If you like The Week Junior magazine, you'll love our podcast!
Created in partnership with Fun Kids Radio, The Week Junior Show takes listeners behind the scenes of the award-winning magazine for 8 to 14-year-olds. Each week, Bex from Fun Kids is joined by members of The Week Junior team to discuss their favourite stories, debate the week’s hot topic and discover whether the ‘Real or Rubbish?’ report is fake news or the real deal.

Find out about all the latest news from The Week Junior

Check in here for regular updates on the latest news, offers, free resources and activities from The Week Junior team. You can also keep up-to-date by following us on Twitter @theweekjuniorlearn

The Week Junior is loved by teachers and pupils in schools across the country. It is used in a multitude of different ways to enhance learning across the curriculum. Here are just a few examples of the innovative ways schools are using The Week Junior with their pupils.

What our other readers think...

Mr Marden, Parnell Primary

The Week Junior is a great resource for keeping children abreast of current affairs and supports reading within school.

Isaac, Year 5

I love reading this magazine because of all the interesting things l learn. I particularly like the Science and Technology part so that l can imagine the way things will go in the future.

Jo Denham, Wodensborough Ormiston Academy

The students have loved the magazine and continually ask when the new edition is out.

Carla Gotch, Tennyson Road Primary School

The best thing about The Week Junior is the content, it’s trustworthy, age-appropriate, high-quality current affairs for children.

Mrs James, St Mary and St Andrews Catholic Primary School

Just a quick note to congratulate you on your fantastic magazine. My year 6 class love reading it and get excited every time our bursar brings in the pack containing the latest edition! Some of my boys really dislike reading, yet they enjoy working their way through the articles in The Week Junior. Anything that promotes children's love of reading and is highly educational at the same time is a sure winner. Keep up the great work!

What's it all about?

Take a dive into the extraordinary waters of the Great Barrier Reef. If you are teaching a topic on oceans or the environment this handy resource can help with explainers on the history and biodiversity of the reef, as well as information on why its animals and plants are in danger.

Have you tried The Week Junior in your school yet?

​This wonderful resource came from The Week Junior magazine. ​This fantastic magazine, written specifically for 8-14 year olds, includes the top news stories of the week plus science and technology, animals and the environment, books, sport and much more.

You can take out a subscription for your school from just £54 to help your students:

• Access, interpret and question the world around them
• Improve their spoken language skills through debate and discussion
• Develop an enjoyment of reading across the curriculum

Try it for free in your school, order your free copy today!

The Week Junior welcomes new study which finds discussing current affairs with children can have significant benefits for child development.

A new research report has found that explaining real world news in a way that stimulates curiosity, supports the development of critical thinking skills, improves resilience and enhances cognitive growth.

Over 1000 children aged 8-15, teachers and parents were surveyed as part of the study by child development expert Dr Jacqueline Harding.

Key findings:

• Children expressed their belief that learning about real world events or news increases their motivation to learn - a view supported by both parents and teachers.
• Engaging in discussion and giving children the tools to understand real world events has the potential to deepen academic learning and enhance cognitive growth.
• Building a child’s resilience will support the transition period to secondary school.
• Discussing current affairs can support the development of critical thinking skills.

Dr Harding recommends closer co-ordination between home and school to help equip parents with the tools to talk about difficult subjects, supporting children make sense of the world around them and spark curiosity.

For more information, please contact Sara Ghaffari at PLMR on 0203 691 9434

Read Full Report

Find out more about The Week Junior

In February 2021, the Red Planet got a new resident – Perseverance, NASA's latest and most advanced rover. This selection of articles from The Week Junior Science+Nature provides an insight into the exciting alien world that's currently being explored.

The Week Junior resource bank is teeming with interesting articles, fact files, videos and debate topics for schools to use covering a wide range of curriculum areas. Click on the links below to discover what’s on offer.

All of these resources can be used flexibly for:

• comprehension work
• writing stimuli
• topic work
• research
• vocabulary work

What's it all about?

Register for free and download this activity to share with your pupils wherever they are learning.

This PDF resource includes an article about biodegradable plastics, as well as accompanying activity ideas perfect for learning at home or in school:

• Debating whether newer bags that only take three years to decay are OK, or whether that's still not good enough
• Listing as many words as possible that begin with the prefix ‘bio’
• Writing a five-sentence story that follows a plastic bag's voyage from a shop all the way into the ocean
• Investigating how much food these bags can hold, given they have a weight limit of 2kg. How many ways can children get 2kg of food into a bag using different items?

​You can find more teaching resources from​ Plazoom here

Download your copy now

Have you tried The Week Junior in your school yet?

​This wonderful resource came from The Week Junior magazine. This fantastic magazine, written specifically fo​r 8-14 year olds, includes the top news stories of the week plus science and technology, animals and the environment, books, sport and much more.

You can take out a subscription for your school from just £54 to help your students:

• Access, interpret and question the world around them
• Improve their spoken language skills through debate and discussion
• Develop an enjoyment of reading across the curriculum

Try it for free in your school, order your free copy today!

Sign-up for your free copy!

What's it all about?

Register for free and download this activity to share with your pupils wherever they are learning.

This PDF resource includes an article about some new words that have been added to the Oxford English Dictionary, as well as accompanying activity ideas perfect for learning at home or in school:

• Hold a debate on why language evolves, and whether it should
• Write a two- or three-paragraph story using the words: kapow, padawan, ange, nomophobia and summum malum
• Create definitions for these made-up words: breffingle, nopperhast, yoochitrat
• Find three three English words that originated from Anglo Saxon, Norman, Viking and Indian cultures

You can find more teaching resources from​ Plazoom here

Download your copy now

Have you tried The Week Junior in your school yet?

​This wonderful resource came from The Week Junior magazine. This fantastic magazine, written specifically fo​r 8-14 year olds, includes the top news stories of the week plus science and technology, animals and the environment, books, sport and much more.

