Teach Secondary Issue 14.8

Into FIlm’s CEO, Fiona Evans, shares her thoughts on the publication of Curriculumand Assessment Review’s final report Restoring equal status for creative subjects at GCSE, including filmandmedia studies, and introducing a new, universal extra- curricular enrichment entitlement for every pupil, are bold and positive steps towards a richer, broader andmore inclusive education system. These reforms don’t just benefit the future of the UK’s world-leading creative and screen industries. By embedding media literacy in compulsory citizenship fromprimary school, theywill empower young people to navigate our increasingly complex digital worldwith confidence, creativity and critical awareness – skills essential for thriving both as citizens, and in their future careers. Through working with two thirds of schools nationally – fromsupporting teachers to improvemedia literacy in the classroom, to supporting extra-curricular activities through our free Festival and 8,000 FilmClubs – we know how these reforms will transform learning,widen horizons and enrich the lives of young people across the country. We look forward to partnering with schools, educators and the government to ensure everyyoung person can experience the power of filmand filmmaking as engaging tools for learning, sources of cultural enrichment, and dynamic pathways to the skills needed for life and work in the 21st century. Formore information,visit intofilm.org Creative exercises to get students generating new ideas A F E W M I N U T E S O F D E S I G N #38 YOUR TYPE Look carefully at this word. Try to write your name in the same typeface. Are there clues to any letters that are in your name but not in the sample? Practice drawing the common elements of the letters. What do the curves look like? The line thicknesses?What gives the letters their unique character? Michael Rosen @MichaelRosenYes The CurriculumandAssessment Review has given your grammar curriculuma right going over.Thoughts?@michaelgove David Veevers @davidveevers.bsky.social What HEmanagers fail to understand is that in the context of the humanities, ‘employability’ isn’t teaching coding or carpentry, but skills aroundwriting, presenting, reasoning, evaluation, analysis, research etc. In an 80%service economy, these are the skills that fundamentally matter. Follow us via @teachsecondary and @teachsecondary.bsky.social Get Into Film TEACHER TAL ES True stories fromthe education chalkface Testing, testing... The school’s headteacher was a commanding figure – and in an exceptionally badmood during one morning assembly, following an incident of poor behaviour by some students in the local community the previous day.As he forcefully expressed his disapproval before the school, you could have heard a pin drop. Building to a crescendo, he said “ I’ve just got one last thing to say to you... ” And at this exact moment, courtesy of an electrician somewhere, apparently in the process of repairing our PA system, came the words “ I’mH.A.P.P.Y., I’mH.A.P.P.Y. ” with all the letters spelled out individually. The audience struggled to contain themselves, as the headteacher angrily stormed out of the hall to find the hapless PA technician... Like and subscribe Who’s been saying what on the socials thismonth? Going the distance Each year, our school holds inter-house competitions across a range of activities, includingmusic, art, drama and sport. Once, in the build-up to that year’s inter-house cross country, I told the Y7 boys how important it was that they all run as hard as they could to gain asmany points as possible for their house. I placed great emphasis on the need for teamwork, and the course they needed to follow. Just as I was about to send the boys outside for the start, one of the smaller boys stopped to askme, “ Sir – how long is the intercourse? ” Have amemorable true school tale or anecdote ofyour own? Share the details, andfindmore amusing stories, at schoolhumour.co.uk 09 teachwire.net/secondary N E WS | N O V/ D E C