Latest news with #NationalCurriculum
Spectator
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Spectator
2716: Cluelessness
Eight entries – only four of which comprise one word – possess titular properties. Across 11 Playful killer whales swimming, not terribly well, lacking energy (7) 12 Former parking cut in safe English city (6) 13 Question in National Curriculum test exercises (6) 14 Section of relatively revolutionary musical (5) 15 Wheels finally augmented by auxiliary spoke (4) 17 Drive, say, sport from the east (4) 21 Consult on standard Persian dialect (6) 23 This, cradled in one's hands, breathed spasmodically (9) 26 Drinks case of alcohol with ease, oddly enough (4) 28 Half of alphabet – the smallest part? (4) 30 Airlifted cast in festival (3,2-4) 36 Suppressing anger, bore having shock? (6) 39 Curl up, withdrawing both hands (4) 40 Old does spot leader of hinds (4) 41 Open University linked to Northern Energy (5) 42 How you might thus have tea? (3,3) 43 Saint working final lyrical poem (6) 44 Insert aged airmen in English force (7) Down 2 Racial shifts around heart of arable Italian region (8) 3 Papal family contributing to investors in industry (6) 4 Animosity over tense card game (6) 5 Supplant American referee's intro on high tackles (5) 6 Exhausted elders assemble, standing for respect (6) 7 Tranquillity that's occasionally needed when one goes to pot (4) 9 Captured in vendetta, saving skin, crumbling (6) 18 King I now see meets large Jewish community (5) 19 Lost slave messenger periodically missing (4) 20 Mafia dons run away from island (4) 24 Brown gong buried in ancient city (5) 25 Essentially, man's idea upset woman (4) 27 Layer in ground at first unknown (8) 29 Most of rubbish in skip (4) 32 Big gun shot on table? (6) 33 Strong effect starts to influence mutual agreement (6) 34 Whale's flap almost covering ear (6) 35 Acknowledgement of A&E perhaps picked up (6) 37 BBC North holds up tips for later? (5) 38 Take out chum (4) Download a printable version here. A first prize of £30 and two runners-up prizes of £20 for the first correct solutions opened on 1 September. Please scan or photograph entries and email them (including the crossword number in the subject field) to crosswords@ or post to: Crossword 2716, The Spectator, 22 Old Queen Street, London SW1H 9HP.
Business News Wales
22-07-2025
- Business
- Business News Wales
Agored Cymru Approved to Deliver Full Suite of Wave 3 Qualifications
Agored Cymru, a leading vocational awarding body in Wales, has been officially recognised by Qualifications Wales to design, deliver, and award the full suite of bilingual WAVE 3 qualifications for learners aged 14 to 16 as of June 2025. These qualifications will form a key part of the new National Curriculum and will be available for first teaching in Wales from September 2027. The recognition covers the full breadth of WAVE 3 qualifications, designed to support learners in developing essential skills for both academic progression and the world of work. These qualifications include: Vocational Certificates of Secondary Education (VCSEs) General and Work-Related Foundation Qualifications The Skills Suite The Personal Project Darren Howells, Chief Executive Officer at Agored Cymru, said: 'As an Awarding Body that fully supports vocational learning in Wales, Agored Cymru is delighted to have gained approval from Qualifications Wales to develop and offer the full suite of WAVE 3 14-16 qualifications from September 2027. 'These exciting new qualifications will build on our existing bilingual vocational offer already delivered in schools across Wales. They will support learners' vocational aspirations and help address Wales's future skills needs.'
