Park Lane Primary School and Nursery in Nuneaton and Race Leys Junior School, and Nicholas Chamberlaine School in Bedworth are taking part in the festival, amongst other schools in the Trust.

The arts festival programme encourages children to develop and express their creativity. Pupils will participate in projects, workshops, and collaborations during the next two weeks, including song, dance, acting, poetry, painting, and monologues.

All 12 schools within the Griffin Schools Trust will participate in the festival and will be celebrating the theme of ‘change makers’, people who take creative action to improve a situation, highlighting those motivated to act and think beyond their own experiences for the greater good.

The likes of Amanda Gorman, The Beatles, and Courtney Matheson are to be celebrated for artistic impact on the world, with new additions, including Marcus Rashford and Greta Thunberg, for their use of communication and speech to make change happen.

Anne Powell, Chief Executive of Griffin Schools Trust, comments: “The festival is a proud tradition of the Griffin Schools Trust, which aims to create high achievement for all its children. The next two weeks will both celebrate their achievements and widen their horizons through art and discovering change makers to look up to.”

As part of the festival, Year 5 pupils entered a competition responding to the theme of change makers. Ten winners from each school have been selected to attend four days of arts-soaked activity, including a Macbeth performance by Oddsocks and a Night of the Proms performance by Ratby Band.

Kim Waldock, Director of Arts for Griffin Arts Festival, and former Head of National Programmes at the Royal Opera House, adds: “It’s important to help children consider the arts beyond simply the skill of painting or singing and to consider the wider impact the arts have on vocation. Through the Griffin Arts Festival, we can stimulate broader thinking and get children excited about what is possible through the arts.”

At the end of the festival, parents will be invited to Griffin Schools Trust schools to view the work their children have been working on in a showcase ceremony.

Part of the Little Troopers at School programme, the two-hour workshop will use games, scenarios, drawing and other fun activities to bring military children together and empower them with positive tools to help them cope with some of the challenges that military life can bring, such as having a parent deployed or moving home and school. Through the session, children will be given the opportunity to share their stories, explore their emotions and learn about mindfulness techniques. All the children will take home a goodie bag including a pack of positive affirmation cards.

Last year, more than 3,500 service children attended a similar workshop run by the charity with schools describing the session as providing “much-needed recognition and support for our forces children” and “a safe space [for children] to share and support each other emotionally, whilst eliciting a sense of pride and community spirit.”

This year’s workshop has been made possible thanks to generous grants from ABF The Soldier’s Charity, The Royal Navy & Royal Marines Charity and The Grocers Charity.

Louise Fetigan, founder of Little Troopers comments: “As the school holidays approach, many military families will be coping with deployment or preparing to move home, so now is the ideal time for schools to bring together their service children, give them some tools to help them through and celebrate what it means to be a ‘little trooper’.

“By running a virtual workshop, our small charity can reach and benefit as many service children as possible and make them feel part of this special network of military children across our Armed Forces community. The children love knowing that they are doing the session at the same time as thousands of other military children just like them and they will finish the session feeling proud of their identity as a forces’ child.”

The workshop is part of the charity’s broader Little Troopers at School programme which has been running for four years and provides teachers with practical resources to support their military children in the classroom. More than 1,000 schools are signed up to Little Troopers at School.

For more information and to book a space on the workshop, visit www.littletroopers.net/littletroopersatschool

Titled Fusion, the exhibition showcases work by Wirral Met College degree students on Fine Art, Illustration with Animation and Photography courses.

The College has been holding annual degree shows at the Williamson Art Gallery for over twenty five years. This year’s show carries on this tradition of celebrating the latest emerging talent from the region.

The exhibition of work from 17 graduating students covers diverse topics from social housing, chronic illness, mythological characters and menstruation.

Friends, family and colleagues gathered at the Williamson Art Gallery on Thursday 12 May for a private view.

Photography student Kirsty Anne Wilson, from Neston, was given a special recognition award by the College on the night. Her artwork will now join the College’s growing alumni collection across all five of its campuses.

Reacting to the news, Kirsty said: “I am totally surprised but really proud that my artwork has been recognised for what it is. There is a lot of good work here and it could have gone to anyone. I’m just really proud that a story like mine has been recognised.”

