Education Executive

ISSUE 159

EDUCATION EXECUTIVE SEPTEMBER 2020 / ISSUE 159

EDUCATION EXECUTIVE HOW COVID HAS MODERNISED THE ROLE OF THE SBL How years’ worth of changes happened overnight

FINANCIAL RESILIENCE AND LESSONS LEARNED DURING LOCKDOWN Paul Leigh on why changes should stay

Supporting business and f inancial excellence in schools and academies September 2020

EDEXEC LIVE NORTH 2020 – THE REVIEW

Everything you need to know about the successful event

COVID COMPLIANCE  LESSONS LEARNT  FUTURE FIRST

WALK THIS WAY: SIGNAGE IN SCHOOLS Signage industry experts point the way to the best products available

STAY AT HOME SUPERHEROES Laura Williams discusses navigating the working from home routine

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Contents News and views {NEWS}

NEWS Lockdown has resulted in children being three months behind, say teachers

Labour and leading charity warn of rise in child protection referrals As reported by The Guardian, Labour and the Children’s Society have warned about a likely jump in referrals to child social services and family courts, calling on the government to commit extra resources to help.

The charity has said it expects referrals to children’s services to rise in the coming weeks, with schools playing a pivotal role in spotting neglect and abuse.

A government study of provision for children and young people during the coronavirus lockdown, between April and June, found an 18% drop in referrals to children’s social care services compared with the average over the three previous years.

In a joint letter the shadow justice secretary David Lammy, shadow attorney general Lord Falconer, and shadow children’s minister Tulip Siddiq, asked ministers “urgently to outline the government’s plan

06 06

for handling the increase in family breakdown cases, which could overwhelm the family courts as children begin returning to schools.

“This occurs in the broader context of huge backlogs across the justice system, including the family courts, which have been caused by a decade of court closures and cuts, as well as being further exacerbated by the coronavirus crisis.”

Iryna Pona, the policy manager for the Children’s Society, said six months of school closures “has left many vulnerable children hidden from view”, and the expected upsurge is likely to put significant extra strain on social care services and family courts.

“It is absolutely vital that these services are given the guidance and resources they need to manage the demand and ensure that vulnerable children are protected from harm,” she said.

As reported by BBC News, a new survey of teachers by the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) has found that children in England are three months behind in their studies after lockdown, with boys and poorer pupils worst hit.

The survey questioned a weighted sample of almost 3,000 heads and teachers in about 2,200 primary and secondary schools across England. The research was carried out just before the end of term in July - and showed how much children had fallen behind by the end of the last school year.

Almost all the teachers questioned (98%) said their pupils were behind the place in the curriculum they would normally Fast figures expect for the time of year. Overall, During lockdown teachers said there was an they had covered just 66% of their usual curriculum

by July, putting pupils three months behind in their learning.

The learning gap between rich and poor pupils also grew by almost half between March and July, with the NFER adding that a quick catch-up is unlikely.

18%

drop in referrals to children’s social care services and

98% of teachers said their pupils were behind in the curriculum due to lockdown

08

22

A QUICK CHECKLIST FOR A COVID-READY RETURN With so many rules and regulations, EdExec has made a quick checklist of the guidelines

A VIEW FROM THE ENGINE ROOM Emma Gray shares the rollercoaster ride that has been her life since March

September 2020

NEWS Latest school business management news in brief

LEADERSHIP

BY EXAMPLE

COVID COMPLIANCE

12 BEHIND THE MASK: ALTERNATIVE SUPPLIERS OF PPE As the demand for PPE grows, prices are going up too. We look at ways to buy better

14 KEEPING YOUR SCHOOL COVIDSECURE Schools now have a duty to stop the spread of COVID, and to protect their staff and pupils

PAUL LEIGH, chief f inancial officer at Focus-Trust, discusses how school closures, and the impact of COVID-19, has changed the way his trust works - and why he thinks these changes should stay

J

42

EDEXEC LIVE NORTH 2020 – THE REVIEW Everything you need to know about what happened at our EdExec LIVE North 2020 event

MANAGEMENT

ust when I thought schools were entering a period of relative stability after years of funding pressures and cuts, in late March 2020, the nation went into lockdown due to COVID-19, and schools across the country closed.

The future now feels even more uncertain than it has ever felt, and this was clearly going to be a real test of the finance team’s leadership, resilience and agility. So, as the trust’s chief financial officer, I decided straight away that the best thing I could do was to ensure that the finance function did not just cope, but stepped up to the mark to help support school leaders as they grappled with the impact of the virus.

The finance function needed, above all, to maintain the payment of salaries and suppliers in a timely

and accurate manner. Strong financial control was just as important, especially as fraudsters were beginning to use the vulnerability of the situation to increase their fraudulent activities.

Furthermore, the timely production of monthly management accounts became paramount to ensure the impact of any changes was managed and controlled.

March seems, to me, like a long time ago; a lot has happened since, and I have had little time for reflection.

This article covers what I have learnt and how these lessons will positively impact the future.

MOVING ONLINE From the outset of the lockdown the transition to remote working went relatively smoothly because our finance systems are all cloud-based and can be accessed remotely.

The central finance team and business managers all had laptops, not desktops, so

September 2020

LIVE IT Close your eyes. Inhale.

Count to five… now exhale. Time to take a few moments out for some light and interesting reading – a well-earned break from numbers and statistics

HOW COVID HAS MODERNISED THE ROLE OF THE SBL COVID has forced many aspects of the SBL role to modernise overnight.

We explore further

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48

STAY AT HOME SUPERHEROES Laura Williams discusses how to navigate the new working from home routine

TECHNO GEEK How can technology can assist learning during these difficult times?

FINANCE

38

COVID COMPLIANCE  LESSONS LEARNT  FUTURE FIRST

PLAYING CATCH UP: THE £1BN GRANT How will the £1bn catch-up grant work?

SEPTEMBER 2020 / ISSUE 159

EDUCATION EXECUTIVE HOW COVID HAS MODERNISED THE ROLE OF THE SBL A lot has changed in the last few

FINANCIAL RESILIENCE AND LESSONS LEARNED DURING LOCKDOWN Paul Leigh discusses why he thinks

Supporting business and f inancial excellence in schools and academies September 2020

EDEXEC LIVE NORTH

STAY AT HOME SUPERHEROES

2020 – THE REVIEW

Everything you need to know about the successful event

Laura Williams discusses how to navigate the new working from home

WALK THIS WAY: SIGNAGE IN SCHOOLS

42 FINANCIAL RESILIENCE AND LESSONS LEARNED DURING LOCKDOWN Paul Leigh discusses why he thinks changes made due to lockdown should stay

We spoke to some of the signage industry’s experts to explore which products are available WWW.EDEXEC.CO.UK

SAFETY FIRST: PREPARATIONS FOR A COMPLIANT RETURN Sue Birchall, business manager at The Malling School, look at life in the ‘new normal’

FINANCIAL RESILIENCE AND LESSONS LEARNED DURING LOCKDOWN

EDUCATION EXECUTIVE

20

{ARTICLE TITLE PLEASE}

46

LIVE IT

50

Finance

26

16 WALK THIS WAY: SIGNAGE IN SCHOOLS Signage industry experts point the way to the best products available

ICT MATTERS

ISSUE 159

NEWS & VIEWS

On the cover Pointing in the right direction Signage is, perhaps, the most obvious aspect of the changes COVID has brought to our schools.

Industry experts point the way to how to choose wisely

Editor’s comment What a year. Can you believe it’s September already? I certainly can’t! This year has been a whirlwind, to say the least. The last time I saw some of your lovely faces it was at EdExec LIVE North, back in February; to say that life has changed since then would be an understatement!

Through it all, SBLs have proved just how amazing they are. Battling with constant changes of rules, regulations and guidelines has caused a headache but, as is always the case, SBLs have risen to the challenge and got everything ready for a successful return this month.

We kick off in the only way that seems fit at the moment, by diving into how to make your school COVID-compliant. Although you will by now be well-versed in government guidelines, we’ve provided a quick checklist for you to refer to if you need to double-check anything quickly.

Stocks of PPE have been on a rollercoaster ride - but the price seems only to have been on an upward trajectory! We take a look at how you can procure PPE at best value for money. Next, we move onto the subject of signage, and Sue Birchall discusses how to navigate health and safety compliance in the ‘new normal’.

Emma Gray gives us her ‘view from the engine room’ - a view that is certainly very different from any that have come before! She reflects on the last few months and the lessons that have been learned during these difficult times. We can all feel our spirits lift as we review our fabulous EdExec North event - which took place in February, before we were engulfed by COVID madness. The world has definitely changed a lot since then, but we still want to celebrate what a fantastic day it was!

We’ve all spent a lot more time at home in recent months, and Laura Williams discusses why SBLs working from home have shown their superhero status in even greater glory! And, although times have been strange - and definitely a challenge - Paul Leigh tells us why it hasn’t all been doom and gloom, and why some of the changes we have had to make should stay forever.

September’s ICT MATTERS is all about how technology has been a saving grace for us this year. ICT has, perhaps, never mattered more! We look at two key aspects – how technology has modernised the role of the SBM, and how technology has helped - and will continue to help teaching and learning when its needed most.

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

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.

@EdExec Design

Graphic designer Amanda Lancaster alancasterdesign.com

Editorial

Editorial assistant and social media lead Ellie Potter eleanor@intelligentmedia.co.uk

Sales

info@intelligentmedia.co.uk

Publisher

Vicki Baloch vicki@intelligentmedia.co.uk

ED EXEC EDITORIAL TEAM We want to hear from you!

Is your school doing something wonderful? Do you have an opinion or experience you’d like to share? A story suggestion? Or some advice you’d like to share with your peers?

Get in touch – email nell@intelligentmedia.co.uk

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Contributors The education sector can be difficult to navigate at times, and those in school business management play a pivotal role in steering schools to success. Tasked with everything from finance and procurement, to HR and admin, you keep the education cogs turning.

Education Executive addresses the most pressing matters faced by SBMs, offering meaningful insights and practical advice – essentially, all you need to run your school. Our contributors, drawn from the Education Executive team and sector innovators and experts, offer invaluable business insights from both the sidelines and front line.

ELEANOR POTTER Editorial assistant Education Executive

SUE BIRCHALL Business manager The Malling School

EMMA GRAY Finance director Cotswold Beacon Academy Trust

PAUL LEIGH CFO Focus-Trust

LAURA WILLIAMS Consultant LJ Business Consultancy

NEWS STORIES RESOURCES EXPERT BLOGS

EDUCATION EXECUTIVE

News and views {NEWS}

NEWS Lockdown has resulted in children being three months behind, say teachers

Labour and leading charity warn of rise in child protection referrals As reported by The Guardian, Labour and the Children’s Society have warned about a likely jump in referrals to child social services and family courts, calling on the government to commit extra resources to help.

The charity has said it expects referrals to children’s services to rise in the coming weeks, with schools playing a pivotal role in spotting neglect and abuse.

A government study of provision for children and young people during the coronavirus lockdown, between April and June, found an 18% drop in referrals to children’s social care services compared with the average over the three previous years.

In a joint letter the shadow justice secretary David Lammy, shadow attorney general Lord Falconer, and shadow children’s minister Tulip Siddiq, asked ministers “urgently to outline the government’s plan

06

September 2020

for handling the increase in family breakdown cases, which could overwhelm the family courts as children begin returning to schools.

