Category: Blog

London Pupils Host Mock Election for Children’s News Programme

Espresso News Bites Election Special Will Be Streamed To UK Schools This Week

 

Pupils from a north London prep school have been gearing up for election day by hosting a mock general election which will feature in a special news programme available only through global edtech leader Discovery Education

The General Election News Bites Special will be streamed to thousands of UK primary schools this week via Espresso News Bites- the award-winning news service for children. Produced in partnership with ITN Productions, Espresso News Bites bring the world’s biggest stories to UK classrooms every day and are delivered to schools nationwide only through Espresso by Discovery Education, an award-winning daily learning platform for primary schools.

 

As people across the UK prepare to head to the polls, St Martin’s School in Northwood hosted the event to help pupils understand how elections work. A film crew from Discovery Education visited the school to capture their learning in action.

 

From writing manifestos and posters to designing ballot boxes and papers, the children created their own political parties and ran leadership campaigns. They also hosted a lively ‘hustings’, where candidates debated their views and answered questions. Finally, the children headed to a mini polling booth, to cast their votes. After all votes had been counted, Headteacher Simon Dunn announced that 10 year old Syon, Leader of ‘The Connection Party’ was the winner.

 

Speaking after the result was announced, Syon said “Thank you to my amazing team, I’m just so pleased – I’m speechless!”

 

Mr Dunn said, “We were delighted to welcome the film crew from Discovery Education to film our mock general election in school. The children really enjoyed taking part and it was a great opportunity to help them witness democracy in action. The experience provided a great opportunity for them to embrace their curiosity, demonstrate their confidence and convey just how highly capable they are. Moreover, to have fun while doing so! One moment that stood out for me was the sheer weight of expectation in the room as I was announcing the candidates for Junior PM. Every boy was invested in winning the coveted role after so much effort on their part to win it. The energy was electrifying!”

 

Michael Savitz, Discovery Education’s UK and International General Manager said: “Discovery Education brings current affairs and world events to pupils across the United Kingdom through Espresso News.  We’re pleased to help children understand how a general election works and to ignite their curiosity about public service, and we thank the pupils at St Martin’s for taking part.”

 

The ‘How Does A General Election Work?’ bulletin is available now to Espresso subscribers across the UK and around the world and can be viewed here.  In addition to this special, Espresso also offers a host of curriculum-matched resources to help primary school children learn about general elections and support teachers to promote British Values. These include a complete Election Workshop Guide, to help schools stage their own mock elections, which can be found here.

 

Explore Discovery Education’s award-winning digital learning services at www.discoveryeducation.co.uk.

 

For further information please contact:

Angie Shatford, UK PR for Discovery Education: angie@inkstream.co.uk.

Posted in Blog, In the News, Press Release

Newcastle Pupils Celebrate Success in Maths Learning Challenge

Pupils from a Newcastle school have been celebrating their success after taking part in a nationwide learning challenge.

64 children at Newcastle’s Royal Grammar School received awards following their participation in the DoodleLearning Spring Challenge – which helps to boost children’s skills in maths and English by encouraging them to practise for just a few minutes each day.

More than 17,900 pupils from over 530 UK primary schools took part in this year’s challenge, which utilised DoodleLearning’s award-winning apps. Part of the Discovery Education family of solutions, the DoodleMaths and DoodleEnglish apps use the latest edtech advances to reward learning and increase children’s confidence.

The pupils from Royal Grammar School were presented with DoodleLearning certificates and badges in a special school assembly this week.

Tom Lloyd, Year 6 teacher and Head of Maths at the school said:

“The DoodleLearning Spring Challenge is a great way to engage children in developing their mathematical knowledge and skills.  The little and often approach allows all pupils to make progress without being onerous on time in busy schedules.  The Challenge itself also helps to minimise slip off in knowledge during the extended holiday periods which is great for when term starts, and we can hit the ground running.  Although, the highlight for most of the children is the colourful certificates and wonderful pin badges that they get to collect and wear in school!”

