NEWS Summer Reading Challenge 2020 announced
The Reading Agency has announced that the Summer Reading Challenge will return for 2020 with a new website, where children aged 4 – 11 can take part in the Challenge and a “Let’s Get Silly” virtual launch event that the whole family can enjoy. With the disruption caused by COVID-19 and the impact of social
distancing on schools and public libraries, the all-new digital Summer Reading Challenge with its Silly Squad theme will launch earlier than usual to keep children reading over the summer and support parents and carers with children already at home. This year it will be running from June to September 2020. A whole host of virtual (super silly!) curated events with guest celebrities and authors will take place on Friday 5 June to mark the launch of the new digital Challenge. The website will be free to access, featuring games, quizzes and digital and downloadable activities to incentivise and encourage children and their families to take part in the Challenge at home. Although library buildings are closed, libraries will also continue to deliver the Challenge through virtual services and e-lending platforms. The Summer Reading Challenge encourages children aged 4-11 to read
during the long summer holiday with research showing that children’s reading can 'dip' severely during the summer if they do not have regular access to books. With school life disrupted and many children missing the company of their friends, this year’s Summer Reading Challenge will be all the more vital as a way of helping parents and carers find fun, family-friendly
activities, maintain literacy levels and create a safe space for children to connect with their peers. This year’s theme will also offer families a chance to have fun and just
“GET SILLY!”, with children being encouraged to read anything that makes them happy - whether it be a comic, joke book, poetry, fiction or non-fiction, in digital or print format, from e-book lending through the public library service or from what they already have at home, with the Summer Reading Challenge official book collection as a guide.
uwww.sillysquad.org.uk uwww.readingagency.org.uk
Illustrations © Laura Ellen Anderson 2020
Apprenticeship training provider to offer new norm assessments for City & Guilds
Seetec Outsource has been selected by City & Guilds, the Awarding Organisation and End point Assessment Organisation for the majority of UK apprenticeships, to support the development of an innovative approach to end point assessment pilot, to ensure that the COVID- 19 pandemic doesn’t impact years of hard work for the country’s apprentices. The training provider, which is known for its work
managing apprenticeship levy training for businesses across the UK has been faced with the challenge of pivoting its operation to accommodate 100% home learning and now 100% remote assessments in just a matter of weeks. Seetec Outsource worked with City & Guilds on a
reliable and flexible assessment solution which allows learners to complete their qualifications during lockdown. Whereas assessment tests are usually carried out online in the classroom setting with a coach present, this new multi choice online test had to be robust enough to enable learners to carry out the assessment alone in their own homes with the use of an online invigilator and secure technical adjustments ensured the validity of the test.
Kay Hedges, director of quality & excellence for Seetec
Outsource, said; “When the COVID-19 lockdown was announced we had to rebuild our curriculum from the ground up - quickly adapting it for fully online learning. The key challenge was to make it truly participative and support our delivery teams in learning how to use the new tools. We needed to equip our teams with the skills to deliver training remotely - some for the first time - teaching them how to connect with every single learner and evaluate their progress in one on one and group situations. It was also important to us to enable peer to peer engagement to give a true classroom experience. “It was a pleasure to work with City & Guilds to trial this new way of delivering end point assessments to
ensure that not only did our learners not lose out, but that our new ways of working were delivering the robust teaching required. Each of the learners in the pilot did brilliantly and we were delighted to see their successes.”
u
https://www.seetecoutsource.co.uk Exciting changes for St Martins School
Following a successful consultation period, St Martins School has announced that they have joined the Shaw Education Trust. As of 1st May, the Derby-based special school joined the multi-academy
trust which already has a number of other schools in the Midlands. Headteacher of the school, Debbie Gerring, said: “I am delighted that St Martins school is joining the Shaw Education Trust. In choosing a Trust, the Governors, staff team, students and their families were all excited when we looked into this particular MAT. “The values of our school and the Trust are firmly aligned. We all believe in
children and young people – we believe in their talents, their goodness and the positive contribution they can all make when nurtured, educated and inspired in the right way.” Joining the Shaw Education Trust will mean the school has the opportunity
to build upon their success, as well as access numerous staff and pupil opportunities, such as training courses and collaborative work with other schools in the Trust.
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www.education-today.co.uk The Trust, which currently has 23 schools and three teaching schools, is
excited to welcome St Martin’s into its family and looks forward to further developing the aspirations and achievements of pupils at the school. CEO of Shaw Education Trust, Jo Morgan, commented: “St Martins is an
incredible school, with amazing young people, and fantastic staff. We are delighted they are now part of our family and together we will do much to enable all our young people to fly.” Adding to Mrs Morgan’s comments,
Headteacher Mrs Gerring concluded: “We are really looking forward to the relationship we will develop with the Trust, and together we will work towards achieving great outcomes for each and every one of our fantastic students.”
uwww.stmartinsschoolderby.co.uk May 2020
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