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For exclusive features, competitions, to have your say & much more

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News Corner

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Funding For Phonics Teaching To Improve Children’s Reading

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Arrange A Charity Glasses Collection At Your School & Help Provide Sight In Developing Countries

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Government Gives Teachers New Powers To Improve Discipline

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Learning Outside Of The Classroom: Spotlight On Historical Visits Plus Directory Of Educational Activities

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Spotlight On Claire Lotriet: ‘Taking Notes Like Tony.’

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Sir Bob Geldof Unveils Innovative Education Application At Bett 2011

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Learn To Munch A Healthy Lunch

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The Software Choice For Sencos

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Featured Company News

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New Survey Finds That Drinking Water Can Help Improve Kids’ Performance At School

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Outdoor Play & Education

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School communication and payment collection… …in one single system.

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News Corner More Than Half of Parents Disagree With Sex Education In Schools

children know, even more so at a young age.”

With sex education in schools a topic of discussion amongst many parents, a leading independent baby product review website in the UK has conducted a survey to find out how parents really feel about their children being taught about the sensitive subject.

“Children are constantly exposed to sexuality with TV, magazines and through various other forms of media. It’s our role to make sure that what they hear, know or learn is suitable for their age.”

Although not compulsory in schools, sex education is still a highly debated topic amongst parents. A survey has been conducted by a leading independent baby product review website in the UK to ask parents how they feel about their children learning about the subject in a school environment. www.babychild.org.uk polled 1,732 parents in the UK, with children aged between 5 and 11 years old. Respondents were initially asked “Do you agree with the fact that sex education is often taught to children in schools, even from a young age?” to which over half of them, 59%, said ‘no.’

The respondents who claimed that sex education should not be taught in schools to children were then asked to explain their decision. 41% said that sex education is ‘inappropriate for children,’ whilst just less than a third, 28%, stated that it should be ‘the parent’s choice’ to decide whether or not they wanted to educate their child on the subject.

A further 22% thought that ‘it might encourage children to ask more about sexuality and sex,’ whilst one in ten, 9%, feared that ‘sex would be trivialized,’ if taught to younger children in schools.

According to the research, just under half of the total respondents, 48%, also thought that sex education should not be part of the school curriculum until at least the age of 13 and, even then, the majority, 65%, said it should mostly be about contraception. 36% claimed that they thought it should focus more on relationships between men and women.

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New Concept in Science Education D-I-Y Teacher Training!

Designed by a former ‘gas-man’ for Primary & Secondary teachers, the two ‘Magical Science’ DVD sets include dozens of fun and novel science experiments from across the science curriculum, designed to enthuse, engage and inspire the pupils about science. All the experiments have been professionally filmed, almost all in-studio, in high-definition ‘HD-DVD’ format, and can be viewed on-screen in the classroom or at home.

The science experiments are specially selected and presented to stimulate much-needed creative problem solving and enquiry skills, and so get the pupils thinking, talking and ‘doing’ like scientists!

The DVD sets and their supporting CDROM and printed resources, were designed by Dr Mark Biddiss – affectionately known as ‘Dr Mark’ to his clients – and produced with Smartdreamers Productions. ‘Dr Mark’ – a former gas-man turned space-scientist – is now a UK-based Science & Maths Education provider, teacher trainer and writer, who lives in and works from the beautiful English Lake District. Having presented in many hundred of schools and at numerous teachers’ conferences since 1997, including overseas, ‘Dr Mark’ is recognised by many as one of the UK’s leading inspirational and motivation presenters to both teachers and pupils alike. He even presents all of the experiments on the DVD sets himself, in his own clear and inimitable style!

All of the experiments can be easily reproduced in any classroom and at home, and require simple, everyday materials and equipment, such as plastic bottles, scissors, balloons, drinking Furthermore, when asked ‘Have you already been asked about straws, paper, vinegar, fruit and vegetables, cooking pots and sex by your children?’ just under two third, 61%, answered ‘yes.’ quite a lot of water! In each experiment you are shown what 47% of these same parents admitted that their child was aged materials you need, what to do, what happens and how it all between 4 and 5 when they first asked the question, whilst 36% works. Experiment titles include: ‘Exploding Water’, ‘Levitating said they were aged between 6 and 7 when they first asked.

Balloons’, ‘Bag Bombs’, ‘Holey Hands’, ‘Seeing Ghosts’, ‘Orrible Ooze’ and ‘Slime’! And don’t be fooled by the titles; this is serious When asked ‘How did you react when you were asked about sex science investigation and learning at its best! As ‘Dr Mark’ himself by your child?’ over a third, 38%, admitted to feeling says: ‘Nobody can doubt that some of the best science learning ‘embarrassed.’ One in three, 32%, ‘didn’t know what to say,’ whilst comes from pupils actively engaged in stimulating and 13% ‘redirected their children to the 2nd parent’ for them to deal intriguing science experiments; the more novel, strange and fun, with it and 7% just ‘ignored the question.’ the better!’

The selected experiments and the way they are presented will Andy Barr, co-founder of BabyChild.org.uk, commented on the be particularly useful to non-specialist teachers, and will most study’s findings: definitely increase their own confidence in teaching science to a wide range of pupil ages and abilities, from Special Needs to the “We wanted to ask parents how they felt with regards to sex more able ‘Gifted & Talented’. And in these days of rising costs education at school and the fact that it is a subject taught to and tightening education budgets, these site-licensed DVD sets many children. I am not surprised by the results of the study, and associated CDROM and printed resources are great value for with the majority of parents against the idea of sex education money too, as they can also effectively be used as D-I-Y teacher in a school environment. This is a sensitive subject and parents training, over and over again! have their own way to approach it and want to control what their See www.DrMarkShop.com

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News Corner Fifth of Parents Hope to Send Children into Private Education New research from the UK’s leading discount and voucher code website has revealed that a fifth of parents want their children to attend a private school; with the majority explaining that it is because they feel it offers ‘better education’ than comprehensive schooling.

As part of ongoing research into the parenting habits of Britons, the UK’s leading discount website has conducted a study of 1,152 parents of children under five, in a bid to discover their plans for their children’s education. The study, conducted by www.MyVoucherCodes.co.uk, initially asked the respondents if they intended their children to attend a private secondary school, to which more than a fifth, 21%, answered ‘Yes’. Just under two fifths, 37%, said ‘no’, whilst the remaining 42% stated that they were ‘unsure’ as to whether they were hoping to give their children private education.

The respondents who admitted to wanting to send their children into private schooling were asked to explain their reasons for wanting to do so. The study found that the majority, 64%, of the respondents that wanted to send their children into private education said it was because they felt it would provide ‘better education’ than comprehensive schooling. A further tenth, 8%, of the parents that hoped to send their children into private education explained that they had family members willing to pay for the schooling, whilst 16% said it was because they believed private education offered ‘better future prospects’.

The respondents who admitted to feeling ‘unsure’ as to whether they wanted to send their children into private education were then asked why they felt that way. According to the study, the most common reason for parents feeling unsure about private educations was the ‘expense’ involved, with more than two thirds, 67%, agreeing. Furthermore, 14% of the respondents who stated that they were unsure as to whether they wanted their children to attend private education said that they were ‘fearful’ that their children ‘wouldn’t fit in’ with their peers in private education.

Mark Pearson, Chairman of MyVoucherCodes.co.uk, commented on the results: “It was interesting to see the reasons that lie behind parents wanting to send their children into private education. Although the respondents are parents of young children, it is understandable that they want to provide their children with the best possible education. However, this doesn’t necessarily always come from private education alone.”

He continued: “The expense involved with private education appeared to be the most common reason for parents not thinking that they would be able to send their children to a privately educated schooling. Due to this, I am sure that many parents of young children will be saving up with a hope of being able to afford the schooling they desire for their children. If this is the case, perhaps

searching online for discounts and vouchers on everyday purchases, as well as one off items, would be a great way to start the savings.”

Available now from the same company behind MyVoucherCodes.co.uk is a money saving Smartphone app. The MyVoucherCodes app is 100% free to download from the iTunes store and was the first of its kind to launch onto the Android Operating System. By using GPS, users are able to search for all discounts available in their local vicinity, including retailers such as GAP and Warehouse, as well as restaurants Pizza Hut and Frankie & Bennie’s, to name a few.

