Education Business Magazine 17.02

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VOLUME 17.2

COMPUTING SCHOOL SPORT

DESIGN & BUILD

Prefab School gets Design Council approval - answer to population boom?

ASBESTOS SECURigIThliYghts

ATL survey h used the problems ca lence io by threats of v staff against school d from pupils an parents

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EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE www.educationbusinessuk.net

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Volume 17.2

COMPUTING SCHOOL SPORT ASBESTOS

DESIGN & BUILD

Prefab School gets Design Council approval - answer to population boom?

SECURITY

ights ATL survey highl d the problems cause nce by threats of viole staff against school from pupils and parents

Comment

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Keeping up with the Goves As we go to press, Michael Gove has told head teachers the pace of school reform in England needs to accelerate.

Speaking to the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), Gove said: “Over the next ten years the world we inhabit will change massively.”

He said education would need to keep pace as technology changed “how we teach and how students learn”. But ASCL general secretary Brian Lightman said he feared schools could not take an accelerated pace of change. His response was less than enthusiastic: “I think there’s a real issue of capacity in lots of our schools, and actually, by accelerating the reform too much, you actually prevent us from doing it properly.”

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Take a look at where you could be teaching in the future (on P25) as we report on the latest range of pre-fab schools which could provide an answer to the population boom, and have received the nod of approval from the Design Council.

The pace of change in ICT is rapid. Barely two months after Gove’s curriculumbusting announcement at BETT, technology giant Microsoft and exam body AQA have already developed a GCSE in computer science (P69). And the Raspberry Pi is an interesting peice of hardware. The £22 computer, launched in March, is the work of the Raspberry Pi Foundation, a registered charity supported by the University of Cambridge Computer Laboratory and hardware manufacturer Broadcom. It is intended to stimulate the teaching of basic computer science in schools, and the designers were influenced by the classic BBC Micro, which many computer science students learned to program on back in the 80s. See page 77 for the lowdown on the Raspberry Pi. In our Olympic year, Sport England’s Community Sport Director, Mike Diaper, explains how the organisation’s new five-year youth and community sport strategy which embraces its legacy programme, Places People Play, will create a meaningful and lasting community sports legacy from the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games by making better connections between school and community sport (P95).

Our next issue will move us even closer to the Olympics. Until then, enjoy EB 17.2.

Danny Wright

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Contents

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATION – www.educationbusinessuk.net

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CONTENTS 07 EDUCATION BRIEFER

65 SEN - SENSORY PLAY

95 SCHOOL SPORT

nasen’s Sean Stockdale provides a snapshot of sensory play in today’s mainstream schools

17 FINANCE

Kathy Roddy details what to look at when developing an ethical fundraising policy, plus Ian D Gillard on factors to take into account when investing school funds

Sport England’s community sport director Mike Diaper explains how the organisation’s new five-year youth and community sport strategy ‘Places People Play’ will create a meaningful and lasting community sports legacy

69 ICT NEWS

Microsoft and AQA launch new computer science GCSE; NAACE Impact Awards winners announced

25 DESIGN & BUILD

EB takes a look at the fabulous new prefab school; details of the Building Future Education and GreenBuild Expo events

103 SCHOOL TRIPS

Risk assessments play a key role in safeguarding the health and safety of pupils on educational visits, writes the ATL

71 ICT: COMPUTING IN SCHOOLS

48 ENERGY

New research says £130m per year could be saved by schools, according to Sustain

Where next in the bid to change the ICT curriculum? asks David Clarke MBE, Chief Executive Officer, BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT

107 OUTDOOR LEARNING NEWS

51 HEALTH & SAFETY

75 ICT: THE RASPBERRY PI

Theatrical consultant Robert Farrance looks at stage lighting and how to tell your par cans from your fresnels

Further concerns have been raised about the state of asbestos in schools

109 STAGING AND LIGHTING

It is hoped the £22 bare bones computer launched in March will encourage children to take up programming

53 SECURITY

113 CASHLESS CATERING

81 ICT: SPEAKING STUDENTS’ LANGUAGE

A survey has indicated that over a quarter of school staff have dealt with physical violence from a student - the Association of Teachers and Lecturers explores an emotive issue

Ray Barker of BESA summarises the benefits of cashless catering systems

Dominic Tester, assistant head teacher at Costello Technology College explains how technology can be used to engage students through digital lessons and online learning resources

57 EDUCATION SHOW

A busy education show at the NEC featured a multitude of educational resources plus a packed seminar programme, a visit from pop star Peter Andre, who met the worlds tallest man Sultan Kosen

117 EDUCATION BUSINESS AWARDS

The 2012 event will once again take place at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium in December

87 ICT: BETT 2012 REVIEW The 2012 event was the last to be held at Olympia, having played host to more than 30,000 visitors over four days

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ACADEMIES

NCSL research highlights the pros and cons of ‘academy chains’ Chains of academies are becoming increasingly important players and a significant feature of the education landscape in England, according to a new study published by the National College for School Leadership.

The chains (groups of academies run by the same sponsor or trust) are educating hundreds of thousands of pupils. Around three per cent of all schools and academies, rising to almost 10 per cent of secondary schools, will soon be part of one.

The research team, led by policy analyst Robert Hill, charts the rise of 48 ‘sponsored chains’ of three or more academies, including some much larger ones, as well as 122 ‘converter chains’.

Almost 350 of the 570 sponsored academies are or soon will be in chains of three or more, and around a quarter of the 1,775 schools applying to convert to academy status are doing so as part of a chain. Researchers found that this expansion is being driven by schools, or other educational establishments such as further education institutions, 182 sponsoring other schools, demonstrating how the sector is increasingly taking a lead in supporting its own improvement.

34 24 ECONOMIES OF SCALE 15 The main driver in the 40 growth of chains, since the very first one in 2004, is the desire and ethos of the sponsors and academies to extend their school improvement model and expertise to more schools. Schools are also coming together to use their economies of scale to drive efficiency and organise central support functions, enabling heads to focus on delivering consistently good or outstanding lessons.

The most effective chains are adept at nurturing the best talent within their organisations and have a shared vision and ethos across their schools, backed by robust governance that helps them to focus on improving performance. The study also found early indications that sponsored academy chains are improving at a faster rate than academies that are standalone or working in pairs. However the very rapid growth in the size of chains is posing some challenges and the report recommends some strategies for managing these so chains can sustain improvement during growth and avoid becoming isolated from each other.

Hill said: “Academy chains are a positive development within the English education system. They are bringing innovation and systematic improvement and helping to raise attainment in some of the most deprived parts of the country. They are growing an able new generation of school leaders and

Number of sponsored academies by size of chain

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enabling school leaders to spend more time on their core business of teaching and learning. They are combining new approaches to learning with standardising the best aspects of school improvement.

“But academy chains are not a panacea for all the problems of schools. Being part of a chain does not necessarily guarantee success or insure against failure. Sponsored chains have challenges to address as they expand. They need to reflect on what it means to be a chain and be clear about their teaching and learning and operating model. The performance of weaker chains needs addressing. Converter chains too have a host of issues to consider as they consolidate and seek to maximise the gains from their new status.”

PACE OF CHANGE Steve Munby, chief executive of the National College, said: “This is a timely study which captures the scale and pace of change with chains of academies becoming well established 117 and increasingly influential.

Rather than re-inventing the wheel, academy chains are extending the practice of schools leading other schools with some distinct and effective approaches.

This is encouraging as we 104 develop an education sector that is capable of continually improving itself. However there is still much to learn about the 54 most effective chains and how best to manage the challenges. We need to ensure that chains continue to learn from each other so they can sustain improvement while supporting increasing numbers of schools.”

KEY QUESTIONS MISSED Commenting on the study, Mary Bousted, general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL), said: “The college has performed a service by assembling so much data on a fast growing phenomenon, but a disservice by failing to ask key questions about chains.

“The report describes a wide variety of practice in these new organisations, but ignores the trend towards the imposition on teachers of standard and sometimes inappropriate curriculum models and methods of teaching.

“The big question about chains is accountability. Sponsors and leaders have to answer to no-one, but if parents’ concerns are not answered by the school, who do they turn to? The report looks to charter schools in the US, but fails to highlight the civil and criminal proceedings now common practice in that system arising from the misuse of public money.”

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NEWS IN BRIEF MEDICAL ROOM

Text the school nurse to make an appointment A scheme is being launched that will allow pupils to book an appointment with the school nurse by text or email. It is hoped that the initiative will allow children better access to health advice, as many are too embarrassed to approach their school nurse face to face or book appointments via a teacher.

Health Secretary Andrew Lansley said: “School nurses are hugely important. We want young people to be able to speak to their school nurses more often so they get sound health advice. They can give young people advice on all aspects of health care. We’re going to work with school pupils to look at more innovative ways to get advice and support from school nurses”.

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SPEECH AND LANGUAGE

Health and education must work closely on communication difficulties says Royal College report The Communication Champion for children and the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists have released a publication which stresses the need for health and education services to work more closely together to ensure the needs of children with communication difficulties are met.

Speech and language difficulties affect 7-10 per cent of all children. The report, entitled ‘Better Communication: shaping speech, language and communication services for

children and young people’ provides practical help on how health and local authority commissioners can work together and share resources. It looks at ‘what to commission’ by featuring examples of some of the most established early intervention and prevention programmes, and provides case studies of speech and language therapy services that are redesigning their services to deliver both quality and cost-efficiency. The report includes examples of coordinated, community-wide,

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multi-agency strategies to upskill the children’s workforce and empower parents to give their young children the best start in life. These successful multi agency strategies include Stokeon-Trent’s ‘Stoke Speaks Out’, which has seen the incidence of language delay on entry to nursery fall from 64 per cent to 39 per cent.

