Inspirations
Inspiring stories about school projects that make a difference
A Lesson From The Best
Philip Beadle, the 2004 Secondary School Teacher of the Year, teaches two lessons in classrooms where the climate for learning is infectious. A highly creative teacher of English and drama, Philip connects with pupils by using visual, audio and kinetic stimulus material in unique ways. "Teaching can be unbelievably uplifting…
A Love of Languages
As winner of The Guardian Award for Secondary Teacher of the Year in 2005, it's clear that Mike Ullmann has that something extra. Since the early nineties Mike has been instrumental in transforming Hockerill Anglo European Language College from a struggling school to a showcase institution at the forefront of language teaching…
A Love of Learning
The winners of Teachers Tv's Tomorrow's Teacher competition, demonstrate what makes their schools so special. Independent St Christopher School in Letchworth Garden City, Hertfordshire, has been developing and delivering a progressive style of teaching for nearly a century. Here we follow pupils and teachers on a typical…
A Passion for Physics
In our 1000th programme, we meet Andy Smith of Woodchurch High School in the Wirral, whose infectious passion for physics inspires all he teaches. Andy's passion for physics is infectious; his teaching style relies on a host of interactive strategies, practical demonstrations, quizzes, videos, games and role play. He teaches…
A Shropshire Christmas
It's time to "Sheik, Rattle and Roll" at Saint Lucia Primary School in Shropshire. The end of term production is underway and everyone's busy. A Shropshire Christmas follows one school as it prepares for the big performance at the local church. Headteacher and deputy head work hard to produce a high standard…
A Taste of the Sea
Year 9 pupils at Sandown High School take a trip on board the research Vessel Callista in which they learn about sea life and oceanography. Pupils get the chance to learn about light penetration and use some of the vessels' equipment, examining the boat's daily catch of fish, squid and plants. Pupils also learn about the…
A Very Special Circus
The Christoph-Tornee School in Germany caters for pupils with mild to moderate learning difficulties. This week, the have some rather unusual visitors. Zirkus Eldorado is a traditional family-run circus that offers project weeks to schools. They've pitched their big-top on the field next to the school and will spend the week…
A West African Story
This programme looks at the work of the Carolyn A. Miller Elementary School in Ghana. Located in the Buduburam Liberian Refugee Camp, the school offers pupils education against a backdrop of war, brutality and poverty. The school, founded by refugee Karrus Hayes, struggles with hungry pupils, unpaid staff, no electricity and resources,…
Animal Healers
A look at the teachings of Green Chimneys in New York, where children learn alongside rehabilitated animals. Green Chimneys is a special school 65 miles north of New York City, catering for children with emotional, behavioural, social and learning challenges. Central to its ethos is a belief in the therapeutic power of interaction…
Anyone for Yoga?
Dianne Elithorn at Lowercroft Primary is mad about yoga and, since qualifying to teach it to children, has introduced it throughout the school. Diane believes that the non-competitive exercise can help to improve both the physical health and mental wellbeing of children which can help with learning. Dianne works with Janine Hurley…
Battersea v Eton
Having beaten Eton College 5-1 in their previous encounter, Battersea Technology College have a lot to live up to. Though their team is drawn from a limited pool of players, the south London comprehensive have a possible advantage over their public school rivals. Since becoming a Football Academy in 2005, Battersea have had the benefit…
Blogosphere
Blogging is now a worldwide phenomenon with weblogs reaching a potential audience of hundreds of millions. Blogs have been described as the ultimate in publishing for the people and have been used to challenge governments and the press. Steve O'Hear, one of Britain's digital evangelists, explores how blogs can be used…
Bollywood Christmas
This film follows Cranford Infant and Nursery school during their Christmas celebrations and the nerve-wracking build up to their unique nativity performance. Cranford, a large primary in Hounslow, is proud of its cultural and religious diversity and its success lies within its rich mix of pupils. The school is heavily involved…
Breakthrough in Oldham
Oldham is a divided town. Some of its primary schools cover a 100 per cent white catchment area whilst others are 100 per cent Asian. In 2000, the LEA set up a linking project to connect 50 primary schools divided along ethnic lines. In this programme we look at two schools in the scheme; Freehold Primary, which has children of mainly…
Bringing Education to the Himalayas
How an NGO is working in the Indian Himalayas to help teach the children of a nomadic tribe. Living 14,000 feet above sea level, the Changpa nomads are isolated, and often cut-off by weather conditions, making formal education difficult. With the help of Pragya, a non-governmental organisation, teachers and managers are trained from…
Building Sights
Lanlivery Primary School in Cornwall raised their own funds and commissioned and built an eco-friendly extension for their reception area and more classroom space for Key Stage 1 pupils. The school's new facility uses state-of-the-art sustainable materials and includes outdoor decking for playtime. Because the design relied…
Can Do Kids
With the help of their teaching assistant, six pupils at Broadford Primary School in Havering demonstrate how they can have a positive effect on the local community. The pupils have been actively raising awareness of local road safety issues to key members of the community and around the school. Their project is part of a wider…
Cardboard School Room
The Cardboard Building, at Westborough Primary School in Westcliff, took four years to build and is Europe's first building made from exclusively recycled cardboard materials. The walls, roof and supporting beams are all made from recycled cardboard which was developed from materials the school had collected. All the furniture…
Carry On Teaching
When 80-year-old Mary Jackson began teaching in 1944, she had 54 children in her class - three to a desk - and a bell rang every fifteen minutes to announce a change of subject. And parents were banned. More than 60 years later, Mary is still teaching, providing regular supply cover, at Shanklin C of E Primary on the Isle of Wight,…
Cheerleading
Grangehurst Primary School, Coventry, shows how it incorporates cheerleading into PE lessons, encouraging healthy competition, and offering pupils the chance to perform and work as a team. The pupils are put through their paces by cheerleading coach former and GB international Kim Nurden, and teacher Liz Cave talks about how a course…
Computer Generated Enterprise
Liverpool's status as European Capital of Culture 2008 is celebrated as a group of Year 11 pupils create a computer game for a school enterprise project. The pupils, from St Margaret's Church of England High School, formulate an idea for the game, called Streets of Culture, based on a motor race around the city's…