QA Nursery - Issue 9

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RSE NU WHY FRANCHISING I S Y O U R A B C TO S U C C E S S I N E A R LY Y E A R S E D U CAT I O N SAV E E N E R GY , SAV E M O N E Y

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How A Forest Schools Cabin Can Transform Your Nursery And Enhance The Children’s Experience

Young people are deeply influenced by their environment, so it’s essential that the space around them reinforces and supports their education and individual developmental needs to the full.

Whether you are looking for a versatile, open plan space with plenty of natural light and room for activities, or an inspiring space with in-the-round seating for maximum child engagement, here at Cabins for Schools we have the right solution for you.

See how other schools and nurseries have benfited from a Cabins for Schools building by reading the case studies on our website. www.cabinsforschools.co.uk

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o why not inspire them to try something different? A Forest School Cabin BBQ Hut is the perfect spot to spark creativity and teach youngsters all about the wonders of nature.Think of the stories that most inspire kids; they often imagine a secret woodland hideaway, which offers that great sense of adventure and fun that children find in all of their favourite tales.

Being made from wood, it’s the perfect forest den, as it fits in harmoniously with natural surroundings. Just the sight of this cool, unusual structure will be enough to get young hearts racing, and they’ll forget all about their ipads as they’re transported back to a simpler, happier time.

A Forest School Cabin BBQ Cabin does more than just fire up the imagination. In

fact, it’s a great place to spark up a real fire, too! Many teachers have found that these cabins are a great place to inspire kids to

learn about fire for the first time. In a safe, comfortable space, children can start learning those outdoor skills that could one day be essential for survival.

Youngsters who are more used to an urban environment can use the cabin for a camp out, which might well be the first step to a lifelong love of nature. Children who’ve used the cabin could find themselves inspired to go on to do Duke of Edinburgh awards in their teens and spark an interest in activities like hiking and camping.The perfect Forest den! The natural properties of the timber create an airy space anyway; the slow grown spruce used to create the cabin’s walls breathes, creating a natural air conditioning system.

Added to this, all the double-glazed windows can open fully, giving you complete control of the environment and flexibility to adapt to the needs of the pupils using it.

As well as fire, the BBQ cabin is a great place to inspire kids to get into bushcraft and other outdoor learning. It can be fitted with a BBQ grill, which makes for an unforgettable learning experience. All those activities that you might have enjoyed in the Cubs or the Brownies years ago are easily updated for the 21st century, thanks to the comfort and convenience of a Forest School Cabin. www.cabinsforschools.co.uk / 0800 0448418

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The benefits gained by taking learning out of the classroom are huge. It encourages creative thinking, accelerates understanding of subjects, boosts selfawareness, fosters respect for others, nurtures social skills, encourages interactions and helps to build healthy peer to peer relationships.

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How An Outdoor Learning Space Can Benefit Everyone

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hildren respond well to being in different environments, so change their surroundings and you’ll open up a whole world of possibilities to them. Young children are deeply influenced by their environment, so it’s essential that the space around them reinforces and supports their education and developmental needs to the fullest.

Creating an outdoor learning space, that is accessible in all weather conditions, gives your school an almost unlimited range of extra activities that can both support the national curriculum and add a little spice and diversity to your school’s extra-curricular offer.

Timber Forest school cabins are available in a range of different sizes, plus they can be adapted with a huge range of options, such as extensions, adjoining rooms, porches and the ability to link a number of cabins of different sizes - the possibilities are endless. These cabin are usually installed in 1-3 days.

A larger room would be perfect for a PE space on a rainy day, with plenty of natural ligh. For purely practical purposes, you could also use one of these handy cabins for extra meeting room space, or as a staff room when the need arises. There are other ways that these rooms could be used to inspire, too; school cabins make great

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music rooms, and kids can be free to make as much noise as they need to show off their creativity, without bothering anyone in nearby classrooms!

They are also perfect for sensory rooms, or SEND spaces, too. Children on the autism spectrum will appreciate the chance to relax in a soothing environment that can be filled with gently stimulating objects. The cosy, circular space in the log cabins lends itself brilliantly to creating a quiet, relaxed space. And the traditional layout of our Outdoor Classrooms gives that much needed extra wall space for themed activities and those beautiful childrens creations.

You could also use one of these cabins as a peaceful reading nook, too, giving quieter children their own private hideaway to escape the rough and tumble of the playground and curl up on a beanbag with a book.

Thanks to his TV shows, Sir David Attenborough is as relevant to children today, if not more so than previous generations, which is reflected in the activities that the children are choosing to do in the outdoor classroom. The good news is your Eco Classroom is environmentally friendly too, made here in the UK from sustainable sources. www.cabinsforschools.co.uk / 0800 0448418

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Schools and Nurseries often struggle for extra space but it’s not always easy to find this within the current buildings, which are sometimes old and not really ideal for an extension.

So maybe it’s time to look beyond the main building / classroom and have a stand alone structure, purpose built and installed in a matter of days!

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EDUCATIONAL IER RESOURCES SUPPL S FINDEL ANNOUNCE NEW THREE-YEAR PARTNERSHIP WITH NATIONAL DAY TION NURSERIES ASSOCIA NDNA is the national charity representing children’s nurseries across the UK. Its membership encompasses the 20,000-strong nursery sector and the 250,000 people employed within it.

Working closely with local and national governments in England, Scotland and Wales, the charity provides information, training and advice to support nurseries and the people who work in them. It also campaigns on the cost, choice and quality of childcare to benefit nurseries, families and the economy.

NDNA members will now benefit from a range of benefits from Hope including discounts on more than 32,000 early years products.

This includes a discount of 15 per cent off every order and a special one-off 20 per cent discount on an order of choice.

In addition, there are discounts of up to 70 per cent off more than 200 essential early years items in a core list curated by NDNA. Findel, which is delivering the partnership through its online early and primary years educational resources supplier brand Hope, previously partnered with NDNA for 10 years from 2008-2018.

Last year, NDNA announced it was going out to competitive tender with its educational resources requirements and

Hope was re-appointed following that process.

Talking about the new partnership, NDNA’s chief executive, Purnima Tanuku, said: “NDNA spent months choosing the right partner that offered the very best value for our members. We were impressed by Hope’s passion to inspire and support our members, while also delivering excellentcustomer service.

“Hope’s time-saving and budget management online solutions will support our members with making savings not just on price, but on precious time too.

“We’re so pleased to be working with Hope which offer our members savings and inspiration on quality early years resources.”

Findel describes Hope as a brand dedicated to supporting people who nurture young minds, helping them pass on vital knowledge, build confidence and fuel children’s imaginations and enrich their futures.

Hope aims to put everything these educators need in one place to help those who stand in front of children every day to inspire future generations. This sentiment and service is expressed by Hope’s brand positioning line of ‘Hope is all you need.’

Findel chief executive, Chris Mahady, said: “We’re delighted

Online educational resources supplier Findel has announced a new three-year commercial partnership with the National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA).

to be partnering with NDNA once again. Since our previous partnership in 2018, we have been on a transformational journey and have reshaped our business from top to bottom to ensure our customers are at the heart of everything we do.

