Teach-Primary-Issue-20.1

The Jolly Postman– 40 years on This yearmarks four decades since the publication of Janet andAllanAhlberg’s The JollyPostman , and to celebrate, The Postal Museumhas announced the first ever exhibition dedicated to the classic book. Opening on 14February 2026, this immersive, family-friendly exhibitionwill invite visitors to follow the JollyPostman’s delivery round through a fairytale neighbourhood. Throughout, they’ll find original artwork fromtheAhlberg archives, much of it never before displayed publicly. Themuseum is also launching a national schools competition, inviting children to create their own fairytalemail. Pupils can drawpictures inspired by The JollyPostman orwrite letters about why they like the book, with a chance to be included in a museumdisplay if posted before 26Feb. Formore information, and to enter, visit tinyurl.com/tp-PMjolly www.teachwire.net | 9 I N EVERY I SSUE Look ahead | Book ahead Q & A Marathon support The National Association for Special Educational Needs (nasen) has announced that Jake Gurney, a dedicated primary school teacher from Luton, will be representing the charity as its first-ever runner in the 2026 TCS LondonMarathon. Jake previously completed the 2024 LondonMarathon, raising £1,200 for Luton Foodbank, and took part in the 2025 London Landmarks Half Marathon in support of Tommy’s. Now Jake is once again taking on the 26.2-mile challenge – this time to raise vital funds to support inclusive education across the UK. He says: “As a primary school teacher, I’ve experienced the changing needs of children first-hand. nasen has supported several of our families, working alongside us to provide the best possible support for both children and parents. In one particular case, it was invaluable to have experts who guided us through the process.” To learnmore about Jake’s journey, and to support his fundraising, visit justgiving.com/campaign/teamnasen Ade Adepitan Athlete and broadcaster 1.Whatwasprimaryschool like foryou? It was fun. Primary school’s great, because it’s where learning is designed to be really engaging for young people. Everything gets a bit more serious in secondary. I remember us having an early BBC computer inmy classroom, and we had a game all about theMary Rose, because at the time, the ship was being raised. I still remember a load of the facts – and that must have been 40 years ago. Proof of the impact of that early education. 2.What are some of your favourite projects that you’veworkedon? A little while ago I did a series of documentaries for the BBC about climate change, and we condensed them into shorter episodes for BBC Bitesize. I’m really proud of those, and I still get teachers and those who were children at the time, stoppingme on the street or getting in touch via social media to tell me that they learned a lot, or found the films useful in their teaching. So I feel really privileged that I’ve had the chance to be a part of these children’s learning. 3.Whatwouldyou like teachers to knowabout RaceAcross theContinent ? It’s a really fun geography game from BBC Bitesize, aimed at 7-11-year-olds. Players race their hot air balloons across the globe by answering questions on human geography, the natural world and geography skills. It’s a combination of a quiz and a competition, and at the end of it, children will have learned a lot, but won’t feel as though they’ve been through a long, arduous lesson. It’s stealth learning at its best – and children can see a tangible progression in their knowledge, as every time they get a question right, theymove further forward in the race. Race Across the Continent is available for free now, at tinyurl.com/tp-BBCgeographyrace *Speech and Language UK of pupils with SEND have speech and language challenges* 30% NATIONAL STORYTELLING WEEK Running from 2 to 8 February with FREE online events on 3 and 4 February, the annual celebration is back with a theme of ‘Soundtrack your story’. Find out more and sign up for free resources at tinyurl.com/tp-NSW2026 NUMBER DAY Number Day returns for its 26th year on Friday 6 February 2026, all set to help show pupils the fun side of maths. Sign up for hundreds of free resources and a chance to fundraise for the NSPCC at tinyurl.com/tp-NumberDay26 © Janet and Allan Ahlberg