Andrew Tomlinson, Head of Content and Commissioning, BBC Teach
BBC Teach is a gateway into the BBC for teachers. Our video resources are not only mapped to the curriculum but are overseen by education experts to ensure they meet the exact needs of teachers. We cover all age groups and subjects. We also produce topical collections of content for key moments in the academic calendar such as Refugee Week, Black History Month and COP27.
Our output changed significantly during the pandemic. We provided a daily service which was broadcast and streamed online to help families and teachers ensure children could keep learning and progressing. We had close contact with teachers and learnt a lot throughout the period. As a result, we have now reorganised all our content so that it’s broken down into year groups. We actively encourage feedback. Yes, we read every email received and message shared on our Facebook page.
Today, children’s wellbeing and mental health has rightly become a national talking point. Now more than ever, it is even more important that teachers have instant access to resources which they can use to support wellbeing and mental health. That’s why we launched BBC Moodboosters in November 2022. The activities have been devised with the help of children’s mental health charity, stormbreak, and subject specialists. It is designed to make physical movement enjoyable and to give children a sense of wellbeing.
We will be continuing to produce our popular Live Lessons which are broadcast on CBBC and streamed on BBC Teach. Developed for primary school children, they feature well-known BBC faces such as Chris Packham and CBBC presenter, Maddie Moate, as well as respected experts and young learners. Ahead of the broadcast, we publish a teacher guide and activity sheets so that teachers can make the most of this unique resource.
Since the pandemic, we have placed even more emphasis on engaging with our audiences. We are keen to hear from school trust leaders about how their schools are using BBC content to support teaching and learning as well as targeted pastoral support. We are currently planning content for the new academic year and are keen to understand more about your priorities.
Please get in touch with me at andrew.tomlinson@bbc.co.uk with any feedback or ideas you have for BBC Teach. Understanding how we can best support your teaching staff is essential if we’re to continue supporting children’s learning and wellbeing.
For more information about BBC Teach, please visit www.bbc.co.uk/teach or find us on social media Twitter: @BBC_Teach and Facebook: @BBCTeach
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