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CATERING

Concerns raised about food standards in Academies Environmental journalist, entrepreneur and Conservative Party politician Zac Goldsmith MP has called on the government to make all food in Academy schools comply with school food standards. By doing so, he has joined the growing outcry on an issue that is threatening the future of healthy school meals in this country.

Goldsmith wants to see the school food regulations amended so that Academies and Free Schools have to adhere to the same mandatory nutritional standards legislation as for all other schools.

His views echo those of the Local Authority Caterers Association, which has been calling on the government since early last year to establish a single set of standards. It believes there is serious potential for the progress made in improving school food over the last six years to be derailed by the lack of positive action by the government.

Lynda Mitchell, LACA chair says: “Despite approaches by LACA to the Education Secretary and other ministers, the concerns of school caterers, as well as those of many other influential bodies and individuals such as Jamie Oliver, have fallen on deaf ears.

Despite the Education Secretary’s confidence that Academy head teachers will apply the same nutritional standards as for other schools, LACA has advised that it has evidence that these are being breached or relaxed, in some cases, which is obviously to the detriment of pupils”.

“With Academies being open for longer hours, providing a wider range of meals from breakfast to after-school food, it is vital that the same Standards apply equally to these establishments. Obesity levels are still rising and improving public health has been an ongoing government focus. The improvement to children’s eating habits that have been brought about by healthy school food over the last few years cannot be ignored. The one million or more children who attend Academies should also be able to reap the benefits of nutritional standards. Safeguarding their future health and wellbeing could be helped by making one small amendment to the legislation to ensure the same set of standards are applicable to all schools. That’s one public health improvement initiative which involves a zero investment”.

PRIMARY EDUCATION

Twigg raises primary places concerns Shadow education secretary Stephen Twigg has urged the government to concentrate on tackling the shortage of primary school places rather than opening more free schools. Twigg hit out at the Government, accusing them of ignoring the growing problem of insufficient primary school places.

By 2020, the number of required places are projected to be 20 per cent higher than in 2011, reaching

EXAMS

levels last seen in the early 1970s.

Pupil numbers in state primary schools are expected to increase by 10 per cent by 2015. Twigg has accused the government of ‘salami slicing off funds for their pet projects and not addressing the issue at hand. He told the BBC: “Across England we need nearly half a million more primary places - the equivalent of building an extra 2,000 primary schools between now and the general election. At the moment, the government has only promised an extra 100 new free schools, many of which will be secondaries.”

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Gove asks Ofsted to discourage early GCSE entry Michael Gove has written to Ofsted to ask how the practice of entering pupils early for GCSEs can be ‘discouraged’. In a letter to Sir Michael Wilshaw, the Education Secretary says that taking a GCSE early “can be beneficial where it is undertaken as part of a planned programme of accelerated progression through to A level and beyond, but warns it has become a “damaging trend that is harming the interests of many pupils”.

Department for Education research shows that in 2007 there were 67,000 early entries in English and maths GCSEs – only two per cent of pupils entered English early while only five

per cent of pupils entered maths early. In 2010 the number of early entries rose to 326,000 – 24 per cent of pupils took English early while 27 per cent of pupils took maths early.

Gove says the research looked at the impact of the practice on attainment and found that “for many of these pupils early GCSE entry can be detrimental to their overall performance” - In 2010, 29 per cent of early entrants got an A*, A or B in maths GCSE – compared with 37 per cent of all entrants, and 41 per cent of end-of-course entrants.

Higher attaining state schools are less likely to enter pupils early than lower attaining schools.

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LITERACY

English teaching not up to standard, says Ofsted report Standards in English are not high enough according to a new report from Ofsted, which finds that since 2008, there has been no overall improvement in primary pupils’ learning.

The report ‘Moving English forward’ is based on evidence from visits to more than 250 schools over the last three years, and emphasises that strong leadership is the key to good literacy in school. This means investing in and leading the professional development of staff; the systematic teaching of phonics, and; carefully tracking literacy progress, especially at transition between the Key Stages.

From September, Ofsted will prioritise for inspection schools with the lowest achievement levels in literacy. It will also reinforce and further embed its present inspection practice of hearing children read. Speaking at Thomas Jones School, Ladbroke Grove, Sir Michael Wilshaw said: “There can be no more important subject than English. It is at the heart of our culture and literacy skills are crucial to pupils’ learning for all subjects. Yet too many pupils fall behind in their literacy early on. In most cases, if they can’t read securely at seven they struggle to catch up as they progress through their school careers. As a result, too many young adults lack the functional skills to make their way in the modern world. We are no longer a leading country in terms of our literacy performance: others are doing better”.

Wilshaw continued: “We don’t need more

research or more headline-grabbing initiatives which can’t be sustained. Good leadership is the key to good literacy in schools. Above all, this means being passionate about high standards of literacy for every single pupil, and creating a no-excuses culture both for pupils and for staff.”

Commenting on the report, Ian McNeilly, director, National Association for the Teaching of English (NATE), said: “Standards have risen in both the Early Years Foundation Stage and in secondary schools. Whilst standards might have plateaued recently in primary schools, there have been previous significant increases over many years in that sector too.”

McNeilly continued: “It’s ironic that Ofsted has commented on pupils’ learning being hampered by ‘myths’ surrounding what makes good lessons, including inflexible planning and an overloading of activities. This is directly because of years of unhelpful and illinformed intervention by Ofsted inspectors.

“We agree with the report’s findings about a lack of subject specialists in primary schools, which makes it all the more frustrating when the government won’t explicitly encourage teachers to join their professional bodies - in this case, NATE.” READ THE FULL REPORT HERE

www.ofsted.gov.uk/news/raising-standards-literacy FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT NATE www.nate.org

INSPECTIONS

Downhills board of Governors removed The governing body of a school that has been fighting academy status has been sacked and replaced by an ‘interim executive board’.

Last month, Downhills’ headteacher Leslie Church resigned after the school was placed in special measures, following a judgment of ‘inadequate’ in its latest Ofsted inspection.

The Department for Education said the school, last placed in special measures in 2002, had struggled to obtain the required standards for years and the independent inspection was necessary. But the school previously claimed that Gove was illegally attempting to force academy status on Downhills and that attainment records and an interim Ofsted report last September suggested standards were improving.

Confirming Mr Church’s resignation last month, the school’s governing body said they intended to stay in place while decisions were made about its future.

The move is the fourth time the coalition has used direct powers, introduced by the Labour government, to remove a governing body - they have been used twice for secondary schools, in Kirklees and Wolverhampton,

and once so far for a primary school, Nightingale Primary, also in Haringey.

A spokesman for the Department for Education said: “Downhills has been underperforming for several years and Ofsted has now found that the school requires special measures.

They have found that the school is failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and that those responsible for leading, managing and governing the school do not have the capacity to secure the necessary improvement.

“We have therefore decided to appoint an interim executive board to give the school the leadership and expertise it needs to improve.

Those connected with the school will then be consulted on whether the school should convert into a sponsored academy under the leadership of the Harris Federation. Harris are our preferred sponsor for Downhills.”

Chairman of the new board is Les Walton, chairman of the Young People’s Learning Agency, former headteacher of Norham Community Technology College in North Shields, and former executive director and chief education officer at North Tyneside Council.

DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOUR

New teachers to train as behaviour specialists in Pupil Referral Units

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Teachers will be trained in managing disruptive behaviour under new proposals set out today by the government’s expert adviser on behaviour Charlie Taylor. From this September, new trainee teachers will be allowed to do some of their teacher training in Pupil Referral Units (PRUs), where children excluded from mainstream education are taught.

They will be able to develop key skills in managing disruptive behaviour.

Publishing an independent review into alternative provision, Charlie Taylor also calls for outstanding PRUs to take advantage of academy freedoms so they can help drive up quality of provision and develop closer relationships with schools in their area. He also recommends that where PRUs are failing, they are taken over by successful PRUs, successful alternative providers, or by academy sponsors. This will mean that by 2018, poor quality PRUs will have either been taken over or closed. In addition, any new provision should be set up as either an academy or free school.

The review into alternative provision in England was commissioned in the wake of the summer riots last year.

Of children involved in the riots and brought before the courts, two thirds had Special Educational Needs and on average missed almost one day of school a week. They were also more likely to live in the 10 per cent lowest income areas, to be receiving free school meals and to have been excluded from school at least once.

Charlie Taylor said: “By freeing outstanding alternative provision providers to do what they do best and share this with others, we can ensure we drive up standards. A new breed of teachers trained in the specialist behaviour management will help improve alternative provision and then act as a specialist cadre of teachers sharing their skills with others in the profession”.

READ THE REVIEW HERE

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SCHOOL CHOICE

SCIENCE

Parents still face a stressful process, says Nick Gibb

ASE launches new research science guide

Approximately one in six pupils in England missed out on their first choice of secondary school this year, official figures have shown. Statistics published by the DfEducation reveal that 14.7 per cent of 11-year-olds failed to get a place at their first preference. The figures also show that, overall, 4.1 per cent did not receive an offer from one of their top three preferred schools. In total, around 74,000 children missed out on a place at their first-choice secondary school. More than 503,000 youngsters in England received a secondary school offer on March 1, on national offer day.

Of those, 85.3 per cent won a place at their first choice, up 0.7 per cent on 2011, while 95.9 per cent received an offer at one of their top three choices, up 0.3 per cent on last year.

Schools Minister Nick Gibb said he was pleased that more children had been offered a place at their preferred school this year, but said parents are faced with a competitive process. He stated: “Unfortunately, whilst progress is being made, we are still some way short of making this a

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reality for all pupils. Around 74,000 children are still unable to attend the secondary school they want.