“We will work hard together with NDNA to provide members with the highest quality resources and equipment, the best value, and inspiration, backed by our market-leading service.

“We look forward to welcoming members to our Hope brand and supporting them however we can in the future.”

Findel’s origins as an educational resources supplier can be traced back to 1817.

Today, its brands and websites offer more than 32,000 products to educators and parents based in the UK and overseas with the business exporting to 130 countries.

Headquartered in Hyde, Greater Manchester, Findel also has a distribution centre and offices in Nottingham and employs around 300 people.

The company’s brands comprise Hope, GLS,Davies Sports, Philip Harris and Scandibørn.

Findel is backed by Leedsheadquartered private equity firm Endless, which supported a management buy-out in April 2021.

For further information on Findel visit www.findel.co.uk

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I would strongly advise parents to discuss their concerns with their health visitor or seek medical advice at the earliest possible stage.

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Autism programme for EYFS children launches in UK

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n internationally successful autism programme for children aged 18-40 months is launching in the UK. The USA early autism intervention programme, Early Start Denver Model (ESDM), is being launched by the Re:Cognition Health clinic.

Hailed as one of the top 10 medical breakthroughs in 2012, ESDM is a play-based therapy that has rapidly been adopted in the USA, Canada, Australia and France as an effective method for treating toddlers with autism.

Several published studies have shown evidence of improvements in cognitive skills and IQ, language and social behaviour of young children who have received early treatment with the ESDM programme.

Developed at the UC Davis Mind Institute of the University of California by professors Sally Rogers and Geraldine Dawson, ESDM uses intensive play-based activities embedded into daily routines to target language and self-care skills but also areas such as motor skills and non-verbal communication. The model also places focus on the quality of parent-child relationships and their emotional interaction, whilst teaching is carried out in a way that mimics the natural process of learning of children with typical development.

ESDM is the only early intervention model to be validated in a randomised clinical trial as effective for children with autism spectrum disorder aged 18 - 48 months. Children with more significant difficulties were found to benefit from the programme as much as children with milder symptoms. There has also been some evidence that improvements in language, social behaviour and autism symptoms, correspond with normalised EEG brain activity during social abilities tasks. Parents and carers are fully involved in applying the model and receive support, feedback and help to understand the principles of ESDM and develop their skills in applying some techniques used in the method.

THE IMPORTANCE OF EARLY INTERVENTION The earlier the intervention commences, the more successful the outcome for the child because the brains of babies and toddlers are very malleable, enabling quick acquisition of cognitive, motor and social skills despite their difficulties due to autism. Therefore, an early diagnosis of autism is imperative.

Dr Dimitrios Paschos, consultant psychiatrist in intellectual and developmental disabilities, says, “Confirming a diagnosis of autism early is a complex process. There are early signs in many cases, most notably absence of some key developmental skills. Such deficits may be subtle and difficult to identify especially

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for first time parents who have no benchmarks to compare the development of their child to.

“I would strongly advise parents to discuss their concerns with their health visitor or seek medical advice at the earliest possible stage. Naturally, friends and family or misinformed professionals try to reassure with the view that every child develops in a different way.

Whilst this is correct we can now identify, with high accuracy, early symptoms of autism in children as young as two years old. Early diagnosis can lead to early intervention which has recognised benefits.’

The ESDM service at Re:Cognition Health is led by Dr Paschos and a team of experts who work collaboratively in conjunction with the family and the child. ESDM can be provided in the clinic, the child’s home or a group environment, such as a nursery.

Re:Cognition Health is a pioneering brain and mind clinic specialising in the diagnosis, treatment and care of people with symptoms of cognitive impairment or mental health concerns. Clinical services include traumatic brain injury, neurology, children’s neurological conditions, Alzheimer’s and dementia and mental health. The Re:Cognition Health Clinics in

London, Essex, Surrey, Birmingham and Plymouth are also major centres for international trials of disease-modifying and new symptomatic drugs for Alzheimer’s disease and other neurological conditions. The multi-disciplinary team work collaboratively to provide a full service, patient-centred approach using the latest progressive medical research and evidence based treatments.

For more information, see recognitionhealth.com SOME OF THE RED FLAGS / POSSIBLE EARLY SIGNS OF AUTISM IN BABIES AND TODDLERS INCLUDE: • No big smiles or other warm,

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joyful expressions by 6 months or thereafter No back-and-forth sharing of sounds, smiles or other facial expressions by 9 months No babbling by 12 months No back-and-forth gestures such as pointing, showing, reaching or waving by 12 months No words by 16 months No meaningful, two-word phrases (not including imitating or repeating) by 24 months Any loss of speech, babbling or social skills at any age

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ARS OVER 700 EARLY YE G SETTINGS, INCLUDIN CHILDMINDERS, TO EFTAKE PART IN NEW E FUNDED PROJECTS 733 nurseries and early years settings across England will take part in eight new evaluations of programmes to support early language and numeracy development, the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) announced today.

The new projects, co-funded with the Department for Education’s Stronger Practice Hubs, are a major part of the EEF’s increased focus on support for the early years sector. All the projects will be independently evaluated, representing a significant contribution to the early years evidence base.

They include the first ever EEF-funded evaluation involving childminders. The pilot of Communication Friendly HomeBased Settings, developed by Elklan, will give childminders training to improve their provision and practice to support their children’s language skills. This project is being evaluated by a team based at the University of York.

A version of this programme, Communication Friendly Settings, will also be tested across nurseries. The delivery organisation, Elklan, will train two staff to train other staff in their setting to support children’s speech, language and communication skills. The evaluation, led by a team from the University of York, will look at the impact of the programme on three- and four-year-olds.

Five more of today’s new projects will focus on early language development: • Early Years Conversation Project (EYCP): Delivered by Sheringham Nursery School and Children’s Centre, the programme aims to develop staff’s interactions with children to improve the language skills of two-and three-year-olds. The evaluation will be led by Durham University. · Concept Cat: This approach focuses on teaching vocabulary and supporting staff to teach high frequency concepts such as

NEW EEF TRIALS WITH STRONGER PRACTICE HUBS TO EXPLORE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF PROMISING EARLY YEARS PROGRAMMES

most, large and near. The programme was developed by the speech and language therapists behind Word Aware and is being delivered in collaboration with Better Communication CIC. RAND Europe will assess the impact of the programme on three- and four-year-olds. · Early Talk Boost: Designed and delivered by Speech and Language UK, this 9-week programme is targeted at three- and four-year-olds identified as needing additional teaching to support talking and understanding words. Each session includes language activities supported by songs and storybooks. · Talk with Tales with Children (TWiTCH): Developed by Sheffield Hallam University, this approach supports early years staff to optimise their daily story time and provide discussion-based activities to promote children’s language development. A team led by Durham University will evaluate the pilot of this programme. · Tales Toolkit: This programme supports staff to implement weekly oral storytelling and story scribing sessions using visual resources that promote a child’s understanding of how to structure a story.

The programme will be delivered through a collaboration of Tales Toolkit with Goldsmiths University and aims to support children’s early language and social development. The Institute of Employment Studies (IES) will evaluate the pilot study of this approach.

