Table of contents for 507 in The Week Junior

Lost for words? Try starting a conversation with one of these questions, inspired by stories this magazine. Divers have been retrieving artefacts from a sunken city in Egypt. What’s the most interesting thing you have found in the sea? Read about what the team have brought to the surface on page 5. A head teacher gives some tips on getting ready for a new year. What are you most looking forward to when you return to lessons? Find out how teachers prepare for the new term on page 11. It is 70 years since the first Guinness Book of Records was published. Which wacky world record would you try? Find out how the judges check a Guinness World Record on page 14. The big debate Is it ok to sell…

On 22 August, famine was officially declared in Gaza for the first time. Gaza is a strip of land that borders Israel and Egypt and is home to around two million Palestinian people. What is famine? Famine is a severe shortage of food. A state of famine was confirmed in Gaza by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC). The IPC is an international organisation that assesses how much access to food there is in different countries. For the IPC to announce famine, certain conditions have to be met. The organisation says that famine exists if at least one in five homes in an area are facing an extreme lack of food and 30% of children are extremely malnourished (this means suffering from malnutrition – a serious condition caused by…

Between March 2024 and March 2025, 109,343 people claimed asylum in the UK. The top three countries that people came from were Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran. Reasons for people leaving Pakistan include natural disasters such as flooding. Afghanistan and Iran are ruled by governments that limit the rights of certain groups of people, including women and girls. People can’t ask for permission to stay in the UK until they’re inside the country, so they often travel on dangerous, illegal routes to reach it, such as crossing the sea in small boats.…

Although it’s fun to see classmates after the summer holidays, the idea of being back in a routine can be a bit daunting – and it’s no different for teachers. Sandie Andrews, head teacher at Penwortham Primary School in London, tells The Week Junior that teachers often have dreams about returning to school. She says, “A lot of them are around not waking up on time, or ending up at thewrong school!” Despite the occasional bizarre dream, Andrews looks forward to the new term. “It’s exciting to think about the year ahead and all the fun events that we’ve got planned,” she says. A lot of the preparation for the new school year is done during the final term of the previous school year. For Andrews, this involves lots of…

A big conservation programme from Natural England has helped to put 150 struggling species on the road to recovery. Natural England is a Government-backed organisation responsible for protecting and restoring nature. A plan to help some of the most threatened species was launched in 2023 and has recently celebrated success. Natural England spent about £13 million on its species recovery project. More than 4,000 people volunteered to help and in total gave 100,000 hours of their time. As part of the scheme, more than 12,000 birds, insects and mammals were bred in captivity to be released into the wild. Thousands of seeds were planted in new places to increase the habitats of threatened plant species. The projects also created or improved lots of nesting areas for birds and made 633…

Chinese scientists have developed a robot antelope to monitor wild Tibetan antelopes – a species classed as “near threatened”. The robot, which walks with a clumsy stride, has joined herds of real antelopes. Tibetan antelopes are hunted for their soft fur, which is used to make expensive shawls. Their population fell from one million to 65,000 in the 1990s but is now rising again after conservation efforts. The four-legged robot was built to observe the animals and see how best to protect them. It was tested on herds near Zonag Lake in the Hoh Xil National Nature Reserve. Hardly any people live in the region, which is more than 4,000 metres above sea level and has extreme temperatures and low oxygen levels. The robot was fitted with cameras and –…

There have been lots of hit films in cinemas and on streaming platforms this year. As expected, films such as How to Train Your Dragon and A Minecraft Movie were very popular with audiences, but they’ve had some competition from one of the year’s most surprising successes. KPop Demon Hunters, now streaming on Netflix, is a film based around an all-female KPop band called Huntr/x (pronounced Huntrix). KPop is a type of pop music that comes from South Korea. Huntr/x don’t just make music, though; they also protect the public from soul-stealing demons. When an all-male KPop group called the Saja Boys show up, Huntr/x realise the band are demons in disguise; but defeating them won’t be easy. Along the way, this film has some important messages about friendship, caring…