Kirsty’s thought-provoking self-portraits titled ‘Inescapable – a journey into the unknown self’, is a personal journey exploring who she is and her place in the world. Kirsty’s work depicts the experiences felt of learning to live with a chronic illness and pain in the face of ongoing adversity.

Created using a variety of photographic practices including digital and analogue, the black and white photographs explore the themes of pain, illness and loneliness, but also bravery, hope and determination to never give up.

Kirsty said: “I wanted to highlight the hidden side of chronic illness and disability. Everyone sees the wheelchair but they don’t see what goes on behind that and the truth of how hard it can be. I wanted the project to open that up.”

36 year old Kirsty started at Wirral Met on the HND Photography course, before progressing on to BA (Hons) Photography Top Up. The year degree allows students to ‘top up’ their existing skills into a full honours degree.

“My time at Wirral Met has been a huge journey. For my first two years on HND Photography I spent 90% of my time in hospital. This past year I’ve been out more than in hospital and I’ve actually been able to enjoy the course and focus on my work. I couldn’t have done it without my amazing tutors.”

Kirsty is continuing her studies with a PGCE at Wirral Met from September, with the hopes to become a photography teacher. She is also working with the Royal Photographic Society.

Principal of Wirral Met College, Sue Higginson, said: “Fusion Exhibition showcases the fantastic achievements of our graduating students and marks the start of their professional journey as artists.

“With the origins of the college starting as an Arts School, we are proud to champion creativity and provide an opportunity for students to share their work with the wider community.”

The Exhibition is open Wednesday to Saturday until Saturday 21 May, 10.30am – 4.30pm, in Galleries 1 and 13. Entry is free.

More information: https://williamsonartgallery.org/portfolio_page/wirral-met-degree-show/

Led by Sam Moinet – former teacher and founder of Student Breakthrough and the new Educators Coaching Academy – the workshop comes at a crucial time in the academic calendar, with many teachers feeling the strain of mock exams and supporting their students to transition into higher year groups and new schools.

Sam said: “I’ve been a teacher and worked in education since 2013, so I understand the pressures and frustrations they face and the lack of support available. Through my own experiences and listening to the teachers I work with now, a lack of time, knowledge and relevant training makes it extremely difficult to help young people manage their emotions. There are also common barriers that stop students reaching their full potential such as anxiety, low motivation and self-esteem and this is why effective mental health coaching can have such a profound impact.

“My mission is to make lasting change in the education system by supporting, empowering and inspiring educators and teaching them valuable skills and techniques to become confident mental health coaches. I therefore hope this free workshop provides some valuable advice and support at a critical time in their teaching careers.”

The mental health and wellbeing of staff working in education has never been more important following the intense pressure and strain of the last two years. The latest 2021 report by Education Support into Teacher wellbeing found that 77% experienced symptoms of poor mental health due to their work, 72% are stressed and 42% think their working environment has a negative impact on their mental health.

In a more recent survey by the NEU, 44% of teachers in England said they had plans to quit within five years, siting workloads and pay as key significant factors and for those who had thought about stress at work, two-thirds reported they were stressed at least 60% of the time.

Sam added: “This workshop is just the beginning. We need to radically transform mental health support in schools – not just for children but for teachers too. I feel very passionately that this is something that’s been missing in the industry, and I aim to change that.

“We are planning to officially launch the new Educators Coaching Academy in June which will be aimed entirely at school leaders, teachers and educators themselves. There really is nothing else like it.”

To find out more about the workshop and to book your free place visit: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/education-evolution-life-changing-coach-training-for-teachers-tickets-337055952427

The show’s return to London provided the perfect opportunity for the sector to continue moving from recovery to re-discovery. The event brought together over 3,000 attendees, 150 inspirational speakers and 140 leading education suppliers and provided the perfect meeting and networking space for senior leaders from schools to meet and discuss how to overcome the biggest challenges facing schools in the UK.

As the country continues to move beyond the effects of the pandemic, the education sector is still suffering from staff shortages, funding challenges and now has added pressures from pupil and staff wellbeing issues. Therefore, the Schools & Academies Show is positioned to tackle these challenges through showcasing good practice case studies, innovative suppliers and interactive networking and meeting spaces.

