Take a look at this week's census-inspired assembly and classroom resources here Teachers counting heads on a school trip will know the feeling of counting, counting again and then asking a colleague to count too, just to be certain everyone is where they should be. Although not quite the same scale, this week's Picture News story explores India's latest national census, a nationwide effort to count and gather information about more than 1.4 billion people.Understanding communities through a primary school assembly discussionThrough the story of India's census, children learn how information is collected and used to help countries understand the needs of their populations. They explore what a census is, why it takes place, and how the information gathered can support future decision-making.The assembly encourages children to consider how information can help communities plan for the future and why every person being counted matters.Assembly resource used to support discussion about India's census and understanding communitiesPSHE and classroom discussion in primary schoolsThis story encourages children to think about the people, places and services that help communities thrive. Through discussions about schools, hospitals, transport and local services, children consider how different communities may have different needs.Resource 1 explores the services communities rely on every day, while Resource 2 encourages children to think about how information can be used to make decisions and plan improvements. Together, the activities help children understand how information can support communities and improve people's lives.Resources supporting discussion about communities, decision-making and planning for the futureQuestions to support classroom discussion• Why do countries carry out a census?• What information might help leaders understand a community?• Which services are most important in your local area and why?• How can information help improve people's lives?• If you were carrying out a census in your school, what three questions would you ask and why? • What other challenges do you think there could be trying to count over a billion people?Using current events in primary school assemblies and lessonsHow does every person count? Exploring this question encourages children to think about the role individuals play within their communities and why information about people's lives can be important when planning for the future.As children explore the story, they discover that behind every statistic is a real person with their own experiences, needs and contributions. The discussion encourages children to consider how information can help communities better understand and support the people who live within them.The reflection page supports the final part of the assembly, helping to draw together learningExplore this resource further here
