Education On Fire - Sharing creative and inspiring learning in our schools

Iona Jackson is Head of Research at Edurio, managing a team of survey experts and data analysts through projects relating to stakeholder feedback in schools.New Edurio research reveals half of children feel stressed and a quarter feel lonely.Edurio has published their latest research examining pupil wellbeing, support systems in school and how pupils feel about school. The study drew on responses from 45,000 children of which 15,000 were from primary.Children feel progressively less well as the move through primary school – 76% in year 1 feel well but this drops by 17 percentage points in Y6 when 59% report feeling well.Children feel more stressed in Y6 (36%) than in Y1 (22%)More primary aged children feel overworked in Y2 and Y3 than at any other time during primary school.The research shows that the transition to secondary school has a negative impact on children’s wellbeing and the drop is greater than at other times during school.Children’s overall wellbeing drops from 59% feeling well in Y6 to 46% in Y7.More students often feel stressed – rising from 36% in Y6 to 43% in Y7More children report not sleeping well in Y7 (30%) than in Y6 (28%) A survey of 45,000 school-aged children conducted by Edurio reveals that less than half (47 per cent) of pupils reported that they had been feeling well in the period leading up to the survey. A similar number (46 per cent) often felt stressed. Added to this, a quarter (24 per cent) of pupils admitted feeling lonely. This is much higher than a previous study by the Office for National Statistics in 2018 which found 11 per cent of 10-15 year olds felt lonely. It suggests that the pandemic has had a significant impact on pupils.The research, which was conducted during the summer term, found that pupils in the latter stages of their schooling fared worst for overall wellness, sleep and overwork. A third (31 per cent) of pupils in their final year of GCSEs reported feeling well; four in 10 (41 per cent) slept badly; two-thirds (66 per cent) felt overworked and over half (63 per cent) of year 11 pupils felt stressed. The research found significant differences in wellbeing between girls and boys, with girls reporting lower wellbeing scores. More than half (55 per cent) of girls feel quite or very often stressed compared to just a third (36 per cent) of boys. Almost half (48 per cent) of girls feel frequently overworked compared to just over a third (38 per cent) of boys. Furthermore, less girls (43 per cent) felt well than boys (54 per cent) and less girls (40 per cent) slept well than boys (47 per cent).Interestingly, the research points to a correlation between pupil wellbeing and a school’s Ofsted rating. Pupils at schools judged ‘outstanding’ have consistently higher stress levels, problems sleeping and feel overworked:Almost half of pupils (49 per cent) have felt stressed lately compared to 44 per cent at ‘good’ schools and 45 per cent at ‘requires improvement (RI)’ schools.Under half (41 per cent) reported having good sleep compared to 44 per cent at ‘good’ schools and 45 per cent at RI schools.Just under half (46 per cent) feel overworked compared to 42 per cent at ’good’ schools and 44 per cent at RI schools.Edurio found that 71 per cent of students feel safe in class. However, eight per cent reported feeling unsafe in class which means, in an average-sized class, two to three pupils feel unsafe. Furthermore, when there is an issue, less than half (41 per cent) feel they have an adult at school whom they can trust and talk to. Similarly, just over a third (37 per cent) feel that they would rarely or never have an adult at school that they can trust and talk to. So, who do pupils turn to when they feel sad or worried? Almost half (48 per cent) choose to speak to their parents, 41 per cent to their classmates and just 29 per cent choose to speak to teachers. Most concerning is that less than a quarter (15 per cent) do not speak to anyone when they feel sad or worried.Ernest Jenavs, CEO of Edurio, said: “From the many conversations I have had with school leaders, COVID-19 has magnified the challenges facing pupils. With the spotlight now firmly on wellbeing, we can collectively focus on how to address the issues pupils of all ages are experiencing. We hope our report plays a small part in paving the way for positive, lasting change.” Co-author of the report, Daniel Muijs, Dean of the School of Education and Society at Academica University of Applied Sciences, and formerly Deputy Director at Ofsted, said: “The report highlights many key areas that warrant further discussion – not just within the education sector – but also within society. A substantial number of children are not happy and many experience sleep problems and stress. Loneliness is increasing and, as children move through education, these negative factors simply get worse. As education leaders, we need to ask ourselves difficult questions about how we can help reduce the pressure of GCSEs and-A Levels; how we can ensure girls as well as boys flourish. Other notable findings from the research include:A far larger proportion of children with extra responsibilities, such as caring for a parent, felt overworked. More than double (65 per cent) reported feeling overworked compared to those without extra responsibilities (30 per cent).More than a quarter (28 per cent) of girls felt lonely compared to just under a fifth (18 per cent) of boys.Almost two in 10 had been bullied in the three months before they took the survey. Three in 10 know someone else who has been bullied in the three months leading up to the survey.Wellness reduces as children progress through primary. 76 per cent of year one pupils reported feeling well lately, but the figure fell dramatically to 59 per cent for those in year six.Two-thirds (65 per cent) of pupils are happy to be studying at their school.Just under half (43 per cent) of pupils feel that they are quite or very often overworked. Indeed, almost a third (28 per cent) of those who spend less than two hours on homework feel quite or very overworked compared to less than a quarter (20 per cent) of those who spend more than two hours on homework.The full report can be found at: https://go.edurio.com/pupilwellbeingSocial Media InformationTwitter: @ionaatedurioLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iona-jackson-7a980255/Resources MentionedMatt HaigShow SponsorThe National Association for Primary Education speaks for young children and all who live and work with them. Find out more about their online CPD events at nape.org.uk/online-eventsListen to Mark’s audio course 10 Pieces of Advice You’d Like to Have as a Child

Study Help was co-founded by academic expert, Aimee Buckley. With over 25 years of teaching experience, Aimee is a highly sought-after expert and has been featured in many podcasts. With a distinguished career as a public school teacher (with a focus in Special Needs Education), she is uniquely qualified to ensure that our students get the help they need to be truly successful at school!Their mission is to help students succeed in elementary, middle school, high school, and beyond. All of our sessions are led by accredited teachers and/or field experts following the guidelines of your school’s curriculum. This way, rather than just completing their homework, students get the comprehensive help they need to improve their school experience and grades.Websitestudy.helpSocial Media InformationInstagram and Facebook - studyhelpinc Show SponsorThe National Association for Primary Education speaks for young children and all who live and work with them. Find out more about their online CPD events at nape.org.uk/online-eventsListen to Mark’s audio course 10 Pieces of Advice You’d Like to Have as a Child

Cypher Learning NEO is the next-generation platform your school has been waiting for. It’s the ideal solution for all learning activities, whether it’s creating content, assessing students, or tracking student achievement. NEO provides a refreshingly new way to teach and learn that boosts student engagement and makes teaching easier. With an intuitive design and powerful features, NEO has all the tools schools and universities need for a great learning and teaching experience.It all started with a young boy named Graham Glass who had a tremendous passion for education. Growing up in the U.K., Graham was lucky to attend schools where he encountered some great teachers. He enjoyed going to school and learning new things. He even thought of choosing teaching as a career.Later on, after finishing university, Graham became a teacher and was a senior lecturer at the University of Texas, where he taught Computer Science. He gained a good reputation for his teaching skills at UTD, and was soon getting offers to teach the same materials at local high-tech companies. Back in those days, Learning Management Systems (LMS) did not exist to help facilitate teaching and engage young learners with their studies. Even then, he was wondering why isn’t there a way to package his instruction materials in a scalable way and make it available to millions of people. Graham built his first company based on his teaching experience and ventured on to corporate training and software products. He founded two more companies related to computer tech and training, but his passion has always remained teaching and education. Even though he spent most of his career in the enterprise software space, there has always been a significant educational component, whether it was teaching at University, writing books, teaching in corporations, or explaining complex topics at seminars.That's why in 2009 he decided to go back to his educational roots by starting a new company called EDU 2.0. The company focused on something that was very close to Graham's heart, which was improving education through an innovative e-learning platform. His mission was to provide a better way of facilitating teaching and learning and have a bigger impact on the way people learn.In 2014 EDU 2.0 rebranded to NEO and EDU 2.0 for Business rebranded to MATRIX. Both products are now under the umbrella of CYPHER LEARNING. In 2017, the company launched a new LMS product for entrepreneurs named INDIE.Over the years, CYPHER LEARNING products have received numerous awards and recognitions, are used by over 20,000 organizations, and are available in 40+ languages. Graham's passion for education and innovation has become the essence of who we are as a company and motivates us as a team to offer the best solutions for each market.CYPHER LEARNING is currently the only company that offers learning management systems in all major e-learning sectors: academic, corporate, and individuals.Websitehttps://www.neolms.com/Social Media Informationhttps://twitter.com/cypherlearningResources MentionedSociety of Mind - Marvin Minsky Show SponsorThe National Association for Primary Education speaks for young children and all who live and work with them. Find out more about their online CPD events at nape.org.uk/online-eventsListen to Mark’s audio course 10 Pieces of Advice You’d Like to Have as a Child

Astro Pi Challenge calls on young people to run their own experiments on the International Space Station.I find out more from Olympia Brown, Head of Youth Partnerships, Raspberry Pi Foundation. Two upgraded Raspberry Pi computers were launched to the International Space Station (ISS) in December 2021, enabling young people aged 19 and under to run scientific experiments in space and communicate with astronauts aboard the ISS.The European Astro Pi Challenge from the Raspberry Pi Foundation, in partnership with the European Space Agency, empowers young people, no matter their experience with computers, to write a simple computer program and share a message with the astronauts orbiting 408km above the Earth. The two Raspberry Pi computers will replace older, less-advanced models called Ed and Izzy that were originally deployed as part of Tim Peake's Principia mission in 2015.The European Astro Pi Challenge Mission Zero is aimed at beginners and primary school children and guides young explorers through the steps of writing a computer program to measure the humidity on the ISS. They can share a personal message and create a digital animation that appears on the LED display for the station’s astronauts to read and enjoy. Previous messages sent to the ISS included, ”Do you like pizza?”, “Can you take pets to space?” and “I want to go to space one day.”Mission Zero is free, takes about an hour to complete and can be done at home or in the classroom through the Astro Pi website: astro-pi.org. Everyone that follows the step-by-step guidance is guaranteed to have their computer program message and animation run in space and will receive a personalised certificate to confirm the date, time and location of the ISS when their program was run. They will also have the opportunity to name the Raspberry Pi computers heading to space in December. Young people can have a go and send their messages to the space station until 18 March 2022.Philip Colligan, CEO, Raspberry Pi Foundation said: “I can’t think of many free science-education projects for young people that have their own space programme. The Astro Pi Challenge is a fun activity to support children to discover coding, explore digital creativity and take part in an ‘out of this world’ learning opportunity. You don’t need to be a computer whizz to have a go, you don’t need specialist equipment, and parents don’t need to have any knowledge of coding to support their child to take part, we talk you through it step-by-step. We are putting the power of computing into children’s hands with one of the coolest educational opportunities out there.”In addition to Mission Zero, the Astro Pi Challenge Mission Space Lab is aimed at teams of young people with some prior experience of coding. Teams develop more detailed experiment ideas in school or as part of a coding club that can run on the two Raspberry Pi computers, learning about the real-world impact that their experiments can have.Olympia Brown, Head of Youth Partnerships, Raspberry Pi Foundation said: “More than 54,000 young people from 26 countries have taken part in the Astro Pi challenges to date to run their own computer programs in space . Our two new Raspberry Pi computers mean even more young people can learn about coding and digital creativity to empower them to share messages with the International Space Station. The upgraded technology allows young participants to develop and run more detailed and complex experiments than they have ever been able to before.”The deadline for entries to this year’s Mission Space Lab has now closed but the most promising experiments will now be supported by the Raspberry Pi Foundation to progress their ideas, with selected teams receiving hardware to refine their experiment on Earth before the best ideas run on the ISS. Previous Mission Space Lab experiments designed by young people explored the health of forests and plant erosion and monitoring for wildfires. The Astro Pi Challenge has been designed to be “device neutral” meaning participants do not need to have access to a Raspberry Pi computer to take part – however they do need access to an internet-connected computer.  The Raspberry Pi Foundation is a UK-based charity that works to put computing and digital-creativity into the hands of young people all over the world. It aims to empower young people to harness the power of community and digital technology to solve problems that matter to them and to express themselves creatively . To find out more about the Astro Pi Challenge and take part in Mission Zero today, visit astro-pi.orgSocial Media Informationhttps://twitter.com/astro_piShow SponsorThe National Association for Primary Education speaks for young children and all who live and work with them. Find out more about their online CPD events at nape.org.uk/online-eventsListen to Mark’s audio course 10 Pieces of Advice You’d Like to Have as a Child