Michael Savitz, Discovery Education’s UK and International General Manager said:

“We’re delighted to see so many pupils from Royal Grammar School Newcastle taking part in our popular DoodleLearning Challenge. Covering the core areas of maths and English, our apps create every child a personalised learning experience, helping to boost their confidence and ability.”

Designed to be used for just 10 minutes a day,  Discovery Education’s DoodleMaths and DoodleEnglish use the latest advances in learning and motivational psychology to raise attainment and boost confidence in maths and English. Giving children a personalised learning programme tailored to their needs, the apps are proven to boost confidence and ability. Filled with thousands of interactive exercises, they explore numeracy and literacy in a fun, approachable way, giving children core skills they can use in the classroom and beyond.

Find out more about how DoodleLearning’s award winning apps can help you as a parent or teacher at www.doodlelearning.com.

Explore Discovery Education’s award-winning digital learning services at www.discoveryeducation.co.uk.

 

For further information please contact:

Angie Shatford, UK PR for Discovery Education: angie@inkstream.co.uk.

Posted in Blog, In the News, Press Release

National Numeracy Day: New Digital Resources From Discovery Education

In celebration of National Numeracy Day, global edtech leader Discovery Education is providing primary schools with an exciting array of digital resources that make Maths learning fun.

 

Taking place on 22nd May, National Numeracy Day is a UK-wide celebration of Maths. In support of this, Discovery Education has curated a collection of resources to help pupils develop their numeracy skills and enjoy Maths. Exploring numerical reasoning and problem solving through engaging, curriculum-linked activities, the resources will ignite curiosity and boost confidence, giving pupils skills to use in the classroom and beyond.

 

Available via the award-winning digital learning service Discovery Education Espresso, and Discovery Education’s DoodleLearning, the resources also explore Maths in real-world contexts, helping children see how numbers relate to their everyday lives.

 

Suitable for pupils from EYFS to KS2, the National Numeracy Day resources will provide teachers with lessons, videos, interactive games and activities to bring Maths to life. The resources are closely mapped to the National Curriculum, helping teachers to meet curriculum aims in every key stage.

 

The Discovery Education Espresso resources include:

• NEW National Numeracy Day lessons – available in Espresso Calendar Picks, these lessons will help teachers and pupils celebrate the event
• NEW Maths lessons with ramped worksheets – 33 new lessons for KS2 covering topics including geometry, statistics and shape
• ‘Grime Tables’ – engaging music videos performed by a UK grime artist to support the learning of times tables in a fresh, modern and memorable way
• Arcademics – a fun collection of multi-player maths games, covering addition, multiplication, division, algebra and much more
• Real-world video content – intriguing videos that explore Maths problems presented in real-world contexts
• Muddy Maths – exciting EYFS resources that encourage pupils to explore numbers, measures and patterns around them through videos, books and interactive challenges

 

The DoodleLearning resources include:

• DoodleMaths – a revolutionary app that provides pupils with a personalised programme tailored to their learning needs. Using the latest adaptive technology, DoodleMaths is designed to boost children’s confidence and ability in Maths, equipping them with the numeracy skills they need for success
• DoodleTables – an interactive times tables app that uses fun exercises and games to keep learning fresh and exciting, and help children master multiplications

 

Michael Savitz, Discovery Education’s General Manager, International said:

 

“Discovery Education is proud to support National Numeracy Day by providing schools with dynamic digital resources. With this content in hand, educators will ignite pupils’ curiosity and build their confidence and skills in maths.”

 

The National Numeracy Day resources are available to Discovery Education and Doodle Learning subscriber schools.

 

Explore Discovery Education’s award-winning digital learning services at www.discoveryeducation.co.uk.

Find out more about DoodleLearning’s award-winning apps at www.doodlelearning.com.