New Educational iPhone App Educational resource provider BrainPOP UK® has just launched a free app for the iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch, bringing its popular duo Tim and Moby and their informative animations directly to kids’ fingertips.

The BrainPOP UK® Featured Movie App is now downloadable from the iTunes App Store in the UK and Ireland - where it already No.1 in the “New and Noteworthy” in the Education category.

BrainPOP UK® was set up to deliver educational resources to children aged 5-14 in a fun and easy to absorb way. Loveable characters Tim and Moby bring learning to life and make teaching an easy part of everyday life – whether in the classroom or at home.

With topics spanning Science, Humanities, English, Maths, Arts, PSHE & Citizenship and Design & Technology, all BrainPOP UK® materials are aligned with Key Stage 2 & 3 curricula and guidance, and Curriculum for Excellence in Scotland.

The app delivers a new animated movie each day alongside a related quiz to test your knowledge. Topics are timely and contextual, covering current events, historical figures and milestones, holidays, and much more. From fun stuff such as why the body makes bogies, to educational movies covering events such as September 11th, this engrossing app is perfect to engage children’s curiosity.

The original version of the app – launched in April 2010 in the US, has been downloaded nearly half a million times and is recommended by leading publications such as The New York Times and iPhone Life magazine.

With more than 10 million visits a month to its global sites, BrainPOP’s award-winning educational resources are used by students at home and in thousands of schools worldwide.

For more information, you can visit BrainPOP’s website at www.brainpop.com

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A new funding scheme will help primary schools teach systematic synthetic phonics and drive up reading standards.

Primary schools will be able to claim up to £3,000, if they match that funding, to spend on materials which meet the Department for Education’s criteria for an effective phonics programme.

A list of approved resources – including phonics products for teachers and pupils and training for teachers – will be published by the Department by September although some products and training will be available by the end of June. Schools will decide which of the resources will help them to deliver high-quality phonics teaching for their pupils and will be able to buy products and training with the match-funding any time up to March 2013.

The Government is introducing a new phonics-based screening check for six-year-olds so teachers can identify children not at the expected reading level and in need of extra support.

In last year’s primary school tests 15 per cent of pupils did not reach the standard expected at Key Stage 1 and 16 per cent were below the standard expected at Key Stage 2. England has slipped down the international table for reading in primary schools.

The Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) of 10-year-olds saw England fall from third out of 35 countries in 2001 to 15th out of 40 countries in 2006.

Schools Minister Nick Gibb said: ”This match-funding will mean all schools with six-year-old pupils will be able to buy approved products and training to help them teach high-quality systematic synthetic phonics.

“There is more to reading than phonics. But high-quality academic evidence from across the world – from Scotland and Australia to the National Reading Panel in the US – shows that the systematic teaching of synthetic phonics is the best way to teach literacy to all children, and especially those aged five to seven.

“Learning to read is a fundamental part of a child’s education and vital to their prospects in secondary school, further and higher education, and work. The new phonics check will ensure that children who need extra help are given the support they need to enable them to enjoy a lifetime’s love of reading.”

The check will be piloted in a representative sample of about 300 schools in June. Evidence from the pilot and other policy advice will be considered before the assessment arrangements are finalised.

How phonics works Phonics focuses on sounds rather than, for example, having children try to recognise whole words.

In analytic phonics, words are broken down into their beginning and end parts, such as ‘str-’ and ‘eet’, with an emphasis on ‘seeing’ the words and analogy with other words.

In synthetic phonics, children start by sequencing the individual sounds in words – for example, ‘s-t-r-ee-t’, with an emphasis on blending them together. Once they have learned all these, they progress to reading books. The ‘synthetic’ part comes from the word ‘synthesise’, meaning to assemble or blend together.

Children who learn using synthetic phonics are able to have a go at new words working from sound alone, whereas those using analytic phonics are more dependent on having prior knowledge of families of words.

Research evidence In Clackmannanshire, Scotland, a seven-year study of the teaching of synthetic phonics to 300 children found they made more progress in reading and spelling than other children their age.

A 2005 Australian report, Teaching Reading, found: “The incontrovertible finding from the extensive body of local and international evidence-based literacy research is that for children during the early years of schooling (and subsequently if needed) to be able to link their knowledge of spoken language to their knowledge of written language, they must first master the alphabetic code – the system of grapheme-phoneme correspondences that link written words to their pronunciations.

Because these are both foundational and essential skills for the development of competence in reading, writing and spelling, they must be taught explicitly, systematically, early and well.”

The US National Reading Panel report of 2006 said: “Systematic synthetic phonics instruction had a positive and significant effect on disabled readers’ reading skills. These children improved substantially in their ability to read words and showed significant, albeit small, gains in their ability to process text as a result of systematic synthetic phonics instruction.

This type of phonics instruction benefits both students with learning disabilities and low-achieving students who are not disabled. Moreover, systematic synthetic phonics instruction was significantly more effective in improving low socio-economic status (SES) children’s alphabetic knowledge and word reading skills than instructional approaches that were less focused on these initial reading skills… Across all grade levels, systematic phonics instruction improved the ability of good readers to spell.”

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Arrange a Charity Glasses Collection at Your School & Help Provide Sight in Developing Countries Online prescription glasses supplier Spex4less.Com has launched a campaign to collect unwanted prescription glasses to provide the gift of sight for less fortunate people in developing countries via schools and colleges throughout the UK. Usually many of the glasses collected via normal methods are unusable due to minor faults. However, Spex4less will sort, service and repair all glasses sent to them.

Any glasses that are not considered suitable will be sent for recycling in which case Spex4less will donate a completely brand new pair in their place.

Did you know that 10% of the world’s population simply need a pair of glasses to live a normal life?

Mercy is a teacher from Ghana.

Her poor vision was making it very difficult for her to mark her students’ work because she suffered from very bad headaches in the morning.

She was about to leave her job, which would mean that the students would be without a teacher.

With her glasses, Mercy was able to see perfectly and continue to work.

Jon Stringer from Spex4less explained “We initially launched the glasses collection & repair service via our website asking visitors and customers to send in their glasses.

However, one morning we received a huge parcel which had been sent in by Brookside Primary School in Loughborough who had arranged their own charity glasses collection and collected over 100 pairs. We thought this was fantastic idea for other schools to get involved with. Not only does it help us collect glasses to refurbish and send overseas but also allows teachers to educate children about life in other countries in a fun and interactive way.

A full fact pack and ideas for organising your schools glasses collection can be downloaded from the spex4less home page at www.spex4less.com” Glasses sent in will be sorted, repaired and replaced if required and then sent to Vision Aid Overseas to help provide the gift of sight in countries such as:-

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Steven lived at an orphanage in Zambia.

He was very bright but his poor vision was making if difficult for him to learn how to read and write.

His teacher was going to stop him coming to school because he was holding the class back - this would mean he would never get an education!

How To Get Involved!

Start planning your glasses collection today by downloading your fact pack from the Spex4less home page at www.spex4less.com Each School that sends in glasses will receive a thank you letter detailing how many glasses were used, repaired, replaced and sent to Vision Aid Overseas.

With a new pair of glasses, Stephen was able to learn how to read and write. He is now one of the top students in his class.

www.spex4less.com Coach Hire Booking Coach Hire booking can provide quality schools transport for educational visits, recreational trips, swimming lessons, school holidays and sporting fixtures both at home and abroad.

We can accommodate every requirement â&#x20AC;&#x201C; for one hour, one day, a week or as long as required.

Teachers and pupils can be assured that whatever your requirement, Coach Hire Booking can provide.

Discounted tickets to a wide variety of attractions and days out in the UK are also available.

Visit www.coachhirebooking.co.uk

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In April the Department for Education announced new and clearer guidance for teachers on how they should deal with bad behaviour. The Department is also announced the appointment of a new Expert Adviser on Behaviour – headteacher Charlie Taylor – who has a track record in radically improving behaviour in some of the most troubled schools.

Behaviour in good schools is not a serious problem but overall it remains a big concern for parents. Evidence shows there is much to do. For instance: t t t t t

Nearly 1,000 children are suspended from school for abuse and assault every school day.

