Education Executive May 2022

EDUCATION

EXECUTIVE

MAY 2022

Digital wrap edition

SUPPORTING BUSINESS AND F INANCIAL EXCELLENCE IN SCHOOLS AND ACADEMIES

How can schools adapt to the changing social media world?

Simon Hepburn on how to stay up-to-date and prevent your school from getting left behind

P A R W L A T I G DI ALSO INSIDE THIS MONTH: WARGAMES - HOW SAFE IS YOUR SCHOOL?

THE LONDON SCHOOL THAT SHORTENED THE WEEK

INCOME-GENERATION AFTER THE EVENT

Ian Stockbridge discusses how to keep your school cyber-safe

Forest Gate Community School reduce the week to four-and-a half days

Sue Birchall explores the different ways you can generate income

Editor’s comment Contributors

It’s May, which means the weather is getting nicer (or should be) and summer is just around the corner. Our May edition features many great stories related to our upcoming EdExec LIVE events, the first of which is just under a month away! We talk to Simon Hepburn, Helen Burge and Nigel Milligan – all of whom will be speakers at seminars at our events this year.

The issue begins with two in-depth opinion pieces on the future of schools in the UK. The first of these places the spotlight on Forest Gate Community School in Newham, which is combating growing reports of teacher burnout by introducing a four-day school week.

Our second comment piece explores the government’s promise to improve opportunities across England, looked at from the perspective of headteachers in both the state and private sectors.

Founder of Marketing Advice for Schools, Simon Hepburn, looks into the ‘fickle’ world of social media and how schools can ensure they stay up-to-date and, sticking with the technology theme, we spoke with headteacher Kerrie Henton about changing perceptions of alternative provision. The final part of our leadership section offers important advice for those who may be returning to work after taking time off with mental health issues.

Long-standing school business leader, Sue Birchall, explores the different ways you can generate more money for your school while another expert contributor, Helen Burge, deputy COO of The Priory Learning Trust - who is speaking at our London event on June 9th on how to create a culture of sustainability in schools – focuses in this issue on how your school can help protect the environment and, in particular, combat water pollution. This month we also include a brief guide on the allocation of funding for the 12-to-15 vaccination programme.

Returning to the subject of tech, we start our monthly ICT Matters segment with an exploration of school cyber-safety with Ian Stockbridge, and Nigel Milligan wonders why so many schools are scared to enter the cloud-based world – and offers some potential answers to this conundrum.

As always, we’d love to hear any suggestions you have for the magazine. If you’d like to get involved with EdExec, or if you’d like us to cover a certain topic, please do let us know. Contact eleanor@ WE WANT TO intelligentmedia.co.uk or tweet @edexec HEAR FROM YOU! with ideas, opinions or success stories.

Is your school doing something

wonderful? Do you have an opinion or experience you’d like to share? A story suggestion? Or some advice you’d like to share with your peers? Get in touch – email eleanor@ intelligentmedia.co.uk

ELEANOR POTTER Editor Education Executive

SUE BIRCHALL School business leader

SIMON HEPBURN

Founder Marketing Advice for Schools

HELEN BURGE

Deputy COO All Saints Catholic College

DEBORAH WALKER Business manager All Saints Catholic College, Huddersfield

NIGEL MILLIGAN

IT technician manager St Herbert’s RC Primary School

IAN STOCKBRIDGE ANME member and ICT manager Concord College

ELEANOR POTTER EDITOR

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EDUCATION EXECUTIVE

NEWS & VIEWS

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NEWS Latest school business management news in brief

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THE LONDON SCHOOL THAT SHORTENED THE WEEK One headteacher’s innovative response to increasing reports of teacher burnout

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FUND STATE SCHOOLS AT THE LEVEL OF PRIVATE ONES The government has promised to improve opportunities across England LEADERSHIP BY EXAMPLE

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SOCIAL MEDIA ADAPT OR FALL BEHIND Simon Hepburn on how to stay up-to-date and prevent your school from getting left behind

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CHANGING PERCEPTIONS How technology has helped Kerrie Henton’s academy change perceptions of alternative provision

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RETURNING TO WORK AFTER BEING OFF WITH MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES Advice on how to make the transition back to work easier

MANAGEMENT

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INCOME-GENERATION AFTER THE EVENT Sue Birchall explores the different ways you can generate income for your school

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PLASTIC-FANTASTIC TURNING THE TIDE ON WASTE Helen Burge on how your school can help protect our rivers and seas from pollution

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THE COVID-19 12 TO 15 VACCINATION PROGRAMME A GUIDE TO FUNDING Ian Stockbridge on why you might need to channel an ‘80s film to stay cyber-safe in your school ICT MATTERS

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TECHNO GEEK Nigel Milligan on why schools are still nervous about the cloud-based world

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WARGAMES - HOW SAFE IS YOUR SCHOOL? Ian Stockbridge discusses why you might need to channel an ‘80s film in order to stay cyber-safe in your school

Education Executive is the first business management magazine written exclusively for school business managers and bursars, bringing you the latest issues affecting your role, from finance to premises, procurement to HR. EdExec delivers the lowdown on all the hottest topics in education management right here, every month.

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Editorial

LIVE IT

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LIVE IT Close your eyes. Inhale. Count to five… now exhale. Time to take a few moments out for some light and interesting reading – a wellearned break from numbers and statistics

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60 SECONDS WITH...

School business manager Deborah Walker on wild water swimming - and why being an SBL is a lot like marmite...

Editor Ellie Potter eleanor@intelligentmedia.co.uk

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Vicki Baloch vicki@intelligentmedia.co.uk

NEWS AND VIEWS

NEWS

NEWS

The latest news and views from the world of education

@bradleyjake1997: 2 years ago today I found out I had been appointed as the school bursar at the primary school I am at time flies when you’re having fun. #SBL #SBM

Olympic gold medallist Rebecca Adlington OBE makes school visit

A third of primary school leaders cut spending on edtech A survey from the National Foundation for Educational Research has found that 32% of primary school leaders, and 20% of secondary, have had to cut spending on technology. The study was part of a catch-up report published by the Sutton Trust. The move to remote learning during the pandemic showed that poorer students and schools were already suffering from a digital divide; 70% of primary school headteachers in England reported that funding to help pupils recover from the pandemic has been insufficient. “With all these ongoing pressures, dedicated funding for poorer pupils through the pupil premium is more crucial than ever,” said Sir Peter Lampl of the Sutton Trust. “It’s a disgrace that a third of heads still report using pupil premium funding to plug budget gaps.”

@sazzlefletcher: So tomorrow is my first day as an SBM! I will be doing 1 day per week until taking over FT next Easter. So excited that all I’ve been working towards is finally happening  wish me luck #sbltwitter

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Thornhill Junior and Infant School recently welcomed Olympic gold medallist Rebecca Adlington OBE to the school. The visit was part of Rebecca’s campaign for water safety to promote the new swimming centre in Batley and provide every child in school with a freeswimming session. Talking to pupils, in what was described as an “inspirational assembly”, she promoted the importance of water safety in and around the local area whilst sharing her passion for swimming. Rebecca brought some of her Olympic medals, and gave several children the chance to hold and admire them, also providing students with an autographed picture. The children were full of enthusiasm for her visit and had prepared plenty of questions to ask which she patiently and happily answered. Fiona Gardiner, Headteacher at Thornhill Junior and Infant School, said,, “The children and staff were really excited to meet Rebecca and she exceeded our expectations.”

NEWS

Batley school plants seven trees to commemorate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Birstall Primary Academy in Batley has commemorated the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee by taking part in the Queen’s Green Canopy (QGC) scheme - a unique tree-planting initiative created to mark Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee. The QGC invites people from across the United Kingdom to ‘Plant a Tree for the Jubilee’.