“Parents are faced with an extremely stressful process for securing a place for their children. We want to ease this pressure by creating more good school places, which is the driver behind all our reforms to the education system”.

The figures also show that children in the north east have the highest chance of gaining a place at their chosen school - 95.1 per cent in the region got their first choice. Pupils in London have the highest chance of missing out - just two-thirds were offered a place at their first preference this year.

Shadow education secretary Stephen Twigg said: “The Tory-led government’s approach to schools is simply haphazard.

Parents will be worried that increasing pressure on school places, the fact that the government is not prioritising real need, and that there is no plan to raise standards in all schools, will only make this situation worse. The government must prioritise the majority of schools in England, not just a few pet projects.”

A new book designed to foster evidence-based classroom practice by giving teachers easy access to reliable science education research has been published by the ASE. The ASE Guide to Research in Science Education robustly reviews the evidence behind the development of science teaching.

Editor John Oversby said: “This book is a major innovation for the ASE. It is important to know why a teaching method works, however imperfectly, so that we can rationalise from the patterns we discern”.

The book is written by a wide cross-section of ASE members committed to and experienced in developing science education, including the Institute of Education’s deputy director Michael Reiss. The science education professor contributes a chapter on learning out of the classroom.

The role and value of practical work and teaching science in ICT-rich environments are among the subjects the book examines. The second part of the book provides guidance for teachers to conduct their own research project on topics DOWNLOAD THE GUIDE pertinent to http://preview.tinyurl.com/88mtnxg their classrooms.

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David Sowerby, HE Product Manager at SolStonePlus, draws on his 30 years’ of experience in business intelligence to launch Solstone’s Intelligent Campus product in April Having worked in business-related IT for quite a few years, I have always been intrigued by the apparent differences and similarities between diverse industry sectors. I have experience in several industries, including a recent spell of four years as a systems development manager within a UK university.

In my experience, most businesses have some similarity, particularly when considering the classic functions of HR, Finance, Payroll, and Marketing. Equally, of course, each sector has its own unique features, related to the core of their business.

Some readers may feel uncomfortable using the word “business” in the context

“traditional” Business Intelligence, drawing data from a number of sources and providing a consistent and coherent view across a set of sometimes apparently disconnected data. The whole idea, of course, is that this allows staff to make more informed decisions based on higher quality data.

The output of such an exercise is usually seen as absolute - as long as the data is available, and of reasonable quality, the output is seen as factual - even if it requires explanation.

Some things are far less absolute, but could still benefit from the application of the right techniques. One clear case of this is in support of the goal of maintaining

By definition, there is no certainty about risk...... the use of a quantifiable risk assessment process makes it possible to concentrate valuable human resources where they are most needed, and respond early, before problems become insurmountable. of Education, but even Education has some characteristics related closely to business.

One of the most distinguishing features of Higher Education is the strength of the community ethos. The openness and sharing of information is quite unique, and something which I believe is a great strength – but is countered in the systems arena by the size of the sector. In industry terms, Higher Education is a small, specialised sector, with some distinctive challenges.

In a way, my day job relates to that community ethos - my task is to identify problems common across the sector, and come up with software products to help solve them. No-one understands the problems better than those facing them every day, so ideally we develop solutions in conjunction with one or more institutions – and then make the product available across the sector, in keeping with the Shared Services agenda.

BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE As a company we have specialised in Business Intelligence for nearly 30 years. Typically, we would be involved in what might be called

or improving the student experience.

The changes to fees for HE has provoked substantial debate about the relationship between a University and its students, and the “customer” word has come up quite a bit. The consensus seems to be that students will behave more like customers than previously, but the picture is far from consistent. Differences in funding across the UK and the international dimension both complicate the picture further.

It could also be argued that the undergraduate generation would have developed more “customer-like” behaviour regardless of fees, simply because each generation seems to become more active as consumers. Of course, that is just the undergraduates, and there is a significant population of mature students to consider as well, with many of them as postgraduates already taking an active part in the commercial world.

affect the overall student experience (quality of teaching, accommodation, financial and pastoral issues, academic achievement and expectations just to name a few) all contribute to what is after all a human experience. This does not seem to be a great candidate for system support.

There is an approach, however, that can be used to great effect in situations like this, where inputs vary, and the end result is more open to interpretation - risk management in general terms, and in this case specifically managing risks in relation to the student experience. For example, one particular hot topic to which this can provide sophisticated support is the proactive management of Student Engagement.

COMBINING DATA Instead of data being treated as absolute, it is taken as symptoms, or clues. Combining different forms of data and comparing them – perhaps against a peer group - enables, for example, identification of risk indicators - which can then be followed by a risk mitigation process.

By definition, there is no certainty about risk, so it is usually wise to temper the mitigation process with human interaction. However, the use of a quantifiable risk assessment process like this makes it possible to concentrate valuable human resources where they are most needed, and respond early, before problems become insurmountable.

Furthermore, by making the process tuneable - by being able to refine business rules and comparisons - over time, the process becomes “closed loop” and even more efficient.

In April of this year we are launching our Intelligent Campus product set to provide exactly this functionality.

If you are faced with these particular challenges, why not give us a call? L

David Sowerby, HE Product Manager, SolStonePlus

THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE: MANAGING RISKS

FOR MORE INFORMATION Tel: 01273 206 555 www.solstoneplus.com

THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE All these variables, a vast range of subjects and study modes, numerous factors which

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FUNDRAISING

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THE ETHICS OF FUNDRAISING Fundraising policy will be pushed to the top of the agenda as cash-strapped schools look at alternative ways of raising finance. Kathy Roddy outlines what to look for when developing an ethical fundraising policy As more and more schools look to increase income through their own efforts, we are beginning to see a greater diversity in fundraising methods, from events such as school fetes, fashion shows, raffles, competitions and sponsored activities, through to applications to the Lottery and grant-making trusts.

Some companies, notably the large supermarkets, are also offering funding or gifts in kind to support local schools.

Others offer competitive ‘deals’ to get their products into schools.

Whilst, on the face of it, these might be seen as welcome developments for cash-strapped schools, it is also important to reflect upon the ethical issues that such fundraising can raise.

These issues are especially pertinent to schools because some funders, especially companies, may well have another agenda - the desire to reach a new captive audience: the children.

the consumption of soft drinks by school children - just what the donor intended.

America has also seen the corporate sponsorship of school learning materials, featuring prominent corporate logos alongside educational messages. There have been concerns that these messages have been influenced by the donors and imply nutritional values of a dubious nature.

Think too of the computer manufacturers that offer cut price ‘deals’ to schools. Part of their motivation will be to raise brand awareness of their products to future customers. If the child wants a computer at home, doesn’t it make sense to buy the same brand as the one used in the classroom?

ACCEPTING CORPORATE DONATIONS One of the problems with corporate donations is that the donor nearly always wants something in return - and that is usually exposure of their brand/product to potential new customers. This may not always be in the best interests of the children or indeed the school. To what extent do we want these messages in UK schools?

The major problem areas for schools to look out for are likely to be ‘junk food’ manufacturers, companies that exploit child labour in other parts of the world and companies involved in the promotion of pornography, alcohol or tobacco. These issues are not always easy to research since THE KEY ISSUES FOR ANY SCHOOL many companies are smaller subsidiaries I would not wish to appear too cynical, but of global enterprises with fingers in a companies know that brand loyalty starts number of different industries and activities. young. Hence the forceful objections by Reading the Ethical Consumer magazine the food industry to the proposals to place is a good starting point, though. limits on the TV advertising of so called ‘junk Ethical issues, however, do not just apply to food’ to children. Can the companies get in corporates. Every school needs to ask itself through the school gates instead? if there is any organisation or This has become a major issue individual that it would not in the United States where the accept money from.

“Some concept of ‘pouring rights’ has Ethics and educational tably o n s, ie significantly undermined funding ‘gone wrong’ n a p m co ets, rk a schools’ healthy eating Many people rm e p su e the larg programmes. Pouring would have looked g n rights’ constitutes an askance if asked are also offeri in ts if g r exclusive contract what Colonel o g in d fun l ca between a soft drinks Gadaffi and the lo rt o p p su kind to supplier and a school London School r offe for placement of the of Economics schools. Others als’ to e company’s vending (LSE) had in competitive ‘d ducts machines within the common; this was, ro p get their school premises in return of course, before for substantial funding for the row erupted into schools” the school. These contracts have about the fact that the been worth as much as $8million LSE had accepted a major plus incentives for a 10-year deal to donation from its prominent place vending machines in 53 Colorado alumnus, Saif Gaddafi (son of Colonel schools. That is a lot of money. Predictably, Gaddafi). This revelation caused widespread the result has been a massive increase in condemnation and resulted in the resignation

Key questions in developing an ethical fundraising policy Why do we want to raise money?

How much and what for?

Who will we approach?

Will we approach current students and their families?

Will we approach former students and their families?

Will we fundraise in the wider community?

Will we seek corporate donations?

Will we approach the Lottery funders?

Will we approach grant-making trusts and foundations?

Is there any organisation or individual we would not accept money from – and on what grounds?

What are the key areas of concern?

‘Junk’ food?

Child labour?

Alcohol?

Pornography?

Tobacco?

Corporate messages - the boundaries? of Sir Howard Davies, director of the LSE. As the saga unfolds, it has been revealed that numerous prestigious UK universities have accepted money from oppressive regimes, including China and Saudi Arabia.

Since alumni could well become a highly lucrative source of funds for schools as well as colleges, we need to be increasingly wary of who those funds are ultimately coming from. This applies equally to grant-making trusts and foundations (Saif Gaddafi’s money came to the LSE via a trust).