“This occurs in the broader context of huge backlogs across the justice system, including the family courts, which have been caused by a decade of court closures and cuts, as well as being further exacerbated by the coronavirus crisis.”

Iryna Pona, the policy manager for the Children’s Society, said six months of school closures “has left many vulnerable children hidden from view”, and the expected upsurge is likely to put significant extra strain on social care services and family courts.

“It is absolutely vital that these services are given the guidance and resources they need to manage the demand and ensure that vulnerable children are protected from harm,” she said.

As reported by BBC News, a new survey of teachers by the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) has found that children in England are three months behind in their studies after lockdown, with boys and poorer pupils worst hit.

The survey questioned a weighted sample of almost 3,000 heads and teachers in about 2,200 primary and secondary schools across England. The research was carried out just before the end of term in July - and showed how much children had fallen behind by the end of the last school year.

Almost all the teachers questioned (98%) said their pupils were behind the place in the curriculum they would normally Fast figures expect for the time of year. Overall, During lockdown teachers said there was an they had covered just 66% of their usual curriculum

by July, putting drop in referrals pupils three to children’s social months behind care services and in their learning.

The learning gap between rich and poor pupils also of teachers said grew by almost half their pupils were between March behind in the and July, with the curriculum due NFER adding that to lockdown a quick catch-up is unlikely.

18%

98%

News and views {NEWS}

News in News brief in brief

Bereaved mother campaigns for classes in schools to help deal with loss As reported by BBC News, a mother whose son died of a hidden medical condition has called for the Scottish government to add bereavement lessons to the school curriculum.

Sameena Javed’s 13-year-old son, Ahmar, died in 2017, when a rare condition caused a bleed on the brain.

She said his death hit friends and younger family members hard - and lessons could make it easier for them to understand, and cope with, grief.

She has submitted two petitions to parliament in memory of her son.

She said she put the petitions forward - the other calling for full body scans for newborns - because she does not want other families to go through the heartbreak her family felt.

“Ahmar’s sudden death had a terrible effect on many of his fellow pupils at his school,” she said. “The shock hit Ahmar’s young relatives and friends very hard.

“If young people in schools are taught about bereavement and death it might be ever so slightly easier for them to understand, and cope with, the grief that follows losing someone they know, and is close to them.”

Ahmar had undetected

ateriovenous malformation (AVM) an abnormal tangle of blood vessels, connecting arteries and veins, which disrupts normal blood flow and oxygen circulation. These can eventually rupture, leading to haemorrhage.

He suffered a bleed on the brain while at his karate class in April 2017. Ten days later, his parents Sameena and Javed, from Elderslie in Renfrewshire, took the decision to turn off his life support machine.

AVM affects around one-in-10,000 people. It can occur anywhere in the body, and be asymptomatic.

Sameena believes a brain scan at birth could have detected it and saved Ahmar’s life.

Her second petition urges the Scottish government to offer brain and body scans to all newborns in Scotland’s hospitals - in the hope of detecting hidden conditions early. “I appreciate that not every parent will want their baby to be scanned, but surely it’s worth it if a hidden, or rare, condition can be detected and treated,” she said.

“If my son had been offered a brain scan at birth his condition could have been detected, potentially treated, and he would still be with us now.”

A primary school has changed its name to thank the NHS during the pandemic.

The Association new name of forSchool Brookhill Leys and Primary College School, Leaders in Eastwood, Nottinghamshire, (ASCL) has written is The to all Florence Nightingale Northern Academy.

Ireland’s main Headteacher Jacquie politicalSainsbury, party leaders who contractedreminding coronavirus them justof the after lockdown,‘bleak said itfinancial was an situation’ “opportunity toinacknowledge, schools in Northern and thank, ourIreland NHS”. and, as the talks at “The new school Stormont name resume, was chosen with a from many suggestions, view to re-establishing for the the strong independent executive. leader The Florence letter from was, and the positive ASCL Northern changes she Ireland brought, still effective regionaltoday,” officer, she Robert said. “It was also Wilson, an opportunity urges themtoto take acknowledge, and action thank, quickly those to restore amongst us who the play Assembly their part in order in our that NHS, particularly political this year decisions of 2020.” might be taken to address the Schools and colleges crisis. The will benefit letter concludes from a new, multi-million by saying training thatprogramme, ASCL is run by mental health keen toexperts, engage further to help improve how they withrespond local parties to the to discuss emotional impact howofthe thebudget COVID-19 crisis in pandemic on their schools students can beand addressed. staff.

The scheme will be backed by £8m to launch the programme, As reported by and The will provide schoolsGuardian, and colleges maintained all over England with the schools knowledge in England and access to resources they outperform need to support academies children and young and free people, schools teachers in and parents. national exams taken at The autumnthe term endwill of Year be the 6, and first time many pupils pupils have in been multi-academy with their classmates, or colleagues, trusts do worse, sinceon schools closed to prevent average, the spread figuresofshow. the The virus. The Wellbeing DfE report for Education found that Return programme64% ofstarting pupils atinMATs September – will reached support thestaff government’s working in schools and colleges benchmark to respond standardsto the additional pressures in reading,some writing children and and young people maths, may compared be feeling with as a direct result of 66% the pandemic, nationally. Pupils’ as well as to any emotional progress response in reading they, orwas their teachers, may still below be the experiencing national average from bereavement, stress, in 29%trauma of MATs, orand anxiety over the past months. above the national average in 20%.

September 2020

07

COVID compliance {COVID-READY CHECKLIST}

A guide to a COVID-ready return in September The return to school this September will look very different from previous years. With so many rules and regulations to follow, EdExec has gone through the government guidelines to highlight some of the elements that SBMs should really get a handle on

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September 2020

COVID compliance {COVID-READY CHECKLIST}

SECTION 1:.

Public health. coronavirus.

(COVID-19) risks.

Schools must comply with health and safety law, which requires them to assess risks and put in place proportionate control measures. Schools should thoroughly review their health and safety risk assessments and draw up plans for the autumn term that address the risks identified using the system of controls set out below; these are an adapted form of the system of protective measures that will be familiar from the summer term. Essential measures include: • a requirement that people who are ill stay at home; • robust hand and respiratory hygiene; • enhanced cleaning arrangements; • active engagement with NHS Test and Trace; • formal consideration of how to reduce contacts, and maximise distancing between those in school, wherever possible and to minimise potential for contamination so far as is reasonably practicable.

How contacts are reduced will depend on the school’s circumstances and will, as much as possible, include: • grouping children together; • avoiding contact between groups; • arranging classrooms with forward facing desks; • staff maintaining distance from pupils and other staff as much as possible.

As part of planning for full return in the autumn term, it is a legal requirement that schools should revisit, and update, their risk assessments, building on the learning to date and the practices they have

already developed, to consider the additional risks and control measures needed to enable a return to full capacity in the autumn term. Settings should also review, and update, their wider risk assessments and consider the need for relevant revised controls in respect of their conventional risk profile considering the implications of COVID-19. Schools should ensure that they implement sensible and proportionate control measures which follow the health and safety hierarchy of controls to reduce the risk to the lowest reasonably practicable level.

SYSTEM OF CONTROLS This is the set of actions schools must take. They are grouped into ‘prevention’ and response to any infection and are outlined in more detail in the sections below.

PREVENTION 1. Minimise contact with individuals who are unwell by ensuring that those who have COVID-19 symptoms, or who have someone in their household who does, do not attend school.

2. C lean hands thoroughly more often than usual.

3. Ensure good respiratory hygiene by promoting the ‘catch it, bin it, kill it’ approach.

4. Introduce enhanced cleaning, including cleaning frequently touched surfaces often, using standard products such as detergents and bleach.

5. Minimise contact between individuals and maintain social distancing wherever possible.

6. W here necessary, wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE).

Numbers 1 to 4 must be in

place in all schools, all the time.

Number 5 must be properly considered and schools must put in place measures that suit their particular circumstances.

Number 6 applies in specific circumstances.

need to follow them.

The ‘catch it, bin it, kill it’ approach continues to be very important, so schools must ensure that they have enough tissues and bins available in the school to support pupils and staff to follow this routine.

RESPONSE TO ANY INFECTION

GROUPING STUDENTS

7. Engage with the NHS Test and Trace process.

8. Manage confirmed cases of COVID-19 amongst the school community.

9. Contain any outbreak by following local health protection team advice.

Numbers 7 to 9 must be followed in every case where they are relevant.

POINTS TO CONSIDER WHEN IMPLEMENTING HAND WASHING • Has the school got enough hand washing and/or hand sanitiser ‘stations’ available so that all pupils and staff can clean their hands regularly?

• Consider supervision of hand sanitiser use given risks around ingestion.

Small children and pupils with complex needs should continue to be helped to clean their hands properly.

Skin-friendly skin cleaning wipes can be used as an alternative.

•T hink about building these routines into school culture, supported by behaviour expectations, and how to help ensure younger children and those with complex needs - understand the

In secondary schools, and certainly in the older age groups at key stages 4 and 5, the groups are likely to need to be the size of a year group to enable schools to deliver the full range of curriculum subjects to enable students to receive specialist teaching.

At primary school, and in the younger years at secondary (key stage 3), schools may be able to implement smaller groups which are the size of a full class.

Groups should be kept apart, meaning that schools should avoid large gatherings such as assemblies or collective worship with more than one group.

Schools should also consider staggered break times and lunch times, and should allow time for cleaning surfaces in the dining hall between groups.

MEASURES FOR ARRIVING AT, AND LEAVING, SCHOOL Schools should consider staggered starts, or adjusting start and finish times, to keep groups apart as they arrive and leave school.

Pupils must wash their hands immediately on arrival (as is the case for all pupils), dispose of temporary face coverings in a covered bin or

The ‘catch it, bin it, kill it’ approach continues to be very important

September 2020

09

COVID compliance {COVID-READY CHECKLIST}

place reusable face coverings in a plastic bag they can take home with them, and then wash their hands again before heading to their classroom.

PPE The majority of staff in education settings will not require PPE beyond what they would normally need for their work. PPE is only needed in a very small number of cases, including: • where an individual child or young person becomes ill with COVID-19 symptoms while at schools, and only then if a distance of 2 metres cannot be maintained; • where a child or young person already has routine intimate care needs that involves the use of PPE, in which case the same PPE should continue to be used.

TEST AND TRACE Schools must ensure they understand the NHS Test and Trace process and how to contact their local Public Health England health protection team. Schools must ensure that staff members and parents/ carers understand that they will

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September 2020

need to be ready and willing to: • book a test if they are displaying symptoms. Staff and pupils must not come into the school if they have symptoms, and must be sent home to self-isolate if they develop them in school.

All children can be tested, including children under 5, but children aged 11 and under will need to be helped by their parents/carers if using a home testing kit • provide details of anyone they have been in close contact with if they were to test positive for COVID-19 or if asked by NHS Test and Trace; • self-isolate if they have been in close contact with someone who develops COVID-19 symptoms, or someone who tests positive for COVID-19.

SECTION 2:.

School operations.