Persistent disruptive behaviour accounts for nearly a third of all cases of permanent exclusions in secondary schools.

Major assaults on staff have reached a five-year high with 44 having to be rushed to hospital with serious injuries last year.

False allegations have been made against one-in-four school staff by a pupil. One-in-six have had an allegation made by a member of a pupil’s family.

Two thirds of teachers say bad behaviour is driving professionals out of the classroom.

Previous behaviour and search guidance was more than 600 pages long. It left teachers confused about their powers under the law. It also made it much harder for schools to have clear and effective discipline policies. The Government’s new guidance is 50 pages long. It clearly sets out the roles and responsibilities for governing bodies, headteachers and teachers regarding behaviour and discipline. It unequivocally restores adult authority to the classroom.

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The new Education Bill going through the Commons now will also: t t t t

His job is to make sure schools put Government reforms into practice and includes: t t t

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Extend powers to search pupils for any items that are banned by school rules such as mobile phones.

Stop appeals panels sending excluded children back to the school from which they were excluded.

Give teachers anonymity when facing allegations.

Remove the requirement on schools to give parents 24 hours notice of detention.

Charlie Taylor, the Department’s new Expert Adviser on Behaviour, is currently headteacher at the Willows School, a special school for children with behavioural, emotional and social difficulties in Hillingdon, West London. As a behavioural specialist for over ten years, he has taught every age group, from nursery to 16-year-olds, working in tough inner city primary and comprehensive schools.

The new guidance clarifies teachers’ powers. It makes clear the following: Schools should not have a ‘no touch’ policy. It is often necessary or desirable for a teacher to touch a child (e.g. dealing with accidents or teaching musical instruments).

Teachers have a legal power to use reasonable force. They can use force to remove a pupil who is disrupting a lesson or to prevent a child leaving a classroom.

Heads can search for an extended list of items including alcohol, illegal drugs and stolen property.

Heads have the power to discipline pupils who misbehave outside the schools premises and outside schools hours.

All but the tiny number of the most complex cases should be resolved within three months and the vast majority should be resolved in four weeks.

Malicious allegations should not be included in employment records.

Working with Teaching Schools to help ensure best practice is shared both through initial teacher training and school–to-school support.

Working with existing initial teacher training providers to ensure best practice.

Working with the police and schools to see how investigations can be speeded up when allegations are made against teachers.

Working with Ofsted on its new inspection framework.

There are other aspects of Government policy concerning behaviour: t t

The Academies programme replaces the management of schools that have serious problems with behaviour and poor results.

The new Ofsted framework will focus inspections on the things that matter most in schools: behaviour and safety; teaching and learning; and leadership.

Government policies to reform Pupil Referral Units and Alternative Provision will also raise standards of behaviour.

t The guidance also protects teachers from malicious allegations and strengthens their authority in the classroom. It makes clear:

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Education Secretary Michael Gove said:

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Heads can temporarily or permanently exclude pupils who make false allegations. In extreme circumstances they may even press criminal charges against the pupil.

The default position should be to assume the teacher has behaved reasonably unless a complainant can show that a teacher has behaved unreasonably.

Schools should not automatically suspend teachers accused of using force unreasonably

“Improving discipline is a big priority. Teachers can’t teach effectively and pupils can’t learn if schools can’t keep order.

These changes will give teachers confidence that they can remove disruptive pupils and search children where necessary.

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“The appointment of a head of Charlie Taylor’s calibre shows how serious we are about dealing with this issue. He has an excellent track record in improving discipline in some of the most challenging schools in the country.”

Charlie Taylor, the new Expert Adviser on Behaviour, said: “I am passionate about improving behaviour in our schools and looking forward to my role in putting behaviour at the heart of all the work of the Department.

“For far too long, teachers have been buried under guidance and reports on how to tackle bad behaviour. I am determined to make sure I help schools put policy into practice. I want teachers to be able to do their job without lessons being disrupted and schools to feel confident when they address behaviour issues.”

Jerry Collins, Principal at Pimlico Academy in London, said: “Excellent behaviour must be the norm in every school if children are to learn in stimulating and challenging environments.

“At Pimlico Academy every child is expected to behave in a manner that enables them to engage in an academically rigorous curriculum. All barriers to excellent behaviour are addressed through a no excuses culture and high level therapeutic support.”

Other headteachers welcomed the new guidance and powers.

Peter Barnes, headteacher at Oakgrove School in Milton Keynes, said: “The proposals outlined by this Government to improve behaviour in schools show a determination to support teachers and education professionals in maintaining good discipline and order.

“Reducing the bureaucracy surrounding school behaviour policies allows schools to control their own agendas and apply what works for them in their individual contexts. It is about placing decision making in the hands of those people best placed to make those decisions.”

Dame Yasmin Bevan, headteacher at Denbigh High School in Luton, said: “Uncertainty and confusion create bureaucracy. We need to clear the decks because we’re currently drowning under the weight of all the guidance and regulations. If heads were able to have a clear list of what they have to do and read it would make the job much more attractive. Just hearing about the raft of things you think you need to do can be very off-putting for an inexperienced head.”

Andrew Fielder, Principal at Sandy Hill Academy in St Austell, said: “I am delighted to see that the Government has responded so well to our concerns in dealing every day with complex disciplinary and behavioural issues in schools. These areas are getting harder to manage all the time.

“The clarity that this document brings will help to reduce uncertainty in schools. It more clearly highlights rights and responsibilities. What we needed was concise, easily accessible support and guidance, not huge policy documents filled with copious amounts of prescriptive and largely irrelevant text.

Whilst that may have ticked boxes at the centre, it provided absolutely no help to the schools grappling with some of the most extreme behaviour problems imaginable.”

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Making a kite and flying it is one of the most rewarding tasks a child can do.

With the new emphasis on skills based learning, it can be hard to find activities that are suitable for primary school children of all ages.

Kites for Schools have introduced a kite kit that is particularly suitable for use in primary schools.

“We find the kites are a fantastic way to give children the confidence to use the playing areas”, said Karen Gamble from Kites for Schools.

“We have observed that there seem to be children who are active, fit and well co-coordinated who "own" the playing fields. Other children who are less co-coordinated, and particularly ones who may be over weight, will usually do everything they can to avoid the playing areas.”

“On a kite day, all the children are running and laughing together, and it is inspiring to watch this happen. We hope that the schools can build from this positive introduction to keep these children enjoying outdoor activities.”

We are very proud that the kits are substantially made right here in the UK. We have components manufactured for us in Gloucester, Loughborough, Lancashire, Surrey and Dorset. Although we do import some components, we also export kits to other countries.

We have placed a particular emphasis on colour in the kits so that the kites are individual, without requiring individual artistic skills.

This helps those children with less confidence in writing and drawing to believe that they can succeed.

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These kits are complete with everything required to build 20 kites in vibrant colours with coloured tails.

These kits can be taken on school outings or camps and built outdoors.

Children can build these kites in around 20 minutes leaving plenty of time during the lesson to fly.

Full step by step instructions make it easy to lead children through the complete assembly.

We designed a kite that is particularly light so that it will fly in almost all weather conditions, even when it is damp. We wanted a kite that flies very well and yet can be easily taken home by the children. We are particularly concerned with safety, so we have designed parts that are not sharp or likely to splinter.

In fact we guarantee our diamond kites will fly.

Clare Freeman of the Out of School Alliance writes; "We tried out the kite kit at our after school club earlier this week and the children absolutely loved it. We are very impressed with the completeness of the kits, with the quality of the kites, with the play value of the activity, and with the overall value for money of the kits.

We will definitely be investing in some more kits for use in the future."

For more information visit www.kitesforschools.co.uk or phone 01308 456 274

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ENGLISH HERITAGE EDUCATION

What do you want to learn today?

LEARNERS GO FREE

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Pre-booked learning groups of all ages can visit over 400 English Heritage properties FREE OF CHARGE Feel the past and find your roots Find and question Solve problems and communicate Be creative and make history

“We had an excellent visit… My students really enjoyed it and it provided many good language opportunities as well as rounding off our Tudor history studies.”