Another interesting example is that a number of religious organisations will not apply for lottery funding since it represents the proceeds of gambling. How do faithbased schools feel about this? Would it not contradict religious teachings to accept money from the proceeds of gambling?

How would raffles fare, since it is known that, especially in poorer communities, E

Volume 17.2 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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E gambling tends to increase during times of financial hardship as families try to win themselves out of poverty?

FURTHER ACTION As a professional fundraiser, I am not trying to imply that fundraising is, per se, unethical - far from it. Merely that fundraisers need to be mindful of ethical issues before they start.

Best practice would be to develop an ethical fundraising policy for the school in advance of any fundraising activity. Although there are no ready-made templates, the Institute of Fundraising does publish a number of codes of practice that can be downloaded (free) from its website at www.iof.org.uk The most relevant are Fundraising in schools and Acceptance and refusal of donations.

Keeping such a policy in mind will ensure that we fundraise in a manner appropriate to the ethos of the school whilst protecting ourselves against potentially embarrassing revelations after the fact ABOUT THE AUTHOR Kathy Roddy is a trainer for Fundraising Skills, which has developed an online course for bursars, business managers and administrators leading to the Certificate in school fundraising & income generation.

For more information call 0191 276 3261 or visit www.fundraisingskills.co.uk L

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INVESTMENTS

DEAR PRUDENCE

The current economic climate has made life difficult when it comes to investing excess funds. There are a number of factors to take into account before committing funds to an institution or provider, writes chartered accountant Ian D Gillard The first matter to consider is the amount of available funds to invest and the timeframe over which these funds can be invested. If the excess funds are purely as a result of a deferral or cancellation of a particular capital project, then the timeframe to invest may be quite short. On the other hand if funds have been accumulated as a result of successful periods of net income and it is decided to invest for a much longer timeframe by way of producing a recurring income or capital growth, then the decision is quite different. Quite simply, the shorter the timeframe the fewer the alternative investments that can be considered.

BANK DEPOSITS For short term investing, bank deposits either on little or no notice, or for a particular period of time, are realistically the only choice available. In light of the recent banking crisis it should be remembered that in most cases only £50,000 is guaranteed to be recovered in a default situation. Having said that the government bailed out banks rather than see them fall and so whilst there is no absolute

guarantee there is an argument for saying that UK bank deposits are effectively 100 per cent safe. It will be interesting to see what happens as the 100 per cent government guarantee given by the Irish Government reaches its conclusion, particularly as Ireland is one of the EU countries with major debt difficulties.

Investments that include any type of asset based structure such as stocks and shares, property or corporate bonds, should, in most cases, not be considered unless there is at least a three year investment timeframe available.

These can vary immensely depending upon requirements. There is direct stock market investment in one or more quoted companies.

For most investments, this is not generally recommended as it results on too great a dependence upon a few companies. The more usual way is by investing into a collective investment. In this type of investment units in a particular fund are purchased and then the fund manager uses his or her skills to invest the funds directly into a range of assets, be it stocks and shares, corporate bonds or property. Each fund tends to specialise in one

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particular area of investment, for example the UK stock market only or American or European markets. There are a few fund managers who take a global approach and these funds are quite often referred to as ‘Balanced Managed’ or ‘Cautious Balanced Managed’ funds. This is where specialist advice from an experienced financial adviser is of paramount importance.

MATCH THE INVESTMENT TO THE BUSINESS The second major decision to take is the investment type relative to business type. An educational establishment that is run as a business for profit will have a totally different set of parameters to an educational trust or indeed a state run establishment or the new academies. With a business run for profit the first decision is whether to invest within the business or outside the business by the business owners personally.

A lot will depend upon the makeup of the business ownership and how easy it may be to extract funds tax efficiently and how investing within the business will affect taxation treatment generally.

Taxation issues will be considered later.

With an educational trust, there may be particular rules within the Trust Deed limiting the trustees’ investment powers. These need to be carefully considered to ensure the trustees are not acting beyond their powers. Likewise state run establishments will have their own limitations, as laid down by the LEA, if indeed there are any funds available to invest. E

Volume 17.2 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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FITS helps you to implement a structured approach to your technical support, realise a better return on your ICT investment and have a positive impact on teaching and learning

Cost-effective Technical Support for Your School with FITS FITS is a methodology that is specially designed for schools. It can help you manage ICT implementation, its day-to-day performance, and technical support.

It allows you to take as much or as little from its broad range of ICT management solutions tailoring to your specific requirements. No matter what size your school or needs FITS has the solution.

FITS encourages long-term structuring of your ICT systems big or small so you can make the most of this vital resource. “... If you want a consistent approach to your ICT technical support, then FITS is the way to go. It’s protected our investment, it’s ensuring that teachers know exactly where to go for their technical support”.

Susan Lawrence - Head Teacher With ICT playing an ever greater role in today’s Education and staff and learner expectations growing, technical support departments are now expected to oversee facilities like commercial businesses.

FITS helps you, your teachers and your students concentrate on what’s important – teaching and learning. Making FITS part of everyda everyday education could be one of the best ICT decisions you ever make. ng o FITS gives schools the confidence to engage ICT in meeting objectives and realising even the most challenging aspirations.

FITS gives you the right tools to analyse your technology budget and keep costs down.

So far, the framework has helped schools save as much as 25 per cent on their technology support costs.

Enabling the best use of the technology will ultimately improve organisational performance, enhance teaching and learning experiences and inspection results.

Contact The FITS Foundation now at support@thefitsfoundation.org Tel: 01562 740695 www.thefitsfoundation.org

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INVESTMENTS E With the current round of cut backs any excess funds within a particular establishment are very likely to be recovered by the LEA anyway.

SHORT OR LONG TERM INVESTMENT The third decision to be made is whether there is a need for immediate or future income from the investment, or whether the investment can just be left to grow for a particular period of time. Again to some extent this will depend upon the investment timeframe available. If it’s short term then bank deposits will produce an income rather than capital growth, albeit of relatively nominal amounts at present. For longer term investments there is usually a choice depending upon the type of investment made.

The eventual investment may be a mixture

attitude to risk determined. The results of the further research in 2000 showed that 91 per cent of investment returns were derived from good asset allocation, whereas specific stock selection only delivered five per cent of returns, market timing two per cent and other factors two per cent.

ASSET ALLOCATION The importance of asset allocation was reinforced by the Myners Report of March 2001 into institutional investment in the UK, commissioned by the Chancellor of the Exchequer. Part of the review defined best practice codes for pension fund decisionmaking, one of which stated: “The attention devoted to asset allocation decisions should fully reflect the contribution they can make to achieving the fund’s investment objective”.

A lot of careful thought needs to go into the decision both in respect of the initial investment and in terms of the eventual disposal of assets. of both income-bearing assets and capital growth assets, depending upon circumstance.

The fourth consideration in the decision making process is the trade off between risk and reward. In general terms the greater the risk involved the greater the potential reward; in addition though, the greater the risk of partial or total capital loss. Investors will have to seriously consider the level of risk to be taken and should take into account that this level of risk may vary significantly to the risk they would be prepared to take with their own money. The attitude to risk of any investment is a key element of any financial planning undertaken and a financial adviser will consider this carefully before making any recommendation.

Attitude to risk is a very subjective matter and it is always a difficult topic to discuss with anyone who does not have a good degree of financial knowledge. It is all about obtaining answers to a series of key questions and then assessing those answers to reach an opinion as to accepted risk.

DON’T PUT YOUR EGGS IN ONE BASKET Differing types of funds have already been briefly described. As a general rule it is wise not to have all your eggs in one basket and so unless the ‘Balanced Managed’ approach is adopted a range of asset classes should be purchased. Extensive research has taken place over a number of years into how best to allocate funds between particular assets classes. Indeed, in 1990, Dr. Harry M. Markowitz won the Nobel Prize in Economics for his groundbreaking work measuring the effectiveness of asset allocation. The approach is to provide the maximum amount of growth (or minimum amount of loss) for the minimum amount of risk based on the

It is now generally accepted that strategic asset allocation is by far the most important determinant of portfolio performance. This is the process of allocating investment capital across a range of different asset classes, such as cash, fixed interest, property and equities. This is not simply a question of diversification, although spreading risk amongst different asset classes is clearly important. The optimum split between these asset classes depends on individual objectives for the portfolio and on the risk of failure that the investor is prepared to take over the chosen timescale. Many financial advisers now make use of sophisticated software to calculate the optimum asset allocation for each particular case.

ETHICAL INVESTING This topic would not be complete without consideration of ethical investing. It is acknowledged that a significant percentage of the population consider investing ethically as very important. Maybe it is an aversion to tobacco, alcohol or pharmaceutical companies or companies that invest in cutting edge research that may be questionable, such as genetically modified crops. There are a small number of investment funds that specifically invest ethically. This is very laudable and may be suitable depending upon the reasoning behind the investment or the organisation making it. There is one slight flaw though when considered with the asset allocation approach; due to the limited number of funds and any restrictions upon their investment criteria to suit the particular ethical issue, the returns on these funds may be somewhat less than could be achieved elsewhere. So as investors on behalf of an educational establishment there may be a need to put aside personal views on ethical investing in

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order to achieve maximum returns on behalf of the stakeholders. Likewise the reverse could apply and someone with no particularly strong views may be forced to consider ethical investing in order to placate stakeholders.

TAXATION The final consideration is that of taxation. The taxation of income needs to be considered relative to the organisation’s tax status, for example a charitable organisation investing in an income bearing fund that pays a dividend will be unable to recover the tax credit on the dividend, but would be able to recover tax deducted at source on an interest bearing asset. A proprietary company on the other hand would pay no additional tax on a dividend receipt but may have to pay additional tax on an interest distribution.

Income would be subject to taxation at the point of distribution and this may not fall at the most suitable point in time.