Representatives from each of the school’s seven year groups, assisted by the local council, planted seven trees in an area close to St. Patrick’s Church in Birstall; each tree represents both a year group and a decade of the Queen’s time on the throne. The tree-planting forms part of the school’s efforts educate pupils on environmental impact, with the trees going on to provide shelter from the sun and habitats for wildlife as well as helping to tackle climate change. “This was a great initiative for us to get involved in, and a lovely way to mark such a special milestone for the monarchy,” Birstall’s interim principal, Jayde Weir, said.

The impact of the cost of the living crisis on schools A headteacher in Birmingham has warned that her secondary school “won’t be able to buy books” due to rising food and energy prices.

The gas and electricity bill for St Michael’s Catholic Academy, in Billingham on Teesside, has doubled in recent months. According to Helen Keough, the school’s headteacher, the school’s energy bill has increased by over £115,000. Rising national insurance costs for staff have also required the school spend an extra £30,000 – equivalent to the salary of one teacher. “These inflationary pressures on schools now are really going to limit what we can do,” Helen Keogh said.

The Department for Education commented, “Cost increases should be seen in the wider context of funding. In 2022-23, core schools funding will increase by £4bn compared to 2021-22 – a 7% cash terms per pupil boost – and this will help schools to meet wider cost pressures, including energy prices. All schools can access a range of tools to help them get the best value from their resources, including recommended deals for energy costs and services related to energy.”

NEWS AND VIEWS

News Teachers across the insigns briefof UK showing clinical depression New research for the NASUWT finds widespread evidence of clinical depression amongst teachers and headteachers. Nearly 12,000 teachers took part in a survey conducted by the union.

The analysis found an average ‘wellbeing score’ amongst teachers of 38.7, where a score below 41 indicates the risk of probable clinical depression, and 91% of teachers who responded reported that their job had adversely affected their mental health in the last year. More than half of teachers (52%) quoted workload as the most important factor damaging their mental health, while 34% cited the consequences of the pandemic.

The union’s research heard from teachers who had suffered panic attacks as a result of bullying, teachers diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder and 3% of teachers who reported that they had self-harmed. NASUWT general secretary, Dr Patrick Roach, said, “Teachers and headteachers are at breaking point. Urgent action is needed to tackle the root causes of the mental health crisis in our schools and colleges.”

@CherylSBM: I cannot say enough how useful collaboration with fellow SBLs is. Yesterday I attended a cluster meeting with 6 SBLs from schools in my local area. I also meet with SBLs from maintained schools in my borough. Not to mention the massive collaboration that is #SBLTwitter. Love it!

May 2022 05

NEWS AND VIEWS

REDUCED WORKING WEEK

The London school that shortened the week Forest Gate Community School cut the working week down to four-and-a-half days after the head saw reports on teacher burnout

O

n Fridays the pub next to Forest Gate Community School in east London starts filling up from 1pm. It has not always been this way, but ever since the school went down to a four-and-a-half-day week, it has been flooded with exhausted teachers keen to take advantage of their shorter week as quickly as possible.

Other teachers use the afternoon to spend more time with their children, go on a minibreak, catch up on work they would have done at the weekend, or attend the local mosque. The important thing is that the afternoon is theirs and they can choose how they spend it, says Simon Elliott, who leads the multi-academy trust that runs Forest Gate. The initiative has been so successful that the school is now consulting on whether to reduce the week further, to four days.

Simon opted to shorten the week after reading a series of alarming reports on professional stress and burnout among teachers. “If you look at the amount of work teachers do, they do more than similar professions, and the workload is very high. I wanted to try and alleviate that pressure at a structural level,” he said.

In order to achieve this, he removed two pastoral periods from the schedule on Fridays and added the four other 50-minute lessons on to weekdays. Children can stay on site to do homework or extra-curricular activities.

Simon says the change has resulted in happier, more energetic, teachers – an internal survey showed 98% appreciated the change. Pupils, who often struggle to focus on Friday afternoons, say they enjoy the extra time to spend with friends, or doing extra-curricular activities and homework, and have received higher grades since the change was made, leading to satisfied parents.

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REDUCED WORKING WEEK

NEWS AND VIEWS

Happier teachers work harder and produce better days

Tom Leather, a PE teacher, said the shorter working week had transformed his life. Before COVID he went on weekend breaks to Europe, and now his wife is pregnant he is looking forward to having more time to spend with his new child and later, to picking them up from nursery. “Knowing we’re allowed to leave at 12.10 on Friday means that morale is better. Happier teachers work harder and produce better days,” he said.

A GROWING TREND The move to four days is the subject of a new report by thinktank Autonomy, which is making the case for all schools to adopt a four-day week, reflecting a growing trend in the US where 1,600 schools have already shortened timetables.

The report argues that shortening the week would help reduce the high numbers of teachers who leave the profession by cutting their hours which, at an average of 51, are among the longest in Europe. The UK’s Health and Safety Executive found that teaching staff report the highest rates of work-related stress, depression and anxiety in the UK. The idea is popular among teachers, at least theoretically. Autonomy’s survey of 500 found that three-quarters would be interested in a 32-hour, four-day, week if pay is not cut, and over two-thirds said it would encourage them to remain in the profession.

Simon believes there are barriers to rolling this out at present, however, including childcare routines and longer days in school. “It would give people a lot of freedom. They can be creative in their spare time, and feel a bit more rested. The problems to solve are around the logistics of people’s lives.”

Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said the union “would be happy to discuss any thinking about the structure of the school term and week” although he has not received calls from members about a universal move to four days, and the union’s main priorities to address retention are improved pay, flexible working and a supportive approach from government. “Any suggested change would need to be supported by evidence that it would have a positive impact on pupil outcomes,” he said.

A Department for Education spokesperson said, “Maintained schools are legally required to operate for at least 190 school days a year and now more than ever, as children get back on track, we want all schools to be offering at least an average of 32.5 hours a week.”

CREDIT: This is an edited version of an article that originally appeared on The Guardian

May 2022 07

NEWS AND VIEWS

SCHOOL FUNDING

Fund state schools at the level of private ones The government has promised to improve opportunities across England - heads have their own ideas on what this should mean

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eadteachers John Barnes and Andrew O’Neill have both a lot and little in common; both are successful leaders grappling with the impact of the pandemic as well as the usual challenges facing 21st-century schools.

John leads a small trust, the Seaton Valley Federation, in the heart of Blyth Valley, Northumberland, one of the most marginal ‘red wall’ seats in the country, at a time when the government is under huge pressure to explain what its levelling up agenda means for longstanding Labour constituencies that switched to the Conservatives in 2019. Andrew, meanwhile, is the head of an inner-city London secondary in an area of high deprivation at the heart of one of the wealthiest boroughs in the country. All Saints Catholic College, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, has almost double the national average of pupils eligible for free school meals.

It is within walking distance of Grenfell Tower and some of the most expensive homes in Britain. The Kensington parliamentary constituency also could be described as the most marginal ‘blue wall’ seat in England, with a parliamentary majority of just 150, having been held by the Tories for most of the last 50 years.

Two years after the election that delivered Boris Johnson an 80-seat majority on the back of a promise to equalise opportunities across the UK, both heads are unclear what ‘levelling up’ means for their schools. School funding has taken a hit over the past decade; according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies the nine per cent real-terms cut in spending per pupil puts a ‘major brake on levelling up’. Reforms to the way money is distributed to schools, intended to make the system fairer, have been exposed for disproportionately benefiting schools with lower disadvantage.

Even without the pandemic learning loss it would take 500 years, at current rates, to close the GCSE attainment gap between children from different backgrounds - yet there has only been one levelling up policy for schools – a premium for maths and

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science teachers – and that is yet to be implemented.

“Levelling up is a lovely soundbite,” says John, “but where is the detail for education and more generally? I have never met a headteacher who doesn’t want their children to do the very best, and I have never had a politician come and sit in my office and ask me what we need. Our schools are not particularly disadvantaged, and I would agree that free school meals are a good proxy for deprivation, but we have a lot of ‘just about managing’ families. They get excluded from extra funding and there needs to be a better conversation about these people.