For dedicated transport is important to consider: • how pupils are grouped together on transport - where possible, this should reflect the ‘bubbles’ that are adopted within school;

• use of hand sanitiser upon boarding and/or disembarking; • additional cleaning of vehicles; • organised queuing and boarding where possible; • distancing within vehicles wherever possible; • the use of face coverings for children over the age of 11, where appropriate, for example, if they are likely to come into very close contact with people outside of their group or who they do not normally meet

RECRUITMENT The government recommends that schools continue to recruit remotely over the summer period. Interviewing remotely may be a new experience for many schools and the DfE teaching blog provides some information on the experience of implementing interviews remotely. There is also advice that can be sent to candidates on how to prepare for remote interviews.

During the summer safeguarding checks can be carried out remotely as set out in COVID-19: safeguarding

in schools, colleges and other providers. From the start of the autumn term checks will revert to being carried out in person.

CATERING, BUILDINGS, UNIFORM School kitchens can continue to operate, but must comply with the guidance for food businesses on COVID-19. The government does not consider it necessary for schools to make significant adaptations to their sites to enable them to welcome all children back to school.

It is for the governing body of a school, or the academy trust, in the case of academies, to make decisions regarding school uniform. Some schools may have relaxed their uniform policy while only certain categories of pupils were attending; however, the government is encouraging all schools to return to their usual uniform policies in the autumn term.

Schools should consider resuming any breakfast and after-school provision, where possible, from the start of the autumn term.

SCHOOL WORKFORCE Following the reduction in

COVID compliance {COVID-READY CHECKLIST}

School leaders should be flexible in how these members of staff are deployed the prevalence of COVID-19, and relaxation of shielding measures from 1 August, the government expect that most staff will attend school.

Where schools apply the full measures in this guidance the risks to all staff will be mitigated significantly, including those who are extremely clinically vulnerable and clinically vulnerable. The government expects this will allow most staff to return to the workplace, although the government advises those in the most at risk categories to take particular care while community transmission rates continue to fall.

Advice for those who are clinically-vulnerable, including pregnant women, is available.

Individuals who were considered to be clinically extremely vulnerable, and received a letter advising them to shield, are now advised that they can return to work from 1 August as long as they maintain social distancing. Advice for

those who are extremely clinically vulnerable can be found in the guidance on shielding and protecting people who are clinically extremely vulnerable from COVID-19.

School leaders should be flexible in how these members of staff are deployed to enable them to work remotely where possible or in roles in school where it is possible to maintain social distancing.

People who live with those who are clinically extremely vulnerable or clinically vulnerable can attend the workplace.

SECTION 3:.

Assessment and. accountability .

For state-funded schools, routine Ofsted inspections will remain suspended for the autumn term.

However, during the autumn term inspectors will visit a sample of schools to discuss how they are managing the return to

educating all their pupils Performance tables have been suspended for the 2019 to 2020 academic year, and no school or college will be judged on data based on exams and assessments from 2020.

SECTION 4:.

Contingency.. planning for . outbreaks. .

If a local area sees a spike in infection rates that is resulting in localised community spread, appropriate authorities will decide which measures to implement to help contain the spread.

For individuals or groups of self-isolating pupils, remote education plans should be in place. Where a class, group or small number of pupils need to self-isolate, or there is a local lockdown requiring pupils to remain at home, the government expect schools to have the capacity to offer immediate remote education.

In developing these contingency plans, the government expects schools to: • use a curriculum sequence that allows access to high-

quality online and offline resources and teaching videos, and that is linked to the school’s curriculum expectations; • give access to high quality remote education resources; • select the online tools that will be consistently used across the school in order to allow interaction, assessment and feedback, and make sure staff are trained in their use; • provide printed resources, such as textbooks and workbooks, for pupils who do not have suitable online access; • recognise that younger pupils and some pupils with SEND may not be able to access remote education without adult support, and so schools should work with families to deliver a broad and ambitious curriculum.

This means that, if there are two confirmed coronavirus cases in 14 days, all the pupils in that group, or even the whole school, may have to be sent home. Schools will have testing kits to give to parents if children show symptoms and mobile testing units will be sent to schools which have

September 2020

11

COVID compliance {PPE SUPPLY}

Behind the mask: alternative suppliers of PPE As the demand for PPE is growing, the price is also increasing. It is important that schools broaden their horizons and look further than their usual suppliers to try and get the best deal possible

I

t is hard to believe that there was a time when the term ‘PPI’ was referenced more than the term ‘PPE’. However, you only need to look back to January to find that many people would have struggled to decipher what those three letters stood for. Now, along with phrases like ‘social distancing’ and ‘furloughing’, PPE is one of the buzzwords of the moment.

In fact, PPE has come to embrace more than just the ‘personal protective equipment’ which the letters actually stand for, and now encompasses other protective measures which are employed far beyond hospital and care home walls; offices, shops, libraries and schools are all now seriously considering what ‘PPE’ they might need to keep everybody safe. The products in demand include floor and wall signage, sanitiser stations and the gel to go with them, and ‘sneeze screens’ for reception and other desks.

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September 2020

DRIVING A DEAL So where should SBMs turn to find a reliable source of well made and well priced products of this nature? It may be that you need to look beyond your usual suppliers but, rest assured, there are many dealers out there very eager indeed to compete for your back-to-school business.

Since March dealers have been on a rollercoaster where the sales of PPE are concerned.

Those who adapted their product lines quickly, and diversified to include PPE in their product portfolio, experienced a high volume of sales. But, soon enough, demand outgrew supply and PPE went from being the saviour of sales to a source of stress and frustration. Luckily, these issues have now been resolved, and manufactures and wholesalers are able to provide dealers with the stock they need to supply unmet need in schools.

It is important to start sourcing the PPE you will need as soon as possible because demand is unlikely to slow down any time soon as the UK begins to open up again.

Dealers will continue to look for the best deals from wholesalers and will be making sure that their range of PPE is keeping up with market trends.

Dealers are keen to be sources of information and expertise, keeping abreast of changing government advice, and the science surrounding PPE, so that they can advise their customers on what is best suited to their working environments and what the current guidelines require them to do.

Dealers know that many schools are now facing paying

extortionate prices for PPE as companies drive their prices up, and they will be very pleased to talk to you about how they can provide the solutions you need at prices you can afford. There has never been a better time for SBMs to hone their negotiation skills and drive a hard bargain – all the better if you can join forces with colleagues in other schools to bring economies of scale to bear.

You want your school to be both welcoming and safe as things change, yet again, in September, and dealers want new customers to forge helpful, reciprocal relationships with, so now is the time to start checking out what the market has to offer in this area.

It may be that you need to look beyond your usual suppliers

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

Where needed, advice and support on the following is also included in order to: • Significantly reduce the need for Mandate variations across Multi Academy Trusts* • Reduce control and fraud risks in your banking function and set up* • Remove annual card fees for Multi Academy Trust charge cards/procurement cards whilst giving central oversight and control* • Help you reduce cash in your schools and streamline procurement* In addition, we can: • Offer a review of your DPO function and supply a compliant professional DPO service • Audit and advise on your HR & Risk Management approach • Supply a professional Clerking service *

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

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

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

Thursday 5 July 2018 Leicester/Northampton

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

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PRICES

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

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

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COVID compliance {TCOVID-SECURE}

KEEPING YOUR SCHOOL COVID-SECURE Good hygiene has always been important but now, more than ever, it is absolutely essential. Schools now have a duty to stop the spread of COVID, and to protect their staff and pupils from contracting the virus whilst they’re there. So, how can you keep your school COVID-secure?

N

ow schools have returned to full capacity, they need to ensure they are following the government guidelines. At the forefront of these guidelines is keeping school buildings clean and hygienic. This is because the main route of COVID transmission is through droplets emitted when people cough, sneeze or even talk loudly. These droplets fall on people in the vicinity – hence the need to keep our distance from others - and can be directly inhaled or picked up on the hands and transferred when people touch their faces something we all do many times without even realising we’re doing it! Therefore, the ‘catch it, bin it, kill it’ approach continues to be very important. Schools must ensure that they have enough tissues and bins available to support pupils and staff to follow this routine.

How long the virus survives in a school will depend on a number of factors, such as what surface the virus is on, whether it is exposed to sunlight, differences in temperature and humidity and exposure to cleaning products. Under most circumstances, the amount of infectious virus on any contaminated surfaces is likely

14

September 2020

to have decreased significantly after 24 hours, and even more so by 48 hours later.

A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine revealed that plastic is the surface the virus remains viable on for the longest, lasting up to 72 hours. On stainless steel the virus was detected up to 48 hours after application. So, keeping surfaces clean is imperative in reducing the potential for coronavirus to spread and is a critical part of keeping the school COVID-secure.

Government guidelines recommend a number of different ways to keep schools clean: • Frequent cleaning of work areas and equipment between uses.

• Frequent cleaning of objects and surfaces that are touched regularly, including door handles and keyboards.

• Using signs and posters to build awareness of good hygiene.

• Providing hand sanitiser in multiple locations in addition to washrooms.

• Providing non-electric hand drying facilities.

• Providing more waste facilities and more frequent rubbish collection.

There are many products

which can help schools keep in-line with the government guidelines: • Powerful, deep cleaning products such as fog guns.

• Cleaning products such as disinfectant wipes, anti-viral sprays and disposable cloths.

• Personal hygiene products such as hand sanitisers, mobile hand-washing stations and anti-bacterial soaps.

• Replacing electric hand driers with disposable paper towels.

• Waste management products such as footoperated bins, recycling bins and bins for paper towels after hand-washing.

• Signage and posters, e.g. posters demonstrating good hand-washing techniques and signs reminding people to increase hand-washing frequency, avoid touching their faces and to cough or sneeze into a tissue which is binned safely etc.

As well as cleaning surfaces, it is also imperative that hands are being washed regularly. The government guidelines suggest various points to consider when

implementing hand-washing in schools; these include: • Whether the school has enough hand-washing or hand sanitiser ‘stations’ available so that all pupils and staff can clean their hands regularly.

• Supervision of hand sanitiser use given risks around ingestion. Small children and pupils with complex needs should continue to be helped to clean their hands properly; skin-friendly skin cleaning wipes can be used as an alternative.

• Building these routines into school culture, supported by high expectations in relation to behaviour, and helping ensure younger children and those with complex needs understand the need to follow them.

Keeping your school clean, and enforcing stringent hygiene routines, is key to maintaining a COVID-secure environment.

With a full cohort now attending school, you need to confident that your school has hygiene measures in place which will protect both pupils and staff.

Keeping surfaces clean is imperative in reducing the spread

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COVID compliance {SIGNAGE IN SCHOOLS}

WALK

THIS

WAY:

There is currently huge demand for signage and marking products to help with social distancing and adherence to hygiene rules in public spaces.

We speak to some of the signage industry’s experts to explore which products are available, and how they can be utilised in schools

SIGNAGE IN SCHOOLS

16

September 2020

COVID compliance {SIGNAGE IN SCHOOLS}

A

s schools return to full capacity in September, signage can help remind pupils and staff to adhere to the new hygiene and social distancing measures which are put in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19. By the time all pupils return it is likely that they will have become accustomed to seeing similar signage in their local shops and in public spaces.“Throughout the pandemic, we’ve seen an increase in demand for signage products driven primarily by the growing requirement for hygienic, high-clarity communications to help businesses, hospitals,

places such as reception desks, and for use as desk partitions in school offices.

Some schools are going beyond simple signs and are opting for window graphics, vinyl displays and coated folio sheets. “There has been a big focus on producing large format, printed communications to help convey messages,” says Brad. “The above products have all been in high demand to help produce eye-catching, informative displays.”

