News
Schoolchildren choose classics in national reading competition
Classic children’s books written more than 100 years ago can still spark the imagination of the modern generation of schoolchildren, an analysis of the titles chosen in a national reading competition has revealed. More than 3,600 schools took part in this year’s Read For My School challenge, run by Pearson, the world’s leading learning company, and Booktrust, the reading charity, with the support of the Department of Education.
Some 212,000 pupils in primary and secondary schools across England participated in the competition which challenges pupils to read as many books as they can in two months, choosing from hundreds of print and online books that can be accessed at home as well as in class. In total, they read a staggering total of 876,000 books. While many of the most popular texts chosen by pupils this year were contemporary novels and non-fiction, some old favourites, written more than 100 years ago, featured strongly, including Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Black Beauty. Proving the enduring popularity of children’s author Roald Dahl’s, The Fantastic Mr Fox, published in 1970, takes fourth position in the table. Some 12,000 children selected the title.
Peter Hughes, director of corporate responsibility at Pearson, said: "Brilliant new children's literature is being produced all the
time but many classic books still have an enthusiastic audience. These books transcend the generations with their bold adventures and big themes. They transport children into different worlds.
"As well as the huge enjoyment pupils derive from the stories, many classics also introduce children to new words, enriching their language, and help them to progress in school."
Teachers can register to take part in the competition from November by logging on to
http://www.readformyschool.co.uk. On registering, they will be able to set up educator and pupil accounts as well as accessing a range of teacher support resources to prepare and plan for the competition well in advance. Schools, teachers and parents can also follow Read for My School on Twitter @ReadforMySchool.
Figures reveal almost half of education workers put off visiting the doctor due to work
Almost half (45%) of all education workers have put their health at risk by putting off visiting a doctor, according to new research by the British Heart Foundation (BHF). The BHF polled over 1,300 UK workers and found seven in ten (70%) workers in the education industry had gone into work despite feeling too unwell to do their job. A quarter (25%) had postponed hospital appointments because of their job while one in six (16%) have missed a routine health check-up.
Almost half of education employees (47%) said their work has had a negative impact on their health in the last five years, with over a fifth (22%) fearing their stress levels could lead to a heart attack.
One of the main reasons workers put their job first was they felt they had too much work to do to take time off (49%), whilst some felt that employee health and wellbeing was not a high priority for their employer.
The BHF is calling on all education employers to reverse this trend by making health in the workplace a top business priority. The charity says the businesses that do this reap the benefits of improved employee health and morale as well as increased productivity and a healthier bottom line.
Lisa Young, Project Manager for the BHF’s Health at Work programme, said: “This research is another reminder that health and wellbeing at work isn’t taken seriously enough, with millions of people putting their health at risk because of the stresses of their job. “Delaying medical attention no matter what your ailment can come at a terrible cost, not only to people’s long-term health but also to businesses.
“From working with more than 9,500 organisations across the UK, we’ve seen the businesses that invest in health at work reap the rewards of improved productivity, less sickness absence, higher retention and a healthier bottom line. Making this a higher priority should be a simple business decision.”
To sign up to the BHF’s free Health at Work programme visit
www.bhf.org.uk/health-at-work 4
www.education-today.co.uk January 2015
Autocar-Courland Next Generation Award 2014 winner revealed
Coventry University graduate, Nicole Agba, has been announced winner of the prestigious Autocar-Courland Next Generation Award for her innovative biometric steering wheel concept. Conceived as a launch pad into the competitive automotive industry for aspiring innovators, the Autocar-Courland Next Generation Award has helped many graduates kick-start their careers in sectors as diverse as paint and trim, PR and engineering. Roberto Pace, who won the Award in 2012, is now a design engineer at McLaren and designed a key steering rack part on the new P1 hypercar. Nicole’s ‘Steer Right’ system employs a Smart Fabrics Interactive Textile on the steering wheel of the car, using sensors to monitor the driver’s heart and respiration rates and detecting psychological signals that could indicate fatigue, anger or nervousness. If put into production, the steering wheel would even detect alcohol in the driver’s system, immobilising the vehicle if they are over the limit.
Announced as winner at the at annual Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders’ (SMMT) dinner, Nicole will now embark on a five-month work experience tour of Award sponsors Jaguar Land Rover, McLaren Automotive, Peugeot, Skoda and Toyota. She also wins a cash prize of £7,500.
Nicole, 23, from Rainham in Kent, said: “I’m ecstatic to have won! It’s such a unique experience; I’m so pleased to have had the opportunity to be a part of it. Not only am I thrilled to be the first female recipient of the Award, I hope my success inspires others who might ever have been told they cannot do something, to look at my example and not be afraid to chase their dreams. With hard work and dedication, you can achieve anything you set your mind to”.
Agba, who graduated from Coventry University with a degree in Transport Design in May, was one of three finalists who made it to the SMMT dinner; the other two were fellow students Freddie Lee and Serge Kaldany, whose entries were an app which alerts drivers to the presence of cyclists in the blind spot and a gaming console-inspired control system.
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