“They need to see jobs and cultural opportunities in their communities, good mental health support and they need to see someone cares about them. Above all, if we want to ‘level up’, we need honesty about one thing; we need to fund state schools at the same level as private schools. I am not against private schools, but their termly fees are the equivalent of my annual per pupil funding. This is unfair.”

RESENTMENT At the other end of the country, Andrew acknowledges that there is resentment about London schools, which receive more perpupil funding than schools elsewhere in the country, and get better results than some areas that have been branded as ‘left behind’.

In the past year he has been developing a website, Lighthouse, that crunches government data about schools, their funding, their results and local contexts, including income deprivation affecting children index (IDACI) data.

“This is a very complex issue,” he says. “It certainly isn’t going to be resolved by a political project that pushes funds into certain areas to try and win votes. A few more vanity capital projects in the north are not going to make significant change. One of the

SCHOOL FUNDING

NEWS AND VIEWS

reasons I set up the website recently exposed - has a 25,000 majority. Dan feels strongly was because the government that political expediency may obscure the need for more puts data in lots of different investment in areas such as his. “Trying to level up areas such places and I wanted as the former ‘red wall’ means that traditionally Conservative to see it together areas may be overlooked, despite the clear case for increased to be able to find support,” he says. schools like my own “I appreciate that there are post-industrial towns and cities so that I could make that need investment - I’ve worked in schools in deprived comparisons, as well as, areas across the country - but rural poverty remains a major potentially, making contact to issue and the same underlying problems exist here; huge see how we could improve. disparities between rich and poor, lack of affordable housing “There are areas of deep deprivation and job opportunities, outdated transport links, which make within many local authority areas. Parts of opportunities harder for younger people, and the sense of Kensington are more deprived than parts of Blyth isolation that then comes from rural disadvantage.

Valley but is it all about the money? Probably not.

“Just because this is taking place in a constituency that We are a school in IDACI decile one, with 50% of also has wealthy, semi-aristocratic, landowners, and stunning pupils eligible for the pupil premium, yet our children scenery, doesn’t make it less of a pronounced issue for young see wealth and opportunity on their doorsteps. people. If the government want to take levelling up seriously “We have a music teacher who teaches choral works in Latin. – and make it clear it isn’t just being pursued for political gain London schools probably have access to a more mobile pool of – then they must bring more of a focus to rural poverty.” high-performing, well-educated, members of staff. Unless we Dan would like to see closer integration of health, social define what we mean by ‘levelling up’, how can we judge success? care and education for young people. “Essentially, the Is it income, is it opportunities, is it pupil outcomes? disparity in thresholds and provision exacerbates inequalities, “We need a deeper understanding of the issues in order and circumstances of birth remain too anchored to a sense of to make the changes that will benefit all inevitable destiny,” he says. young people. For too long education has Anita Bath, the chief executive of the been beholden to politicians offering neat Bishop Bewick Catholic Education Trust, soundbites that tinker at the edges but don’t has oversight of schools in three local Where are the produce the scale of transformation needed authorities across north-east England, big thinkers in to provide high-quality education across the including rural, inner-city Labour and education? whole of the country.” now Conservative areas. She is also One aspect of the levelling up agenda adamant that political boundaries should that fascinates O’Neill is the plight of the be irrelevant. “More money is always very safe Conservative seats in which students appear to do less welcome, as it brings freedom, but there are structural issues well than in some of the much trailed ‘red wall’ areas. that need to be rethought rather than sticking plasters. Where are the big thinkers in education?” she says. “We know that by POLITICAL EXPEDIENCY? the time children get to primary school they can be 18 months Dan Morrow leads the Dartmoor Multi Academy Trust in behind their peers.

Torridge and West Devon, where the former attorney general, Sir “We need to rethink the whole primary sector and narrow Geoffrey Cox - whose lucrative overseas legal practice abroad was the gap at that point.”

CREDIT: This is an edited version of an article that originally appeared in The Guardian

May 2022 09

LEADERSHIP BY EXAMPLE

SOCIAL MEDIA

How can schools adapt to the changing social media world?

The social media world is fickle – people have no problem moving on to the next trending platform – so, if your school’s happily communicating via Facebook and Twitter, how do you avoid getting left behind?

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fter the battle of El Alamein, in 1942, Winston Churchill famously said, ‘It is not even the beginning of the end [of the Second World War] - but it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.’.

Will historians look back at the recent news that Facebook numbers are dropping for the first time and see this as the end of the ‘end of the beginning’ of social media?

Twitter’s growth has also slowed to a crawl and, in our sector, far fewer schools are using it than three years ago.

What is the impact of this change? Many schools have successfully used Twitter and Facebook for external communications, but with fewer (and older) users, will they be able to do so in the future? Newer platforms, such as Instagram and TikTok, are growing, but they are a different type of social media than the platforms they are replacing - perhaps more of a replacement for television, with a focus on ‘consuming content’ and ‘influencers’ rather than creating communities – one example being that you can’t easily share weblinks on Instagram.

One way to adapt is to explore what people are using in place of social media for their friendship and social groups – and that’s almost universally messaging services. WhatsApp, iMessage and international alternatives such as WeChat and Kakao are still growing strongly, with WhatsApp now used by over 2 billion people. Talking to schools I’ve not found a primary school class recently that doesn’t have a parent WhatsApp group to share information,

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news – and yes, gossip!

The challenge of these messaging services is that they’re closed – they’ve been described as ‘dark social’ because they don’t let anyone outside the group know what is being discussed. So, how should you look to communicate in a world of messaging and influencer-driven apps?

Here are five ideas…

1

FIND OUT HOW YOUR PARENTS AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS ARE COMMUNICATING It’s good practice to carry out regular surveys to see if your communications are getting through – and it’s easier than ever to do this with free tools such as Google Forms or Microsoft Forms. It’s important to find what works for you – I still come across schools where many parents still want paper communications - although there might now be environmental reasons for moving away from these; it’s more likely that they’ll tell you to move to Instagram and WhatsApp.

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MAKE YOUR CONTENT SHAREABLE The rise of ‘dark social’ means you need to persuade other people to share content through their networks; this means hosting material on your website - or other places online - that can be shared as weblinks. For example, rather than sharing your school newsletter as

SOCIAL MEDIA

LEADERSHIP BY EXAMPLE

Schools have become much better at educating pupils and their parents in using social media a PDF document, use tools such as Microsoft Sway or Adobe Creative Cloud Express to transform your newsletter into a flexible presentation. Sharing a link to this means that it can be passed through ‘dark social’ apps (and traditional text messages and school apps such as Class Dojo) - but you will still be able to track how many times it is viewed.

3

USE VIDEO RATHER THAN WRITTEN DOCUMENTS While those working in schools may prefer to receive information in written form, the wider world is switching more and more to video. According to the Allaccess website 500 hours of content were uploaded to YouTube every minute in 2021. Video is more difficult to produce than written copy, but schools are full of talented people – perhaps you have staff or students who can help – I suggested how you might use your students to do this in a recent article in EdExec.

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HELP YOUR PARENTS AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS NAVIGATE THE NEW WORLD Schools have become much better at educating pupils and their parents in using social media – as a result, most children are better at managing their online presence and parents are more aware of the risks. It’s important to update this education to reflect both ‘dark social’ (for example making it clear that however secure the system people can

still capture your comments) and video-based apps (for example the dangers of looking for ‘likes’ rather than connecting with friends).

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FIND OUT WHAT’S BEING SHARED Finally, perhaps the greatest danger with ‘dark social’ is that information can be shared that you don’t know about. While sites such as Facebook are by no means immune to ‘fake news’, if you monitor mentions of your school, you can often intervene. By contrast, to know what is being said about your school in messaging apps you need to develop relationships – so that, for example, parent representatives in WhatsApp groups can pass on information to you or suggest that their parents talk to the school rather than jumping to conclusions. Similarly, you can encourage students to report any negative use of TikTok or Instagram.