(Walker Books) Ross Montgomery won awards for I Am Rebel – his book about a brave dog on a mission to save his owner. Now, he has written another exciting animal story, this time focusing on the relationship between a determined boy and his courageous, faithful horse. Tick and his little brother, Leaf, live in a cabin beside the sea, in the peaceful land of Ellia. When enemies are spotted invading the coast, they must saddle their horse, Pebble, and set out on a dangerous journey to King’s Keep, to warn Good King Avery. Travelling through forests and mountains, they meet bandits and rogue knights on the way. With Pebble’s help, Tick hopes he can complete his quest and keep their little family safe. This big-hearted adventure story has a…

Cute cat is arrested by police A cat named Nub Tang has been “arrested” in Thailand. She was brought to a police station in the capital, Bangkok, after she was found wandering the streets with a pink collar round her neck. The fierce feline scratched and bit officers but was taken home by officer Da Parinda Pakeesuk, who posted online that the cat was “charged with assaulting police officers”. Nub Tang’s owner reclaimed her the next day but before leaving, the cat “signed” a police report with paw prints. She also posed for a police photo, which went viral online. Library book returned after 82 years A book that was borrowed from a US library in 1943 has finally been returned. The parenting guide was taken out of San Antonio…

Back in 2023 we ran a story announcing the launch of a fund to help nature. We are thrilled to be able to report that it has been a big success. There were projects across England, and in all 150 species were supported, including rare animals and birds. Many more species will have felt the benefits. A lot of habitats had to be improved and thousands of seeds planted, boosting creatures that in turn provide food for larger animals. You can read more about the project on page 12. A big part of the success was down to the help of thousands of volunteers. These members of the public gave around 100,000 hours of their time to get involved. It shows that when we come together, we can make a…

A BABY EAGLE David Attenborough has named a golden eagle chick Princeling as a symbol of hope for the species. The chick was raised by a Scottish conservation project. Princeling brings golden eagle numbers in southern Scotland to over 50, the highest in 300 years. SAVING A MOSAIC A colourful mosaic (art made from tiles) has been saved from destruction after the demolition of a Manchester girls’ school was halted at the last minute. The artwork, which was hidden behind wooden panels for years, dates back to the early 20th century. A TOP FOOTBALLER On 19 August, Arsenal player Mariona Caldentey won women’s player of the year at the Professional Footballers’ Association Awards. The awards are voted for by other football players. Caldentey recently helped Arsenal win the Champions League.…

This year’s GCSE results were released on 21 August, and they showed that exam grades varied quite a lot across the country. Pupils in London had the highest pass rate; the West Midlands had the lowest. However, more UK pupils received top grades overall. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson – the politician in charge of schools – said she was “absolutely determined” to reduce the gap between pass rates in different areas.…

When Ashvir Singh Johal was named manager of Morecambe Football Club, he became the first Sikh to manage a professional British club. A Sikh is someone who follows the religion of Sikhism. Johal said he was “extremely proud” to join the club in Lancashire, England. He said, “We will create an environment that brings the best out of people, that people want to be part of, and that drives people to improve every day.” Johal worked as a coach before – starting as a teenage coach in Leicester City’s schools programme – but he said being a manager has been his dream since the age of 14.…

On 27 August, Guinness World Records marked 70 years of celebrating natural and human-made wonders and incredible achievements – from the most dangerous ant to people doing extraordinary things. Every year, there is a new book containing a variety of feats or extremes, from tallest building to oldest cat. If it’s a measurable accomplishment, it can be a Guinness World Record. The book sells millions of copies each year, in more than 40 languages. The first book The Guinness Book of Records began from an argument about game birds (a type of wild bird that people hunt for food or sport). In the early 1950s, at a shooting party in Ireland, Sir Hugh Beaver realised it was difficult to find out which European game bird was the fastest – which…

