Educational institutions and teachers in the United Kingdom often seek supplementary materials to enhance classroom learning without incurring additional costs. The provided source material outlines several programmes and resources available at no charge, ranging from promotional DVDs and posters to educational software and magazine trials. These offerings are designed to support teaching across various subjects and age groups, with specific eligibility criteria and application processes detailed by the respective providers.
The resources mentioned cater to a diverse set of educational needs, including safety education, literacy, mathematics, and science. Many of these are provided by organisations, publishers, or companies with a vested interest in education, either as part of corporate social responsibility initiatives or as promotional tools. The availability of these freebies can be subject to change, and educators are advised to verify current offers directly with the providers.
Safety and Educational DVDs
Several organisations offer free DVDs aimed at educating children and young people about safety. These materials are typically designed for use in schools, youth groups, or similar settings.
The National Road Safety Show: This is a promotional DVD intended to educate children on road dangers. It is specifically designed for schools and youth groups such as Brownies and Cubs. The source indicates that interested parties should contact a person named Rob to request the DVD, which is described as 18 minutes in length. The context does not provide further contact details or a specific website for this request.
The Partnership against Railway Crime: This organisation has produced a range of materials to encourage a responsible attitude towards railway safety. These materials are part of the 'Track Off' website and are noted as being suitable for all Key Stages. The source does not specify the format of these materials (e.g., DVD, booklet, digital download) or the exact method for obtaining them, only that they are available and suitable for educational use.
Classroom Materials and Posters
Educational publishers and non-profit organisations sometimes provide physical materials such as posters and activity packs for classroom use.
Pass it On: This programme offers free posters and a DVD for schools or non-profit organisations. According to the source, a request can be made on a specific page, and three posters are sent to the requester. The source does not detail the subject matter of these posters or the DVD, nor does it provide a direct link to the request page.
Hot Wheels Classroom Kit: In September, Hot Wheels distributes classroom kits to select certified educators for free. These kits are available for Kindergarten classes, 4th-grade classes, and STEM/STEAM educators. Each kit reportedly contains up to 40 cars and tracks, along with pre-made lesson plans focused on teaching physics concepts. The source notes that educators should click a provided link to learn more information and presumably to apply.
Maplesoft: This company provides free math and engineering posters for classrooms. The source states that a request can be made via a linked page, but does not specify the content or number of posters available.
Seven Miles to Farmington Poster: A poster of the painting "Seven Miles To Farmington" by George Henry Durrie is available from the Florence Griswold Museum. The source provides a link to obtain this poster, though it does not specify if this is available to UK educators or if any geographical restrictions apply.
Educational Magazines and Publications
Several publishers offer free trials or digital access to their educational magazines, which can be used to supplement classroom materials.
Scholastic Magazines: Scholastic, known for educational books, also offers educational magazines for a 30-day free trial. The available magazines include My Big World, Let’s Find Out, Scholastic News, StoryWorks, DynaMath, SuperScience, and Scholastic Art. The source emphasises that no credit card is required to place an order for the trial. A link is provided to access these free magazines.
Findings Magazine: Teachers can obtain free digital and physical versions of Findings Magazine for their classrooms. The magazine covers scientific topics in a format described as kid-friendly, aiming to help students understand and learn. The source does not specify the frequency of publication or the process for requesting physical copies.
Twinkl.com: Twinkl is a teacher resource website that provides lesson plans, schemes of work, assessment materials, interactive activities, resource packs, and PowerPoints. The source mentions that Twinkl has an annual "Twinkl USA Free Day" where all site content is free for 24 hours. However, the context specifies this event as "Twinkl USA Free Day," which may not be applicable to UK educators, and the date mentioned (November 28th) is for a specific year that is not stated in the source. The source does not confirm if a similar free day exists for UK users.
Digital Resources and Software
Digital tools and software can provide significant support for classroom instruction and student learning.
Free Microsoft Software: Microsoft offers software such as Office, Excel, and Minecraft for free to educators. Access requires a valid Office 365 account. The source does not specify if this offer is available globally or if there are specific regional restrictions for UK educators.
CK-12 Flexbooks: CK-12 provides customisable, free textbooks for grades K-12. Educators can add videos, activities, and other resources to these digital textbooks for their students. The source indicates these are available for free but does not detail the platform or access method.
