Members' Blogs

The future of STEM education in England post 2024 General Election

By Siwan Morris posted 3 days ago
The 2024 General Election has concluded, bringing a new direction for the UK's education system. The Labour government is now set to implement its promises from their manifesto - but what does this mean for STEM education in England? Labour aims to raise standards in education to break down barriers to opportunity. As part of this, they intend to recruit more than 6,500 expert teachers, funded by ending the VAT exemption for private schools. STEM Learning recognises the need for expert teachers in every classroom, which is paramount in allowing all children to succeed. While plans for the recruitment of new teachers is necessary, it is essential that the ...

Weekly news round up: 23/07/24

By Tim Bradbury posted 3 days ago
Welcome to this week's round up, designed to bring you the latest developments in STEM education and broader educational news from the past week. This summary includes insights into policies, practices, and innovations that could shape the future of teaching and learning in the UK. We hope you find this informative and engaging as you reflect on the changes and consider their impact on your classrooms. BBC News - Education Unis Told to Manage Own Budgets After Call for Bailouts Universities have been advised to manage their budgets without relying on government bailouts, emphasizing financial self-sufficiency amidst economic pressures. Read more ...

Weekly news round up: 16/07/24

By Tim Bradbury posted 10 days ago
In the past week, several noteworthy developments have emerged in the field of education, particularly relevant to STEM subjects. This blog aims to provide a comprehensive summary of these stories, offering insights and reflections for educators. Here are the highlights from prominent news sources: BBC News - Education 1. Concerns About International Students’ Entry Grades Universities are under scrutiny for potentially lowering entry standards to attract higher-fee-paying international students. This raises questions about maintaining academic integrity while navigating financial pressures. 2. Zambia’s Free Education Initiative ...

COMPETITION: STEM Summer Resource Splash!

By Tim Bradbury posted 11 days ago
The STEM Community is buzzing with innovative educators, and we want to tap into that collective wisdom. This summer, we are launching the "STEM Summer Resource Splash" competition, where you can share your most impactful resource for STEM educators. Whether it's a cutting-edge digital tool, a creative lesson plan, a hands-on activity, practical experiment, or any other resource that has transformed your teaching or learning experience, we want to hear about it! How to Enter: Submit your Resource: Link to an Existing Resource: If your resource is available online, share the link. Upload a Copy: If the resource is not online ...

Weekly News Round-up 9/7/2024

By Tim Bradbury posted 17 days ago
Introduction In this week's educational landscape, significant strides and critical discussions have emerged. From innovative policies to pressing challenges, this summary provides UK STEM educators with the latest news, insightful analysis, and potential areas for reflection and action. This roundup covers stories from major education news platforms, ensuring a comprehensive overview for teachers seeking to stay informed and inspired. ### Major Headlines #### **BBC Education News** 1. **Education Secretary Begins Push to Recruit 6,500 New Teachers** The new Education Secretary has launched a campaign aimed at recruiting 6,500 new teachers to address ...

Professional development - make the most of it!

By Dave Gibbs posted 18 days ago
High quality Continuing Professional Development (CPD) leads to improved pedagogy and subject knowledge, which has the biggest influence on student outcomes and progression leading to improved life chances. Not exactly a shocking or surprising statement. However, Learning Policy Institute research ( ‘Effective Teacher Professional Development’, 2017 ) shows that, all too often, “professional development initiatives appear ineffective in supporting changes in teacher practices and student learning”. As someone who leads on professional development programmes, you might wonder why I am telling you this. It’s because we all want teacher and technician CPD to ...

Why ‘manipulatives’ belong at the heart of secondary maths classrooms

By Stephen Lyon posted 23 days ago
During my time as an Advanced Skills Teacher (AST) I spent some time in primary schools , supporting K ey Stage one and two maths coordinators as part of my role. Despite being there a s a ‘maths specialist ’ , d uring my visits I learnt as least as mu ch as the primary teachers I worked with - and what I learnt had a great impact in my own classroom. The main change was how much equipment I used in lessons in order to help students explain their thoughts . Students in primary school were forever exploring mathematics through objects, and explaining what they had done using counters, multi-link ...