Group Leader

Find out about free entry for learning groups at www.english-heritage.org.uk/education Image School trip to Goodrich Castle !"#$%&'()*+,""---.

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How can self-led visits to historic sites provide the most economical and inspirational cross-curricular outside the classroom learning opportunities? By booking an educational visit with English Heritage.

All 400+ sites in our care can be visited free of charge and offer limitless learning opportunities because history by its very nature is cross-curricular.

Whether you choose a prehistoric site, castle, abbey or mansion, there’s so much to see, hear, explore, touch, talk about, find out about and immerse yourself in that visits to them are rarely forgotten. You can get in touch with the raw fabric of history and bring it to life, share ideas and use different ways of working to spark a life-time interest in the environment.

As well as soaking up the atmosphere, learners can have fun finding and recording features like loos, prisons and hide outs, deciding why things are where they are and imagining the different people – from humble servants and craftspeople to the rich and powerful – who will lived, worked and played there.

You can follow in the footsteps of ancestors, explore your roots, enjoy the freedom of running around in an open space and have the chance to develop team-work, communication and problem-solving skills.

Self-led trips can be used to introduce concepts such as cause and consequence, chronology, sequencing, and diversity (of experience and viewpoints) which are essential throughout life. They can also develop key skills which are transferable - such as carrying out enquiries and research, evaluating evidence,

resources such as book bags, handling collections, costumes and photo evidence sheets and activities such as challenges.

The loan of flip cameras and other devices are also on the cards.

But even where these are not available there are usually picnic areas, shops and interesting landscapes, gardens or wildlife to explore. There’s plenty of scope for variety – perhaps tour the site first, then search and find specific features, work in teams to determine how things may have happened, or be inspired to create stories, drawings, music, photos, videos or dramas – and send in your views, ideas and creations to educationmarketing@english-heritage.org.uk.

Other useful resources to add terrific value before and after DIY visits are the free digital classroom materials available from www.heritageexplorer.org.uk and the online Heritage Learning magazine with its teaching resources for inside and outside the classroom and easy to use lesson ideas.

To transform self-led visits into truly memorable day-long trips there’s also the option of adding an expert-led Discovery Visit (£90 per class) at many key properties. These award-winning interactive sessions support the national curriculum across a range of subjects and key stages and suit a wide range of learning styles. Learners can step into the shoes of Roman soldiers, medieval engineers, Victorian servants or Tudor monarchs. They develop skills of enquiry, introduce new vocabulary, incorporate whole group discussion as well as individual work and encourage active participation.

Judges of the Sandford Awards granted to Audley End and Bolsover Castle in 2008 in recognition of the quality of heritage

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presenting explanations and communicating knowledge and understanding. Learners can also use what they see around them to develop a sense of pride and place and a sense of their own identity, their identity as members of their local community and their identity as citizens of the UK, no matter whether they were born here or have recently arrived.

The secret to a really successful self-led trip is good planning. At English Heritage we aim to make it as easy as possible by enabling you to download or receive a free hazard information sheet and a teachers’ kit or information for teachers (many containing reconstruction drawings, site plans and tips about what to see and do).

Armed with these, you can decide what you want to do well in advance.

You can also familiarise yourself with a property on a free planning visit and benefit from a 20% reduction on the property guide which provides many useful details.

An increasing number of sites offer education rooms and on-site learning

education offered at the properties said: “English Heritage is to be applauded for the development of the Discovery Visits, which interpret the story of the site and give a sense of time and place to visiting schools.” English Heritage has been granted Sandford Awards for 19 different properties, testifying the value and quality of Discovery Visits available at all of them.

And learners’ and teachers’ verdicts?

“My class were enthralled and have been talking non-stop about their visit. I am glad we made the effort of sitting for 2 hours in the coach – it really was worth it!” said a primary school teacher after her visit to Portland Castle.

A Year 6 pupil who went on a “Dissolution drama: will Henry break the habit?” Discovery Visit (available at Cleeve and Muchelney Abbeys) said “It felt like we were actually travelling through time when we dressed in those robes and shuffled around the abbey. We did look like monks, except monks don’t wear trainers”.

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In order to qualify for the English heritage free entry scheme, learning groups are asked to pre-book and undertake planned education work as part of the visit.

There is no entry charge because we want to help young people understand and appreciate why these important ancient buildings matter and how they could disappear for ever unless we look after them.

Find out more about the English Heritage free entry scheme for learning groups, booking, etc at www.english-heritage.org.uk/education See how we view learning at historic sites, Discovery Visit and teacher and pupil reactions to it at http://www.english-heritage.org. uk/about/multimedia-library/education/

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!"#$%&%'()*+,&-"(+."(/0#,,$112 The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside

!"#$%&"'(")*+,!-./*0&",1(%#$/(2 ! Four Education Centres ! Outreach Services ! Eco Schools Support ! Forest School ! Teacher Training ! Wildlife Gardening

Get in Touch...

Tel: 01772 751110 education@lancswt.org.uk

FREE SCHOOL GROUNDS GUIDE Simply email educationnews@ lancswt.org.uk for your copy of the 128 page guide on CD.

www.lancswt.org.uk

Inspiring People about the Natural World

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Highline Adventure delivers dynamic mobile outdoor and indoor adventure activities for schools, organisations and events. All activities are suitable for 6 yr olds and above, and include climbing, using a 9 metre high climbing wall and 7 metre spider mountain, bouldering, canoeing, skate boarding, archery, mini-fencing, problem solving/team building and orienteering, all of which promote personal development, helping each other and working together.

The portable nature of the activities means a convenient, fully supervised, cost effective event can bedelivered direct to your school or venue for an exciting, hassle free day. There is no need to undergo the cost and logistics of transporting students or staff, risk assessing sites, re-arranging parental pick-up times or persuading teachers to accompany students on away trips.

We bring our range of risk-assessed and liability insured activities operated by fully qualified, CRB checked staff to your site.

One activity can be brought to your location or a multi-activity programme canbe put together to your specification, designed to meet your requirements which may be achieving a curriculum agenda or highlighting specific dynamics within a group.

Highline Adventure mobile equipment can be used effectively indoors or outdoors depending on customer requirements and our activity programmes are designed for groups of around 20- 25 people per activity. Our aim is to give you a reliable, top quality experience for your students or staff that is easy for you to achieve at an affordable price.

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25% OFF FOR A TWO NIGHT TERM TIME MIDWEEK STAY. EXCLUSIVE HIRE AVAILABLE. Prices from as little as ÂŁ8 per person Shepherdâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Patch, Slimbridge, Gloucestershire GL2 7BP 01453 890275 info@wildgooselodge.co.uk www.wildgooselodge.co.uk

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Kayaking is just one of an exciting range of adventure activities at PGL centres throughout the UK

For bookings call 0333 321 2135

For further details visit www.pgl.co.uk/adventure

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Spotlight on Claire Lotriet

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I don’t know about you, but I’ve always been one to use what I would have called ‘mind maps’ both in and out of the classroom.

They’ve gone by many names over the years: spider diagrams, brain storms or thought showers to name but a few. Then last summer, I went on a Philosophy for Children course and was given a recommendation to read “anything” by Tony Buzan, the creator of the Mind Map ©. This had obviously stuck in my head because when I spotted this in Waterstones the other day, I felt compelled to buy it.

The ‘bite size’ nature of it appealed to me too, I must admit.

As I read, it dawned on me that Mind Maps could be exactly what my class needed to help them with their note-taking skills. We’re currently working through the year 4 information texts unit and to link it to our big topic, Portraits, the subject of the texts are the life and work of Pablo Picasso.

One of the objectives the children needed to do was carry out research and make notes about him. Now, I think some children find the concept of note-making a little odd and if you think about it, who can blame them? It’s basically the opposite of how I tell them to write the rest of the time: in full sentences! Modelling how to write down just keywords and phrases feels like undoing all our previous sentence work to some of them I’m sure! Another problem I’ve noticed with note-taking is the temptation for children to just copy out chunks of text from a book or copy and paste it from a website without really reading it. So forget the usual bullet points and lists I thought, let’s try out some Mind Mapping…

Teacher, tweeter, houmous eater.

I’m a graphic designer turned teacher, who currently teaches Year 4 in a south London primary school.

