1. NAEE‘s new Secondary Curriculum Handbook will be published on our website in early January. Our blog on Thursday will set out the Foreword to the Handbook written by NAEE’s Chair of Trustees. This begins:
Writing some two years on from the publication of NAEE’s Early Years and Primary Curriculum Handbook in 2015, I was briefly tempted to write the same Foreword as I did then – after all, the problems we face are much the same, other than being a little bit more urgent, with those responsible for education policy in England remaining studiously indifferent to the issues. That said, there have been significant changes in the wider world. The Paris Agreement was signed in December 2015 and the UN has demanded that countries work to realise the 17 Sustainable Development Goals [SDGs]. Taken together, and if successful, these programmes will transform the lives of billions of people across the planet – including lives in the UK. …
2. FACE has announced a new initiative, FaceTime/Skype a Farmer. FACE says:
We have an exciting opportunity to bring the world of farming, food and the environment directly into the classroom. FaceTime/Skype a Farmer has operated a successful pilot scheme in the East of England and we would now like to extend the invite to your school. Ultimately, we have farmers working in the modern, high-tech agricultural industry who are eager to engage with young people. Ideally, we would like to facilitate either a FaceTime or Skype call between your classrooms and a farmer (either locally or from another part of the UK or both). We have received an excellent response from farmers and now need to find enthusiastic teachers for them to link with! We would be looking to start this initiative in the Spring Term of 2018. Once we have the details of the schools and farms that are interested we can start an engaging conversation.
For more information for schools, click here
3. The GA’s Annual Conference keynote speaker has been announced. It is Dr Hannah Fry, Lecturer in the Mathematics of Cities at the Centre for Advanced Spatial Analysis, University College London. Hannah’s keynote will focus on ‘Patterns in human behaviour?’
Full programme details will be released in the new year. You can take advantage of the early bird discount if you book now.
4. There will be workshops for schools and providers of LOtC about Fundraising for Learning Outside the Classroom (LOtC) on 17th January [9:30am to 4:30pm] at the Islington Ecology Centre, London. This course will look particularly at the funding sources which are most relevant to LOtC – individual donations, community fundraising, grant making trusts, and local businesses. It is ideal for those who are just starting out in fundraising as well as those who would like a refresher. The session will cover:
• Making the case for why someone should support you
• Fundraising from individuals and the community
• Raising funds from grant applications to charitable trusts and companies
• Bringing it together – developing a plan
To find out more, click here
5. The Woodland Trust wants to recruit more Volunteer Speakers For Schools to visit schools across 25 of the 32 London Boroughs to deliver the Man Who Planted Trees assembly.
Contact VickyDuxbury@woodlandtrust.org.uk for more information.
6. Recent Articles from the Children and Nature Network include:
- NPS Extends Fee Comment Period
- Forest Nursery Demand in London Rises As Expert Calls for More Research
- REI Releases The Path Ahead Report
- Singapore’s Khoo Teck Paut Wins First Kellert Biophilic Award
7. Think Global is running its next Developing a Global Learning School course on 11 January. This designed to equip teachers with the tools to be able to more confidently discuss global learning in the context of their own school agenda. Find out more. There’s also a Real World Maths course for both primary and secondary teachers in February/March. This is an opportunity for teachers to learn how to link elements of the maths curriculum to real world issues. Find out more.
8. Circle of Life Rediscovery says what’s the John Muir Award about, and how can it benefit your pupils? CLR has been offering the Award at Discovery and Explorer Level since 2006, since when hundreds of young people have achieved the Award which at it’s heart recognised young people’s connection with, enjoyment of and care for wild places.
Four Challenges are at the heart of each John Muir Award, and to succeed each participant must:
- Discover a wild place / Explore its wildness
- Conserve – take personal responsibility / Share experiences
Click here to find out more.
9. The latest from the Permaculture Association is here.
It includes a Thriving Communities survey, and a research digest with foci on: