Maddy Kavanagh, Education and Skills Programme Manager at Nesta Challenges and Gordon Taylor, a STEM technician at Walton Priory Middle School are talking to me about the The Amazon Longitude Explorer Prize.The Amazon Longitude Explorer Prize, delivered by Nesta Challenges, calls on young bright minds to put their passion for science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) to the test, to create and develop technological innovations to help solve some of the biggest issues of our time.Young people aged 11-16 are encouraged to apply their creativity and ingenuity in four key areas: supporting people living independently in old age, helping people lead healthier lives, tackling climate change and pollution, and helping people stay better connected.Now in its fourth year, and supported by Amazon for the first time, the Longitude Explorer Prize pairs classroom STEM learning with valuable entrepreneurial skills to help young innovators make their great ideas a reality. The Prize helps teachers easily incorporate the programme into lesson plans by providing an array of free online resources aligned with the school STEM and citizenship curriculum – adapted to the Covid-19 classroom restrictions schools currently face.Teams are asked to create solutions based on one of four prize themes:• Living Longer – technological solutions to support an ageing population• Living Healthier – technological solutions that help people live happier and healthier lives• Living Greener – technological solutions that tackle pollution and climate change; and• Living Together – technological solutions that help people stay better connected in a way that is easy, safe and environmentally friendly as well as solutions to deliver more sustainable transport.The top 40 teams will be selected as finalists, where Amazon will provide expert mentoring on topics ranging from data analytics, software engineering, robotics, and app development to create prototypes of their concepts to determine the winner in July 2021. The winners will be awarded £20,000 for their school or youth group, and three teams of runners up will be awarded £5,000 each for their school or youth group.The Amazon Longitude Explorer Prize aims to reach students across the UK and address the lack of diversity in STEM industries by providing young people from all backgrounds with an introduction to the possibilities of entrepreneurship in STEM and becoming the disruptors of the future. According to a report from EngineeringUK earlier this year, only 12% of engineers in the UK are women and, according to the Intellectual Property Office, fewer than 13% of patents are made by women. More than half (55%) of entrants to the 2020 Longitude Explorer Prize were girls.About Nesta and Nesta ChallengesNesta is an innovation foundation. For us, innovation means turning bold ideas into reality and changing lives for the better. We use our expertise, skills and funding in areas where there are big challenges facing society. We've spent over 20 years working out the best ways to make change happen through research and experimenting, and we've applied that to our work in innovation policy, health, education, government innovation and the creative economy and arts.Within Nesta, Nesta Challenges exists to design and run challenge prizes that help solve pressing problems that lack solutions. We shine a spotlight where it matters and incentivise people to solve these issues. We are independent supporters of change to help communities thrive and inspire the best placed, most diverse groups of people around the world to take action.We support the boldest and bravest ideas to become real, and seed long term change to advance society and build a better future for everyone. We are part of the innovation foundation, Nesta. We are challengers. We are innovators. We are game changers.About AmazonAmazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion or invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalised recommendations, Prime, Fulfilment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, and Alexa are some of the products and services pioneered by Amazon. For more information, visit aboutamazon.co.uk and follow @AmazonNewsUK.About Amazon in the CommunityAmazon has long been committed to communities where our employees live and work and we focus on building long-term, innovative, and high impact programmes that leverage Amazon’s unique assets and culture. We want all children and young adults to have the resources and skills to build their best future. We concentrate on “right now needs” – via programmes that address hunger, homelessness, and disaster relief efforts – as well as programmes like Amazon Future Engineer, designed to inspire and excite children and young adults from underrepresented communities to pursue careers in the rapidly growing field of computer science. We are committed to inspiring and educating students across the UK to try computer science and coding, and pursue a career in this field.Websitewww.longitudeexplorer.challenges.orgSocial Media InformationTwitter: @NestaChallengesShow SponsorThe National Association for Primary Education speaks for young children and all who live and work with them. Get a FREE e-copy of their professional journal at nape.org.uk/journal

David is a former consulting actuary to Fortune 100 companies. He built the world’s largest coaching business, becoming #1 on Google for life coaching and coaching thousands of hours in 12 countries around the globe.As well as helping others, David is no stranger to overcoming challenges himself, having survived a full collapse of his paraglider and a fractured spine, witnessing the death of his sister at age seven, anxiety and depression. He coaches high performing business owners to double revenue, and their time off by focusing on less and being 30% more courageous in their business or career. Now David is using his skills, expertise and experience to support teachers and educators to use these insights and support the next generation.Websitehttp://focus.ceo/Social Media Informationwww.linkedin.com/in/focus-ceowww.youtube.com/c/ExtraordinaryFocuswithDavidWoodwww.instagram.com/_focusceo/www.twitter.com/_focusceowww.facebook.com/extraordinaryfocuswww.facebook.com/playforrealllResources MentionedByron Katie https://thework.com/Show SponsorThe National Association for Primary Education speaks for young children and all who live and work with them. Get a FREE e-copy of their professional journal at nape.org.uk/journal

thinkfour is a free online virtual learning platform for Scottish Higher pupils which distils complex sections of the curriculum into four minute videos as presented by experienced teachers.It is available to all children throughout Scotland and targeted at ages 14-17. Young people are able to upload their own versions of the videos which are vetted by teachers and there is a whole section dedicated to helping parents and carers support their children with their studies.It is a collaboration between expert teachers, academic specialists in education, and a Glasgow-based award winning digital agency. This independent start-up was funded by The Glasgow Academy of which Matthew Pearce is Rector.Website thinkfour.org.uk/Social Media Informationwww.facebook.com/thinkfour@think4scotwww.linkedin.com/thinkfourShow SponsorThe National Association for Primary Education speaks for young children and all who live and work with them. Get a FREE e-copy of their professional journal at nape.org.uk/journal 

Nathalie Richards founded EduKit to help schools to ensure ALL students could access life-changing support in order to achieve their potential.Now, 7 years on, over 150,000 students have taken EduKit Insight surveys and they have connected thousands of schools with impactful youth interventions via the free EduKit Connect service. And in the summer of 2020 in the midst of the pandemic, they worked with schools to launch a powerful Wellbeing mobile app to ensure that all children would have critical mental health and wellbeing support at their fingertips.Nathalie has worked with young people for many years. After being bullied as a teenager, Nathalie decided she wanted no child to feel alone in dealing with a problem at home or School. She set up her social enterprise, EduKit, in 2014. Since then, she has enabled thousands of students to seek help and improve their mental health through EduKit's online student wellbeing surveys and, more recently, the EduKit mobile app.Nathalie is an experienced interviewee and speaker. She chaired the London Knife Crime Conference organised by London Mayor Sadiq Khan, sits on the Board of Virgin Unite and has mentored children and young people with ‘100 Black Men of London' and 'Young Enterprise.'Websitewww.edukit.org.ukSocial Media Information@EdukittersShow SponsorThe National Association for Primary Education speaks for young children and all who live and work with them. Get a FREE e-copy of their professional journal at nape.org.uk/journal

Read Write Code written by Jeremy Keeshin, is a friendly introduction to the world of coding and explains why it is the new literacy.Jeremy Keeshin is the CEO and Co-founder of CodeHS, the leading coding education platform for schools used by millions of students. He is an expert in computer science education and education technology, and he has visited hundreds of schools all over the world. Prior to starting CodeHS, he taught computer science at Stanford. Code is the new literacy. Six hundred years ago, most people couldn’t read. In 1440, the invention of the printing press laid the groundwork for massive increases in literacy and ushered in the modern era.Today, computers and the internet are causing a similar tectonic shift. Reading and writing are foundational skills, and in our digital world, coding is too.But coding can be intimidating to learn. What is code? Where do you even start?In Read Write Code, Jeremy Keeshin demystifies the world of computers, starting at the beginning to explain the basic building blocks of today’s tech: programming, the internet, data, apps, the cloud, cybersecurity, algorithms, artificial intelligence, and more.Complex concepts are explained in friendly and engaging ways, with interactive examples and practical tips. This book is a must-read for modern educators and anyone who wants to understand why code matters today.Websitereadwritecodebook.com/thekeesh.comSocial Mediawww.linkedin.com/in/jkeesh/www.twitter.com/jkeeshResources MentionedEssays and reading list Show SponsorXientifica SOS, written by Daniel Phelps, is a unique children’s adventure for young people aged 8-12–adult. It’s ‘Where science meets adventure’. It’s not a science book, it is a children’s adventure novel which has science in it.’Xientifica SOS provides a perfect platform for discussions and encourages children to ask questions, so is not only ideal for lone-reading or as a class book, but perfect for home schooling too.Xientifica SOS can be bought on Amazon and is available on Kindle or in paperback Go to Amazon – or to find out more (and listen to extracts from the book) – go to Xientifica.com (with an X)…X I E N T I F I C AHomepage: https://xientifica.com/Twitter @xientificaShow SponsorThe National Association for Primary Education speaks for young children and all who live and work with them. Get a FREE e-copy of their professional journal at nape.org.uk/journal

I share the themes and insights I have discovered in the first 200 episodes of the Education on Fire podcast.I chat about my learning experience at school from discovering my passion to becoming a professional musician.I explore how some of these themes have shown themselves in my podcast and how we can share the wisdom of my guests with the children in our care.www.EducationOnFire.com

Suzanne DeMallie has been striving to make a difference in education since 2005. Her book Can You Hear Me Now? walks parents and teachers through everything they need to know to make a difference in their local district and beyond, from the most basic questions they should be asking to the most effective steps they can take to make their voices heard.As a parent, Suzanne DeMallie fought a nationwide battle against bureaucracy for the simple, common sense idea that children in the back of a classroom should be able to hear their teacher.Suzanne taught for seven years in the Baltimore County Public Schools system. Research into her own son’s learning difficulties led her to author the Classroom Auditory Learning Issues resolution, adopted by the National PTA in July 2007. Her work has appeared in Our Children Magazine, T.H.E. Journal, Towson Times, and The Baltimore Sun.She has presented at the National School Boards Association’s Annual Convention; to national, state, and local PTA groups, and to politicians. Suzanne was awarded the National PTA’s Life Achievement Award in May 2007, the highest honor from the nation’s largest child advocacy organization.Websitehttps://suzannedemallie.comSocial Media Informationwww.linkedin.com/in/suzanne-demallie/facebook.com/SDeMallie/twitter.com/SuzanneDeMallieResources mentionedThe Last Lecture - Randy PauschShow SponsorXientifica SOS, written by Daniel Phelps, is a unique children’s adventure for young people aged 8-12–adult. It’s ‘Where science meets adventure’. It’s not a science book, it is a children’s adventure novel which has science in it.’Xientifica SOS provides a perfect platform for discussions and encourages children to ask questions, so is not only ideal for lone-reading or as a class book, but perfect for home schooling too.Xientifica SOS can be bought on Amazon and is available on Kindle or in paperback Go to Amazon – or to find out more (and listen to extracts from the book) – go to Xientifica.com (with an X)…X I E N T I F I C AHomepage: https://xientifica.com/Twitter @xientificaShow SponsorThe National Association for Primary Education speaks for young children and all who live and work with them. Get a FREE e-copy of their professional journal at nape.org.uk/journal

David is Founder and CEO of 8billionideas which exists to give every student the skills and belief to change the world. 8billionideas teaches children what they don’t learn in school by providing online live experiences and mentoring around the clock. 8billionideas helps children to lead a more fulfilling life and passion led career, and ultimately change the world. 8billionideas is one of twenty organisations that will be featured by St James' Palace in 2021 in their publication on 'Leadership and Innovation - For the next 300 years', because of their forward thinking approach to education.David is an entrepreneur, a proud 2x TEDx speaker and author who is passionate about making sure students have the skills that they really need in the future to be happy, successful and change the world.Prior to 8billionideas, David created 7billionideas which was an award winning education organisation recognised by the Times Educational Supplement and COBIS on a global scale. The education arm of worked with over 100,000 students in 500+ schools in the UK and across the world including Dubai, Hong Kong, Thailand, Indonesia, Australia and Europe. Because of these achievements, he was recently a finalist at the UK Business Awards in the category of 'Entrepreneur of the Year'.At the start of 2020, he co-founded a movement known as #UnlockingEducation having thought provoking discussions around the future of education and is pleased to announce his latest position as a FED (Foundation of Education Development) Council Member.Websitewww.8billionideas.comSocial Media InformationTwitter - @davidjharkinLinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/davidjharkinShow SponsorXientifica SOS, written by Daniel Phelps, is a unique children’s adventure for young people aged 8-12–adult. It’s ‘Where science meets adventure’. It’s not a science book, it is a children’s adventure novel which has science in it.’Xientifica SOS provides a perfect platform for discussions and encourages children to ask questions, so is not only ideal for lone-reading or as a class book, but perfect for home schooling too.Xientifica SOS can be bought on Amazon and is available on Kindle or in paperback Go to Amazon – or to find out more (and listen to extracts from the book) – go to Xientifica.com (with an X)…X I E N T I F I C AHomepage: https://xientifica.com/Twitter @xientificaShow SponsorThe National Association for Primary Education speaks for young children and all who live and work with them. Get a FREE e-copy of their professional journal at nape.org.uk/journal

David Miller is Director of the Innovation School at Kelvinside Academy. David has had a long career in education and in 2008 was the recipient of the Guardian Award for UK Teacher of the Year. In the same year, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts and made a National Teaching Fellow of the UK Teaching Awards.Since 2008, David has been a consultant with BBC Learning and a Judge for the UK Teaching Awards, the Scottish Education Awards, for the Institute of Ideas – Debating Matters. David is a Visiting Fellow on the Masters in Teaching and Learning for Edgehill University, and a Visiting Tutor to postgraduate students of Glasgow University’s Faculty of Education.David has been a Lead Researcher on an EU Lifelong Learning Programme looking at Digital Storytelling and the use of emerging technologies in the English Classroom.In 2012, David was head-hunted to act as Chief Learning Architect for a Kuato Studios, building educational games that utilised next generation Artificial Intelligence. The games went on to win a number of international accolades, including a special mention at President Obama’s final Science Fair in 2016.In, 2018, David became Director of the Innovation School at Kelvinside – a unique partnership with NuVu in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Questions asked on the Learning on Fire Podcast Interview1. Who are you?2. What does your life look like now and how is it different from when you were growing up?3. What was valuable about your school experience?4. Which teachers do you remember and why?5. Who did you admire when you were young?6. What was it about that person that had such an impact?7. What was the best piece of advice you have ever been given and who gave it to you?8. What advice would you give your younger self?9. What does your future look like?10. What podcast, book, video, film, song or other resource has had the biggest impact on your life and why? Websitehttps://www.kelvinside.org/innovation-school Social media information Twitter: @davidmiller_uk Resources mentionedSparky’s Magic PianoLord of the Flies – William GoldingThe Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock – T.S Eliot

Towards a balanced and broadly-based curriculum was the theme of the National Association for Primary Education conference in March 2021. The keynote lecture was given by Dr. Tony Eaude.This is a follow up Q&A that I hosted and taken from a subsequent Facebook live event. NAPE has been a long term supporter of the Education on Fire podcast and I have been involved with the association for over 5 years, the last 18 months as vice chair. I thought this discussion was very insightful and wanted to give you the opportunity to hear it.The original full lecture can be found on the NAPE YouTube channel at https://youtu.be/YI_tiHvKxOkTony suggested four main arguments for a balanced and broadly-based primary curriculum:that the law states that schools must offer this (as it does) and that Ofsted expect this (at least from 7 years old);one based on how children create coherent, robust and flexible identities, enhancing their well-being and founded on a sense of agency;one based on a conception of democratic citizenship in which children are increasingly enabled to deal with complex ideas right from the start; anda social justice one that such a curriculum will open up opportunities from which many children, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, will otherwise be excluded.Questions & comments from conference delegatesRetired HeadteacherDr Eaude’s argument for a balanced and broadly based curriculum is compelling. Moving forwards, is it possible for schools to work with the current National Curriculum Framework to achieve this? Do Academies, rather than Local Authority schools, have the most potential and freedom to develop such curriculum experiences?Where (in England) is curriculum innovation to be found at present?What is the National Association of Primary Education’s role in this argument?As a student in my final year of an undergraduate course, I am currently working on an assignment about my own educational philosophy which very much aligns with Dr. Eaude’s Schiller speech. Embarking into my NQT year in September I know the best way to change this is starting in my own classroom. However big questions arise with that:What can I do beyond that? If there is not enough support or like-minded colleagues,How can I reach out to ensure this way of teaching the curriculum is opened up on to all the children in the community?Where can I find more support?For more information about Dr. Tony Eaude please visit his website https://edperspectives.org.uk/More information about NAPE is available at https://nape.org.uk/To find out more about Christian Schiller HMI please click on the link belowhttps://nape.org.uk/publications​The Schiller Book, published by NAPE, ‘In His Own Words’, can be purchased for only £5.The full lecture can be found on the NAPE YouTube channel at https://youtu.be/YI_tiHvKxOk