You can take out a subscription for your school from just £54 to help your students:

• Access, interpret and question the world around them
• Improve their spoken language skills through debate and discussion
• Develop an enjoyment of reading across the curriculum

Try it for free in your school, order your free copy today!

Sign-up for your free copy!

What's it all about?

Register for free and download this activity to share with your pupils wherever they are learning.

This PDF resource includes an article about monkey behaviour in Asia, as well as accompanying activity ideas perfect for learning at home or in school:

• Debate, if we could communicate with animals, whether we should? Or would that just lead to humans exploiting them even more?
• Imagine you are a long-tailed macaque who has just discovered how to use stones to get seafood out of shells. Write an advertisement that you would use to persuade your fellow macaques to use stones too
• Write a short funny sketch in the form of a playscript in which one macaque is trying to get his friend to use stones to crack open shells but the friend doesn’t like the idea of using this new ‘technology’
• Research another example of animals learning a new behaviour, especially if it shows them adapting to the human world.

​You can find more teaching resources from​ Plazoom here

Download your copy now

Have you tried The Week Junior in your school yet?

​This wonderful resource came from The Week Junior magazine. This fantastic magazine, written specifically fo​r 8-14 year olds, includes the top news stories of the week plus science and technology, animals and the environment, books, sport and much more.

You can take out a subscription for your school from just £54 to help your students:

• Access, interpret and question the world around them
• Improve their spoken language skills through debate and discussion
• Develop an enjoyment of reading across the curriculum

Try it for free in your school, order your free copy today!

Sign-up for your free copy!

What's it all about?

Register for free and download this activity to share with your pupils wherever they are learning.

This PDF resource includes an article about Viking Treasure, as well as accompanying activity ideas perfect for learning at home or in school:

• Most detectorists are honest and report their findings, but not all. Debate whether you think it is time to ban metal detectoring unless it is being done as part of a recognised archaeological group. Or do you think detectorist should have the freedom to pursue their hobby independently?
• Write a set of instructions detailing what you should do if your metal detector has just signalled that it has found something that could be interesting or valuable under the ground.
• Imagine you are a detectorist who has discovered a hoard of treasure. Write a diary entry describing your day, remembering to use the first person and powerful words to describe both your find and your feelings.
• What are the top three biggest treasure hoards ever found in the UK? Say where and when each find was made and give an outline of what was discovered.

​You can find more teaching resources from​ Plazoom here

Download your copy now

Have you tried The Week Junior in your school yet?

​This wonderful resource came from The Week Junior magazine. This fantastic magazine, written specifically fo​r 8-14 year olds, includes the top news stories of the week plus science and technology, animals and the environment, books, sport and much more.

You can take out a subscription for your school from just £54 to help your students:

• Access, interpret and question the world around them
• Improve their spoken language skills through debate and discussion
• Develop an enjoyment of reading across the curriculum

Try it for free in your school, order your free copy today!

Sign-up for your free copy!

What's it all about?

Register for free and download this activity to share with your pupils wherever they are learning.

This PDF resource includes an article about a painting that sold for £20m, as well as accompanying activity ideas perfect for learning at home or in school:

• Hold a debate on the public's right to see famous artworks. What happens when private owners pay for such pieces, rather than galleries getting them?
• Imagine something that you've drawn or painted sells for auction like this painting did. Write a short, humorous tale about it
• Write an account of a time you've been to a museum. What did you find interesting? Why?
• See if you can find out the top five most expensive paintings of all time. Who painted them? What are they called? What do they depict? And how much did they sell for?

You can find more teaching resources from​ Plazoom here

Download your copy now

Have you tried The Week Junior in your school yet?

​This wonderful resource came from The Week Junior magazine. This fantastic magazine, written specifically fo​r 8-14 year olds, includes the top news stories of the week plus science and technology, animals and the environment, books, sport and much more.

You can take out a subscription for your school from just £54 to help your students:

• Access, interpret and question the world around them
• Improve their spoken language skills through debate and discussion
• Develop an enjoyment of reading across the curriculum

Try it for free in your school, order your free copy today!

Sign-up for your free copy!

What's it all about?

Register for free and download this activity to share with your pupils wherever they are learning.

This PDF resource includes an article about a heptathlon athlete and her long road to her recent gold medal win, as well as accompanying activity ideas:

• Discuss whether we should always follow our dreams like Katarina Johnson-Thompson, or whether sometimes it’s better to concede defeat and move on.
• Write a story about an occasion where you showed grit and determination and how you felt during the highs and lows.
• Write a short play script about a devil and angel on Katarina’s shoulders and what they might have said to persuade her to give up or carry on.
• Explore what a decathlon is, and what people who take part have to do.

​You can find more teaching resources from​ Plazoom here

Download your copy now

Have you tried The Week Junior in your school yet?

​This wonderful resource came from The Week Junior magazine. This fantastic magazine, written specifically fo​r 8-14 year olds, includes the top news stories of the week plus science and technology, animals and the environment, books, sport and much more.

You can take out a subscription for your school from just £54 to help your students:

• Access, interpret and question the world around them
• Improve their spoken language skills through debate and discussion
• Develop an enjoyment of reading across the curriculum

Try it for free in your school, order your free copy today!

Sign-up for your free copy!

What's it all about?

Register for free and download this activity to share with your pupils wherever they are learning.

This PDF resource includes an article about a new Atlantic Ocean rowing record, as well as accompanying activity ideas perfect for learning at home or in school:

• Rowing across the Atlantic is undoubtedly an amazing achievement, but is it time to ask the simple question: what’s the point? Debate whether that same strength, courage and determination have been put to better use? Or if we should always celebrate such efforts
• Imagine you are one of the brothers. Write a diary entry for the day when you finally arrived at Antigua, describing how you felt emotionally as well as physically using your most powerful words.
• Write a short poem about this news story based on the children’s rhyme Row, Row, Row Your Boat
• Research the first to cross the Atlantic Ocean by as many different forms of transport. Give the names of the main people involved and the date when each crossing was made

You can find more teaching resources from​ Plazoom here

Download your copy now

Have you tried The Week Junior in your school yet?

