes after the recent ‘Teachers Labour Market’ report from the National Foundation for Educational Research, highlighting that 10 out of 17 secondary subjects are likely to under-recruit in 2024/25, with overall secondary recruitment forecast to be around only 61 percent of target. Data from the latest ‘Education and Training Statistics for the UK’ government report also shows that there were only 3,745 teachers for food technology classes for the 2022-23 academic year – a drop of 4% compared to 2021-22 and marking the 10th year in a row that food teacher numbers have fallen.

Alongside a lack of teachers, issues such as inadequate food technology facilities in schools are only compounding the issue further.

Speaking on the announcement of the project, Angela Maher, Chief Executive at The Savoy Educational Trust, said: “We’ve seen in recent years that although the number of students studying hospitality and food-related courses at secondary schools has increased there are not enough food teachers to deliver in the classroom, which is very worrying. Schools are telling us that they have really strong interest from students wanting to study these subjects, but many are having to limit numbers due to the shortage of teachers and more help is needed to fill these specialist roles. We hope our funding will enable the Food Teachers Centre to promote food teaching in schools, attract more teachers into the profession, and allow more students to undertake this important and worthwhile study option.”

The TeachFood project will be led by Louise T Davies, Founder of the Food Teachers Centre, as well as Roy Ballam, Education Consultant. Speaking about the importance of the project, Louise T Davies said: “Alongside helping increase interest and applications for food teacher roles, TeachFood also aims to tackle the many misconceptions and stereotypes around food teaching in schools and interest in it from secondary school pupils.

Data from Ofqual shows that 52,520 pupils studied GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition courses in the 2022-23 academic year – an increase of 3% compared to 2021-22 and a 16% increase when compared to 2018-19 records. This increase shows there is a growing interest in the field among young people, yet the government data shows that there are simply not enough food teachers in the field to facilitate the teaching required. Government support is also lacking when it comes to helping address this, with food teaching in particular not seen as a priority when it comes to the wider teaching crises we currently face – which is why there is a real need for a project like TeachFood to help tackle this very important issue.”

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.”

The Westminster Bridge-based college has been highly praised by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI), which has deemed DLD College London to be fully compliant in meeting all statutory Independent School Standards.

Commending teaching and learning at the college, the diligent inspectors found that “teaching is consistently inclusive” and “the range of courses available allows pupils from different educational backgrounds to choose pathways that can fulfil their ambitions, including those pupils who have SEND. Therefore, whether boarders or day, domestic or international, pupils can flourish academically.” It was also acknowledged that “pupils achieve well in creative subjects such as art, graphics, photography, media studies and drama…well-designed resources and teaching expertise in media studies enable pupils in sixth form to finalise their documentary productions, meeting technically and creatively high standards.”

Significantly, the inspectors noted that “the school’s description that ‘London is our classroom’ is lived out” and “pupils enjoy the opportunities to embrace the multi-cultural benefits of their cosmopolitan local environment, and they prosper in terms of personal and social development and intellectual stimulation from the opportunities that are available to them.”

It was also highlighted that “a nurturing pastoral care system brings out the best in pupils.”

Principal of DLD College London, Irfan Latif commented: “I am thrilled to finally share the ISI report for DLD College London, which took place during the penultimate week of a jam-packed autumn term. I am delighted with the report and found the whole inspection experience positive – from the initial phone call to the final feedback session, the process was supportive and collaborative under the new ISI F23 framework. Well done to the entire DLD community – staff, students, parents, guardians and governors for all their support, dedication and encouragement. This is an incredible achievement!”

The Exeter-based business’s charitable organisation, the Class People Foundation, supports the welfare, wellbeing and aspirations of children and young people in early foundation stage, primary and secondary education. The deadline for its current round of funding is Friday, 5th April.

Nominations are open for schools and nurseries to put themselves in the frame to receive funding of up to £1,500 per establishment to support a wide range of projects. The Foundation annually dedicates funds to eligible establishments generated from the recruitment business’s profits and through the fundraising and voluntary time of its staff.

Officially launched in 2021, the annual grant has so far supported a dozen schools with various projects worth around £10,000 and is hoping to fund at least ten more this year. The grant fund is accessible to all schools and nurseries across both regions, who can use the funds to support running or capital costs, for sports kits, residential trips, events and other activities.

Lynis Bassett, Founder and Trustee of Class People Foundation (pictured left), said: “As a former education professional, I along with the team understand only too well the increasing financial challenges faced within the education sector. We also know that the relationships between schools and the families in their communities extend beyond the classroom. Through The Foundation’s grant giving, we are able to support projects which improve the lives and learning of school-aged children and young people. In the 2018/19 academic year alone, we put aside £10,000 in support of our local schools and nurseries.

“Our funding also addresses another growing need, as more families experience poverty in the face of rising living costs. A grant from The Foundation can, for instance, provide school uniforms for families who are struggling or offer schools a little extra to support meals for hungry children. Alternatively, a bursary from us can alleviate the pressure on a student to leave school and start earning. Our aim is to significantly grow this funding pot through increased fundraising support over the next few years, to ensure as many schoolchildren and local communities as possible get to benefit from a grant.”

If you’d like to apply for a grant, tell us about your project and how it will help to improve the lives and learning opportunities of the children and young people in your school community, using the online application form found here.

www.classpeople.co.uk

The 17-year-old, from Corbridge, raced to victory at Croft Circuit on Saturday 17th February to clinch the career-launching prize, valued at up to £40,000. It marks a significant milestone for the teen, who is studying for his A Levels at Dame Allan’s Schools, in Newcastle, while embarking on a promising journey in motorsport.