Discovery Education is the worldwide edtech leader whose state-of-the-art digital platform supports learning wherever it takes place. Through its award-winning multimedia content, instructional supports, and innovative classroom tools, Discovery Education helps educators deliver equitable learning experiences, engaging all students and supporting higher academic achievement on a global scale. Discovery Education serves approximately 4.5 million educators and 45 million students worldwide, and its resources are accessed in over 100 countries and territories. Inspired by the global media company Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. Explore the future of education at www.discoveryeducation.co.uk.

For further information please contact:

Angie Shatford, UK PR for Discovery Education: angie@inkstream.co.uk.

Posted in Blog, In the News, Press Release

Celebrate Earth Day with Discovery Education: New Digital & Immersive Learning Resources for Primary Schools

Primary schools across the UK are being invited to celebrate Earth Day with exciting new digital and immersive learning resources from Discovery Education.

 

Available via Discovery Education’s award-winning daily learning platform Espresso, the high-quality digital resources – which include a new Augmented Reality (AR) experience – will inspire pupils to explore our planet and ignite interest in the natural world. Discovery Education is the worldwide edtech leader whose state-of-the-art digital resources nurture curiosity and drive deeper engagement. Taking place on 22^nd April, Earth Day is an annual, global event that unites more than 1 billion people for a brighter future.

 

Covering the breadth of the curriculum, Discovery Education’s Earth Day resources include:

• Sandbox AR Earth Day Experience: An exciting new AR activity, which brings pupils face to face with the problem of pollution. Using Discovery Education’s free Sandbox AR app, pupils can walk around an augmented reality beach scene and participate in a coastal clean-up effort

 

• The ‘Home’ Virtual Field Trip:

An exciting, interactive experience taking pupils on a journey from the newly colonised Moon, back home to Earth. Driving across the Moon’s surface in a lunar rover, pupils are guided to reflect on the significance of planet Earth as a home for everyone

• Earth Day Assemblies:

Celebratory assemblies to help primary school teachers set the scene for Earth Day, with supporting scripts, slideshows and question prompts

• Earth Day Lessons:

Special lessons with videos, discussion prompts and extension activities that explore how we can celebrate our planet

 

Discovery Education’s Earth Day resources are closely mapped to the National Curriculum, helping teachers to meet objectives in Science, Citizenship, Geography and British Values.

 

Lizzy Lambley, Discovery Education’s UK Head of Production said: “We’re delighted to provide primary schools with these engaging resources to observe Earth Day. With these resources in hand, educators are prepared to ignite student curiosity about how they can build a better future of our planet.”

 

Discovery Education’s Espresso Earth Day resources are available to subscriber schools at www.espresso.co.uk.

For more information about Discovery Education’s award-winning digital resources and professional learning solutions visit www.discoveryeducation.co.uk and stay connected with Discovery Education on social media through X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

 

For further information please contact:

Angie Shatford, UK PR for Discovery Education: angie@inkstream.co.uk.

Posted in Blog, In the News, Press Release

Global Recycling Day: Lessons & Resources from Discovery Education

In celebration of Global Recycling Day 2024, Discovery Education is providing primary schools with digital resources to help teachers highlight the important role recycling plays in protecting the environment. Available via Discovery Education’s award-winning Espresso learning platform, the high-quality digital content is closely mapped to the National Curriculum for Science in KS1 and KS2. Discovery Education is the worldwide edtech leader whose state-of-the-art digital resources nurture curiosity and drive deeper engagement.

Taking place on March 18^th, Global Recycling Day is an annual event organised by The Global Recycling Foundation. This year’s theme is #RecyclingHeroes, and Discovery Education’s resources will help children understand how and why we recycle, while reflecting on the benefits, such as reducing pollution and protecting wildlife. The content is curated in new lessons, giving teachers ready-to-use, curriculum-aligned resources for each Key Stage.

