The awards, for schoolbooks and children’s information books, have contributed to high standards among the 7,000 children’s books published annually by rewarding excellence - essential in a climate where some schools, according to the Educational Publishers’ Council, spend as little as Pounds 3 per pupil each year on books.

After a two-year gap, The TES is pleased to announce that the awards will return, and presentations - Pounds 500 to winning authors - will take place at the Education Show in Birmingham in March.

Full details, with entry instructions are on page 14 of TES2.

* A campaign to “put back the joy and passion into the teaching of English” has been launched by the Arvon Foundation, the charity which promotes creative writing, writes Diane Spencer.

It intends to raise Pounds 1 million for a development programme to build on this year’s pilot scheme of five “field courses in English” for teachers and students. The aim was to provide them with the help of professional writers so they could combine personal and curriculum development at the same time.

Fiction, poetry, children’s literature, television and radio scripts are among the other courses offered at three centres in country houses in Devon, Yorkshire and Scotland.

Arvon has published a report of its education project, to be sent to all teacher training establishments.

Information from David Pease, The Arvon Foundation, Lumb Bank, Heptonstall, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, HX7 6DF.