December EdExec

DECEMBER 2011 / ISSUE 75

DECEMBER 2011 / ISSUE 75

EDUCATION EXECUTIVE

EDUCATION EXECUTIVE supporting business and financial excellence in schools and colleges

ABSENTEEISM  PROCUREMENT  PRIMARY PARTNERSHIPS

LEAVING ABSENCE Why truancy figures are still too high

HOT TOPIC Are you up to date on your fire safety regulations?

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PRIMARY MOTIVE A day in the life of a Primary Partnership SBM

EdExec partners

editor’s letter

EDUCATION EXECUTIVE

DECEMBER 2011

www.edexec.co.uk

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.

EDITOR julia dennison julia.dennison@intelligentmedia.co.uk REPORTER jonathan hills jonathan.hills@intelligentmedia.co.uk PUBLISHER vicki baloch vicki.baloch@intelligentmedia.co.uk SENIOR SALES EXECUTIVE neil pauksztello neil.pauksztello@intelligentmedia.co.uk SALES EXECUTIVES jonathan love jonathan.love@intelligentmedia.co.uk george carey george.carey@intelligentmedia.co.uk DIGITAL MANAGER dan price dan.price@intelligentmedia.co.uk DESIGNER sarah chivers sarah.chivers@intelligentmedia.co.uk PRODUCTION AND CIRCULATIONS natalia johnston natalia.johnston@intelligentmedia.co.uk

Education Executive is published by intelligent media solutions suite 223, business design centre 52 upper street, london, N1 0QH tel 020 7288 6833 fax 020 7288 6834 email info@intelligentmedia.co.uk web www.intelligentmedia.co.uk Follow Education Executive on Twitter at Twitter.com/edexec Printed in the UK by Buxton Press www.buxtonpress.co.uk

The sweetest thing

O

ne of the best things about being editor of a magazine such as this one is you get to hear all kinds of great stories.

While I enjoy every school I visit in my role, every now and then there’s one that really sticks in my memory. While this bumper issue is full of great stories, it was my interview with Wren Spinney Community Special School (p30) that has reminded me of why I love my job.

Despite very little funding to do so, Wren Spinney has managed to open and keep open a sweet shop in Kettering town centre to give its pupils with severe learning disabilities the chance to experience working life. But what moved me most about visiting the shop and meeting the pupils was not so much what it was doing for them (that is a given for any great school), but also what it is doing for the greater community. Not only does the town get a really lovely old-fashioned sweet shop with old-fashioned service, but the locals get a chance to learn about the many things people with special educational needs can achieve. David Cameron clearly has a sweet tooth, as he’s recognised Wren Spinney as the next Big Society champion, and since my interview, has invited the leadership team to Downing Street.

After my request for school business managers working in federations to get in touch, it’s clear that federated working is happening more and more, since quite a few of you got in touch who worked for more than one school. One is Angie Dinnell-Heywood, who is working with four local primary schools as part of the National College’s School Business Management Partnership programme (see p16). What’s becoming clear is that while it’s common for school business managers to work across more than one school, it’s not always a smart decision. With so much more autonomy in education these days, all schools would do well to have their own school business manager, or risk working the one they share to near death. One thing is for certain – it’s a good time to be an SBM (not to mention write about them). With all the changes to the education sector, you’re very much in demand. Here’s wishing you a very merry Christmas and see you in the New Year!

EDITOR

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Contents

30 sector

rocure

lan

the lowdown on the business management world

make your school’s budget go further

06 Sector news

30 Interview

08 News analysis

The latest school business management news and views

Leaving absence With truancy figures still too high, here’s how to combat absenteeism

12 Diary

34 health & safety

Community service Marian Farrar develops business and community partnerships

schools in focus

what’s happening at a primary or secondary school near you

14 PRIMARY update

Partners in time Knowledgeable Angie Dinnell-Heywood shares her experience with local Shropshire primary schools as Primary Partnership SBM

20 SECONDARY update

News and views in the secondary, further and higher education sector

22 News analysis

Keep in touch How to keep parents better informed both online and off

24 independent update

News and views from academies, fee-paying and free schools

26 Case study

Free to be free?

The legalities behind free schools setting their own agendas

Look out for news, products and competitions from our sponsors

A hot topic Reducing the cost of fire safety in schools

management

tune up your management skills

36 Top 5 tips

News and views in the nursery, early years and primary school sector

16 Interview

A unique approach A visit to the outstanding and award-winning sweet shop run by Wren Spinney Community Special School in Kettering

Networking Your guide to working the room

38 WORK/LIFE

Break time Put your feet up and take your break right here

ICT matters

the latest technological innovations in schools today

40 ICT news

The latest updates and developments in school technology

42 Case study

Staying safe online

Berkshire’s Bishopswood Junior School initiates a pupil e-safety project

44 Event preview

BETT 2012 The biggest ICT trends in preparation for next year’s BETT show

50 Help Desk

Techno Geek

Laptops – the best, brightest and better value

sector Sector news is brought to you by Free banking for schools supported by local specialist relationship managers Lloyds TSB Commercial - well educated banking

FUNDING WATCH £500M TO ADDRESS SHORTAGE IN PUPIL PLACES

Photo: educationgovuk

06

Funding of £500m will be shared out among 100 local authorities to address shortages in pupil places. The money was made available from cuts made to the Building Schools for the Future programme.

The allocations, to be awarded to 110 councils in England, have been calculated using figures provided to the Department for Education through the 2011 School Capacity and Forecast Information returns.

“I understand the economic situation means difficult choices need to be made about how to direct funding but I urge local authorities to target resources at managing the shortfalls in pupil places wherever they are most needed, and taking into account of the views of parents,” said Education Secretary Michael Gove in a speech announcing the allocation.

Data released recently by the Office for National Statistics showed that previous projections for population growth were underestimated and by 2020 there will be around 21% more primary age children than in 2010.

This extra funding means that in 2011-12, a total of £1.3bn will have been allocated by the DfE to fund additional school places.

“The nature of this funding – capital grant which is not ring fenced; the nature of the projects it will fund – mainly small primary school projects; and the readiness of local authorities to get projects underway, mean that this money will be spent efficiently,” Gove added.

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STORY OF THE MONTH SCHOOL FUNDING VARIES BY AS MUCH AS 40% PER PUPIL Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee has published a report on public service spending, leading to calls for a restructure of the formula used to ensure fairness and equality in the future.

The repercussions of the report could have a significant effect on the future budgets of maintained schools, which rely upon local authority grants for their income.

MPs on the committee evaluated the Dedicated Schools Grant, criticising the current funding model as being too “complex and difficult to understand” and stating that too much emphasis has been put on the stability and continuity of local public services in the past, rather than assessing local authorities on the basis of their need.

The committee indicated that this had led to significant inconsistencies in public spending and that the funding that maintained schools received per pupil could vary by as much as 40% across the country.

Committee chair Margaret Hodge said that there are “a lot of things wrong” with the current formula used and that many local authorities were struggling to understand the formula.

“The actual needs of local authorities are assessed but, because priority is given to stability of funding, 20% of the authorities receive funding that is more than 10% higher or lower than they need,” she said.

“The current system for distributing central government funding to local bodies is complex and difficult to understand,” added Hodge, who stated that “too often it results in local public bodies getting the wrong amount of money, which is not fair to local communities.”

The report found that the £152bn, one-fifth of all government spending, was allocated in 2011-12 in the form of three formula-based grants.

One of these grants, the Dedicated Schools Grant that funds maintained schools, was the largest single funding stream to English local government before the start of the academies movement.

They said...

The point of education is to change lives.

It’s not good enough for teachers in shire counties to be satisfied with half of children getting five good GCSEs, when Mossbourne Academy achieves 82% in Hackney Prime Minister David Cameron writing in a comment piece in The Telegraph on why the UK should will not tolerate “coasting schools” that are “smothering children’s potential”

sector NEWS

INBRIEF

PICTURE STORY

SEND PROGRAMME

Children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) have made progress in attainment, behaviour and attendance under a government-funded pilot. Results from the Achievement for All programme, which has been running in around 450 schools for the last two years, saw children make greater progress in English and maths than other SEND children across the country. A significant number even exceeded the progress of non-SEND children.

As part of initiatives surrounding the SEND green paper, the government will be providing £14m to help fund the roll-out of the programme. “Schools can now see for themselves the evidence that this programme works,” said Children and Families Minister Sarah Teather, calling for schools to sign up.

EDUCATION BILL PASSED Children from Prince Albert School join Olympic swimming hopeful and Commonwealth Games medalist, Grant Turner, in a temporary swimming pool in Aston Birmingham, last month to mark the return of the British Gas Pools 4 Schools programme to the area. The programme teaches children to learn to swim and has already taught over 4,000 children at the King Edward IV Aston playing fields site. The children will be guests at the British Gas Swimming Championships in March 2012, where Turner will be competing in the freestyle events

DIARY 6 December Education Reform Conference Arlington Conference Centre, London 8 December Academies and Free Schools - impact, expansion and further reform Central London 11-14 January BETT Olympia, London 31 January Academies Manchester

STATS & FACTS

89%

of parents are happy with their child’s school meals

80% of parents would like more information from the school about what their child is eating

81% of parents would like to pay for their child’s meal online

96% of children would like to learn to cook in school

The government’s Education Bill has been granted royal assent, completing the legislative path for the bill to become the first significant piece of educational legislation since the Academies Act in 2010. The government hopes the Education Act 2011 will improve pupil behaviour, boost teaching standards and increase accountability of schools in the future.

