Why it’s important to talk about gender stereotypes in primary schools
By Kirsty Ruthven, The Children’s Society I was reminded recently whilst working with a group of Year 6 pupils that challenging gender stereotypes needs to firmly be on the agenda in primary schools. After watching a gripping short story as a stimulus for a creative writing task, I was met with comments like, “What a dumb girl!” and “Why do girls like that always make silly choices?” when discussing the main character in the story. After some in-depth discussion and sensitively sharing our ideas, we agreed that language like this was unhelpful and stereotypical. We also discovered when watching the conclusion of the short story that the ‘dumb girl’ was nothing of the sort! Gender stereotypes are most often evident in social expectations, media portrayals and everyday interactions. Although in recent history there has obviously been progress in relation to gender equality, it’s a journey not quite at its desired destination. For example, how often do we talk about caring masculinities in school and use role models that support a wide range of ways of being a boy or a man? Are educators fully aware of the important role they play in either perpetuating or disrupting gender stereotypes? Gender stereotypes impact us all and schools are not immune from the strong forces in society that fuel them. As educators, it’s important that we take a whole-school approach to tackling any kind of inequality, that we work together on a shared vision to support all children to reach their full potential. This might mean examining the language that we use, the lessons that we teach and the opportunities we provide for all pupils to challenge stereotypical behaviour. By recognising and challenging these stereotypes early on we can remove the barriers they may place on children’s aspirations, choices and outcomes. That’s why The Children’s Society has developed the free Beyond Gender Stereotypes (BGS) programme with our global partner, Equimundo: Center for Masculinities and Social Justice as part of the Global Boyhood Initiative. BGS empowers pupils to: · Build healthy relationships and ways of expressing emotions. · Follow any interests and hobbies they want to. · Understand they can pursue jobs or careers they choose, unrestricted by gender stereotypes. The programme provides a two-and-a-half-hour self-guided online course for educators, seven one-hour PSHE lessons for Key Stage 2 pupils and accompanying classroom materials, like PowerPoints and downloadable resources, to support educators as well as parents and carers. It gives schools practical, engaging and safe ways to discuss these important topics with children to help them to understand how they can support each other in creating positive change. To find out more about the Beyond Gender Stereotypes programme, visit: bit.ly/BeyondGenderStereotypes Kirsty Ruthven is a Service Manager at The Children’s Society.
British Nutrition Foundation urges more schools to join Snack-tember movement
The British Nutrition Foundation has had almost 2,000 registrations for Snack-tember 2025; a nationwide initiative launching this September to inspire healthier, more sustainable snacking habits amongst children and young people. With just three months to go, the Foundation is calling on even more schools and settings working with children and young people aged 5-16 years to sign up and get involved in the free initiative to promote healthier snack choices at school and at home. Snack-tember 2025 builds on the success of previous initiatives and offers free, curriculum-linked resources, tailored for both primary and secondary school students. Throughout September, participating schools will have access to activity ideas, posters, recipes as well as guidance for parents/carers and school caterers around snacks. All of the resources have been created with the aim of sparking meaningful conversations about the role of snacks in a healthy, balanced diet. Claire Theobald, Education Services Manager of the British Nutrition Foundation, said: “We are thrilled to have almost 2,000 registrations for Snack-tember 2025. This demonstrates a strong appetite from educators to engage children in learning about healthier, more sustainable snack options. By building knowledge and practical skills early, we can help shape positive eating habits that last a lifetime.” Snack-tember 2025 also supports schools in delivering their curricula around health education, nutrition and cooking, while making the learning fun, inclusive, and relevant. This year’s resources encourage students to explore, make and try different snack options, encouraging them to think critically about what they eat between meals. Schools can register for free at nutrition.org.uk/snack-tember-2025, where they will gain access to all the resources before the summer holidays 2025. Participation is open to all UK schools, and settings, working with children and young people aged 5-16 years.