My big passion, both in and out of the classroom, is ICT. Being able to transfer the skills from my previous job into school is great, but what I really love about it is that it’s forever changing and there’s always something new to try.

Recently coming into contact with other ICT passionate teachers through Twitter has transformed my way of thinking about the subject.

My other big interest is Philosophy For Children (P4C), which is a teaching approach that encourages children to think critically and creatively.

Oh, and yes, I really like houmous.

Find my blog and P4C resources at http://tweecher.wordpress.com In brief, I explained to the children that the centre of their Mind Map would be the heading of their text and each ‘branch’ of their Mind Map would be one of their chosen subheadings.

Importantly, each branch would need to be a different colour.

Coming off each branch would be smaller branches which would lead to facts relating to that subheading. I’m not going to say it came easily to them at first as it was such a different way of doing things, but after a bit of perseverance most of the class really got into seeing their Mind Maps ‘grow.’

They looked very visually pleasing to them.

We’ve still got a long way to go to hone our Mind Mapping skills, for example next time I need to encourage them to use images in their Mind Maps too, but as a first attempt I was really encouraged by the outcome.

I noticed that no whole sentences were being copied because I think the non-linear nature of Mind Maps really discourages that. This structure also makes it easy to work on several subheadings simultaneously whereas a more linear, listed approach tends to encourage completing one section before moving onto the next.

This isn’t ideal because fact finding and research doesn’t necessarily unfold like that. Lastly, the colour coding of the different sections meant that when it came to writing up their notes in full sentences, it was really obvious to them what information belonged under what subheading.

I will definitely be using Mind Maps for note-taking in the future and look forward to exploring other uses in the classroom for them too.

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Sir Bob Geldof Unveils Innovative Education Application At BETT 2011 Sir Bob Geldof, co-founder of one of the education sector market leaders in communication and data extraction tools, Groupcall, officially unveiled the company’s latest addition, Groupcall Emerge at BETT 2011.

Emerge is a powerful yet intuitive ‘App’ designed for the Apple iPod touch with Wi-Fi, or an iPhone/iPad with Wi-Fi and 3G connectivity. It delivers up-to-the-minute Management Information System (MIS) data instantly and securely, with access on an anytime, anywhere basis.

Emerge is designed specifically for senior leaders, administrators and teaching staff at both primary and secondary stage education, providing them with access to on-the-go key data from a compact mobile device. Via Emerge, registration can be taken while simultaneously being written back to the school’s MIS. Additional student information including timetables, attendance and behavioural data can also be accessed wherever the teacher is located (both on and off school grounds) without the need to rely on a desktop PC. At the launch of Emerge, Sir Bob Geldof outlined the importance of the new application, explaining that: “Equipping teachers with a device that gives them immediate access to the information they require is not only hugely beneficial from an administration and time management perspective, but also with respect to student safety. At the touch of a button, teachers are able to quickly access contact information for each student and of course their parents/guardians.”

Lawrence Royston, managing director, Groupcall expanded further on the intelligent and important aspects of the application adding that: “In an emergency situation, where the school system is down, off-line or access to the school is restricted, Emerge continues to deliver instant access to staff and student information. When retrieving and relying on paper-based registers and records is logistically unfeasible, Emerge has been specifically designed to offer efficiency and accessibility, as well as being a less expensive and more environmentally friendly alternative to paper-based records.”

Launched in 2002, Groupcall provides communication and data solutions to the education, public and private sectors.

Groupcall is one of the education sector market leaders with its parental communication system, Groupcall Messenger, which is currently used in more than 2,500 schools throughout the UK and Europe. Co-founded by Sir Bob Geldof, Groupcall’s product portfolio comprises of Messenger, Xporter and Alert. Groupcall was initially created to improve general and emergency communication between a school and its parents.

Since then, Messenger has proven to successfully reduce unauthorised absences in schools, as well as improve parental engagement and lower costs. Groupcall’s product offering also includes a newly developed Systems Interoperability Framework (SIF) agent, which has been designed to complement the complex data requirements of new education initiatives such as the 14-19 Reform.

For further information please visit: www.groupcall.com

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We are saying goodbye to Hotpot and a big hello to Healthy Heroes and their sidekick Freddie the Frog.

Healthy Heroes has been designed to help primary aged children and their families make healthier food and activity choices. Further information about the Heroes can be found by visiting www.lhsp.org.uk/healthyheroes

=4((-!"#$$%-;(8%) Free school meals are offered to children of families who are in receipt of Income Support or Job Seekers Allowance (Income based), Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, The Guaranteed element of State Pension Credit or Income related Employment Support Allowance, Child Tax Credit and are not entitled to Working Tax Credit and your annual income, as assessed by the Inland Revenue, does not exceed ÂŁ16,190 (April 10 figure) The Government does not allow us to recognise any other benefit other than those mentioned above. To apply, complete an application form (downloadable from www.lancashire.gov.uk) or simply ring your local Area Education Office with details of your name, date of birth and National Insurance number and an immediate on-line decision can be given.

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Our menus are planned and analysed to provide the nutrients your child needs for a healthy diet t " TDIPPM MVODI Qrovides 2 of your child's '5 a Day' portions of fruit and vegetables. t Our Roast Beef is English and Farm Assured. t We take pride in sourcing local fresh food â&#x20AC;&#x201C; our Free Range eggs come from local farms and our milk comes from cows grazed in Lancashire.

Please let us know if your child has been prescribed a special diet. There may be some small changes to the menu on certain days in schools where there is a Cook/Servery kitchen.

There's so much to choose from on our new winter menu, including new children's favourites. All our lunches are served with seasonal vegetables or as much as your child wants from the salad bars,plus pudding, yoghurt or fresh fruit.

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!"#$%&'(&)*%+,& #&-"#.',/&!*%+, !""#$$#%&'(#)*+%,-.'/$)0"%1#/*$2%/"-%3#**4#)"5%6#/'2#7%!-8)9#7%:07% ;/"'/92)7#%<0."$=%<0."')*%$/*>9%/40.$%20?%$2#)7%2#/*$2=%#/$)"5%@7057/AA#% 2/9%50"#%:70A%9$7#"5$2%$0%9$7#"5$2B% School is where children go to learn to read, write and add up – and in Lancashire, increasingly, it’s where they go to learn important life skills, such as how to make healthier food choices.

from Leyland, and fruit and veg from local growers.

This is part of our strong focus on regional sustainability and support for local food producers and distributors.

Opportunities that help young people learn about food, where it comes from and how to cook it have an important place in the classroom. This is particularly important when we live in a world where cooking know-how can be limited to putting together meals or snacks from pre-prepared, processed ingredients, and unhealthy food choices surround us.

And – getting technical – we have a menu cycle nutrient graph showing how all the necessary nutrients for good health are included in school dinners over a three-week period, linking into the benefits of a healthy lifestyle along with higher academic achievement.

Astonishingly, about 30% of our climate impact is due to the production, transporting and processing of food, with approximately one third of food grown for human consumption in the UK ending up in the rubbish bin.

Learning about these issues in school doesn’t just take place in the classroom, of course. Many schools now provide breakfast clubs and after-school cookery clubs, grow their own food and make farm visits.

There have also been great advances in school food and improvements made to school dining rooms, all of which help to develop understanding about food, encourage healthier choices and provide great opportunities for young people to put their learning into practice.

And with evidence confirming what educational practitioners have believed for some time – that children who eat better, learn better – promoting this in schools is now more important than ever.

This is why, here in Lancashire, we take a great pride in the school lunches we provide, using locally sourced ingredients, organic or free-range where possible. For example, we get cheese from Garstang, yoghurt from Longridge, free range eggs

Lancashire County Council is also leading the way by working with families through educational settings to encourage healthier food choices, with its highly innovative and fun Healthy Heroes resource, available for both primary and early years children and their families: www.lhsp.org.uk/healthyheroes Encouraging healthy eating has been an important component of Lancashire County Council’s Healthy Schools Programme since it was first established in 1999.

The programme has gone from strength to strength, including achieving Beacon status, and now all of the primary, secondary and short-stay schools across the county are engaged in the programme and gaining recognition for their achievements.