A proprietary company should also consider the level of income derived from investments compared to its income from educational fees.

Too high an investment income could result in serious capital gains and inheritance tax issues for the stakeholders upon disposal or death.

Gains on growth funds are also treated differently. At least with growth funds there is a degree of choice as to when to take the gain and any gains can be planned so as to minimise or even avoid capital gains tax.

Again there are differing rules for differing organisational structures. The organisations’ tax advisers have a key role to play here in helping to plan to maximise any returns.

CAREFUL INVESTING Investing, particularly for the longer term, is not something that can be achieved in a matter of minutes. A lot of careful thought needs to go into the decision both in respect of the initial investment and in terms of the eventual disposal of assets. Close contact with both financial advisers and tax advisers is needed to maximise returns for stakeholders and therefore ensure the managers or trustees have carried out their duties effectively.

Ideally an independent financial adviser is needed, one who can source the whole of the marketplace and can also offer a fee or commission based charging structure. If the financial adviser is also a qualified tax specialist then so much the better; financial advisers have a degree of tax knowledge but this is often significantly less than would be held by a chartered accountant, chartered certified accountant or a chartered tax adviser.

Professional advice is essential in order to both fulfil your duties as managers or trustees and to hopefully reap the rewards for the organisation and its stakeholders. L ABOUT THE AUTHOR Ian D Gillard FCA FCCA DipPFS is managing director of Pethericks & Gillard Chartered Accountants

Volume 17.2 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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PRE-FAB SCHOOLS

THE FABULOUS NEW PRE-FAB As construction of the first standardised Sunesis school in the UK gets underway at Oakfield Primary in Rugby, the model receives endorsement from the Design Council. According to its makers, it can reduce construction costs by an average of 30 per cent and can be erected in just 20 weeks The latest figures suggest that the rising birth rate has left England needing about 2,000 new primary schools within the next three years. Department for Education statistics show the primary school population is expected to rise by 454, 571 by 2015 – the equivalent of 2,030 extra schools based on the current average intake of 224 new pupils per school. The most acute crisis is in London where an additional 100,000 places are needed. Lancashire is short of 14,000 places and Birmingham, Hampshire, Hertfordshire and Leeds all need at least 11,000 extra places.

STANDARDISED SCHOOL The Design Council CABE has endorsed a Sunesis Keynes standardised school, which is one of the first to have been launched to the UK market.

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been much debate about the pros and cons of such an approach. Supporters believe standardisation offers certainty in costs and delivery timescales. Others argue that it may not meet the needs of an end user, as the lack of a bespoke, individual design is less likely to meet a particular context or brief. That perception is changing, however, with the Design Council stating that Keynes could provide a valuable learning environment, offering proactive spaces for learning and play.

Sunesis is a joint initiative between public sector construction procurement company Scape and contractor Willmott Dixon. There are plans to submit a further four models to undergo the same Design Council review process.

DEVELOPMENT Pre-fab schools were last used in the Alan Thompson, Design Council senior 1960s to 1980s. They were built as part of advisor, explained: “We have made a number the Consortium of Local Authorities Special of general comments about the long term Programme. These metal framed concrete challenges for the standardised process and constructions have become extremely unpopular in recent years. The Design Council for the design of both buildings and the has said the new approach opens up the landscape. We find the Sunesis Keynes project debate into the benefits and possibilities of to be a valuable response to the challenges delivering standardised designs, of delivering new primary schools. which is necessary given “And providing the client and the efficiency drive to design team continue to develop “Primary cut the cost of school their models further, we believe n o ti la u p building schemes. this could be a successful way o p l o scho To date, there has to build new schools, E d to rise Artistrs’ impression - ‘Mondrian’ Secondary School design

is expecte 2015 by 454, 571 by t of n – the equivale 2,030 extra schools”

Volume 17.2 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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PRE-FAB SCHOOLS

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E specifically where both the site and client brief are at the less demanding end of the spectrum.”

News of the Design Council endorsement comes after Warwickshire County Council purchased the £2.2m Keynes model and construction of the first standardised Sunesis school in the UK got underway at Oakfield Primary in Rugby.

Local authority controlled company Scape believes standardisation is the way forward.

Artistrs’ impression - Newton design

A SHIFT IN PERCEPTION Scape’s CEO Mark Robinson explained: “According to the National Audit Office and Construction Excellence, over 50 per cent of public buildings are delivered late and cost more than first thought. Sunesis is different, in that it offers complete certainty in cost, time and quality up front. Time and cost certainty are critical factors for local authorities to consider, particularly as demand in many parts of the UK is outstripping supply. A surge in birth rates over recent years means that pupil numbers in many existing school buildings is nearing capacity.

Robinson continued: “There is a real need to meet the challenge set out by government to E

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Our strong workforce have many years experience in the industry and do not shy away from the more diverse challenges.

Quality without compromise is our pledge to all our customers, from a single 32x10 anti-vandal office right through to a multi-bay office complex, we ensure that we deliver the building that they want through communication with the customer.’

In fact, the installation options are almost as variable as the messaging capability.

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THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATION – www.educationbusinessuk.net

PRE-FAB SCHOOLS

On average, Sunesis is set to reduce the cost of a new school facility by up to 30 per cent, and the build programme by around 20 weeks. It is available to any public sector client via Scape’s National Contractor Framework.

Dewey design

ABOUT SCAPE Scape is a local authority controlled company, based in Nottingham, whose shareholders are Derby City, Derbyshire County, Gateshead, Nottingham City, Nottinghamshire County and Warwickshire County Councils. The company’s objectives are to bring economy and efficiency to the whole building process - including for new buildings and refurbishment projects – and it achieves this through the development of standard designs and strategic procurement arrangements. www.scapebuild.co.uk

ABOUT WILLMOTT DIXON Willmott Dixon Group is the UK’s second largest privately-owned construction, regeneration and support services company.

It has featured for the past three years in the Sunday Times Green Companies list, an important benchmark for current performance and for encouraging year-on-year improvement. L

Paxton design

E deliver education facilities in a different way, and we believe the Sunesis approach offers that solution. This third party endorsement from the Design Council will pave the way for a shift in perception, and we are delighted to have received such positive feedback.”

John Frankiewicz, CEO of Willmott Dixon Capital Works stated: “We see standardisation as fundamental to meeting the ‘more for less’ agenda that our clients have set us and are delighted to have this Design Council endorsement.

We are only just getting started, with several models available; we aim to save local authorities million of pounds for their new school accommodation”.

On average, Sunesis is set to reduce the cost of a new school facility by up to 30 per cent, and the build programme by around 20 weeks. It is available to any public sector client via Scape’s National Contractor Framework, to which Willmott Dixon was re-appointed in 2010 following a competitive tender process as the sole delivery contractor.

Aside from Oakfield, there are several other Sunesis schemes in the pipeline. Councils and schools are able to choose from three other standardised primary school designs (Newton, Paxton and Dewey). One model (Mondrian) is available to secondary schools.

Design & Build

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1949 pre-fab Pathe News footage Superb Pathe News footage of a pre-fab school in Brighton from 1949. www.britishpathe.com/video/ prefab-school

Volume 17.2 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

29

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SCHOOL BUILDING DESIGN

GRACELAND

Last years’ RIBA Stirling Prize and Education Business Awards winner the Evelyn Grace Academy raises the bar for school design

Last October, the Evelyn Grace Academy, a cutting-edge new secondary school in Brixton, south London, won the prestigious £20,000 RIBA Stirling Prize for the best new European building built or designed in the United Kingdom.

This is the second year running that the architect, Zaha Hadid, has won the Prize; in 2010 for its MAXXI Museum of 21st Century Art in Rome; this year it has put the practice’s formidable reputation to great use by breaking new ground in school design.

A highly stylized zig-zag of steel and glass, the Evelyn Grace Academy is squeezed onto the tightest of urban sites (1.4 hectares the average secondary school is 8/9 hectares). The architect received a complex brief: four schools under a single academy umbrella with the need to express both independence and unity. They were strongly encouraged by the client to ‘think outside the box’. With such a small space and with sport being one of the Academy’s specialisms, the architects needed to be highly inventive.

They succeeded on many counts - particularly by cleverly inserting a 100m running track into the heart of the site taking pupils right up to the front door. By dramatically celebrating the school’s specialism, the RIBA Stirling Prize judges noted: “This is a design that literally makes kids run to get into school in the morning”.

Although seven schools have been shortlisted in previous years,

Design & Build

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the Evelyn Grace Academy is the first school to win the RIBA Stirling Prize. It is the first time that Zaha Hadid Architects has designed a school and their first large-scale project in the UK. Recently it has completed the Riverside Museum in Glasgow and the London Aquatics Centre for the 2012 Olympics.

RIBA President Angela Brady, chair of the judges, said: “The Evelyn Grace Academy is an exceptional example of what can be achieved when we invest carefully in a well-designed new school building. The result - a highly imaginative, exciting academy that shows the students, staff and local residents that they are valued - is what every school should and could be. The unique design, expertly inserted into an extremely tight site, celebrates the school’s sports specialism throughout its fabric, with drama and views of student participation at every contortion and turn”.

The Evelyn Grace Academy is run by ARK (Absolute Return for Kids) Academy organisation, a charity set up by Arpad ‘Arki’ Busson, the hedge-fund multimillionaire. ARK aims to offer exceptional opportunities to local children in inner cities to help close the achievement gap between children from disadvantaged and more affluent backgrounds.

Peter Walker, principal of the Evelyn Grace Academy, said: “This visually stunning building makes a powerful statement to our students every day they attend school. As a new academy setting the highest expectations for all students, it is fitting that we have such an aspirational environment. The internal structure of the building supports the innovative nature of Evelyn Grace Academy’s small school system exceptionally well”.