What to consider when designing and building a school sports hall
When it comes to designing and constructing a new sports facility or renovating an existing sports hall in your school – not a small investment by any means – careful consideration needs to be given to its functionality, aesthetics, and overall stability. Headteachers and school administrators have a duty of care to ensure their students’ wellbeing, safety and health, not to mention navigate the tumultuous waters of Ofsted ratings. One of the most important considerations is the infrastructure on their premises, including (but not limited to) school sports halls. Making informed choices during the initial design, planning and construction phases can ensure your facility ticks all the relevant boxes while providing excellent, long-term value for your students. Here we outline the essential steps to take when creating functional, effective and appealing facilities that add value to your school community. Initial assessments and space planning Before you pursue your sports hall construction or renovation project, it’s important to establish exactly how the space will be used. For most schools, it will be a multifunctional space for games, PE lessons and possibly even examinations across all year groups when needed. There is also reason to believe that theatre productions, open days, or community days could be held inside a multifunctional sports facility. All of this information should inform the minimum space requirements for a sports hall. According to Sport England’s Affordable Sports Halls document, under the section Building Design, 4-court hall modules should measure 34.5m × 20.0m × 7.5m, while 5-court halls require 40.6m × 21.35m × 7.5m. The chosen model depends on the sports or physical activities your school intends to hold, as some have specific spatial requirements; for example, a 4-court sports hall cannot accommodate a full-size indoor hockey pitch. It’s also important to ascertain specific ceiling heights. While Sport England recommends a minimum of 7.5m of clear height to comfortably accommodate most sports, certain competitions like trampolining (10.0m), or premier-level badminton (9.0m) demand higher ceilings. Also, lighting fixtures, heating units, netting, basketball hoops, and more can also occupy ceiling space and thus will need to be planned accordingly. Heating and environmental conditions While sports halls invariably host PE or indoor games sessions, they will likely be used for some sedentary activities from time to time. School leaders must ensure their sports hall can be appropriately heated and ideally fitted with controls that can be remotely altered based on occupancy levels and usage patterns. Heater positioning must be considered, as it’s estimated that air temperature can increase by roughly 2.5°C for every metre above floor level. What’s more, lower-mounted heaters can interfere with activities, but maintenance is inherently easier. Noise levels, ventilation performance and air quality must also be carefully considered when designing multipurpose sports halls, particularly in spaces that will accommodate large groups of people at a time. Consider not just HVAC systems but also underfloor heating or radiant heating panels that can deliver warmth when needed while reducing overall energy costs and emissions. Flooring and surfacing The type of sports hall flooring can equally help or hinder overall performance, safety and maintenance. Multi-sport halls and venues would be best suited to installing versatile point-elastic or area-elastic surfaces that meet EN 14904 standards, which provide appropriate friction, bounce and absorption levels that can accommodate various activities comfortably. Other factors such as load-bearing capacity, cleaning and maintenance ease, damage resistance, visual appearance, and overall resilience all need consideration when deciding on sports hall surfaces. If you are installing underfloor heating in your sports hall, make sure that the chosen flooring can accommodate this as well, as well as markings and equipment sockets. Lighting The choice of lighting in your facility can dramatically affect the overall experience. Students may frequently look upwards during lessons and activities, so lights should be carefully positioned to prevent excessive glare. LED lighting systems offer plenty of benefits over traditional lighting, including longer overall runtime and energy efficiency. When planning your sports hall lighting design, consider the position of fixed basketball hoops and brackets, division netting, and so on, to ensure all fixtures can work unencumbered by obstacles. Furthermore, consider the BUG ratings of your lighting to ensure the light behind the panels is actually going to be directed correctly. Aesthetics and appearance While comparatively minor in the scheme of things, the colour of your sports hall walls can affect visibility. Bright white surfaces are uniform, but they can be problematic in that they create distracting reflections sometimes. Instead, opt for colours with light reflectance values (LRV) between 30% and 50%, with blue and green hues being particularly popular. Doors and wall coverings should match the main wall colour for visual