One of today’s new trials focuses on early numeracy and executive functions. The ONE Project, delivered by staff at the University of Oxford and University of Sheffield, trains early years staff to engage groups of young children in play-based activities to support early numeracy.

These tasks last five to ten minutes and are designed to develop pre-schoolers’ numeracy skills by embedding cognitive challenge into learning activities. Core attention and flexible thinking skills, known as executive function, develop over childhood and support early mathematical learning.

The delivery team will work with early years educators to gradually embed executive function challenge into maths learning through fun activities codeveloped with practitioners. Three activities are delivered each week over the course of the 12-week programme, and can be woven into small group activities, outdoor, and free play.

Initial evidence evaluation was supported by the Nuffield Foundation.

The independent evaluation will be conducted by RAND Europe.

Early years settings can explore the programmes available in their area and express interest in taking part through the EEF website.

Professor Becky Francis CBE, Chief Executive of the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF), said: “A vital part of supporting early years professionals in their work is broadening their access to high-quality, well evidenced programmes that can bolster their practice and boost young children’s development.

“It is our hope that the research projects announced today serve to increase support and drive innovation in this crucial area of our education system.”

“Nurseries that sign-up to take part in one of our evaluations will be making a vital contribution to education research, as well as getting the chance to access highpotential programmes for their children at a subsidised rate.”

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PREVENTING WINTER OUTBREAKS

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urseries and schools are classic high-risk incubation and cross-contamination sites for three reasons; children have developing immune systems making them more susceptible to bacteria and viruses; this highly susceptible group are concentrated in large numbers in small spaces, increasing the potential for cross-contamination and the pace of the spread of infection; and finally pupil behaviour, particularly in younger groups, includes frequent physical contact. 80% of communicable diseases are transmitted by touch usually as transfer from surfaces or directly from skin.

The use of alcohol gels is highly contentious, as they only disinfect your hands until you next touch something. In fact, a recent study (see graph) shows that not only does significant bacterial

regrowth occur after using alcohol gels, but more bacteria re-colonise hands cleaned with them than hands cleaned with only soap and water. Where Q Shield persistent sanitiser was used, no bacterial regrowth occurred for up to 24 hours.

Q Shield is a unique, medical grade formula developed by Q Biotechnologies to coat any surface with a long-lasting, invisible anti-microbial barrier, which kills norovirus, flu and many common

pathogens. Applying Q Shield Skin Care on hands at the start of each day is proven to reduce staff absence due to sickness by 15% and pupil absence due to sickness by 37%.

It’s impossible to prevent children bringing germs in from home, but it is possible to reduce the risk of cross-contamination and touch transmission by using Q Shield.

For more information contact us on 01522 837220.

A UNIQUE TURNKEY SOLUTION FOR INFECTION CONTROL IS THE PURPOSE OF CURA PRODUCTS

Cura Products provides a unique infection control solution to the learning / teaching environment. We recognize where there are groups of people there are bugs and maybe super bugs!! Costs incurred to establishments and the effect on Tutors and pupils alike are reduced by defeat of infections in their early stages, so we provide the materials to achieve this. From a 3Litre pedal bin to a full school, college or work place decontamination we can help you Our promise is to deliver ‘‘on time every time’‘and to provide support to the education industry in a professional way. Follow us to keep up to date with new products, market news and other useful information, or get in touch to inquire about our products and how they can help YOU. Cura……… because we care.

Tel: +44 (0) 1909 750 100 Email: info@curaproducts.co.uk www.curaproducts.net

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EDUCATION COMMITTEE PUBLISHES GOV’T RESPONSE TO LANDMARK CHILDCARE REPORT

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he Government rejected the Committee’s recommendation that business rates should be scrapped for childcare settings, and that they should be zero-rated for VAT on their business purchases. Ministers said they had frozen business rates for the next five years and that rate relief schemes already provide discounts to childcare providers and others. The response said there are no plans to alter terms for VAT. It also rejected the call for a review of tax-free childcare, a policy controlled by the Treasury rather than the Department for Education.

The Government did not fully accept the Committee’s call for it to work “with childcare providers and local authorities” to set the hourly funding rate that will be paid to childcare providers when the universal 30-hours childcare entitlements are rolled out.

Witnesses to the inquiry said providers who are already struggling could otherwise be left insufficiently funded. The Department for Education’s (DfE’s) response said it recognises the importance of setting funding rates with local authorities, had uprated the hourly rate for 2023/24, and was providing additional funding via the early years supplementary grant.

Agreeing with a Committee recommendation, the Government confirmed it will amend town planning

legislation so that funding from the Infrastructure Levy, which property developers pay to local authorities after planning permission is given, can be used to pay for childcare facilities.

There was a positive response to the Committee’s call for government to remove barriers faced by social housing residents whose tenancies block them from operating as childminders in their homes.

DfE said it is “engaging with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and a range of housing sector stakeholders including social and private landlords, to identify and reduce property related barriers to childminding”.

DfE did not directly respond to MPs’ calls for it to prioritise career development of early years practitioners as a means of improving retainment of staff in the sector, and giving it parity of esteem with staff working in schools. The Department said it is developing a national campaign “to boost interest in the sector”. It also aims to boost recruitment with efforts to “remove barriers to entering the sector, by ensuring qualifications are suitable and easy to understand”, and by introducing new types of apprenticeship for becoming a childcare professional.

In total the Government accepted fully four of the Select Committee’s

The Education Committee has published the Government’s response to its report on supporting the childcare and early years sector.

A brief summary of ministers’ response to the cross-party Committee’s report, published in July, is included below. The report made a total of 23 recommendations.

recommendations, accepted a further 11 in part and rejected or failed to respond to eight.

Education Committee Chair Robin Walker MP said: “We maintain that there is a powerful case for reviewing the funding levels for childcare settings, the working of tax free childcare and, given their vital contribution to the economy, the taxes they incur. We hope the Government is eyeing up ways to help the sector in its Autumn Statement, which will build on the positive announcements made in the spring.

“We accept that not every one

of our recommendations is in the gift of ministers at the Department of Education, but our report stressed and ministers have accepted the importance of cross departmental work on these issues. We shall continue to press for action across Government to support this vital sector.

“Meanwhile it is encouraging that ministers are working on ways to boost recruitment and retention in the sector, and to remove unfair barriers that stand in the way of social housing tenants becoming childminders.”

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UP YOUR GAME AND CHECK OUT OUR TOP 10 EARLY YEARS APPS!

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CBeebies series A real must-have for any child’s tablet is the whole CBeebies series. With no ads, great-quality content and familiar characters from TV, all of the apps are free.

Playtime Island is a fun games app including My Swashbuckle Adventure, Build & Play With Bing and My Pet Friends. The child-friendly BBC iPlayer Kids app is available for children of all ages, to watch and download video content. Beebies Storytime aims to make reading fun, with a library feature where adults can download more stories. The stories can be read alone or read aloud by one of the celebrities who provide voice-overs. In addition, the Get Well Soon App has been created to help support and reassure children on trips to hospital as Dr Ranj treats the characters while games can be played to familiarise children with body parts.

Endless series

These apps are delightfully animated and use a range of funny voices to explore letters and numbers, which children will love.