To read Simon’s article The best way to share what is great about your school? Use your students! click here Simon Hepburn is the founder of Marketing Advice for Schools and runs regular workshops to help schools make the most of social media for communication (https://www. marketingadviceforschools.com/ courses/social-media-workshop-online)

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LEADERSHIP BY EXAMPLE

THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY

Changing perceptions We speak to KERRIE HENTON, principal at Stone Soup Academy, about how the use of technology has helped the academy change perceptions of alternative provision Introduce us to your academy.

Stone Soup Academy is an alternative provision (AP) set up in 2012 as one of the first free school and AP academies. We got our first ‘outstanding’ from Ofsted in 2014 and achieved our second in 2019. We currently meet the needs of over 90 students in Key Stages 3 and 4 who are either at risk of, or have been, excluded from mainstream schools. We’re based in the centre of Nottingham in the Lace Market, so we like to be able to take advantage of what’s around us in the city. We have a broad and rich curriculum; we offer a huge number of opportunities outside the curriculum and beyond when they leave us post-16. I’ve been principal of the academy since 2018.

Last year you were shortlisted for a Tes Award for use of technology - tell us a bit more about that.

Our academy has always wanted to push the boundaries of what we could do; we like to destroy the preconceptions people have of AP, and create something that is far more positive. Ever since I joined, I’ve always been looking for ways in which to expand what we do, and who we do it with; partnership working has been really important to us. We already had a media qualification in place with a BTEC in media, and we invest highly in the technology to effectively deliver our qualifications. We are lucky that we have the University of Nottingham and Nottingham

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Trent University on our doorstep and we wanted to see how we could work with them. Now, through opening that door and getting a bit more of a profile externally, we have been able to link up with different organisations, including Enactu UK and also the Forman Hardy Trust who have supported us financially to develop our tech equipment including VR headsets and 360 degree cameras.

We were already on the pathway to using virtual reality before COVID hit as it was something that we felt could really support our significant number of students who have neurodiverse conditions; we’ve got seven autistic students, 16 who have a diagnosis of ADHD and ADD, and a further two getting a diagnosis and we wanted to look for ways in which we could better engage with those learners.

We wanted to develop the use of virtual reality because it blocks out everything else that’s happening around the pupil and it can help them to focus more clearly. We started doing some work ourselves looking at neurodiversity and the use of virtual reality, and we then decided to work with the universities to look at research that we could do.

Our collaboration with Enactus UK has been very innovative; in fact there’s a national competition that we are collaborating with them on. This means using headsets to deliver life-saving techniques for people that are the victim of

THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY

LEADERSHIP BY EXAMPLE

knife attacks - so, for example, working with Street Doctors we experiences to engage them for their futures - because they’re will give our students the life saving skills to deal with multiple leaving us with some high spec experience and skills that they can scenarios developed on the VR platform. Our students are then take into the workplace. working with Enactus UK project lead to develop the content; the students would wear the headset, come up with scenarios, Why is pushing the use of technology so important and then the training would enable them to interact with those to your academy? scenarios a bit better. The hope is that we can highlight the Technology keeps you at the forefront of what you’re doing. issues around high knife crime, and also look to better inform It allows you to look at your pedagogy in terms of how and better protect - our students in dealing with it. technology is applied, and how we can better support our On a basic level the use of technology changes our young young people. It isn’t about technology in isolation; it’s about people’s perceptions. They come into the how technology enables us to support academy feeling somewhat worthless; our students to get better outcomes they’ve been excluded, or are at risk of – and, when we are talking about exclusion, they feel that they have failed outcomes, we’re not just talking about What we do gives and their parents feel that they have failed. the traditional qualifications - which, our young people They come in with low expectations of of course, are important - we’re talking a future that they what an AP is. But when they come in, and about wider educational outcomes, they can see the investment in technology, about that desire for our students to be can be proud of... and they can see the investment in in school, because they see that there’s equipment, and they can see us pushing some value to being in school. boundaries, and they can see that we’re We’re talking about futures that they investing in their futures - it changes those perceptions. can see through the use of technology. It’s about the careers that What we do gives our young people a future that they can they can then look at, and we’ve opened their eyes through that be proud of, it gives them qualifications, and it also gives them technology. So, it’s much broader than just the technology itself.

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LEADERSHIP BY EXAMPLE

THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY

As a Stone Soup family we don’t say ‘Goodbye’ at the end of Year 11; if they need us, we will continue to be there for them What are the impacts of the use of technology on students?

The outcomes for our students have been that we’ve got the traditional qualifications, but you’ve also got things such as attendance; our attendance sits around about the 80% mark, which for an AP, when nationally it’s around 65%, is massive. It’s about their engagement in their lessons, because sitting and doing something that is innovative and creative is different for our learners. It engages them as it would any member of our school community.

It’s also about their self-worth, because they can see the investment that the school has put in into those technologies, and the environment that we’re creating for those students to work in, which increases their vision of their own self-worth – and it’s about personal growth in their belief that they can do it. If I said to somebody, ‘Right, you’re going to be using VR today,’ they’d be like, ‘Oh no! Can I do that?’ We enable our students to be able to access it, which makes them then have more belief that they can deal with those challenges.

You’ve got job prospects as well, because we’re giving them experiences which are relatable to the world of work - for the last three years 100% of our students who could go into work, education or training have done exactly that.

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May 2022

What would you say a pupil could expect from their time at the academy?

They can expect to be happy. They can expect to have opportunities that they didn’t believe would be open to them in this context. They can expect a broad and balanced education, an outstanding quality of education. They can expect to see wellsequenced lessons that go from Key Stage 3 all the way through to Key Stage 5. They can expect an environment that increases their cultural capital - and supports them to experience cultural capital both inside and outside of the classroom. The quality of education within our AP setting is comparable to a mainstream setting.

But it’s much, much wider than that because, being an AP, you’re not just meeting their needs educationally; you’ve got to meet those needs pastorally as well. So, it’s about the care and concern and the pastoral package around those learners to make sure that they’re kept safe now and that they can keep themselves safe in the future.

Technology has really supported our academy to make systems which better support our students - for example, we use CPOMS as an electronic tracking system for our safeguarding, we use a system for signing in at the front desk. We’re installing a system that’s going to improve our ability to track that schoolto-home communication and will allow us to send emails and forms that parents can sign using their smartphones. We’re always looking for ways for technology to better support our students.

That support doesn’t just end when the pupil leaves us. At the end of Year 11 we buy all of our Year 11 students a suit and they have a celebration called ‘Suits Day’ where we take them to the Broadway cinema in Nottingham, and we give them awards predominantly supported by business. Each student receives a silver salver which congratulates them for completing their Stone Soup journey. But it doesn’t end there. We also have a ‘pastoral

THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY

sixth form’ where our students who have left us can come back to us, even whilst completing college courses or working. As a Stone Soup family we don’t say goodbye at the end of year 11, if they need us we will continue to be there for them. We’ve got two students who are currently doing level three qualifications at the college - but to make sure that they continue to do those level three qualifications at the college they need support. So we continue to support them; we continue to work with them after school on their qualifications. We also work with many of our exstudents who might need support for doing a CV, or might need somebody to talk to because they don’t have that at home. So, we continue to do that, post-16, because it’s the right thing to do.

What do you think are the biggest barriers to other schools trying to use technology, both in the curriculum and to help in the back office, to a greater extent, as you have done?

I would say vision. I think the way that Stone Soup works is we look for what we can do, rather than what we can’t do.

That vision starts from day one and it’s within the school improvement plan. It’s very difficult to put in something that’s going to be so wide-ranging and impactful if you don’t have the support of the whole school vision. If you haven’t got that commitment to a vision that encompasses that view of technology, then it’s very difficult to continue to push things through and get the funding and the direction within a school.

So, I would say, sometimes it can be just lack of aspiration; it can be thinking about what students can’t do, as opposed to what they could do. I’ve always found in my career that, if you set the bar high, they will reach it. With the right support, everyone can do it, but you have to have that commitment from your school improvement plan.