INTERNATIONAL AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR…

Becky Morgan Morgan, from Wales, won her biggest event so far at the US Open Senior Women’s golf title in California, US. She finished six shots ahead of the runner-up. Max Dowman The 15-year-old made his Premier League debut for Arsenal during their 5-0 win over Leeds United at the Emirates Stadium in London. Scotland women’s rugby union team At the Women’s Rugby World Cup, Scotland beat rivals Wales 38-8. Francesca McGhie scored three tries for Scotland. Shakib Al Hasan He became the fifth men’s cricketer to reach 500 wickets in Twenty20 (T20) matches. Al Hasan helped Antigua & Barbuda beat St Kitts in the Caribbean Premier League.…

Teddy Music producer Teddy is behind some of the most popular KPop hits. He has worked with bands including Blackpink, and is also the boss of a Korean record company called The Black Label. He was once in a band himself, called 1TYM. Jenna Andrews A music producer and songwriter, Andrews has worked with artists such as BTS and Jennifer Lopez. She worked on the music for KPop Demon Hunters alongside her partner, Stephen Kirk, who is also a songwriter and producer. Lindgren Lindgren is a music producer and songwriter who has worked on music for several famous artists, including KPop bands BTS and Blackpink, and singer Dua Lipa.…

Describe this book in three words. Epic action blockbuster. What is your writing drink of choice? I wish I could say something interesting like milkshake or stomach medicine – but I’m a boring adult, so it’s coffee. What was the inspiration for Small Wonder? I wanted to write a story that felt like a fairy tale, with knights and castles and bandits and horses and an evil invading army. And a main character with one simple mission: to protect his family at all costs. Tell us about your favourite historical period. It’s so hard to pick one – every place and time has tonnes of fun stuff to research, once you know where to look. I do love finding out how people lived in medieval times – particularly the things…

WOW! Not every playable character in Everybody’s Golf Hot Shots is human: you can play as Pac-Man. It’s easier than ever to try golf in the real world. There are lots of tournaments for young people across the UK and programmes for young people to encourage beginners to pick up a club. Golf games have been popular on consoles over the years too, and the Everybody’s Golf series is one of the most fun. The latest version, Everybody’s Golf Hot Shots, comes out at the start of September for PlayStation, Switch and PC. The game has several modes for playing on your own or also in multiplayer, with up to four friends competing on the same device or online. The game features cute characters and easy controls – you tap…

Wordsearch Can you find all of the words listed? They are hidden horizontally, vertically or diagonally and may read forwards or backwards. ACROBAT BOUNCE COMPETE DIVE ELASTIC FLIP GYMNAST JUMP OLYMPIC POSITION ROTATE ROUTINE SEAT SHAPES SOMERSAULT SPORT TAKE-OFF TUCK TUMBLE TWIST Number tower Place a number in every circle to complete the tower. The value in each circle is the sum of the numbers in the two circles directly beneath it. Shortcode Eight letters of the alphabet have been replaced by numbers. Crack the code to find the words. Word fill in All these words fit in the grid. Can you work out where each word goes to complete it? 4 letters ARCH CUBE OVAL RING STAR 5 letters CROSS HEART PRISM 7 letters DECAGON ELLIPSE 8 letters CRESCENT…

Teacher’s name: Miss McVey School: Trinity St Peter’s School, Formby, Liverpool, England “Miss McVey always has time for everybody and makes learning fun. When we need a break she gives us fun riddles to solve. Sometimes we do lessons on the field. She helped organise our school sports day and made sure that everyone was involved and had fun, no matter how good they were at sports. We did egg and spoon, running, hurdles, and sack and three-legged races. I hope next year there is a teachers’ race!” Ellie If we pick your teacher as Teacher of the Week, we’ll send your school three free issues of The Week Junior. Send your nominations, along with a picture of your teacher and your school’s full name and address, to hello@theweekjunior.co.uk JOKE OF…

“I was reading The Week Junior and I crafted these with my sister Frankie.”Arabella “We followed the recipe from The Week Junior to make delicious mango lassis. After we finished them we had mango moustaches.”Daisy and Josh “I grew the biggest squash right in my garden.”John “This is me with my friend Shaun the Sheep. We are reading the latest magazine on online safety, which is very interesting by the way! Reading The Week Junior is like a tradition every week.”Shreya Plastic-FREE We’re proud to be plastic-free The Week Junior is delivered without a wrapper. This decision was made in response to requests from our readers who wanted us to reduce waste. Since removing the wrap in 2018 we have saved our planet from more than 20 tonnes of plastic…