These types of signage, made of plastic or vinyl, also have to be cleaned so it’s essential that they’re tough enough to handle this.

Schools may also want to invest in synthetic

Lamination is the quickest, and most efficient, way to produce signage; it protects the sign from damage and allows it to be easily wiped down and regularly disinfected schools and councils to instruct, inform and guide,” says Brad Goldsmith, marketing services manager at Premier Paper Group.

“It’s probably fair to say that, after over four months in lockdown, most of us are eager to get back out into the office, the high street and beyond,” adds Elisabete Wells, regional marketing manager – UK & Ireland at ACCO Brands. “But, at the same time, all of us want to do this as safely, and with as little risk involved, as possible. If you’ve been out, it is likely that you will have seen all sorts of signs with instructions for social distancing and information about new rules.”

SIGNAGE FOR SCHOOLS In terms of exactly what schools will need to increase signage around their buildings, there are a broad range of solutions including the signs themselves – paper, plastic and metal – durable floor and wall tape, adhesives to attach the signage and various grades of lamination to suit even the roughest treatment. “Some of the other specific trends include the requirement for material intended to help organisations implement social distancing, such as scuff-resistant floor graphic media, high-visibility safe distancing tape and rigid acrylic plastics for shielding purposes,” Brad explains. The latter is particularly useful for

sheet for digital printing, as this is waterproof, durable and can be cleaned with alcohol.

“We’ve seen many more organisations utilise these products when producing shared printed documents, safety guides, and signs that can be easily cleaned as part of their COVID-secure strategy,” Brad explains.

Schools also require products that can be cleaned with strong chemicals without damaging them, but don’t necessarily need the high aesthetic value of vinyl displays and graphics – this is where lamination comes in.

“It comes as no surprise that we’ve seen significant demand for lamination products as organisations create signage as part of their new protocols,” Elisabete says. “Lamination is the quickest, and most efficient, way to produce signage; it protects the sign from damage and allows it to be easily wiped down and regularly disinfected.”

These industry experts make clear that there are many signage options available which can be used in schools to help everyone adhere to the government’s COVID-19 guidelines.

Whether they come in the form of floor markers, hand-washing guides or reminders not to touch the face, signage can be a great way to ensure you are enforcing the rules in all areas of the school.

September 2020

17

COVID compliance {SPONSORED}

WHY LAMINATION AND EDUCATION GO HAND-IN-HAND Now schools across the UK have re-opened to full capacity, things look and operate a bit differently than they did back in March when they initially closed.

So, how can lamination aid the transition into the ‘new normal’?

A

s some schools remained open through the pandemic, they had to quickly adopt new procedures and had to work hard to safeguard pupils and staff.

18

September 2020

Now that all schools are now open for a full return, one thing is certain - health and safety will be a top priority for this academic year and beyond, with new measures in place to help safeguard the wellbeing of students and staff.

SIGNAGE FOR SUCCESSFUL MEASURES For any new health and safety measures to be successful in the school environment, they need to be clearly communicated. Students and

staff should have no questions or concerns about what is required of them while on campus. Signage in classrooms, reception, corridors, toilets, halls, and canteens will help to accomplish this, and remind students and staff to comply

COVID compliance {SPONSORED}

with any new measures that may be in place.

Laminating signs helps to protect and preserve these important notices from damage, destruction, and vandalism. This is crucial in high-traffic areas such as school corridors. Since the signs are preserved in plastic, lamination allows them to be wiped down and sanitised regularly without damage.

In a post-COVID school environment, where hygiene and safety are paramount, the ability to sanitise is extremely important.

Lamination is a simple solution that will allow teachers and administrators to produce, display and replace or update signs when necessary, all while easily maintaining new hygiene and safety standards.

LAMINATION AND EDUCATION Educators are no strangers to lamination. Teachers and administrators often use lamination to extend the longevity of signage posted around the school and the useable lifespan of the handouts used by students in the classroom. As schools often have limited budgets, lamination makes a huge difference in helping resources go further.

However, time is the most valuable and limited resource in education, and many teachers and administrators do not have much of it to spare in their busy schedules.

Lamination is traditionally viewed as a time-consuming and somehow frustrating task.

Machines can only tackle one document at a time, meaning the user has to stand around loading and reloading the machine and waiting until the job is done. If the document is not inserted in the laminating pouch properly, or the pouch is not fed into the machine in a straight line, time will be wasted redoing the job a second time.

Teachers and school administrators need to ensure that any other non teaching-related tasks can be accomplished as efficiently as possible. Having the right tools at their disposal can help to alleviate this pressure and free up valuable time.

SELECTING THE RIGHT LAMINATION TOOLS FOR SCHOOLS When choosing a laminator for school use, several key features and benefits need to be taken into consideration. For speed and simplicity, the machine should be easy to operate with features like auto speed, fast warm-up and a built-in cutter.

Batch lamination is common in the school environment and the machine should be able to tackle a large volume of documents at once. It is important to consider that pouch laminators require manual loading, meaning they can be subject to poor quality finishes or costly repeats if loaded improperly, and cannot be left unattended until the job is done. Automatic laminators are a wiser choice for efficiency and accuracy. Additionally, the machine itself needs to be well constructed and durable,

so that it may continue to run smoothly for years to come.

Since we were founded in 1947, we at GBC have striven to be the most reliable, efficient brand in the classroom, office, print/ production room and other places of business. We introduced the first table top laminator in 1966 and have continued to innovate and provide equipment and supplies that work fast the first time around.

Today, we are a global expert in lamination and offer a full range of laminators, supplies, and accessories. We recently launched the world’s first fully automatic table top laminator, the Foton 30.

The Foton 30’s touch-and-go operation makes it possible to tackle up to 30x A4 or A3 documents with the touch of a button, which is especially useful when laminated signs and documents are required in volume and at speed.

This is crucially important in a school setting. With teachers and support staff busy catching students up on the curriculum and making up for any delays that the pandemic may have caused, time is more valuable than ever. Administrators will have their hands full ensuring everything runs smoothly during the transition into the new normal. Every spare moment counts.

In just four easy steps, the Foton 30 gets the job done quickly and perfectly every

Educators are no strangers to lamination time. Its fool proof operation feeds, laminates and cuts automatically. No more standing around until the job is done. The Foton 30 automatically straightens all pages, detects thickness and controls spacing. The user can simply drop the paper into the feeder, press ‘run’ and walk away to complete other tasks.

Since the Foton 30 uses a unique roll film cartridge, there is no need for pouches.

That means the job gets done right the first time with no need for wasteful or timeconsuming retakes. A little goes a long way with the Foton 30, as one film cartridge laminates up to 250x A4 sheets.

Lamination tools will be a huge help to educators in the return to school postCOVID. Signage will help to clearly communicate new procedures around campus, while laminated documents and handouts can be sanitised for long-term use in the classroom.

September 2020

19

COVID compliance {COVID READY CHECKLIST}

Safety first:

preparations for a compliant return SUE BIRCHALL, business manager at The Malling School, discusses life in the ‘new normal’ and how she is implementing health and safety measures in her school

A

fter this prolonged period of isolation for some, and a changed way of working for others, the time has come to ‘get back to normal’. Yes, a new kind of normal but, in many ways, a fair imitation of what we had before.

If, like myself and my team, you have been horrendously busy writing risk assessments and keeping up-to-date with the many updates published by the DfE (as well as doing your day job), it may feel like normality is about to resume.

As wonderful as that would be, all that time spent getting ready for the return does not mean that our job is done.

SO WHAT HAS BEEN DONE SO FAR? Since the end of March we have been in receipt of a constant stream of advice, directives and initiatives - not all immediately successful; the Edenred free school meals scheme, for example.

20

September 2020

Many of us sat at our computers for hours trying to log on and order vouchers for our families only to end up looking for, and using, an alternative.

The task of keeping on top of the daily (and sometimes even more often than that) advice being published by the DfE has been a mammoth task. I am sure I am not the only one who has, many times, felt overwhelmed and at a loss as to how I was going to turn it all into a sensible and workable process.

But I persevered and created a plan which contained several aspects satisfying the directives, taking into account the health and safety concerns and designed to ensure, as far as possible, the safety and wellbeing of our staff and students. This initial plan was up-and-running for the directed opening of school in June and proved to be a workable model, ripe to be adapted for our return later in the year.

With all of this under our belt, the next

COVID compliance {COVID READY CHECKLIST}

hurdle is the return to work in September. This presents many other issues which no amount of directives can help with. There are some key considerations to take into account in relation to the return, and I have endeavoured to work my way through these with my team.

PAPERWORK From the outset, it has been important to try to create paperwork that provides advice and direction but that is also usable and useful. One of the most important things that we have been doing in my school is sharing all of this with our staff so that they understand that they are part of the process. Health and safety is the responsibility of all of us and, whilst we are doing what we can to keep our staff and students safe, they have a role to play in this.

Providing checklists for the staff to complete for many of the activities and areas that they will use during their day helps them to engage with the process. It also gives the procedure a dynamic feel; on receipt of a concern we can make a decision about what, if anything, it is possible to change to address the situation.

These documents are shared through online training, via our school virtual community, and in some cases through personal meetings and risk assessments.

The key document is the rag rated master document which measures how the school is meeting its targets in ensuring that it is compliant. This is fed into by a master risk assessment which identifies the risks and what processes have been put in place to mitigate them. This is fed by a set of risk assessments, protocols and policy addendums, all of which are workable documents which are constantly revisited and amended where necessary.

This, I feel, will be an ongoing process.

STAFF Keeping in contact with all of our staff has proven at times to be quite difficult. Our increased use of ICT has helped with this as ongoing Teams/ Zoom meetings have meant that line managers have been able to ‘stay in touch’ and help our colleagues cope with the demands of working from home. This has not always been successful for all of

our staff and we have relied quite heavily on line managers to keep in contact with their teams.

The use of staff surveys has helped my team identify those most at risk, or with increased anxiety, and put in place a regime of personal risk assessments and ‘keep in touch’ meetings.

Whilst this has taken quite some to do, it has proven invaluable for informing the creation of our processes and, hopefully, reassured staff along the way that we are working to ensure that our schools are as safe as they can be.

STUDENTS Some students had already been back in school during lockdown; the numbers will, of course, vary depending on your school cohort and situation so we have been able to have a dummy run of some of what we have put in place. Many others will have engaged with on-line ‘live’ and recorded lessons to continue their education.

The process of planning for getting all our students back into school in ‘bubbles’ has perhaps provided the biggest headache of all. As a secondary, it has proven near impossible to put students in year group bubbles in KS4, due to options and the need to move to different subjects. KS3, is not such an issue.

However, a version of this is now in place and our student bubbles will be visited by peripatetic teachers in an effort to move them around the school as little as possible, all observing a strict one way or keep to the right system. School times, lunch and break times are all staggered. We are now awash with sanitiser, posters, tissues and soap with individual student and teacher packs to stop the sharing of resources. Phew!

So, we are now looking forward to September with, perhaps, baited breath, hoping that we can achieve this new normality without any further interruption. None of us are under any illusions that we have finished with our planning - this is, without doubt, ongoing, with the end not yet in sight.

But there is opportunity in all of this upheaval, and maybe some of our new ways of working will prove to be more efficient and will become normal practice, part of our new reality.

