The ZERO Days: Back to School, developed by the 1851 Trust and supported by global healthcare brand INEOS Hygienics, has launched a national competition for schools across the UK.
The competition is free for schools to enter and will give one lucky school per region the chance to win a bundle of signed sports kit from the INEOS sports teams and partners. To be eligible for the chance to win all you have to do is sign up at http://www.stemcrew.org/zerodays and enter your school details and class details.
ZERO Days: Back to School was launched last September by education charity the 1851 Trust as pupils returned to school for the first time in six months. The programme was developed by hygiene, education and behavioural change experts, utilising the expertise of Sir Dave Brailsford and the wider INEOS sporting family with ten years of health and hygiene experience within elite sport.
The programme features a range of free resources for schools that aim to help reduce the transmission of viruses and bacteria, by adopting three key behaviours: prepare, protect and control. The curriculum-based resources for secondary schools include assemblies, videos, and posters for all areas of schools, to help reduce the spread of viruses and bacteria and prevent school closures by creating a positive behaviour change in schools.
With vaccinations now being rolled out across the country, the 1851 Trust has also created a new biology module focused on vaccines to help educate students on how vaccines and immunology works.
Sir Dave Brailsford, INEOS Grenadier Team Principal who has led the team to seven Tour de France victories said: “Covid-19 is going to be an on-going challenge for us all for the foreseeable future, so it’s imperative that we all know how to reduce the risk of transmission and protect ourselves and our communities. Maintaining stringent hygiene standards has long-been a crucial part of elite sports teams’ daily lives and now schools and homes are no different. We are proud to be part of the ZERO: Back to School programme in sharing our knowledge and helping schools across the country stay open by encouraging positive behaviour.”
Geoff Scott, Head of Medicine and Sports Science at Tottenham Hotspur Football Club said: “Educating the players, coaching staff and back room staff, on best practice in health and hygiene, when with the club or away from it, is crucial to help us reduce the spread of viruses and bacteria. This allows us to continue to train with confidence so we are best prepared for each game. Teaching children about hygiene best practices and the science of viruses and bacteria is so important to give young people the knowledge and tools to protect themselves, their friends and family – the ZERO Days programme does this.”
Principal of Ark Charter Academy in Portsmouth, Emily Morey, who used the resources when they were first released in September said: “It’s important to us that our students do not lose any more days of their education due to Covid-19. We were pleased to be able to access the ZERO Days resources when we reopened last September. This is an excellent way for us to reinforce the key messages which will keep our school a Covid-19 safe site. The INEOS athletes provide important relatable role models for our students whilst supporting our drive to normalise these new routines as students return to school again.”
The ZERO Days: Back to School resources have been tried and tested on multiple focus groups. It is accessible through the 1851 Trust’s STEM Crew platform http://www.stemcrew.org/zerodays, which is already used to teach STEM subjects by over 4,000 teachers at 35% of UK Secondary Schools.
