by Des and Pam Des and Pam | Nov 25, 2018 | Uncategorized
In this week’s blog we look at the new planned Ofsted framework and what this might mean for schools. “It is my aim that the new framework places much more emphasis than the current one on the substance of education: the curriculum.” Angela Spielman, Ofsted Chief...
by Des and Pam Des and Pam | Nov 11, 2018 | Uncategorized
Sorry we have not blogged for a couple of months….but it’s good to be back now! We wanted to update you on all the latest happenings and bring you up to speed with everything that has been going on. Award winning, excellent value for money geography resources! We have...
by admin | Oct 26, 2018 | Uncategorized
Teaching young kids and keeping them interested is no mean feat. This is especially true when you are introducing a complex topic, such as geography. Children have a short attention span. It is natural for them to get bored easily. This is why it is crucial to always...
by admin | Aug 30, 2018 | Uncategorized
Children start to notice cultural differences between people by the age of 2 years old and until the time they reach their 4th-5th year. They tend to start displaying gender-appropriate behaviour and become fearful of differences. This is one of the reasons why it is...
by Des and Pam Des and Pam | Aug 2, 2018 | Uncategorized
I feel learning about other cultures, through experiencing their artefacts, is important because the resources are focused on bringing to life the culture and daily practices of distant places. I recently took some of our Gambian artefacts to my local Forest School,...
by admin | Jul 21, 2018 | Uncategorized
As teachers, it is essential that we allow the values of internationalism to be passed on to our students. We need to discover key concepts that support global learning and learn how to introduce them as part of our lessons in order to successfully teach students...
by Des and Pam Des and Pam | Jul 19, 2018 | Uncategorized
In between our packed schedule of summer ‘Key to the National Curriculum’ school visits, we’ve realised our annual trip to The Gambia is creeping up fast! The visit which this year takes place at the end of November 2018 will be our 25th trip! (we started in 2000...
by Des and Pam Des and Pam | Jun 14, 2018 | Uncategorized
We are delighted that our new Key to the National Curriculum KS1 and KS2 geography resources are going down so well! We were thrilled to have been highly commended at the Geographical Association Publishers’ Award earlier in the year and are equally pleased that the...
by admin | Jun 12, 2018 | Uncategorized
Two areas that directly impact student success are classroom and school culture. Taking that into account it is vital that both classroom and school culture reflect, understand and celebrate diversity. For teachers, teaching cultural diversity isn’t always an easy...
by admin | May 10, 2018 | Uncategorized
Global learning offers excellent teaching opportunities to those working for academies and schools in the UK. If your school hasn’t adopted the global learning model, the information on this page will help to highlight the benefits for both students and teachers.We...
by admin | Apr 10, 2018 | Uncategorized
There will always be a huge gap between the things that teachers want to impart to their students and the things that students want to know from them. The connection that will let the two meet is the relevance of the lesson with the students’ lives. Engaging...
by Des and Pam Des and Pam | Apr 10, 2018 | Uncategorized
We are delighted to announce that our hard work and effort has been rewarded with a ‘Highly Commended’ for ‘Key to the National Curriculum: Naples and the Campania Region’, in last week’s Geographical Association Publishers’ Awards 2018. The Geographical Association...
by Des and Pam Des and Pam | Jan 3, 2018 | Uncategorized
In early December we took a group of 16 people on one our fascinating Gambian Study visits. Claudine Chapman, one of the group, has kindly written a blog about her experience on the trip: Most sisters might call you to say “Do you fancy going for a coffee?”. Not...
by Des and Pam Des and Pam | Dec 12, 2017 | Uncategorized
Thoughts from Ric and Ann Sims , unpaid Teaching Assistants for the week. A big thank you to Des and Pam for inviting us to join them for a Gambian Cocktail. A cocktail of enthusiasm, dedication, kindness, endless energy and fun. It was uplifting to witness the work...
by Des and Pam Des and Pam | Nov 8, 2017 | Uncategorized
In The Gambia there is a thriving industry based on recycling of waste aluminium to produce a range of kitchen and other goods including aluminium ladles. Recycling here is not a duty, like it is in the first world, but a real economic necessity. The cost of imported...