 

Suitable for students from EYFS to KS2, Discovery Education’s Global Recycling Day content includes:

• Dynamic Video Content

An inspiring Global Recycling Day film, which helps pupils witness the real-world impact of recycling. Taking learners on a journey to Africa, the film shows how Kenya is turning the tide on plastic pollution by turning waste into colourful sailing boats

• Ideas to Spark Engagement

A range of classroom discussion prompts that help teachers explore the importance of recycling. Pupils are encouraged to identify and learn which materials can be recycled and to share and justify their opinions on what can be done to protect the environment

• Fun Hands-On Activities

Ideas for in-class extension activities for younger pupils, such as sorting and exploring different materials for recycling

 

Lizzy Lambley, Discovery Education’s UK Head of Production said:

“Discovery Education is proud to offer these new resources to educators across the United Kingdom. Our Global Recycling Day lessons will inspire pupils to explore the benefits of recycling while helping teachers to meet Science Curriculum requirements in a fun and engaging way.”

 

The Global Recycling Day resources are available to Discovery Education subscriber schools via Espresso, the curriculum-centred daily learning platform for primary schools.

 

For more information about Discovery Education’s award-winning digital resources and professional learning solutions visit www.discoveryeducation.co.uk and stay connected with Discovery Education on social media through X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

 

For further information please contact:

Angie Shatford, UK PR for Discovery Education: angie@inkstream.co.uk.

Posted in Blog, In the News, Press Release

Children’s Mental Health Week: Enfield Pupils Filmed for Children’s News Programme

Pupils at Lavender Primary School in Enfield have taken part in a short film for Children’s Mental Health Week, which is being broadcast to thousands of schools across the UK.

The pupils were filmed for a special edition of Espresso News Bites – an award-winning news service for primary schools. Produced in partnership with ITN Productions, Espresso News Bites brings the world’s biggest stories to UK classrooms every day, via the digital learning platform Discovery Education Espresso.

A crew from Espresso News Bites visited Lavender Primary School where they filmed a Mental Health Awareness lesson and interviewed pupils in Year 3. Presenter Humza Chaudhry interviewed the children about how they look after their mental health and why it’s important to be open about their emotions. The pupils were joined on camera by school counsellor Zoe Kubaisi from children’s charity Place2Be, which organises Children’s Mental Health Week.

Amelie, age 8,  said:

“I think it’s really important to learn about your feelings, so that you can tell people how you are feeling and how they can help you.”

Arlo, age 8, said:

“When you learn about your feelings, you can help your friends with their feelings. If you’re sad you can comfort them and if you’re happy you can play with them.”

Teacher Lauren Hoffland said: “We were delighted to welcome the film crew from Espresso News Bites, in partnership with Place2Be. The children really enjoyed talking about how they look after their mental health and support one another, as part of our learning for Children’s Mental Health Week.”

Now in its 10^th year, Children’s Mental Health Week is a nationwide event, organised by Place2Be.  With a theme of ‘My Voice Matters’, this year’s event aimed to empower children and young people by providing them with the tools they need to express themselves and support their wellbeing.

Discovery Education – the worldwide edtech leader whose state-of-the-art digital resources nurture curiosity and drive deeper engagement is proud to support this year’s Children’s Mental Health Week. By providing primary schools with a host of powerful digital resources – including the Espresso News Bites Special and new immersive learning experiences – Discovery Education seeks to provide all educators the tools they need to support students’ mental health and wellbeing.

The Espresso News Bites Special can be viewed by subscriber schools from today at www.espresso.co.uk.

Lizzy Lambley, Discovery Education’s UK Head of Production said:

“With a growing need for mental health support in U.K. schools, Discovery Education is proud to produce this Espresso News special and provide additional digital resources to help teachers support pupil wellbeing.”

Find out more about Children’s Mental Health Week at www.childrensmentalhealthweek.org.uk

Explore Discovery Education’s award-winning digital learning services at www.discoveryeducation.co.uk.

 

For further information please contact:

Angie Shatford, UK PR for Discovery Education: angie@inkstream.co.uk.

Posted in Blog, In the News, Press Release

Discovery Education Supports Children’s Mental Health Week With Digital Teaching Resources For Primary Schools

New resources include immersive AR experiences supporting pupil wellbeing

Discovery Education is proud to support this year’s Children’s Mental Health Week (5th to 11th February 2024), by providing primary schools with dynamic digital resources and new immersive learning experiences supporting students’ mental health and wellbeing.