Among the provisions included in the act is the power granting teachers to stop and search pupils without consent, the entitlement to free early years provision for disadvantaged two-year-olds and an ability to exempt some schools from routine Ofsted inspections. The act will also introduce new powers to tackle underperforming schools including extended powers for the secretary of state to close them if necessary.

BUILDING EXPANSION LESS ‘PRESCRIPTIVE’ Regulations restricting the expansion and maintenance of school buildings are to be relaxed as part of the independent capital review recommendations, made following an investigation into how schools could be built and maintained more cost-effectively. The Department for Education said that “schools across England are to be freed from confusing and unnecessary regulations on school buildings” and demanded a more “common sense approach” in the way that schools are maintained. The department did, however, state that the new proposals would “provide strong safeguards, especially for vulnerable pupils”. Changes include abandoning a policy that requires schools to provide an area for drying pupils’ coats.

www.lloydstsb.com/schoolsbanking | 0800 681 6078 www.edexec.co.uk

/ december 2011

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08

sector news analysis

Absent-minded While truancy figures released by the government are lower than last year, Westminster says they are still too high. With budget cuts hitting schools’ abilities to tackle the problem, GRAHAM JARVIS looks at measures schools can take to measure and combat absenteeism

P

rimary and secondary schools, including academies, are doing their utmost to tackle and reduce unauthorised truancy and absenteeism in the face of stringent government budget cuts. For example, in September, the Yorkshire Post newspaper wrote that £1.5m has been cut from councils’ education and welfare service and attendance strategy teams budgets – money that would normally be allocated to managing this issue.

When he was the Conservative Party’s shadow schools minister, Nick Gibb criticised the former Labour government for spending more than £1bn on tackling persistent truancy and absenteeism by suggesting that it had failed. In October, eGov reported that official Department for Education figures reveal that 450,000 pupils were still missing lessons in the autumn of 2010 and the spring of 2011.

This is said to equate to 10% of all of the classes in primary and secondary schools, and involve more than a million pupils. During this period there was a two per cent rise in the unauthorised pupil absence rate in England, highlights the Independent. So it appears that the coalition government is still struggling with the issue, and has reduced the persistent truancy threshold from 20% to 15% in order to put pressure on schools to tackle the issue.

reasons For aBsenTeeism However, DfE figures state that 61% of any absenteeism was due to illness. Doctor and dentist appointments provided another legitimate reason for pupils being absent (five per cent), authorised absence for a family holiday amounted to six per cent of all absences and unauthorised holidays accounted for 2.5% of them.

The latter is cited as a key problem, as some parents want to take advantage of low-cost holidays during the off-peak tourist season and some aren’t able to afford to take their families away during school holidays. They factor in the £50 or £100 penalty for unauthorised absenteeism into the total cost of their holidays. They work out how much they can save because they think it’s worth the risk.

Phil Neal, MD of Capita SIMS, says that it’s a problem that does need to be tackled because the link between attendance and achievement is well documented. “The more time a pupil spends in school, the more he or she will learn,” he comments; before suggesting that the government is focusing on attendance because this will raise standards across the board.

Due to their past experiences during their own school days, some parents might not realise why it’s important to make sure they fulfil their legal obligations. Schools are therefore working with parents to raise their awareness of the impact absenteeism will have on their child’s education and future employment prospects.

Neal’s view is supported by Paul Quinn, vice principal for Key Stage 4 at the Harefield Academy, who also thinks there is no direct link between how much money is spent on tackling the issue and a statistic. “We have found that [since] we started as an academy six years ago, we have made some improvements, but you get to a certain figure where you have persistently absent students and no amount of money will solve it,” he argues.

december 2011

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“One thing is certain – nothing stays the same. So it’s good to have solid specialist support.”

Bruce Doy, Business Manager at The Boswells School.

For Bruce, like anyone else managing a school, change is always on the horizon. So his local Relationship Manager’s in-depth knowledge of the education sector is very important to him. All our school clients benefit from this locally-based expertise, as well as: • Direct access to a local specialist support team • A best value package of services, support and products • Discounts on ParentPay – an innovative service which provides a cashless online payment system for schools and parents.

To see if our service impresses you as much as it has Bruce, visit www.lloydstsb.com/schoolbanking or call us on 0800 681 6078.

Calls may be monitored or recorded. Lloyds TSB Commercial is a trading name of Lloyds TSB Bank plc and Lloyds TSB Scotland plc and serves customers with an annual turnover of up to £15m.

10

sector news analysis

Technology helps Yet this doesn’t mean that Harefield is not doing anything to deal with this today. Like many other schools and academies, it’s turned to technology to help sort out the authorised absences like sickness and family holidays for which consent has been given by the academy), from situations whereby a pupil is refusing to attend with or without parental knowledge.

“What we do daily is use a truancy call system on a lesson-bylesson basis to register those who are and those who are not at school,” he explains. If someone is absent the academy’s staff can use the system to either call a child’s parents or send a text message and log what they have done to find out why the child wasn’t present. This alerts parents who may not be aware of their child’s absence, and enables them to swiftly take action by bringing the child back or to school.

The system also allows the academy to work with parents on issues that make it difficult for them to bring their child to school.

These might include a very busy schedule at work or because the parents don’t have the means to transport the child to the school.

Harefield has found this system to be very useful, although the reduction in truancy and absenteeism rates is still marginal.

When the academy started it had an attendance rate of 90%, but this has now risen to 93%. Quinn agrees that this doesn’t look like a great gain, but it has taken his staff a huge amount of effort to achieve and maintain.

He also works with education welfare officers who support his academy through the legal process whenever it is required.

Student managers also conduct home visits to meet the parents of consistent offenders to examine any issues that may be preventing a child from attending school, (and it permits any causes of poor attendance to be resolved).

Val Cameron, headteacher at The Park Lane Primary School, says that truancy is not an issue primary schools tend to face. Unauthorised holidays tend to be the main reason for absenteeism in her sector, but she also employs similar tactics to those used in secondary schools. Her school, for example, uses an electronic register in the morning and afternoon to record attendance, and software to help to inform parents of any absence.

Parents can easily communicate with the school too.

Using her management information system, she can keep her eye on unauthorised absence and take any appropriate action to ensure that a child’s attendance improves. Although primary school children don’t move classes during a school day, the technology helps the school to monitor any patterns of absence. A teacher can then inform Cameron, parents, a student manager and an education welfare officer about the problem to resolve any issues that might be arising.

Parents can log into the system to monitor their child’s attendance and find out other information concerning his or her progress. Cameron also uses a reward system to encourage pupils to attend school, and this includes an attendance bear. She says that other schools sometimes offer certificates or something else to motivate pupils to turn up, including entry into prize draws and prizes for good attendance.

The more time a pupil spends in school, the more he or she will learn

Answering the conundrum By working with parents, children, education welfare officers and student managers, using motivational tactics and effective communication, (with the help of information communications) technology is helping to reduce truancy and absenteeism.

However, schools would like to do more, like going to fetch a truant or persistently absent child to bring him or her back to school, but what they can achieve is being severely restricted by tighter budgets. So tighter government targets will only deliver marginal improvements in attendance rates, and it therefore needs to provide better solutions to this conundrum.

december 2011

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sector news analysis

These are the children Enjoying their creative lesson With brushes, paper and paints Ordered from Viking By their favourite teacher Call us today on 0844 412 0000 or shop online www.vikingschools.co.uk

All the inspiration your school needs

11

12

sector community outreach

DIARY

Community service Marian Farrar has been employed at St Aidan’s CE High School, Harrogate for the past four and a half years to develop business and community partnerships. She speaks about her role

I

can’t believe it is now more than four years since I came to work at St Aidan’s CE High School and it was with some trepidation that, after a lifetime of business ownership and selfemployment, I accepted the newly created post of business liaison officer.

For my part, I was excited by the opportunity to join up the dots between education and the workplace and I’m also a committed champion of community contribution. It is as important for schools, as it is for local business, council and third sector organisations, to operate in genuine collaboration, to network extensively and to forge strong, mutually beneficial partnerships.

In practice, I work on a number of levels and engage in projects that benefit an entire year group as well as bespoke initiatives to enrich individual or curriculum-specific experience. For example, I recently approached senior level staff from Grant Thornton Leeds and Adsa head office and asked them if they would combine their skills to produce and run an enterprise day for 240 Year 9 pupils. A member of staff from each company worked alongside eight form tutors so that every class of 30 was fully supported. It was a brilliant day and, as always, unearthed many ‘hidden gems’ – hitherto, challenging or disengaged pupils who come alive to the prospect of real enterprise.