​This wonderful resource came from The Week Junior magazine. This fantastic magazine, written specifically fo​r 8-14 year olds, includes the top news stories of the week plus science and technology, animals and the environment, books, sport and much more.

You can take out a subscription for your school from just £54 to help your students:

• Access, interpret and question the world around them
• Improve their spoken language skills through debate and discussion
• Develop an enjoyment of reading across the curriculum

Try it for free in your school, order your free copy today!

Sign-up for your free copy!

Celebrating the end of war in Europe

Add some breadth and depth to your lessons on the Second World War with fresh new cross-curricular lesson ideas. This lesson plan and article looks at the events of 8th May 1945, VE day, and explores other significant events in the Second World War.

This FREE download will help enhance lessons across the curriculum including English, Maths, Geography, PSHE, Science, History, Art and Music.

• Practise comprehension skills with question types including retrieval and inference
• Nurture exciting writing outcomes including creative, persuasive and script writing
• Explore the music that was made famous during the Second World War
• Plus much more...

Download your copy now

Have you tried The Week Junior in your school yet?

​This wonderful resource came from The Week Junior magazine. This fantastic magazine, written specifically fo​r 8-14 year olds, includes the top news stories of the week plus science and technology, animals and the environment, books, sport and much more.

You can take out a subscription for your school from just £54 to help your students:

• Access, interpret and question the world around them
• Improve their spoken language skills through debate and discussion
• Develop an enjoyment of reading across the curriculum

Try it for free in your school, order your free copy today!

Sign-up for your free copy!

What's it all about?

This new pupil resource is about a charity committed to saving lives at sea: the RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institution). Do your pupils know the RNLI's top tips for staying safe in water? In this article, discover the answer to this question, as well as many more.

Use this article to:

• Learn about the history of the RNLI
• Find out when the first life jacket was made
• Explore what it's like to volunteer for RNLI
• Discover three of the RNLI's most memorable moments

Download this FREE article to use as a starting point for your teaching and learning all about the RNLI.

Download your copy now

Have you tried The Week Junior in your school yet?

​This wonderful resource came from The Week Junior magazine. This fantastic magazine, written specifically fo​r 8-14 year olds, includes the top news stories of the week plus science and technology, animals and the environment, books, sport and much more.

You can take out a subscription for your school from just £54 to help your students:

• Access, interpret and question the world around them
• Improve their spoken language skills through debate and discussion
• Develop an enjoyment of reading across the curriculum

Try it for free in your school, order your free copy today!

Sign-up for your free copy!

What's it all about?

Thanksgiving is a national holiday in the US – a chance for people to celebrate with their family and friends. Dating back to 1621, the day is one of the most popular days of the year for people in the US. In this article your pupils will learn about why this day holds such resonance for Americans and how it is celebrated.

Use this article to:

• Learn about the history of Thanksgiving
• Find out about the traditional dishes associated with Thanksgiving
• Explore the celebratory activities that take place to mark the day
• Discover the connection between Black Friday and Thanksgiving

Download this FREE article as a starting point for your teaching and learning about Thanksgiving.

Download your copy now

Have you tried The Week Junior in your school yet?

​This wonderful resource came from The Week Junior magazine. This fantastic magazine, written specifically fo​r 8-14 year olds, includes the top news stories of the week plus science and technology, animals and the environment, books, sport and much more.

You can take out a subscription for your school from just £54 to help your students:

• Access, interpret and question the world around them
• Improve their spoken language skills through debate and discussion
• Develop an enjoyment of reading across the curriculum

Try it for free in your school, order your free copy today!

Sign-up for your free copy!

What's it all about?

Autumn is a season of celebration. In America and the UK, people dress up to mark Halloween, and in Mexico, El Dia de los muertos is celebrated.

Use this resource to teach pupils about:

• Defining an equinox and how it is related to the change of seasons
• Discover why nature changes from lush greens to muted tones of yellow, orange and brown
• Learn about autumn’s significance in different countries

This article gives students a better understanding of autumn and how it is perceived around the world.

Download your copy now

Have you tried The Week Junior in your school yet?

This wonderful resource came from The Week Junior magazine. This fantastic magazine, written specifically for 8-14 year olds, includes the top news stories of the week plus science and technology, animals and the environment, books, sport and much more.

You can take out a subscription for your school from just £54 to help your students:

• Access, interpret and question the world around them
• Improve their spoken language skills through debate and discussion       
• Develop an enjoyment of reading across the curriculum

Try it for free in your school, order your free copy today!

Sign-up for your free copy!

What's it all about?

Many of the most popular beaches along the British coastline are covered in golden sand which is perfect for playing and building towering sandcastles with a bucket and spade. But do your pupils know exactly what sand is, how it is created and what we use it for? In this article your pupils will find out the answers to all these questions and many more!

Use this article to:

• Discover how sand is made up of lots of different things
• Explore how sand can be used in making art
• Learn about the world’s tallest and smallest sandcastles
• Discover how to make the perfect sandcastle

Download this FREE article to use as a starting point for your teaching and learning all about sand.

Download your copy now

Have you tried The Week Junior in your school yet?

​This wonderful resource came from The Week Junior magazine. This fantastic magazine, written specifically fo​r 8-14 year olds, includes the top news stories of the week plus science and technology, animals and the environment, books, sport and much more.

You can take out a subscription for your school from just £54 to help your students:

• Access, interpret and question the world around them
• Improve their spoken language skills through debate and discussion
• Develop an enjoyment of reading across the curriculum

Try it for free in your school, order your free copy today!