On 24 August, Ukraine celebrated its 34th independence day. On this date in 1991, Ukraine declared its independence from the Soviet Union (a group of countries that were once ruled from Moscow, the capital of Russia). President Volodymyr Zelensky led a ceremony in Maidan Square, in Ukraine’s capital city, Kyiv. He spoke about the ongoing fighting between Russia and Ukraine, declaring that Ukraine was “not a victim, it is a fighter” and that the country “has not yet won, but it has certainly not lost”. Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The Canadian prime minister Mark Carney attended the celebrations, pledging continued support and military aid worth one billion Canadian dollars (£536 million), and the UK Ministry of Defence confirmed it would continue training Ukrainian soldiers…

Protesters gathered in towns and cities in the UK on 23 August to demand that the Government stop housing asylum seekers in hotels. An asylum seeker is a person who has asked another country for asylum (protection) after leaving their home country, usually because of war or the threat of violence. Other protesters gathered at some of the demonstrations to show their support for people seeking asylum. Why are asylum seekers housed in hotels? The law says the UK has to provide people with somewhere to live while they wait to find out if they will get permission to stay here. In recent years, it has become more common for the Government to use hotels to house asylum seekers. This is because there are lots of people waiting for a…

Everyone, including children, should be wearing sunscreen when the Sun is out, but plenty of young people regularly buy other products to apply to their skin, too. These aren’t always necessary and some can actually damage a young person’s skin instead of providing health benefits. Some contain really strong ingredients, such as retinol, which can reduce wrinkles in older skin. Other products could strip the skin of its natural oils. Items often come in colourful packaging that can be appealing to children. These products can be expensive and some see them as pointless or harmful for young people. Others say a basic skincare routine can be a good habit to get into at a young age. What do you think? Is it ok to sell skincare products to children? Yes…

These strange insects look as if they’ve been working out at the gym. Also known as thick-legged flower beetles, their name is inspired by the males, which – unlike the females – have large green bulges on their hind legs. The beetles are found across the UK from April to September but are most common in southern England and Wales. Look for them on warm, sunny days in grassy, flower-filled places. Swollen-thighed beetles are six to 11 millimetres long and a bright, shiny green with a golden shimmer. They have protective wing cases that are arranged on their backs when they aren’t in flight. These don’t quite meet, leaving a gap where you can see the delicate patterned wings. The beetles eat pollen and like easy-to-access flowers. Look for them…

There are plans to build around 100 new data centres in the UK, according to the BBC. They will create lots of jobs, but campaigners are worried they could also damage the environment. Data centres hold the computers that process and store digital information. They support the internet and cloud services (data storage), including people’s emails and photos. New centres are needed because the demand for computing power is rising fast. Artificial intelligence (AI) tools need a lot of powerful computers – and they have to be stored somewhere. AI is a system that learns from data to create content. Last year, the UK Government said data centres were “critical national infrastructure”. That means if something happened, like a big storm or a power cut, the Government would provide special…

Have you heard of dragon boat racing, disc golf or korfball? These were some of the 34 sports at the recent World Games in Chengdu, China. It is usually held every four years and features events that are not part of the Olympic Games. Around 4,000 athletes and para athletes from 115 countries took part. A para athlete is an athlete with a disability or impairment. The games were held over 12 days in August, and teams and individuals competed for gold (winner), silver (runner-up) and bronze (third place) medals. The athletes – and also the spectators – had lots of fun as they experienced the many exciting events. China was the most successful country, winning 64 medals. Their golds included the snooker and pool competitions, breaking (breakdancing – a…

Hands up if you find it hard to speak in front of a group! Don’t worry if you do – lots of people find the idea of voicing their opinions in front of others a bit scary at first. What does finding your voice mean? Finding your voice means gaining the confidence to speak up and share your ideas. Being together in lessons, sports teams or any group activity is a chance to ask questions and bounce ideas off each other. To join in, you need to speak in front of other people, which isn’t always easy. When you put up your hand, everyone’s attention is on you – and you take the risk of saying something awkward or wrong. It’s normal to be worried about this, and most people…