Headline Sponsor Lyfta presented an insightful presentation; ‘Nurturing Children for Our Changing World: The Amazing Power of Diverse Human Stories’ and stated: “We were delighted to take part in the show and have the opportunity to meet sector leaders and staff, while sharing our message and vision with many schools that were not familiar with Lyfta.

“Lyfta provides a powerful and accessible way for students to experience human diversity, and for educators to build cultural capital and nurture the vital skills and values children need to thrive in our changing world. We invite students to explore and connect with real human stories from across the globe, through interactive 360° spaces and powerful short films.

“By taking part, we were able to share some of our work and our mission with Headteachers, MAT Leaders and wider Senior Leadership Teams and it was a great experience to see so many representatives from the sector in one place throughout the day.”

The show is heavily supported by the Department for Education (DfE) and the organisers were delighted to bring back the popular Government Education Village which provides visitors with the chance to speak directly with representatives from multiple teams at the DfE as well as see a variety of live sessions and project demonstrations by the department.

This focus on insightful content and good practice was carried through the entire event, with the following themed stages on offer:

• School Improvement Theatre
• Trust & Trustees Theatre
• Business & Finance Theatre
• EdTech Theatre
• Safeguarding & Wellbeing Theatre
• SEND Theatre
• Leaders’ Town Hall

As well as the 30+ hours of CPD-certified content on offer, over 140 exhibitors took part offering a wide variety of services, products, and solutions for every aspect of running a school. Discovering new suppliers, meeting with current service providers, and finding new and exciting services is one of the key benefits of the show and without this support from the sector, the show would not be such a huge success.

Stephen Morales, CEO, ISBL and Chair, GovNet Education Advisory Board stated: “It’s always a privilege to part of one of the sector largest national events. Being able to interact with such large numbers in attendance, both in the margins of the sessions and as speaker provides me with a real sense of the mood of our sector, their challenges, their concerns, and their aspirations.

“As ISBL’s CEO I believe events like this are essential to the sectors ongoing evolutions and as a professional institute we look forward to supporting the Schools & Academies Show again in Birmingham in November.”

If you would like to find out more about how you can join the leading education suppliers already benefiting from exhibiting at the shows, then please contact info@schoolsandacademiesshow.co.uk.

About the event:

The Schools & Academies Show is the UK’s leading education policy event, tackling the biggest topics and changes across the sector in order to ensure better outcomes for pupils and staff and is organised by GovNet Education.

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The competition is open to all schools in England and Wales. To enter schools need to fill in a simple entry form on the A&S Landscape website. Schools will then need to collect votes, with the school with the highest number of votes winning the competition.

The decision to relaunch the competition was a no-brainer for the team at A&S Landscape after the unprecedented interest in the previous contest, which saw a total of 48,000 votes cast. Competition Coordinator at A&S Landscape, Lucy Grime, shared why the decision was made to give away another canopy: “After the hardships and challenges faced by many schools throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, we were all too aware that many were struggling to make improvements to their facilities due to a lack of budget and manpower. We knew that giving away a canopy would to help spread some positivity and make a difference to the winning school.”

Schools have until the 15th July 2022 to enter the competition, with the winner being announced shortly after.

The Education Resources Awards, organised by Brilliant Marketing Solutions and the British Educational Suppliers Association (BESA), highlight the quality and diversity of educational products and resources, excellent educational establishments and the most dedicated members of the teaching profession and supplier industry, all working together to encourage the very best in education.

Emma Ringe, Schools Director, Whizz Education explains: “Wow, to be shortlisted for three ERA awards is a huge achievement for our team!  We are particularly proud that our work has been recognised in association with Roskear Primary School in the Collaboration with a School category, as the teachers and students have made excellent progress in maths.

“We began work with Roskear Primary school in Cornwall early in 2019 with the objective of accelerating progress of lower attaining pupils through the mathematics curriculum, resulting in an increase of pupils achieving age-related progress expectations within teacher assessment.