Sign-up for your free copy!

What's it all about?

It’s 30 years since the fall of the Berlin Wall, marking the reuniting of Germany. After the Second World War, Germany was split in two and the Berlin Wall was used to stop movement between the east and west.

In this feature, you and your pupils will learn:

• Why the wall was built.
• What this meant for the people of Berlin.
• How its fall marked the end of communism.

The Berlin Wall was a symbol of division in Europe during the Cold War. Download this FREE article to use as a starting point for your teaching about the outcomes of the Second World War.

Download your copy now

Have you tried The Week Junior in your school yet?

​This wonderful resource came from The Week Junior magazine. This fantastic magazine, written specifically fo​r 8-14 year olds, includes the top news stories of the week plus science and technology, animals and the environment, books, sport and much more.

You can take out a subscription for your school from just £54 to help your students:

• Access, interpret and question the world around them
• Improve their spoken language skills through debate and discussion
• Develop an enjoyment of reading across the curriculum

Try it for free in your school, order your free copy today!

Sign-up for your free copy!

What's it all about?

This new pupil resource is about the man who invented Christmas books; Charles Dickens. Do your pupils know his infamous festive tale called 'A Christmas Carol'? In this article, discover the history of this book, and more.

Use this article to:

• Learn about Charles Dickens' early life
• Find out when the first Christmas book was published
• Discover the adaptations of his most famous book
• Explore other books that he wrote in his successful career

Download this FREE article to use as a starting point for your teaching and learning all about Charles Dickens.

Download your copy now

Have you tried The Week Junior in your school yet?

This wonderful resource came from The Week Junior magazine. This fantastic magazine, written specifically for 8-14 year olds, includes the top news stories of the week plus science and technology, animals and the environment, books, sport and much more.

You can take out a subscription for your school from just £54 to help your students:

• Access, interpret and question the world around them
• Improve their spoken language skills through debate and discussion       
• Develop an enjoyment of reading across the curriculum

Try it for free in your school, order your free copy today!

Sign-up for your free copy!

Welcome to The Week Junior lesson plans! Please enjoy the lesson plans below, crafted around content from our weekly magazine.

What's it all about?

Register for free and download this activity to share with your pupils wherever they are learning.

This PDF resource includes an article about the 50p coin anniversary, as well as accompanying activity ideas perfect for learning at home or in school:

• Discuss whether going cashless is possible in our society, or if that's a bad idea. Are electronic payments too risky to rely on completely?
• If you were to create your own 50p, what person or event would you put on it and why? Write a persuasive article about your choice
• AA Milne's poem ‘Halfway Down’ takes a wistful, child’s perspective of a special place. Rewrite that poem from the point of view of a child whose favourite coin is a 50p piece
• See if you can discover other significant events that happened in 1969. Briefly describe which five you think are the most important, and why

You can find more teaching resources from​ Plazoom here

Download your copy now

Have you tried The Week Junior in your school yet?

​This wonderful resource came from The Week Junior magazine. This fantastic magazine, written specifically fo​r 8-14 year olds, includes the top news stories of the week plus science and technology, animals and the environment, books, sport and much more.

You can take out a subscription for your school from just £54 to help your students:

• Access, interpret and question the world around them
• Improve their spoken language skills through debate and discussion
• Develop an enjoyment of reading across the curriculum

Try it for free in your school, order your free copy today!

Sign-up for your free copy!

What's it all about?

Register for free and download this activity to share with your pupils wherever they are learning.

A study by the National Literacy Trust has revealed that more than 380,000 children in the UK do not own a single book.

This PDF resource includes an article about this study, as well as accompanying activity ideas:

• Debate whether it essential for children to own books? After all, you can borrow books from libraries or read them on electronic devices, both of which save trees. Or do you think that it is important to have books in your house because sometimes you can’t get to a library, and not everyone has electronic devices.
• Write a review of a good book you have read recently. Remember to say what it is and who wrote it and give a brief summary of the plot before explaining what you thought of it.
• Write a letter to your favourite author, telling them how much you enjoy their books. Try to add two or three interesting questions to ask the author about either themselves or the characters in their books.
• What are the UK’s all-time top 10 favourite children’s books? Find some research that has looked into this question and write down the titles and authors of those books. Indicate which ones you have actually read or had read to you.

You can find more teaching resources from​ Plazoom here

Download your copy now

Have you tried The Week Junior in your school yet?

​This wonderful resource came from The Week Junior magazine. This fantastic magazine, written specifically fo​r 8-14 year olds, includes the top news stories of the week plus science and technology, animals and the environment, books, sport and much more.

You can take out a subscription for your school from just £54 to help your students:​

• Access, interpret and question the world around them
• Improve their spoken language skills through debate and discussion
• Develop an enjoyment of reading across the curriculum

Try it for free in your school, order your free copy today!

Sign-up for your free copy!

What's it all about?

A new National Trust survey of over 1,000 children and 2,000 adults, found that more than three quarters of children aged between eight and 15 rarely or never listen to birdsong, and that even more never watch the Sun rise (90%), look at clouds (79%) or smell wildflowers (83%).

This PDF resource includes an article about how children can connect with nature ​, as well as accompanying activity ideas perfect for learning at home or in school:

• If connecting with nature is so important, debate whether we should we make it an official part of the school week, or if it's perfectly acceptable not to be interested in nature.
• Write a recount of the last time you spent in a natural environment. Describe where it was and what you saw, smelled, heard and felt.
• Write a pretend persuasive letter from nature to you, begging you to spend more time with it.
• Identify three to five different species of bird that you have actually seen in the wild near where you live. For each one, provide a description (and, if possible, a sketch) as well as brief details about its key characteristics.

You can find more teaching resources from​ Plazoom here

Download your copy now

Have you tried The Week Junior in your school yet?

