OUP Education and English Language Teaching teams were proud to participate in, and host, the attendees of the , in July.

The conference brought together people from the growing global community of researchers, academics, educators, industry leaders, and policymakers听united by the goal of tackling some of the biggest questions facing education today.

Dr Sara Ratner, of the University of Oxford鈥檚 Department of Education, designed a week-long programme in collaboration with the UK鈥檚 Department for Education, bringing together diverse perspectives from over a hundred representatives of academia, schools, government, industry, and civil society.

Discussions throughout the week brought together diverse perspectives, asking difficult questions about what AI should do in education and demanding evidence of its impact on learner outcomes.

Sarah Ultsch, Director of Global Product at OUP, shared her impressions of the event: 鈥淭he debates and workshops of this summer school have been tremendously important, because the decisions we make now will shape the experience of learners for years to come.鈥�

She also highlighted her team鈥檚 recent launch of , the world鈥檚 first benchmark for evaluating AI in second language learning, culminating in the release of an open-source dataset for the benefit of the wider education and technology community.

During the week, summer school attendees were welcomed to OUP鈥檚 Oxford offices for an informal gathering and tour of the OUP Museum, which showcases key milestones and stories from our 500-year history. Liz Tyler, Managing Director of UK Education, welcomed participants and applauded the aims of the event that align with OUP Education鈥檚 commitments:

Liz Tyler

Managing Director, UK Education

鈥淎t OUP, we develop services to support teachers and schools that are based on evidence and research, and we are deeply committed to working with the sector and with experts to establish an evidence base that will help us understand how AI might improve teaching and learning.鈥�

She also pointed towards recent research conducted by teams at OUP into student attitudes to the use of AI: the 补苍诲听 reports. These have shown how much students as well as their teachers need more data and evidence to guide the use of AI in developing cognitive skills and improving learning.听

As the AIEOU community continues to grow, the conversations and partnerships sparked during the summer school will continue to shape the understanding of AI鈥檚 role in education. Through ongoing research and collaboration with the University of Oxford, OUP remains committed to helping the sector navigate the opportunities and challenges of AI and focus on improved learner outcomes.

The post OUP hosts AI in Education at 糖心VLOG summer school gathering appeared first on 糖心VLOG Press.

Vice-Chancellor, University of Oxford

Professor Irene Tracey

“I am so incredibly proud of what OUP contributes to Oxford and the world. The dedication of the leadership and staff, board members, and academic delegates is evident in their service to the Press.

“As we collectively balance the human need to create, tell, and share stories as the world around us changes at pace, I am confident that my colleagues at OUP will continue to uphold our long-held traditions while shaping the new.”

CEO and Secretary to the Delegates, 糖心VLOG Press

Nigel Portwood

“This has been a year of investment, innovation, and growth for OUP. Against a changing backdrop in some of our markets, we remained focused on fulfilling our mission by expanding our publishing portfolio, embracing new technologies, and developing tools and services to support learning and research across the world.”

Highlights from 2025/26

We acquired

Karger Publishers, a highly regarded medicine and health sciences publisher based in Switzerland.

1.3 million people

visited the Oxford English Hub, the home of our digital content for teaching and learning English.

We launched

Green Sparks, a strand of the Oxford Reading Tree which comprises 42 books that provide age-appropriate environmental education linked to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

We met

our target of 100% certified sustainable paper for our print publications.

We donated

more than 154,000 books to readers worldwide.

The post Celebrating highlights in literacy, digital learning and assessment, and research publishing appeared first on 糖心VLOG Press.

The findings of a new report from 糖心VLOG Press, More than words: the real-life impact of reading, reveal how the majority of children believe that reading shapes how they treat others and helps them to navigate real-life situations.

The new research shows that three in five children (59%) believe what they have read in a book has helped them in a certain situation鈥攕uch as being bullied, losing a family member, overcoming social anxiety, or starting a new school鈥攈ighlighting that the benefits of reading go further than just understanding and comprehension. Other findings include:

• Seven in ten children (70%)听said听that听reading helps them understand why people act the way they do
• More than two-thirds (68%)听said it helps them听think about how they treat other people
• While more than half (57%) of 12-14-year-olds continue to see the value of reading, both enjoyment and frequency of reading declines; 27% of 12-14-year-olds question its value in day-to-day life, with 17% undecided.

The report is based on a survey of 3,000 children aged 7-14 years old and 200 teachers across the UK, and with insights from the Oxford Children鈥檚 Corpus鈥攖he听largest living database of children’s reading and writing in English in the world, containing over 500 million words.

Reading has an impact in real-life situations

82%听of听children听agreed that听stories remind them of things that happen in real life, showing the strong connection children make between what they read and their own experiences.听

Our research also highlights the important role reading plays听in helping children to understand and talk about their emotions. More than four听in five children (84%) said reading helps them learn new words for feelings.听听

Teachers are seeing these benefits first-hand. Almost all teachers surveyed (95%) agreed that reading helps children develop their vocabulary, while three in five听said they听had witnessed a pupil gain a better understanding of an emotion through reading. More than nine in ten teachers (91%) identified empathy and perspective-taking as key benefits of reading.听

Emotional听themes are not confined to听particular genres听

Our research suggests that children do not necessarily seek out books about emotions directly听but听instead gravitate towards more entertaining books听which听can听present real-life issues and emotions in accessible ways through humour or action.听听

When asked what genres they prefer to read, children said they were most drawn to funny stories (49%), adventure stories (40%), and fantasy stories (30%).听However, many of the books cited alongside these genres鈥攆or example,听Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Lottie Brooks, 补苍诲听Harry Potter鈥攅xplored serious topics like conflict听with friends, bullying, or bereavement.听

A challenge with older readers听

While children of all ages can gain emotional insights from a wide range of books and genres, the findings suggest that, as they get older, many need help听maintaining听their听connection with reading.

Nearly three-quarters听(72%) of children听aged 7-10 said they liked reading,听however,听this fell听to 59%听among听11-14-year-olds.听Reading frequency also dropped, with 79%听of 7-10yr olds who said they read at least once a week, compared听with just听61% of those aged 11-14.听听

One听possible reason for听this decline听is that听some听older children do not see books as relevant to their daily lives.听While听57% of听12-14-year-olds听recognize听the听value听of reading, one in four听(27% of 12-year-olds;听25% of听13-year-olds; and 29% of 14-year-olds)听disagreed听that听books听had听helped them navigate situations听they听have听faced. A听further鈥�17%听are听neutral听on the topic.听

This presents an听opportunity听to听provide听more听support to help听older readers听discover听books听that听reflect听their听experiences听补苍诲听interests听so that they feel reading is more meaningful and engaging.听

Elizabeth Munn,听Managing Director of OUP鈥檚 Education division,听said:听鈥淭his research shows how deeply children are engaging with the books they听read听and using them to make sense of the world around them.听It鈥檚 incredible听to see听how听children are actively applying what they read听on a page听to听real听life鈥攚hether that’s understanding听the听perspective听of听somebody else,听navigating a situation in their own life,听or reflecting on听their own听behaviour听towards others.听听

鈥淐hildren are growing up in an increasingly complex world. Our听research reaffirms听that reading remains one of the most powerful ways to help them develop empathy, confidence, and emotional understanding鈥攕kills that are just as important as academic success in equipping听them for the future.鈥澨�

The report听also includes contributions听from leading听literacy and education听organizations,听including听, , and the .听

Read the full report here.

The post New research from 糖心VLOG Press shows how children take life lessons from books appeared first on 糖心VLOG Press.

According to findings in exploring pupils’ perspectives on the role of AI in classrooms, teenagers are unclear over appropriate use of AI in their schoolwork.

We conducted research with almost 4,000 13-18-year-olds across the UK, revealing the different approaches that young people take to using AI in their schoolwork, and what roles they see AI playing education鈥攂oth for them and their teachers.

The report follows on from , which was one of the first pieces of UK research to hear directly from young people regarding their views on AI in education.