Storm Horse by Jane Elson (Hachette Children’s) When a mystery horse gallops onto a London housing estate in the middle of a storm, four children’s lives will be changed forever. Daniel, Akin, Ste and Molly-Mae all have their own problems – but together they become the Secret Horse Society, determined to protect and help their amazing new friend. Paddock Grove: A Pony to Own by J.P. Rose (Walker Books) The first book in this new pony adventure series introduces Paddock Grove, a school where pupils learn about riding and caring for horses. New pupil George is nervous and her horse Bear is scruffy and naughty – completely unlike the smart show-horses her classmates are riding. Can George and Bear find their way at Paddock Grove? Black Beauty by Anna Sewell…

Name: Majd Happy Head by Josh Silver “Dystopian, captivating and suspenseful. It has such immersive storytelling. I like how it ends on a cliffhanger, and has such immersive storytelling, I couldn’t put it down!” YOUR TURN Please email your book review to hello@theweekjunior.co.uk. If it is printed in the magazine you will receive a Roving Reporter badge. Describe your chosen book in three words, tell us what you liked about it and why you would recommend it to others. Don’t forget to include your name and address.* *If you are the competition winner, we will only use the details you provide to contact you and arrange delivery of your competition prize.…

A new school year is a great time to A kick-start a fresh routine or try new things. What you eat is important and really affects how you feel. Lunch should be tasty but it is also fuel to power you through the day. When you’re hungry it can be hard to concentrate but a well balanced and satisfying midday meal should keep you raring to go until dinner time. If you take a packed lunch to school, it’s best to prepare it the night before. That means you don’t have to rush the next morning and you can concentrate instead on eating a good breakfast. Aim for a meal that you enjoy but is also healthy, filling and fun. Try some of these tips on preparing the perfect packed…

Name: Darcey “My choir, the Musical Originals Singers, won Young Choir of the World 2025 at the International Eisteddfod, which took place in July in Llangollen, Wales. We are a choir from Jersey in the Channel Islands and we travelled together to take part. Our senior choir won their section, which they got 95 marks for, and our whole choir sang The Chinese Song and Prayer of the Children and got 97 marks, which won us the title. We sing with our eyes closed in Prayer of the Children, which is tricky because we can’t see our conductor. We are a unique choir because we all go to different schools, we have different personalities and we are brought together because we love singing. I am the youngest girl who went…

Stories for Schools short story competition The Settle Stories charity, which promotes storytelling, has launched its Children’s Story Competition. Young writers (aged seven to 11) across the UK can submit original fiction stories, up to 500 words long, under the theme of “courage”. Former children’s laureate Anne Fine, creator of Madame Doubtfire, is this year’s judge. “Children are so rarely left to let their imaginations rip,” she said. Entries close on 29 September and winners will be selected on the basis of creativity, originality and the exploration of courage. You can find out more at tinyurl.com/TWJ-storycomp WIN A BADGE! Email your news, views and pictures to hello@theweekjunior.co.uk Please include your full name and address so that we can send you a Roving Reporter badge if your contribution makes it onto…

1 Near which Egyptian city have ancient artefacts recently been recovered from the sea? ☐ a) Alexandria ☐ b) Cairo ☐ c) Sharm El-Sheikh 2 True or false? The heaviest animal weighed at London Zoo’s annual weigh-in was a giraffe. ☐ True ☐ False 3 How old is the city of Amsterdam? -------------------------- 4 Which country is scrapping a 25% tax on books? ☐ a) Denmark ☐ b) France ☐ c) Spain 5 True or false? A recent survey of 1,000 UK girls aged 13 to 17 found that nearly 6% spend money on skincare. ☐ True ☐ False 6 In which month does Australia’s school year start? --------------------------- 7 What type of bird was born in the wild for the first time in 200 years in Kent, England, recently?…