Zaha Hadid said: “It is very significant that our first project in London is the Evelyn Grace. Schools are among the first examples of architecture that everyone experiences and have a profound impact on all children as they grow up. I am delighted that the Evelyn Grace Academy has been so well received by all its students and staff”. L

Rooflights to maximise natural light and ventilation When designing the new St. Peter’s Primary School in Gloucester, project architect Rob Tadman of Fielden Clegg Bradley Studios was looking for rooflights that would provide plenty of light and natural ventilation to the deep-plan one storey building, whilst ensuring that the rooflights did not pose a potential access point for intruders.

“We put a lot of investment into the roof as we wanted to maximise free natural resources such as daylight and air. By specifying large rooflights this is achieved and the tamper proof hinges and added security glazing ensure that the rooflights have been approved by the local crime prevention officer. Everyone knows that concentration levels

are improved when light and fresh air is available and this is vital in a school environment so the choice of rooflights was very important.”

The large openable steel plateau rooflights are connected to the building management system to allow centralised opening and closing.

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Volume 17.2 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

31

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SCHOOL BUILDING DESIGN

STUNNING NEW HOME FOR CHETHAM’S COMPLETED The stunning new teaching and rehearsal building is the new home for Chetham’s School of Music in Manchester, which dates back to the 17th century. The seven-storey building, which cost a total of £31m to complete, boasts dozens of practise and teaching rooms for the school’s 290 students.

It includes a 100-seat performance hall for lunchtime concerts. The new school building, which is connected to its Medieval buildings via a footbridge, has been lovingly constructed with handmade bricks. Headteacher Claire Moreland said the space would fire the imagination of talented music students. She said: “Our aim here is to educate musically gifted children and the school has grown into a centre of musical excellence with a worldwide reputation. “We seized a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to acquire the land adjacent to our current site in order to build a facility that will enable us to become known as the best music school in the world.”

Among the guests of honour were ex-head boy Gwilym Simcock – a jazz pianist who was nominated for last year’s Mercury Music prize.

Describing the new building, he said: “The thing that really makes the

Design & Build

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school great is the people and the staff.

“There is a real community here, but the new building and the amazing facilities will really back this up.” School bosses hope to raise a further £4m for a new 400-seat concert hall, currently a vast unfinished space inside the new building.

Students will begin classes inside the new building after the Easter break.

Designed by Roger Stephenson Architects, the new building responds to a complex brief on a tight island site made sensitive by its adjacency to existing medieval buildings which house some parts of the school and the oldest public library in the world. The external envelope expresses the solidity of the construction and the building is conceived as a carved solid. The building form reflects the island nature of the site and expressive features such as the large cantilever to the upper floors reflect the line of the River Irk which is culverted below this corner of the site.

The new building’s link via the new bridge which will act as the main entrance for the pupils and staff - the main public entrance is located to the other side of the foyer, adjacent to Victoria train station. L

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Volume 17.2 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

33

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THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATION – www.educationbusinessuk.net

BUILDING FUTURE EDUCATION

Education building sector gears up for London showcase

Design & Build

Sponsored by

The Building Future Education (BFE) UK Conference 2012 (BFEUK), taking place at the Business Design Centre between May 9-10, promises a rich variety of content for visitors. Confirmed speakers include Schools Minister Lord Hill of Oareford and Peter Lauener, chief executive designate of the Education Funding Agency (EFA) The schools minister will be outlining the aims, objectives and philosophy behind the radical reforms being pursued by the coalition government and explaining how the new policies will shape the future of building schools projects.

Since the last election there have been radical changes in education policy, many of which have had dramatic effects on school buildings. At first the cutbacks in capital expenditure were savage – down 60 per cent from a peak of £9bn a year. The coalition is very keen on new types of school with a lot of autonomy – free schools, academies, studio schools and UTCs. Last year there was a steady stream of new capital funding announcements to back up this commitment and several hundred schools are set to benefit from around £5bn of new investment.

So there is a new policy landscape and

a new government agency to go with it.

Peter Lauener will be delivering his maiden speech as CEO of the Education Funding Agency. This is an executive agency of the Department for Education with responsibility for funding the education system for 3-19 year olds and managing the school and sixth form college estate. Lauener is set to outline the key characteristics of new school capital and programmes in the pipeline.

BFE’s predecessor BSEC always had a close relationship with the schools delivery body Partnership for Schools (PfS). This will continue as PfS morphs into the EFA. Several senior EFA officers will be speaking at BFE, including Mike Coleman, director of Programme Delivery at Partnerships’ for Schools, who says: “Building Future Education 2012 will be a great opportunity to hear from key people in the industry, and learn about major policies and

future capital projects alongside their delivery.

“This year’s event includes the chance to hear about the launch of the Education Funding Agency, which will be responsible for the allocation and distribution of around £50bn of revenue and capital funding each year, as well as the delivery of capital investment in schools.”

PRIORITY SCHOOL BUILDING PROGRAMME Aside from the new schools, the DfE is planning some much needed TLC for old schools, too. The Priority Schools Building Programme is a major new PFI scheme for 100 schools. The main criterion for Priority Schools funding allocation is the state of the building, with the very worst schools in terms of structural integrity being at the front of the queue. E

Volume 17.2 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

35

r e e iv off us r cl be Ex ri

c bs VE su SA

% 10

ners rs

9-10 May 2012 Business Design Centre, London

The new building blocks of education

Formerly known as BSEC, Building Future Education is the UK’s only focused event for the finance, procurement, design, construction and furnishing of education buildings. Book your place at www.bfeuk.com/eb

Topics include:’ Education Funding Agency exclusive – the future plans of the Department for Education’s school building division Government policy overview – what are the aims, objectives and philosophy behind the radical reforms being pursued by the Coalition Government?

Olympic dreams – how sport helps pupils engage with the learning environment Overview of the new school building schemes – Priority Schools Building Programme, Free Schools, UTCs, Studio Schools and Basic Need Funding – how do education clients secure adequate finance for large-scale projects?

Speake rs include:’

Peter Lauener, Chief Executive, Education Funding Agency Platinum sponsors Platinum sponsors

Tim Byles, Founder, Cornerstone

Platinum sponsors Platinum sponsors

Hannah Jones, Founder, Connecting Learning

Gold sponsors

Gold sponsors

Will Alsop, Director, All Worldwide

Goldsponsors sponsors Gold

Spencer de Grey, Head of Design, Foster + Partners

Event partners

Sir Jonathon Porritt, Co-Founder, Forum for the Future

Event partners

partners EventEvent partners Media partners

Prof. Stephen Heppell, Heppell.net

Media partners Media partners

Media partners Media partners Media Media partners partners

Quote discount code EB10 when booking online at www.bfeuk.com/eb

Mairi Johnson, Strategic Director of Design, Partnerships for Schools

Well Educated Banking www.lloydstsb.com/schoolbanking

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATION – www.educationbusinessuk.net

BUILDING FUTURE EDUCATION

E This differs from Building Schools for the Future where exam results and the prevalence of free school meals played a major part in the choice of local authorities which benefitted from investment. Repairing the worst schools throws up a special set of challenges and these will be debated in detail by a panel including senior representatives from the construction industry and the EFA. BFE will be chaired by world-renowned educationalist and technologist professor Stephen Heppell, who has been involved in UBM’s education events since the launch of BSEC and his input into BFE will be as big as ever. The implementation of ICT and how it relates to school buildings has changed a lot in the past two years. Quite apart from constant technological advances, the axing of BECTA and separation of ICT procurement out of building contracts gives both schools clients and architects a lot to think about.

Intelligent and smooth implementation of cutting-edge ICT in the classroom just got harder, due to less guidance and less project integration. Professor Heppell will showcase several exemplars of effective use of ICT in the classroom and how good building design makes this possible.

FE/HE PROJECTS A major change in content for BFE is the proper inclusion of college and university building projects for the first time. Funding for both FE and HE projects has been a major issue for several years and both sectors have had to adapt to a high level of volatility

in funding and policy objectives. Certain institutions have adapted well, however, tapping into new and alternative sources of funding. The funding and project landscape will be explored by a panel involving university estates directors and design & build teams.

Design & Build

Sponsored by

department, who will give visitors a sneakpeek at Building’s Education White Paper.

The full version won’t be released until October, but the paper’s initial findings will be revealed – including vital and exclusive information gathered from key clients and

Intelligent and smooth implementation of cuttingedge ICT in the classroom just got harder, due to less guidance and less project integration. professor Heppell will showcase several exemplars of effective use of ICT in the classroom and how good building design makes this possible.

Elsewhere, the biggest education project in the UK – the £500m redevelopment of UCL’s Bloomsbury campus – will be discussed by the project team, including architect Alex Lifschutz and UCL estates director Andrew Grainger.

GREEN LEARNING In addition to the main conference, there are two free-to-attend feature areas on the exhibition floor running seminars – a Masterclass Theatre and a Green Learning Theatre. The Masterclass Theatre will touch on a wide range of subjects, especially helping teachers and suppliers gain a greater awareness of project information and good practice. A much-anticipated seminar will be presented by Building’s education

project teams working in the sector.

Teachers should benefit from a seminar presented by expert fundraiser Rob Gill of The More Team. Gill will show how to tap into education charity grants and local business sponsorship to increase funding for newbuild, refurb and day-to-day maintenance. The education charity sector alone has £5bn a year to distribute, much of which could be directed towards enhancing buildings.

PRIMARY SECTOR The primary school sector is set for a minibuilding boom due to demographic pressures.