What were the benefits for the two companies? In immediate terms, their corporate social responsibility quota was full to the brim – but in the long-term, there will be other ways in which I can repay the debt. Just last week, I returned to Grant Thornton’s offices to consult on a skills day they were devising for sixth form students across Yorkshire next summer.

On a smaller scale, two sixth form students have just delivered a fantastic piece of work to the stroke ward at Harrogate Hospital. One a photographer, and the other an aspiring speech therapist, together we devised a way of presenting the hospital menu pictorially so that it was accessible to stroke victims unable to articulate or interpret text. The ward sister is delighted and both young people have a unique experience to relate on personal statements or at interview.

My contacts come from a wide range of sources and if a student approaches me with a particular interest needing professional or practical expertise, I can invariably assist. St Aidan’s is an active member of Harrogate Chamber of Commerce and I have, for the past three years, sat on its management committee.

One hundred members attended a marketing seminar in our Constance Green Hall last July – and I also host a monthly meeting of the regional self-employed professionals group. I get regular contact with 25 highly skilled human resource specialists (and rope them in to CV-building workshops and mock interview sessions) and they benefit from a central, rent-free space to meet, with good parking facilities and bourbon biscuits!

We welcome the wider community to the school and I have initiated annual events that attract people from across the county, including an accurately measured 5k run in partnership with Up & Running and Literary Tea (now part of the Harrogate International Festival Fringe programme).

Linking with our local church, our hugely successful catering team also provides a monthly two-course lunch for 50 elderly neighbours.

My job is extremely varied and infinitely rewarding. It satisfies my entrepreneurial inclinations as I am, on a daily basis, engaged in constructing a jigsaw of opportunities, piecing together commercial expertise and curriculum links while matching talent and aspiration to workplace experience. Keeping the networking channels open means I don’t work nine to five – but then, I never have!

I get regular contact with 25 highly skilled human resource specialists and they benefit from a central, rent-free space to meet, with good parking facilities and bourbon biscuits! december 2011

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14

schools in focus

primary update

wolverhampton

What’s going on in the world of primary school and nursery management

london hampshire

Nursery news

Children’s fitness and weight a cause for concern A nationwide survey has shown that 87% of early years professionals are concerned that under- fives are not getting enough physical activity and 84% believe that more children are becoming overweight.

NHS Change4Life recommends raising children’s heartbeats to “faster than normal” for a minimum of 60 minutes a day to prevent storing fat, which can lead to later life health problems resulting from obesity, including diabetes and cancer. Making physical activity enjoyable from a young age encourages children that it’s fun to be fit and helps them to meet these guidelines naturally.

Naomi Woodstock, campaign manager for Haven Fun & Fitness, which conducted the survey, commented: “Early years professionals are in a unique position to help children to be more active. Preschool or nursery can often be the only place where a child can run around freely and we want to support those who are making a difference to young children’s physical development.”

Now in its fourth year, the Haven Fun & Fitness Sports Equipment Giveaway campaign was set up to help early years settings provide exciting physical activities. To register for the 2011/12 campaign, visit www.havenfunfitess.com.

‘National offer day’ launched for primary schools Oakmeadow Primary School and Bushbury Hill Primary School, Wolverhampton

The Department for Education has announced “fairer and simper changes” to the schools admissions codes following a 12-week consultation on proposals to overhaul the current system.

Changes to the admissions process include a “national offer day” for primary schools, replacing the current system where different admissions authorities release information on different dates.

This new “national offer day” is set to commence on 16 April of each year from 2014, although a three-week consultation on the code’s specific regulations, including this date, is set to begin shortly. The move will see all 800,000 primary school places offered on a single day.

According to the DfE, changes made to the applications process aim to give more power and autonomy to schools and parents and increase “fairness” between privileged children and those from deprived backgrounds.

Oversubscribed schools will now have the opportunity to expand without permission from local authorities and without limitation other than space restrictions and compliance to health and safety regulations.

ASCL general secretary Brian Lightman welcomed the DfE’s intention of simplifying the admissions code, but insisted the “changes must be fair and give all pupils an equal chance to receive a good education”, fearing the proposed changes could have the opposite effect.

“Allowing ‘popular’ schools to expand will do nothing to improve social mobility,” he said. “It will create sink schools in many areas of deprivation and hit hardest those children whose parents do not or cannot take an interest in their education.”

Schools will also be permitted to take multiple-birth children and children of armed forces personnel into infant classes even if the class exceeds the 30-child legal limit.

Furthermore, schools will be allowed to prioritise the children of staff who have been recruited to fill a particular skills shortage within the school and council “lotteries” that have been used to determine pupil placement in the past will now be banned.

The DfE says parents have been supportive of all the proposed changes throughout the consultation process.

Also under the new code, adopted children who have previously been in care (or those who have left care under special guardianship or residence order) are to be granted the same priority as those who still remain in care – affecting around 5,000 children each year.

sTATs & FACTS

1/5 december 2011

\ www.edexec.co.uk

of children on free school meals are not eating their allocated meal, according to Jamie Oliver’s latest manifesto

The new Oakmeadow Primary School in Wolverhampton is the first Passivhaus school from architects Architype. Passivhaus is an energy performance standard for buildings

schools in focus primary news

Moira Stewart presents primary with award Crondall Primary School, Hampshire

Crondall Primary School, a Food for Life Partnership school in Hampshire, scooped the School Catering Award at the Education Business Awards on 10 November.

TV presenter Moira Stewart OBE presented the award to headteacher Megan Robinson, saying: “I think our future is in safe hands.”

Sponsored by the Local Authority Caterers Association, the award recognises schools that are committed to supplying healthy school meals and value for money for pupils.

Robinson was delighted to receive the award.

“We believe that teaching children about healthy food and where it comes from is hugely important in the face of rising obesity levels,” she said. “This catering award, along with our Food for Life Partnership Gold award, means that we can be confident that our children will make informed food choices for years to come.”

A Food for Life Partnership flagship school, Crondall Primary was awarded the Gold award in December last year for its commitment to transforming its school food culture.

To achieve the Food for Life Partnership Gold award, the school proved itself as a hub for good food

culture in the local community. Parents and community groups are actively involved with cooking and growing activities within the school.

School meals are at least 75% freshly prepared, 50% local and 30% organic, and more than 70% of pupils are choosing to eat school meals. Every pupil learns to cook and has the opportunity to grow food, and groups of pupils are actively involved in the life of a local farm.

Crondall Primary is particularly proud of its organic kitchen garden. Designed by parents and built using funds from the National Lottery’s Local Food grant, the garden is maintained by the children, parents and members of the communities and is visited by other school groups in the area.

charity WATCH Schools reminded to sign up for sign2sing Schools all over the country are being reminded to sign up this term for a charity world record-breaking attempt for the most people signing and singing simultaneously. SignHealth, the national healthcare charity for deaf people, is inviting schools nationwide to register now for the event, which takes place on 8 February 2012. Steve Powell, chief executive at SignHealth, said: “Earlier this year 94,489 children took part in our sign2sing 2011 event and smashed the Guinness World Record. The previous record was 13,418. On February 8, 2012, we are once again inviting schoolchildren to take part in the world record attempt for the most people signing and singing a song at the same time. News of the event is spreading rapidly and there are already more than 300 schools registered.We need a lot more schools if we are going to smash our current record and involve more than 150,000 youngsters, so we are urging schools to get in touch now.” To sign up, visit www.sign2sing.org.uk.

Infant school ‘travels’ three-times around equator Scargill Infant School, London

Scargill Infant School (SIS) in the London Borough of Havering has travelled three-times around the world – by web link.

Just under a year ago, the school made its first international link via video conference to Bell Top Elementary School in New York State. Twelve months later, each class at SIS has its own partner school – some local, others international.

Headteacher Kath Keeper’s vision was for the children in her school to experience what it is like to communicate using a technology that she redicts will be used in the workplace of the future, and to experience learning about another school community.

As a result, SIS has had regular conferences with schools in Devon and Cumbria; Virginia, USA; and one local primary school – thus ‘travelling’ almost three times around the equator (83,548 virtual miles) during the last academic year.

