Support for out of School Learning

Introduction

This page will collate the SLA resources that are of particular use when working from home. 
These are in addition to our usual provision of Online Courses, Publications, the CPD Library and the support resources and advice line. 

The SLA office is still open, and we are on hand to maintain services. 

You can find a list of resources and platforms which have been made freely available below, as well as information about upcoming events and plans in reaction to the closure of schools. 

We will update this page as needed. Best wishes for you all at this time.

Books and working resources
Books and working resources
Corona Virus - Learning and Working From Home

Recently added Resources/Activities

The Ickabob - JK Rowling publishing stand alone story online with accompanying illustration competition 

Giovanna Fletcher - reading 5 Minutes Peace

Hay Festival Digital - 22 - 31st May

Mark Haddon - Social Distance graphic novel written for The Guardian

What on Earth Books - educator resources 

JKP Books - Teachers Read scheme 

Inspire Education Library Service - online primary book award #Inspireread2020

Disney - I Am With You specially recorded song from Frozen's Olaf

Research Rich pedagogies - mini reading challenges

Scoop magazine - free download of full copy of Scoop Magazine for kids 

Festival of Dreams - Puffin online book festival 8th - 14th June

Red Herring games - family friendly murder mystery event based on Charlie & the Chocolate Factory 

A Monster Calls’ - live at 7pm BST on Fri Jun 5 and available to watch until Thu Jun 11 on the Old Vic’s YouTube channel. Age 10-plus. For up-to-date information follow @oldvictheatre and #YourOldVic.


#ReadIndieForward - support your favourite independent bookstore

Kent Online - reading in lockdown & online book clubs to join

Quentin Blake - free ecards 

Old Vic - production of Patrick Ness A Monster Calls available to be watched online from 7p.m. 5th June - 11th June

Alex Rider TV series - starting on Amazon Prime 4.6.20 trailer here 

Chichester Theatre - The Midnight Gang production available to view online until the 29th May

Anne Frank - if Anne Frank was a vlogger, Youtube channel

Winnie & Wilbur Stay At Home - free wbook & activities

Toppsta Read 15 Mins a Day Challenge - bingo card & other resources to promote reading

Anthony Horowitz - 3 chapters of new Diamond Brothers story Where Seagulls Dare now online, next chapter released on Friday

Moon Lane Books & Toys - HipHop Love Books, picture book videos

Thomas Taylor - @ThomasHTaylor answering questions & launching a new drawing competition with Toppsta 13.5.20 on Twitter at 19.30

Mr Bodd - 2 new alternative reading tube maps, 7+ & 9+

JKP Library - free ebooks on topical subjects

Just Imagine - free webinars on the theme of reading 

Children's Bookshow - sharing book of the week emails, videos etc

Wizarding World - Chapter 1 of Philosopher's Stone read by Daniel Radcliffe

Empathy Day online - 9th June

Isadora Moon - guide to writing 

Forestry England - 10 ways to keep kids entertained during Covid-19

Star Wars Kids - Disney Star Wars resources 

#MayThe4thBeWithYou - Star Wars resources list




Reading for Pleasure - book related lessons etc 


Beanstalk Charity - reading rainbow to display
Bear Hunt - activity sheets, cut out bear & bear ears
The Book of Hopes - free downloadable anthology of stories, poems, essays & pictures from over 100 children's authors & illustrators
Book Riot - 7 of the best educational comics for home schooling 
Bookseller Magazine - Children's special
CNN & Sesame Street - special COVID themed programme

Everybody Worries - free downloadable picture book about the pandemic from Oxford Owl

The Gruffalo - themed resources

Hay Festival - archive of author videos

Junior Library Guild - free access to online reading platform

Libraries from home - Libraries Connected list of digital resources from public libraries
Lucas Maxell - #oneminutebookreview on Instagram
Make a Howler - resource from teacher Kate on FB 
Shakespeare Week - resources themed around the bard and his plays
Wizarding World - Harry Potter At Home
World Book Day - Top 100 books to share
World of Stories - audiobooks from World Book Day


Authors & illustrators providing free content 


Mac Barnett - Instagram book club
Rod Biddulph #drawwithRob
Jo Cotterill - Jelly teaching resources
Sarah Crossan - online poetry readings on Instagram
Sarah Ferguson - reading children's books aloud, with Guess How Much I Love You read by Princess Eugenie 
Tom Fletcher - live readings of his books every Monday in April at 6.30p.m.

Actor Tom Hardy - reading aloud stories on CBeebies starting 27.4.20 at 6.50p.m. 

Chris Haughton

Anthony Horowitz - virtual book launch Thursday 2nd April 10a.m. 