Weekly news round up: 02/07/24

By Tim Bradbury posted 24 days ago
This week's news in education has seen a mix of developments. Here’s a roundup of key stories that teachers in STEM and other subjects might find insightful. Key Stories Almost 1.8m People Owe £50,000 or More in Student Debt The BBC reported that almost 1.8 million people in the UK now owe over £50,000 in student loans. This substantial debt burden highlights the ongoing debate around the affordability and value of higher education in the UK. Read more Online Safety Warning as School Holidays Begin in Scotland With the school holidays kicking off, there’s an increased focus on online safety for children. This BBC article discusses ...

Cooling the classroom: extreme heat in schools

By Tim Bradbury posted 30 days ago
Extreme heat events are becoming more likely as a result of climate change. A group of researchers at the University of York is interested in finding out how schools are responding to extreme heat. If you work in a school in the UK, please consider sharing your views and experiences in this short survey which should take no longer than 20 minutes to complete. We are interested in the perceptions and experiences of all school staff members, so we would be grateful if you could also share it with your colleagues who you think would be able to answer the questions. Thank you! @Maria Turkenburg (on behalf of ...

News round up: 25/6/24

By Tim Bradbury posted 25-06-2024
The Latest in Education: A Comprehensive Update for STEM Teachers in the UK As the end of June approaches, numerous significant developments have occurred within the educational sector. This blog provides a detailed overview of key news stories from various sources, offering insights particularly valuable to STEM teachers in the UK. This blog covers the period from June 18 to June 25, 2024. Labour's Education Initiatives Labour has made headlines with their education policies, including a pledge to create 100,000 extra nursery places in schools. This move is seen as part of their broader effort to enhance early years education. Labour's proposal has sparked ...

News round up: 18/6/24

By Tim Bradbury posted 18-06-2024
Welcome to this week’s education news round-up, where we delve into the latest developments in the world of STEM and general education in the UK. This blog aims to provide teachers of STEM subjects with insights and updates that could impact their classrooms and teaching methods. From policy changes to innovative teaching practices, we’ve got it all covered. Let’s dive in! 1. Up to 150 Jobs at Risk as Part of University Cuts The University of Hull has announced potential job cuts affecting up to 150 staff as part of a restructuring plan aimed at addressing financial difficulties. This move has sparked concern among educators and students about the potential ...

News round up: 11/6/24

By Tim Bradbury posted 11-06-2024
Weekly STEM Education Roundup (4th June - 11th June 2024) Introduction Welcome to this week's roundup of the latest news in STEM education, aimed at keeping teachers in the UK informed and inspired. This week, we've covered a range of stories from educational policies to innovative teaching practices. Let's dive into the key updates and insights from the past week. 1. Labour Pledges to Create 100,000 Extra Nursery Places Labour has committed to creating 100,000 extra nursery places in schools, a move aimed at alleviating the current childcare crisis and providing more opportunities for early childhood education. This initiative could significantly ...

LEGO: Save the gibbons competition

By Tim Bradbury posted 06-06-2024
LEGO and New Scientist: Save the gibbons competition Gibbons spend most of their lives high in the trees, rarely coming down to the forest floor. This means they need dense forests to travel from place to place to find food and mates, and they have trouble crossing areas cleared of trees or broken up by roads. Can you come up with an idea to help gibbons cross these gaps in the forest? Gibbons sing incredible songs they use to find one another and form family bonds, but as their numbers dwindle and they become separated they can fall silent and have trouble finding one another. Can you come up with a solution to help lonely gibbons ...

News round up: 04/05/24 - SORRY IT'S LATE!!!