SEND IN YOUR STORIES Kesaia Toganivalu (11) of St. Matthew’s Primary School, Westminster with Youbab Khan (8) and Onye Agwu (7) in the playground she designed as part of Viking’s ‘Win a Playground’ competition, landing her school an outdoor space worth £25,000

We are always looking for local school news. If you have a story to share, email editor@edexec.co.uk

www.edexec.co.uk

/ december 2011

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16

schools in focus Interview

Shrewd in Shrewsbury School business manager Angie Dinnell-Heywood has taken on the challenging task of advising a group of four primary schools near the secondary school where she works in Shrewsbury. This opportunity came as part of the National College’s Primary Partnership School Business Manager scheme. Julia Dennison visited her to find out what she’s doing to help these schools and their very busy headteachers

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hen Angie Dinnell-Heywood takes me around the primary schools she’s working with as part of the National College’s school business management primary partnership programme, their headteachers are too busy to speak to us. One is accompanying a pupil to A&E; another is dashing around from classroom to classroom tending to a long list of things to do – and when we ask them for a few minutes of their time, they give us a look that says: “Time? I haven’t had any of that since I don’t remember when.” This is not the fault of these headteachers, who are stretched to capacity (known, even, to take out the bins), rather it is a consequence of restricted budgets that make having a business manager a luxury for primary schools like these. But it needn’t be this way. Dinnell-Heywood has been given the task of showing these schools how a business manager can pay for itself in kind. “The things that the headteachers are doing are so wrong,” she quips as we tour the schools she’s working with. “For the expertise and qualifications they’ve got, you think, why are you trying to get best value for a salt spreader?”

It’s a very good thing they have Dinnell-Heywood – for the next few months, anyway. For as I speak to her, this business manager is nine months into the year-long scheme, and while she feels she’s accomplished a lot, to help the schools understand the benefit of having access to someone in her profession, there’s still more to do – unsurprising when she’s also juggling her day job as deputy business manager of a large business and enterprise college.

This month, the primary schools will meet to decide whether they will continue to employ the help of a business manager after the National College scheme finishes in January.

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A champion of the cause After a career in finance, Dinnell-Heywood started working at the Priory School, a mixed 11-16 comprehensive business enterprise college, as a receptionist and attendance clerk. She was later promoted to assistant deputy business manager and finally deputy business manager. Priory’s first business manager was introduced as late as 2001, when a new headteacher from the south of England came in. This had a very positive effect on the running of the school and allowed it to be the forward-thinking and dynamic organisation that it is.

Dinnell-Heywood has always been a forward-thinking business manager herself, keen on a challenge. She pursued and achieved the certificate and diploma of school business management, as well as the NVQ in management, while employed at the school. Furthermore, while she was assistant deputy school business manager, she was also business manager for the Shrewsbury Partnership for Education and Training Federation, a federation consisting of seven local secondary schools, a special school, Shrewsbury College and Shrewsbury Sixth Form. The partnership ran over three years with £200,000 in annual funding from the then Department for Children, Schools and Families. “It’s always evolving, this job; always changing,” she comments of

schools in focus Interview

fact box sponsor School The Priory School Type 11-16 mixed business and enterprise college Pupils 810

Partnership schools Coleham Primary School Type 4-11 mixed community school Pupils 409 Oakmeadow CE Primary and Nursery School Type 3-11 mixed CofE school Pupils 334 St George’s Junior School Type 7-11 mixed community school

her role, which has changed even more since late last year, when the school would apply to the National College to form a school business management primary partnership with four local primary schools in the area.

A bit of background During the 2010-11 financial year, secondary schools could apply for a grant from the National College of School Leadership to employ a school business manager with a diploma in school business management to promote the profession in a minimum of four primary or junior schools, or five infant schools, as part of the school business management primary partnership scheme.

The school business manager’s role in this partnership, as always, is to oversee the financial and administrative running of the school, to free up the primary school’s headteacher to focus on teaching and learning. Areas of advising include finance, procurement, health and safety, management and support staff, grounds maintenance, premises, cleaning, service level agreements, IT support and website development.

The Priory School, a business and enterprise college in Shrewsbury, was in a relatively unique position having a business manager and a deputy

Pupils 334 School Woodfield Infant School Type 4-11 mixed community school Pupils 264 Local authority Shropshire Partnership school business manager Angie Dinnell-Heywood Time in role 11 years Background Angie started her career in working for Barclays. She began at Priory School as a receptionist and attendance clerk, which evolved into a finance assistant role, assistant deputy business manager and deputy business manager.

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schools in focus IntervIew

The things that the headteachers are doing are so wrong. For the expertise and qualifications they’ve got, you think: ‘Why are you trying to get best value for a salt spreader?’

business manager, with well-established links with local junior and primary schools. Deputy business manager Dinnell-Heywood also had the required qualifications and business management experience to feel confident enough to take on the primary partnership project.

Having put the bid together in November 2010, Priory was successful and a grant of £15,000 was issued to the school, enabling part release of Dinnell-Heywood to become partnership school business manager to Coleham Primary School, Oakmeadow CE Primary and Nursery School, st George’s Junior school and Woodfield infant school – all in the local Shrewsbury area.

the chALLenGe At hAnD As well as retaining some of her tasks as deputy business manager at Priory, Dinnell-Heywood got to work right away on a number of different projects for the four primary schools – after all, she only had a year. She came in with the ambition to help the schools save money, and prove to them the worth of having a school business manager, both for her ability to let the headteachers get on with teaching and learning, but also to share her business and financial expertise to help the school save money. She achieved her initial projected savings in the first three months alone.

The savings she made were across a number of different expenditures in the school. She looked at service level agreements with a view to encourage the partnership links to provide better economies of scale. Part of this moneysaving initiative included taking over the cleaning contracts of three of the four schools, which resulted in overall savings of £15,000 per year. She also changed the photocopier supplier in one of the schools, resulting in a more efficient and economic service, and she is currently looking at energy providers to seek the best possible value. “By working collaboratively, and outsourcing it, you can make quite a big saving,” Dinnell-Heywood says of procuring energy – or anything for that matter. “Also, there’s stability in knowing that if you go for a 36-month contract, you know exactly how much you’ll be paying.”

Other procurement projects she helped with include sourcing a new uniform provider for one school, which resulted in better value for parents and a commission for the school, and a new alarm system and front gate for improved health and safety in another. ICT was looked at and a new telephone system was installed in one primary partner. Meanwhile, two schools did not have a website, so Dinnell-Heywood made arrangements to have one set up to better market the school, helping to increase student numbers. she also made sure to give all schools her time as a financial adviser and has thus helped one headteacher and his governors request funding for the refurbishment of a toilet area for their school, in order to accommodate an expected larger intake of under-fives.

A DecIsIon to mAke Now that the primary schools have had a taster of what it’s like to have a business manager, come January it will be up to them to decide whether they will each employ one, share one or pass on having one altogether. DinnellHeywood feels she has only scratched the surface when it comes to supporting the schools’ headteachers and believes having a good school business manager is necessary in giving pupils a better learning experience, which will only have a positive impact on Priory school too. “If the headteacher’s back into teaching and learning, that improves the student coming up from the junior school,” she explains. “so it has a knock-on effect.”

As we drive away from the primary schools, she admits to being a busy woman. Dinnell-Heywood is naturally someone who wants to do the best job she can, and that has proven a challenge simply because of all the ground she’s had to cover, essentially working for five schools. it means a lot of driving around and hot-desking as she works at Priory School every morning, and goes to each of the four primary schools every afternoon of the working week except Wednesday. “With hindsight, I think I would have been more of a consultant and done the work solely from Priory,” she says. “you can’t keep running back and forth between schools – it doesn’t work.” While the schools do have the choice of keeping her, and paying her for her services, whatever their decision, this business manager hopes they will appreciate the benefit of her time – if nowhere else, at least on the balance sheet.

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The beauTy oF a business manager In her time as partnership school business manager, Dinnell-heywood helped: n n n n n n n

encourage best practice between participating schools Achieve best value and savings throughout the schools oversee building projects oversee health and safety issues procure services and equipment take cleaning in-house the headteacher to focus on teaching and learning.

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schools in focus secondary news

secondary update What’s going on in the world of secondary schools and further education

yorkshire

stevenage hayes

dagenham

Children run Stevenage Council for the day

Young adults kept on the rails A train company is helping teenagers and young adults to avoid prison and choose the right path in life.

First TransPennine Express (FTPE) and parent company First Group have donated £2,000 to the No Way Trust (also known as Prison Me No Way), a charitable organisation that teaches young people about the pitfalls of falling into a life of crime.

FTPE has been working with the trust for a number of years, providing staff volunteers at educational and motivational events across its network.

The No Way Trust is a national educational charity set up in 1995 by prison officers who wanted to make an impact on the lives of young people and turn them away from crime and its consequences using highly innovative educational techniques.

It provides a service to help young people make a success of their lives, using an approach that encourages a positive decision-making process, designed to reduce or remove the possibility of offending behaviour.

The donation will allow the charity to facilitate four secondary school events and speak to as many as 1,200 pupils.

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As a result of the donation, The No Way Trust is now in a position to offer a number of school visits and is requesting interested schools in the Leeds, Huddersfield, Dewsbury and Hull areas to get in contact and discuss the possibility of planning a future Prison Me No Way visit.

The events consist of a number of workshops with hard-hitting messages and activities where students receive talks from police and prison officers, victims of crime and serving prisoners, who all aim to raise the awareness amongst young people about the causes, consequences and penalties of crime, and the effects of antisocial behaviour. Interested parties should visit www. pmnw.co.uk.