This will be more immediate and larger in scale than specialist school activity. A birth-rate surge of 90,000 over five years E

Volume 17.2 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

37

Parlaunt School Slough

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Well Educated Banking www.lloydstsb.com/schoolbanking

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BUILDING FUTURE EDUCATION Peter Lauener

E requires the equivalent of 360 average sized primary schools to be built every year.

The specific challenges and opportunities created by this will be explored by an expert panel including Michal Cohen of Walters & Cohen, and Paul Turpin of HLM. The Green Learning Theatre is dedicated to sustainability – a continuation of what proved to be a very popular feature at last year’s BSEC event. Seminars in this theatre will touch on energy efficiency, on-site microgeneration, and use of sustainable materials. Keynote speeches will be given by the likes of Craig White of White Design, Jim McNally of Scott Wilson URS, and Sarah McCarrick of the BRE. ATLAS SCHOOLS PROJECT The theatre will also feature a team presentation on the Atlas Schools project, a low carbon kit-of-parts that is set to be rolled out Europe-wide.

This is a joint venture between the DfE, Skanska and Cambridge University.

Day Two of the Conference is headlined by Paul Morrell, chief government construction advisor. Morrell is responsible for overseeing many aspects of the government’s construction strategy. A major policy aim is to reduce the cost of public sector building projects by 20 per cent during this parliament.

This is an immense challenge and major changes to project management for school projects are being planned. Around half of all major building projects end up being overbudget and not finished on time.

The extent of cost and time overruns has remained pretty constant in the past few years so industry interest in how efficiency

Design & Build

Sponsored by

Professor Stephen Heppell

savings will be achieved is very high.

By way of contrast, Sir Jonathon Porritt will be discussing sustainability and whether a low-carbon ethos can be maintained and improved during the age of value engineering.

The government’s commitment to sustainable schools has wavered recently, floating the idea of scrapping BREEAM ratings. The debate around sustainability in schools is only set to intensify, and ex-chair of the DCSF’s Zero Carbon Schools Taskforce, Robin Nicholson CBE, will lead a panel debate on the latest developments in DfE environmental policy.

OLYMPICS It’s impossible to ignore the Olympics this year, but issues around healthy lifestyles are important to school teachers every year. When asked by contractors, teachers often cite good sports facilities as a top priority. Schools are at the coalface of increasing grass-roots participation in sport and physical activity. Many Olympic stars take an active role in turning schoolkids on to sport and Steve Backley OBE will recount his sport experiences and how kids can be engaged via good facilities.

How education clients secure funding and plan projects is changing fast. Resourceful local authorities, colleges and universities are embarking on fully-realised asset management plans that unlock capital independent of central government funding. Also councils are changing the nature of their dialogue with developers to embed schools into masterplans in a way they haven’t done before.

Free Schools are looking at assets in a new way – looking to convert large existing

buildings into new schools. This new development landscape will be explored by a panel including Rachel Wolf of the New Schools Network and George Griffith of CBRE. This session will be chaired by the editor of Property Week Giles Barrie.

REMODELLING EDUCATION SPACES A new event this year, BFE UK 2012 was borne out of combining the best of BSEC (Building Schools Exhibition and Conference) and Remodelling Education Spaces. As the only two-day event dedicated for the education built environment sector in the UK, BFE covers the shift of focus from new building to refurbishment in the education sector over the past 12 months following the changes in government policy and funding.

The event, which incorporates a high-level paid-for conference and a free-to-attend exhibition, is summed up by Sarah Richardson, deputy editor, Building: “The future direction of education building projects has changed dramatically over the past year, and is continuing to evolve as education providers, local authorities and central government try to find cost-efficient ways of meeting the UK’s urgent need for additional school places.

“The Building Future Education conference is a key opportunity to receive a detailed insight into the progress of the government’s latest initiatives, and to share emerging best practice on crucial issues such as standardisation.” L FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: +44 20 7560 4076 rosa.thomas@ubm.com www.bfeuk.com Volume 17.2 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

39

Openable steel rooflights are connected to the Building Management System to allow natural ventilation into this deep-plan building.

WHEN SECURITY IS PARAMOUNT When designing the new St. Peter’s Primary School in Gloucester, project architect Rob Tadman of Fielden Clegg Bradley Studios was looking for rooflights that would provide plenty of light and natural ventilation to the deep-plan onestorey building, whilst ensuring that the rooflights did not pose a potential access point for intruders.

Tamper proof hinges and added security glazing minimise the risk of intrusion to this one storey building.

“We put a lot of investment into the roof as we wanted to maximise free natural resources such as daylight and air. By specifying large rooflights this is achieved and the tamper proof hinges and added security glazing ensure that the rooflights have been approved by the local Crime Prevention Officer.

Everyone knows that concentration levels are improved when light and fresh air is available and this is vital in a school environment so the choice of rooflights was very important.”

The Rooflight Company are the first rooflight manufacturer with Level 3 Secured by Design accreditation. To find out more about Added Security or Secured by Design Rooflights contact us.

01993 833108 www.therooflightcompany.co.uk

Large, linked rooflights flood the space below with natural light.

Well Educated Banking www.lloydstsb.com/schoolbanking

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATION – www.educationbusinessuk.net

BUILDING FUTURE EDUCATION

Seminar Programme day one 10.00 Opening address

Professor Stephen Heppell Welcome to the conference, worldwide education sweep and introduction to the key themes/topics of the day.

10.25 Keynote – Lord Hill of Oareford

The Schools Minister outlines the aims, objectives and philosophy behind the radical reforms being pursued by the Coalition government. Hill explains how new policies will shape the future of building schools projects

Stream 2 – FE & HE funding How universities and colleges are getting creative and adapting to major changes in grant allocation Stream 3 – New schools spotlight Detailed overview of UTCs, City Academies, Studio Schools and Free Schools

12.00 Lunch 13.15 Panel debate – the

Speech on the launch of the EFA, reflecting on the work of PfS and how the EFA plans to take this forward, outlining key characteristics of new schools programmes and any policy changes with existing ones

future of education finance Tim Byles of Cornerstone, Nick Prior of Deloitte, Steve Cooper of Skanska ID, Laughlan Waterston of Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation debate the flow of funding in the new project landscape, how does the relationship between government, financiers and project teams now work?

11.15 Seminar Streams A (Day 1)

14.00 Panel Debat – the industry responds

10.50 Keynote – Peter Lauener

Stream 1 – PSBP special Detailed look at the biggest schools building programme launched since BSF. Senior representative from EFA, plus rep from surveying company give a comprehensive outline of this major new schools scheme.

Rob Holt of Carillion, Chris Gilmour of BAM, Nusrat Faizullah of the BCSE + Gerard Stone, BSF Programme Manager at Wolverhampton City Council. The panel debates the project team and clientside perspective on new developments in the school buildings sector

Design & Build

Sponsored by

14.45 Afternoon break 15.15 How technology transforms

Professor Stephen Heppell hosts a session with teachers showing how cutting edge use of ICT can invigorate lessons and drive improved outcomes. This will focus on new and innovative methods of teaching using the latest technology now available. Speakers confirmed: Juliette Heppell of Lampton School and David Mitchell of Heathfield Primary School

16.00 Seminar Streams B (Day 1)

Stream 4 – New schools, new opportunities: UTCs and Studio Schools in detail – case study about The North Liverpool Academy Studio School and the Nottingham Djanogly UTC Stream 5 – Look at public schools Insight into public schools facilities design with Paul White of Buckley Gray Yeoman Stream 6 – iLearning – right to roam Harnessing technology to transform pupil experience. How handheld devices can be used to enable personalised learning

16.45 Day 1 Conference close 17.00 Drinks Reception

Roberts Limbrick - it’s not just about buildings Roberts Limbrick Architects is passionate about its work in education and is working across all phases on an exciting range of projects across the country. Busier than ever, the company is thoroughly enjoying the challenges of working in such a diverse and complex sector.

It’s not just about the buildings. Roberts Limbrick has learnt that it needs to provide a wider service that challenges, innovates and engages with a wide range of stakeholders. In addition, the company ensures that it understands the economic and political landscape and keeps up to date with current thinking. Working with leading practitioners, the company has an in-house education funding specialist who can unlock potential funding streams.

Roberts Limbrick recently worked as feasibility architects and technical advisors on the new Gloucester Academy. John Reilly, Principal, said: “It has been

Education Advert 14 March 2012 12:20:00

a pleasure to work with Roberts Limbrick. They have listened to our vision, shaped the design accordingly and been robust and rigorous on our behalf. Moreover, they have put themselves out to attend meetings and engage with stakeholders nothing has been too much trouble. I cannot recommend them highly enough.”

Come and visit us at BFE 2012 on Stand 55 FOR MORE INFORMATION Tel: 03333 405500 mail@robertslimbrick.com www.robertslimbrick.com

Volume 17.2 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

41

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The Emergi-Lite Safety Systems range of EMEX Power central power supply systems provides high performance, low maintenance emergency lighting solutions to meet the most stringent design and operational requirements.

EMEX Power is specifically designed to provide emergency power in a mains fail or evacuation situation and with its modular construction allows users to minimise spares holding locally.

Moreover, any major component can be replaced in approximately 15 minutes, thus reducing downtime. Miniature circuit breakers – not fuses – are used to give easy correction of overload tripping. Running costs are minimised as EMEX Power operates in a low power mode, so the inverter is not running continuously. This also means the inverter is not generating waste heat that has a detrimental effect on the 10 year VRLA (Valve Regulated Lead Acid) battery life.

The EMEX Power AC/AC static inverter (230V 50Hz) is an advanced range allowing compatible mains luminaires to function at full brightness in emergency. EMEX Power AC/ DC central power systems are available as 110-volt systems, operating in either maintained or non-maintained modes.

The space-saving EMEX Mini is ideal for emergency lighting

applications where space is limited and is designed around LED installations, the EMEX Mini includes all the high performance, low maintenance features of the EMEX Power range.

