THIS WEEK
7-13 JULY 2012
SATURDAY
Rhyme time
London’s South Bank throbbed with iambic pentameter as poets, rappers and other spoken-word artistes took part in Shake the Dust Weekend, including the final of the competition’s national poetry slam.
SUNDAY
Tears on centre court
National tennis hero Andy Murray broke his emotion-drought, shedding tears after he lost to grass court android Roger Federer in the Wimbledon final. And what did children learn from the occasion? Losing’s a bummer.
MONDAY
Enough to drive you banana’s
Fresh controversy erupted over a proposed grammar test for 11-year-olds. Michael Gove wants to obliterate the “greengrocer’s apostrophe” but unions claimed it was an attack on teachers.
TUESDAY
Catch-up classes for the poor
Children who are behind in reading and writing are to be offered catch-up lessons before they start secondary school. But only children on free school meals will qualify for the extra tuition.
WEDNESDAY
On the wing
Is that a green-veined white or a painted lady on the nasturtiums? Natural history legend Sir David Attenborough launched the Big Butterfly Count at London Zoo. But how many will you see in 15 minutes?
THURSDAY
From cover to cover
Children’s laureate Julia Donaldson launched the 2012 Summer Reading Challenge - 780,000 children are aiming to read six books before the autumn term begins. Do Mr Men books count?
FRIDAY
Your unlucky number
Friday 13th, always a dodgy day for the superstitious. Stay in, take no risks, avoid walking under ladders and definitely don’t go on a school trip to Alton Towers. Good luck.
NEXT WEEK
14-20 JULY 2012
SATURDAY
Toe-curling competition
Feeling alienated by the corporate Olympics hype? Fancy some proper grass-roots sport? Why not visit the World Toe Wrestling Championships at Bentley Brook Inn in Derbyshire.
SUNDAY
40 days and 40 nights
St Swithun’s Day: tradition has it that whatever the weather today, it will stay the same for the next 40 days. Olympic washout or Olympic scorcher? We’ll soon know.
MONDAY
Swanning about
One swan, two swans, three swans... the annual “Swan Upping” census of the birds begins in earnest today on several stretches of the Thames. Tick the maths and history boxes by looking at the origins of this ritual.
TUESDAY
So long, mr minister
Phew, no new education policies for a few weeks. The House of Commons goes into recess and Michael Gove, Nick Gibb and friends will be packing their trunks and leaving teachers to it.
WEDNESDAY
Bringing peace to all
Happy birthday Nelson Mandela, who is 94. He’ll need a big cake for all those candles. It’s also Nelson Mandela International Day, where everyone is encouraged to spend at least 67 minutes doing good works.
THURSDAY
All the World’s a Stage
The British Museum opens a new exhibition looking at how London became a world city, through the perspective of Shakespeare’s plays. Shakespeare: Staging the World is on until 25 November.
FRIDAY
Until September ...
Is that the jet stream shifting north or the sound of 500,000 teachers letting out a gigantic collective sigh? Six weeks of holiday beckon for many teachers, but quite a bit less for some.
