Topical Talk and Ofsted criteria, online safety and SMSC

Embedding Topical Talk in your curriculum helps you meet Ofsted framework criteria in Personal development and Quality of education, and government guidance on promoting British values and online safety.

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Ofsted framework: Personal Development

Topical Talk provides weekly resources to hold high-quality discussions about the news. 

Headlines covers a different news story each week, Projects facilitates a discussion about one issue in depth over five weeks. 

These can be embedded within form/pastoral time, the academic curriculum, or run as an extracurricular club.

Students are encouraged to think for themselves and independently form opinions about the news. They express and defend their views in front of audiences of peers - both in-class and online with thousands of students from across the world and industry-leading experts. At the end of each project, they are challenged to create and publish a Final Piece that communicates their opinion for others to comment on.

“The knowledge that students gained both in the sessions and through their own research gave them the confidence to discuss issues as well as sharing their own opinions.” - Teacher, Allerton High School

“It helped me process  [the news topic] and speak to other people about how I feel and whether I agree or disagree with the decisions being made.” Student, The Sherwood School

We work with the Skills Builder Universal Framework or the Skills Builder Partnership to develop four key news-literacy skills: speaking and listening, and problem-solving and creativity. These are widely praised as being essential for life-long success:

  • Essential skills are required by “almost everyone [...] to do almost any job. They are the skills that make specific knowledge [...] fully productive”1
  • Skills which cannot be automated, such as the news literacy skills, support a long and prosperous life in the future. 2
  • Employers consistently call for these skills across all educational and experience levels3

74% of teachers say employability skills are now the most important way to improve pupils’ career prospects4

Topical Talk resources foster open discussions about contestable questions - and encourage learners to be respectful of differing opinions. The opportunity to present their own views, both in class and online, promotes the importance of being responsible for one’s words. Online, students are guided to write with respect and care. 

“The kids know the skills fluently and often start sentences with “I see where you’re coming from but I want to be sceptical.” They love being able to develop skills they may have seen as appropriate only for adults. They love even more NAMING the skills! I love how we are normalising open-mindedness and saying it’s okay to change our minds. It’s okay to allow an alternative of our viewpoint into a discussion.” Teacher- Streatham Wells High School

Throughout our resources, students are encouraged to take what they have learnt to make a positive contribution to the world - for example, writing a letter to their MP or local newspaper.

Please see the criteria below on promoting British values through SMSC.

Topical Talk resources are objective and expose learners to a range of opinions on current debates. Activities encourage learners to consider others’ contributions and reflect on where they agree and disagree. 

The Student Hub also hosts discussions, polls and surveys where learners can see how their views compare with others. They are also given opportunities to reflect upon the similarities and differences between their lives and others, and consider  how people’s experiences influence people’s thinking.

We also champion the impact that world-leading experts can bring to students’ understanding. Last year, students engaged with 32 experts, including Stephen Fry, Chris Hadfield and Gillian Burke. We put students' questions to experts from across the political spectrum. In 2020, 97% of learners said they had improved their open-mindedness.

The online Hub connects learners with peers from different cultures and backgrounds. Learners are encouraged to find common ground with opinions different to their own through structured activities.

Ofsted framework: Quality of education

Topical Talk resources rapidly boost students' cultural capital. Stories and issues covered help learners “meet the world” from their classroom. Over the course of a year, sessions cover all aspects of our News Curriculum. Activities are designed to stretch and challenge students on the biggest stories from around the world. In 2020, 100% of participating students said they now have  better conversations about the news.