Available via Discovery Education’s award–winning digital learning services Espressoand Health and Relationships , the carefully curated content – which includesAugmented Reality (AR) experiences, videos, interactives and lesson plans – givesprimary schools high quality digital resources to engage young people during Children’s Mental Health Week and beyond.

Howard Lewis, Discovery Education’s UK and International Managing Director said:

 “With a growing need for mental health support in U.K. schools, Discovery Education is proud to offer teachers and pupils a suite of powerful, new, digital resources they can integrate into teaching to observe Children’s Mental Health Week.”

Now in its 10th year, Children’s Mental Health Week is a nationwide event, organised by children’s charity Place2Be.  With a theme of ‘My Voice Matters’, this year’s event will empower children and young people by providing them with the tools they need to express themselves, which in turn will have a positive impact on their wellbeing.

 

Discovery Education’s Children’s Mental Health Week resources are available to subscriber schools via Espresso and Health and Relationships. Discovery Education’s Sandbox AR app is freely available to download via the Apple App Store.

Discovery Education is the worldwide edtech leader whose state-of-the-art digital platform supports learning wherever it takes place. Explore Discovery Education’s award-winning digital learning services at www.discoveryeducation.co.uk.

 

Find out more about Children’s Mental Health Week at www.childrensmentalhealthweek.org.uk

 

For further information please contact:

Angie Shatford, UK PR for Discovery Education: angie@inkstream.co.uk.  

Posted in Blog, In the News, Press Release

What’s the Real Story? Young Reporters Interview 5 News’ Dan Walker for Children’s News Special

Two budding young London reporters took centre stage at the Channel 5 News studio this week, when they interviewed Dan Walker about how to spot real and fake news.

Harrison, 7 and Alice, 11 met the presenter as part of a special edition of Espresso News –  an award-winning news service for primary schools. Produced in partnership with ITN Productions, Espresso News brings the world’s biggest stories to thousands of classrooms every day via Discovery Education’s dynamic digital learning platform, Espresso. 

The special bulletin – ‘What’s the Real Story?’ – takes young viewers on a tour backstage at ITN HQ, home to 5 News, to reveal how news is made and why fact-checking is so important. Featuring interviews with 5 News Editor Debbie Ramsay and presenter Dan Walker, the film gives an exciting insight into the world of news production, and offers tips to help children build a critical eye for the stories they consume.

Interviewing Dan Walker inside the famous 5 News studio, Harrison and Alice asked the presenter how young people can tell if news is reliable. Dan Walker explained how journalists fact-check and why it’s important for children to question where stories come from. “Today more than ever, it’s important that you trust the news you hear”, said Dan. “That’s why we spend a lot of time making sure that what we tell you is true, fair and accurate.”

Speaking after the interview, young reporter Alice said, “I really enjoyed presenting Espresso News with Harrison, it was an amazing experience! I loved seeing the Channel 5 studios!”

 

Howard Lewis, Discovery Education’s UK and International Managing Director said: “Espresso News brings current affairs and world events to pupils of all ages, in classrooms around the world. We’re delighted to create this new bulletin in partnership with ITN’s News, as it will empower teachers to help their pupils to become critical 21^st century news consumers. ”

 

The ‘What’s the Real Story?’ bulletin is available now to Espresso subscribers across the UK and around the world and can be viewed here. In addition to this special, Espresso also offers a host of curriculum-matched resources to help primary school children spot fake news and build digital literacy skills which can be found here. 

 

Discovery Education is the worldwide edtech leader whose state-of-the-art digital platform supports learning wherever it takes place. Explore Discovery Education’s award-winning digital learning services at  www.discoveryeducation.co.uk.

 

For further information please contact:

Angie Shatford, UK PR for Discovery Education: angie@inkstream.co.uk.

Posted in Blog, In the News, Press Release