​This wonderful resource came from The Week Junior magazine. This fantastic magazine, written specifically fo​r 8-14 year olds, includes the top news stories of the week plus science and technology, animals and the environment, books, sport and much more.

You can take out a subscription for your school from just £54 to help your students:​

• Access, interpret and question the world around them
• Improve their spoken language skills through debate and discussion
• Develop an enjoyment of reading across the curriculum

Try it for free in your school, order your free copy today!

Sign-up for your free copy!

Watch this short video to find out why Tennyson Road Primary School in Luton love The Week Junior

Carla Gotch and her Year 6 pupils share their thoughts on why they enjoy reading The Week Junior every week and how it has impacted on teaching and learning in the school.

Try The Week Junior in your school for free

Take a closer look at what The Week Junior can offer your pupils

What our readers say...

Find out about Rosalind Franklin and her research

Celebrate National DNA Day on 25 April, which marks the discovery of DNA’s double helix in 1953.

• Find out about Rosalind Franklin’s journey to revolutionising how we see DNA today.
• Learn why her groundbreaking work went mostly unrecognised.
• And, delve deep into science to learn what exactly DNA is.

This resource provides a fascinating insight into the 20th century’s biggest discovery and the unsung hero behind it.

Find out more about Science+Nature

Download your copy now

Have you tried Science+Nature yet?

All of these wonderful experiments and activities are just a small part of what is available within The Week Junior Science+Nature magazine every month. This fantastic magazine, Science+Nature coverwritten specifically for 8-14 year olds is designed to unlock the fascinating world of STEM subjects for 8-14 year olds.

Each issue is jam-packed with mind-blowing facts and incredible information, that will ignite your pupils' curiosity and passion for discovery, as it reveals the hidden ways that science is in everything. It also provides you with a simple and easy way to add breadth and depth to your science curriculum.

See inside

What's it all about?

People all around the world have autism, but what exactly is it? And how does it affect them? This article includes details about:

• What autism is
• How autistic people behave
• The causes behind autism
• What to remember when talking to someone with autism

Download your copy now

Have you tried The Week Junior in your school yet?

​This wonderful resource came from The Week Junior magazine. This fantastic magazine, written specifically fo​r 8-14 year olds, includes the top news stories of the week plus science and technology, animals and the environment, books, sport and much more.

You can take out a subscription for your school from just £54 to help your students:

• Access, interpret and question the world around them
• Improve their spoken language skills through debate and discussion
• Develop an enjoyment of reading across the curriculum

Try it for free in your school, order your free copy today!

Sign-up for your free copy!

Joanne Kaye from St Bede's Junior School in St Helen's shares her Year 4, 5 and 6 lesson plan for a non-fiction​ unit of work.

"I ran this English lesson with our Year 4 class using an article about the sale of a David Hockney painting as a lesson starter and a feature on St Andrew's Day for the main lesson on persuasive writing. The lesson covers objectives from across the curriculum and our children loved coming up with their persuasive pitches to visit Scotland."

Find out more about where these resources have come from

​​The Week Junior magazine is written specifically for 8-14 year olds, includes the top news stories of the week plus science and tech​nology, animals and the environment, books, sport and much more.

You can take out a subscription for your school from just £54 to help your students:

• Access, interpret and question the world around them
• Improve their spoken language skills through debate and discussion
• Develop an enjoyment of reading across the curriculum

What's it all about?

Delve into the mythical world of dragons, giants and magic that is The Mabinogion. This collection of medieval Welsh tales are said to have influenced stories about legendary figures such as King Arthur and the wizard Merlin.

• Find out who wrote the tales.
• Learn about the four different branches, which tell of Pwyll, Branwen, Manawydan and Math.
• Uncover the noble quests, heroic acts and bizarre events that take place in the stories.
• Learn about their influence on modern literary works such as J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series.

Download your copy now

Have you tried The Week Junior in your school yet?

​This wonderful resource came from The Week Junior magazine. This fantastic magazine, written specifically fo​r 8-14 year olds, includes the top news stories of the week plus science and technology, animals and the environment, books, sport and much more.

You can take out a subscription for your school from just £54 to help your students:

• Access, interpret and question the world around them
• Improve their spoken language skills through debate and discussion
• Develop an enjoyment of reading across the curriculum

Try it for free in your school, order your free copy today!

Sign-up for your free copy!

What's it all about?

Meet Anne-Marie Imafidon – the maths genius inspiring the next generation of young people in science.

Learn about:

• Her mission to encourage everyone to discover the joy of STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths).
• The organisation that she set up in 2013 – Stemettes.
• Why she wants to change the way women in science are viewed.

Find out more about Science+Nature

Download your copy now

Have you tried Science+Nature in your school yet?

​​This fascinating article about Anne-Marie Imafidon, comes from The Week Junior Science+Nature. This fantastic magazine, written specifically for 8-14 year olds is designed to unlock the exciting world of STEM subjects for 8-14 year olds.

Each issue is jam-packed with mind-blowing facts and incredible information, that will ignite your pupils' curiosity and passion for discovery, as it reveals the hidden ways that science is in everything. It also provides you with a simple and easy way to add breadth and depth to your science curriculum.

You can take out a subscription for your school from just £37.99 to help:

• Enrich STEM teaching and learning with up-to-date research
• Engage pupils in STEM with exciting features covering a wide variety of subjects
• Encourage pupils to work scientifically with opportunities to run experiments, collect evidence and explain their findings
• Stimulate debate and reasoned argument around current scientific issues

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Explore The Week Junior spoken language resources

The Week Junior spoken language resources will help you build thought-provoking and lively activities into your lessons across the curriculum to help improve spoken language skills. Working with the English-Speaking Union we have curated a range of Big debate topics that will really get your KS2 or KS3 pupils thinking critically and forming their own opinions.