Sky News AU
18-07-2025
- Health
- Sky News AU
‘Clinically significant distress': Peak psychological bodies urged to act amid surge in climate anxiety among young children
The peak bodies for Australian psychologists and psychiatrists are being urged to back a ban on alarmist climate messaging targeting primary school aged kids amid a surge in climate anxiety among young children. Research released in June found Australia's National Curriculum was causing an 'epidemic of climate anxiety' among young kids, with primary school-aged children being fed alarmist content that is 'developmentally inappropriate'. Leading educational and developmental psychologist Clare Rowe, who authored the research, has now written to the Australian Psychological Society, the Australian Association of Psychologists Inc., and the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, urging them to back a series of measures to combat the growing threat to children's mental health. In a statement released on Friday, Ms Rowe said the psychological profession must confront the potential harm that can unintentionally be caused by 'well-intentioned, but cognitively unsuitable, climate education'. 'Clinicians are seeing a surge of Childhood Climate Anxiety in young children who do not have the neurological capacity to process existential threats as presented in the National Curriculum. Adults have a duty to protect, not burden, the developing minds of children,' Ms Rowe said. Ms Rowe's letter to the peak bodies highlights the research, published by the Institute of Public Affairs, showing that 'current climate education practices are contributing to clinically significant distress'. 'Drawing on developmental neuroscience and psychological theory, the research finds that even if well intentioned, climate education is often misaligned with children's cognitive and emotional capacity,' the letter states. Among the key findings highlighted are that children aged 5 to 12 'do not yet possess the abstract reasoning skills required to process existential threats … from climate change without undue emotional burden'. That alarmist messaging can 'foster anxiety, helplessness, and diminished agency' in young children, which 'increases the risk of early-onset anxiety disorders' And that trusted adults, such as teachers and clinicians, may unintentionally exacerbate this anxiety by reinforcing narratives 'without offering developmentally appropriate coping strategies'. 'As psychologists, our primary ethical duty is to safeguard the psychological wellbeing of all clients, including children, based on sound developmental science,' Ms Rowe said. The leading developmental and educational psychologist urged the three peak bodies to back a moratorium on climate change education in early and middle childhood settings 'until curricula are developmentally appropriate and psychologically safe'. The letter also calls on the peak bodies to review their climate related advocacy and professional development offerings to ensure it distinguishes between the mental health impact on adults verses those on children. And that they acknowledge the harm to mental health that can be unintentionally caused by 'fear-based education in primary schools'. 'What Australian parents need immediately is a commitment from our most senior clinicians to recognise the damage the National Curriculum is doing to our children's mental health.' 'Reforming climate education is essential to ensuring that children develop a lifelong commitment to environmental responsibility without experiencing unnecessary psychological distress,' Ms Rowe said in a statement.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Huge rise in home schooling in one part of Merseyside
The number of children moving to home education in Sefton has increased by more than 128% since the covid-19 pandemic and continues to rise year-on-year. Dozens of councils in England have seen a sharp rise in the number of children being removed from school to be home educated over the same period. During an Overview and Scrutiny Committee (OSC) for Children's Services at Bootle Town Hall on Tuesday night (June 3), elected member were asked to review Sefton Council's April performance for its special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) provision. As part of the assessment, the chamber heard details around the borough's Elective Home Education (EHE) statistics for the current academic year 2024/25. READ MORE: What Merseyside is getting from this week's £600bn Spending Review READ MORE: B&M's £3.99 product left my hair feeling so soft and smells great The local authority report showed 'significant and increasing' numbers of pupils being deregistered from schools and reflects a national pattern which suggests a 50% increase in numbers over a 5-year period. For example, (in 2020-2021, Sefton had a maximum figure of 197 EHE pupils within the academic year and currently have 449 - a 128% increase. The report shows more families have opted to formally remove their children from school due to a number of complex reasons, adding: "We have seen an increase of children coming out of schools due to anxiety and other mental health related reasons. This upward trend has been experienced across local authorities within the Northwest region." EHE is a term used to describe a choice by parents to provide education for their children at home instead of sending them to school full-time. While there is no specific requirement for home schooled children to follow the National Curriculum, they must receive a suitable education that is appropriate for their age, ability, and aptitude. Local authorities play a role in monitoring and supporting home education, but there is no statutory requirement for parents to register their children for home education. Data also shows parents are choosing EHE for various reasons, including concerns about their child's mental health, dissatisfaction with SEND provision, or general dissatisfaction with the school system. The Centre for Young Lives (TCYL) published analysis