The First Group charity and sponsorship committee considers requests for funding and gifts in kind based on charitable criteria, which include young people, health and the environment. Applications for support can be made up to the value of £3,000 and must be accompanied by a letter of recommendation from a First Group employee. For more information, visit www.firstgroup.com.

Four young people took on the management of Stevenage Borough Council and brought some challenging ideas to the table when they took part in Takeover Day on 11 November.

Fifteen-year-old Matthew Reah became chief executive, while Emily Marsh, 14, was leader of the council for the day. Kizzie Hopkinson, who is 13, was head of HR, and 14-year-old Paige Breckenridge ran Stevenage’s environmental services.

During the day, the young people experienced the working life of the post holders they took over from. They chaired team meetings, discussed key internal issues at the council and contributed to decisions affecting the wider community, giving their views as young residents confidently and ensuring their opinion was heard. They also took part in the Armistice Day ceremony and took the opportunity to discuss local issues with the residents and members of the British Legion involved.

Chief executive for the day, Matthew, said: “I was able to express my views and opinions on some very important matters and I felt that my views were taken seriously.”

The Children’s Commissioner’s Takeover Day is an initiative that gives young people the chance to work with adults for the day and be involved in decision making.

Taking back her role as leader of Stevenage Borough Council, Councillor Sharon Taylor said: “It’s been a fascinating day. All of the young people’s insights have been extremely valuable and I’ll be talking to Emily again about developing some of her ideas.”

SEND IN YOUR STORIES We are always looking for local school news. If you have a story to share, email editor@edexec.co.uk

schools in focus secondary news

Fundraising fever hits All Saints Catholic School all saints catholic school and technology college, Dagenham

Fundraising fever has hit All Saints Catholic School and Technology College in Dagenham, Essex, as students begin the challenging task of raising funds for a three-week educational expedition to Cambodia and Thailand in July 2012.

On completing their A-levels, 15 students will embark on the trip that has been carefully explored and tailored to teach them life skills like leadership, communication, team-work, responsibility, money-management and compassion for others. The trip will involve a six-day trek after which the students will help to repair and redecorate a large school in the local community and work with orphans in the area. Each student needs to raise approximately £3,600 to cover the costs of the trip itself and all the materials required for the work they plan to do when they arrive. With such a significant amount to be raised in a relatively short time, students have become unwavering and creative in their efforts.

Teacher and trip organiser, Funmi Adenaike, was keen to stress the importance of the trip, and said:“Taking part in this expedition is the opportunity of a lifetime for many of the students; however, it is not an average school trip and is certainly not a holiday! It is a challenging expedition that will significantly benefit the local community and the team alike.”

The students have been busy researching new ways in which to fundraise, and are eager to ensure

that the activities are of real benefit to those who donate. “We have done some traditional fundraising; over the weekend we went bag packing which was a great start. But with Christmas fast approaching the students have scheduled much bigger events including a relaxing pampering evening, luxury silent auction, fun quiz night and candlelit carol concert,” added Adenaike.

Another fundraising project is the ‘Become a friend of All Saints’ scheme where local businesses are invited to become a friend of the school through sponsorship or by making a donation. In return, sponsors’ details and an image are included on a special ‘friends’ page on the school’s website.

They will also be presented with a school logo highlighting their support and involvement they can proudly display.

The benefits of the trip are numerous; not only do students have an amazing opportunity to help those less fortunate but they also receive 70 UCAS points on completion of a portfolio documenting their fundraising and the trip.

Students are in full control of their budget while on the trip, an important element of moneymanagement that will undoubtedly serve them well when they enter university or the workforce.

They are also in charge of booking accommodation, transport, buying and cooking food and organising any additional activities on the trip, which are important lessons in responsibility, organisation and team-building.

To make a donation, contact Adenaike on fadenaike@all-saints.bardaglea.org.uk.

They said...

Schools can play such an important role in encouraging safe road use – not just among pupils but the wider community too Stephen Humphrey (pictured) has been appointed principal of the College of Accountancy and Management Studies (CAMS) in Hayes to raise its standards of business level education

Julie Townsend, campaigns director at charity Brake, during Road Safety Week

GRANT WATCH

Win the ultimate science lesson with TV’s Brian Cox Professor Brian Cox is on a mission to turn one lucky UK school class into budding astrologers as he returns for The Big Bang Lesson: Take 2 – a nationwide schools competition to win a science lesson with him.

Schools entered in their thousands last year for the chance to have the TV scientist turn up and teach a star-studded science lesson. So, together with The Big Bang UK Young Scientists & Engineers Fair, the Professor is back and this time he’s taking the winning class on location.

Schools can enter a class into the special prize draw, which will see the winners taken to The University of Manchester’s Jodrell Bank Observatory on 19 January. The class will enjoy a workshop in the Discovery Centre with Professor Cox and the Discovery Centre’s education team, get up close to the observatory’s Lovell Telescope and discover more about the solar system with interactive activities.

Enter by 5 December at facebook. com/TheBigBang4U.

sTATs & FACTS

38%

of secondary pupils are eating healthy school lunches, according to Jamie Oliver’s latest manifesto. One anonymous commentator on EdExec.co.uk posited this was small number because they are “voting with their feet”.

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schools in focus parental communication

With parents demanding more information from their child’s school through emails, texts and websites, DEREK THOMPSON looks at how schools can keep parents better informed, including software systems and techniques to engage hard-to-reach parents

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schools in focus parental communication

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here was a time when parents could only look forward to three forms of communication from their child’s school: a letter home, a telephone call and a face-to-face meeting. Now, digital technology offers a range of ways to keep parents informed and involved in their children’s school life and education.

And, while letters and telephone calls home still have their place, the sheer variety and volume of contact situations puts the school under ever-increasing pressure to communicate appropriately, swiftly and cost-effectively to meet the needs of parents, the pupils and the school itself. Options include email, texting, social media, websites, mobile calls, landline calls and letters.

Since the reasons for parental contact can vary enormously, as do the responses required, it’s essential that every school has its own parental contact policy.

Wherever possible, a standardised approach for day-to-day situations such as late assignments, absenteeism or notifying key dates in the academic year, is best practice.

For events that may require an immediate response – such as accidents, major incidents, or unacceptable behaviour – a different approach is called for.

For any contact, the important considerations are: • What do parents or guardians need to know?

• What do you want them to do as a result of being contacted?

• How do you want them to respond to the school?

• How swiftly do they need to be contacted and to take action?

Answers to these questions will help streamline decisions about the most appropriate contact method.

However, the strategy also needs to factor in parental preference and individual circumstances, e.g, a parent who works in a location without internet access or mobile network coverage.

Inevitably, there is a resource impact in administrating these contacts. Depending on the size of the school and the type of contact required, the contact initiator within the might be a teacher, head of department/year, or one of the administration team.

There are also a number of communication services available that can manage parental contact on the school’s behalf.

Different systems cater for some or all of the following: • Messages to defined groups of parents, staff and pupils, or sub-groups • Messages that can be timed for maximum effectiveness • Prompt notification of lateness or absenteeism • Messages in other languages • Generic messages about school campaigns, such as diversity or anti-bullying • The facility for parents and pupils to proactively communicate with the school • Recording and replay of responses.

Technical considerations: • Integration with a school’s existing MIS • Systems can use a school’s existing computer equipment • Continuous development and future-proofing (e.g. smartphones) • Systems can be fixed to school premises or available off-site via a secure server • An audit trail of all communications sent and received.

Stuart Abrahams of Groupcall, recognises that message prioritisation is also a key issue. While conventional texts may take hours to arrive, a prioritised text will be routed through any available network and arrive within 15 seconds.

In terms of demonstrable impact, he reported that “in a trial group of 10 secondary schools, those using a messaging service showed a 29% improvement in attendance, whereas the non-participating school showed no improvement in the same period”.

Keeping parents informed is only one aspect of a holistic approach to parental contact. The use of secure servers also allows for a virtual school environment, which is not dependent upon the opening and closing of the school gates.

A range of school documentation can be managed online including reports, assessments, timetables, school publications, individual exam results, homework, reply slips and consent forms. With the addition of personal mailboxes for pupils, unanticipated school closures needn’t interrupt assignments or coursework (or marking!)

Digital payments can give parents greater control over how and where their money is spent – for items such as school meals, trips and school uniforms.

Extending the model, pupils can also be given rewards for good behaviour, achievement and personal development, which can be collected and exchanged for goods or privilege-based prizes and even be donated to charities, giving pupils a taste of financial responsibility.

Adrian Burt, MD of Vivo Miles, sees parental contact as an important opportunity to build a stronger partnership with parents and to encourage them to share in the responsibility for their child’s development.

Knowledge is power Francis Bacon He says: “It’s hugely beneficial to share good news stories about their child’s success and achievement, and for parents to be able to reward them using the same technology as schools do.”

With regular and meaningful contact from the school, parents are not only more informed about their child’s progress, they also have a greater opportunity to play their part in their child’s education.

The combination of affordable technology and familiarity with the school culture makes it easier for parents to stay engaged wherever they are and whatever their personal situation. For example, there can be greater inclusivity for parents for whom English is not the first language.