There is opportunity in all of this upheaval

September 2020

21

Leadership by example {WORKING SBM}

RIP IT UP AND START AGAIN EMMA GRAY, the working SBM, discusses the rollercoaster she has been on since March and why trust is key during difficult times

W

ay back in February 2020 I wrote about how education was one of the pillars of our society and how it’s something I have always felt very proud to be part of.

Interview candidates will often tell me that they are looking to give something back to their community and there is little that, in my view, is more

22

September 2020

fulfilling than supporting the next generation to grow into contributing members of society.

That was February. A naïve and carefree time when the classrooms were full of eager learners; staff were looking forward to Easter, and could just see the summer term peeking over the horizon.

We anticipated exams, school trips, sunshine and the exciting transition to the next stage of the education journey.

By March it was all crashing down around us.

Where were you when

you heard the news? I was sat in the deputy’s office with the head, a yellow fever jab for a school trip to Africa still stinging in my arm, listening in stunned silence as we were told that schools must close, that there would be no more trips, no exams…no summer term.

In response, we made detailed plans and distributed tasks, almost on auto-pilot doing those things which must be done, trying to prepare our community for what lay ahead.

STRANGE NEW WORLD There are years in history in which life as we know it changes completely - 1066, 1914 and now 2020. I’ve been in an almost constant battle with myself, torn between wanting to shout from the top of the main block that I don’t like this change, and I’m finding it tough, and then admonishing myself because there are many who work in much more challenging and dangerous environments.

I’ve yearned to return to normality and I’ve found that working from home is not at all conducive to my own wellbeing.

It’s only recently that I have

Leasdership by example {WORKING SBM}

I have come to the realisation that there is one thing I have up my sleeve come to accept that I have been in an almost permanent state of heightened stress.

As someone who is usually so positive about life, and my role as a school business manager, I found myself walking through a near empty school, day after day, wondering what my role would look like in this new world.

What is a school without staff and students? Optimism has been a hard commodity to find in recent months.

I want to say where we are at the ‘time of writing’, but it seems irrelevant. We are still in a rapidly moving situation and what might be happening tomorrow could all change on Monday (I also don’t want to tempt fate). I’ve always celebrated how the school business manager needs to be nimble but this year has taken agility to the next level.

I’ve written, and then re-written, risk assessments as the guidance has changed.

I’ve argued for aspects of ‘bubbling’ that aren’t in the guidance but seem sensible and achievable in our setting, and I can’t count

the number of times I’ve stuck one-way arrows, that were only supposed to be temporary, back up on the wall.

NEW SOLUTIONS Like many colleagues, I’ve had to quickly find new solutions to suit the unusual circumstances, and then marvelled at our capacity for change. I’ve bitten my tongue when presented with some truly bonkers suggestions and patiently explained, over and again, the rudiments of social distancing. I’ve found it really hard to be sympathetic towards colleagues who are nervous about a return to the workplace, perhaps because I’m still unconvinced about my own ability to effectively work from home. Sure, I can do the ‘head down over a screen’ stuff at home, but I think we all work best as part of a face-to-face team. I’ve discovered that this isn’t a popular, or widely held, view in the current circumstances.

So, now I’ve begun to accept that my role is changing, I’ve been looking on the bright side at some interesting additional roles to add to my CV:

1. Warehouse operative managing and rotating the required stocks of PPE and being able to access them immediately on request.

2. Chemist – understanding, and being able to explain, the active ingredients of hand sanitiser.

3. G uidance analyst – deciphering government information streams, deciding what is achievable in reality, and what just isn’t going to work.

4. N ews and travel expert - able to recognise the differences between real news, fakery and leakage, as well as being up-tothe-minute when asked ‘How long will I have to quarantine for?’

5. Change manager – arguably, I was already doing this, but 2020 has taken it to a whole new level!

It’s still hard to know what

is ahead. The autumn term is looming with uncertainty and the ever-present threat of further lockdown. The cold weather and earlier darkness will inevitably bring new challenges but, finally, I have come to the realisation that there is one thing I have up my sleeve.

There is one key thing I have gained from many years’ experience as a school business manager and that is trust. Trust that we can get through this together.

Trust in myself and my colleagues. Trust that we can clean the school and keep risks to a minimum. Trust that we can solve the problems as they are presented to us - and then rip them up and start again.

Stay safe everyone, and hang on tight to that SBM sense of humour.

WorkingSBM has worked as an SBM for over 14 years – ‘supporting constant change and running the engine room!’ An active member of the SBM community, you can find her on Twitter @workingsbm or you can read her excellent blog at https://workingsbm.wordpress.com

September 2020

23

Leadership by example {SPONSORED}

FUJITSU SCANNING SOLUTIONS:

SUPPORTING ADMINISTRATION, ENABLING GDPR COMPLIANCE AND IMPROVING THE LEARNING EXPERIENCE As schools, colleges and universities attempt the tricky balancing act of cutting costs while improving service levels, more and more are discovering the benefits of deploying Fujitsu scanners in classrooms and administrative offices

T

he introduction of scanning technology enables schools to experience enhanced collaboration and productivity, and more effectively address GDPR compliance concerns such as subject access requests.

Primary and secondary school teachers are working almost 60 hours a week, according to the DofE, and a lot of this time is spent carrying

24

September 2020

out bureaucratic tasks such as form filling and general paperwork.

By implementing digital working practices, including the scanning and digitisation of material, a school will very quickly see the benefits brought by enhanced collaboration between staff members, pupils and parents - as well as supporting SENCOs in the use of ICT, as laid out in their code of practice 2001.

The speedier capture of correspondence

Leadership by example {SPONSORED}

The ability of Fujitsu scanners to aid learning is as important a benefit as improved administration such as permission slips, catering requests, HR material, bursaries and paperwork related to special needs - as well as the implementation of technology-driven teaching methods for a more enriched learning experience and marking - will additionally see time being freed up whether for teaching or personal recreation.

By the time children start school many are already familiar with technology, giving teachers a platform of knowledge on which to build. Infant and junior schools that have the technology to enhance learning are setting the benchmark, both in terms of actual achievement and parental and government recognition.

ENHANCED LEARNING For many customers in the education sector the ability of Fujitsu scanners to aid learning is as important a benefit as improved administration; it is also a major priority for Fujitsu, who are

SOLUTION-LED

working with a number of establishments to explore how scanners can be used to improve learning in the classroom.

CAPTURING EVIDENCE OF PROGRESS An important aspect of this programme is to discover how technology can help early learners develop confidence in their abilities and also recognise the progress that they have made. Fujitsu scanners can help in this regard by capturing a pupil’s work throughout the term so that children, teachers and parents can see how their work has evolved and , as well as providing a discussion point in school.

Providing digital files at the end of term instead, or as a supplement to, the actual artwork is also convenient for parents. Some schools are even charging for this service to recoup the cost of the scanner.

PEOPLE-LED

September 2020

25

Leadership by example { EDEXEC LIVE REVIEW}

EdExec LIVE North 2020-

THE REVIEW

Everything you need to know about what happened during our highly successful EdExec LIVE North 2020 event on 27 February!

A

lthough it may now seem like a lifetime ago, on 27 February 2020, SBLs from across the north – and beyond – descended on the Radisson Blu Hotel at Manchester Airport for EdExec LIVE. The forecast was dire – snow and rain predicted for the morning – but, thankfully, nothing more worrying than a light drizzle was the outcome, and determined school business leaders arrived in droves, unhindered by one or two train and motorway issues.

Vocally relieved to discover we had pastries and coffee waiting for them, delegates congregated in the main exhibition hall. Our opening speeker greeted them warmly, went over some of the finer details of the day, and advised that the first group of seminars were about to begin. Keen to start learning, delegates filed out and found their places, and thus began a day packed with information and advice.

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September 2020

SESSION ONE Laura Williams: Confidence and clarity Laura’s sessions were unique, in that she ran five workshops for a small group of delegates throughout the day. Her workshop focused on developing confidence within the SBM role and clarity in your vision of yourself and your professional position.

Laura began by talking to delegates about what kind of business manager they want to be, and, if there are obstacles to this, what these are. A major theme which emerged, for all the groups, was the inability to say ‘No’, and a lack of confidence in articulating their expertise to other people. Laura helped delegates traverse these feelings, identify the vicious cycles they were trapped within and to reach a better understanding of the unique gifts they have to offer.

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Leadership by example { EDEXEC LIVE REVIEW}

Paul Leigh: Benchmarking: not a solution, but a tool @WrexhamSBP The entire premise of Paul’s seminar was Really good day that benchmarking is a journey, and a with @EdExec lot of time is invested in benchmarking tools to make that journey a smooth one. at #EdExec Paul gave a simple example of good LIVE North benchmarking; Aldi till efficiency is 40% higher than other supermarkets thanks to the fact that its packaging has bar codes on every side of that packaging. That’s continuous improvement, and it works so well that Lidl has followed suit!

Paul gave delegates an overview of his fivepoint system – plan, gather data, analyse and seek to understand, identify and implement changes, monitor – and also discussed why benchmarking can fail, adding that the data itself isn’t the answer – it’s your starting point. He also touched on how to make a change in your school for the sake of best practice, and how benchmarking can help you do this by making the discussion more analytical.

Sandi Mann: Dealing with mental health Sandi’s seminar focused on mental health and how to ensure this is a focus in our schools. She emphasised the fact that, in the last year, a record number of calls have been made to a teacher helpline from those within the education sector suffering mental health problems; additionally, workplace stress is up 50%. She discussed how to spot a mental health condition in the workplace, and how to manage it, and asked delegates what they thought some of the causes of poor mental

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September 2020

health in schools might be – answers included unrealistic expectations, workload, time pressures and conflicts. Sandi also delved into various symptoms of mental health issues, the skills needed to manage them, and the difficult task of telling somebody that their role might not be suited to them if it’s causing them so much mental turmoil.

Naomi Clews: Leverage and price negotiation Naomi’s procurement and finance-themed session covered the tricky topics of costing models, what impacts the price of goods and services, and how to use negotiating tools effectively. Aspects of services and goods to consider include the costs of labour, overheads, materials, borrowing and profit.

Naomi stated that roughly two-thirds of inputs into the UK manufacturing sector are imported, and that price inflation is driven mostly by commodity prices, which tend to be more volatile over time – and these things impact price.

She then delved into leverage – defined as the power to influence the other side – and whether your side is dominant enough. Her relatable example concerned her dog, which has learned to leverage its power through sitting, barking, destruction and making its owner feel guilty! @workingsbm Naomi went on to talk about Brilliant and ‘normative leverage’ – relying on the passionate seminar use of social standards or norms to on community encourage consensus, and ‘negative engagement leverage’ which is threat-based form of leverage that represents one side’s ability

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Leadership by example { EDEXEC LIVE REVIEW}

to make the other worse off. ‘Positive leverage’, however, is about providing things that the other side wants - is knowledge that can be gained by a good negotiator. Naomi stressed the importance of gathering information about the opposition, and getting the timing right.