“Whizz Education now delivers an innovative menu of services – including planning, training, assessment and reporting, live impact data, course correction plus access to our virtual tutor Maths-Whizz – to improve learning outcomes in maths and drive-up standards of attainment, all tailored to the needs of Roskear.”

So far, this academic year, over 90% of Roskear pupils who used Maths-Whizz for 50 minutes or more have made accelerated progress on their maths-age.

Jess Morris-Marsham Maths Leader, Team Leader for Years 3 and 4 and Year 5 Teacher Roskear Primary School stated: “Our most recent assessments identified the Year 2 pupils who were below ARE in the autumn due to learning loss following COVID.  Following the after-school interventions where children used the virtual tutor Maths-Whizz for two hours per week, plus their weekly lesson in class, each one of those children had reached ARE within six weeks.

“Working with Whizz Education to help our students improve learning outcomes has been extremely rewarding.  We are delighted to have been nominated for this important award which recognises the great progress of our pupils across the full range of abilities.”

The winners of the Education Resource Awards will be announced at an event at The National Conference Centre Birmingham on 6th May 2022.

For further information about The Education Resource Awards please see: www.educationresourcesawards.co.uk and for Whizz Education please see: www.whizz.com

Ahead of last week’s launch in Paisley of UNBOXED: Creativity in the UK ( the free

Can you firstly tell us a bit more about About Us and the event itself?

It’s one of the 10 UNBOXED projects, a celebration of STEAM and of creativity across the UK. We’re bringing poetry and STEM together and showing how they complement each other. It just takes a bit of imagination (and some fantastic technical know-how) to bring these different disciplines together.

In its simplest terms it’s a light show, part of a collaboration between Stemettes, 59 Productions (who create productions like this), and The Poetry Society, who work on poetry and the promotion of poetry. It aims to engage with young people, and engage them with STEM and STEAM. The light show takes you on a 30 million year journey from The Big Bang to us here in Paisley, looking at civilization, what happens with cells and early human life and how we’ve ended up here, looking up at Paisley Abbey and how we all are connected to the universe. Technically we’re all made of star stuff, so that that’s what the whole event is about, it’s a celebration of Paisley and its place in the universe.

We’ve done a lot of work in the community and in local schools in the last couple of months, working through poetry workshops, working through STEM and coding workshops, and so what the children have created is a big part of the light show as well. We’re hearing their poetry and seeing it, we’re seeing the avatars that they’ve created in elements of their animations.

Awe was the key word that we had in mind when we were pulling this together, so that’s in essence what the show is about – awe and bright lights and a celebration of Paisley.

Can you elaborate on the STEAM acronym for those maybe unfamiliar with it?

STEAM stands for science, technology, engineering, arts (and design), and maths – it represents a combination of all those disciplines. You can’t do STEM without art and design, without that creativity and expression. If you look at something like product design, it’s easy to see that the most impactful have that appreciation for the arts. All of them have leant into some of the skill sets that we have in the arts. Indeed, you’re much more likely to win a Nobel Prize in the sciences if you’ve engaged with the arts during your upbringing, which runs counter to the image people maybe have of scientists, that the best scientists have only ever done science and only ever do science. In fact, being able to recognise those softer artistic skill sets, combine them through collaboration and communication, that’s really where we solve problems properly.

So that’s the heart of STEAM and of course this About Us project and the whole of the UNBOXED Learning Programme.

Has asking schools to combine very different disciplines like this been a challenge?

When the proposition is explained clearly, and the benefits of this sort of cross-curricular work are articulated in a way that makes sense for schools, then we find buy-in comes pretty quickly. The resources that we’ve put together as part of this allow teachers to see for themselves how it can work in the classroom and benefit their pupils. Obviously, schools have been through a really tough time during the pandemic, and we’re now approaching exam season and all the stresses and demands that come with that, but fundamentally we’re aiming to build something here for the longer term and we really do hope, through the excitement of events like the light show, that we will inspire the younger generation to take their first steps on this great journey.

You are very passionate about this, where does your inspiration come from?

Creativity inspires me, curiosity about how things work and how the things we build create a legacy long after we’re gone. I took a VCR apart when I was younger, trying to understand how the cassette went into the machine, how the mechanism played the tape – basically breaking things down to understand how they fit together and how, once you understand that, you can solve problems with the knowledge you’ve gained.