James Barrell, commercial director of Empetus, sees the benefits of giving parents and pupils a place to log on to the same system, helping everyone feel included within the school community.

“It has also helped to bring in some of the harder to reach parents; for example some students have gone home and encouraged – hassled – a parent to check their email or log in order to complete trip consent forms.”

As significant as the benefits are for both schools and parents, the real winners are the children. Teachers are freed up to do what they do best, pupils come to understand that the culture of care that keeps them safe and educated also allows for greater visibility of their behaviour and performance, with less chance of them falling through the gaps. The right contact strategy closes the loop and keeps everyone connected.

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schools in focus independent news

leeds

independent update

bristol

What’s going on in the world of independent schools

FUNDING WATCH

picture story

Academies urged to manage finances better Academies should access the right expertise to make sure they manage their finances as effectively as they manage their teaching, the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (Cifpa) has recommended. In response to a survey released last month by the Key, which suggests that three quarters of academies do not require financial advice from councils, Cipfa is urging academies to access guidance and support from expert sources to make sure their financial management is professionally managed. According to the survey, 92.6% of academies said that responsibility for financial management lay with a bursar, or business or finance manager employed by the school.

However, only one in five academies are members of support networks or consortia.

A group of 50 children from Fulneck School, a leading independent schools in Leeds, joined four others schools from Pudsey to form a choir of 200 children who sang live on the BBC for Children In Need last month. Prior to the live event, Pudsey the bear made a guest appearance at Fulneck School to meet the children who would take part

news INBRIEF

Private schools rein back on spending budgets

Heads ponder girl power

Independent schools work on reduced budgets, with one in three teachers not getting a cost-of-living pay rise this year

The 2011 Girls’ Schools Association Annual Conference took place in Bristol on 21-23 November under the theme ‘Making a World of Difference’. President Dr Helen Wright, also head of St Mary’s School in Calne, Wiltshire, addressed the heads of over 200 independent girls’ schools across the UK and abroad, commenting: “As well as providing an education for girls, girls’ schools are a tremendous force for good and positive change in the world.” The conference supported charity Plan UK’s drive to give more girls a better education globally.

SEND IN YOUR STORIES We are always looking for local school news. If you have a story to share, email editor@edexec.co.uk

december 2011

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One in three teachers and four in 10 non-academic staff working in the independent sector will not receive a pay rise to match the rate of inflation this year, a study conducted by the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) has found.

The results come as private schools increase fees by over two per cent or more in the past year, with one in 10 independent schools increasing fees by four per cent or more in the past year, the average increase in private school fees being between four and three per cent.

The study surveyed 1,483 teaching staff and 168 non-academic and support staff and found that a further 19% of teachers and 23% of support staff had a pay rise of less than one per cent this year.

Teachers told the ATL that the effects of the trend had started to wear on their morale.

One teacher from Edinburgh stated: “Despite working with more pupils and increased admin, we have had no increase. I have never known such discontent among staff in Scotland.” Another teacher from Hertfordshire said they did not expect a pay rise for the next two to three years.

Despite these findings, predictions from teachers over redundancies remain optimistic, with two thirds saying they do not expect redundancies at their school this year. Support staff were found to be less hopeful however, with 45% expecting at least one of their colleagues to lose their job this year. The study also found that 46% of teachers reported that their school had cut spending throughout 2010/11 and many independent school teachers are expecting spending to continue to drop.

Dr Mary Bousted, ATL general secretary, said: “While it is understandable that schools need to keep their costs down in the current economic climate, it is not acceptable for any to use it as an excuse to exploit their staff.”

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schools in focus LEGAL

Freedom ďŹ ghters While free schools have the ability to employ unqualified teachers and set their own agenda, they are limited by the legal challenges this autonomy presents. Education lawyer HELEN TUCKER takes a look at free schools, the freedoms they enjoy and challenges they face

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schools in focus LEGAL

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he education landscape is rapidly evolving, with the opening of new academies, university technical colleges (14-19 academies) and studio schools (vocational 14-19 provision), as well as the introduction of free schools. Those involved in education provision will be alert to the potential implications of the changes, and the opportunities and risks presented.

This article takes a closer look at arguably the most politically sensitive development: the free school.

WHAT ARE FREE SCHOOLS? Free schools are entirely new schools, or existing independent schools changing status. Maintained sector schools can convert to academy status, but cannot be free schools. This November, the Department for Education announced the first special and alternative provision free schools, approved to open from September 2012.

HOW DO THEY DIFFER FROM ACADEMIES? Free schools have the same legal structure as academies. They are companies limited by guarantee (somewhat confusingly also referred to as academy trusts), and have charitable status. They are technically ‘independent’ schools, governed by the Education (Independent School Standards)(England) Regulations, receiving funding directly from central government. Their financial operation is governed by the academies financial handbook.

The main difference is that a free school is an entirely new school, rather than an existing school that has changed its status. In terms of set up, free schools can be established by organisations such as charities, universities, or parent/teacher, business, community or faith groups.

WHAT NEEDS TO BE DEMONSTRATED TO SET UP A FREE SCHOOL? Applications are assessed on a range of factors, including cost and value for money, and the need for additional school places in the locality. The application process includes a requirement for two financial plans: the first prepared on the basis that all pupil places will be filled (showing anticipated income and spending when the school is full for at least five years, up to and including the academic year after the school is full); and a plan showing how the budget would be managed if the anticipated places were not filled.

The plans must be based on evidenced assumptions, and must be consistent with the overall application, reflecting the anticipated pupil numbers, staffing levels, educational vision, and any extended provision.

Existing independent schools wishing to convert also need to show a good track record of financial management, and that particular standards were met in their last inspection.

WHAT ARE THE FREEDOMS? Similarly to academies, free schools benefit from a number of ‘freedoms’. They receive money retained by local authorities to provide central services to maintained schools, and can use their budgets more flexibly to purchase services. They can set the length of the school day, and have more flexibility in relation to the curriculum and appointment of staff, as explained in more detail below:

Teachers The Funding Agreement requires the school to take responsibility for staff pay and conditions of service, and for pension contributions and administration. Free schools are not required to employ teachers who have QTS, and principals are not required to hold the National Professional Qualification for Headship.The school must act in accordance with any relevant government guidance on staff qualifications, but otherwise can employ anyone it deems suitably qualified or otherwise eligible to teach. The exceptions are special educational needs coordinators, and those appointed as a designated teacher for looked after children, who must meet the requirements of the applicable regulations.

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Curriculum Mainstream free schools do not have to follow the national curriculum.

However, a number of requirements are imposed through the funding agreement with the secretary of state, such as the need for: • a balanced and broadly-based curriculum including English, mathematics and science • provision for religious education (there are specific provisions for faith schools) • regard to guidance on sex and relationship education • compliance with guidance on pupil assessments as applied to maintained schools • being at the heart of the community, sharing facilities with other schools and the wider community.

The requirements differ depending on the type of free school. For instance, 16-19 free schools must meet the needs and interests of students, but the curriculum does not have to be broad and balanced. Special schools must have broad and balanced curricula, but can deviate from the national curriculum where appropriate; and alternative provision does not need to be broad and balanced, but must cover at least age and ability appropriate functional elements of English, maths and ICT.

The school must act in accordance with guidance, but otherwise can employ anyone it deems suitably qualified FUNDING ISSUES Funding is currently based on the average funding received by maintained schools and academies in the same local authority following a formula. A ‘ready reckoner’ tool is available on the DfE website, through which an indicative calculation can be made.

In outline, funding includes a per-pupil unit, an additional amount, plus pupil premium for those entitled to free school meals, the local authority central spend equivalent grant LACSEG (the amount normally withheld by local authorities for providing central services), funding for sixth form pupils if there is over 16 provision, a grant to cover insurance costs, and additional SEN funding. In addition, free schools are eligible for lead-in funding to enable the school to open, and funding to bridge the gap between the school opening, and there being pupils in each year group.

However, free school funding is under review, and funding levels for 2012/13 have not yet been established. It is anticipated the start-up funding currently provided will be reduced in the future.

PLANNING Planning and site location have proven to be significant hurdles for those setting up free schools to date. To facilitate the development of free schools the government has made it very clear to planning authorities that they should cooperate and facilitate their development, imposing conditions only where absolutely necessary.

CONCLUDING THOUGHTS The government is taking steps to smooth the path for increasing numbers of free schools. Some schools will see a potential threat to pupil numbers, while others may find a free school presents an opportunity for positive collaboration (free schools being required to work with other schools under their funding obligations), giving rise to efficiencies, staff development, and shared best practice. For independent schools facing financial difficulties, this may give pause for thought for governors considering their options.

Helen Tucker is head of education at Ashfords LLP

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rocure

lan

A sweet disposition Wren Spinney Community Special School runs a sweet shop in Kettering town centre that gives its severely learning disabled pupils real-life work experience, which was deemed the school’s “jewel in the crown” by Ofsted.