Oliver Jeffers reading one of his books a day live on Instagram, posted to his website afterwards

Julie's Library - storytime with Julie Andrews coming April 29th
Derek Landy - video Skulduggery themed story prompts posted daily on Instagram, Competition on Twitter
Simon Lelic - reading Haven chapter by chapter on YouTube
Wendy Meddour - reading her books aloud 
Nicola Morgan - diary competition
Nicola Morgan - book giveaways
Paul Morton - videos, downloads etc
Parsley Mimblewood - downloadable ebook How Not To Go To School
Lucy Powrie - Covid -19 themed short story from Paper & Hearts Society author
Peter Reynolds - reading aloud on Facebook
Marcus Sedgwick - reading Floodland aloud
Jools Wilson, illustration - activity sheets 

Library Related 

Branching Out - Books For Topics series of reading on posters (If you liked this ...read this
Kingston Libraries - running a programme of digital events
Library Lady - weekly round up of book news from librarian Anne Thompson
Mrs Lodges Library - shelving activity
Norfolk Libraries - blog with upcoming events & activities

Youtube (authors & illustrators etc)

Kate DiCamillo - sharing writing prompts etc
Gaspard and the Quiet Day - new story reassuring & educating them about the current situation
Gaspard's Den - activities from Zeb Soanes YouTube
Alexander Gordon Smith - reading a chapter a day of his book Lockdown
Anna James Bookwanders online book club
Steve Lenton - drawing
Andrew Lloyd Webber - streaming one of his musicals each week, this Friday 7p.m. Jesus Christ Superstar
National Shelf Service - daily ebook recommendations from librarians 
Storyline online - authors reading their books aloud US
Mo Willems - giving Jimmy Fallon a lesson 
Zuntold Publishing - launching #YouTubeLive videos from 4th May at 5p.m. 

Ebooks, audiobooks & online reading

 
Please be aware that copyright restrictions remain in force. Up to 5% of a book or one chapter may be copied. Whole books cannot be read aloud and posted online without the express permission of the publisher/author. Some authors have given permissions in the current climate for that to be relaxed , but unless you are certain this is the case, it remains illegal . You can find more information here )

Beano - free digital copy to download 
Comixology - free comics 
DC Comics - selection of comics free to download & read until 8th June 
Gizmo's Freeware - list of online reading
Marvel Unlimited - read selection of comics for free  
Netgalley - free proof ebooks for librarians, teachers & blogger 

Publishers & Booksellers 

Andersen Press - Staying Home downloadable ebook
Barrington Stoke - Home School Help for Lockdown for dyslexic readers
Nosy Crow - free information book explaining coronavirus to young children illustrated by Axel Scheffler
Penguin - Classic cover generator 
Penguin Perspectives - leading authors, offering their response to the Covid-19 outbreak. 
Peters Booksellers - 100 books for parents

Events & just for fun

Cookie Monster - weekly snack chat with recipes etc
Crongton Knights - full webcast of production 
Everywhere Book Fest - online children's book festival 1 & 2 May
National Theatre - At Home quiz
Treasure Island National Theatre Production

Twitter


Twitter chat on the theme of children's book series every Tuesday & Thursday from 8p.m., regular bi weekly chat #BOOKSNEARBEDTIME
#storystarters
#freebookresources
Josh Gad (Frozen's voice of Olaf) sharing stories 
Sir Patrick Stewart - reading a Shakespeare sonnet a day online
Rod Biddulph #drawwithRob





I'm in school, but there's few pupils... 

Webinars

We are  running a series of webinars over the next few months, on topics from social media to library events, to hearing from international education and leadership speaker Richard Gerver. You can find out more about the webinars here: https://www.sla.org.uk/events

I'm sure there's no shortage of things on your to-do list that you never usually get time to do, but here's some suggestions:

  • Weed - have a sort through; get rid of any old, tatty, out of date resources. Make space for displays. Put yourself in the shoes of a 13 year old - what would they find attractive and engaging?
  • Do a stocktake - check what's in your system is accurate; it saves a lot of time in the long run!
  • Write your annual report - there's still time to show what you have accomplished this year. You don't have to send it yet, but you can start pulling the data together. 
  • Change displays


There's a longer list available here from Sarah Pavey, care of SLG: https://slgtalkingbooks.com/2020/03/23/things-to-do-if-your-school-library-is-closed/


Weekend Course

Many people have understandably been asking about the weekend course, and whether it's going ahead. At the moment, the plan is to continue as usual, but we are monitoring the situation closely. We realise this uncertainity may hamper people's ability to book, so we have created an 'Expression of Interest' form  which allows you to benefit from the Early Bird discount (if signed up before 31st March) even if you don't book until closer to the date.