In Endless Reader, children are encouraged to move letters into place to form a word, before building a sentence with the word in it. Additional apps include Wordplay, Academy and there’s even a Spanish app. Makers Originator say, “Kids will have a blast learning their ABC’s and building vocabulary with the adorable Endless monsters. Each word features an interactive puzzle game with talking letters and a short animation illustrating the definition. Before you know it, your child will be using words like gargantuan and cooperate!”

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Duck Duck Moose Duck Duck Moose apps are made by a passionate team of engineers, artists, designers, and educators. Founded in 2008, the company has created 21 topselling titles and has received a raft of technology awards for its colourful, engaging and effective apps. Duck Duck Moose also has an ethical background: it’s a wholly-owned subsidiary of Khan Academy, a nonprofit with a mission to provide a free, world-class education for anyone, anywhere. Duck Duck Moose Reading is aimed at ages three to seven and allows children to learn through feeding animals including flamingoes, monkeys and lions. There are a whole range of apps including maths and nursery rhyme versions which can be used from ages two up.

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Phonics Island Phonics Island is designed to teach children initial words sounds as recommended by the Montessori method. Through a simple game of loading a train with animals and sounds, children learn to identify letter sounds and match them to their orthographic form. The app includes 90 animal pictures situated in colourful sceneries, accompanied by authentic animal sounds and phonetic sounds of the animals’ initial letters. There are also seven alphabet phonetic sectors divided according to the Montessori methodology. In the game, a child advances to more difficult levels as new sectors unlock. At the end, a surprise of the island awaits!

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Reading Eggs Reading Eggspress caters for ages two to 13, which will ensure effective differentiation within EYFS and beyond. There are a range of educational apps to ensure children can learn on the go and Mathseeds is available to boost numeracy. Within Reading Eggs Junior, which is aimed at ages two to four, children can look at books, watch videos and complete an activity.

You can also download and print hundreds of full-colour activity sheets that align with each individual lesson. There’s four weeks free access, then 12 months’ access costs £39.95.

The accounts can be linked to schools.

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but with a slew of apps on the market and limited Tablets are the must-have tech in any EYFS setting Well, we’ve done some of the hard work for you. time to check them all out, where do teachers start? and most develop into more difficult levels or Some of these apps are for children aged from two follow-on apps, making differentiation easy. thing for every pre-schooler on this list…

From sounding out to sorting recycling, there is some

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Wonster Words Great for sounding out, Wonster Words features silly letter ghosts and hilarious “wonsters”. With phonics, consonant blends, word families, diphthongs, digraphs and more, the app is a great all-rounder. The makers say, “Kids will have a blast putting together words through interactive spelling puzzles, letter hide-and-seek, and other engaging mini-games.

Once the words are completed, your child will enjoy cute animations headlined by the lovable wonsters. These animations will further reinforce the meaning of the words that he had just learnt.” Wonster Words has won numerous awards and comes with many free words, so you can try before buying.

EduKitchen EduKitchen has lots of maths links for pre-schoolers. Set inside a fun kitchen, children learn skills such as healthy eating, recycling, organisation, matching fruits, and counting. Made by Cubic Frog, who have a range of vibrant, engaging apps which even toddlers can use, EduKitchen features games such as putting the correct number of eggs into the frying pan, sorting all the dirty dishes and putting them in the dishwasher and separating items which can be recycled. With an eco-friendly and health-conscious approach, this covers many EYFS areas including maths, understanding of the world and listening and attention.

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Hairy Letters Hairy Letters is described as “the perfect first learning app”. Children can learn the letters of the alphabet and how to blend first words. There is the opportunity to interact with animations and children can trace the letter shapes onscreen with their finger. They can play games to reinforce learning and build letters into simple words as the Hairy characters and funny animations make a fun and engaging introduction to literacy. But don’t just take our word for it. One parent, Gary, comments, “My five year old, four year old and two year old are now running around the house like the Ant on your App. They are having a blast and love it.”

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Magic Letters

Pre-schoolers can build words, learn the alphabet and the names of objects. This is played using toy blocks with letters on them, and to pass to the next stage you must arrange five words. There’s a puzzle game too and the app contains no ads – plus 30% of the gameplay is free. One parent review reads, “A five star rating for this great kids app. Not only is it educational for children learning how to read and spell, but the graphics keep it engaging as you progress to more difficult levels. A must to download.”

It’s also available in a range of different languages including Polish and Hindi.

YouTube Kids A child-friendly version of the world-famous video app, YouTube Kids makes it safer and simpler for kids to explore the world through online video – from their favourite shows and music to learning how to play computer games and everything in between. There’s also a raft of parental controls, so you can tailor the experience to your setting’s needs. With limited adverts which are checked by YouTube to ensure they are family-friendly, and no click-throughs allowed in the app to outside advertising sites, children can enjoy viewing without the risk of seeing inappropriate content.

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A new range of books promotes shared reading with children and adults

A new imprint of children’s books has been released with the focus on accessible, loved and trusted stories ideal for shared reading with adults.

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illow Tree’s Picture Story books and chapter fiction stories are all designed to generate a love of reading. They have launched a range of adorable animals which have adventures, work through squabbles and welcome new family members.

Cat & Dog is about tolerance, the understanding of different viewpoints and realising that we are all different to each other. Based on the relationship between a nocturnal cat and a diurnal dog, this delightful book is about the friendship between two very different animals. It highlights the importance of learning to accept others even when they may seem very unlike the familiar. Sensitively illustrated in full colour throughout by Zoe Waring and written engagingly by Helen Oswald, Cat & Dog is an absorbing story that children and parents will enjoy time and time again.

Cuddle the Magic Kitten is the first captivating story in a new series about a magic kitten that enthralls best friends Olivia and Grace. Cuddle takes the girls on an adventure to Ancient Egypt and the Pyramids where they meet the Pharaoh and find his precious missing cat, Cleo. Line art illustrations throughout the book help to maintain interest and support reading comprehension.

Children on the journey of reading alone will find these drawings and the clear typography encourage their interaction and sense of achievement. And a teaser of the first chapter in the next series will whet their appetite for more. Author Hayley Daze is the pen name of Jane Clarke, author of Dinosaur Cove, with over 1million copies sold worldwide.

Meanwhile, Muddle the Magic Puppy takes his chums on an adventure on a magic flying carpet in Arabia. A brand new edition of this engaging story about the magic – and naughty – puppy sees Muddle taking his best friends Ruby and Harry along with him with humorous results. In Arabia they win the flying race, meet a princess and a also genie who grants a wish that will change lives forever. Children on the journey of reading alone will find the line drawings and clear typography aid their interaction and sense of achievement. This is another title by Hayley Daze.

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Hattie Peck teaches children that families come in all shapes and sizes. And no more eclectic than Hattie’s family. Hattie is a beautiful, kind and truly “clucky” hen who loves eggs. So much so that she travels the world collecting them.

She brings these eggs home and hatches them into her large adopted family – including a crocodile, hedgehog, flamingo, tortoise and more! This delightfully illustrated book is all about the importance of family – and gives

readers a sensitivity to adoption and fostering. Author and illustrator Emma Levey is a finalist at the Association of Illustrators Awards.