by Des and Pam Des and Pam | Oct 11, 2017 | Uncategorized
Congratulations to Salesbury School, based in Blackburn, who won our ‘Create an African Kettle display’ competition. We hope the pupils really enjoyed learning about the kettle and why it is so essential in West Africa and had great fun creating their own bright and...
by Des and Pam Des and Pam | Oct 10, 2017 | Uncategorized
Study Visit to The Gambia – Sunday 26th November to Sunday 3rd December 2017 The study visit is run and organised by Pam Copeland and Dr Des Bowden the directors of B&C Educational Ltd.. We are now getting down to the serious planning for this visit : Visits to...
by Des and Pam Des and Pam | Jul 25, 2017 | Uncategorized
Study Visit to The Gambia – Sunday 26th November to Sunday 3rd December 2017 The study visit is run and organised by Pam Copeland and Dr Des Bowden the directors of B&C Educational Ltd.. Pam taught in primary schools before becoming a senior university...
by Des and Pam Des and Pam | Jul 20, 2017 | Uncategorized
Eleven schools, 25 teachers, 60 children and 60 balloons, united together on Thursday 16th June, to celebrate the ideas of Jo Cox MP on the anniversary of her death. The 16/17 June was feted as the “Great Get Together” to celebrate the life of Jo Cox MP. Her husband...
by Des and Pam Des and Pam | Jun 21, 2017 | Uncategorized
At our Teachers’ Meet on 29th June, we’ll be officially launching our ‘Create an African Kettle display’ competition! Take part in the competition and you could win one of fantastic global artefacts for your school! To enter, simply download and make copies of our...
by Des and Pam Des and Pam | Jun 14, 2017 | Uncategorized
Our next Teachers’ Meet is on Thursday 29th June from 4.30 pm onwards, at Ashwood Park Primary School, Stourbridge (DY8 5DJ). Following on from the success of the first B&C Teachers’ Meet held at the Nettl Studios in Central Birmingham, the intention...
by Des and Pam Des and Pam | May 16, 2017 | Uncategorized
Thursday 18th May is Outdoor Classroom Day a day where schools will be celebrating outdoor learning and play by having lessons outside. What are the benefits of learning outdoors? Why? Outdoor learning improves children’s health, engages them with learning and leads...
by Des and Pam Des and Pam | May 8, 2017 | Uncategorized
Following on from our first ever Teachers’ Meet back in March we are delighted to announce our next free networking and sharing event, this time being held at Ashwood Park Primary School, on Thursday 29th June from 4:30 pm onwards. Once again we are delighted to be...
by Des and Pam Des and Pam | Feb 24, 2017 | Uncategorized
Join us for our first B&C Educational Teachers’ Meet on Tuesday 21st March 2017 at Nettl Business Store, Great Charles Street, Birmingham. This evening session will bring together primary teachers from across the West Midlands who we have worked with on...
by Des and Pam Des and Pam | Feb 15, 2017 | Uncategorized
After the unsettled period of political unrest since the elections of 1 dec 2016, the future for The Gambia is now looking bright. Adam Barrow’s government has received major funding from the European Union. The new president has expressed his wish for the...
by Des and Pam Des and Pam | Jan 4, 2017 | Uncategorized
Our newspapers are designed to provide information about distant places in a format that children will enjoy reading so much that they do not realise that they are learning at the same time! Not only do they offer lively and informative stories about distant places,...
by Des and Pam Des and Pam | Nov 16, 2016 | Uncategorized
B & C Educational produce a range of authentic artefacts and resources which are designed to meet the needs of the Primary National Curriculum. The complete range can be used to help create a space for Global Learning within a primary school. One of our...
by Des and Pam Des and Pam | Nov 10, 2016 | Uncategorized
With the help of Base North Marketing (www.basenorthmarketing.co.uk), B&C have just started advertising some of their new products. The product launch will be by a leaflet insert in the pre -Christmas issue of Teach Primary (www.teachprimary.com), some 24,000...