SESSION TWO Emma Gray: Training your governors In a session exclusively for EdExec LIVE north, Emma joined us to discuss why the SBM is often the person who ends up needing to challenge and manage governors, and how to deal with this. She asked delegates to describe their relationship with governors; answers included words like ‘passive, professional, challenging’ (in a positive way), and ‘yes men’. The SBM is the one who suffers, or loses their job, if something goes wrong, so how can this relationship be changed? Emma stressed the importance of needing to be able to work together and that, when the SRMA visits, the SBM has to be able to evidence what they’ve been doing with their finance governor - when she asked how often the delegates talked about everyone’s responsibilities during meetings with trustees and governors, everybody said ‘Never’! Emma stressed that it’s important to know who’s responsible for what, and to always be ready to be questioned.

@PeterhouseSbm Excellent day at @EdExec Live North – useful topics, fantastic speakers and a great opportunity to connect with Twitter contacts face-to-face!

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September 2020

Bradley Dardis and Mubina Asaria: How to help your school save money, keep children safe and raise attainment Bradley and Mubina, of the LGfL, discussed what the charity can do to provide schools with the training and resources they might need. Bradley started off with an overview of how LGfL’s services cut costs and save schools money, and Mubina discussed the ways in which Digisafe keeps pupils safe and secure when using devices at school.

They also gave overviews of IncludED, Busy Things and SuperCloud, among many other offerings that could help

the delegate audience improve their schools. Mubina also shared the fact that the LGfL provides posters about online safety as a free resource, and these have proven brilliant at starting conversations about online safety.

SESSION 3

@mianandy Great day today at #EdExecLIVE Manchester..... thanks to all the seminar hosts and presenters... was great to catch up with friends and colleagues too

Richard Harrison: Seizing opportunities Richard brought his experience of a blended role with him to EdExec LIVE, to demonstrate to delegates that they can achieve the same if they so desire.

He encouraged his audience to think about what’s changed in their roles, and to consider what specialisms they have that they’re not currently utilising. Delegates were asked to put their hands up if they had a career prior to being an SBM, and around half the room did so; did their colleagues appreciate those past roles all hands stayed down. According to Richard, we should be shouting about what we do, and have done, regardless of whether that experience is directly tied to a school or not. He then delved into how to develop within your role, creating opportunities, and building a business case for the growth of your position.

Catherine Kelsall and Jenny Nugent: Negotiate your way to savings on the cost of supply staff Catherine and Jenny’s session focused on the supply teacher deal and the difference between mark-up and margin, emphasising that it’s important to ask agencies what their mark-up is. They offered tips on how to negotiate – and why negotiating shouldn’t be scary – and what, specifically, to focus on when it comes to supply

Leadership by example { EDEXEC LIVE REVIEW}

@RunningSBM Fantastic day @EdExec #EdExecLIVE North. Loved meeting everyone and sharing my work around engagement

teachers. They also reflected on how important it is to do your research and ask the questions which will, ultimately, save you money.

Cate Hart: Ending contracts – the do’s and don’ts Cate’s session revolved around how to handle being in the difficult position of ending staff contracts, with a running theme of, ‘It’s about roles, not people’ – meaning, it should be nothing personal when making these decisions. Ending contracts is complicated, and will vary according to the type of contract and reason for dismissal, Cate explained. The contract types include redundancy, capability, gross misconduct and the end of a fixed-term contract – all of which have to be done correctly to avoid tribunals. The core lesson was to use your policies appropriately, allow plenty of time, and have alerts set up for the ending of fixed-term contracts.

Additionally, Cate reminded delegates to @Leslie_ ask themselves, ‘Why are you changing ClerkGov Great your structure? How will you rebuild day at @EdExec your team? How can you approach #EdExecLIVE dismissals in an air-tight way?’ And, today. Some importantly, to reassure those who might be worried about a change in their really interesting future roles – keep communicating. speakers. Lots of

notes taken and lots of people to annoy in school as a result

SESSION 4 Charles Hooker: Document management: a gateway to an efficiency revolution Charles, of Filestream – a Fujitsu partner – educated delegates about the many

benefits of scanning. He gave an overview of some scanners which are appropriate for education, and emphasised that if you scan a document, you can always find it again. Scanning is a massive money-saver and boost to efficiency. One example Charles shared was a woman who spent two weeks completing an SAR which could have been finished in a matter of minutes if she’d had access to all her files digitally. With all information fully encrypted, and infallible recovery every time, Charles said, digital document management is a game-changer.

Graham Shaw: The charity governance code and you Graham’s seminar focused on the charity governance code - what it means and how schools can benefit from it. He spoke about the role of the DfE and the Charity Commission, and gave an overview of the code itself and its principles. He took delegates through the various stages of using the code, and demonstrated a great example of how to use a self-assessment tool. Graham also highlighted why the code should be used; it builds on basic duties, supports exemplary leadership, helps avoid DfE intervention and is adaptable to your school. In short, schools that are charityexempt should be take advantage of this.

Phil Burton: Community engagement is key Phil, who turned his school around thanks to community engagement, kicked off his session by describing community engagement as a

September 2020

31

C R E a y

Leadership by example { EDEXEC LIVE REVIEW}

A e d

dynamic process which facilitates better communication, interaction, @mrsfinch2016 involvement and exchanges between Thanks for an an organisation and a community – and amazing day. that organisation could, and should, Really enjoyed the be your school. He examined why schools do it – to better understand fantastic speakers their communities, reach a wider audience, attract pupils, and so on, and went on to look at the ‘how’ – through social media, newsletters, open events and beyond. Phil explored the upsides of engaging with parents, community groups and local businesses to boost your school. A combination of these elements has led Phil’s school to rake in additional money and resources, improve pupil and staff happiness, and make a massive difference to the school’s reputation.

SESSION 5 Eithne Graham: Developing emotionally intelligent leadership Eithne began her session by discussing leadership and empathy – and the fact that neither of these are just one thing. Leadership depends on the situation, and empathy – according to Eithne – is about accepting a behaviour that you don’t always fully understand. This is not easy. Eithne emphasised that, once something has been said, we have no control over how someone might react to it, but we can work on our empathy quotient (EQ) in order be more self-aware and selfregulating. She touched on the fact that some people have very low EQ and can act as a ‘mood vacuum’, and that, when a person approaches us asking for something, the best response can sometimes be, “I’m not ready to respond to that right now; I’ll get back to you”, in order to avoid upsetting them.

The core of this session

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September 2020

was acknowledging your feelings - where they come from, and why it’s so important to have a good relationship with colleagues, with whom you spend more time than you do your friends.

Andrew Blench: Coaching skills for line managers Andrew began by having delegates describe what coaching was to them, and emphasised how important active listening skills are. He demonstrated this through an exercise where half the room attentively listened to, and engaged with, their partners, while the other half purposely didn’t listen. He then asked people how it made them feel; they all responded that it illustrated how important listening really is. Andrew added that a coaching culture isn’t just about listening, but also asking powerful questions – something which was well-illustrated, once again, by having delegates offer @EdOpsGM useful questions to one person struggling Great day out with a dilemma within her school.

The EdExec team would like to extend @EdExec Live its thanks, once again, to all our speakers today. Plenty of and delegates for making the day such information and a fantastic one. We look forward to a always good to time when we can see all of your faces chat to some peers. again and enjoy another successful day of learning, networking and laughing!

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Management {THE NEW NORMAL}

Stay at home SUPERHEROES LAURA WILLIAMS, of L J Business Consultancy Ltd, discusses how to navigate the new working from home routine and why now, more than ever, SBLs are proving their superhero status

T

his year has been tumultuous for all of us. Many of us have undergone radical changes to our regular working patterns. Times of the day, days of the week and ‘holidays’ have morphed into one big blur, with little structure; seven-day weeks have become the norm for too many. Lots of us have had to work from home full time, or at least split our time between home and school.

We’ve also had to adjust to additional demands and competing priorities whilst, at the same time, trying to maintain some resemblance of work/life balance. Let’s just say it’s been a steep learning curve!

Although we are now back for a ‘full’ return at school, I know some SBLs are continuing to do some work from home. Also, given the backlog of tasks that SBLs are facing, many are now taking more work home than they ever did previously.

(There’s a reason I call SBLs superheroes!)

So, what have we learnt about working from home, and productivity, in the last five months that can help us prepare for the new academic year and potential ongoing changes to our working patterns?

SPLITTING TIME REQUIRES DISCIPLINE If you split your working time between school and home, breaking down tasks for both officebased and home-based work can keep you from spinning out. If you know when you go to the office it’s going to be crazy, focus on the

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September 2020

important, day-to-day tasks and priorities. If you know that when you go to the office you’ll get some peace and quiet, allocate as much of that time as you can to more in-depth and strategic tasks. It’s all about matching your workload to your capacity and your environment.

Also, if you have papers and files that you need at home, don’t leave them out; file them away out of sight, under the stairs or in the spare room. This will help you to create a physical barrier between work time and family time. Just take out what you need for each task – this will help you to manage both your workspace and your mindset.

DIFFERENT ROUTINE MEANS DIFFERENT RULES A key point to remember is that you don’t have to recreate your workplace routine in order to be effective - your usual workplace routine may not actually be the optimal one for you. Comparing the hours that you are on-site, and your level of productivity at home, is not a simple, like-for-like equation. I often find that two hours working at home is more productive than four hours sitting behind a desk in an office.

Some days will run more smoothly than others and, sometimes, compromises might need to be made either to work (based on the needs of your family) or to family time (based on the demands at work). Know that, though things won’t always go to plan as circumstances change and challenges come up, there’s always tomorrow, so don’t beat yourself up.

Management {THE NEW NORMAL}

Know that though things won’t always go to plan as circumstances change and challenges come up – there’s always tomorrow, so don’t beat yourself up LEARNING TO MANAGE DISTRACTIONS Even those of us who choose to work from home can struggle initially; the difficulty in being ‘dressed for work’ and at your desk on time, the distractions from your partner, the fridge and the endless lure of the kettle… these are all genuine issues that are faced by those who work from home.

If you’re front and centre when it comes to your family during the day, then it might be that answering calls and e-mails is all that you can realistically get done during ‘normal work hours’ - and that’s ok! Work out what times are your most productive, and quietest, for different types of work and run with these.

If you’re struggling to find long periods of time where you’re uninterrupted, try working in time blocks instead – look at where you can block out an hour or two rather than aiming for four or five - which can often be unrealistic in a full house - and set a timer to help you keep moving.

TRYING TO KEEP TRACK CAN DRIVE YOU CRAZY Don’t let it! The thing is, we don’t know what we don’t know. Not me, not you – not anybody!

But we continue to have so many questions.

The unknown makes us anxious, and the lack of

control we have over this situation makes it even worse. By focusing on we do know, and what we can control, we can find a way to manage and support ourselves, our staff and each other.

To keep focused, ask yourself: What do you know? What can you do? What do you still need to know? Who can help you figure it out? When can a decision be taken? Whose decision is it?

I know it’s really overwhelming, looking at your to-do list, what’s happening, what should be happening, thinking about what normally happens, etc. and feeling like you’re going out of your mind because nothing is as it should be. In many areas, there are simply too many variables to be able to make decisions in the way that we used to.

Working through, and documenting, your plans and strategies using this questioning process can help you feel more prepared – including and acknowledging the things we just don’t know yet.

But here’s one thing I do know; you’re all doing an amazing job. No matter how hard it’s been, or how ridiculous some of the things you’ve had to do have been, you show up each and every day to do what’s right for your students, your staff and your communities.

Whatever happens over the summer, in September and beyond – you can do this. After all, you’re a SBL superhero!

