Ever been to Volco? If you are a primary teacher maybe it’s time you paid a visit to this imaginary planet in cyberspace where children’s imaginations and expression can run riot. Created by children and young people, this virtual planet is a visual treasure in the making. The acronym translates roughly to “virtual online co-operative environment” - which it actually is, but much nicer than it sounds - for both UK and overseas pupils. The children create their own online identities using images close to their hearts, and you can enjoy these by clicking on the Volcans’ alien icon at the top of the home page.

www.volco.org

14-19 guidance.

The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority has yet another website to support teachers, this time for guidance on 14-19. There is information to help students get the most out of this important phase, on issues such as qualifications, exam invigilation, GCSEs and teaching the new A-levels. The main focus is on the needs of teachers and curriculum managers, but parents, teachers, career advisers and even employers are catered for too.

It will be updated at regular intervals and you can sign up for email updates.

www.qca.org.uk14-19 I think therefore iambic.

It’s not until October 9, but poetry can be a long time gestating, so the run-up to National Poetry Day could spur a number of good classroom projects. The Poetry Society has already emailed primary and secondary schools to encourage them to visit its website to make the most out of the event. There you can find allsorts of resources and useful links.

www.poetrysociety.org.ukeducationedindex.htm

Frogs to make a mouse hop.

This USsite may be very American for some tastes (see the Easter frogs and Pacman frog in “frogs of the month”), but there is plenty of useful information, good resources and links, and fun for the classroom.

www.allaboutfrogs.org

Safety in the sun.

What could be more fitting when you are preparing to jet off to the sun than a website sponsored by a sun-cream company? Sunsmart oozes with interactive exercises and activities about the solar system, and about human skin and how it can be protected from damage by excessive exposure to the sun. It is aimed at key stages 1 and 2 and has been created by Educational Project Resources on behalf of Garnier Ambre Solaire. There is a teachers’ zone, a learning zone and a parents’ zone where you can enter a Thomson Superfamily competition to win a holiday in a very hot place to try out all the tips you have learned on the website - and slap on dollops of Ambre Solaire.

www.sun-smart.org.uk