By Tim Bradbury posted 05-06-2024
Welcome to this week’s news round up for UK STEM educators. This post covers recent news stories between 28th May and 4th June 2024, focusing on education while highlighting notable STEM-related updates. Each story is summarized with a hyperlink to the original article for further reading. Finally, we offer a reflections section to provide some thought-provoking topics for teachers to ponder and potentially integrate into their professional practice. Recent News Stories 1. Election Winners Face Painful School Cash Choices The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) warns that the next government will face tough decisions regarding school funding. With rising ...

Our fantastic new range of CPD is more flexible than ever – and will transform your teaching

By Steve Castle posted 04-06-2024
Our fantastic range of CPD for the new academic year, run by our trusted STEM teaching experts, features more options and a greater choice across the STEM subjects for teachers and technicians than ever before – which means you can ensure that CPD fits into your busy schedule. We’ve listened to your feedback, and we’re fully aware of the many challenges faced by teachers when accessing CPD. We know that key barriers include being time poor, geographical restrictions, being unable to get cover while you’re attending CPD, workload and many more. That’s why we’ve created a new range starting in September and running throughout the academic year – tying in with ...

COMPETITION! Make your classroom display a high-flying success!

By Tim Bradbury posted 03-06-2024
Hi folks! I’m very excited to launch our Summer Term competition… Sponsored by Dassault Systèmes, the 3DExperience company Are you ready to make your educational displays "take flight"? This is your chance to showcase your creativity and educational prowess in our classroom display competition and win TWO TICKETS to the world-renowned Farnborough International Airshow where you will be hosted at the exclusive Dassault Systemes Chalet. Theme: "Educational Impact of Classroom Displays" Prizes: Two tickets to Farnborough International Airshow hosted by Dassault Systèmes at their chalet on Friday 26 th July 2024 including train travel plus ...

Weekly news round up: 28/05/24

By Tim Bradbury posted 28-05-2024
Welcome to our weekly roundup of the latest news in the world of education, specifically curated for teachers of STEM subjects in the UK. This week, we cover a range of stories from new policies affecting schools, advancements in educational technology, and reflections on the evolving educational landscape. Let's dive into the highlights. 1. MPs Consider Smartphone Ban in Schools MPs are currently debating the potential benefits and drawbacks of banning smartphones for students under 14. This discussion is driven by concerns over distractions and mental health issues linked to excessive smartphone use. Read more . 2. Changes to Sex Education Announced ...

Weekly news round up: 21/05/24

By Tim Bradbury posted 21-05-2024
This week's education news has been vibrant with updates and developments that touch various aspects of teaching and learning, especially in the STEM fields. From policy changes to innovative teaching practices, here's a roundup of key stories that can help educators stay informed and inspired. Key Stories Changes to Sex Education in Schools Announced The Education Secretary, Gillian Keegan, announced significant changes to sex education in schools. Gender identity will no longer be taught at any age, and there will be stricter age limits on when sex education can start. This policy aims to standardize sex education across the UK. Read more ...

The case for universal financial education in the UK

By Michael Anderson posted 20-05-2024
In April 2024, the Social Market Foundation released a report exploring financial literacy among young people in the UK, titled 'Investing in the future: The case for universal financial education in the UK'. 'Investing in the future: The case for universal financial education in the UK'. It highlighted that Britain has one of the lowest rates of financial literacy in the OECD. Adults were asked seven financial knowledge questions, with only 47% scoring five or more out of seven, compared to the OECD average of 62%. To help improve this, the report recommended that financial education should be introduced at a younger age, ...

Weekly news round up: 14/5/24

By Tim Bradbury posted 14-05-2024
This week in education, as STEM educators across the UK, our pursuit of enriching and pragmatic teaching methodologies continues to evolve, driven by new research, policy changes, and educational innovations. This blog compiles critical updates and thoughtful analyses to inspire and inform your teaching practices in a rapidly changing educational landscape. News Summaries A-Level and GCSE Examinations Kick Off (BBC Education) With the commencement of A-Level and GCSE exams, stress levels are high among students. Educators are advised to offer support and guidance, focusing on strategies for managing exam stress effectively. Critical details about ...