About the author With over 10 years of leadership experience in the education sector, Laura is an executive coach and trainer working with SBLs, headteachers and CEOs. A former COO, CFO and business manager with CIPD and specialist CIPFA qualifications, she is an expert in all things business - operations, HR, finance and governance. She enjoys eating chocolate, watching questionable TV shows and making lists.

September 2020

37

FINANCE {ARTICLETALKS} {MONEY TITLE}

Playing catch-up: the £1bn grant Children in England are set to benefit from a £1bn COVID ‘catch-up’ package to directly tackle the impact of lost teaching time, the prime minister and education secretary announced in June - but how will this grant work?

A

s a full return to school happened earlier this month as planned, the government has announced that £650m will be shared across state primary and secondary schools over the 2020/21 academic year. This package is on top of the £14bn, threeyear funding settlement announced last year – in recognition of the additional work schools will need to do to help students to catch up.

This one-off grant aims to support pupils in state education after the government recognised that all young people have lost time in education as a result of the pandemic,

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September 2020

regardless of their income or background.

Nick Gibb, the education minister, said funding would start to be released in the new academic year starting in September.

Schools will also be advised on utilising the money by the DfE and the Education Endowment Foundation. Whilst headteachers will decide how the money is spent, the government expects it to be used for small group tuition for whoever needs it. The fact that school leaders will be able to use some discretion in deciding how to use the £650m has been welcomed by many in the education sector. “We are very pleased to see that leaders

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FINANCE {MONEY TALKS}

A

s a full return to school happened earlier this month as planned, the government has announced that £650m will be shared across state primary and secondary schools over the 2020/21 academic year. This package is on top of the £14bn, threeyear funding settlement announced last year – in recognition of the additional work schools will need to do to help students to catch up.

This one-off grant aims to support pupils in state education after the government recognised that all young people have lost time in education as a result of the pandemic,

We are very pleased to see that leaders will be able to decide how this money is spent on evidence-based interventions, as they know their pupils the best

will be able to decide how this money is spent on evidence-based interventions, as they know their pupils the best, and are experts in identifying learning gaps,” said Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders.

NATIONAL TUTORING PROGRAMME The other strand of this billion pound bonus involves a separate National Tutoring Programme (NTP), worth £350m. This programme aims to increase access to highquality tuition for up to two million of England’s most disadvantaged young people over the 2020/21 academic year. The government hopes that this will help accelerate their academic progress and prevent the gap between them and their more affluent peers widening even further.

NTP funding will subsidise 75% of the cost of tuition from an approved list of external providers, with schools having to meet the remaining 25% from their portion of the £650m.

The subsidised tutoring offered through the new programme from September is likely to cost state schools £12 an hour in the scheme’s first year, compared with the £50 an hour usually charged by the private providers involved.

4O

September 2020

regardless of their income or background.

Nick Gibb, the education minister, said funding would start to be released in the new academic year starting in September.

Schools will also be advised on utilising the money by the DfE and the Education Endowment Foundation. Whilst headteachers will decide how the money is spent, the government expects it to be used for small group tuition for whoever needs it. The fact that school leaders will be able to use some discretion in deciding how to use the £650m has been welcomed by many in the education sector. “We are very pleased to see that leaders

Sir Peter Lampl, founder and chairman of the Sutton Trust, and chairman of the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF), said, “Despite the heroic efforts of schools, many pupils’ learning has suffered as a result of school closures. These children are drawn disproportionately from disadvantaged communities, and need extensive support.

“We are delighted that the government is announcing a large sum to benefit those pupils who need it the most. We are proud to support the tutoring programme. Extensive trials show that high-quality tuition is a costeffective way to enable pupils to catch up.

Through a collaboration of organisations across the country, our aim is to make this tuition available to tens of thousands of primary and secondary school pupils. Our hope is that it becomes a powerful tool for teachers in the years to come.”

Schools will face an unprecedented challenge when they return to full capacity in September - the government thinks this money will go a long way in helping to overcome some of the challenges they will face. Do you think the money will go far enough in helping your school and pupils from September? Let us know what you think on @exdexec on Twitter!

Supporting administration and improving the learning experience

As schools, colleges and universities attempt the tricky balancing act of cutting costs while improving service levels, more and more are discovering the benefits of deploying Fujitsu scanners in the classroom and administrative offices.

Enhance collaboration, productivity and GDPR compliance.

Fujitsu offers a wide range of scanners, including sheetfed, flatbed and overhead models. Different models are suited to different applications, but all perform the same essential function, the conversion of printed and handwritten information into digital images that can be shared, stored and distributed digitally.

Visit http://emea.fujitsu.com/scanners-in-education to find out more

ScanSnap iX100 ■Battery powered scanner for

scanning in the classroom, office or at home ■Wirelessly scan to a cloud account, smart device,notebook or email address ■Scan small documents such as permission slips or notifications simultaneously ■Choice of paper paths for flexible operation

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as forms & permission slips up to A4 & even A3 ■Scan colour, double sided & mixed batches of documents ■Simple in its operation, connection via USB to PC or Mac ■Intuitive & automated scanning & seamless distribution to a host of destinations such as email ■Bundled with OCR software for creation of searchable & editable files

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Please scan here for a YouTube hosted video featuring teachers talking about using scanners and the benefits of them in the classroom and for admin

Finance {LEARNING LESSONS}

FINANCIAL RESILIENCE AND LESSONS LEARNED DURING LOCKDOWN PAUL LEIGH, chief f inancial officer at Focus-Trust, discusses how school closures, and the impact of COVID-19, has changed the way his trust works - and why he thinks these changes should stay

J

ust when I thought schools were entering a period of relative stability after years of funding pressures and cuts, in late March 2020, the nation went into lockdown due to COVID-19, and schools across the country closed.

The future now feels even more uncertain than it has ever felt, and this was clearly going to be a real test of the finance team’s leadership, resilience and agility. So, as the trust’s chief financial officer, I decided straight away that the best thing I could do was to ensure that the finance function did not just cope, but stepped up to the mark to help support school leaders as they grappled with the impact of the virus.

The finance function needed, above all, to maintain the payment of salaries and suppliers in a timely

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September 2020

and accurate manner. Strong financial control was just as important, especially as fraudsters were beginning to use the vulnerability of the situation to increase their fraudulent activities.

Furthermore, the timely production of monthly management accounts became paramount to ensure the impact of any changes was managed and controlled.

March seems, to me, like a long time ago; a lot has happened since, and I have had little time for reflection.

This article covers what I have learnt and how these lessons will positively impact the future.

MOVING ONLINE From the outset of the lockdown the transition to remote working went relatively smoothly because our finance systems are all cloud-based and can be accessed remotely.

The central finance team and business managers all had laptops, not desktops, so

Finance {LEARNING LESSONS}

We will take the best of what we have learnt and use this to build a ‘blended new normal’ could easily access the finance systems.

We tried to get more of our suppliers to send their invoices electronically and this enabled us to pay them on time. We have seen more readiness from smaller suppliers to oblige, even if this means them scanning in their printed invoices and emailing them to us for payment.

Over the years the trust has made significant progress in reducing the number of cheques it pays, as its preference is to pay by BACS. This really helped payment processing times during lockdown because BACS is purely electronic, as is the remittance advice which is a PDF emailed by the finance system. We will now aim to eradicate the use of cheques altogether - after all, during lockdown who could go to a bank to pay a cheque in?

All of this continuation of transaction processing meant that we could continue to

produce meaningful monthly management accounts, on time, to maintain effective financial control and governance. Whilst we still have more to do to become fully electronic, the challenges from the closure of schools and lockdown has demonstrated how important it is to do this, not just for efficiency, but also for financial resilience and the management of risk.

KEEPING UP WITH THE TEAM A key challenge of remote working during lockdown was keeping up team spirits, productivity and motivation.

Under normal circumstances remote working risks reducing engagement, and can lead to a drop in trust, as the ever important face-to-face aspect of human relationships disappears.

So, very quickly, we jumped in at the deep end and fully embraced video conferencing technology, such as Microsoft Teams and Zoom.

Properly done, we found that our engagement did not suffer - and we even managed to do some remote socialising such as quizzes for a bit of fun.

Wellbeing is really important to Focus-Trust and the use of video conferencing technology ensured nobody felt forgotten or left out.

Our proficiency in its use

was faster than we could ever have imagined and very soon I was confident enough to carry out fifteen budget review meetings with a number of colleagues remotely.

I found that, apart from the obvious savings in time travelling to and from locations, cost savings and no travel tiredness, we were able to share documents and finance systems on the screen for all to see, and make any changes in real time. This new remote videoing format was very effective, and positively received.

From a governance perspective, the trust was determined to maintain its strong governance and oversight and the video conferring technology was effectively used to run our audit committee, operations and finance committee and board. Given that our trustees are unpaid, and very busy people, we found that the video conferencing technology provided additional flexibility to attend meetings as there was no travel involved.

In fact, I found no real difference in how I could present financial papers and reports to the committee meetings remotely, and the trustees found they could still provide strong scrutiny, challenge and support.

The use of video

technology also enabled the trust to quickly establish, and run, a series of COVID-19 committees to help school leaders navigate their way through the crisis. The remote video technology enabled the committee to meet frequently, and at short notice when required, to deal with emerging issues and developments. The speed, agility and responsiveness this enabled the committee to demonstrate was very much welcomed by our school leaders.

CHANGE IS HERE TO STAY My key takeaway is that, when things get back to the ‘new normal’, we will not just automatically go back to face-to-face meetings for everything. We have been forced into using new technologies, and introducing new ways of working, by the terrible circumstances of COVID-19.

But this will not be in vain.

We will take the best of what we have learnt and use this to build a ‘blended new normal’ of face-to-face and video conferencing technologies working together in harmony, just like paperback books and e-readers and like film streaming technologies and cinemas. Who would have thought?

September 2020

43

LEADERSHIP

BY EXAMPLE Alison Helm discusses the renovation of North Beckton Primary School, and what it will mean for SEND pupils

Coming up in our October issue:

OUT IN OCTOBER Read previous issues online at edexec.co.uk

SAFETY FIRST How a devastating roof collapse led to one headteacher successfully acquiring a brand new school

THE RISE OF PRESENTEEISM IN SCHOOL How to tackle the toxic culture of presenteeism in your school

OFF-PAYROLL WORKING – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW Lynne Higginbottom, bursar at Clitheroe Royal Grammar School, breaks down the details into intelligible chunks

VALUE ADDING FINANCIAL SUPPORT Paul Leigh, CFO at FocusTrust, explores why those dealing with finance must be at the forefront of all decision-making

60 SECONDS WITH...

GREY MATTER

THE BIG ASK

A glimpse into the life of our SBL of the month

Where SBLs share their hard-earned knowledge

We ask the big questions… you share your answers

A VIEW FROM THE ENGINE ROOM More wisdom from the Working SBM

THE LATEST UPDATES AND DEVELOPMENTS IN SCHOOL TECHNOLOGY

SHAR WITH E ME IT M YOUR ANAG ER

How COVID has modernised the role of the SBL Certain aspects of the SBL role have been forced to modernise, overnight, and many hope these elements of the ‘new normal’ are here to stay TECHNO GEEK How will technology continue to aid schooling in the age of COVID?

