13-19 June 2015
Saturday
Rock and role
Teachers from across the North of England came together for Northern Rocks, a Leeds-based festival of education. The unusual conference - or “shindig” - aimed to reclaim pedagogy for the profession.
Sunday
Dearth of diversity
Scottish government data suggested there were no black or minority ethnic heads or deputies north of the border in 2014. However, reports quickly emerged that there was at least one leader of Asian heritage.
Monday
Anyone for tennis?
Warming up for Wimbledon in July, Andy Murray was hoping for some good games, sets and matches as the Queen’s Club tournament began in London. Last year Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov won the title.
Tuesday
Young and free
Girls Not Brides called on African governments to do more to prevent child marriages. On the Day of the African Child, the charity campaigned for comprehensive action plans and better access to education.
Wednesday
Michelle’s on a mission
US First Lady Michelle Obama finished a two-day trip to London meeting students as part of her Let Girls Learn initiative. She previously visited the capital in 2009 to widespread acclaim among pupils.
Thursday
Running wild
Who let the rodents out? It was the People’s Trust for Endangered Species, which released 20 pairs of hazel dormice into woodland in Nottingham today. The rare beasts adore hazelnuts and have furry tails.
Friday
Oxbridge experience
The Sutton Trust is due to release figures showing that the number of teachers with a degree from Oxford or Cambridge working in state secondary schools has more than doubled in a little over a decade (see page 12).
20-26 June 2015
Saturday
Up in the air
For any teacher who secretly wants to run off and join the circus, World Juggling Day is your chance to indulge your inner clown. Juggle to your heart’s content in class, during assembly or even on the way home.
Sunday
Praise your papa
Happy Father’s Day! The tradition of honouring devoted dads dates back to 1910, when US citizen Sonora Smart Dodd decided to show how much she appreciated her hard-working widowed father.
Monday
THE WORLD (CUP) IN HIS HAND
PE teachers with a sense of fair play should avoid replays of footage from the 1986 Fifa World Cup. On this day, Argentina’s Diego Maradona scored with his “hand of God”, eliminating England from the tournament.
Tuesday
The test of time
Happy anniversary to the US college admissions exam, which was first taken by nervous high-schoolers on this day in 1926. The Scholastic Aptitude Test, as it was called, is now known as the SAT.
Wednesday
Independence day
In 1314, despite being outnumbered three to one, Robert the Bruce’s forces triumphed over the army of Edward II at the Battle of Bannockburn, part of the Scottish Wars of Independence.
Thursday
Candy crush
The Oxford English Dictionary is the bible of any English class - but what about its candied counterpart, the Oxford Companion to Sugar and Sweets? Published today, the book contains 600 delicious definitions.
Friday
So wrong it’s right
Put your worst foot forward in ill-fitting trousers, shorts or pyjama bottoms as part of Wrong Trousers Day. Fronted by Wallace and Gromit, the annual event raises money for children’s hospitals and hospices.