Gail Swift is fiercely committed to guiding students and families to take action in their natural abilities.As a proven professional who can guide you to address how your child solves problems, the questions to motivate them, and their ideal career you’ve come to the right place!Gail’s work has impacted lives, such as Brittany, a 15 yr. old with anxiety who believed that she was “not normal” when in fact, the way she worked was normal for her and Taylor, who Gail worked with as a Senior to make sure she was spot on with her electives and internships in the zip code her school was in.What really excites Gail Swift about her work is knowing that every single student is created with a pattern of taking action that does not change over time. That pattern predicts their Path which leads to their purpose.Her expertise has been honored by being in the first group of Kolbe Youth Advocates in the world, appearances on Podcasts, Television segments, Educational stages and College open houses.Three unique things about Gail that might surprise you include: she loves watching her kids dance in the rain, takes a hike with her husband most Saturday mornings and snuggle with her Rhodesian Ridgeback Jax!Websiteplanstoprospercoaching.comShow SponsorThe National Association for Primary Education speaks for young children and all who live and work with them. Find out more about their online CPD events at nape.org.uk/online-eventsListen to Mark’s audio course 10 Pieces of Advice You’d Like to Have as a Child

Dr. Roger Parrott is the President of Belhaven University in Jackson, Mississippi, one of the fastest growing and most innovative colleges, serving5,000 students, including an online campus in China. Belhaven was named one of “America’s Best Colleges to Work For” by the Chronicle of Higher Education.He was named one of “The 10 Most Visionary Education Leaders of 2021” by Education Magazine.Dr. Parrott is a third-generation College president and was one of America’s youngest - first elected at age 34. He is one of the longest serving university presidents in America having served for 30 years.Over the past two decades Belhaven University has become one of the leading Christian colleges in the Arts, as one of only 35 schools in the world earning accreditation in all four of the primary Arts – Theatre, Music, Visual Art, and Dance. Additional Arts majors were added including Creative Writing, Graphic Design, Arts Administration, and Film Production.Dr. Parrott has been a sought after consultant to over 100 different ministries, and has experience serving on boards of international, national, and local ministries and non-profits, as well as higher education leadership organizations.Websitewww.belhaven.eduSocial Media Information@BelhavenUniversityShow SponsorThe National Association for Primary Education speaks for young children and all who live and work with them. Find out more about their online CPD events at nape.org.uk/online-eventsListen to Mark’s audio course 10 Pieces of Advice You’d Like to Have as a Child

In this episode Mark explains how the Education on Fire will take a break in April and relaunch with a celebration of episode 250.Please leave your comments about how you are involved in education at www.facebook.com/EducationOnFireThis will help us created the best content we can for YOU.Show SponsorThe National Association for Primary Education speaks for young children and all who live and work with them.Their next online event is 7th February 4.30-5.30pm GMT.Graham Macaulay shares how LEO Academy Trust is supporting schools with their edtech journey through the EdTech Demonstrator Programme. The EdTech Demonstrator Programme was developed by the Department for Education to ensure schools and colleges across England could access free, expert advice on educational technology.Book NOW at https://nape.org.uk/edtech-cpd