by Des and Pam Des and Pam | Jul 19, 2016 | Uncategorized
Charcoal pots on sale in Mohammed’s stall in Serekunda market, The Gambia Since appearing on a Forest School Facebook page these charcoal pots have proved very popular. The ones we sell are made in Serekunda market by...
by Des and Pam Des and Pam | Jul 13, 2016 | Uncategorized
The West African recycled plastic kettle is found across that part of Africa. Unless you have been to West Africa it is hard to understand its importance in the everyday lives of ordinary people. They are used for carrying water, filling pots and pans, washing hands...
by Des and Pam Des and Pam | Mar 8, 2016 | Uncategorized
Teachers’ Workshop in Cape Point, Feb 2016 B & C Educational sponsored an international teachers’ workshop and welcomed 19 Gambian teachers, 3 Senegalese and 8 UK educationalists. The morning was spent...
by bandceducational | Jan 15, 2016 | Uncategorized
The background In March 2015, the schools in B and C Educational Ltd.’s informal network were encouraged by the British Council to consider developing tripartite partnerships with The Gambia and Senegal based on their already successful inks with Gambian...
by bandceducational | Jan 6, 2016 | Uncategorized
MyFarm: An educational journey from seed to businessAfrica Startup (Gambia) is a charitable foundation based in Norway with the mission to improve livelihoods in The Gambia through education in agricultural innovation, environmental protection and entrepreneurship.It...
by bandceducational | May 12, 2015 | Uncategorized
Happiness Hits Howley Please link to find out how Happiness hit the West Midlands in an inter-primary school United Nations style conference to celebrate the International Day of Happiness
by bandceducational | Apr 10, 2015 | Uncategorized
There were so many highlights for this particular study visit to The Gambia organised by B and C Educational through their Global Dimension Partnership branch. We were delighted to meet 5 teachers from schools in Senegal who joined our group for 4 days. They took a...
by Des and Pam Des and Pam | Jan 13, 2015 | Uncategorized
B&C Educational have had an exciting start to the new year. Nettl of Birmingham (nettl.com) have just upgraded their website (www.primary-school-resources.com) and it went live and Friday, so we are looking forward to a flood of new orders for our educational...
by admin | Nov 19, 2014 | Uncategorized
Despite the random rumours emanating from West Africa, there are still no ebola officially recognised in The Gambia and the Global Dimension Partnership trip scheduled for mid November is going ahead. The Gambia has suffered from the ebola scare as fewer tourists have...
by admin | Nov 19, 2014 | Uncategorized
The ebola crisis in Guinea, Sierra leone and Liberia has once again bought home how people in UK lack a sufficiently informed world view. With the high profile news coverage, it is clear that many people consider Africa to be one place, rather than a huge continent...
by Des and Pam Des and Pam | Nov 12, 2014 | Uncategorized
Despite the random rumours emanating from WEst Africa, there are still no ebola officially recognised in The Gambia and the Global Dimension Partnership trip scheduled for mid November is going ahead. The Gambia has suffered from the ebola scare as fewer tourists have...
by Des and Pam Des and Pam | Oct 16, 2014 | Uncategorized
The ebola crisis in Guinea, Sierra leone and Liberia has once again bought home how people in UK lack a sufficiently informed world view. With the high profile news coverage, it is clear that many people consider Africa to be one place, rather than a huge continent...
by Des and Pam Des and Pam | Sep 29, 2014 | Uncategorized
B&C Educational’s Chinese Resource Boxes have been flying off the shelf we are very pleased to report. This has surprised us since China no longer appears in the new primary curriculum for key stages 1 & 2. It does however appear in the KS 3 curriculum....
by Des and Pam Des and Pam | Sep 19, 2014 | Uncategorized
We as the Global Dimension Partnership are now actively planning for the next Gambia study visit (19-26 November) and working with busy teachers is sometimes very difficult. Last week we were fully booked with 16 places, now two have had to drop out and we are looking...