“[The programme] gives students cultural capital opportunities. They get to talk to experts related to the current topic that they would never have spoken to otherwise. Our school is in a highly deprived area and there would be almost no chance of talking to these kinds of professionals if it wasn’t for the club. The children know their voice can be heard and it motivates them to know an expert will respond to something they’ve said. This is an opportunity school cannot always do for them.” - Ella Martin, New Horizons Children’s Academy

We develop four key news-literacy skills: speaking and listening, and problem-solving and creativity. These are widely praised as being essential for life-long success:

  • Essential skills are required by “almost everyone [...] to do almost any job. They are the skills that make specific knowledge [...] fully productive”1
  • Skills which cannot be automated, such as the news literacy skills, support a long and prosperous life in the future. 2
  • Employers consistently call for these skills across all educational and experience levels3

74% of teachers say employability skills are now the most important way to improve pupils’ career prospects4

Topical Talk provides detailed yet easy-to-follow lesson plans for teachers. Teachers can also access a wealth of guidance on facilitating conversations about the news, and attend free webinars on several aspects of this area of pedagogy.

In 2020, 90% of responding teachers said they were more confident bringing the news into the classroom since delivering our resources.

94% of teachers said they now have a better understanding of news literacy.

Topical Talk provides students with everything they need to build up a solid understanding of what’s happening in the news - and this in turn supports their reading. In sessions, students are supported to discuss key vocabulary in context, giving them the building blocks they need for independent further reading. 

Topical Talk also introduces students to the world, giving them the prior knowledge they need to better comprehend what they are reading. Exploring a range of perspectives also supports students to make better inferences, helping them to become confident readers of the news (and anything else they choose to dive into). We encourage them to comment on each others’ work which develops their comprehension skills. 

Our online discussion Hub encourages students to take their learning one step further by recommending extra reading about the topics covered in class.

Reading the news is one of the most common and accessible ways that people read for pleasure. Topical Talk gives students the tools they need to be able to understand and engage with the news they read - whilst asking questions that spark their curiosity to want to read more.

“They become so much more independent in their learning because they want to research the news and they have the motivation to go home and learn about it.” Ella Martin, New Horizons Children's Academy

DfE guidance on teaching online safety in schools

Topical Talk resources expose disinformation and the motivations behind it. News content draws a distinction between information that is true, tested and trusted and baseless claims shared with the aim of deception.

Students understand the reasons why misinformation inadvertently spreads, through classroom activities, online quizzes and expert interviews. For example, watch the BBC’s Evan Davis explain why falsehoods can spread without malicious intent.

Topical Talk not only examines the news stories themselves, but the ways information is presented. Throughout the topics covered, learners reflect on the provenance of stories and how to draw conclusions about authenticity. Learners investigate the role of social media and how to demonstrate healthy scepticism when coming across “viral” stories.

News Literacy is a core component of our “News Curriculum” covered by Topical Talk. We have published specific resources to teach children how to identify trustworthy news, and how to be an active viewer, and these equip them to confidently use words like “bias”, “scepticism”, “fact” and “opinion”. 

Activities about current news frequently return to this area, so that learners can apply their knowledge with real-life stories.

Government guidance on promoting fundamental British values through SMSC

Frequent opportunities to form and express opinions help learners find their position on the biggest cultural, ethical and political questions facing the world today.

Online, our team of teachers give praise and feedback to learners’ contributions each day. Online recognition also includes reward stars, Thought Leader awards, publication in our half-termly highlights magazine and our end-of-year awards ceremony. Learners constantly praise each other for their work. The Student Hub is an incredibly supportive community. It is no wonder we receive regular feedback about the impact of our resources on students’ confidence. 

“I realised that those who manage this Hub valued my participation. This made me more motivated and helped me reason, question, justify my opinion and listen to others respectfully which shaped my way of thinking. I hope this type of learning will carry on.” - Online student, 2020

By contributing to classroom and online discussions, learners develop their appreciation of the need to be responsible for the words they use. Although many news stories are of a global nature, opportunities are presented for learners to take action locally and make a difference in their area.

Throughout the year, our resources teach students about some of the biggest institutions and services. For example, previous schemes of work have explored the creation, role and future of the NHS, the role of Parliament and the workings of the Bank of England.

Throughout the year students have opportunities to vote on big questions and see how their view fits with those of others. 

Resources teach understanding of important news concepts related to democracy like power and scarcity.