Don’t Mention the Climate – In January 2021, the government published the Skills for Jobs White Paper, with a clear focus on the pivotal role that further and technical education has in helping people get skills for good jobs now and in the future. The Government followed this up by publishing the Skills and Post-16 Education Bill whose Committee Stage will involves a line-by-line examination. This began last week (Tuesday 6 July). The Association of Colleges, has proposed important amendments to the Bill. To view these click here. AOC urges that sustainability and the role of colleges in delivering a net-zero carbon economy should be introduced to the bill. As our chair of trustees notes in a recent comment: “Is it not incredible that, in 2021, and knowing what we know, such amendments are needed? Incredible, but unsurprising given the track record of thinking by the UK’s educational civil servants … .“
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The Nature Table – This week’s Inkcap Journal is a collaboration with the Nature Gatherer, a newsletter that examines the intersection of nature and culture, and argues for the return of the nature table to schools. It notes that the idea of bringing nature into schools now has high-level backing through the Dasgupta Review which argued that nature studies should be part of children’s education from the earliest stages right through to post-school settings.
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Zero Carbon Schools – The Green Schools Project has announced the next stage of its Zero Carbon Schools Programme that will be available from September. The programme is fully funded and will provide 50 schools with an educational opportunity to involve pupils in the school’s journey towards zero carbon emissions. The programme includes: [1] plans and resources for a series of 30 pupils sessions suitable for years 4 to 9. [2] a monthly online ‘how to’ session for teachers delivering the programme. [3] a buddy and peer support system. [4] support to calculate the school’s carbon footprint. For schools that have some budget available there will be a premium version of the programme that includes an assembly, a teacher training session, an introductory call with key staff, and support calls each term. If you are interested, please contact Beth Newman on beth.newman@greenschoolsproject.org.uk and she will send an information sheet and school agreement.
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Green Assemblies – The new UK Government COP26 schools pack Together for our Planet includes a green assembly guide, along with other ideas and external resources to help schools engage their students in climate action and wider climate change conversations.
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A 15 Day Week – National Marine Week is The Wildlife Trusts’ nationwide celebration of all things marine. Despite the name, it lasts 15 days to allow for the variation in tide times around the country. This year it runs from July 24th to August 8th. The Wildlife Trusts are encouraging young people to celebrate our planet by making a one-minute long marine movie and posting it on Instagram or Twitter using #NationalMarineWeek for a chance to be featured on social media and win a prize.
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Outstanding Geography – Did you catch our latest blog? It highlights a report by Iain Freeland HMI, Ofsted’s subject lead for geography, who has written about geography in outstanding primary schools. In this he outlines the findings from the subject inspection of geography in 23 outstanding primary schools.
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Complex, Interlinked and Dynamic Issues – The Times of India reports that the deepening environmental crisis will continue to worsen if there is not significant support and investment in environmental and science education. Writing for Environmental Education Research, senior editors (including our President, Professor Justin Dillon) are quoted arguing that reforms would help young people to address the complex, interlinked and dynamic issues that we all face.
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UNESCO Knowledge Products – The Director–General of UNESCO has convened an independent International Commission to work under the leadership of the President of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, Her Excellency President Sahle-Work Zewde. Its purpose is to develop a global report on the Futures of Education. Members of the commission are “thought-leaders from the worlds of politics, academia, the arts, science, business, and education” who will “consider inputs received through the different consultation processes. This collective intelligence will be reflected in the global report and other knowledge products connected with the initiative.” There’s an explanatory video.
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Commonwealth Instagram – CASTEME – the Commonwealth Association of Science, Technology and Mathematics Educators – has an Instagram account aimed at children and parents, through which her colleagues share photos and videos of natural objects and living things.
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Half Way to John o’Groats – Simon Saville, Butterfly Conservation Trustee and Chair of BC’s Surrey & SW London Branch, is now over half way through his 1,200 mile bike ride from Land’s End to John o’Groats to help fight the decline of butterflies and moths. In a recent blog he writes about hitting the halfway point of the journey. Simon’s route and other details are here, and you can follow his progress @sbsaville
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Safe Drinking Water – In 2015, all countries pledged to work towards universal access to safe drinking water, sanitation and basic hand washing facilities by 2030. One-third of the way into this 15-year period we are still far from achieving this: 26% of people do not have access to safe drinking water; nearly half are without safe sanitation; and nearly one-third without basic soap and water. Hannah Richie write about this in Our World in Data providing useful data and argument for school discussions.
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One Million Tonnes of Rock – The Ben Cruachan pumped storage power station on Loch Awe is set to double its generating capacity to 1GW through the excavation of a new turbine hall inside the mountain. Over one million tonnes of rock will need to be excavated to make the cavern. The existing reservoir, which can hold 2.4 billion gallons of water, will be able to serve both power stations. Visiting makes for an educational great day out if you’re in the district.
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National Curriculum Outdoors: KS1 – This is a new book from Bloomsbury Education adding to their existing curriculum-focused list. There are now five books in the series from Key Stage 1 to Year 6. The new one presents a series of photocopiable lesson plans that address each primary curriculum subject, aiming to enrich pupils with the benefits of learning in the natural environment. The authors are Sue Waite, Michelle Roberts and Deborah Lambert.
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Minimum Oxygen Zones – An article in The Conversation reports that global emissions of nitrous oxide (N2O) are increasing as a result of human activities that stimulate its production. Nitrous oxide, sometimes known as laughing gas because of its narcotic properties, is a potent greenhouse gas, some 300 times more powerful than carbon dioxide. The oceans currently account for around 25% of global N2O emissions, and scientists are working to improve estimates of marine contributions. Most research has focused on oxygen minimum zones, which are known to be N2O hotspots.