MockoFUN: This is a paid online graphic design tool that offers a "MockoFun Free For Schools & Teachers" programme. Through this programme, teachers and educators in kindergarten, primary school, middle school, high school, college, or university can access all premium features for free. The source provides a link to obtain this free access.
Vooks: Vooks is an app that brings children's books to life with animated illustrations, read-along text, and narration. The source states that for a limited time, teachers or homeschool educators can get one year of Vooks for free. A link is provided to claim this offer.
Corriki (Online Learning Curriculum): Corriki offers thousands of free activities for classrooms on a wide range of topics. The source suggests using this resource to find hands-on examples for classes. A link is provided to search for activities.
Subject-Specific Resources
Resources are also available for specific subjects like mathematics, financial literacy, and science.
Free Math Facts Songs & Activities: A website offers 15 songs, 12 colouring pages, and 8 activity sheets, all focused on mathematics. These are intended to help students who are struggling with math courses. A link is provided to access these materials.
Math Worksheets: MathMammoth.com provides free math worksheets and practice tests that can be downloaded from the website.
PracticalMoneySkills Materials: This resource offers free financial literacy materials, including classroom modules, games, DVDs, and brochures, available for download. The source does not specify the provider of these materials.
Admongo.gov Lesson Plan Packet: Developed for 5th and 6th-grade classrooms in collaboration with Scholastic, Inc., these lesson plans meet national standards for language arts and social studies. The packet includes lesson plans, worksheets, activities, and a poster. The source does not specify if this is available to UK educators or if it is tailored for a specific country's curriculum.
Special Programmes and Offers
Some offers are tied to specific programmes or require participation in certain activities.
Teaching Tolerance Free Films: Teaching Tolerance provides film kits for free use in K–12 schools, schools of education, public libraries, houses of worship, and youth-serving nonprofit organisations. Current films include An Outrage, Viva La Causa, Starting Small, Selma Bridge to the Ballot, One Survivor Remembers, and Mighty Times The Children’s March. The source notes this is not a complete list and provides a link to request a film kit.
Six Flags Tickets: The "Read to Succeed" programme encourages students in grades K through 6 to read. Students who complete six hours of recreational reading earn a free ticket to Six Flags. This appears to be a US-based offer, and the source does not mention if a similar scheme exists for UK theme parks or attractions.
New England Aquarium: The source states that teachers in New England can get free passes to the New England Aquarium. This is clearly geographically restricted to a specific region in the United States and is not applicable to UK educators.
Rentacalc Pencils: Educators currently teaching in the United States can request a free package of #2 HB Dixon Ticonderoga pencils for their class. This offer is explicitly limited to educators in the United States.
Autographed Book: Authors at Wilbooks publishing company are giving away an autographed book for any pre-k through 4th-grade child in a classroom. The request must be made through a provided form, but the source does not specify if this is available to UK classrooms.
General Resource Lists and Websites
The source material also points to websites that aggregate free resources for teachers.
FreeStuffJunction.co.uk: This site lists free resources for teachers in the UK. The provided chunk shows listings for the National Road Safety Show DVD and materials from the Partnership against Railway Crime. It mentions there are 13 total listings, with the shown ones being the most recent.
MoneyPantry.com: This site compiles a list of "free stuff for teachers," including materials for elementary, preschool, and high school teachers. The list includes both digital/printable resources and items that come by mail. The source emphasises that teachers are often underpaid and that these resources can help offset the cost of classroom supplies.
Conclusion
The provided source material highlights a variety of free resources available to educators, though many are specific to certain regions, particularly the United States. For UK-based teachers, resources such as DVDs from the National Road Safety Show and the Partnership against Railway Crime, along with digital materials from sites like MathMammoth.com and PracticalMoneySkills, may be more directly applicable. However, educators should carefully check the eligibility criteria, especially for offers like free software, magazine trials, and physical materials, as geographical restrictions are common. The annual "Twinkl USA Free Day" mentioned is likely not relevant for UK users, and other offers, such as those from Six Flags, New England Aquarium, and Rentacalc, are clearly US-centric. Teachers are advised to use the provided links and contact points to verify current availability and terms before requesting any materials.