A true testament to the county council’s commitment to the health and wellbeing of its children and young people is the fact that, despite local authority budget reductions and the loss of healthy schools programmes in other parts of the country, Lancashire remains determined to build on the good work established in its schools by continuing with and further developing this important programme.

Thanks to a huge amount of work to promote healthy eating and knowledge about food, Lancashire’s children face a healthier future: long may this continue!

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Expand your world

achievement through technology The independent experts in

assistive technology solutions for people with Special Educational Needs and other disabilities.

www.iansyst.co.uk www.dyslexic.com Call freephone 0800 018 0045 to order the 2011 Buyerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Guide

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SENCOs invariably have a limited budget, so have to buy wisely – never more so than in today’s economic climate.

So how can you make sure that the software you choose is the right one to address learners’ difficulties, and how do you ensure that your purchase doesn’t remain at the bottom of the shelf collecting dust? iansyst, the parent company to dyslexic.com, outlines a few tips that are useful to consider before making your purchase, helping you to select the appropriate software and avoid costly mistakes.

How accessible is the product?

Are you able to customise the software settings to meet the individual needs of the student? Can you set the age/levels/ SEN requirements and are you able to add your own graphics/ wordlists? For some programs this may not be a requirement, especially if they are linked to the national curriculum levels - for others it could be vital to the success of the product.

Is it cross-curricular?

Can your purchase be used right across the curriculum and does it offer value for money?

The ‘enjoyability’ factor

Is it motivating and fun to use? Often games or rewards help to capture the imagination of a student; however they can also be deemed a distraction. Are these programs appropriate for the environment in which they will be used?

Concept Mapping ‘Mapping’ concepts, processes and plans is now widely accepted as an important learning and organisational tool. It is incredibly adaptive and can be used in a variety of different subject areas.

Inspiration offers an easy to use concept mapping tool that helps focus thoughts and express ideas quickly and effectively.

Its unstructured approach allows users the freedom to organise and prioritise work. For a more structured approach, MindGenius provides a fun and interactive program where you can create a wide range of concept maps and export them into a variety of applications.

Literacy Support The process of planning and drafting a piece of writing can be difficult for many individuals. EB WordBanks provides a writing grid that sits alongside your word processor, giving you instant access to the words and phrases relevant to your subject area.

It is fully customisable and suitable for a wide age group.

Text-to-speech programs such as Read&Write and ClaroRead offer simple, easy–to-use floating toolbars providing speech feedback and literacy support in all subject areas.

For more information on the products featured, visit www.dyslexic.com or call 0800 018 0045.

Printing and tracking

Do you want to track the process your students are making and print reports? If so it is important to ensure that the software you choose has these facilities available.

Cost

Is there an annual fee as well as the initial cost of the product? What are the costs of updates likely to be?

Some key products to consider Even once you know what type of package you are looking for it can still be a daunting task trying to establish what to buy. Outlined below are some key products you may wish to consider having in your special needs department: Typing Tutors Computers are a great tool for both adults and children, and it is important to become familiar and confident with using the computer as quickly as possible. A good typing tutor will enable the user to find their way around a keyboard. Nessy Fingers is a fun and easy-to-use program which can be used to enhance typing whilst using National Curriculum word lists to practice with. Kaz typing tutor is also an excellent package which provides a dyslexia-friendly way of learning to touch type.

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A recent survey by the National Literacy Trust has shown that many children do not do enough reading to develop effective comprehension. It is not that these children cannot read the words, it is just that their reading is not skilled enough for them to understand. Like all skills, reading doesn’t improve without practice – unfortunately persuading children to read can be a real challenge when there are so many other exciting things to do!

Comprehension Booster is an effective and enjoyable way for children aged 7–14+ to overcome these problems. It has been specifically designed by psychologists and teachers to improve children’s reading comprehension skills and can be used at school or home. Comprehension Booster gives systematic practice in reading, listening to, and understanding many different types of texts of increasing length and complexity, as well as extending children’s vocabulary. Flying Start readers can obtain a 25% discount by quoting ‘fly25’ when they order – for further details visit www.lucid-research.com.

Jofli wears a backpack containing his journal and pen, and

!"#$%&'()*+,-&*.-(/(012(3%2"-A-life provides hands-on healthy living workshops that encourage and educate children to develop healthy habits and partake in an active lifestyle. A-life Ltd. was established in 2004 and has taught in over 500 schools and can help your school to maintain its Healthy Schools Status and enhancement criteria.

As well as giving pupils the opportunity to learn more about their bodies in a fun way.

<%,8/+#.(/$)6.&)8"#$%&'(=) 6,()6.&)+"')0".$')6/:#$1> encourages children to record memories of the places they go and things they do. Parents and teachers use the bears to encourage children aged 3-10 to talk, draw, write, even upload photos of their adventures together.

Sarah, mum of two says, “My daughter has had her Jofli Bear for 2 years and he has been everywhere with us. Initially we filled the journal in together, but now she writes them herself. If she didn’t have Jofli, she wouldn’t have the journals to look back on. The memories are priceless, and it’s educational too.”

Jofli Bear is the perfect travel companion to help families record memories of holidays and adventures. He has a journal and pen in his backpack, and an online gallery to capture memories for years to come. Educational for children, fun for the whole family.

Visit www.jofli.com.

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Over 4,000 schools are now successfully using the Five Minute Box and the Number Box Literacy and Numeracy teaching systems. Local Authorities and Advisers recommend the systems for whole school and SEN learner settings. Thousands of children are benefiting from the Boxes’ multi-sensory approach and a free CD-rom is available on request.

Contact Five Minute Box 01442 878629 www.fiveminutebox.co.uk

Good health is well worth investing in as it not only impacts a child’s long term future and personal life, but also improves behaviour, energy levels, concentration, attendance, academic ability, strength, growth and emotional health. All of which makes a teacher’s job easier and more fulfilling, allowing them to focus on teaching.

Recognising that children learn in many different ways, our wide range of activities suits even the most diverse class. Topics include: a balanced diet, nutritional values, 5-a-day, where food comes from, the importance of water, healthy teeth, sleep, exercise, hygiene, dangers of smoking and more.

Sessions are carefully tailored to suit Nursery to Year 8 pupils, with each child receiving a: -

one-hour hands-on workshop 30 - 45 minute fitness session follow-on fitness challenge certificate of achievement

We cater for up to 60 pupils per session and can also provide sessions for teachers and parents.

To find out how we can help your school, contact A-life now on: 01923 286822 / info@a-life.co.uk / www.a-life.co.uk

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New survey finds that drinking water can improve kids’ performance at school School kids’ interest in learning could be almost doubled by increasing their intake of water during the school day, according to a new survey commissioned by the Natural Hydration Council (NHC).

The project was led by Dr Emma Derbyshire from Manchester Metropolitan University and involved 166 children aged 11-12 years St James’s C of E School & Sports College, Bolton.

The children at St James’s were provided with three 500ml bottles of water during the school day for three weeks.

After just three weeks with the extra daily water, the researchers found that: t School children’s interest in learning was doubled t Cognition was significantly increased t Children felt calmer and more alert in the classroom t Measurements taken before the survey started showed that only 8.4% of the sample drank the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA - 1,470ml/day from beverages for boys and 1,330ml/day for girls aged 9-13 years) recommended daily intake of water, and 53.6% drank just 1-2 glasses of water daily.

A large proportion of children also reported feeling tired (53.6%), bored (45.8%), fidgety (33.7%) and thirsty (50.6%) before the water was introduced.

However, after 14 days of drinking more water, most of these parameters improved. In particular, children felt increasingly calm and twice as many children reported that they felt more ‘interested after drinking recommended amounts of water.

Cognition scores significantly increased for both boys and girls.

Dr Derbyshire commented: “As these pupils gear up to sit their year 2 SATS throughout May 2011, this survey indicates that adequately hydrated children may perform better and be better behaved in school. The simple addition of a bottle of water to the school lunchbox or backpack could help to reinforce healthy hydration habits in children and have benefits beyond the lunch break.”

Dr Derbyshire’s Top Tips for School Hydration 1.

2.

3.

Children should aim to have 6-8 drinks per day which should ideally be water but milk, weak squash and diluted fruit juices are also good choices.