Will was among thirty talented teenage drivers who participated in the rigorous one-day scholarship competition at the North Yorkshire racing circuit. Contenders took part in on-track driving assessments, group fitness challenges, simulated racing driving and pitstop activities.

Commenting after his success, Will said: “I’m extremely proud to represent the JSCC in their 10-year anniversary as their scholarship winner, especially given the incredible display of talent from the rest of the entrants. I really can’t wait for the start of my very first full season.”

Will started competing in the JSCC – a racing series for talented young drivers between the ages of 14 and 17, offering close and highly competitive racing at tracks across the UK – last year, having previously trained on a sim in his bedroom. He is the seventh driver to be awarded a JSCC scholarship since the series launched in 2014, with previous winners now having successful careers in F1 academy and F4.

JSCC coordinator Dave Beecroft, said: “We’re looking forward to working with this young man in 2024; a super scholarship winner!”

Will sat his GCSEs while competing as a rookie in the 2023 series. Despite being involved in a crash just days before his GCSE Geography exam, he collected an impressive set of grade 7s and an 8 on results day. He is now studying for A Levels in Geography, Design and Technology and Business at Dame Allan’s Sixth Form, in Fenham.

His mum, Tracey Crewdson, said: “Will works very hard and we owe so much to Dame Allan’s for the amazing grounding they have given him. The school has played a huge role in his journey.
“He is going to be a great ambassador for the JSCC series. While his driving ability was 99.9% of the scholarship assessment, his character, kindness and hard work ethic also shone through. This is a huge opportunity, and we are immensely proud of him.”

The opening rounds of the 2024 Junior Saloon Car Championship are scheduled to take place across the weekend of March 31/April 1 at Brands Hatch. As part of Will’s scholarship, all registration and race entry fees will be covered, and he will have use, transportation and storage of a race car for the full JSCC season. He will continue to race with Orex Competition during his final year as a junior.

Mrs Crewdson added: “His profile will be really raised this year before he goes on to race in adult competitive series. We don’t know which path he’ll go down, but as long as his future involves four wheels and a race track he’ll be happy!”

Will Scott, Principal at Dame Allan’s Schools, applauded Will’s success. He said: “Will demonstrates impressive resilience and determination. This wonderful scholarship opportunity on the back of an impressive set of GCSE results and a great start to his A Level studies is testament to his unwavering dedication and ability to excel in both academics and motorsports.”

Richard, from London, received a Gold CREST Award for his project of designing an app which explores the link between nutrition and mental health. He carried out the project whilst completing an In2Science placement at the Sainsbury Wellcome Centre, part of University College London during his first year of sixth form.

Working with neuroscientists at the Centre, Richard learnt more about the nervous system and the key relationship between diet and mood. Building on this knowledge, he then conducted a survey to discover how effective an app which enables people to better understand and manage the link between diet and depression could be. As part of the survey, he also considered the different factors impacting men’s and women’s mental health, including societal expectations of men to be less emotional.

Following the results of his survey, Richard was determined to design an app that would help anyone who may be struggling with mental health issues with the means to confidently take the steps to feel better. After analysing his results, Richard developed a prototype of the app in Figma, learning new presentation and design skills in the process to display the project, for which he earned a Gold CREST Award, the highest CREST achievement.

CREST Awards is a nationally recognised science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) education scheme that helps to empower children and young people to engage with STEM subjects by acting like real-life scientists as they undertake hands-on projects. Secondary-level CREST projects empower students to design and lead their own investigations, exploring topics of interest to them.

For Richard, the scheme allowed him to explore different strands of STEM and design a project that reflected his own interest in fitness and nutrition, as well as mental health, to demonstrate new links. Gold CREST Award projects typically take around 70 hours to complete, requiring students to conduct in-depth research, problem-solving and analysis to meet the criteria.

Reflecting on his project, Richard said: “I had the idea of nutrition because of my personal interest in fitness and the impact of food on your body. I was also drawn to mental health as a topic because I’ve seen a lot of people go through a hard time with mental health, like friends, and that’s something that’s sensitive to me so I decided to think about it… I knew what you eat has an impact on your mood so I was trying to make that connection.

“[I would] a hundred per cent [recommend CREST Awards] because you take the time, you learn new things, you learn new skills. With the Gold CREST Award you learn project management skills – how to start a project, how to manage a project, how to make sure you meet each goal within that – as well as new technical skills, such as Excel skills. You have the opportunity to learn a lot about science and upskill yourself”.

In addition to challenging young people’s scientific knowledge and investigative skills, CREST Awards are an excellent addition to any CV and give young people unique experiences to draw upon in interviews.

Richard found that interviewers took a keen interest in his project, saying: “It’s hard when you’re a sixth former applying for these big companies, you don’t have much to speak about for yourself.

“Interviewers probably hear generic answers, ‘I did this, I did that’…because of me doing the CREST Awards project, it was a unique thing and they were very interested in knowing why I did that and what I learned.”

Estelle Whewell, CREST Manager at the British Science Association, said: “One of the most exciting things about the CREST Awards, particularly at the Gold level, is seeing the wide variety of projects which are born from each young person’s individual interest. Richard’s project combined his interest in both nutrition and mental health, and led to him designing an app that could have real benefits for people struggling with depression.

“His project is a stellar example of why it is so important to give young people the space to pursue their own interests in the world of science and the chance to gain new skills and knowledge. Empowering young people to act like real-life scientists not only equips them with experiences and transferable skills that will benefit them later in life but also allow them to work on projects that could have a positive impact on society.”

For more information about the CREST awards, please visit: https://www.crestawards.org/

You can also find out more about Richard’s project and experience with CREST here: https://www.britishscienceassociation.org/blog/a-gold-crest-awards-case-study-finding-the-link-between-nutrition-and-mental-health