Scott L. Steward is the Founder and CEO of Genius Lab. Genius Lab has an exemplary mission of exposing the youth to the possibilities of learning and exploring their inner greatness to think boldly in achieving accomplishments. Scott Steward encompasses over 30 years of business experience working with Fortune 500 companies and has taught business and entrepreneurship at the collegiate level. He aims to empower the next generation of business leaders to create an impact globally.Scott L. Steward is an 18-time award-winning teacher of entrepreneurship, whose expertise is frequently sought after by various publications. A former contributing writer for Chicago’s N’DIGO Magapaper and former Chicago Public School teacher, and now Professor of Small Business Management and Entrepreneurship at Chicago State University, Scott provides tips on entrepreneurial ventures and suggestions for emerging entrepreneurs. In addition, Scott authored an easy-to-use business plan that is featured in the book, "Make $1,000 in 35 Days", and is a contributor to the globally used classroom textbook, "Entrepreneurship: Owning Your FUTURE 11th Edition", (Pearson, Prentice-Hall). Scott is also the author of "31 Ways to Improve Your Life: a Book of Stewism’s" and "From the Block to the Boardroom: a Book of Stewism's".Scott is a true inspiration. His passion and determination enable him to create an unprecedented connection with his students, whom more than 80% have turned into business owners under his direction.Scott earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from Columbia College Chicago and a Master’s of Science in Integrated Marketing Communications from Roosevelt University.Websitewww.geniuslabchicago.com/Social Media InformationIG @geniuslabchiwww.facebook.com/580470378700056/Show SponsorThe National Association for Primary Education speaks for young children and all who live and work with them. Find out more about their online CPD events at nape.org.uk/online-eventsListen to Mark’s audio course 10 Pieces of Advice You’d Like to Have as a Child

Aaron Huey is the founder of “Parenting Teens that Struggle” and the Host of the #1 Parenting Podcast “Beyond Risk and Back” which is Mental Health News Radio Network's highest-rated show internationally. He is also a Parent Coach for parents of kids at risk, a teen addiction interventionist, facilitates powerful parenting events, and is a very happy husband and father of 2 young adults.Aaron is an internationally known lecturer on archetypal imagery, body language, and martial arts and the Founder and President of Fire Mountain Programs, and since 2004 has run kids camps, teen camps, and family programming. In 2009, he and his wife Christine opened a residential Mental Health and Dependency recovery treatment center for teens ages 12-17 in Colorado. Fire Mountain Residential Treatment Center was in 2019 named one of the Top 50 Healthcare Providers in the United States and in 2020 named one of the Top 100 Innovators in Healthcare.Find him on Facebook at “Parenting Teens That Struggle” for a TON of free information and advice.Websitefiremountainprograms.comSocial Media Informationhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/parentingteensthatstruggleResource Mentionedbrabapp.comShow SponsorThe National Association for Primary Education speaks for young children and all who live and work with them. Find out more about their online CPD events at nape.org.uk/online-eventsListen to Mark’s audio course 10 Pieces of Advice You’d Like to Have as a Child

Deborah Godfrey, certified Parent Educator, brings over 30 years of expertise in the parenting education field. Through her business, POSITIVE PARENTING, she teaches the Redirecting Children’s Behavior parenting skills class and the Redirecting for a Cooperative Classroom training in schools and community centers around the world. She has served many organizations including C.A.A.N (Child Abuse and Neglect), Casa Pacifica, Conejo Valley Substance Abuse Prevention Authority and Child Development Resources of Ventura County, The California State Foster Parent Association, Southern California Mothers of Twins, the Ventura County Wellness Program and the Oxnard and Ventura School Districts. In April, 2007, Deborah conducted teacher trainings for 8 schools during a 30-day period in 5 states across India. Deborah conducted 8 parent education workshops in Beijing, China during a 2-week period in February 2008. She is the past director of Foster & Kinship Care Education at Ventura College and the regional Instructor Trainer for the Redirecting Children’s Behavior curriculum for the International Network For Children and Families. Deborah is a member of and has sat on the board of the Ventura County Partnership for Safe Families. Deborah is recognized for her humor and compassion while teaching behavior and discipline tools that work at home and in the classroom.Websitepositiveparenting.comSocial Media Information@positiveparentingdebbiehttps://www.facebook.com/AskDebNowhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/positiveparenting/Resources MentionedDiscover Your Child's Learning Style - Mariaemma Willis & Victoria Kindle Hodson  Show SponsorThe National Association for Primary Education speaks for young children and all who live and work with them. Find out more about their online CPD events at nape.org.uk/online-eventsListen to Mark’s audio course 10 Pieces of Advice You’d Like to Have as a Child