Julia Dennison visits head Debbie Withers and SBM Ann Brown at The Shop

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he latest project to come out of Wren Spinney Community Special School is such a shining example of Cameronian ‘Big Society’ that even since my visit, the prime minister has invited the leadership team to Downing Street. Under the guise of an unassuming sweet shop in Kettering town centre, the community special school, which caters for 11-to-19-plus-year-olds with severe, profound and multiple learning difficulties, autism, and visual and multi-sensory impairment, set up a satellite base for its Key Stage 4 and 5 pupils that allows them to run a shop, thereby promoting living skills and supporting work-related learning. ‘The Shop’, which is manned by pupils in the front and back-of-house, goes one step further, acting as a safe place in the community for disabled people and the wider public to come when in need, enjoy the sweets and learn more about this remarkable project. Thus, the students and their teachers act as ambassadors for the school, presenting a positive image to the wider community of what people with learning difficulties can achieve.

It is little wonder, therefore, that the school won the Henry Winkler Special Needs Award in October and last April received an ‘outstanding’ inspection from Ofsted, which wrote in its report: ‘The school’s promotion of community cohesion is

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excellent and The Shop is the jewel in the crown of its work, placing it in the centre of Kettering community life.’ The school deserves all the recognition it gets, as it hasn’t always been the sweet life for the special school, which has had to work hard to raise the funds that would make the dream of The Shop a reality.

Making it all happen The inspiration for The Shop came three years ago, when headteacher Debbie Withers had the idea to offer more ‘real-life’ work experiences for her 14-to-19-year-old students. The school itself sits on the outskirts of Kettering (a remnant of attitudes about special needs pupils needing to be on the periphery in decades gone by) and Withers had a vision to bring part of the school to a more prominent position within the town, giving the pupils a safe base in the town centre and the community a chance to learn more about what it means to be learning disabled. Her idea was to open a retail unit on the High Street, which would encourage the public and school to mix together in everyday life.

She found a shop space for rent in the town centre and went for it. From receiving the keys in September 2009 to its opening two months later, the school had quite the task on its hands –

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fact box School Wren Spinney Community Special School Local authority Northamptonshire Type Mixed 11-19 community special school Pupils 60 Staff 40

preparing the disused building for use. The pupils were roped in for this. “When we brought the youngsters in, we didn’t want to do all of the problem-solving for them,” remembers Withers.

“We said: ‘Here’s the space and this is what we want it to be, what do we need to do to achieve it?’

We tried to use it to really encourage some problem-solving and solution-focused thinking.”

The Shop was opened in November 2009 and has been a great success, serving a range of “old-fashioned sweets with old-fashioned courtesy”.

The students run the shop – greeting customers, operating the cash till, packaging the sweets and overseeing the general upkeep of the premises.

The idea to make it a sweet shop was there from its inception, partly because there was a gap in the market in Kettering, but also for the practical benefits it brings to the pupils from weighing and measuring to the motivation of it being a fun product to sell and not one that required a very substantial investment.

The initial capital outlay of £10,000 to get The Shop started came from the school’s charity, The Friends of Wren Spinney, and covered the rent and rates for a year – everything else had to be raised.

“We thought at worst, if we can’t get any more funding, we’d just use it as a base for the school,” remembers school business manager Ann Brown, who proceeded to apply for grants, receiving small sums of money to start with. The school was fortunate to have a parent of an ex-pupil as the chair of the local Learning Disability Partnership, who was passionate about promoting employment and training opportunities for the learning disabled.

She suggested Wren Spinney put in a bid for £5,000 from the partnership, which they won as a community project that addressed the needs of young people with disabilities. “This enabled us to make it a better base,” adds Brown. The school also received £20,000 from the Kettering Learning Partnership, which is made up of the area’s secondary school headteachers, to ensure it could sustain what it was doing for another two years. A further £7,500 has been ring-fenced this year for developing the retail unit, working alongside three mainstream schools, which have not yet been decided and their recent award win will land them another £10,000.

The school had no extra financial support for the project from the LA; it did however, receive 100% business rate relief from Kettering Borough Council. This lack of support from the LA comes in part because of a change to post-16 provision in the area, which saw all secondary schools given the resources to offer places for over-16s, where before there had been just two post-16 schools. This meant that, despite being unfit for purpose and lacking many basic facilities, like a single-purpose sports hall or theatre, there simply weren’t the funds to spend on Wren Spinney. The school had been due to receive BSF funding, until that was stopped, and tobecome an academy as part of a trust, but that fell through too, though it is looking at becoming an academy on its own.

All this has meant the school has had to work hard at fundraising. “I do now still feel a bit aggrieved looking round at what the other secondary schools in the area have,” admits Withers, “but having said that, what it’s done is

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inspired us to be creative and innovative about what we are going to provide our youngsters. So, we didn’t have enough space in the school, but we now have our satellite base; we weren’t able to offer a curriculum that was rich with opportunities for work-related learning, but here we are.”

a saFe place In addition to the opportunities it offers its pupils, the Shop has been designated under a new initiative by the learning Disability Partnership’s board with northamptonshire police as one of three ‘places of safety’ for members of the public in the town centre, because of the school’s meticulous procedures for risk assessment – further strengthening its community ties. it has also installed (using funding from the government’s aiming high for Disabled Children programme and the learning Disability Partnership) a designated Changing Places toilet for public use, which allows for extra facilities, such as a changing bench and hoist, for people with profound learning disabilities, as well as other serious impairments, to use the toilets comfortably. “in the time that we’ve been here, so many more people know who we are,” says Withers.

“We don’t want people to come to the shop because it’s ‘the shop that’s run by those kids who have special needs’, we want them to come to the shop because it’s a really well-run shop, with an excellent variety of sweets and customer service that is second-to-none.” as a result of its success, schools and local authorities from all over the country have visited the Shop for inspiration. One school in Solihull, for example, is planning to open a very similar shop to this one for its young people, even selling sweets.

FutuRe pROspects While the school has managed to fulfil Withers’s vision, she is eager to build on the success and develop the opportunities it has to offer – to both its own pupils and those in the area’s other special schools. With this in mind, it wants to open a workshop, offering a variety of tasks such as assembly, packaging and mail shots, suitable for those pupils who aren’t able to work in a shop due to their more severe and complex learning needs. it might also include a café or coffee bar – whether it would be open to the public or not is yet to be decided. in essence, this workshop would provide a quieter environment that would also act as a satellite workplace and alternative to the traditional school setting, which could be extended for people aged up to 25. the school wants to open it as a social enterprise, to allow the young people to get paid for the work they do. The staff at Wren Spinney plan to use the £10,000 from the henry Winkler Special needs award and the £7,500 from the Kettering learning Partnership to build the workshop. the chance to adapt to the working world while integrating into the community is rare for young people with special needs. Capturing their imagination and inspiring these pupils at Key Stages 4 and 5 gives them the best possible chance of having a good career and quality adult life. What Withers and the staff at Wren Spinney are doing is bringing them that much closer to that goal.

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We don’t want people to come to the shop because it’s ‘the shop run by those kids who have special needs’, we want them to come to the shop because it’s a really well-run shop with an excellent variety of sweets

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fire safety

Sparking a debate Fire safety is an issue that schools must take seriously to ensure they are properly protected in all eventualities.

Matthew Jane looks at some of the options and how schools can keep themselves safe

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he consequences and costs of fire on property and possessions can be devastating, not just financially, but emotionally as well and for schools, the impact can have shocking repercussions for children’s education and the school’s reputation. While fire may be every school leader’s worst nightmare, the reality is that it is a very real threat, with statistics showing that more than 1,300 schools in the UK have suffered from a fire large enough to require the local fire brigade. This carries a huge financial burden, with annual costs of over £50m. Faced with such alarming statistics, it is imperative that schools take all necessary precautions to ensure they reduce the risks and they are well prepared if the worst does happen.

Fortunately, most school fires are not devastating enough to cause wholesale damage to the building and can be extinguished by staff. Over half of school fires fall into this category, but should the fire spread beyond the room of origin, the disruption and costs soon begin to mount up, resulting in insurance claims for considerable sums of money. Schools simply cannot afford to take a gamble by not being fully protected. Fire is after all, an indiscriminate force and can hit a small rural school as readily as a large urban college.

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fire safety

Fire is an indiscriminate force and can hit a small rural school as readily as a large urban college

EFFECTIVE PREPARATIONS It is essential that schools follow the correct directions when considering fire safety. Tom Welland, fire services manager for Fireco, emphasises that if a fire does break out, it is crucial that a school’s fire safety policies are designed to help reduce damage and, more importantly, help staff and pupils to get out of the building safely. “Ensure that your fire risk assessment, which must be completed by a competent person, is up-to-date and is reviewed on a regular basis,” he says. “If you get a professional to carry this out for you, ensure that you use a properly trained and certified specialist. The best advice is to contact an organisation like the IFE [Institution of Fire Engineers], [which] keeps a register of consultants.”