continuity, and wall materials should provide some acoustic insulation and impact resistance, particularly in areas where ball contact is more likely. Create a sports hall that stands the test of time Finally, and fundamentally, consider how your sports hall might need to be altered or adjusted over time. Extend the facility’s overall longevity by carefully investing in high-quality materials, systems and storage to comfortably accommodate new changes in the long run. While these initial investments might seem high, the savings on maintenance and repairs, coupled with the long-term value you’ll be giving your school, will make the upfront costs well worth it. Paying close attention to these factors during the pivotal planning, design and construction or renovation phases will give headteachers the best possible chance to deliver a sports facility that perfectly complements students’ educational experiences. By Dakota Murphey
Reading fluency strategies to be put in the hands of primary school teachers nationwide as part of new DfE English Hubs programme
A new programme to help primary schools improve reading fluency is to be rolled out by the Department for Education English Hubs this autumn. The reading fluency CPD programme is being delivered to the hubs by HFL Education – formerly Herts for Learning – to help ensure that best practice is shared with schools across the country. Reading fluency is widely recognised as the bridge between word decoding and reading comprehension. The programme is the fourth centralised Medium Level Support (MLS) programme to be introduced since the English Hubs initiative was founded in 2018. HFL Education, a leading authority in the field of reading fluency, has designed a ‘train the trainer’ scheme using data and insights gathered from its own successful Reading Fluency Project – currently the subject of an EEF trial. The scheme will provide English hub leaders with all the knowledge and resources they need to share best practice with their local schools throughout the 2025/26 academic year and beyond. The new CPD will also include contributions from world-renowned reading expert, Professor Tim Rasinski, who has been a long-time supporter of HFL’s work in this area. Penny Slater, Partnership Lead at HFL Education said: “We are so excited to be part of the team that is putting reading fluency strategies into the hands of primary school teachers across the country. Our programme is based on extensive research into the different elements which contribute to reading fluency – accuracy, automaticity and prosody – and it is impactful for all children, not just those struggling with reading. We are looking forward to sharing our expertise and experience with the English Hubs network and supporting the roll out to schools nationwide.” Reading fluency is the hot topic in improving reading standards. The Ofsted English education subject report, published in March last year, noted that once pupils can decode accurately, schools are less clear about how to build fluency and comprehension. Reading fluency was also highlighted in the EEF’s Improving Literacy in Key Stage 2 Guidance Report (second edition, 2021), recommending that pupils should be supported to develop fluent reading capabilities. HFL Education will begin training English Hub leaders in the summer term ready for an autumn roll out to schools, in the form of CPD training sessions. For further information about reading fluency, visit https://hfleducation.org/reading-fluency
Drive to help KS2 school children break free from gender stereotypes
A new free, evidence-based curriculum, Beyond Gender Stereotypes (BGS), for Key Stage 2 (KS2) will be delivered in 40 primary schools across England from September 2025, before rolling out nationwide in 2026. The curriculum is specifically designed for Key Stage 2 (KS2), with the aim of supporting both boys and girls to identify, understand and break free from gender stereotypes, and empowering them to build healthy relationships. The BGS curriculum is grounded in community and school-based research. It recognises that gender stereotypes are internalised in early childhood and can limit children’s ability to achieve their full potential and have a lasting impact on their self-esteem, confidence and mental health. They can also lead to bullying and exclusion and perpetuate gender inequality. The curriculum provides educators with the skills and resources to address gender bias through a range of scalable, safe, engaging and age-appropriate learning experiences for pupils between 7-11, with a focus on using real life, relatable examples. The programme supports English primary schools’ statutory duty to teach Relationships and Health Education and comprises online teacher training, four lessons for upper KS2 pupils, three lessons for lower KS2, classroom resources and comprehensive teacher guidance. There is also an additional range of resources to help schools engage parents and carers with the BGS programme. Kirsty Ruthven, Service Manager, Lifting Limits for The Children’s Society, said: “Every child deserves to grow up happy, healthy and free to be themselves – not limited by outdated gender stereotypes. “The Beyond Gender Stereotypes curriculum gives schools the tools to help children explore their full potential. With the right training for teachers and staff, we can open up opportunities, challenge old norms and create classrooms where all children feel free to dream big.” The Beyond Gender Stereotypes (BGS) curriculum was developed by Lifting Limits, part of The Children Society, in partnership with the Global Boyhood Initiative, which is coordinated by Equimundo: Center for Masculinities and Social Justice. For more information visit: bit.ly/BeyondGenderStereotypes