Of course, once you talk about solving problems, then you can start working for the greater good – and that inspires me as well, the idea that things don’t always have to be harder, faster, stronger, bigger or whatever as an end in itself, rather that those attributes are really just a means to an end, and that the goal is using all of the resources at our disposal to make life better for all of us.

I’d also like to see us drawing on a much more diverse pool of talent than we do currently, and I’m inspired to realise that goal, because the more diverse the pool, the more diverse the voices we hear and the better the things we create will be.

How do you show children that STEAM is fun and not just “boring” technology?

Children like to play. If you give them the right environment to play and to create, who doesn’t want to express themselves?

Recently we were running a hack on Healthcare and getting young children to build apps. They loved it – I’m thinking of two little girls who spent the weekend building a house app because they had included talking fruit in their app and to them it was the most hilarious thing they’d ever seen. It’s one of those things where you don’t have to force them because they’ve made something, they’ve explored, they’ve played with the technology.

A couple of years ago we did a big data hack using Twitter and it was so interesting to see what interested the young people we had at the hack. One of them was obsessed with Chelsea Football Club and so that was what she dived into, analysing the Twitter feeds of Chelsea players at that point and generating infographics from them. Her little sister was obsessed with Build-a-Bear so she went around and collected some fantastic information on that. There was another girl who wanted to find  out the best member of One Direction.

Everyone has passions. Everyone sees problems that they’re very aware of, and they’re growing up with all of these, and so they’re really, really aware of what needs to be solved. They really care, and so I think it’s being able to show technology in that context, and allow people to get creative.

What age range are you targeting with the resources you mention?

Basically from 4 to 19, the gamut of primary and secondary education.

Knowing what you know about STEM in schools, do you think there’s enough collaboration between these disciplines in mainstream education, or do you think that there could be more focus on collaborating and skill sharing?

There could always be more. Collaboration is one of those things where the more you do, the more you learn, the better you get, so I think there’s definitely more that could be done. I do actually think it’s an interesting one. Teachers are between a rock and a hard place I think on this, because exams are not (for the most part) collaborative. Most SLTs have particular KPIs and metrics they look at to gauge how well their schools are doing, but I think with a bit of imagination these metrics can actually be made to work to provide a more collaborative setting in schools – for example, how can school leaders reward time that’s spent in collaboration? How can they reward this future skills work by teachers which is happening in their schools? Obviously, it does require investment, experimentation, and a little bit of thinking outside the box to give teachers agency to be able to try new things.

I think teachers do want to do this, but at the moment there’s a sense that there’s not enough positive reinforcement and support for those teachers when they do go a little bit outside the box, so we do certainly need more support and buy-in from SLTs to help build these core skills of collaboration – don’t forget, these skills are going to help close up the gaps that have been left by the pandemic and really address many of the issues around wellbeing and lost learning which we’re hearing so much about now.

UNBOXED: Creativity in the UK – funded by all four governments of the UK – is the biggest, most ambitious creative programme ever presented on these shores. The programme offers a once in a lifetime opportunity for pupils aged 4-19, to become immersed in science, technology, engineering, the arts and maths (STEAM), through a range of remarkable projects across the UK and FREE online learning experiences. Explore the free resources today https://unboxed2022.uk/learning-programme

Millions of young people across the UK are set to benefit from a unique schools’ programme that puts creativity and collaboration at the heart of learning based on real-world examples.

UNBOXED: Creativity in the UK is launching the programme designed to inspire young people, aged 4 to 19, with its creative projects showcasing collaborations across science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM).

The UNBOXED projects involve hundreds of events and activities across the UK and online, and cover a range of ideas, including space and science, the environment, growing and sustainability, and history and community. From a bio-diverse forest in a city centre to a North Sea offshore platform transformed into a giant artwork, schools can experience first-hand these creative successes when engineering and design, scientific research and technological innovation, including AR and artistic work, come together.