You’ve also got to commit to investment and training, because

LEADERSHIP BY EXAMPLE

people might say, ‘Well, I’m not going to do that’, or ‘I can’t do that in my school, because we don’t have the funds to do it’ but, for me, it’s about priorities and where you place your money. We choose to use our funds in certain areas, all for the benefit of the students; one of those areas is our use of technology - our use of VR - to impact those students that we really feel need to have that impact.

Training is important because we’ve got to make sure that the staff who are working with our technology are able to do that. It’s also about finding out who else is out there that you can get support from. Look for that support externally - it’s out there. When I started, we didn’t have any of this support, but it is out there and, if you can explain that what you’re doing is for the benefit of the students, and how it benefits the students, then everyone wants to help you. I’ve found that people have been so generous with their time and their resources, just through starting those conversations - but you’ve got to have people within your organisation who you are empowering to have those conversations with others.

What are your hopes for the future?

We hope to continue to push the boundaries of what is expected from an alternative provision. We want to change people’s perceptions, so that alternative provision is seen as an alternative to mainstream education, because not everyone is a round peg to fit in the round hole, and some students shouldn’t have to be excluded to find the right place for them.

So the hope would really be to continue with our mission to create unimagined futures for our learners, and to grow our school to impact a greater number of students across the wider region, to pass that positive view on, to pass that vision on and to be able to create futures for all our young people so they can begin to live the future that we supported them to create.

May 2022 15

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Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2021 Education Annex Education institutions are under increasing threat of cyber attack. The following is a sample of some of the breaches discovered during a Government survey published in March 2021.

Primary Schools

Secondary Schools

Further Education Colleges

Percentage that have identified the following types of breaches or attacks, among the organisations that have identified any breaches or attacks Base

135/49

158/91

57/43

Phishing attacks

84%

86%

91%

Takeovers of organisation’s user accounts

8%

10%

12%

Viruses, spyware, malware and ransomware

22%

16%

35%

Others impersonating the organisation in emails or online

20%

37%

58%

LEADERSHIP BY EXAMPLE

RETURNING TO WORK

Advice on returning to work after being off with mental health issues

If you’ve had a mental health problem and been off, or out of work, you may worry about going back. Here is some advice to make the transition back to work easier

G

oing back to work after taking time off due to your mental health can feel daunting. You may be concerned about how your colleagues will react, for example, or that you will not be able to cope.

However, most people find that going back to work is a positive step, and support is available to help ease your way back in.

HOW WORK BENEFITS YOUR MENTAL HEALTH People usually find going back to work after a period of mental illness a positive experience.

Among other things, work can give you: ● a sense of identity and purpose; ● t he chance to build new friendships; ● b etter financial security; ● t he feeling that you’re playing an active part in society.

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May 2022

GOING BACK TO WORK AFTER TAKING SICK LEAVE If your job is still open for you, consider talking to your GP before going back to work; there might be things the GP can suggest that will make your return smoother and less daunting. You might then arrange a meeting with your employer or occupational health adviser. You can discuss anything that concerns you about returning to work, including any recommendations from the GP. You may wish to ask about: ● fl exible hours – you might like to return part-time, for example, or start later in the day if you’re sleepy from medicine in the mornings; ● s upport from a colleague in the short or long term; ● a place you can go for a break when needed.

RETURNING TO WORK

LEADERSHIP BY EXAMPLE

By law, employers must make ‘reasonable adjustments’ for workers with disabilities or longterm physical or mental conditions

SUPPORT FOR PEOPLE WITH MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS REASONABLE ADJUSTMENTS By law, employers must make ‘reasonable adjustments’ for workers with disabilities or long-term physical or mental conditions.

This could mean giving someone with social anxiety their own desk rather than expecting them to hot desk, for example. See more about reasonable adjustments

speak to anyone, think about: ● where you would like to work; ● what kind of work you would like to do; ● what type of support you may need; ● your financial situation, including any benefits you’re getting.

A full-time paid job is not the only option open to you; there are other possibilities that may suit you, including part-time work or volunteering.

ACCESS TO WORK If you need extra help beyond reasonable adjustments you can apply for an access to work grant; these pay for practical support so you can carry on doing your job, or start a new one. Find out about Access to Work

VOLUNTEERING Volunteering is a popular way of getting back into work. Helping other people in need is great for your self-esteem and can take your mind off your own worries - plus, volunteer work can improve your chances of getting a paid job when you’re ready and, until then, you can carry on claiming your benefits. Find out more about how to volunteer

FIT FOR WORK Fit for Work offers free advice to people with a health problem who want to stay in, or get back to, work. Visit the Fit for Work Advice Hub LOOKING FOR A NEW JOB If you’re unemployed, and want to get back into work, staff at your local Jobcentre Plus can help. If you have ongoing mental health issues, ask to speak to their disability employment adviser. If you have a mental health worker they can also tell you about the support available to help people with mental health problems get back to work. Before you

YOUR RIGHTS AND THE LAW Some people worry that, when they apply for a job, they will be discriminated against if they admit that they have, or have had, mental or emotional health problems - but it’s illegal for employers to ask health, or health-related, questions before making a job offer. It’s also illegal to discriminate against people with any kind of health condition or disability, including mental health issues.

MORE INFORMATION GOV.UK has advice on when mental health becomes a disability See tips on preparing for your return to work on the Mind website

May 2022 19

MANAGEMENT

I N C O M E G E N E R AT I O N

Income-generation after the event M

SUE BIRCHALL, long-standing school business leader, explores the different ways you can generate income for your school

any of us who work in schools will have been actively seeking additional funding for various areas of school life prior to the pandemic; however, the circumstances we found ourselves in meant that many projects - including raising funds - were put on a back burner due to the additional workload, which was extreme, as well as the difficulties arising from lockdowns etc. Now that life is getting back to normal we can, once again, look outside of our settings and start to consider our options and what support is available.

As with any business activity, this should begin with a plan - in this case, a fundraising strategy. Introducing the reader to the context of your school and its fundraising aims including what, why, how and the proposed outcome(s), gives context to your plan. This can then be used in various guises to support any direction that you take. Consider time constraints and capacity in how you will carry out your fundraising; there is nothing worse

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May 2022

than supporting something that doesn’t come to fruition and this could damage future efforts.

There are many options that you may consider – here are a few to think about.

TRADITIONAL FUNDRAISING This is always a favourite, especially in primary schools, and one that I have had great success with. This tends to be quite a time-consuming way to raise funds but does have the added benefit of engagement with your school community. It is the most immediate - but also can be restrictive in the amount you raise.

It consists of fairs, book sales and sponsored activities, amongst others.

AFFILIATIONS This type of fundraising tends to involve minimal effort and can reap big rewards.

Passive funding tends to involve setting up affiliate schemes with retailers who will donate a percentage of sales to your school. As well as advertising these to parents and friends to buy

I N C O M E G E N E R AT I O N

MANAGEMENT

There are many organisations out there willing to offer funding for schools as a non profit-making business from, you can also direct school spend to them - just be aware that they might not always offer best value in this respect.

DIRECT FUNDRAISING This works by adding a percentage profit to sales of anything through your school - from uniforms, photographs and equipment to advertising space in the school magazine. You can also offer a recycling scheme involving anything from clothes to plastic - just make sure you are aware of the VAT requirements if this is not undertaken as a registered charity.

CROWDFUNDING This is where a large number of people give money to a project, sometimes collected through a website such as Just Giving, to achieve the financial requirement. There are often fees charged to use the websites but it is still a cost-effective way to raise money requiring few staff hours. Beware of the restrictions imposed by some of these sites.

FUNDING BIDS There are many organisations out there willing to offer funding for schools as a non profit-making business this is where the time and thought that you put into your fundraising strategy at the beginning comes into its own. These often require a fair bit of time and effort invested in

the bid writing and there are companies and organisations that can support with this. Joining something like Fund-Ed which can provide you with access and information to a variety of funding opportunities, as well as advice on how to bid, may be money well spent.