Teachers urged to report illicit vapes ahead of disposables ban implementation on 1 June
The independent charity Crimestoppers is stepping up efforts to combat the illegal sale and distribution of illicit vapes as the UK prepares to enforce a nationwide ban on disposable vapes starting 1 June 2025. Working alongside law enforcement agencies, local councils, and public health partners, the charity is urging communities to remain vigilant and report any activity linked to the illicit vape trade. From 1 June, the sale of disposable vapes will be illegal across the UK. Despite this, unscrupulous vendors will continue to sell these products illegally, likely in cash-only transactions at convenience stores, market stalls, online platforms, and even in places like barbershops and phone repair kiosks. These products pose serious health risks – they are unregulated, untested, and may contain dangerously high levels of nicotine and harmful substances such as lead and nickel. Criminal gangs are increasingly involved in the illicit vape market, using these illegal sales to fund other serious crimes, including drug trafficking, human trafficking, and money laundering. Disturbingly, vulnerable individuals, especially minors, are being exploited through coercive practices, with some children being pressured into buying or selling illicit vapes in exchange for money or favours. Crimestoppers is committed to protecting communities by encouraging the public to stay alert and provide anonymous information about illegal vape activity. Your tip-off can help prevent harm and dismantle criminal networks. How to spot illicit vapes: What information helps: Your anonymous tip can make a real difference in safeguarding public health and protecting vulnerable individuals from exploitation. Help us keep communities safe by reporting any suspected illegal vape activity. Remember: you can contact Crimestoppers 100% anonymously – call 0800 555 111 or visit www.crimestoppers-uk.org
Swift intervention needed to address maths education crisis in UK, warn Lords Committee
The future of maths education in the UK is facing a deepening crisis as a result of long-standing teacher shortages and declining retention rates, a GCSE maths qualification structure that fails 30 per cent of students, and a decline in funding for adult numeracy education despite over half of UK adults having only low numeracy skills. Following an evidence session with leading maths education advocates, including teacher-TV presenter Bobby Seagull, the Lords Science and Technology Committee has written to the Education Secretary, Rt Hon Bridget Phillipson MP, setting out its deep concerns for the future of mathematics education in the UK. The Committee heard that the current GCSE examination system routinely fails 30 per cent of students who are unable to obtain Grade 4 in GCSE maths even after resits, leaving them with nothing to show for their mathematics education. Witnesses argued that the rigid focus on obtaining a Grade 4 at GCSE disadvantages many students. The Committee supported their argument for the creation of a widely recognised, criterion-based, functional mathematics qualification, that would allow students who don’t pass GCSE maths to demonstrate their numeracy skills. The Committee are concerned that the UK has missed targets to recruit specialist maths teachers for over a decade, despite generous bursaries. I t heard that policies to expand access to CPD, to extend flexibility to teachers who wish to work part-time, to recruit from a wider pool of graduates and post-graduates, and to support training programmes for other subject teachers to become mathematics specialists could help address the apparent crisis in mathematics teaching and asks the Minister what measures the Government will take to resolve these problems in recruitment and retention. The Committee further asks what consideration has been given to reforming the maths education system in light of the growing use of AI, citing recent reports from the Royal Society’s Mathematical Futures and Maths Horizons programmes. The Committee highlight that adult numeracy levels in the UK are concerningly low, with over half of the adult population having only low numeracy skills, yet the UK will not have a flagship adult numeracy scheme after the conclusion of the Multiply programme. The Committee asks what plans have been made to fund adult numeracy and a numeracy skills programme following the conclusion of Multiply, building on the lessons learned from that programme, and calls for a national campaign to raise awareness and engagement with adult numeracy schemes. The Committee asks the Secretary of State to respond to its concerns and supporting evidence by 30 June 2025.