The resources include:

• A guide on setting up a debate club at school
• Top tips for pupils when taking part in a debate
• Topic ideas and discussion starting points

Teacher Resources

Pupil Big Debate resources

Have you tried The Week Junior in your school yet?

All of these wonderful resources are just a small part of what is available within The Week Junior magazine each week. This fantastic magazine, written specifically for 8-14 year olds, includes the top news stories of the week plus science and technology, animals and the environment, books, sport and much more.

You can take out a subscription for your school from just £54 to help your students:

- Access, interpret and question the world around them

- Improve their spoken language skills through debate and discussion

- Develop an enjoyment of reading across the curriculum

Try it for free in your school, order your free copy today!

What's it all about?

Despite the perks of the internet, the cyber-world has been opened to a rising amount of crime. The Government is now dedicating more resources to battle cyber-crime such as hacking. Take a look at this issue to learn about:

• Cyber-hacking
• Differing "hats" of hacking
• Staying safe online

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Have you tried The Week Junior in your school yet?

​This wonderful resource came from The Week Junior magazine. This fantastic magazine, written specifically fo​r 8-14 year olds, includes the top news stories of the week plus science and technology, animals and the environment, books, sport and much more.

You can take out a subscription for your school from just £54 to help your students:

• Access, interpret and question the world around them
• Improve their spoken language skills through debate and discussion
• Develop an enjoyment of reading across the curriculum

Try it for free in your school, order your free copy today!

Sign-up for your free copy!

What's it all about?

Millions of people are affected by cancer, but what exactly is it? This issue covers the topic of cancer and what scientists are doing to cure it. Information included:

• How people get cancer
• How you can help a cancer patient
• Treating cancer

Have you tried The Week Junior in your school yet?

​This wonderful resource came from The Week Junior magazine. This fantastic magazine, written specifically fo​r 8-14 year olds, includes the top news stories of the week plus science and technology, animals and the environment, books, sport and much more.

You can take out a subscription for your school from just £54 to help your students:

• Access, interpret and question the world around them
• Improve their spoken language skills through debate and discussion
• Develop an enjoyment of reading across the curriculum

Try it for free in your school, order your free copy today!

Sign-up for your free copy!

What's it all about?

Want to teach your students about investigative journalism? This issue explains:

• What it is
• Why it's important
• Why it can be dangerous.

The issue also names a few famous reports within the field of investigative journalism.

Download your copy now

Have you tried The Week Junior in your school yet?

This wonderful resource came from The Week Junior magazine. This fantastic magazine, written specifically for 8-14 year olds, includes the top news stories of the week plus science and technology, animals and the environment, books, sport and much more.

You can take out a subscription for your school from just £54 to help your students:

• Access, interpret and question the world around them
• Improve their spoken language skills through debate and discussion       
• Develop an enjoyment of reading across the curriculum

Try it for free in your school, order your free copy today!

Sign-up for your free copy!

What's it all about?

If something mysterious gets photographed, it must be real, right? This issue includes accounts of hoaxes that fooled the world into believing they were real. More information on:

• Why people create hoaxes
• Specific instances of hoaxes

Download your copy now

Have you tried The Week Junior in your school yet?

​This wonderful resource came from The Week Junior magazine. This fantastic magazine, written specifically fo​r 8-14 year olds, includes the top news stories of the week plus science and technology, animals and the environment, books, sport and much more.

You can take out a subscription for your school from just £54 to help your students:

• Access, interpret and question the world around them
• Improve their spoken language skills through debate and discussion
• Develop an enjoyment of reading across the curriculum

Try it for free in your school, order your free copy today!

Sign-up for your free copy!

What's it all about?

Want to teach your students about investigative journalism? This issue explains:

• What it is
• Why it's important
• Why it can be dangerous.

The issue also names a few famous reports within the field of investigative journalism.

Download your copy now

Have you tried The Week Junior in your school yet?

​This wonderful resource came from The Week Junior magazine. This fantastic magazine, written specifically fo​r 8-14 year olds, includes the top news stories of the week plus science and technology, animals and the environment, books, sport and much more.

You can take out a subscription for your school from just £54 to help your students:

• Access, interpret and question the world around them
• Improve their spoken language skills through debate and discussion
• Develop an enjoyment of reading across the curriculum

Try it for free in your school, order your free copy today!

Sign-up for your free copy!

What's it all about?

Did you know the world's largest company produces the smallest toys? Teach your pupils about Lego and the craze that continues to grow. This issue includes:

• The Lego story
• Three crazy creations
• The master builder

Download your copy now

Have you tried The Week Junior in your school yet?

​This wonderful resource came from The Week Junior magazine. This fantastic magazine, written specifically fo​r 8-14 year olds, includes the top news stories of the week plus science and technology, animals and the environment, books, sport and much more.

You can take out a subscription for your school from just £54 to help your students:

• Access, interpret and question the world around them
• Improve their spoken language skills through debate and discussion
• Develop an enjoyment of reading across the curriculum

Try it for free in your school, order your free copy today!

Sign-up for your free copy!

What's it all about?

The London Underground is the oldest underground railway network in the world, used by 1.37 billion passengers per year. This fact-filled feature covers:

• The original idea
• A historical timeline of the tube
• Lots of interesting facts and figures
• The future of the Underground

Teaching pupils all about the complex railway under the UK’s capital will be simple with this resource.

Download your copy below

Have you tried The Week Junior in your school yet?

This wonderful resource came from The Week Junior magazine. This fantastic magazine, written specifically fo​r 8-14 year olds, includes the top news stories of the week plus science and technology, animals and the environment, books, sport and much more.

You can take out a subscription for your school from just £54 to help your students:

• Access, interpret and question the world around them
• Improve their spoken language skills through debate and discussion
• Develop an enjoyment of reading across the curriculum

Try it for free in your school, order your free copy today!

