School Tasking

Ali and James had a chat with the EdTech Podcast at the Bett Show last month.

They talk about the origins and impact of Taskmaster Club.

#EdTechPodcast #Taskmaster #TaskmasterEducation

podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/3...

📚Taskmaster Book Club

@alexhorne.bsky.social introduces a 90-minute Taskmaster Club session where young people tackle book-inspired tasks in teams—designed to promote reading for pleasure.

Perfect for #WorldBookDay and the #YearOfReading

taskmastereducation.com/buy-resources
#Taskmaster #goallin

Special commendations go to
💌The flaming mango cheese balls
💌Slightly Awkward Potatoes
💌 Badger

Before our #SchoolTasking students went into their schools we asked them to guess the most popular team name... and nobody got it right! Out of the 45 year 5 teams involved the most popular name was...chicken nuggets

Poster showing Ali Struthers and Alex Horne on stage in the Warwick Arts Centre in front of of a crowd of children, with a large rubber duck to the left hand side of the stage.

If you're a school close to Warwick Arts Centre & would like to join us on 17 June to watch the #SchoolTasking Champion of Champions, hosted by @alexhorne.bsky.social, then do register your interest at this link:

forms.cloud.microsoft/pages/respon...

Tickets are free but transport is not covered.

James Blake-Lobb, Ali Struthers and Hannah Fry smile at the camera.

Ali Struthers, Hannah Fry and James Blake-Lobb smile at the camera.

Last year at BETT 2026 we had the legendary Sir Stephen Fry as our guest #Taskmaster.

This year, it was the turn of the equally legendary Professor Hannah Fry.

Which Fry will it be next year?

Lots and lots of School Tasking workbooks

And so it begins! This year's season of School Tasking sessions start today at The University of Warwick 🎉💌

How To Apply Game-Based Learning in Legal Education This innovative How to Guide brings together pioneering educators to explore the integration of gaming into the law classroom, focusing on actionable insights and best practices using both academicall...

Delighted to have contributed a chapter on School Tasking to this great collection put together by the dream team of Steven Montagu-Cairns, Craig Newbery-Jones & David Yuratich.

Hats off to them for bringing together such a great collection 👏🏼

Available for pre-order now at the below link ⬇️

Any teachers coming to BETT later this month, do come and say hello! We're very friendly 👋🏽

We can’t wait to head to #BettUK2026 on the 21st.

Join us for some tasking fun at 8:50 in the Arena.

Who else will be there?

We forced the enormous teddy bear out of storage, into Alex's car, into Alex's house (terrifying his dog), into my car, up the M40, back down to Alex's house, & back to the #Taskmaster House.

So, after all that, the production team inevitably thought 'we should probably use this in a task'.

Poster for School Tasking Champion of Champions with Alex Horne standing beside a child dressed as a chicken. Free entry for year 5 or 6 classes with higher than average % of free school meals. Email schooltasking@warwick.ac.uk for tickets.

Schools local to Warwick Arts Centre! 📣

Fancy joining us for the joyful chaos that is the #SchoolTasking Champion of Champions on Wed 17 June 2026 at 1pm? 🏆

Booking is now open here: forms.cloud.microsoft/e/DFq0yskz1L

Tickets are free but schools will have to arrange their own transport 🎟️

At the beginning of every month we publish Taskmaster Education Connect to everyone on our mailing list.

It includes all the latest news on promotions, resources, live events and everything connected to Taskmaster Education.

Sign up below.

👇👇👇

taskmastereducation.com/mailing-list...