Celebrate National Children’s Gardening Week with The World of Peter Rabbit™
Schools are invited to inspire the next generation of young gardeners during National Children’s Gardening Week, running from 24 May to 1 June 2025. National Children’s Gardening Week was the brainwave of Neil Grant, Managing director of Ferndale Garden Centre near Sheffield who is also BBC Radio Sheffield’s garden expert and co-presenter of their weekly garden phone in, and it’s widely supported by the whole of the UK garden industry. It’s now an annual festival of fun that’s embraced in homes, schools, and community groups across the country, and supports the amazing Greenfingers charity, which is dedicated to providing magical gardens for children in hospices suffering from life limiting illnesses. Building on the success of previous years, National Children’s Gardening Week is once again teaming up with The World of Peter Rabbit™ to bring the joy of gardening to children of all ages. Not only will there be free digital Grow with Peter Rabbit activity booklets packed full of mischievous and fun activities available to download, but a range of events will also take place across the UK to encourage children to explore the wonder of gardening. Events include Swarkestone Nursery in Derby hosting a free bee hunt, Jealotts Hill Community Landshare in Bracknell hosting a spring into summer fete, Plantsplus Garden Centre in Newcastle upon Tyne holding a children’s gardening club – Budding Botanists, and Kershaws Garden Centre in West Yorkshire will host Paint a Pot and free seed planting. You can see these and more events listed at www.childrensgardeningweek.co.uk/gardening-events To get involved, visit the webpage where you will find everything you need to celebrate National Children’s Gardening Week with Peter Rabbit! www.childrensgardeningweek.co.uk Follow the hashtags on social media: #NCGW #ChildrensGardeningWeek #GardeningIsFun #GrowwithPeterRabbit Facebook @nationalchildrensgardeningweek @officialpeterrabbit Instagram @officialpeterrabbit
Changing the cyber security culture in schools starts with awareness, says Espria
Cyber security incidents in the education sector are on the rise but embedding good digital habits and awareness can reduce the risk. The Cybersecurity Breaches Survey 2025 – commissioned by the Home Office and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology – found that 91% of higher education establishments identified security breaches during the previous year, higher than businesses (43%) who experienced an attack. With the increasing reliance on digital technologies and persistent threats, it is imperative for educational institutions to adopt robust cybersecurity measures. “The remote learning movement required by the pandemic has brought about many positive changes in the education sector such as increased flexibility and learning access,” said Brian Sibley, VCTO at Espria “Schools are expanding their use of technology for administrative tasks, as well as teaching and learning, and therefore distributing resources across various devices. “However, this convenience has also accelerated cyber vulnerabilities. “Entrusted to be stewards of student data, educational organisations have an additional responsibility to protect their student, and other stakeholder information that is now stored digitally. “A single set of credentials from a privileged user is all a cybercriminal would need to execute an impactful breach of student or organisational financial data. “Changing the culture around cybersecurity can improve perceptions of the risks involved. “When staff and students become more aware, they can achieve a better understanding of security measures needed to strengthen the entire organisations posture.” Sibley urged all educational establishments to take action with a comprehensive security approach that integrates basic cyber hygiene and mitigating measures. “Just like personal hygiene, maintaining good health by taking regular recommended actions can avoid any bad outcomes. “Cyber hygiene practices involve a combination of technical controls, policies, and user behaviours. “The goal is not to eliminate all external threats as these are out of your control but reduce the risk of an attack occurring and having the measures in place to keep sensitive data secure. “An easy but effective first step solution is security awareness training. By conducting ongoing training sessions for administrators, staff and students, these organisations can keep everyone informed about the latest threats and embed best cyber hygiene practices into the everyday rhythm of school, college or university operations. “These training efforts can also help individuals understand their role in safeguarding digital assets, networks and identities while fostering a proactive security culture across the organisation. “Though it might seem like a compliance activity, it can create a strong first line of defence that prevent attacks from occurring.” Sibley continues to describe the quick and cost-effective cybersecurity controls that institutions can implement to protect staff and students on school systems and networks. “Education systems that aggregate vast amounts of confidential information should never be exposed without multi-factor authentication. Allowing broad access creates a single-point-of-failure that can be easily breached through one set of misplaced credentials. “Implementing a mandatory two-factor authentication, access control permissions based on privileges principles and regularly checking your systems for security vulnerabilities can reduce your attack surface. Institutes can take a further step to secure both their security architecture and network by eliminating unnecessary internet connections, restricting remote access, and protecting data through regular system backups so all essential work is secure and available. “Clear policies are also essential to guide staff on the best cyber approaches and ensure everyone understands their responsibilities in maintaining security. Coupled with a simple reporting mechanism to raise awareness of suspicious activities without fear of reprisal will allow individuals to feel confident alerting IT teams and inspire widespread adoption of best practices.” Sibley concludes: “The education sector is embracing remote learning and digital access, but they must still practice good cyber hygiene by empowering individuals with cyber knowledge and fortifying the organisation’s network. It requires policy, procedure, time and consistent training but if done right, the success rate of attacks can be significantly dampened, and digital environments will become safer for staff and students to use.”