LOCAL GRANT FUNDING Looking at your local area, often county councillors will have a fund that you can bid for as long as it matches their chosen criteria.

Don’t forget your school stakeholders; sending out a plea to your parents can uncover funding opportunities. Many large companies have monies set aside for charity that your parents may know about, or have access to, and there may be some who would like to support the school directly.

We tend to look outside our school’s funding for additional monies, but there are some things you can do within your existing budgets to help with external bids. If you have a reserve, consider whether some of it would be better invested as match funding; funders are often keener to support a project if they are not sole contributors, and providing match funding may open up your search to further options.

Whichever method you use or explore remember that time spent in preparation, and an eye to the detail - for instance checking that you match the criteria - is well spent.

Good Luck! 

May 2022 21

MANAGEMENT

ECO SCHOOLS AWARD

Plastic-fantastic - turning the tide on waste

In the third article of the series which focuses on how to address each area of the Eco Schools Award HELEN BURGE, deputy COO at The Priory Learning Trust, discusses how your school can help protect our rivers and seas from litter and plastic pollution

I

’m very fortunate to live by the sea and often walk down the beach. On sunny days I can see the cranes at Hinkley Point C to the south, and Cardiff to the east, but not always the sea. The 14.5m tidal range (second highest in the world!) means the sea goes out about a mile, exposing the mud flats, hence the nickname ‘Weston-super-Mud’. Many a summer walk I spend tutting at aspirational visitors’ hopes of dipping their toes into actual water and, on more than one occasion, I’ve witnessed cars driving out beyond the warning signs and getting very stuck.

But these are not my biggest bug bears

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about sharing a beautiful part of the world with other humans - it’s the litter that gets left on the beach after a day out that really winds me up! It is shocking, and especially prevalent after a sunny day when visitors descend to enjoy the simple pleasure of taking the sea air, but then don’t take home everything they bought with them.

At certain times of year the council funds a tractor which scrapes along the tidemark line picking up the rubbish along with the seaweed; it’s an appalling amount, quite horrifying to witness. It’s not just items which shouldn’t have been flushed down the

ECO SCHOOLS AWARD

MANAGEMENT

In the North Pacific, due to the currents, there is an area estimated to be twice the size of France full of debris toilets, but clothing, shoes, nappies, broken - and sometimes not broken - buckets and spades which were probably only purchased the morning they arrived to sit on the beach, plus food packaging, ‘disposable’ BBQs and, sometimes, the beach tents or wind breaks. My husband and I have even carried paint pots off the beach!

Litter also ends up on the beach having been dropped in towns and cities and washed down rivers and drains to the beach. If the council didn’t pick up this litter it would get washed out to sea and, maybe, end up further down the coastline -or being eaten by, or entangled inside, wildlife and seabirds.

PEOPLE POWER AT WORK Local groups often arrange litter-picks to supplement the council’s efforts. In 2021 20,000 volunteers removed more than 79,000kg of packaging pollution from across the south-west of England. This year Surfers Against Sewage are encouraging volunteers to each clean 10 miles of land – maybe this is something your school could sign up to? Even if you’re not a coastal school, you’ll know your efforts are helping to protect marine life and sea birds.

Maybe there is a river or canal near your school you could ‘adopt’ and, for secondary schools operating Duke of Edinburgh Awards, they could do their volunteering element by keeping this area litter free.

Only one per cent of marine litter floats - the rest sinks to the sea floor. In the North Pacific, due to the currents, there is an area estimated to be twice the size of France full of debris; can you imagine how much is on the sea floor? Much of this litter is

plastic, which breaks down over time into microplastic. Next time you sit on the beach and run your hands through the sand, see if you can spot some; unfortunately I don’t think it will take you long.

Surfers Against Sewage state that there are approximately 51 trillion microscopic pieces of plastic, weighing 269 tons, and some of that is sitting on our ‘golden’ beaches. In 2018 the UK government estimated that 100,000 marine mammals and turtles, and one million sea birds, are killed by marine plastic pollution annually.

What are we doing to our planet?

TAKE ACTION! How can your school take action to change this? As well as recycling our plastic, we could purchase items made from recycled plastic, and we need to reduce our single use plastic consumption. Here are some ideas. E ncourage the use of reusable water bottles and provide drinking water refill points (ie. taps!) among the whole school community. E ncourage less plastic packaging in school lunches – talk to your catering supplier. D itch the laminator and have plastic-free displays C hoose reusable items for hospitality, PTFA events, etc. rather than plastic cups and cutlery Small, incremental, step changes – all those Yorkshire Tea drinkers already know their tea bags are plastic free; ensure that your staff room tea bags are completely compostable (at the time of writing Asda own brand, Aldi, Lidl, Tetley and Twinings ALL contain plastic). Remember that micro-procurement decisions could add to the microplastics problem. 

May 2022 23

MANAGEMENT

VA C C I N AT I O N P R O G R A M M E

The covid-19 12 to 15 vaccination programme a guide to funding

A look at the allocation of funding, and terms and conditions for schools and other eligible settings, for the 12-to-15 vaccination programme

H

ealthy 12-to-15 year-olds in England are now being offered two doses of the PfizerBioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, 12 weeks apart; these vaccinations are available through school immunisation services or by booking through the national booking service to attend a vaccination site outside of school hours.

At this critical point in the vaccine programme it is particularly important that schools and immunisation teams work closely together to maximise the effectiveness of the vaccination programme. The DfE will provide schools with a one-off payment to support them in hosting vaccinations and ensuring that the COVID-19 vaccine is accessible to pupils.

As a condition of this funding, schools are asked to ensure they have a single point of contact to liaise with the School Age Immunisation Service (SAIS) and local health teams, as was the case with the previous phase of the vaccine rollout.

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May 2022

ELIGIBILITY The following institution types will be eligible for this funding: S tate-funded secondary schools (not including specialist 16-19 establishments, sixth forms or FE). S tate-funded, middle-deemed, secondary, and all-through schools with 12-15 year old pupils. S tate-funded special schools (with 12–15-year-old pupils).  I ndependent special schools (with 12–15-year-old pupils) and pupil referral units (with 12–15-year-old pupils). A lternative provision academies (with 12–15-year-old pupils). O ther independent institutions (with fee-paying pupils and students) are not eligible for this funding. F urther education providers are not eligible for this funding.

The Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) will only provide funding to institutions which engage with the vaccination programme and with SAIS teams/

VA C C I N AT I O N P R O G R A M M E

The largest schools will receive around £2,500 and the smallest schools just over £1,000 local health teams, as necessary, to ensure 12–15-year-old pupils have access to COVID-19 vaccination. Institutions will have discretion as to how, specifically, they spend this funding to support the vaccination programme beyond the stipulation that a single point of contact must be in place.

The expectation is that institutions should engage with this scheme immediately, aligning with SAIS visits and incurring expenditure, as appropriate, in advance of receiving this funding in April 2022.

ALLOCATIONS All schools will receive £1,000 plus an additional £1.14 per pupil aged 12-15 as based on the published January 2021 school census figures, where these are available for a school in scope. The flat rate of £1,000 reflects a payment for a member of staff to lead on supporting the programme plus some additional headroom to cover incidental costs that

MANAGEMENT

schools may incur. The largest schools will receive around £2,500 and the smallest schools just over £1,000. The ESFA will process payments to schools on behalf of NHS England.

Payments will be made to schools in April 2022.

RECOVERY OF FUNDING This funding is being provided under sections 14-to-16 of the Education Act 2002 and the DfE reserve the right to audit the expenditure. The DfE will seek to recover funding that has been paid in error. The recipient must notify DfE immediately, through the ESFA enquiry form, where it becomes aware of any instance of error, suspected fraud or financial irregularity in the use of the funds.