The books are ideal for shared reading during literacy work in the early years, or for sharing with family members at home. See willowtreebooks.net for more details about the titles.

And if you would like our expert reviewers to read a new book, please email editorial@ euromediaal.com.

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MEET THE AUTHOR...

Helen Oswald grew up in Essex. After graduating with a degree in English literature from London University she qualified as a journalist, working in newspapers. She went on to become a writer and editor at a number of high-profile organisations.

Later, Helen studied for an MA in creative writing at the University of East Anglia, where she was tutored by former Poet Laureate Sir Andrew Motion.

Her first book of poetry for adults, Learning Gravity, was shortlisted for the Forward Prize for “Best First Collection” – and one of her poems appears in an anthology on the English school syllabus. Helen has only recently started writing picture books for children and is completely smitten, loving the chance to create fun characters and be imaginatively playful.

She lives in Brighton and has plans to own some pets but since writing Cat and Dog and seeing the sorts of scrapes our furry friends can get into, she’s thinking more fondly of goldfish!

…AND THE ILLUSTRATOR! Zoe Waring grew up in Darlington, Co. Durham, surrounded by children’s books, colouring pencils and penny sweets. At University she studied graphic design, specialising in Illustration. She moved to London and won the Graduate Tigerprint Future of Design Award, and worked as a designer and illustrator at Hallmark Cards for three years. Her love for picture books blossomed and she went on to work as a picture book designer for Usborne Publishing, Random House Children’s Books, Scholastic and Bloomsbury Publishing, while spending her evenings filling sketchbooks with her own cute characters. In 2014, she took the leap from publishing to focus on her true passion: illustration. Loving the warmth and humour of children’s books, Zoe loves creating engaging characters that help to tell wonderful stories. Now working in her sunny studio in London, she can still be found surrounded by children’s books, colouring pencils and penny sweets.

WHAT OUR EXPERT REVIEWERS THOUGHT ABOUT CAT AND DOG...

Kate, 6, and Amy, 2, did some shared reading with Mummy.

Here’s what they had to say about Cat & Dog...  “We really liked this book as it’s about our favourite animals, a cat and a dog.

In the beginning they weren’t friends because cat sleeps in the night and dog sleeps in the day. They made friends because they missed each other.

“The pictures are very nice and bright. Mummy read this story to us. Our friend would like this book because she likes dogs.”

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Save

energy, Save money with your lighting See how much you could save in your nursery Scan the QR code for a free energy survey

We offer the complete energy efficient lighting solution for schools

Classrooms

Meal time areas

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Circulation

Play areas

light your moment

Energy rating B Most lighting currently in nurseries has an energy rating of F, by replacing it with our energy efficient lighting you could save a lot of energy and money every year.

Save up to

82% Libraries

Outdoors

Emergency

with payback across your school

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Save energy, save money Most lighting currently in nurseries has an energy rating of F, by replacing it with our lighting that goes up to an unprecedented energy rating of B you could save tens of thousands of pounds per year and over 5 years save hundreds of thousands.

W

e know when it comes to a nurseries operations every penny counts and that’s why our energy efficient lighting is designed to have such a quick payback allowing you to put the funding back into the areas you need to most, such as teachers, books, etc See how much you could save in your school with our FREE energy survey, click on this link to get yours https://www. collingwoodlighting.com/en/energysurvey The complete solution To make your life simple we offer the complete lighting solution for nurseries.

We have a number of options to choose from covering a wide range of locations including classrooms, play areas, circulation areas, meal time areas, outdoor areas, perimeters and emergency lighting.

Energy efficient cost effective lighting with a quick payback.

The History of Collingwood Collingwood was founded in 1901 and started designing innovative LED lighting products in 2002. Collingwood was the first LED lighting company to supply a range of purpose-built LED lighting for the UK electrical wholesale market. To strengthen Collingwood’s position as a market leading innovator of LED lighting across the globe, the company began distributing lighting in Europe, Asia/Pacific, Africa and the Americas, and, in 2011, acquired the French company Seelight SASU now known as Collingwood France.

For over twenty years Collingwood has been the pioneer in the LED lighting

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industry. As a British designer and manufacturer of LED lighting, the company was also the first to produce 100% waterproof sealed for life products and the first to provide a fit for purpose fire rated downlight as offering a 7-year extended warranty which we now offer a 10-year warranty on some products.

Collingwood’s ethos Collingwood is a lighting designer and manufacturer built on principles of quality and innovation. With our history of firsts to market we aim to take that attitude into the future and continue to drive the lighting industry forwards. We believe in quality above all else and this sentiment echoes through every aspect of our service from the product to the customer service we provide. We are experts in lighting and believe we can help our customers achieve their ideal installation through high quality innovative product, expertise and a premium service.

Sustainability policies Sustainability has never been more important and as such we aim to operate with this always in mind and to improve year on year. As we operate today we have the following policies in action: • New boxes are made from FSC approved card to ensure we know where the material comes from • Recycling of cardboard boxes; shredding to sue as void fill • Re-use of cardboard boxes reducing the requirements to further pack our product

with new outer packaging • Paper kraft tape for all packaging to completely remove plastics • Carbon offset-transport for all deliveries • We use operate digitally wherever possible to minimise paper waste • Warehouse digital system being implemented to minimise paper wastage • LED efficient lighting in our operation to reduce carbon footprint • Responsible waste partnerships set up • Products are all designed to be as efficient as possible reducing energy consumption • Products are all designed to maximise the lifetime to prevent the need for replacements for as long as possible • We have started a journey into repairability and re-usability and have just launched our first products of this nature and are looking to push this further We aim to continue to evolve and improve our operation as well as our products to be as sustainable as possible.

What sets us apart?

We have such confidence in the quality of our products that we offer longer warranties. We believe in offering a quality readily available service for our customers including a knowledgeable sales and customer support team, a technical support team, site visits, and a free lighting design service. We offer a product and service that you can trust.

Call us on 01604 495 151 or visit us at https://www.collingwoodlighting.com/en/

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Why franchising is your ABC to success in early years education Aspiring entrepreneurs face a pivotal decision when starting out. Should they embark on the challenging journey of building an independent business from scratch or explore the world of franchising?

P

aula Murphy is a mum-of-three and a multi-unit franchisee for Monkey Puzzle Day Nurseries. Having opted to do the latter, she offers her insights on why it’s increasingly advantageous to choose a franchise for your next business venture. And, in Paula’s case, how she overcame the personal and professional setback of developing Bell’s palsy during pregnancy through the freedom found in franchising.

“Not many people know that Bell’s palsy is a common side effect of pregnancy, I did, but it was still a shock. I’d always been prepared to resume my previous career, but the diagnosis changed my plans. I had been a qualified occupational psychologist and even owned my own training company. However, given my circumstances at the time, I retrained as a childminder so that I could spend time at home with my daughter and earn an income simultaneously. Through hard work and ever-increasing demand, I grew my childminding business to a level where the next logical step was to open a nursery. This is when I decided to invest in franchising.”