late last year which estimates that about three-quarters of families who home educate pull their children out of mainstream school because they feel they aren't getting the support they need. TCYL also said this often the case when a child has special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or serious mental health issues. The OSC presentation identified a number of factors impacting on pupil attendance at schools including emotional based school avoidance and the capacity of schools to support mental health needs. Furthermore, increasingly parents report that children are not able to cope with the emotional demands placed on them as they progress through school, including the rigour of a KS4 curriculum and GCSE study. The council said there is also a lack of understanding about the availability of SEN provision once parents assume responsibility for the child`s education. As a result, there is a need to build parental awareness of 'graduated approach to emotional health and well being' and the awareness of the support offered by Mental Health Teams. To address the 'challenges' of growing EHE pupils, Sefton Council have committed to monitor the new Fair Access change to see if it is reducing the rate of pupils becoming EHE. Pupils will routinely go back to the school that they came out of. EHE officers have also been hired to offer Early Help support (FAST) at the point of pupils moving to a School Attendance Order pathway (SAO). In addition, the council plan to hold an EHE marker place event at Pinefield Centre during the summer term and will include multi-agency partners looking to establish best practice. A spokesperson for Sefton Council said: 'We work hard to maintain good relationships and frequent, timely contact with families who have an elective home educated child and work with them to assess the suitability of education being provided at home to ensure the child is supported and many home educated children can have a positive, enriching learning experience. "Our priority is to ensure every child receives a suitable education, they are safe and supported and that families feel supported in making informed decisions. 'We understand these are complex decisions for parents and we are working to provide support and information, particularly around SEN provision and emotional wellbeing services to help families and alleviate some of the pressures that can lead to a child being out of school. 'Our elective home education officers and the wider team recently received a gold award from 'Education Otherwise' in recognition of our good relationships with home educating families and we have invested in additional resources to be able to host market place events offering support and advice regarding curriculum subjects, careers, post 16 pathways and mental health support to broaden our offer to EHE families.'
Sky News AU
04-06-2025
- Health
- Sky News AU
Leading educational and developmental psychologist Clare Rowe reveals how schools are causing climate anxiety in kids as young as five
A leading psychologist has revealed how schools have become a major driver of rising rates of anxiety in kids, telling Sky News Australia kids as young as five are being left terrified. A new report by educational and developmental psychologist Clare Rowe claims alarmist content in Australia's National Curriculum is causing an 'epidemic of climate anxiety', with primary-school-aged kids being bombarded with 'emotive' messages about climate change that are not developmentally appropriate. Ms Rowe said mental health experts like her were seeing increasing numbers of children 'gripped by fear' about climate change. 'I have had seven, eight, and nine-year-olds in tears in my office because they do not think they're going to make it to adulthood. They think the older generations have failed them, the government's not listening, and no one cares about them,' she said. The leading psychologist told Sky News host Chris Kenny that while much of the research that exists assumed this was because they are exposed to more extreme weather events, her analysis showed it was due to the lessons about climate change that saturate the curriculum. 'We went and looked at the curriculum in detail. And the fact is, sustainability - aka climate - is what they call a cross-curriculum priority. It's got to be embedded in every single subject from five years old,' Ms Rowe said. 'So in music, they're writing rap songs about climate. In English, they're writing poetry about climate change. It's mandated, so teachers have to teach it across the curriculum. The developmental psychologist said much of the content was very 'emotive', with messages such as 'there is no planet B' and 'the earth is sick'. 'It is no wonder we're spending billions of dollars on mental health that these kids - we're not actually educating them, we're just terrifying them,' she said. Ms Rowe's report argues that it is 'developmentally inappropriate' for primary school-aged kids to be learning about complex issues like climate change. And the leading psychologist said this was resulting in kids coming home and telling their parents they needed to eat less meat and drive their cars less, or else there would be dire consequences. 'The kids I see do believe… that we're in an extinction. And that's just abusive,' she said. Ms Rowe said she was not a scientist and did not take a position on climate change, but that even if the goal was to drive climate change action, the current approach was counterproductive. 'Even if you subscribe to the fact that we're all doomed… we're not actually equipping the next generation to become the brilliant scientists who are going to come up with the adaptations, who are going to solve the problem. Because they're just paralysed,' she said. Ms Rowe argues that in order to reduce the growing prevalence of eco-anxiety, climate change education needs to be delayed until secondary school. But that ideally, the National Curriculum should be rebalanced and sustainability removed as a cross curriculum priority.
