The Educational Recording Agency

We're delighted that ERA has been recognised in the latest EdTech Impact Summer Awards, across four different categories 🎉
In these cash-strapped times for schools, we're especially proud to be in the top spot for 'Saving schools money' ❤️Thank you Edtech Impact!

If your school isn't yet making use of their entitlement - please claim your free account at www.era.org.uk

We recently had the pleasure of interviewing Tazmin, winner of the English Association’s Betty Haigh Shakespeare Prize 2025, sponsored by ERA. In the blog we hear about Tazmin’s inspiration and creative process, the importance of student access to performance and adaptations, and why your students should get involved in this year’s competition!

The 2026 competition runs until 30 September and is a valuable way to inspire independent thinking and creativity over the summer break. There's also a £200 prize for the winning entry! We hope the film and stage adaptations available in our Shakespeare Archive will be useful here!

https://bit.ly/3QzTL9H

ERA is delighted to sponsor this year's Betty Haigh Shakespeare Prize from The English Association. This competition offers an excellent enrichment opportunity for students aged 11–19 to explore Shakespeare through both creative and critical lenses. Running until 30 September 2026. https://bit.ly/44bE8Yx

It’s a valuable way to inspire independent thinking and creativity over the summer break, and there's a £200 prize for the winning entry! Educators are warmly encouraged to share this opportunity with their students and communities. We hope the film and stage adaptations available in our Shakespeare Archive will be useful here too! https://bit.ly/3hTm0fN

The perfect resource for National Numeracy Day AND World Bee Day tomorrow (20th May)!

Created in collaboration with Royal Institution of Great Britain and the Natural Curriculum from ERA, this free, off-the-shelf masterclass resource, aimed at key stage 2 students, explores the fascinating mathematics behind honeybee honeycombs.

Using a pre-made slide show, notes and script, along with inspirational BBC video clips from the ERA archive, educators can help students uncover the fascinating mathematics behind honeycomb structures and discover how bees build efficient homes using geometry.

This engaging cross-curricular resource combines mathematics, science, and nature in a meaningful and memorable way.

99% of all UK state schools are covered by the ERA Licence, which means all staff can access the Natural Curriculum, including this masterclass, free of charge.

Katherine Mathieson, Director of the Royal Institution said:
“We’re delighted to be collaborating with the Natural Curriculum and ERA to create exciting, hands-on activities for young people to explore the fascinating links between mathematics, science, and the natural world.”

https://bit.ly/4udM5Z4

Off-the-shelf Masterclass: Mathematics of bees Ever wondered why beehives all over the world feature the same hexagonal pattern?

We're really excited about this free masterclass - a collaboration between our sister site The Natural Curriculum and Royal Institution of Great Britain, which helps KS2 students uncover the fascinating mathematics behind honeycomb structures. The perfect fit for both National Numeracy Day AND World Bee Day on 20th May!

Katherine Mathieson, Director of the Royal Institution said:
“We’re delighted to be collaborating with the Natural Curriculum and ERA to create exciting, hands-on activities for young people to explore the fascinating links between mathematics, science, and the natural world.”

https://www.rigb.org/shelf-masterclass-mathematics-bees

Off-the-shelf Masterclass: Mathematics of bees Ever wondered why beehives all over the world feature the same hexagonal pattern?

Wishing Sir David Attenborough a very happy 100th birthday today! Few individuals have had such a lasting impact on how children learn about the world around them.

Explore the Attenborough collection on ERA Streaming with students today and celebrate his incredible work and legacy. Thank you Sir David!

https://bit.ly/4wc7bIJ

This , we highly recommend sharing this incredibly uplifting programme with students. It features the inspiring Rose Ayling-Ellis and explores her journey teaching British Sign Language to a group of retirees, transforming communication and connection in later life.
Available to stream for teaching and learning with an ERA Licence (95+% of all UK educational institutions are already covered and can create a free account).

Episode 2 | Rose Ayling-Ellis: Old Hands, New Tricks - Educational Recording Agency BBC One, 2025 - Rose invites children from the local deaf school to test her old-timers, everyone is invited to sign for their supper, and a deaf rave rattles the rafters.

This week, David Attenborough celebrates his 100th birthday. From Life on Earth (1979) to more recent productions, his work with BBC has shaped how generations learn about our planet.

This remarkable archive is available to use for teaching and learning on the ERA Streaming platform for Licence holders, bringing decades of knowledge straight into today’s classrooms. Extraordinary wildlife, stunning landscapes, and nature’s most inspiring stories.

https://bit.ly/4wc7bIJ

It's Shakespeare Day! Bring the Bard to life for students today with the incredible BBC Shakespeare Archive on ERA's streaming platform, offering online access to 1000+ programmes and performances exploring Shakespeare’s plays, sonnets and historical context.

Free to access for any institutions with a ERA Licence (95%+ of all UK education institutions and 99%+ of UK state schools are already covered).

- High-quality content for impactful learning
- No unreliable or disappearing links
- No adverts or annoying pop ups
- No copyright concerns

🎭 Explore the archive: https://bit.ly/3hTm0fN

BBC Shakespeare Archive - Educational Recording Agency Play over 1000 programmes from the BBC’s archive of Shakespeare’s plays, poems and sonnets. Access for free with the ERA Licence.