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Spellathon fundraising campaign goes online


M


encap, the UK’s largest charity supporting people with a learning disability, has announced the world’s first ever inclusive English language digital Spellathon Championships. Devised and developed by Digital Giving Ltd, the new online competition will take place between Monday 21 and Sunday 27 May 2012 and is part of the new format for Spellathon, which has embraced the digital world. For nearly 20 years, Mencap’s Spellathon programme has been aiming to improve spelling standards across the UK while raising money to help and support people with a learning disability. Spellathon sees entrants raise money for Mencap by securing sponsorship funds to spell a pledged target number of words. This year’s Spellathon is the first where people have been able to take part online via Spellathon.net or by downloading the app through the Apple, Android and Blackberry app stores. Logging on to the website, visitors are greeted by ‘The Professor’, a 3D bee voiced by Stephen Fry. He and his Spelling Bee companions guide users through a series of interactive spelling games, which can be played on a classroom whiteboard, a mobile phone, tablet or computer. Each is designed to enhance a player’s spelling and literacy skills to the next level.


This year, the inaugural Spellathon Championships will give participants the chance to test themselves against the rest of the world. Between Monday 21 and Sunday 27 May 2012, participants will have one opportunity to log into their online “hive” and record the longest run of correctly spelt words in 15 minutes. Scores will be recorded on a global leaderboard, with winners from each category announced in an online award ceremony on Friday 15 June.


Mark Goldring, chief executive, Mencap, said: “Spellathon makes spelling fun and visual, not just for teachers and their children, but also for adults who are looking to improve their spelling and literacy skills in a comfortable and friendly environment. In addition to this being the world’s first online Spellathon English language spelling competition, participating schools, colleges and universities can also benefit by receiving 25% of the money raised by their students.”


Stephen Fry, who voices 3D bee character The Professor, added: “This is just about the best integration of imagination, education, technology inclusiveness and fun that I’ve ever encountered.”


Registration for the competition is now open.


Education sector confidence soars D


espite perceived government funding cuts for schools, recent research forecasts a return of market confidence as procurement across UK primary and secondary schools increased by 8.6 per cent in Quarter 1 of 2012, when compared to Quarter 1 of 2011.


The first indication of market improvements came in Quarter 4 of 2011 when research showed a sales growth of 3.2 per cent and BETT again showed itself as the largest technology event in the world. The positive findings for British industry and the education sector come after a reduction in sales of 7.2 per cent across the year in 2011 and 19 per cent in 2010. The British Educational Suppliers Association’s (BESA) findings come from the quarterly survey of schools digital content industry in association with the Education Publishers Council (EPC). The highly anticipated research, carried out in conjunction with BESA and Publishers’ Association member organisations, provides analysis into school’s expenditure on digital learning resources and gives extensive insight into teacher confidence in recently re-structured budgets. However, the increase in sales is not evenly distributed across primary and secondary school sectors. Members of BESA from the Educational Software Publishers Association (ESPA) and members of EPC recorded an average increase in primary sales of 15.4 per cent for the first quarter of 2012, while secondary school sales increased by just 2 per cent. Ray Barker, director, BESA commented; “After a time of uncertainty resulting in a market contraction of £11.9 million in 2010, schools are now realising that funding for education resources is still good; schools are starting to invest again and become more confident. We are still seeing a level of caution – obviously, as schools are now investing more wisely which reflects the code of practice offered by our member organisations.”


Michael Rosen helps launch new Arts Award levels A


rts Award, the national qualification that supports young people to develop as artists and arts leaders is launching ‘Arts Award Discover’ and ‘Arts Award Explore’ - two new awards for children and young people aged 7 upwards.


Children from schools in East London, who took part in a major national pilot, were last month given the opportunity to celebrate the launch of the new awards through an afternoon of creativity at the Discover Children’s Story Centre in Stratford where children’s author Michael Rosen, gave a reading of his new poem written specially for Arts Award. Since launching in 2005, 60,000 young people aged 11 to 25 have achieved an Arts Award. Arts Award supports young people’s creativity, communication and leadership skills, and embraces all interests, backgrounds and abilities. To achieve an Arts Award young people set personal arts challenges, attend arts events, connect with their local arts scene and share their skills.


Alice Young, Head of Arts Award at Trinity College London, said: “Our ambition, together with Arts Council England, is that Arts Award will support many more children and young people to gain recognition for their creative achievements. We are delighted that we can now warmly welcome those aged 7 upwards to take part.”


Michael Rosen added: “I am honoured to lend my support to this important programme. My new poem encourages everyone to see the arts around them so I am delighted that whatever their inspiration, children can celebrate their creativity through doing an Arts Award.” Jan Beames, Headteacher from Cherry Orchard Primary School who took part in the national pilot said: “Our children come from different cultures and countries. They have different religions and languages yet they live and learn together. Arts Award is the channel through which we can find common ground, build relationships, celebrate our achievements and share them with the community within which we live.”


May 2012 www.education-today.co.uk 5


Arts Award is managed by Trinity College London in association with Arts Council England. Arts Award plays a key role in achieving the Arts Council’s strategic goal that ‘every child and young person experiences the richness of the arts’ and enriches Trinity’s portfolio of arts qualifications. Laura Gander-Howe, Director of Learning and Skills at Arts Council England, said: “Arts Council England has seen the demand for Arts Award to reach the younger age group grow and grow, and are really delighted to see the new levels get off the ground and arts organisations and schools start to deliver. It’s fantastic that young people can now follow their Arts Award journey from 7-25.”


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