Amaze News

We are pleased to have passed the Freelancer and Contractor Services Association’s (FCSA) annual review of compliance and service for a second successive year. Following a rigorous audit carried out independently of the FCSA, the accreditation was awarded and a copy submitted to HMRC. FCSA accreditation is recognised as the industry’s compliance gold standard, with the FCSA being the largest independent trade association for professional employment service providers. Their work centres on promoting compliance and best practice in order to minimise risk in the supply chain.

"If you want your children to be smart, tell them stories. If you want them to be brilliant, tell them more stories." Albert Einstein

Storytelling is one of the oldest and most powerful ways of sharing ideas. An innately human skill, storytelling allows us to interpret the world around us and gives voice to our imagination. Teaching children through storytelling is an engaging and dynamic way for children to learn many different social and academic skills, some of which are detailed below.

For those who want the job satisfaction of teaching without the long hours and stress, working as a supply teacher can be an ideal compromise. While the profession has taken some serious knocks in recent years, supply teaching can reduce workloads and help to achieve your ideal work/life balance. Here we talk to Jeff Blackwell, a teacher with over 40 years teaching experience, about life as both a full time and supply teacher, and how the profession has changed over the years.

The 3^rd-9^th of February marks Children’s Mental Health Week, which aims to promote awareness about the mental health of young people. While the mental health of adults has received significant attention in recent years, there’s evidence to show that many mental health problems begin in childhood. Schools, parents and health organisations have a role to play in promoting awareness, self-care and resilience methods that can help to fight problems such as depression and anxiety.

A major global study has found that while the UK has improved its league rankings in academic subjects like maths and science, British teens are some of the most miserable in the world. The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) study found that just 53 per cent of UK students are satisfied with their lives, compared to 67 per cent across the OECD countries.

As we enter the next decade there are many technological, social and ideological changes taking place that will impact on education. Major shifts in the jobs landscape mean that it’s not only the kind of skills we learn that will alter, but also how we learn from an early age. Here we take a look at five of the biggest education trends that will impact on primary schools right through to the workplace in 2020.

An increasing number of teachers are discovering the benefits of supply teaching, including a better work/life balance, more flexible working options and reduced stress. Although there’s much to recommend the supply list, teachers need to do some preparation in order to make the most of it. Frequently changing workplaces come with their own difficulties, so learning how you can perfect the process will make it easier each time. Here we look at a few rules that can help to make supply prep second nature.

With teachers leaving the profession at an alarming rate, many are choosing part-time and supply work over full-time hours.

Excessive workloads and accountability are responsible for 33 per cent of teachers quitting by the end of their fifth year. This means that teaching has one of the lowest professional retention rates, with increasing numbers of teaching staff reporting mental health problems.

New Department for Education (DfE) commissioned research shows that 76 per cent of secondary school teachers and 70 per cent of primary school teachers say their workload is unachievable within their contracted hours.

A BBC survey has found that creative arts subjects are being cut back in many secondary schools in England. Out of the 1,200 schools that responded to the study, nine in every ten said they had cut back on lesson time, staff, or resources in creative subjects.