by Des and Pam Des and Pam | Sep 24, 2013 | Uncategorized
INSET training at Northfield Road on Monday. We demonstrated how it was possible to link together the global dimensions (interdependence, sustainable development,values and perceptions, social justice, diversity, human rights, global citizenship and conflict...
by bandceducational | Jul 16, 2013 | Uncategorized
As primary teachers are feeling the effects of a long year, facing sports’days, parents’evening, report writing and beginning to think about the coming holidays, so the new curriculum is published in more or less its final form. There have been some...
by bandceducational | Jun 26, 2013 | Uncategorized
The new primary curriculum 2014 seems to be causing confusion in some primary schools and indifference in many others. The new programme is expected in September 2013 so that schools can spend 2013/14 preparing their curricula for the new programmes of study. However...
by bandceducational | Jun 18, 2013 | Uncategorized
by bandceducational | Jun 18, 2013 | Uncategorized
Great news for KS 1 teachers from 2014 you can study a non-European country of your choice Key Stage1 (National Curriculum Draft 2013) • Understand geographical similarities and differences through studying the human and physical geography of a small area of the...
by bandceducational | May 29, 2013 | Uncategorized
Having had such a successful time in our April trip to The Gambia with a pleasingly diverse group of people who work in primary schools, namely three heads, two deputies, 9 class teachers, 1 learning assistant, a chair of governors, and PTA rep. The group gelled well...
by bandceducational | Mar 28, 2013 | Uncategorized
This week we seem to be preparing. We are preparing to exhibit at the Geographical Association Annual Conference in Derby from 4-6 April; we are stand 70 and hope to be talking to a lot of conference goers. It will feel strange to be at a conference and not delivering...
by bandceducational | Mar 19, 2013 | Uncategorized
B&C Educational have a coal-pot dilemma. We have some 400 Gambian coal-pots which we need to dispose of. These coal-pots are like mini-barbecues and are widely used in The Gambia for boiling tea and for cooking (see man in photo with his tea boiling at his...
by bandceducational | Mar 11, 2013 | Uncategorized
At last the India Photopack is now published and for sale. There are 28 photos and maps including a blank map of India for photocopying. The aim is to stress the diversity of India in terms of environment, climate and human and economic geography. It has...
by Des and Pam Des and Pam | Mar 11, 2013 | Uncategorized
B&C resources are normally produced as a result of our own visits, experiences and efforts. I am currently producing an photopack on ‘India’ to complement our other resources on India which include Images in and around Chembakolli and an Indian...
by Des and Pam Des and Pam | Jan 25, 2013 | Uncategorized
B and C have been very busy in the second half of January. Our visit to the marketing gym and Dee Blick was exciting, eye opening and hard work! (www.themarketinggym.org) We feel we learnt so much and have already hired two Girl Fridays to work on our tactical...
by bandceducational | Jan 3, 2013 | Uncategorized
Back to work again and what a prospect of exciting developments. We are going to visit Dee Blick (dee@themarketinggym.org) next week and we hope she will be able to help us set up a marketing strategy for all our activities, which if successful will certainly be a...
by bandceducational | Dec 17, 2012 | Uncategorized
We are just back from our week revisiting The Gambia with friends and family. We were busy, so busy; we were making new contacts, buying resources for our African Locality Packs (see www.primary-school-resources.com), developing new opportunities for the primary...
by bandceducational | Nov 27, 2012 | Uncategorized
27 November 2012 Pam and I are very close to our departure to The Gambia for a week during which we will buy the stock that we need to keep the African Locality Packs authentic . We are making lists and gestimating quantities and are in contact with our ‘product...
by bandceducational | Nov 14, 2012 | Uncategorized
Pam and I are currently developing our marketing strategy, but not most exciting news but nonetheless very necessary. We are planning a mail shot to hit half the schools in England in January 2013. There will be special country packages of our educational materials...
by bandceducational | Oct 24, 2012 | Uncategorized
Our new blog is now live! We look forward to keeping you updated on the developments and adventures. For more information please visit our website. You will see our products and teaching aids listed under each country. Go on, have a quick look now 🙂