Despite Paula’s confidence in her business abilities, she recognised that starting her own independent nursery could have been an uphill battle. “I knew I didn’t have the background in early years education so securing the finances and getting all the required paperwork and permits was going to be tough. I was familiar with franchising from my previous career, and I wanted to explore the opportunities that were available to me. That’s when I found out about Monkey Puzzle Day Nurseries.”

Paula’s decision to invest in her Monkey Puzzle franchise felt like a no-brainer – like so many new franchisees, she felt reassured by the quality of the model and the support available. But investing in a

franchise, rather than going it alone, provides many more benefits.

Consumer trust First and foremost, investing in a franchise means inheriting a brand’s reputation.

Collaborating with a trusted company that already holds a place in consumer’s hearts and minds can jumpstart the business from day one. “I knew Monkey Puzzle was a serious brand just from my research – they’ve been operating for 20 years and have over 70 locations. If I’d have started on my own, I would’ve had to have built up the brand from scratch and wouldn’t have fostered the level of trust parents already had in Monkey Puzzle.”

Financial groundwork From a financial standpoint, starting a nursery comes with significant upfront costs, both for an independent and through franchising. Securing a location, to then building a presence through marketing, are costs people need to factor into their budgets.

The benefit of a quality franchisor is the ability for franchisees to tap into the collective purchasing power of the entire network, resulting in significant savings on equipment and supplies. Monkey Puzzle also offers access to in-house property experts for any franchisees needing extra support. And in terms of the funding, most high street lenders will offer a percentage of the investment when purchasing a reputable and proven model; up to 70% in the case of Monkey Puzzle.

“I didn’t have the finances to open a new nursery. Franchising gave me the opportunity to access a payment structure I could afford and from there I could go about growing the business.”

Operational support From hiring and training staff, marketing assistance and operational guidance, franchisees are never left to navigate the challenges of business ownership alone – operational support is available on a relatively unlimited basis. “Especially at the beginning it can be quite overwhelming, so knowing that support is readily available is incredibly helpful.”

A second chance at a new career For Paula, the biggest benefit of franchising was in her journey to overcome personal struggles and achieve her goals as a busy working mum. “Bell’s palsy really affected me back then and is still something I deal with today, but I was very self-conscious at the start and couldn’t enjoy the experiences a new mum should have.”

Franchising provided her with the opportunity to embark on a new career in early years education and she has since become a multi-unit franchisee for Monkey Puzzle Day Nurseries.

“I was at a career crossroads and franchising set me on the path to success.

I don’t think I would be in this position if I’d started my own nursery. Falling back on the support and systems provided by Monkey Puzzle has meant my work-life balance is so much better. I can fit work around my kids’ lives, and we can spend so much more time together as a family.”

Franchising can be beneficial for budding entrepreneurs from all walks of life, regardless of circumstance. Franchising empowers people to reach their full potential, allowing people, like Paula, to flourish.

For more information on franchise investment opportunities with Monkey Puzzle Day Nurseries, visit https:// monkeypuzzlenurseryfranchise.com/

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| NEWS DIGEST |

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Family fUn FoR all aGes! Tractor & trailor Rides / GianT JumpinG Pillows new fairie Walk / tractoR Go-Karts Farm animals / fooTball Golf

EARLY YEARS TO KS3 SCHOOL VISITS! Visit a unique Heritage Attraction with your school group offering learning sessions for STEM, Local History & The Arts!

Check out our learning area online, to find out more and enquire about your next visit.

Seaton Tramway has a fleet of 14 heritage-style trams that travel through three miles of beautiful East Devon countryside, passing through Seaton Wetlands and the Axe Estuary to Colyford and Colyton.

A school visit to the Tramway includes a ride on a heritage-style tram, plus an educational workshop delivered by our experienced Learning and Activity team. Workshops include local history, geography, science, maths, art and English.

TRAM.CO.UK/LEARNING SEATON, EAST DEVON 01297 20375

- open every day february to january -

Tel: 01786 841309 | www.briarlandsfarm.co.uk

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NEW AND IMPROVED NURSERY INSURANCE FROM MORTON MICHEL

M

orton Michel’s NurseryCare policy has recently been substantially improved - wider cover, increased sums insured and two new FREE services to help you run your nursery business!

Childcare continues to be a fast-paced sector with ever-changing needs and with 53 years’ experience in childcare insurance, Morton Michel pride themselves on keeping their knowledge and awareness up to date. Their specialist nursery policy has been enhanced to ensure it continues to provide the security and stability to maintain and grow your day nursery; this now includes an option to add cyber cover.

Today the chances of being caught in a cyber-attack are higher than ever, accounting for 57% of all crimes committed and affecting 66% of small

businesses. The consequences of these attacks can cost thousands of pounds. To help manage the risk, nurseries can now acquire cyber insurance as part of their NurseryCare policy from as little as £88 + IPT. Policyholders also have access to a FREE online Early Years Advisory Service provided by Croner-I, covering over 110 topics areas to assist you in running your own day nursery and FREE online RoSPA

accredited, CPD-certified Early Years training!

You can find out more about the Morton Michel NurseryCare insurance policy or get an indication of your premium today by visiting www.mortonmichel.com/ NurseryCare/. Alternatively, you can contact their friendly team on 020 8603 0942 or email nurserycare@mortonmichel. com

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Nursery refurbishment frees up space and creates separate areas A whole-school refurbishment meant that privately-owned nursery Headstart was in for a complete change. Not only did the setting get a refurb, but the work also meant moving rooms within the school building. We asked how manager Alison Davies and her team coped with the alterations, and how they feel about their new setting now the dust has settled…

WHAT WAS YOUR SETTING LIKE BEFORE THE REFURB AND WHAT WAS ON YOUR WISH LIST OF IMPROVEMENTS? We ran the pre-school from a small classroom within the primary school which was not purpose built for the under fives. We had to store everything in this room which was very difficult and we even had no personal area or any room for the manager to make calls or meet with parents, staff etc.

We wished for a larger area and for space to allow us to set up all the learning areas and to give the children the space to explore. We needed a purpose-built room that took the needs of our children in mind, like a changing area and sleeping area. Also we needed lots of storage spaces and a separate office to store and complete paperwork.

HOW LONG DID THE REFURB TAKE AND HOW DID YOU AND THE CHILDREN COPE WITH THE CHANGES? The refurbishment and switch to the new room began in the summer half term. External areas were completed first to cause least disruption to all the children in the school.

The primary school loaned a portable classroom for some of the school children to learn in, whilst work commenced on the indoor rooms (our new area). Most of the work was carried out over the long summer break so the children were not affected. The builders literally finished the refurbishment at 8.30am on our first day back after summer.

The practitioners had two days to start setting up the new classroom and to get up any displays. From September to January the children did not have access to outdoor play at all times. The children adapted really well but the lack of free-flow outdoor play proved challenging with 32 two, three, and four-year-olds!

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WHAT WERE YOU MOST EXCITED TO SEE BEING IMPROVED DURING THE REFURB? We were very excited to have ‘set’ areas for both learning and practical jobs. We now have three adult sinks, which sounds so simple but having one for snack, one for cleaning messy play and one for hand washing saves so much time and makes life so much easier – no more buckets everywhere! The

children have most enjoyed the areas that are accessible at all times (home corner, role play, construction and so on). We have so much more space to play. We also have the advantage of a woodland area.