MONITORING, ASSURANCE AND DATA REQUIREMENTS NHS England has a responsibility to make sure that public funds are properly managed in line with the conditions attached to the funding; NHS England reserve the right to check that funds have been spent appropriately. The DfE may adjust an institution’s allocation if an institution has not engaged with their SAIS or local health teams. NHS England and the Department for Education reserve the right to request assurance of this grant funding and will provide further details as necessary. 

April May 2022 25

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TECHNO GEEK

I C T M AT T E R S

Techno Geek On-premise IT systems in schools – time for change?

NIGEL MILLIGAN – provider of proactive IT support to schools – on the mysterious reasons why schools are still nervous of stepping into the cloud-based world that is waiting to improve almost everything

F

or many years it’s been very difficult for school This was an ideal opportunity to migrate to the cloud staff to be able to access everything they need but, again, IT support companies didn’t promote the move when working from home or at off-site meetings; to Google or Microsoft Cloud options for free; they set up the use of a VPN and remote access is just messy, complicated, VPN access to on-premise servers. another set of things that can go wrong and create In April 2019 the DfE published guidance on cloudmore problems for IT support to have to fix. based options for schools. The information provided clearly There are a number of different reasons why an highlights the benefits for schools in moving away from organisation – a business or a school - will opt for onon-premise devices. The main benefits are: ● Economy - saving money. premise systems and servers that are based on site, ● Efficiency - saving teachers’ time. physically in the building; the traditional Windows ● Effectiveness - what you can do. domain server and client machines remain a very ● Security - can be much more secure. common solution for many organisations.

One of the reasons schools choose this approach is As an IT support professional I find it difficult to that they only know what they know. Many IT companies comprehend why anyone wouldn’t consider retiring on supporting schools still want to up-sell expensive, onsite servers and opting for cloud-based solutions instead. premise, servers and do their best to There are so many benefits to not having hold schools back from advancing into a server on site that needs to be kept a cloud-based world that will enable physically secure as well as having to staff and students to work anytime and maintain the hardware and software.

There are so anywhere they wish to.

For example, the free option of Google many benefits I often hear, when in conversation Workspace for Education has everything to not having a with schools, “We’ve always done it a school needs, and works on any device. that way!” and I’ve often been told, There’s also the option to convert older server on site “We’d love to do that but we haven’t got Windows devices into Chromebooks to someone like you who can help us do save schools even more money. that!”.

At the moment there are occasions At the start of the COVID-19 lockdown, in March where the school MIS and finance still need a server on site 2020, it quickly became apparent that those who to host their applications but many MIS providers now have were already cloud-based, had no problem making fully cloud-based solutions and others have longer term the transition to home working and remote learning plans to migrate their solutions to the cloud. for students. Many non cloud-based schools quickly So, in a few years time, there will be no reason at all realised they had been provided with an ineffective onwhy schools cannot be 100% cloud-based. What will the premise solution by their IT provider. reasons for not making the change be then, I wonder…

May 2022 27

I C T M AT T E R S

CYBER-SECURITY

WarGames how safe is your school?

T

IAN STOCKBRIDGE, ANME member and ICT manager at Concord College, discusses why you might need to channel an ‘80s film in order to stay cyber-safe in your school

ake a moment to congratulate yourselves and your teams for helping to provide education in the most challenging conditions since World War II. COVID-19 has taken the most terrible toll on friends, family and the economy globally. It can be hard to find a silver lining when something so tragic happens, but that is exactly what I would like to try to do.

Delivering education in these terrible conditions has made schools across the country look at IT in a completely different way - adopting new IT systems and practices in weeks that, in normal circumstances, would have been delayed by years of procrastination and discussion.

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May 2022

We have delivered benefits to staff and students that will last beyond COVID-19, and I take great heart in that.

The problem with having delivered remote access and teaching is that security policies and technical measures may not have adapted at the same rate and the world of cyber-crime has been quick to take advantage of this. Ransomware attacks targeted at education, and their devastating effects over the past 24 months, have all too often made the headlines.

Society needs to holistically review cyber-security and acknowledge our dependence on technology. We all have a responsibility to better protect the systems we depend on and the government has

never been more explicit on this; so far this year they have published a National Cyber Strategy and a Government Cyber Security Strategy 2022-2030.

It makes sense that we in the education sector do our part in reviewing our own cyber-defences in 2022, identifingy where improvements need to be made so that we can continue to do what we do best – help deliver education.

AN APOLLO 13 MOMENT The most crucial first step in this journey is getting support from the highest level. It should be clear to all the value IT has delivered over the last two years in the education sector. It was

CYBER-SECURITY

I C T M AT T E R S

Cyber-security needs to be evaluated from a ‘not if but when’ perspective our Apollo 13 moment for myself and my team, delivering great success whilst facing a very real crisis.

What may not be clear to governors, trustees, and senior management is how delivering these new services may have changed an organisation’s risks. It is essential that the whole organisation has a thorough understanding of the risks related to cyber-security. Without support from the top there is no mandate to bring in new policies, and no justification for extra resources or funding. Cybersecurity needs to be evaluated from a ‘not if but when’ perspective.

So let us start with questions that governors and trustees absolutely need to discuss with school leaders.

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has published an excellent document that provides eight insightful questions for governors and school leaders to get the ball rolling and this should generate some probing questions for IT departments.

To really get the discussion flowing, the second vital step is where you invite governors, trustees and senior management to play a game of ‘Global Thermo Nuclear War’. All of you old enough to remember WarGames will be smiling (the younger staff might need to Google it) and thinking ‘What does this have to do with the governors, trustees and senior management?’ Well, in that film, the computer ran thousands of simulations to work out what would be the best way to ‘win a nuclear war’ without actually having one.

So why can’t we simulate having a cyber-incident without actually having one? The great news is that you can, and the process is sometimes described as ‘wargaming’ (tenuous link, but we got there in the end). Once again, the NCSC has delivered another excellent free resource for us called, rather unexcitingly, ‘exercise in a box’.

Whilst not as exciting as simulating the end of the world, it helps you simulate

a series of different types of cyberevent without being under the pressure of dealing with an actual cyber-event.

Ideally, you will want a representative from the board of governors or trustees, a member of senior management, your data protection officer and the IT manager to take part. If possible, get a teacher to run the event like a presenter, allowing the key stakeholders to focus on their specialist areas.

These processes will reveal one of two things: You are totally prepared and evervigilant for the changing cyber-risks your school faces.

You will have identified areas that require further attention.

The idea of this first blog is to get the ball rolling and get people asking the right questions about cyber security. If you have found this helpful, I will follow up with some suggestions about what to do next.

May the force be with you.

1 2

May 2022 29

LIVE IT

TEABREAK

LIVE IT

Time to take a few moments out for some light and interesting reading – a wellearned break from numbers and statistics!

DID YOU KNOW?

Caption competition Let us know your funny caption ideas by tweeting us @edexec

Did you know each insect is host to ten bacterial species? There are around two billion species on Earth - with 6.8m likely to be species of insects - and up to 10 types of bacteria live inside of each of these insects!

Pub quiz 1. Which English monarch had the shortest reign, at just nine days?

2. The Alps mountain range stretches across France, Italy, Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Switzerland and which other country?

3. In which ocean is an island so remote it was named Inaccessible Island?

4. Which famous King of England is the Queen’s 25th-great-grandfather?

5. What was the name of the UK’s first ever newspaper?

Answers: 1. Lady Jane Grey 2.

Liechtenstein 3. Atlantic 4. William the Conqueror 5. The Daily Courant 30

May 2022

LIFE HACK

Are deodorant stains plaguing your clothes? Never fear – women’s tights are here! Here’s the way to use them simply rub the deodorant stain with the tights and the notorious white marks will disappear.

TEABREAK

Well, knock me down with a feather!

THUMBS UP!

Crowdfunding kindness A man who turned to crowdfunding to pay for a new wheelchair has been stunned by an “amazing display of humanity” from “complete strangers”, BBC News has reported. Robert West, 35, received government funding for a new £11,403 wheelchair, but needed to source nearly £3,000 himself. He raised the money within a day of starting the “embarrassing” appeal. Mr West, from the Huntingdonshire area of Cambridgeshire, described the donors’ help as “life-changing”. The teaching assistant needs a wheelchair to get to work, as well as to socialise, shop and walk his dog without relying on assistance. Mr West, who has cerebral palsy, said, “I am very grateful.