ICT matters {FUTURE FIRST}

How COVID has modernised the role of the SBL

The coronavirus pandemic has turned all of our worlds upside down - but it’s not all bad news. Certain aspects of the SBL role have been forced to modernise, overnight, and many hope these elements of the ‘new normal’ are here to stay

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September 2020

ICT matters {FUTURE FIRST}

T

he coronavirus pandemic has turned all of our worlds upside down - but, it’s not all bad news.

Certain aspects of the SBL role have been forced to modernise, overnight, and many hope these elements of the ‘new normal’ are here to stay.

HOME COMFORTS Working from home has been on the rise for years but, in light of the pandemic, it’s become a necessity. This is the first time many people have had to work from home – and the first time a lot of organisations have had to embrace flexible working.

While some workplaces will want employees to head back to the office as soon as they can, others are more likely to encourage flexible working arrangements.

Figures from the Office of National Statistics show that only 1.7 million people in the UK worked from home prior to the COVID pandemic, but now an estimated 20 million people have relocated to home offices. In April 2020, 46.6% of people in employment did some work at home and, of these, 86% did so as a result of coronavirus.

This seismic shift in working environments has been welcomed by most employees. According to research by McKinsey, 80% of people questioned report that they enjoy working from home - in fact, 41% said that they are more productive than they had been before. Many employees are now liberated from long commutes and have found more productive ways to spend that time, enjoyed

greater flexibility in balancing their personal and professional lives, and have decided that they prefer to work from home rather than the office.

This sentiment is also echoed by many in the SBL community. When EdExec took to Twitter to ask SBLs how they felt about the change in the way they were working, many reported positive experiences. @ sbmcoventry summed it up by saying, “I think there have been more positive outcomes, on reflection. It has made me more productive and I would prefer to work from home more in the future.”

For many years, having the option to work from home seemed unattainable for many SBLs. Now, COVID-19 has forced working from home practices to develop quickly and become well-established in the education sector. It seems likely that, now it has been proven to work - and that productivity doesn’t waver, but in some cases actually improves - that the home office is here to stay, at least some of the time for SBLs.

THE ZOOM REVOLUTION In December 2019, Zoom had 10 million daily meeting participants. Just four months later, in April 2020, more than 300 million daily meeting participants were using Zoom.

Each month, Zoom calculates its annualised run rate for meeting minutes. For January, that figure was 100 billion; just three months later, it was two trillion meeting minutes based on April’s annualised run rate!

Whether your virtual conferencing platform of

1.7 million people in the UK worked from home prior to the COVID pandemic, but now an estimated 20 million people have relocated to home offices choice has been Zoom, or one of the many others available, it’s fair to say that most of us have spent time over the last few months looking presentable from the waist up whilst we battle technical issues and laugh at one of our colleagues inevitably being interrupted by a family member at some point.

But virtual meetings shouldn’t be a novelty that we all eventually move on from.

There are many valuable lessons they have taught us which can streamline and modernise working practices.

Previously, SBLs may have generated ideas by convening a meeting, brainstorming on a physical or digital whiteboard, and assigning someone to write down the resulting ideas. A new, post-COVID, process may include a period of asynchronous brainstorming on a digital channel and incorporating ideas from people who can add them in their own time, followed by a refinement in an open video conference.

Gone are the days of needing to schedule meetings weeks in advance to make sure everyone’s diaries line up.

Using virtual software means people can collaborate and add their input in their own time which means that meetings no longer need to be restricted to just include the ideas of those able to make it at a specific time - they can become more of an open process which ensures everyone gets to contribute their ideas when it suits them.

Virtual meetings also feel less hierarchal. Instead of having someone sitting at the head of a table, or standing up next to the board, everyone is more equal, which allows for more collaborative and open conversation, rather than the traditional meeting setting when you might speak only when you are invited to by the person who is leading the meeting. This way, everyone gets to be heard and feels like their opinion is valued.

As virtual meetings can be recorded, brainstorming collaborations saved and ideas written for all to see in real time, virtual meetings also save the time normally spent on the admin required in traditional meetings - and, as all SBLs know, any reduction in time spent on admin and bureaucracy is to be welcomed with open arms!

Although it’s hard to imagine right now, the COVID crisis will end, and things will get back to a new sense of normal. But there are a lot of changes which many hope will stay. The modernisation of the SBL role could have taken months, or even years, to realise. Now, in a matter of weeks, certain aspects of the role have gone through a complete transformation which may remain with us way into the future.

September 2020

47

ICT matters {TECHNO GEEK}

Techno Geek EdExec speaks to two leading tech companies to see how they think technology can help assist learning during these difficult times JAMES JEPSON - VIEWSONIC EUROPE

T

he coronavirus pandemic has fundamentally changed the world - and the UK education system has felt the full force of the outbreak. The one thing schools and educators have been crying out for, in recent months, is clarity.

But with local lockdowns a real possibility in the event of a second spike, we need to spend this time preparing schools and students for this new, post-coronavirus world. We cannot afford to have the education of millions of children interrupted again in the way it has been during lockdown – and this is where technology can help.

Class sizes may be limited, but schools which have adopted a hybrid approach to teaching will be much more successful in retaining student engagement with the curriculum. When combined with cloud-based remote learning software, it means students who cannot attend in person can still engage with their teachers and peers, receive feedback on their work and continue their academic progress online.

The ability to interact, and collaborate in groups, is vital for academic development, so we need to use technology to overcome the limitations the virus has placed on education. For those students attending lessons in person, bigger, interactive screens and portable devices can enable them to continue to collaborate and discuss classwork together, while also remaining socially distant.

If we end up in a situation where some students are learning remotely, and others are in the classroom, schools will continue to rely on livestreaming and video conferencing to maintain that interaction and daily structure – which is so important for all pupils - but especially younger ones.

The use of technology does not replace face-to-face teaching but when used effectively – it enhances the learning process for both students and teachers. Now is the time for us to work with educators to rethink how we teach the next generation and enable them to benefit from digital technology.

48

September 2020

LOTTE SCHEPERS - SMART TECHNOLOGIES

W

e have all been forced to make many changes, and learn many new skills, during COVID-19, including how to wear a smart top at the same time as pyjama bottoms for a Zoom call! A key step along this steep learning curve is accepting the idea that we need to be ready for anything, as there is no guarantee we know what is coming next!

However, one thing has been consistent, when quality teaching is combined with quality edtech, outcomes are improved. As we return to school, deciding whether or not to preserve some of the practices we have learnt is key, and the route we do choose must ensure consistency, wherever the children and teachers are located.

A consistent approach to hybrid teaching, where students can engage with the lesson either on an interactive display within the classroom or on their own device, is a new normal we need to plan for. SMART’s teaching and learning software not only offers this synchronous approach, but also supports asynchronous lessons.

Many changes have happened, and will continue to happen, but if we are able to offer quality teaching that is both engaging and motivating for students and teachers, we will be prepared for whatever the next wave of education or ‘new normal’ throws at us.

A key step along this steep learning curve is accepting the idea that we need to be ready for anything, as there is no guarantee we know what is coming next!

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Live it

LIVE IT Time to take a few moments out for some light and interesting reading – a well-earned break from numbers and statistics!

Bird’s best friend: chihuahua that can’t walk makes friends with pigeon that can’t fly As reported by the Huffington Post, an unlikely friendship between a chihuahua and a pigeon has blossomed in a disabled animal shelter in New York. Lundy the chihuahua, who can’t use his back legs, was brought into the Mia Foundation where he met Herman, a pigeon who has been in the shelter for the past year due to his inability to fly. Sue Rogers, the founder of Mia Foundation, explained how the pair’s bond began. “I had Herman in a dog bed and was tending to Lundy.

I sat Lundy next to him and they looked so adorable snuggling that I snapped a few photos. I think the world needs good stories and when you have two species that basically fall in love, it can only touch hearts.”

Winkles for your wrinkles: how a fish may be the key to reversing ageing The Independent has reported that an African turquoise killifish may have the ability to show scientists how human ageing can be reversed. Killifish can place themselves in a state of ‘suspended animation’, known as diapause, which effectively pauses the aging process in order to help the fish survive extreme conditions. Understanding how diapause works could help scientists develop treatments for age-related human diseases. Research published in Science found the fish embryos put functions such as cell growth and organ development on hold for months, and even years, ‘without trade-offs for subsequent adult growth, fertility and life span’. Discussing the discovery of the fish Professor Brunet, of Stanford University, said, “We think that studying the process of embryonic diapause could provide a fundamental understanding of how cells and tissues could be preserved over long periods of time.”

50

September 2020

Tiny seaweed found in China thought to be 1bn years old As reported by The Guardian, Chinese scientists have found what is thought to be the oldest fossils of a green plant ever found.

The miniscule seaweed, called Proterocladus antiquus, is about the size of a rice grain and lived on the seafloor 1 billion years ago.

Proterocladus is 200m years older than the previous earliestknown green seaweed.

“Proterocladus antiquus is a close relative of the ancestor of all green plants alive today,” said Qing Tang, a Virginia Tech postdoctoral researcher in paleobiology who detected the fossils in rock dug up in Liaoning province.

Live it

Well, knock me down with a feather!

Treat yourself TRAVEL AND VIRTUAL RUN AROUND THE WORLD 2020 Sat, Sep 26, 2:00 pm to Sun, Sep 27, 1:00 am BST Even though the world is closed for traveling, you can still experience new places you’ve never been to before. With this virtual run, you’ll get a virtual packet with videos, highlights, interesting foods/ fun info, and a commemorative postcard with your own photo on it so you can immerse yourself in the experience of a virtual run and travel.

TRY THIS

DON’T MISS

MONTHLY WELLNESS WEDNESDAY: AN HOUR FOR YOU AND YOUR WELLBEING

BY TALBOTT RECOVERY Wed, September 30, 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM BST Now, more than ever, we need to maintain, or ramp up, our self-care regimes. Join this online class for a wellness Wednesday - an hour devoted to learning about different components of wellness.

AI discovers new antibiotic Sky News has reported that an algorithm which scans millions of chemical compounds has discovered a molecule which could kill diseases like e.coli.

Researchers from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have said that their algorithm has identified an antibiotic compound that doesn’t develop any resistance during a 30-day treatment period. “We’re facing a growing crisis around antibiotic resistance; this situation is being generated by both an increasing

number of pathogens becoming resistant to existing antibiotics, and an anaemic pipeline in the biotech and pharmaceutical industries for new antibiotics,” said MIT’s Professor James Collins. “We wanted to develop a platform that would allow us to harness the power of artificial intelligence to usher in a new age of antibiotic drug discovery. Our approach revealed this amazing molecule which is, arguably, one of the more powerful antibiotics to have been discovered.”

I’LL EAT MY HAT! YOU’VE HEARD OF FLYING PIGS, BUT WHAT ABOUT A FLYING HORSE?!

As reported by Sky News, a miniature service support horse called Fred has boarded an American Airlines flight and taken to the skies. Fred was joined by his handler, Ronica Froese, who had specially trained him. Fred was something of a celebrity on the flight, getting upgraded to first class and posing for selfies with fellow passengers. Fred and Ronica flew from Texas to California and, once his hooves were back on the ground, he returned to his usual day-to-day life of being a completely house-trained pony. Ronica was very pleased with how the flight attendants dealt with their special passenger. “Their kindness, and comments about how well-behaved Fred was, made me the proudest mommy, handler and trainer EVER. They were all super-respectful.”

September 2020

51

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