WHAT ARE THE BEST INVESTMENTS/RESOURCES TO SPEND ON WHEN CONSIDERING A REFURB? The best investments were maximizing the given space by

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“

We love our new pre-school room and are so lucky to have been given the chance to take part in the refurbishment.

“

using the furniture and other equipment. Changing our plans several times (including putting up or knocking down walls) meant that we eventually got the best out of the old classrooms. We used old resources and were lucky to be able to use other resources and equipment from an older school in the area that had closed.

WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR OTHER NURSERY OWNERS CONSIDERING A REFURB? Our advice would be to take time with your plans, consider every possibility, consult with your staff and ask what would they like to see or what would be better for them to allow them to carry out their roles more professionally. Ask the children what they would like to see or to play with and

where. We love our new pre-school room and are so lucky to have been given the chance to take part in the refurbishment.

• Headstart nursery is based within Shevington Vale Primary School in Wigan. For more details, see their website at shevingtonvale.org.uk.

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BIKEWORKS DONATES CYCLES TO NURSERIES ACROSS LONDON IN A BID TO TACKLE OBESITY

A

s research finds that one in five children in the UK start primary school either overweight or obese, a cycle group has donated 56 bikes to London Early Years Foundation (LEYF) to help get nursery children active.

Bikeworks , a not-for-profit social enterprise based in Bethnal Green, also pledged another 32 bikes later this year.

With statistics showing one in five children in the UK start school either overweight or obese and experts warning of an “absolute crisis” in child health leading to heart disease, cancer and diabetes, the bike donation will be spread across 16 of LEYF’s 37 nurseries, spanning areas including Dagenham, Maida Vale, Pimlico,

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Queen’s Park and Peckham.

To mark the initiative, both LEYF – the UK’s largest childcare charity and social enterprise – and Bikeworks are calling on Sadiq Khan to follow Boris Johnson’s legacy: but this time, give every London child access to a bike whilst at nursery.

This, Bikeworks say, would be a fraction of the cost of what would be spent by the NHS treating obesity-related and lifethreatening) health conditions.

June O’Sullivan MBE, who is the CEO of LEYF, says: “We believe that to overcome childhood obesity the issue should be tackled at an early age, especially when new research suggests people’s unbalanced eating habits develop as early as nine months of age.

“With weight problems in children unacceptably high – especially among low-income populations – it’s imperative that we, as London’s largest nursery provider, take action to help address the country’s biggest public health crisis. And what better way than to learn how to ride?”

Jim Blakemore, CEO of Bikeworks adds, “Bikeworks has shown that through our successful team building service, Charity Bike Factory, and strategic partnership with LEYF, we can build a foundation to not only increase the health and wellbeing

of young Londoners but also encourage cycling as a healthy activity from as young an age as possible.

“We hope we can use this partnership to allow every young person in a LEYF nursery access to a bicycle over the coming years.”

Bikeworks aims to change lives using the power of the bicycle. Their three core objectives are to build a more diverse cycling community; improve mechanical skills and support businesses to be greener through the promotion of cycling.

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USING BOILER CONTROLS THE RIGHT WAY AT RIVERSIDE CHILDREN’S CENTRE

C

anterbury-based nursery Riverside Children’s Centre provides childcare and cooked meals for children aged 6 weeks to 5 years. Philip Kiss, Building Services Engineer at Canterbury City Council, turned to Hamworthy Heating for a reliable and efficient solution to replace the existing heating and hot water system. The chosen products have already achieved cost savings of 16.7% after 7 months of operation.

Ian McGregor, Area Sales Manager at Hamworthy Heating, chose Hamworthy’s Stratton mk2 wall hung condensing boiler with stainless steel heat exchanger and a Halstock stainless steel indirect-fired water heater as an ideal replacement. The boiler delivers an output of 43kW, a high gross

seasonal efficiency of 95.75% and features modern built-in boiler controls to supply heat and hot water the most efficient way.

The boiler can supply heat for low to high demand flexibly and efficiently from 8kW up to 43kW. The nursery has a water softener installed to prevent issues caused by hard water, such as limescale. However, softened water can be more aggressive, resulting in corrosion. That’s why a stainless steel boiler and water heater were chosen, as this material is resistant to corrosion.

Riverside Children’s Centre has underfloor heating which can only take a maximum water temperature of 50°C to avoid structural damage to floors. To cater to those needs, a hot water priority strategy using the boiler’s built-in controls was set

up: When required, the underfloor heating circuit is switched off and all power directed to hot water production at a higher temperature of 80°C in a lessefficient (non-condensing) mode. As soon as excess heat has been distributed around the separate hot water supply circuit, heating operation goes back to lower temperature high-efficiency (condensing) mode. This way, the underfloor heating circuit is protected from high temperatures and boiler running time in less efficient non-condensing mode is minimised.

Telephone: 01202 662500 Email: marketing@hamworthy-heating. com www.hamworthy-heating.com

PowerBreaker

The Electrical Safety Specialist

G

reenBrook has relaunched its market leading brand of Powerbreaker RCDs by increasing the range to offer the most comprehensive selection of RCD safety products on the

SUBSCRIBE

market. Dedicated to saving lives please download our informative new brochure detailing the range of 10mA, 30mA, Active & Passive products entitled “A Guide to Electrical Safety” which is available now, from our new

website solely dedicated to this impressive range.

Available in all good wholesalers ww.powerbreaker.co.uk

For all the latest Nursery News direct to your mailbox

@QANursery @QANursery

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PAT TESTING ADVICE: ELECTRICIANS MUST USE THE C O R R E CT EQUIPMENT

We take a look at the guidance on maintaining electricals in the workplace and explore Megger’s new PAT100 series

P

ortable appliance testing (PAT) is used to ensure that electrical appliances and equipment is safe to use in the workplace.

Employers are not required by the Electricity at Work Regulations (1989) to have their equipment PAT tested BUT the law does require an employer to ensure that their electrical equipment is maintained in order to prevent danger.

The law does not state how this should be done or how often so it is up to the employer to decide. The frequency of use of the equipment should be taken into consideration – if it is used regularly and moved a lot, for example a vacuum cleaner or a kettle, testing can be an important part of an effective maintenance regime. A visual check can also be used and if in any doubt, the equipment should not be used before an electrician can test it. It is important to remember that visual examination is an essential part of the process because some types of electrical safety defect can’t be detected by testing alone.

New equipment should be supplied in a safe condition and not require a PAT test as long as it is visually in good condition. The HSE guidance states that the person inspecting the equipment must have the ability and training to carry out and understand the tests and, of course, the right equipment.

To ensure PAT testing can be carried out quickly and easily in the workplace, Megger has recently launched a range of compact, handheld PAT testers: the groundbreaking PAT100 series. The ideal choice for carrying low- to medium-volume testing in offices, shops, business units and similar environments, the devices are simple and fast to use, reliable and robust.

Their easy-to-use operating system and tough construction – the PAT100 features Corning Gorilla Glass to protect the display and rubber armouring for the cases – means they’re also well suited for use by training organisations.

