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NEWS...


Cheri Ashby appointed new Deputy Chief Executive at Activate Learning


Activate Learning has announced that Cheri Ashby has been appointed as its new Deputy Chief Executive. Cheri has more than 25 years of experience


in the FE sector, having previously held roles as a teacher, course leader, Curriculum Manager and Assistant Principal. She has been part of the Group Executive Team at Activate Learning since January 2016. During 2019-20, Cheri led on the merger of


the previous Guildford College Group (Guildford College, Merrist Wood College and Farnham College) into Activate Learning. Passionate about Activate Learning’s


mission to transform lives through its award-winning Learning Philosophy, more recently Cheri has taken over responsibility for curriculum and become the nominated individual for leading on behalf of Activate Learning in Ofsted inspections. She has also joined the Trust Board of Activate Learning Education Trust (ALET) which oversees the schools. Cheri said: “Activate Learning strives to provide people with an


amazing learning experience in which they feel stretched, motivated and emotionally supported to become the best they can be. “I have been privileged to work with so many dedicated colleagues in


my time here and hope that I can contribute to even more success for our students in the years ahead.”


uwww.activatelearning.ac.uk/


Digital game offers UK pupils and teachers a new approach to foreign language learning


A digital game developed by the University of York and the National Centre for Excellence for Language Pedagogy (NCELP) in collaboration with the University of Reading, is helping to improve the way that children learn French, Spanish and German grammar. Uptake of Gaming Grammar, in which pupils enter


a virtual world of code-cracking and spies to complete a series of missions presented as mini- games, has more than quadrupled across UK schools over the last 12 months. By combining digital technology with language learning and teaching


research, the team behind the game has introduced a fresh approach to a subject often regarded as difficult and dull. In order to successfully complete each mission, the player must crack the code by learning how to understand and use new grammar features.


Since the first playable online version of Gaming


Grammar was launched, more than 350 primary and secondary schools across the UK have registered with the game. In the period between December 2020 and December 2021, the number of games played increased from 3,325 to 15,326. Aimed at upper Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 3, the


game aims to provide a strong foundation of grammatical knowledge for teachers and students to build upon in preparation for the revised Modern


Foreign Languages (MFL) GCSE Subject Content in French, German and Spanish, announced on 14 January 2022.


uhttps://www.gaminggrammar.com/


Impington Village Collegewins pioneering mental health award for the second time


Impington Village College, on the outskirts of Cambridge, has been awarded the Gold Status School Mental Health Award by the Carnegie Centre of Excellence for Mental Health in Schools for the second time. This is in recognition of its continuous commitment to outstanding mental health and wellbeing provision for students and staff. The Carnegie Centre of Excellence for Mental


Health in Schools aims to strengthen pupils’ mental health by supporting schools to make a positive change at all levels of the UK's education system, improving students’ outcomes and life chances. The College offers its students a wide range of mental health support and resources, including an


in-house mentoring programme and online referral system, a family support worker, YMCA counselling and access to professionals trained in areas including mindfulness, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and adolescent mental health. Victoria Hearn, Principal, Impington Village


College, explained: “Maximising flexibility for our staff means that they are able to maintain a healthy work-life balance. Flexible working has helped us to improve staff morale, reduce absences and increase productivity. By retaining our talented teaching team, we are able to deliver a continuous, high standard of learning for our students.”


uhttps://www.impington.cambs.sch.uk// 4 www.education-today.co.uk March 2022


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