Designed by educators, teachers, technicians and artists with a wealth of experience in STEAM, this free learning programme from UNBOXED includes engaging and fun lesson plans, worksheets and presentations to stimulate young people’s creative thinking, encourage global citizenship and develop the skills they will need for the future of work. The resources are aligned to the curriculum across all home nations and suitable for enrichment and personal development. The programme is entirely flexible and offers a complete blend of class-based, online, real-world and location-based learning.

Resources currently available are linked to About Us, an immersive journey through 13.8 billion years of our history from the Big Bang to the present day; Our Place in Space, designed by renowned artist and writer Oliver Jeffers, which recreates the solar system as a 10-kilometre trail here on earth and Dreamachine, an artwork you ‘see’ with your eyes closed, which explores the human mind, as part of a massive research project into human perception.

Future resources will be based on StoryTrails, one of the biggest people’s history projects ever undertaken; Dandelion, a Scotland-wide growing project that reimagines the harvest festival for the 21st century; Green Space Dark Skies, which considers the environment and the UK’s beautiful landscapes; PoliNations, which is inspired by the fact that almost 80 per cent of the UK’s plant life originates from overseas; GALWAD: A story from our future, which projects the population into 2052, and SEE MONSTER, a feat of engineering and design that transforms a decommissioned off-shore North Sea platform into a space to playfully explore reflect the great British weather, reuse and sustainability.

According to a recent report from the Policy & Evidence Centre ”The promotion of creativity in educational settings can help young people build entrepreneurial skills and improve their future employability”. The UNBOXED Learning Programme recognises the importance for teachers to provide future skills-based and real-world learning to the classroom and seeks to reinvigorate creativity in every classroom in the UK. It believes creativity – our creativity – has the power to change the world.

Bhav Patel, Year 5 Teacher at West Hill Primary School, Staffordshire, said: “The resources we had from About Us were brilliant. They give children the ability to combine their creativity and science knowledge, through writing a poem based on space. It was so popular we had children asking to stay in rather than go out and play. The free resources are perfect for any teacher to just pick up and build into their lesson planning to increase engagement in the classroom and provide an exciting learning experience.”

UNBOXED: Creativity in the UK is the biggest and most ambitious creative programme ever presented on these shores. It is funded and supported by the four governments of the UK, and is co-commissioned with Belfast City Council, EventScotland and Creative Wales.

Explore the free resources and join the UNBOXED Learning Programme today: unboxed2022.uk/learning-programme

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Conference 2022 (16-17 March – Manchester)

This conference centres on the best practice for equality, diversity and inclusion in higher education. Following on from the black lives matter movement and growing inequality in our society, this conference will facilitate discussions on improving equality and inclusion. Ideally, this should help teaching professionals strategize and take action towards boosting inclusivity.

Curriculum design and practice (24 March – online)

This event invites teachers, practitioners, researchers, leaders, managers, and academics to share their analysis of the curriculum. The idea is to take a research-first approach to designing the curriculum. With workshops and panel events across the day, this should be enlightening for anyone interested in what we ask students to learn.

Learning and Teaching Conference 2022 (6-7 July – Liverpool)

The theme of this learning and teaching conference will be inclusion and belonging. This is in response to many students feeling lonely and isolated during their degree – over a quarter of students have reported feeling lonely often or always. And this has become more of a problem since the shift to online teaching during the pandemic. Indeed, this conference will focus on discussing ways to make students feel a part of their university and course. With workshops, debates and discussions, this promises to move the dialogue forward.

ECE 2022 (14-17 July – London)

The 10^th European Conference on Education is one of the biggest events in the education calendar. This event brings together leading scholars and academics for networking, renewed friendships and to spread ideas. It’s one of the headlining educational conferences, as it offers industry leaders a global platform to spread ideas. If you’re considering attending, then it’s worth exploring serviced apartments in London to stay in during your visit.

BERA Conference 2022 (5-8 September – Liverpool)

The British Educational Research Association’s conference takes place later in the year in Liverpool. This conference is all about sharing ideas and networking to find funding for educational research. If you have an idea for an academic study on education, then this can be the perfect conference to help sharpen your ideas with like-minded and contrasting viewpoints.

There are plenty of exciting educational conferences on the calendar for 2022. Wherever you live in the UK, there’s an opportunity to visit one of the above conferences and network and share ideas with leading educational thinkers and academics.