A look back at 2021

Despite the challenges of the pandemic, we released 22 inspiring new storyworlds from 14 different countries in 2021, including Everyone has a story, featuring activist and storyteller Kootyin, and Daily Bread, featuring the owner of a small bakery in Kabul, Afghanistan. Our Kids' Cup storyworld series, depicting the journey's of four young footballers during an international tournament, were launched to coincide with the buzz around Euro 2020, and Mother of the Forest, showing how Nay Elaine works to conserve the Philippine Eagle, was released during COP26. We now have 52 storyworlds on the platform as well as over 160 ready-made lesson and assembly plans for schools and teachers to access. We're looking forward to launching even more new storyworlds next year, covering themes including climate change and the refugee experience.

Throughout 2021, our engagement team has been busy supporting Lyfta users to get the most from the platform with valuable weekly content and resources around awareness days such as Earth Day.

Our new Lyfta calendar now links subscribers directly to relevant lesson and assembly plans for key dates across the academic year. We have also launched a programme of CPD for subscribers, which includes courses on assessment for learning, and self-regulation and metacognition. In January, we'll also be running our first diversity, equity and inclusion course with expert Angela Browne. We are delighted with the feedback we have had on our resources so far and are glad to be able to support teachers to use Lyfta to engage meaningfully with important topics across the whole year.

We were also lucky enough to meet some of our community in person again, as face-to-face conferences and school visits resumed. Leaders at the MATPN conference and students from Upton Court Grammar School were able to meet Rob Arnold from our Beachcomber storyworld and learn more about his work to raise awareness about plastic pollution.