Teach Secondary Issue 14.8

6 7 Teens drawling ‘Siiiix, seveeeeeen…’ accompanied by a holding out of hands and alternating armmovements akin to a weighing scale or see-saw.What could it all possiblymean? Well, if you want to do the origin story thing, then let the record show that this curious numerical catchphrase has its genesis in the lyrics of a drill (hip-hop subgenre that sounds very ominous and is often concerned with gang warfare, drug consumption and such) track called ‘Doot Doot’ by the artist Skrilla, hailing fromthe US city of Philadelphia.The specific line in question? ‘ 6-7, I just bipped right on the highway (Bip, bip)’ . So far, so impenetrable. Let’s unpack. 6-7, you see, is a reference to the police radio code 10-67, used by officers when a death has taken place. It may also refer to Philadelphia’s 67th Street, in Skrilla’s neighbourhood.The bips? Online speculation abounds, so take your pick fromonomatopoeic gunshots (possibly implying in song that said deathmay have been Skrilla’s doing) or performing an act in style – ‘bipping’, as per the region’s local slang. Except none of thatmatters. Kids are doing the 6 7meme because their friends are.They’re doing it because they saw someone famous onTikTok do it.The TikTok person probably doesn’t remember why they first did it, but their views go upwhenever they do the thing, so they do it often.And that’s how culture works now. Thinkofanumber... ONE FOR THE WALL “There is nothing new under the sun, but there are new suns” Science fiction author, Octavia E. Butler Teach Secondary ’s digest of the latest goings-on in the profession... The newsletter What arewe talking about? Taskmaster Challenge Packs from Taskmaster Education in partnershipwith English Heritage BEAT THE BUDGET The UNINFORMED teacher’s guide to… £2.3 billion Cost to local authorities in England of providing an estimated 520,000 children and young people with home to school transport in 2023-24 Source: ‘Home to school transport’ value formoney report produced by the National Audit Office WHAT THEY SAID… “Smartphones are not just a behaviour management issue; they present clear safeguarding risks, and Ofsted’s framework should reflect that more explicitly.” Shadoweducation secretary LauraTrott, in a letter to Sir MartynOliver calling on Ofsted to treat phone use in schools as a safeguarding concern Who is it for? KS3 What’s on offer? Activity packs tailored to specific historical periods that contain rules, score sheets and othermaterials for learning games inspired by Channel 4’s whimsical game show Taskmaster .The historical periods covered include abbeys and priories, Roman sites, castles and forts, and halls and houses. Where is it available? tinyurl.com/ts148-NL1 £310million Estimated annual shortfall in funding required to provide all children from families claiming Universal Credit with free school meals, based on current National Funding Formula and Pupil Premiumfigures Source: Research by Northumbria and Lincoln universities andAlliance4Children 9% of 10- to 17-year-olds are presently unhappywith their lives Source: ‘Good Childhood Report 2025 report’ produced byThe Children’s Society “Eight...er, nine?” DON’T SAY DO SAY “Siiiiix, seeeeeeeven...” 06 teachwire.net/secondary