The Butler Trust has chosen to work with national qualification provider, NCFE using its customised award service to offer its annual award scheme winners training to enhance their skills across the criminal justice system.

UK schoolchildren are being invited to explore the importance of democracy through a thought-provoking selection of films compiled by the education charity FILMCLUB in support of the first ever Parliament Week (31st October to November 6th) - a new initiative to raise awareness of and engagement with parliamentary democracy. Throughout the week the charity will host screenings and discussion sessions in schools across the country of films such as ‘Gandhi’, ‘Milk’ and classic, ‘Mr Smith Goes To Washington’, to encourage young people to explore how democracy affects citizens and how they can contribute to it.

In support of UNESCO’s 45th ‘International Literacy Day on September 8th the education charity FILMCLUB (www.filmclub.org) is launching a special season of international films highlighting the importance of literacy in people’s lives and the disparity of literacy levels across the globe. 250,000 schoolchildren belonging to the charity will be encouraged to watch, discuss and review specially selected titles ranging from ‘Akeelah & The Bee’, about an impoverished girl’s exceptional talent for spelling, to ‘Eleanor’s Secret’, ‘The Class’ and Oscar-winning drama ‘The Lives of Others’.

Financially constrained school IT departments across the country can take advantage of a new Cloud Computing hardware and software solution from Technical Services called Ubiquitous. The organisation, part of Commercial Services, is offering education establishments the opportunity to benefit from this latest development in computing services solutions.

A new internet safety tool has been launched to protect pupils using iPads at school. Netintelligence for iPads allows inappropriate or harmful content to be filtered and blocked across multiple tablets via a web-based control panel. The software is already used by many schools and education authorities to keep pupils safe online when they’re using latops or desktop PCs.

Andy Parker, sales and marketing director, Demco Interiors, presents a trophy to Newcastle University Library, winners of the Demco sponsored, Outstanding Library Team Award category of the Times Higher Education Leadership Management Awards 2011.

The Outward Bound Trust, the experiential outdoor learning charity which exists to unlock the potential in young people through discovery and adventure in wilderness environments, has announced the results of its Social Impact Report for 2011.

Six schools across England and Scotland are celebrating after winning awards at this year’s RBS Personal Finance Education Awards for Schools, which recognise those schools that teach students all-important money management skills in an innovative and successful way.

Colchester Royal Grammar School, Essex, has been crowned winner of the 2011 Times Spelling Bee, the only national spelling competition for schools. Over 1200 schools registered for the 2011 competition and have competed across the UK since March. Colchester Royal Grammar School triumphed over ten other schools in the nail-biting Grand Final held at the IndigO2 at the O2 in London, on Thursday 23 June.

Viking, the direct mail and e-commerce school and office supplies channel of Office Depot, has announced that a pupil from Westminster has beaten 10,500 other school children to win a free playground – worth £25,000 - for her school. Kesaia Toganivalu from St Matthew’s Primary School won Viking’s national ‘Win a Playground’ competition after her dream outdoor space design wowed judges with its creativity and flair.

Educationalists and scientists have combined their insider knowledge of exciting science and what captivates children to choose the shortlist for this year’s Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize. Publishers across the UK have submitted their best recent books that communicate science to young people and an adult judging panel have now narrowed down the choice to a shortlist of six 7

Two low-carbon education schemes were announced last month as winners at the 11th annual Ashden Awards for Sustainable Energy, the world’s leading green energy awards. The Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT) in Machynlleth, Wales won the award for Training in Sustainable Technologies and Severn Wye Energy Agency (SWEA) in Gloucestershire the award for the Sustainable Schools Programme.

Beechwood College, one of the UK’s leading specialist residential colleges for students with an Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD), has announced the finalists for its national art competition, which showcases the creativity of young people with an ASD.

Global education company, Promethean, has been named ‘ICT Company of the Year’ at the coveted BETT Awards. Celebrating the best digital products and technological companies supplying ICT for education, the BETT Awards are highly regarded throughout the industry for showcasing outstanding education sector products and learning solutions.

The award was judged by independent senior managers and teachers with a focus on effective classroom solutions and proven results.

Chetham’s School of Music has launched its new public fundraising campaign to ‘Buy-a-Brick’ and own a piece of Manchester’s history. For as little as £10, people across the region can pledge their support for the School and buy one of the 500,000 bricks being handmade for the £36m New School Building and Concert Hall.

A Barking teacher has scooped a top accolade for her skills in the classroom. Ripple Primary School teacher, Rachel Dixon, has won the prestigious Daily Mirror Pride of Britain Award for ‘Teacher of the Year’