Megger PAT100 series testers are currently available in three models – PAT120, PAT150 and PAT150R. The keenly priced PAT120 provides all of the functions needed to carry out tests on the vast majority of commonly encountered portable appliances. It features pre-programmed test groups with fixed pass/fail limits for testing Class I and Class II appliances as well as extension and power leads.

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The use of test groups means that the instruments carries out the correct sequence of tests automatically, with a minimum of operator intervention. Not only does this simplify testing, it also reduces testing time and guards against errors.

The PAT120 offers insulation testing at 500 V by default, but a 250 V option, which provides safe testing for IT equipment and surge protected devices, can be selected at the start of each test. Leakage testing is carried out using the “substitute” leakage method, which removes the need for access to a mains supply while performing the test.

For users who need to test an even wider range of portable and fixed equipment, the PAT150 offers all of the functions of the PAT120 plus many others. The additional functions include tests for 10 mA and 30 mA portable RCDs, and separate tests for continuity, insulation, leakage and SELV equipment, all of which can be accessed rapidly via the quick-test button. With the PAT150, mainspowered leakage testing is also supported, and live-circuit measurement is available for testing the mains supply and socket

polarity as well as for measuring voltages up to 300 V ac.

Experienced users can quickly and easily adjust test group pass limits and test durations to suit special requirements, and the resistance of the bonding leads can be nulled to minimise measurement errors.

Both the PAT120 and the PAT150 can be powered by inexpensive and readily available AA-size alkaline cells or NiMH rechargeable batteries.

The third model in the series, the PAT150R, offers identical functionality to the PAT150, but has provision for recharging NiMH batteries without removing them.

Like all Megger products, instruments in the PAT100 series have been designed from the outset with safety in mind, and they comply fully with all relevant UK and European requirements for electrical safety testing.

The Health and Safety Executive offers a wealth of advice online regarding electricals and keeping employers safe in the workplace: see hse.gov.uk for more advice on records, labels, hiring of equipment and more.

For more information on the Megger PAT 100 series, see megger.com

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MAKE THIS THE YEAR YOU PROTECT YOUR PEOPLE, WITH THE TRUSTED AGRIPPA MAGNETIC FIRE DOOR HOLDER

A

ccording to Atomik Research, over one third of people admit that they have seen a fire door wedged open in their building. The effects of wedging open a fire door can be devastating, as this allows toxic smoke and flames to spread through the building very quickly. By doing this you are not maintaining an effective means of escape for those you are responsible for within the building, putting their lives at great risk.

British manufacturer Geofire has solved this issue with a range of solutions, including the Agrippa magnetic fire door holder. The device is fitted to the wall to hold the fire door open using a magnet, avoiding damage to both the fire door and the floor. Agrippa differs from traditional fire door retainers because of its wire-free installation, as the device is battery powered.

Geofire is the UK’s leading manufacturer fire door magnets. Nick Goddard, Research and Development Manager, said: “The Agrippa sound activated fire door holder can be installed at any height providing a more hygienic position off the floor and avoids costly damage to the door and floor.”

“The Agrippa magnetic fire door holder can be neatly tucked away on the wall behind the door to hold open heavy fire doors. We have incorporated a red button into the holder so users can manually release the doors if and when they wish.”

Packed with features, the Agrippa magnetic fire door holder has a daily timed release option, to ensure all doors are closed at the end of the day; a battery level indicator, to allow the responsible person to check the status of the holder; and a low battery, fail-safe power cut, to ensure doors are not held open when the unit is out of battery.

Uniquely, the Agrippa magnetic fire door holder records the sound of your building’s specific fire alarm, ensuring the alarm is the only sound that will release the fire door.

This technology was developed by Geofire to greatly reduce false activations from other loud noises. Nick added: “Spending time recording the sound of your building’s fire alarm during installation reduces false activation and could save lives.”

Wedging open fire doors could lead to legal action under the Regulatory Reform Fire Safety Act 2006 and Health And Safety at Work Act 1974. The Agrippa magnetic fire door holder is recognised by UK Fire and Rescue Services and the London Fire Brigade, suitable for installation to BS 7273-4 Standard Actuation (Category B) and conforms to EN1155 and is CE marked.

For more information contact Geofire Email: enquiries@geofire.co.uk, Tel: 01388 770 360

Experienced providers of design, installation and maintenance of fire alarms, CCTV, intruder systems and door access solutions.

Several decades of experience with all types of systems.

Contact us for more information: 07468 537 918 0121 582 0385 enquiries@parogroup.co.uk

www.parogroup.co.uk 26 |www.qanurserymagazine.co.uk

Celebrate your perfect day at our traditional wedding venue, Holiday Inn Leeds - Bradford With a dedicated Wedding Coordinator to help make your dreams become a reality, and host to ensure your special day goes to plan, we really will put you and your wedding first with our individual and personal service.

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Telephone: 0113 285 www.qanurserymagazine.co.uk | 274646 Email: salesoffice.hileedsbradford@kewgreen.co.uk

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BABY&MORE HAS EVERYTHING A NURSERY NEEDS….AND MORE!

F

rom little dribblers to weaning babies, the Wonder Bib range by Mum 2 Mum has got all messy times well covered. The Wonder Bib range is distributed by nursery suppliers Baby&More who, since their launch over 10 years ago, have delivered muminspired products which work well both at home and in nursery settings. Mum 2 Mum launched in the UK in 2007 and is now available in over 20 countries.

Wonder Bibs are designed to withstand high use and washing, and come in a range of colours, styles and sizes from babies up to pre-schoolers. Made from

100% cotton velour towelling with a nylon backing, Wonder Bibs keep baby clean, dry and protected against dribble rash, eczema, reflux, weaning and messy play and are washer and dryer safe.

Nursery owners can choose from: • the Standard Wonder Bib, an everyday essential for babies with reflux or eczema • the Bandana Wonder Bib for dribblers • the Sleeved Wonder Bib full body cover, in 6 to 18 months and 18 months to 3 years • the new Art Smock, sleeved/sleeveless available in 1 to 2 years and 3 to 4 years.

Meanwhile, Baby&More has an awardwinning stainless steel cutlery set to help toddlers learn to feed themselves. The Clever Grip Toddler Cutlery has contoured finger guides – meaning less frustration for the child and less mess to clean up.

Other Mum 2 Mum products include facewashers, wet bags, swim bags, stacker bed sheets and sleeping bags.

See the full range at trade shows ChildCare Expo in March and Kidz to Adultz South in May, or see the website babyandmore.co.uk. Save 10% off your first order with code QA10.

NOW AVAILABLE at wholesale prices, the award winning Wonder Bib and childcare collection from Mum 2 Mum info@babyandmore.co.uk T: 0333 014 4242 www.babyandmore.co.uk

10%

DISCOUNT OFF YOUR FIRST ORDER WITH CODE QA10

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GET IN TOUCH NOW FOR A FREE QUOTE

• www.HullbridgeWaterServices.com• • 01634 251969 • 07946 687695 • MattBowles@HullbridgeWaterServices.com • 28 |www.qanurserymagazine.co.uk

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