• Click here to find out more about becoming a UCL Beacon School.
• Follow @UCL_Holocaust #BeaconSchool1920 for updates throughout the residential and for a news feature on the website once complete.

The UCL Beacon School residential programme, for our 2019-30 cohort of schools across England, takes place this week in Central London. It promises to be an another intense, but wonderful 4 days and we’re proud and excited to be working with this inspiring group of teachers, their SLT links and respective schools over the coming year.

Professor Stuart Foster, Executive Director of the Centre for Holocaust Education said:

“I am very much looking forward to our intensive, thought-provoking, and hugely relevant Beacon School London Residential programme which begins this Friday.  The programme spans 4 days in which Centre staff work in collaboration with 16 inspirational teachers from schools across the country.  The aim of the week-end is to robustly support and equip teachers in their efforts to educate young about the Holocaust and its contemporary significance.  We live in turbulent times.  Significant increases in hate speech, antisemitism, prejudice and intolerance compel all educators to consider ways to address these considerable challenges.  It is always heartening to work with such dynamic and thoughtful teachers who are fully committed to improving young lives and the society in which they live.   As ever, it promises to be an incredible and meaningful few days!”

Our residential will begin on Friday 18th October, the 16 schools’ lead teachers and UCL Centre colleagues will meet at the Imperial War Museum, for an introductory afternoon that will include a visit to their permanent Holocaust exhibition.

Following time at the IWM Lead Teachers and Centre colleagues will make their way to their Central London hotel base for the weekend. We are looking forward to working with teachers, over remaining three days of intensive workshops, exploring key research informed pedagogy, listening and engaging with guest contributors, including Beacon School and Quality Mark alumni.

Our #BeaconSchool1920 schools and Lead Teachers have already received a range of support from their constituency MPs, recognising the importance of Holocaust education, the commitment and dedication of teachers giving up their half term break for this important cause; including letters and messages of support via social media – so continue to watch @UCL_Holocaust #BeaconSchool1920 in coming days.

Reflections from lead teachers who took part in last year’s programme included …

“Absolutely emotionally fried but incredibly energised by the UCL residential. I feel like a bright-eyed NQT all over again!”

“Feeling inspired after a thought-provoking and challenging residential with the UCL Beacon Schools18 team. I feel very proud to be part of this programme and excited about the next steps.”

The 2019-20 UCL Beacon School cohort are:

• Beacon High, Islington.
• Belle Bue Girls Academy, Bradford.
• Birches Head Academy, Stoke on Trent.
• Cardinal Newman Catholic School, Coventry.
• Chesterfield High School, Sefton.
• Falinge Park High School, Rochdale.
• Hanham Woods Academy, South Gloucestershire.
• Ian Ramsey Church of England Academy, Stockton on Tees.
• Kepier Academy, Sunderland.
• Lawrence House School, Knowsley.
• Manchester Enterprise Academy, Manchester.
• Mulberry School, Tower Hamlets.
• Q3 Academy Tipton, Sandwell.
• Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School, Kent.
• Stowe School, Buckinghamshire.
• Thurston Community College, Suffolk.

Every year, the UCL Centre for Holocaust Education look to recruit up to 20 secondary schools in England committed to enhancing teaching and learning about the Holocaust. UCL Beacon Schools in Holocaust Education will become dynamic hubs serving a network of local schools and will partner with the Centre to improve teaching standards, raise pupil achievement, and strengthen SMSC provision.

A Lead Teacher (who has completed our full day CPD programme) from each Beacon School will have the opportunity to attend an expenses-paid residential programme in central London and an expenses-paid study visit to Warsaw. They will develop a Scheme of Work specifically targeted to the needs of their pupils; the SMT will work with the lead teacher to make Holocaust education a priority and advocate to other schools for better Holocaust education.’

Since 2012 our prestigious programme has worked with 138 Beacon Schools directly impacting some 135,240 students through investing in their Lead Teacher to ensure research informed quality provision for and experience of Holocaust education. As part of the programme, Beacon Schools develop as hubs of excellence; creating local and regional networks generated by their status and partnering with us to facilitate FREE CPD in their locality, thus we have reached a further 828 schools to date, and at least another 811,440 students through these networks.

We are really looking forward to beginning our partnership with the #BeaconSchool1920 cohort… the residential is just the start of our journey together.