Limit empty calories by putting a bottle of water in lunchboxes instead of a sugary drink.

Children should be encouraged to sip fluids at regular intervals throughout the day i.e. a lot of children drink fluids at the end of the day when feelings of dehydration have already started to set in.

GOOD FOR ADULTS TOO! A recent review of studies looked at the impact of water consumption on body weight management .

The combined studies reveal three core findings: t t

t

Drinking water, which does not add any calories, allows for a reduction in total energy intake When exercising, drinking water, which does not bring any sugars, does not increase insulin levels, which therefore encourages fat oxidation. If sugars are consumed, the breakdown of fat does not continue at the same rate be cause they increase insulin levels.

Drinking water could help control weight in children and adults. Researchers proved that among overweight adults on a diet, the consumption of more than 1L of water per day led to a greater loss of fat. Furthermore, during a recent study in a school to promote water as the primary source of hydration, the number of overweight children stabilised.

The review entitled, “Role of Water in Weight Management” was released by Jodi Stookey, an epidemiologist specialising in nutrition at the Children’s Hospital of Oakland Research Institute (USA) in 2010.

Anita Bean, a leading UK nutritionist, explains the relevance of the findings, “The results of the review are particularly pertinent given that 57% of women and 66% of men, as well as 32% of boys and 29% of girls in the UK are overweight or obese.

However, by engaging in regular physical activity, adopting good eating habits, and limiting the quantity of added sugars from food and beverages, it would be possible to reduce obesity rates.”

Jodi Stookey said: “This is the first review of its kind to highlight the potential link between drinking water and weight control.

Water is the only liquid that is indispensable to our bodies. It is recommended that you drink 1.5 litres of water per day, not only to ensure that our bodies function properly, but also for weight management as part of a programme of physical activity and good eating habits.”

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Anglia Ruskin University lecturer Sara Knight believes that “nervous” nursery schools could be harming the development of young children in the UK. Sara, one of the UK’s leading experts on outdoor learning, has just published a new book called Risk and Adventure in Early Years Outdoor Play: Learning from Forest Schools (Sage Publications), in which she describes the importance of creating exciting outdoor experiences for children.

The book explains how early years practitioners can incorporate the wilder and riskier elements of outdoor play into their planning, which is something that Sara believes is currently being neglected in many UK settings.

Sara said: “We owe it to the futures of individual children and to a healthy society to foster habits of adventurous outdoor activities as early as possible. Modern play areas, particularly in some schools, are often not helpful, operating as ‘holding areas’ rather than spaces in which to play.

-3(*40/*('554+#(*6$##* 54-7.$&'"/*3-$/8&&/* ,3+5(*0&*4&,-4*(,3&&4 ahs ltd, UK’s premier supplier of bark and woodchip related products to the landscape and playground industries, have helped out a local school, by providing 36 cubic metres of free Hardwood Playground Chips to use in their outdoor play area.

The school previously used a lighter grade bark as a surface for their play area, and whilst it worked for a while, it was not durable enough to cope with the needs of a school of energetic children. It soon became clear that a longer lasting playground surface solution was required to meet with their demands.

Sourced from sustainable English forests, ahs ltd’s Hardwood Chips offer a long-lasting, 100% natural playground safety surface that’s both durable and attractive.

With schools needing to be more frugal with their budgets, ahs ltd felt the time was right to give something back to the community and arranged to have the hardwood playground chips delivered straight away, at no cost to Silverdale School.

Nick Guest, Managing Director of ahs ltd states “We understand that times are hard, but children still need a safe and enjoyable place to play, so we decided to give something back to our community by offering Silvlerdale School ahs’ Hardwood Playground Chips. As this product is very durable, it will give the kids a long time of energetic play. ” Gill Knox, Silverdale Primary’s Headteacher said “Playtime is an important part of learning, and the children enjoy their time outdoors. The hardwood loose fill finishes off our playground perfectly, looks great and has the added security of being safer if they fall. This couldn’t have come at a more pertinent time for us, and we’d like to thank ahs ltd for their kind contribution.

For more information on Hardwood Playground Chips from ahs ltd, visit their website www.ahs-ltd.co.uk or contact their sales team on 01797 252 728

“A concrete square has few visible risks, and yet children fall or push each other over and accidents happen. It may even be that some of the ‘accidents’ are the result of the limitations of the space, a direct correlation with the sterile safety being offered to the children.

“Perhaps if they had the challenge of a pile of logs to scramble over, the risks would be focused, could be discussed and managed, and learning could take place. There is a thought that if children have exciting reasonable risks to undertake they will be less likely to find unreasonable ones for themselves.”

The issue of risk-taking in playgrounds was highlighted recently when Malvern Primary School, near Liverpool, banned footballs, and parents were told that pupils would only be allowed to bring sponge balls to school.

Sara said: “The issue at the school in Liverpool would seem to be an unfortunate combination of cramped school playgrounds, where accidents will happen, and nervous teaching staff.

“I have become aware whilst training early years practitioners that not all of them are ready to embrace this message.

There are some who are very nervous of outdoor play, and this may be because they are anticipating opposition from managers and colleagues, or because they feel that they lack the necessary expertise.

“I do not believe that Health and Safety legislation has gone too far, what has gone too far is the interpretation of such legislation by professionals who themselves lack experience of risk-taking and who are therefore risk averse. To avoid the grazes, stings and bumps of childhood would be to avoid learning how to manage ourselves and our environment.

“Until teachers are given the tools with which to assess playground risks competently they will continue to over-react in self-defence. I do not blame them, it is a dereliction to accept responsibility for risks that you are not competent to assess.

I blame the spiral of education that omits opportunities for risk-taking at school and in training so that each subsequent generation of teachers is more risk averse than the last.”

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As well as affecting their emotional and psychological development, Sara believes that the restrictions that limit the energetic play of young children are also having a serious impact on their health.

“It is our outdoor activities, in other words our outings, the climbing and the digging that the children engage in, that will provide our children with the good habits of healthy exercise,” said Sara. “We owe our children the right to develop their defences against obesity, heart disease and diabetes. We lost our mass cultural connection to nature and wild spaces in the industrial revolution, and have never fully got it back. We need to turn around the patterns of access and exercise of all of our children in order to turn around this perspective. There is a groundswell of opinion supporting this, linking it to the rise in obesity and the need for education for sustainable development. And risk is an essential element of creativity. Without creativity we have no innovation, and without innovation our industrial, technological and research industries are dead in the water.”

Sara Knight is an experienced early years educator and Senior Lecturer at Anglia Ruskin University. She is a trained Forest School practitioner and is the author of Forest Schools and Outdoor Learning in the Early Years. Her new book, Risk and Adventure in Early Years Outdoor Play: Learning from Forest Schools, is suitable for all students and practitioners working with young children from birth to eight years old. The book gives suggestions for outdoor play and also helps teachers understand why it is educationally sound and developmentally important for children, and where it connects with the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) in England, the Foundation Phase (FP) in Wales and the Curriculum for Excellence in Scotland.

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The changing face of educational play THE

ability that children have to turn imagination and play into learning is a source of wonder for any adult.

Who’d have thought that a group of Early Years and Key Stage 1 children from Bedgrove Primary School in Aylesbury would have met learning objectives relating to physical development and discovery through games of dinosaurs, pirates and bears.

But that’s exactly what happened when Bedgrove met Poddely!

Teacher Jenny Barnett tells us more: “A group began building a ‘bridge trail’ using Poddely during a child initiated learning session outside. The children worked together in a large group, and we were able to observe the groups’ interactions and children demonstrating leadership skills. The children discussed the merits of parts of the trail for height, sturdiness and safety. They tested the safety of their structures and adjusted them accordingly, and

continued to adapt the structure, introducing water and marbleruns, over a number of days.”

“And the dinosaur said move out of the way!”

When Playforce, the UK’s premier playground equipment supplier, decided to launch Poddely, the education sector sat up and took note. Designed in collaboration with practitioners, researchers, designers and, most importantly, children, Poddely is a portable, ever changing resource for both child and practitioner-led activities. It delivers learning outcomes in a fun way, through free-flowing, non-prescriptive play. Ideal for Early Years, KS 1 and 2, Poddely presents unique opportunities for learning across the age-groups.