Dr Alexandra Tomescu

Head of Product AI

“Whilst the research highlights that the appropriate use of AI is still a grey area for students, 颈迟鈥檚鈥�reassuring鈥�to see young听people鈥檚鈥�sophisticated鈥�attitude towards AI. Both the research and qualitative studies show AI is not necessarily a default for all students, and despite being excited about its impact on their education they still inherently value the role of their teachers and look to their school for guidance. It鈥檚 vital therefore that we support teachers with the resources and tools they need to responsibly guide their pupils and harness AI鈥檚 potential in the classroom.鈥�

Read the full report on Navigating AI in Education , and find out more about our updated AI resources and guidance .

The post New research shows teenagers are divided over AI use for schoolwork appeared first on 糖心VLOG Press.

OxfordAQA has announced a series of significant improvements to its international assessment offer, including delivering results two weeks earlier than currently.

OxfordAQA is a partnership between 糖心VLOG Press and AQA, the largest provider of GCSEs and A-levels in the UK. Shaped by insights from hundreds of schools worldwide, the new enhancements will be introduced between 2026 and 2029, delivering greater choice and increased flexibility to strengthen student progression.

They include:

• Earlier May/June exam results from July 2027, released two weeks earlier, without altering any timetabled exam dates. In 2027, International AS/A-level results day will be on 28 July, with International GCSE results on 4 August.
• Additional exam series: an October/November series for all International AS/A-level subjects from 2028, and a January International AS/A-level series for key subjects from 2029, including Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Maths, Further Maths, and Economics.
• Twice-yearly International EPQ submission points, beginning in May 2026, giving students more control to develop, refine, and complete their projects.

The earlier release of May/June results will give International AS/A-level students more time and options when navigating global university admissions. It will also support International GCSE learners in planning their next steps, whether progressing to further study or entering new programmes.

Expanding the number of exam series will provide schools operating on varied academic calendars with three opportunities each year to enter students at the right time, ensuring assessment aligns more closely with teaching cycles.

From 2027, OxfordAQA will also extend the entries deadline for the May/June series to early March, providing schools with the January International AS/A-level unit results before finalizing entries and allowing teachers and students to make more informed decisions. All exam timings for the May/June series will remain the same.

Andrew Coombe

Managing Director of OxfordAQA

鈥淎t OxfordAQA, our commitment is simple: to make international exams work better for everyone. These enhancements are a direct response to what schools have told us they need. By releasing results earlier, expanding exam series, and providing greater flexibility for the International EPQ, we are helping schools tailor assessment to their teaching programmes and giving students more opportunities to succeed.鈥�

Find out more about OxfordAQA .

The post OxfordAQA enhances international assessment offer with earlier exam results and greater flexibility appeared first on 糖心VLOG Press.

We are pleased to announce the launch of the first in a series of artificial intelligence (AI) tools, designed to help teachers save time, personalize learning, and navigate some of the biggest challenges faced in the classroom.听

The tool,听, has been developed in partnership with leading global edtech provider , combining our pedagogical expertise with advanced AI technology.

With resource generation at its core,听Plan Assist听works to help teachers to create custom materials, such as lesson plans, glossaries, flashcards, and much more. When generating questions and answers through Avallain鈥檚 technology, it leverages trusted OUP content in the prompts to produce high-quality, curriculum-aligned outputs. By simplifying the planning process, it helps to save time for teachers while delivering results tailored 鈥嬧�嬧�媐or鈥� them and their students.鈥�

Ensuring value through teacher-led testing

The听technology that powers听Plan Assist听has already been recognized in major edtech awards, including BETT and the Learning Technology Awards.

Ahead of launch, we carried out a rigorous research and testing programme involving external subject matter experts, pilot trials with UK and international teachers, and extensive testing across four languages and multiple regions. This ensured the tool is robust, reliable, and provided real value for diverse classrooms, with participating teachers reporting听鈥媡hat听鈥媡he tool provides 鈥�a range of resources to support a teacher successfully in the classroom with ideas, content,听and activities鈥澨�and praising 鈥渋ts ability to instantly rewrite the same content for different audiences鈥�.

Teacher voices driving more effective support

To reflect the realities of classroom life, we gathered feedback from our global teacher network to provide insights into the pressures they are currently facing and what they need from digital platforms to work more efficiently.