We're so excited and proud to be shortlisted for this award in a category with so many brilliant initiatives 🏆🤞 @timeshighered.bsky.social

Snails, Jaffa Cakes and rubber ducks: making outreach playful Outreach initiatives like ‘School Tasking’ show how academics can break down barriers, engage young learners, and make higher education feel accessible rather than intimidating

Outreach initiatives such as ‘School Tasking’ help academics connect with young learners and make higher education feel approachable, write Ali Struthers and Alex Horne: www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/snail... #Academia #HigherEd #AcademicChatter #AcademicSky #EduSky

We wrote a thing! But, perhaps more importantly, this @timeshighered.bsky.social article contains an exclusive on whether @alexhorne.bsky.social considers Jaffa Cakes to be cakes or biscuits... 👀

Snails, Jaffa Cakes and rubber ducks: making outreach playful Outreach initiatives like ‘School Tasking’ show how academics can break down barriers, engage young learners, and make higher education feel accessible rather than intimidating

New article in @timeshighered.bsky.social by @dralistruthers.bsky.social & (Dr) @alexhorne.bsky.social on the importance of being playful in outreach with children 🤩

www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/snail...

Nudging this one. A big thank you to those who have already donated or entered the raffle.

Child with smiley face sticker over her face next to Alex Horne in a bookshop.

Took littlest to the gorgeous children’s bookshop, How Brave is The Wren, in King’s Heath this afternoon to see one of her favourite people, @alexhorne.bsky.social, & collect 50 copies of the @thehornesection.bsky.social’s super Make Some Noise 🎼🎶

#SchoolTasking prizes for 25-26 sorted!

School trips just got even better…

@taskmasteredu.bsky.social × @englishheritage.bsky.social = chaos, history and creativity combined.

Teachers - we've created a special set of tasks to use during your trip.

www.english-heritage.org.uk/learn/school...

@taskmaster.tv @alexhorne.bsky.social

Phil Jemmett and Ali Struthers holding the Greg’s head trophy from Taskmaster.

Some things are exciting even when you work for #Taskmaster 🏆

Hmm, the link disappeared from the post. It's here:

linktr.ee/craftyestone...

You can make your own Little Little Alex (or Greg) using the patterns available in Triin's online shop at below link 🧶

Tiny versions of yourself are also available (though @dralistruthers.bsky.social would like it to be noted that the Tiny Ali was a gift & she's not, in fact, an egomaniac)

These Little Little Alexes have been the School Tasking project mascot for 4 years now & are made by the unbelievably talented Triin Lane (Crafty Estonean on Instagram).

Looks like Little Little Alex is getting his 15 minutes of fame on the show tonight!

Needle felted little Alex Horne

To celebrate #Taskmaster day, I've woken up my Etsy shop (after being asleep for six months 😅). Just a couple of Alexes in there for now but hopefully more soon! www.etsy.com/uk/shop/Felt...

In 2024-25 28 Universities In 6 regions across the UK and Ireland and approximately 1,900 children from 51 schools took part. The primary schools taking part meet the criteria for widening participation, with higher than average numbers of pupils receiving free school meals and/or a lower than average attainment level (pupils meeting expected standard in reading, writing, and maths) For the cohort in this study, the average number of pupils receiving free school meals is 39.9% (England only; nationally this is 25.9%) The average attainment level of the schools in our cohort is 56.4% (England only; nationally this is 61%)

Whilst we're on the subject of #Taskmaster, our 2024-25 impact report is now available:

taskmastereducation.com/sites/defaul...

We're so proud of the fact that last year we worked with schools in some of the least-advantaged areas across the UK & Ireland. And the kids really enjoyed the project 🤩

Alex Horne making an 'ooh' face wearing a suit and a badge that says 'Taskmaster's Assistant'

OOOH! Happy #Taskmaster day to all those who celebrate 🎉

A chicken and Alex Horne look at the camera. A School Tasking participant looks at the chicken.

Whilst looking for a specific photo, we stumbled upon this absolute gem from the #SchoolTasking Champion of Champions.

Hello! I’m fundraising for SHOC. Here’s my JustGiving page, if you’d like to donate: www.justgiving.com/page/littlea...

And just to kick off the season with a lovely piece of news, we've been shortlisted for the @timeshighered.bsky.social Widening Participation or Outreach Initiative of the Year for 2025! 🏆

Check out this piece by @dralistruthers.bsky.social & @alexhorne.bsky.social that featured in THE last year 🤩