For more information and examples of schools using Poddely, go to www.poddely.com

make something new www.poddely.com

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Developers are ‘gambling’ with fire as schools ‘ignore’ sprinkler advice Around two thirds of new or refurbished schools planned for the capital have not been installed with sprinklers, the London Fire Brigade has warned.

It follows Government guidelines introduced three years ago that recommended that sprinkler systems should be fitted in most new and refurbished schools.

Sprinklers stop fire from spreading and “greatly reduce the chance of death or serious injury”, the fire service said.

The figures have been released to coincide with the publication of new guidance from the brigade encouraging builders and developers to install sprinklers in schools, residential care homes, social housing and commercial premises. Called Think Sprinkler, the booklet is to be sent out to architects, building managers, care home owners and social landlords Fire chiefs are consulted on the plans for newly built or refurbished schools in the capital and, according to the service’s figures, 49 out of 75 schools that have proposed building work in the last three years were not going to install sprinklers.

A spokesman for the service said: “Every year, one in eight schools suffers a serious arson attack. The cost of school fires is around £65 million with London accounting for over a third of the cost.

“As well as having a huge financial impact, these fires cause disruption to students, teachers and families and can have a devastating effect on the wider community.”

Arson figures have been taken from The impact of school fires, a study undertaken by the National Foundation for Educational Research commissioned by Local Government Analysis and Research.

Chairman of London fire and emergency planning authority’s community safety committee, Cllr Susan Hall, said: “It’s time for building owners and developers to stop playing such a high risk game and gambling that there will never be a fire in their building. For too long architects and developers have ignored the overwhelming benefits of sprinklers in reducing the damage and potential loss of life a fire can cause.”

For more information regarding Fire Issues, please visit www.info4fire.com

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T: 0845 230 2253 E: enquiry@evacchair.co.uk EVAC+CHAIR INTERNATIONAL LTD ParAid House, Weston Lane, Birmingham, B11 3RS

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LOVE READING?

YOU AND YOUR CHILDREN WILL LOVE THESE...

Christmas present for any child.

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.

The much-loved classic Christmas poem is brought beautifully to life in this gorgeous new picture book and CD set, sure to bring visions of sugarplums to everyone's head.

With dreamy, magical artwork by Eric Puybaret and an audio CD recorded by Peter, Paul and Mary, this is the perfect

Meet a boy with a dastardly plan -- to ruin Christmas!

Bradley Bartleby is bad, VERY bad. He’s greedy and naughty and selfish and spoilt -- and Santa Claus knows it. But when beastly Bradley empties his Christmas stocking to find nothing but a pair of socks, he does quite the baddest thing he has EVER tried to do. He builds a trap -- a SANTA TRAP! With guillotines, dynamite and a tiger or two, Santa doesn’t stand a chance. Or does he?

Clement C. Moore Illustrated by: Eric Puybaret

Ella Burfoot

Andrew Lane

Steve Feasey

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Would you make friends with a scary, hairy yeti?

Betty's out for a walk in the snow when she finds a jingly jangly hat, a scarf, and a giant coat that comes down to her knees. They don't belong to the polar bear, the whale or the arctic hare, so just whose are they?

A fresh and funny story, from the creator of the highly acclaimed DARKNESS SLIPPED IN.

The world’s most famous detective. The most brilliant mind in fiction. But before he became the great detective, who was young Sherlock Holmes?

Sherlock knows that Amyus Crow, his mysterious American tutor, has some dark secrets. But he didn't expect to find a notorious killer, hanged by the US government, apparently alive and well in Surrey and Crow somehow mixed up in it. When no one will tell you the truth, sometimes you have to risk all to discover it for yourself. And so begins an adventure that will take Sherlock across the ocean to America, to the centre of a deadly web - where life and death are cheap, and truth has a price no sane person would pay .

The fourth fang-tastic book in the brilliantly bloodthirsty CHANGELING series. Return to the dark Netherworld of diabolical demons, vicious vampires . . . and one lone werewolf, intent on revenge.

Teenage werewolf Trey is facing the most important and dangerous mission of his life.

He must journey into the dark Netherworld and rescue Alexa, daughter of his vampire guardian Lucien, who is being held hostage by a powerful demon lord. But strength and courage alone are not enough to succeed – instead Trey must ‘win’ both their freedoms by participating in a death-match against his deadliest nemesis yet. The forces of evil are stacked against him and Trey can only be certain of one thing . . . one of them WILL die.

Jonathan Emmett Illustrated by: Poly Bernatene An irresistible prehistoric adventure from two of the biggest names in children's books!

A hairy mammoth takes a cheeky little baby on a thrilling ride through a moonlit landscape populated by a sabre-toothed tiger, a leaping hare, a laughing hyena and even, just maybe, by a big brown bear . . . But where are they going?

And what has it to do with the baby’s scribblings on the cave wall?

Julia Donaldson Illustrated by: Emily Gravett The hotly anticipated FIFTH mind-blowing adventure for Molly Moon!

Molly Moon is unstoppable! She's a master hypnotist, a time-traveller and a mind-reader, and in this sizzling new story she harnesses a new power - morphing. Soon she and her twin brother Micky are swapping bodies with ladybirds, dogs, rats, even the Queen of England herself! But they can't continue for ever . . . and unless they can get their hands on 'The Advanced Arts' hypnotism book, they will never get back to their own bodies.

Sabotaged by a gaggle of wicked women who want to destroy them, Molly and Micky must find a way to return to themselves in spite of all the dangerous surprises thrown their way.

Georgia Byng

A fun and charming book with pop-up letters, revealing a wild animal beginning with that letter.

Discover which wild animal is hiding behind its letter by opening the twenty-six pop-ups – one for each letter of the alphabet. Key facts about the animal accompany the pop-up, allowing readers to learn more about their favourite wild animals.

Kingfisher

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The solution for quick and durable labelling of everything for kids and grown-ups.

Labels that are bound to stick around!

Identify all your kids clothes with iron-on labels. These very thin labels, made of an innovative material are washing machine and clothes dryer proof.

Mine4Sure offer a full range of stickers to identify all your kids belongings including bags, books, pens, musical instruments, sports equipment and shoes to name just a few.

Visit www.mine4sure.com

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The Map Shop Upton upon Severn

15 High Street Upton upon Severn Worcs. WR8 0HJ Tel:01684 593146 Fax:01684 594559

Freephone: 0800 085 40 80

www.themapshop.co.uk Maps .... Maps .... Maps & Guidebooks .... ....for all the World

MAIL ORDER SPECIALIST

All Ordnance Survey products stocked, plus laminated and site centred maps

Educational DiscountsAvailable

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Improve reading & listening comprehension

Comprehension Formerly Reading Booster

Key stage 2 & 3 Enjoyable format requiring minimal supervision

25% OFF for Flying Start readers Quote fly25 Valid until 31/07/11

For more information & a FREE demo CD visit:

www.

lucid-research.com

Tel: 01482 882121

Email: info@lucid-research.com

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INSPIRATIONAL TEACHING & LEARNING AIDS For ages 3 to 11

From nature blocks to solar system kits, insect cubes to reading comprehension sets, wall charts to human body models - everything a good Nursery and Preparatory School needs to teach in a fun and inspiring way.

Comprehensive selection, great prices, fast delivery.

Open an account today* www.sogiftededucation.co.uk or order online Call 01763 241111 Secure on-line ordering. Fast UK/European delivery.

Office hours: 8.45am - 6pm Mon - Fri *Subject to terms, details available online.

Major credit cards accepted.

part of www.sogifted.co.uk

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Teach the time in a week?

New highly successful story-led method of teaching time for Year Groups 1-4

Try it for FREE online

www.aramazu.com/free-trial

No lengthy preparation time required

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Stores and re-charges

Total Locker Service 01284 749211 www.total-locker-service.co.uk

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NEW WEBSITE Our new website has been launched, this includes our new on-line shop with some products shipped in 24hrs.

Re-configuration, New build furniture planning, 2D/3D CAD and walkthroughs

Over 20 years experience in distribution and installation of Office Furniture

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WE CAN SAVE YOU MONEY

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