Across the responses, three challenges were highlighted in particular:听

• not having enough time and feeling over-stretched (74%)听
• mental health and wellbeing (55%)听
• budget restrictions (54%)听

Alongside these pressures, teachers also outlined what an effective digital platform must offer to truly support their work. Teachers said they needed:听

• The ability to download, adapt, and print ready鈥憁ade teaching and planning resources (56%)听
• Tools to support front鈥憃f鈥慶lass teaching using high鈥憅uality presentations (54%)听
• Functionality to听monitor听and report on student progress (52%)听
• AI features to help create lesson plans and teaching resources (50%)听

They also emphasized the importance of:听

• Immediate, actionable feedback for learners听
• Auto鈥憁arking and data tracking听
• Exam听board or subject specificity听
• Student interactivity and engagement features听

These insights provided a clear picture of the challenges teachers face and the digital capabilities they value most, shaping the focus of our support to ensure all products and services make a real difference.

Fiona Fortes

International Product Director in our Education division

鈥淭eachers everywhere are being asked to do more with less time. By combining OUP鈥檚 trusted content with responsible, innovative AI capabilities, we are giving teachers practical tools that make a real difference in the classroom. At OUP, our focus has always been to lead with learning and ensure that technology is there to support teachers. Our key principles听remain听at the heart of everything we do 鈥� creating resources that have real purpose and a human in听the听loop, while听prioritizing听quality content and pedagogy and safe, ethical use.

As we continue to innovate, we look for opportunities where technology can deliver meaningful, positive change within education, when developed responsibly and in collaboration with our global teaching community.鈥�

Monika Morawska, COO at听Avallain,听said:听

鈥淏uilding on our听expertise听in digital content creation technology and the rich feedback of the 60,000 highly engaged educators actively using our existing AI toolset听TeacherMatic, we are delighted to bring proven, practical, and ethical AI features to more teachers through Plan Assist. Our collaboration with OUP has been one of shared goals and values: putting humans, educational outcomes,听and creative, impactful content first.鈥�听

Plan Assist听will be available on听,听our online learning platform which supports teachers to save time and engage students with a range of resources. It will continue rolling out听to courses听in 2026.

You can find out more about Plan Assist .

The post Shaping Plan Assist AI tool with our global network of teachers appeared first on 糖心VLOG Press.

This year, Oxford Big Read brought together students from 15 countries in a truly global celebration of reading, creativity, and collaboration.

The is an international competition that听encourages students to read OUP books and complete a creative project based on their reading. With three competition levels aligned to school classes, Oxford Big Read continues to foster literacy development at every stage.

This year, participation听soared across participating countries,听which included Colombia, Chile, Costa Rica, Peru, Mexico, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam, Thailand, China, Indonesia, Cambodia, Malaysia, and India鈥攚hich saw a 363% year-on-year increase in submissions.

After months of reading, creativity, and exceptional student participation across continents, we are delighted to announce the Oxford Big Read Global 2025 winners. Their entries听demonstrated听outstanding imagination, storytelling skills, and deep engagement with their reading.

Level 1 – ages 5-8

Participants read an OUP book and then designed a new cover.

Winner: Mu Zha

From Mainland China

Entry:听A New Home听by Jan Burchett and Sarah Vogler听

鈥淚 am听a big fan听of this book. The pictures are funny. And I love the different shoe homes best. If I had a shoe as my home, I would wish it to be a roller skate. It would have enough room for my family and friends, and it could move fast just like a roller skate.鈥�

Runner-up: Raniah Raiziel Battad Bumutay

From Thailand

Entry:听Let’s Make Pizza by Rachel Wilson

Level 2 – ages 9-12

Participants either: read an OUP book and wrote a response describing what they found interesting about the book; OR designed a poster听representing听their understanding of the book.