The idea that complete strangers would help someone they hardly know is stunning. It’s an amazing display of humanity.”

“

“

QUOTE OF THE MONTH The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched they must be felt with the heart.

Helen Keller

Asteroid arrival The asteroid which killed nearly all dinosaurs struck the Earth during the spring, according to new research, Sky News has reported. To reach their conclusions, researchers searched parts of North Dakota in the US to find fossilised paddlefishes and sturgeons that were killed when the asteroid made impact with Earth. They used powerful X-rays and carbon isotope records of the bones of fish that died less than an hour after the asteroid hit. The carbon isotopes acted as a tracer to help work out how carbon atoms have changed over the years.

They found the shock of impact caused huge standing waves of water which moved sediment, engulfing fish and burying them alive.

LIVE IT

YOU LOOK LIKE YOU’VE SEEN A GHOST...SHARK As reported by Sky News, a baby ghost shark has been found by scientists off the east coast of New Zealand’s South Island. The days-old creature, which is also known as a chimaera, was discovered shortly after being hatched at a depth of about 1.2km (0.7 miles) on the Chatham Rise, an area of ocean floor. Scientists from the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research said the deep water shark must have recently been born as its belly was still full of egg yolk. The embryos of ghost sharks develop in egg capsules laid on the sea floor and feed off a yolk until they become ready to hatch. The team was carrying out a trawl survey to estimate populations of hoki fish when they discovered the newly-hatched animal, which is related to sharks and rays.

Other names for it include rat fish, spook fish and rabbit fish, according to the Shark Trust. 

May 2022 31

LIVE IT

60 SECONDS

6 0 S E C O N D S W IT H DEBORAH WALKER, business manager, tells us about wild water swimming and why being an SBL is like marmite...

Deborah Walker, business manager All Saints Catholic College

What led to your current role?

My children attend the same primary school; before this I was the office manager and credit controller for 17 years at a geological wholesaler. I then took a secretarial post for nine months at Kirkwood Hospice - and it was a real shock to leave there after such a short time but a vacancy arose at our local, ‘outstanding’, primary school which my eldest child had just started to attend; it was too good an opportunity to miss.

I had an amazing 12 years there, and loved every minute; I felt privileged to be in a setting, working for a living, where both my children attended. I then secured a post within the local authority (LA) as the management information team manager supporting 160 schools across the LA for their administration (MIS systems) and finance. This post quickly extended to include help with SBM recruitment for surrounding schools both within the LA and beyond. However, I did miss being in a school setting and, after three years, I realised I needed to get back into a school and secured my current post in a catholic high school where I have been for the last six years.

Tell me something unusual or interesting about yourself.

After reaching a sensible age I have thrown caution to the wind and started cycling, gym classes and wild water swimming! The latter is exhilarating, and tests your confidence – especially on cold, dark, winter evenings! My next challenge is in June when I hope to cycle from London to Brighton in aid of the British Heart Foundation.

What has been your favourite aspect of working as a school business professional so far?

Providing support and professional development has been a great aspect

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May 2022

as it allowed me to help new school business managers progress and succeed. For the last 20 years my role has extended to include being part of the Kirklees Advocate Team as a school business manager advocate representative for Kirklees, leading the school business manager’s termly network. I’m also registered as a School Business Professional Network Leader by the DfE. What’s been your greatest professional achievement to date?

Being part of the team responsible for shaping the build of a new high school.

How do you ensure that you continue to grow, personally and professionally?

That’s easy – there is always something new to learn and new to adopt into your working life. Education doesn’t stand still and, if you are the right person for the role, you won’t either.

What three words would you use to describe your role?

I can use one – ‘Marmite’! You love it and you hate it! You never know what the next day will bring – if you like surprises, challenges and diversity, then this role is for you.

If there was one thing about your job you could change, what would it be?

Having more time! It would be great to take time to understand new initiatives before you implement them.

Funniest SBM moment you’d care to share?

I have numerous - and a few of my colleagues will know exactly one that springs to mind with a quality street tin, but I cannot disclose it! It still brings tears of laughter down my cheeks! 

Transforming Academy Banking We can: • Increase the returns you achieve from your cash deposits and cash management* • Review your Cash Deposit and Investment policy* • Provide training for your Finance team to support Fraud Awareness (Fraud losses to the Education sector rose by 280% from 2017 to 2018)*

Where needed, advice and support on the following is also included in order to: • Significantly reduce the need for Mandate variations across Multi Academy Trusts* • Reduce control and fraud risks in your banking function and set up* • Remove annual card fees for Multi Academy Trust charge cards/procurement cards whilst giving central oversight and control* • Help you reduce cash in your schools and streamline procurement* In addition, we can:

• Offer a review of your DPO function and supply a compliant professional DPO service • Audit and advise on your HR & Risk Management approach • Supply a professional Clerking service

*

These services are provided on a “Net Negative Cost” to you with our fee being a percentage of the first-year modelled uplift in your interest earnings and banking fee reductions.

Interest guidance will be based on your own risk appetite in accordance with your Cash Deposit and Investment policy (we include the drafting of a policy if one is not in place or requires updating).

www.educationbanking.co.uk ianbuss@educationbanking.co.uk 07796 940193

Thursday 5 July 2018 Leicester/Northampton

www.isbl.org.uk/regionalconferences For more information and to book your place please visit:

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Boosting relationships Boosting relationships with with external stakeholders external stakeholders through through excellent customer excellentservice customer service

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24/09/2019 09:46:30

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will make in the future • Recognise the contribution that our members have made, continue to make, and G OGIONIGN GG LGOLBOABLA L ER TR ETE and their schools BE BT N N A A H H T T E E F F SA SA meet the needs of the profession, their employers • Guarantee that the standards RY RRY SO other professional sectors SO AC AC HH I EI V E IVNI N G GA *A * • Raise the profile of school business demonstrating peer parity with MM Aprofessionals, R AR KK E TE ITNI N GG

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At At Education Education Executive, Executive, wewe understand understand that that thethe school school across allbusiness areas ofmanager’s the school and the impactever-growing, on staff and morale. business manager’s role role is ever-changing, is ever-changing, ever-growing, The 2018ever-challenging Regional Conferences will focus on ‘Confidently approaching changes’ ever-challenging and and ever-rewarding. ever-rewarding.

AsAs thethe firstfirst and and quoting quotingreference reference“EESUB6” “EESUB6”totoqualify qualify only only business business management management publication publication forfor school school leaders, leaders, ourour aimaim is to is to support support and and champion champion business business 020 3794 3794 8555 8555 CALL CALL : : 020 of children and deliver a world-class education system. and and financial financial excellence. excellence. and meaningful dialogue, peer to peer, about how they can improve the life chances subscriptions@intelligentmedia.co.uk EMAIL EMAIL : : subscriptions@intelligentmedia.co.uk Every Every month month wewe offer offer inspiring inspiring articles, articles, sector sector news news and and Our regional conferences allow school business professionals to engage in a rich edexec.co.uk WEB WEB : : edexec.co.uk easy-to-read easy-to-read management management advice. advice.

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TERMS TERMS & CONDITIONS & CONDITIONS Subscription Subscription is free is free for for six months six months for for firstfirst timetime subscribers. subscribers.

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London - 9th June 2022 Manchester 6th October 2022

SEMINARS FOR SUPERHEROES We know being an SBL can often feel like being a superhero. Juggling multiple tasks and often saving the day. To support you in your challenging and varied role we have sessions on #notbroken, being 10% braver, finance, estate GET management, health and safety, management of TICKETS NOW school support functions, It’s just 3 weeks until sustainability, marketing, we’re LIVE, contact ICT and much more! hello@edexeclive.co.uk before June 2nd to book your place!