The legal obligation for fire safety action is outlined in the Regulatory Reform (Fire Services) Order 2005 (RRO), which was implemented in October 2006, and replaced the Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations 1997. It applies to both new and existing school buildings and provides the minimum fire safety standards and emphasises the duty of ‘the responsible person’ to ensure every school has risk assessment. This person should be a senior figure, such as a school business manager, and they should manage fire safety in the same way they would manage other health and safety issues, namely by implementing agreed and monitored policies. It might be possible to appoint a professional, approved consultant to take on this role, but that will depend on issues such as the size of the premises and costs involved.

Should the worst happen, there are a host of systems that schools can invest in to minimise the damage and danger to staff and pupils. A fire alarm system is the standard requirement, but Welland adds that it should conform to the relevant British Standard. “Regardless of the type of system you choose, a recognised installer should install and maintain it,” he says.

It is also important to ensure that the necessary evacuation routes are well maintained and must be free from obstruction at all times. In order to aid evacuation, schools should install emergency lighting and clear signage that will be visible even in thick smoke. Welland reminds schools to consider all people on the premises and make sure their needs are catered for in any evacuation plan. “Look at how disabled visitors would escape from your school in the event of a fire and make sure that you have adequate systems in place,” he says.

“Ensure that deaf and hard of hearing people, who could be in danger of not hearing a fire alarm, are protected.”

SECURITY CONSCIOUS

The main duties of a fire safety manager include:

More than 70% of school fires are started deliberately, which includes 90% of larger fires and accounts for 85% of the total cost of school fires. This reinforces the need for schools to have effective security measures in place to deter potential arsonists. The physical protection of a school is imperative and can include such things as fences, window grills and secure doors. Schools should also be aware of the importance of engaging the community, with schemes such as Schoolwatch helping to encourage people to look after schools in their area.

One of the best ways to deter arsonists is through keeping schools busy, particularly during evenings and schools holidays, when they are traditionally seen as easy targets. Having afterschool clubs and renting out buildings in the evenings and weekends is a great way to keep a steady flow of people through the premises and keep fire starters away.

It is also important to consider the valuable assets of a school, which might include things such as sensitive data or exam papers. It might be useful to invest in fire proof storage units and safes that will ensure that, even in the event of a fire, the essential data that is needed to keep a school running will be safe.

n n n n n n n n n n

producing hazard and risk assessments carrying out fire safety training producing an emergency plan and putting up fire notices conducting fire drills checking the adequacy of fire fighting apparatus and its maintenance consulting with and implementing recommendations of the local fire brigade conducting fire safety inspections, preferably every term ensuring fire escape routes and fire exit doors are unobstructed and doors operate correctly checking that fire detection and protection systems are maintained and tested and records kept ensuring close-down procedures are followed.

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Jonathan Hills speaks to Steve Martin, director of Influence at Work, to bring you five tips on making the most of networking at events and conferences

1. Empathise

3. Follow-up

When you meet someone at a conference, find as many similarities and connections with them as possible. These may be professional endeavours, the age of your children or where you went to university – anything that will engrain yourself into their mind. “People tend to gravitate towards similarity, so anything you can do in the opening moments of meeting someone is crucial,” says Steve Martin, director of Influence at Work. Finding similarities with people will open up conversation, familiarity and increase the likelihood of someone remembering you after a conference. “It’s incredibly useful; in fact you could almost say it’s mandatory,” he adds of finding things in common.

Once you’ve spoken to a particular individual with specific experience that interests you, make sure you swap information and create a precedent for meeting up with them again. “Look for similarity first and make those commonalities salient to the individual and secondly look to help them in some way that creates an obligation for some sort of future engagement,” recommends Martin.

Try to catch a word with the speaker or the conference seminar leader as they tend to have large networking circles and even if they won’t be able to help you themselves, there is certainly a good chance they might know someone who can.

2. Research Research the other speakers and attendees before a conference, so you know who to look out for. You can do this by visiting their school website or utilising social networking sites, such as LinkedIn. “Find similar folk, and then hunt them out,” says Martin, who recommends thinking about how you can benefit others too. “Ask: Who can I help? Be forthcoming with that help and it can really aid you in the networking environment.”

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4. Mingle Make sure that you associate yourself with everyone at the conference, not just those who you have heard of or met before. Martin stresses the importance of meeting new and unexpected people. “Go and sit on different tables; if there is one chair available on a table of five then sit there,” he says. “Don’t go and sit on you own.” Though it may be slightly awkward, forcing yourself into the company of other people and sitting in that one spare seat at the table can make you half dozen new contacts while eating dinner.

5. Be topical Make sure that above all else you are interesting, personable and relevant. Bring a host of contemporary ideas and conversation points that really get people talking – brush up on education news and changes in government policy as everyone at the conference will have a vested interest in these subjects. School leaders must be aware of the bigger picture and education has never been more topical; bring up a point of interest to start a conversation, then you can try to steer the conversation in the direction that is most beneficial to you.

NASBM Regional Conference

Date:

7 February 2012, Liverpool

7th February 2012

The conference will focus on the issues and challenges being faced by reducing budgets and the drive for greater efficiency in schools

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NASBM have invited key speakers to provide advice and guidance on how schools can make the most from a decreasing budget without limiting services, from the DfE and YPLA amongst others.

Delegates can choose to attend workshops on current “hot topics” including:  Leading Support Staff through Organisational Change  The Legal Aspects of Procurement  Financial Reporting for Academies  School Insurances – Risks, Market Choices and Procurement The conference will provide the opportunity to meet with colleagues and learn from their recent experiences. There will also be Q&A sessions in all of the workshops, where you can get practical advice about your school issues.

Location: Fees:

NASBM Member Non-member

What’s included?

£115 £145

Full Day Conference Package:  Day Delegate package  Access to over 12 Exhibitors  Lunch & Coffee Breaks included

Book Today:   

Online - www.nasbm.co.uk Click on Conferences/Regional Phone – 01788 573300 Email – conferences@nasbm.co.uk

For more information contact: Julia Warmington

The conference provides the opportunity to cover a number of current issues and gain practical advice to take back to school all in just one day.

Effectively Managing Change – NASBM New Workshops In light of growing changes in education, reducing budgets and greater demands on support staff the Association is currently developing a number of new workshops to launch in the New Year.

The workshops aim to address the challenges and issues now facing School Business Managers and will be delivered as half day and one day workshops giving full flexibility on attendance.

There are three new workshops being launched including:  Managing Organisational Change  Financial Reporting for Academies  Risk Management – including fraud awareness  Auditing The workshops will be held in a number of regional locations based on the density of interest. To ensure you are advised as soon as these workshops are available then please register your interest by emailing training@nasbm.co.uk and stating the workshops of choice.

Further Information: To learn more about membership or NASBM workshops, please contact us on 01788 573300 or email info@nasbm.co.uk Further information on the Association can also be found at www.NASBM.co.uk

work / life

Break Time ?

Secret life of a business manager

grapes of relax

My role as deputy business manager doesn’t leave much time to put my feet up, let alone have a hobby. But with work/life balance in mind, I forced myself to find one. I quickly found that nothing helped me relax like a good glass of wine with friends. I don’t need alcohol to relax – I just get riled up over the nose of a good Rioja, Petit Chablis or Viognier, and after a few trips to

number crunching Everyone deserves five

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minutes break, and business managers are no exception. So pour yourself a coffee, get a biscuit from the tin and have a go at this little puzzle. It is sure to keep your little grey cells ticking over and help while away your break time.

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and the US, I felt like a bit of an expert.

My secret life is as a wine connoisseur. I’ve evenings. I’ve got to know the folks at my local

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the wine-making regions of Australia, France

started inviting my friends over for wine tasting

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Majestic and they’re always happy to show me

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the best vintages in stock. I tend to hold these wine evenings once every six weeks and I theme them around regions or grapes. Next month I’ve got one planned around English wines – and believe it or not, they’re not bad. It’s been a great way to develop my vinous knowledge, get to know my friends better and kick back and relax. If you’re holding your own, don’t forget the nibbles – nothing beats a good camembert.

Sharon, Herefordshire

Do you have an interesting hobby or activity? Are you involved with any clubs at your school? We would love to hear from you. Simply write to editor@edexec.co.uk with the subject line “secret life” and 200 words on your hobby, why you enjoy it and why you would recommend it to other business managers. If you have a photo of yourself, that would be even better.

Every entry featured wins a £20 M&S voucher, so why not share your secret life with us?

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Around the classeS With all those classes going on around you every day, we think you should be well placed to answer these little teasers

HISTORY Who was the only wife of King Henry VIII to survive him?

GEOGRAPHY What is the most common natural disaster?

SCIENCE Who invented the rabies vaccine?

MUSIC What opera is the musical Rent based on?

PE Who were the contenders in the famous Thrilla in Manila boxing match?

ENGLISH What play is dubbed ‘The Scottish Play’?

ANSWERS History – Catherine Parr; Science – Louis Pasteur; PE – Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier; Geography – Flooding; Music – La Bohème; English – Macbeth

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