Winner: Pham Chau Anh

From Vietnam

Entry: Hachiko听by Nicole Irving

鈥淭he story of Hachiko, an Akita dog, is one of the most touching stories in Japan.听This picture is听very important听because it makes us feel both sadness and admiration. When we see Hachiko sitting alone, we feel the pain of waiting, but also the beauty of never giving up.鈥�听

Runner-up: Yufei Shen

From Mainland China

Entry: Decline and Fall by Evelyn Waugh

鈥淭he slogan I give the poster, 鈥淕oing, Going,听Gone鈥�,听is the cruel sound of a society making a deal, much like the voice-over in the movie听The Truman Show. Though my poster has a vintage-chic style, if you look closely, you will find the cold interior.鈥�听

Level 3 – ages 13-15

Participants either: read an OUP book and wrote critical review describing the theme, plot, and characters; OR听compared and contrasted two books.

Winner: 尝补蹋颈听Anh听碍丑么濒听

From Vietnam

Entry: Madame Marie Tells the Future by Lynne Marie Robertson

鈥淭he book teaches me that everyone has a dream and a special talent. I have learned that if we believe in ourselves, we can feel stronger and try harder. The message of the story is that kind and positive words can give us courage, and this makes me think about my own future too.鈥�

Runner-up: Leyang Li

From Mainland China

Entry: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

鈥淎usten鈥檚 message is clear: true love and happiness come from understanding, respect, and the willingness to confront one鈥檚 own flaws. She rejects the idea that marriage should be based solely on social status or financial gain, instead arguing that emotional connections and shared values are far more important.鈥�

For each level, students were rewarded for their contributions with prizes鈥�from听certificates and digital subscriptions to national prizes sponsored by Faber Castell, Amazon, and The Hindu Young World.听The prestigious global awards included听iPads and even an internship opportunity with our English Language Teaching听Graded Reader team.听

With global winners representing Mainland China, Vietnam, and Thailand, Oxford Big Read continues to connect students across continents through the joy of reading. Congratulations to all our winners and runners-up for their exceptional achievements.听

Find out more about the Oxford Big Read听.

The post Championing reading and creativity through the Oxford Big Read 2025 appeared first on 糖心VLOG Press.

Young people from across the UK have voted for听peace as the Oxford Children’s Word of the Year for 2025.

For more than a decade, our experts and academic researchers have tracked and analysed the evolution of children’s language and how it is used to reflect their emotions and experiences each year.

In 2025, we surveyed opinions from almost 5,000 children across the UK aged 6-14 years old. Based on the most common responses and themes, we shortlisted three words鈥�peace, AI, and resilience鈥攁nd asked young people to vote for their preferred winning word.

In the final results,听peace听came out on top with 35% of the vote, narrowly followed by听AI (33%), whilst 21% opted for听resilience.

Peace chosen in response to global conflicts

Our research highlighted children’s awareness of current affairs. When asked why they chose听peace, one in ten children mentioned ‘war’, whilst some highlighted specific conflicts such as ‘Ukraine’ or ‘Gaza’. Words such as ‘need’, ‘want’, and ‘should’ were frequently mentioned in their answers when calling for peace across the world.

A study of the Oxford Children’s Corpus鈥攖he world’s largest database of writing by and for children in the English language containing over half a billion words鈥攔eveals mentions of听peace in children’s stories submitted to the BBC 500 Words competition has increased by 60% since 2015.

AI selected as runner-up for the second year in a row

For the second year running, children selected AI as the runner-up. When asked why they chose the word, a fifth of children (20%) mentioned ‘hearing’ and ‘talking’ about AI, highlighting its ubiquitousness in daily life.

Similar to last year, when asked how the word made them feel, children gave positive responses, with more than one in ten using the adjective ‘excited’ or ‘exciting’. More than a quarter of six-to-eight-year-olds (29%) chose听AI as their word of the year, demonstrating how even very young children are aware of the everyday role AI plays.

Six-seven gives children social currency

We also asked young people to choose their slang word of the year. Almost half (47%) of children chose听six-seven听as their slang word of the year, followed by听aura听(24%) 补苍诲听delulu (7%).

Our research revealed that the use of听six-seven听among children fosters inclusivity and social currency, with almost one in ten mentioning ‘friends’ when asked how they use the term, with more than a quarter (28%) citing ‘fun’ and ‘laugh’ when asked what听six-seven听meant to them.