Sign-up for your free copy!

Class 8A1's trip to Jodrell Bank

As winner of The Week Junior Roving Reporter competition Libby West took her class from Shelfield Ormiston Academy on a day trip to Jodrell Bank. Here's Libby's account of the day.

On Monday 11th June 2018, class 8A1 went on a trip to Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre. Here we would learn about different elements of science and would get to see the world’s third largest radio telescope!

Despite the delay from the coach, we eventually got there at around 11:30 where we went straight into our first session about gravity. In this session, we carried out a practical where we investigated how fast gravity pulled an object down towards the ground.

Once we had finished the session, we were allowed to explore around the discovery centre. Here there were many activities to take part in such as experiencing the big bang!

After having a look around, we were taken back into the classroom to complete another session – this one about space and the ISS (International Space Station). We completed another practical involving: a balloon; a piece of string; a straw and some sellotape. Our aim was to try to get the balloon to travel from one end of the string to another. This was very enjoyable!

Once finished, we headed outside to have some lunch and to have a look around the gift shop. After about 10 minutes, we headed back onto the coach where we set off to come back to school.

Overall, the day was very enjoyable and Jodrell Bank was a great experience!

By Libby West 8A1

What's it all about?

Ever wondered how the Queen became the Queen? This issue covers Queen Elizabeth's coronation and the traditions involved in the ceremony. You’ll find lots more information on:

• What a coronation is
• Coronation ceremony traditions
• Details about what happens after the ceremony
• And even the sandwich filling coronation chicken!

This All about is a great way to teach pupils about British traditions and the Queen.

Download your copy now

Have you tried The Week Junior in your school yet?

​This wonderful resource came from The Week Junior magazine. This fantastic magazine, written specifically fo​r 8-14 year olds, includes the top news stories of the week plus science and technology, animals and the environment, books, sport and much more.

You can take out a subscription for your school from just £54 to help your students:

• Access, interpret and question the world around them
• Improve their spoken language skills through debate and discussion
• Develop an enjoyment of reading across the curriculum

Try it for free in your school, order your free copy today!

Sign-up for your free copy!

What's it all about?

Burns Night celebrates the life of Scottish poet, Robert Burns, each year with a series of weird and wonderful traditions. This All about feature covers:

• What started Burns Night
• The traditions
• Worldwide celebrations
• A recipe for cranachan

Burns Night isn’t familiar to many children so this feature is perfect for them to gain an understanding of it.

Download your copy now

Have you tried The Week Junior in your school yet?

​This wonderful resource came from The Week Junior magazine. This fantastic magazine, written specifically fo​r 8-14 year olds, includes the top news stories of the week plus science and technology, animals and the environment, books, sport and much more.

You can take out a subscription for your school from just £54 to help your students:

• Access, interpret and question the world around them
• Improve their spoken language skills through debate and discussion
• Develop an enjoyment of reading across the curriculum

Try it for free in your school, order your free copy today!

Sign-up for your free copy!

What's it all about?

The National Health Service (NHS) began in 1948 and was the "envy of the world". Why not learn all about the NHS and its history in its 70th year with some facts and figures in this insightful feature from The Week Junior. Find out about

• What life was like before the NHS
• Who founded the NHS
• How the NHS has changed over time
• What the future looks like for the NHS

Download your copy now

Have you tried The Week Junior in your school yet?

​This wonderful resource came from The Week Junior magazine. This fantastic magazine, written specifically fo​r 8-14 year olds, includes the top news stories of the week plus science and technology, animals and the environment, books, sport and much more.

You can take out a subscription for your school from just £54 to help your students:​

• Access, interpret and question the world around them
• Improve their spoken language skills through debate and discussion
• Develop an enjoyment of reading across the curriculum

Try it for free in your school, order your free copy today!

Sign-up for your free copy!

What's it all about?

North Korea often appears in the news, but how much do you actually know about this secretive nation? This All about feature explores a country that is mysterious to many young readers, covering a wide range of fascinating topics, including:

• North Korea’s history
• Its leader
• Life in North Korea
• Its relationship with both allies and enemies
• Its nuclear programme

This feature will give pupils a simple way of understanding the country’s past and its place within the wider world.

Download your copy now

Have you tried The Week Junior in your school yet?

This wonderful resource came from The Week Junior magazine. This fantastic magazine, written specifically fo​r 8-14 year olds, includes the top news stories of the week plus science and technology, animals and the environment, books, sport and much more.

You can take out a subscription for your school from just £54 to help your students:

• Access, interpret and question the world around them
• Improve their spoken language skills through debate and discussion
• Develop an enjoyment of reading across the curriculum

Try it for free in your school, order your free copy today!

Sign-up for your free copy!

School Name: Tennyson Road Primary School, Luton
Teacher: Carla Gotch, Assistant Head Teacher

About the school

Tennyson Road Primary School is an outstanding school in Luton. We have a growing number of pupils on roll, now spanning two sites with 510 pupils (almost three-form entry). We have a high proportion of pupil premium and EAL pupils.

Why we subscribe to The Week Junior

We currently take three copies of The Week Junior, which are shared between our Year 4 and Year 6 classes, and we keep an archive of the magazines to share with the rest of the school.
We began subscribing to The Week Junior two years ago, and it is a great resource to have in school for a number of reasons. We found that The Week Junior:

• helps to broaden pupils’ knowledge of current affairs
• provides an unbiased, educated view of world events
• is very factual and reliable
• is simple to read, with an inviting layout.

But most of all our children love reading it. It is one of the first things my pupils go for during independent reading time; I often find they try to hide it so they have it first in the next reading session!

How we use The Week Junior

We use The Week Junior in a variety of ways; it’s an incredibly flexible resource that can be used across the curriculum.
In our school it is mainly used for independent reading because the children love reading it so much — it always gets picked up.

However, there are always pertinent topics and articles that we use — either in English lessons for comprehension or writing stimuli, or during our afternoon subjects and termly topics.

We also love the big debate each week, and have seen great improvements in spoken language skills as the issues chosen for debate are always very topical and get our pupils talking — a couple of favourites were ‘bottle flipping’ and ‘boys vs girls’.

Our verdict

The best thing about The Week Junior is the content, it’s trustworthy, age-appropriate, high-quality current affairs for children. The layout is excellent with lots of ways into each article, which is particularly good for those children who are more reluctant to read. It’s also always varied, fun and exciting with really random information thrown in, which my pupils love.

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School Name: Wodensborough Ormiston Academy
Teacher: Joanne Denham, Librarian

Our school

Wodensborough Ormiston Academy is a mixed secondary school for students aged 11 to 16 in Wednesbury.

Why did you choose The Week Junior?

We run a number of extra-curricular activities at Wodensborough Ormiston Academy, including a Writing Club, a Reading Club and a News Club. We were considering launching a Debating Club and thought that The Week Junior magazine would support our students explore a variety of real world issues in a clear, concise and colourful way in both our existing clubs, and a new Debating Club.

How do you use The Week Junior?

Led by our fantastic Librarian Joanne Denham, our Year 7 and 8 students have been using the magazine in their weekly Debate Club, as well as to inform discussions on current affairs topics in their News Club. The magazine is also available to students for extra-curricular reading in the Learning Resource Centre. The students love the magazine and constantly ask when the new edition is out.

What have been the highlights of working with The Week Junior?

Since we began receiving weekly copies of The Week Junior, we have seen a students enthusiastically engage with the topics covered in the magazine and grow their confidence in public speaking and debating.

The Big Debate — Thanks to The Week Junior and English Speaking Union we were given the opportunity to run a Big Debate — a day filled with debating games, skills and tasks culminating in a live big debate. The topics provided by The Week Junior really motivated the students to share their opinions and engage in the activities. The students practiced their debating skills, and learnt the importance of body language and articulation in public speaking, which they are confident will help them when they enter the world of work.

Roving Reporter Competition — Our students entered The Week Junior’s Roving Reporter competition, which turns students into journalists and asks them to submit their own news story. The winning article will be published in an upcoming edition of The Week Junior so this really motivated the students to get involved. The competition gave our students the chance to practice their creative writing skills whilst also paying close attention to detail and undertaking independent research.

Magazine Career Day — We were also very lucky that the Editor of The Week Junior magazine, Anna Bassi, came in to give our students a talk about working at a magazine publisher. The session was very engaging and gave the students lots to think about ahead of choosing their own career paths! They have since been able to reflect on their personal ambitions and focus on the skills they need to achieve their goals.

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Try The Week Junior in your school for free

School Name: Packmoor Ormiston Academy
Teacher: Lindsay Davies, Enrichment Lead

“The Week Junior is an age-appropriate and engaging reading resource. The weekly topics featured in the magazine encourage all pupils to read for pleasure outside of class time. We work hard to seek exciting opportunities for both girls and boys to further develop a love of reading. The Week Junior helps to do just this.”

Our school

Packmoor Ormiston Academy is a mixed primary school in Stoke-on-Trent that has 500 pupils on roll.

Why did you choose The Week Junior?

At Packmoor Ormiston Academy, we are keen to give our pupils access to the best age-appropriate resources. We had heard The Week Junior shares news and events in an informative and engaging way, and so we decided to trial the magazine with our Year 6 pupils.

Additionally, we wanted to provide pupils with a resource we knew they would enjoy outside of class time. It’s important for us to show our pupils that they can read for pleasure about subjects and topics they are interested in.

How do you use The Week Junior?

The Week Junior is a flexible resource that we have been using in a number of ways.

• During class time — to boost pupils’ confidence and motivation in reading
• Sparking children’s interest in extra-curricular reading and learning
• Informing class discussions about real world issues that our pupils are interested in learning more about

The Week Junior team also invited us to participate in extracurricular activities, which are a fantastic boost to our curriculum-focused learning.

Our pupils are very excited to take part in an upcoming Big Debate workshop, where we will welcome The Week Junior and the English-Speaking Union to our school to lead a day of confidence-boosting debating and public speaking activities.

Have you seen any benefits from working with The Week Junior?

At Packmoor, our objective is to encourage our pupils to read more outside of the classroom. The Week Junior magazine has really helped us to promote reading for pleasure, as even our most reluctant readers have been enthralled by the bright, vibrant and engaging content in the magazine — which has been a wonderful surprise!

Another target for our teachers is to increase pupils’ reading speeds. The Week Junior has helped us move towards this goal by raising motivation when Reading for Meaning with pupils.

Download a copy of this case study

Try The Week Junior in your school for free

Editor Anna Bassi speaks to Libby Norman from Absolute Education

In a world beset by fake news, how do we help young people understand what’s really going on and discern fact from fiction? That is the question of the day in many schools across the country. In this article our editor Anna Bassi discusses how we can help children make sense of the world they are living in, hone their critical thinking skills, and form opinions on the things that matter to them.

You can find out more about Absolute Education here.

What's it all about?

Safe drinking water is a precious commodity that nearly a third of the world's population are forced to live without. Help your pupils understand why water is so important and how we can protect water sources around the world.

Download your copy now

Have you tried The Week Junior in your school yet?

This wonderful resource came from The Week Junior magazine. This fantastic magazine, written specifically fo​r 8-14 year olds, includes the top news stories of the week plus science and technology, animals and the environment, books, sport and much more.

You can take out a subscription for your school from just £54 to help your students:

• Access, interpret and question the world around them
• Improve their spoken language skills through debate and discussion
• Develop an enjoyment of reading across the curriculum

Try it for free in your school, order your free copy today!

Sign-up for your free copy!