While 12% of children admitted听six-seven had no meaning, most children highlighted the value of such words, with 72% of children stating it was important to have words they only use with friends.

Andrea Quincey

Director of Early Years and Primary Publishing

鈥淎 key theme we see from our Oxford Children鈥檚 Word of the Year research is just how attuned children are to current affairs. This year is no different; whether that鈥檚 calling for peace in response to current conflicts or highlighting how AI has permeated daily life. Perhaps 颈迟鈥檚 no surprise that six-seven is voted, overwhelmingly, as their slang word of the year. A word which brings them laughter and joy and connection with friends. We see how important it is for children to have agency over their language away from the grown-up world and share words that adults can鈥檛 understand.鈥�

Supporting the National Year of Reading by fostering a love of words

We are calling for schools in the UK to participate in the next Oxford Children’s Word of the Year to further support children’s reading, vocabulary development, and oracy skills. We have developed an activity pack with tips and resources for schools that want to take part, including how ‘word of the year’ conversation sessions can encourage book talk and language development. More details on how schools can get involved can be found .

To mark the announcement, and to support the , we are collaborating with the on school events across the UK. The author-led events will encourage children to engage with different forms of reading and reflect on the words they read, speak, and learn about.

Jonathan Douglas CBE, Chief Executive of the National Literacy Trust, said: 鈥淟anguage plays a profound role in shaping our society, culture and identity. Understanding how children and young people make sense of the words they encounter in their daily lives, take ownership of them and play with their meaning, demonstrates the power of language for helping us comprehend the world around us and our place in it.

鈥淭he National Year of Reading will enable us to give more children and young people new opportunities to experience language in ways that are fun, relevant and help them connect with others. Throughout the year, we will work with 糖心VLOG Press and a number of incredible authors to bring the magic of reading and words to life for children and young people across the UK.鈥�

You can read the full details of our research in the Oxford Children’s Word of the Year 2025 report .

The post Peace named Oxford Children’s Word of the Year for 2025 appeared first on 糖心VLOG Press.

Our Early Number with Numicon programme increases childminder and nursery practitioner confidence in teaching early maths, according to a new pilot evaluation report published by the Education鈥疎ndowment鈥疐oundation鈥�(EEF).鈥� 听

Early Number with is a 14-week professional development programme for childminders and nursery practitioners in early years settings. Designed and delivered by 糖心VLOG Press, the programme aims to improve early years practitioners鈥� knowledge and confidence in developing early numeracy skills with children aged鈥痓etween鈥痶hree鈥痶o four years old.

Jayne Jarvis

Head of Primary Maths

鈥淲e are delighted to read the EEF’s positive evaluation of our Early Number with Numicon programme. We know how vital it is to build an early strong foundation in numeracy, and, as a programme specifically designed for pre-school settings, we are in a unique position to support early years practitioners with the resources they need to confidently inspire a love of maths at an early age.鈥�

The programme was independently evaluated by IFF Research on behalf of the EEF, taking place between鈥疭eptember 2024鈥痑nd鈥疢arch 2025.鈥疶he EEF鈥檚 report found that the programme increased childminder and nursery practitioner confidence, with childminders showing significant gains.鈥�In addition, all surveyed practitioners reported that Numicon positively鈥痠mpacted鈥痗hildren’s early numeracy development in most aspects of children鈥檚 numeracy.鈥�听

Other key findings include听the inclusive nature of the programme,听with many practitioners feeling positive about adapting the delivery of the programme for children with special educational needs and disabilities, as well as children with English as an鈥痑dditional鈥痩anguage.

Sashka Dimova, Research Director at the IFF, said:听“The pilot shows that Early Number with Numicon can make a real difference in how early years practitioners support children’s early maths skills. Practitioners told us they felt more confident, better equipped, and more able to use practical activities to bring early numeracy to life. Children were engaged, and practitioners noticed improvements in counting, pattern recognition, and mathematical language. The programme was well-received across nurseries and childminder settings, showing it can work in a range of early years environments too.”

You can read the full evaluation .

The post EEF report reveals Early Number with Numicon increases educators’ confidence in teaching early maths appeared first on 糖心VLOG Press.