The EMEX Power range also supports a stylish range of compatible luminaires; including energy saving cold cathode and LED exit signs and downlighters.

EMEX Power is in accord with the BS 5266 requirement for regular testing by offering centralised testing solutions from Emergi-Lite’s innovative EMEX Test facility and is also one of the first in the UK to gain Kite Mark approval to BS EN 50171.

The company also offers users a single solution approach from technical support and scheme design, to manufacture, installation, commissioning and servicing, conversion service and after-sales care. Customers can rest assured that whoever is responsible for their emergency lighting systems, Emergi-Lite will always have a competitive solution to meet and in many cases, exceed their requirements.

Choose Emergi-Lite EMEX central battery solutions for the highest reliability and performance in centrallypowered emergency lighting.

FOR MORE INFORMATION 0113 281 0600 emergi-lite.sales@tnb.com www.emergi-lite.co.uk

Well Educated Banking www.lloydstsb.com/schoolbanking

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATION – www.educationbusinessuk.net

BUILDING FUTURE EDUCATION

Seminar Programme day two 09.30 Opening address –

Professor Stephen Heppell Review of yesterday’s highlights and a preview of today’s content plus Heppell’s general education observations

09.40 Keynote – Paul Morrell

The Government’s chief construction advisor outlines the reforms set out in the Procurement strategy and how they relate to schools, colleges and universities.

Paul Morrell will touch on key themes – efficiency, accessibility and affordability

10.15 Design panel debate

Greg Penoyre, Spencer de Grey/Paul Kalkhoven of Fosters, Darren Talbot of Davis Langdon, Mairi Johnson of PfS +Stephen Long of Graham Construction discuss innovative design for education spaces – what’s the future for architects that want to innovate in the sector? =Chair: Amanda Baillieu, Editor, Building Design

11.15 Seminar stream A (Day 2)

Stream 7 – Counting the costs – myth and reality: The industry’s perspective on the challenge with cutting several

hundred £s per m2 from school projects.

Stream 8 – Refurb & Reuse: A look at the latest examples of outstanding refurb projects happening in schools.

Stream 9 – Autonomous schools – Academies and Church Schools: Spotlight on Academies and the unique challenges faced by church schools

– industry panel debate Green building standards are under attack with the proposal to drop BREEAM requirements. Robin Nicholson, former chair of the Zero Carbon Schools, taskforce leads a panel debate on the future of sustainability in schools. Also including Dr Dejan Mumovic of UCL and Mark Hinnells of Oxford University

13.15 Keynote – Steve Backley

14.45

OBE and UK Sport representative Olympic legend and former world record holder Steve Backley OBE the importance of prioritising sports facilities in your project brief. A senior rep from UK Sport working with elite athletes will show how teamworking meshes sport and collaborative learning.

Keynote – Sir Jonathon Porritt Sustainability How can a low-carbon ethos be maintained and improved during the age of value engineering. Plus Q&A

15.15 Seminar Stream B (Day 2)

development plan case study Senior project team members from UCL – Andrew Grainger, Director of estates and master plan architect – Alex Lifschutz, Director of Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands give an overview of the biggest education project out to tender for two years

Stream 10 Developing a future Take a look at the increasing importance of developers/asset managers in the schools estate thanks to LABVs, schools incorporated in masterplans and their key role in enabling free schools projects Stream 11 – Teaching perspective – a team of headteachers give their views on the current and future challenges and issues facing theirs with new build projects and building maintenance

14.15 Sustainability now

16.00 Event Close

13.45 UCL Bloomsbury

Design & Build

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and presentation solutions

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Furniture is something that you use day in, day out, for many years. So it has to be right.

LiDR Contract Furniture is an experienced furniture manufacturer based in the UK which has been supplying products to education for 25 years.

Design and development of innovative products is a priority, and it specialises in producing high quality bespoke products at affordable prices.

In conjunction with teachers and ICT providers it recently developed its Media Walls complete storage and presentation solution for classrooms, which is ideal for new builds and refurbishments alike.

Custom made to integrate the projector and whiteboard of each user’s choice, the unit includes full cable management throughout, a retractable desk for space maximisation, staff locker, sliding door panels, integrated power sockets and optional tray units.

LiDR Contract Furniture’s Media Walls are freestanding and self contained, meaning that M&E costs can be reduced.

The business is also at the forefront of design for ICT desking, lockers and reception counters, as well as developing catalogue and bespoke furniture for all other areas.

All products are manufactured in the UK, and LiDR Contract Furniture has the facilities to handle whole ff&e packages, sourcing complementary products.

FOR MORE INFORMATION 01782 413600 info@lidr.co.uk www.lidr.co.uk

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THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATION – www.educationbusinessuk.net

Reception Area Breakout & Chill Zones JB Commercial Interiors offer a full fitout and refurbishment solution.

Whether you need a major overhaul or a few minor changes, we are able to provide you with stylish options which will not cost the earth. We are a ‘one stop shop’.

2D / 3D Design & Layout Interior Decoration Ceilings, Floors & Mezzanine Levels Data & Electrical Works Supply & Fit Commercial Furniture

Benefit from our experience You can rely on our 20 years of experience in the fitout and refurbishment business.

We pay attention to the details to ensure that each project runs smoothly and with the minimum of disruption to your and you business.

We ensure that what is proposed meets with the current regulations and where necessary we can provide the drawings required by local authorities and landlords in order to secure approval for the project.

Once completed we can supply the necessary documentation required by others to confirm that the works have been carried out to industry standards.

HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED WHY CONSTRUCTION IS SO EXPENSIVE? Well it doesn’t have to be!

At MorrCo we apply our commercial fit out “can do” attitude and experience to all your construction needs.

Every aspect of interior construction completed including all your design requirements.

We want to help you to enhance learning.

Tel: 01933-411876 Fax: 01933-652625 E:info@jb-interiors.co.uk Unit 4, The Barns, Lower Farm, 130 High Street, Irchester, Northamptonshire. NN29 7AB

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Amwell Systems

From first days to finals, Amwell has a washroom for every education facility and all budget considerations To discuss your specification requirements or to order your brochure...

T 01763 276 200 | E sales@amwell-systems.com | www.amwell-systems.com

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EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE | Volume 17.2

Well Educated Banking www.lloydstsb.com/schoolbanking

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GREENBUILD EXPO

Design & Build

Sponsored by

Sharing green building expertise Greenbuild Expo 2012 returns to Manchester with a stellar line up of speakers and exhibitors ahead of the Green Deal launch Greenbuild Expo 2012, the largest sustainable refurbishment and building event in the North of England, returns to Manchester Central in May (9-10) with a whole host of exhibitors, speakers and a Green Deal debate arena.

The fourth Greenbuild Expo will once again offer over 100 free seminars and training sessions, as well as all the latest product innovations and services to help construct, refurbish or manage your buildings more sustainably. The extensive conference programme will feature sessions from DECC, the Cabinet Office, Manchester City Council, the BRE, Energy Saving Trust, Kingfisher, Balfour Beatty, Keepmoat, Jewson, Plumb Center and more. These will address a broad range of topics including the Carbon Reduction Commitment, social sustainability, tackling fuel poverty, the Renewable Heat Incentive, funding options for retrofit projects, legislation updates and a fabric-first approach to low-energy building. Once again the conference programme will be packed with expert advice, as well as case studies of successful projects from around the UK.

The fourth Greenbuild Expo will once again offer over 100 free seminars and training sessions, as well as all the latest product innovations and services.

GREEN DEAL The new government initiative the Green Deal intends to reduce carbon emissions cost effectively by revolutionising the energy efficiency of British properties, both commercial and residential. This will impact on industry and this year we will be running Green Deal debates, focusing on; how it will work, skills shortage, funding and what it entails for domestic and commercial properties. The event, which is aimed at professionals such as architects, contractors, installers, builders merchants, commercial landlords, house builders, planners, facilities and energy managers among others, will also have a hands-on training area with demonstrations. E

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EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE | Volume 17.2

D & L Electrical (UK) Limited have over 25 years of electrical contracting and engineer-ing experience for domestic, commercial and industrial energy users.

As members of the electrical industries NICEIC Approved Engineers scheme and MCS for Solar PV, D & L offer full insurance warranty backed quality work-manship on every Solar PV installation giving the customer full deposit and warranty cover for piece of mind.

Comprehensive consultancy and advice is given free as a part of our service to ensure the customer is fully aware of the benefits both for their pocket and the environment.

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GREENBUILD EXPO E IGNITION 12 Ignition 12 will return as well with an expanded two day seminar programme.

Producing heat to warm homes, offices and factories uses about 40 per cent of the energy we consume in the UK. However, unlike electricity production, there has been no sustained attempt to reduce this or shift to renewable sources.

With the long awaited introduction of the Renewable Heat Incentive in 2012, and the rising cost of oil and concerns over supply, this is all about to change and Ignition12 will focus on a heat source that has great potential in the UK – woodfuel.

SOLAR ROOFING ZONE The NFRC is proud to partner with SIG Roofing at Greenbuild Expo to host the Solar Roofing Zone. With NFRC’s purpose-built roofing rig, different types of solar collector systems will be installed as part of the daily demonstrations including both photovoltaic and solar thermal. NFRC will be working with its members, including SIG Roofing, to demonstrate the importance of roofing contractors in solar installations. NFRC encourages all the necessary trades to work together in order to achieve the optimum solar installation. As such, our belief is that competence in roofing work, rather than just knowing how to install the system, is key when it comes to installing solar panels.

SUSTAINABLE CITIES The Sustainable Cities seminar room returns for 2012, with a programme of speakers tackling going green in an urban environment. A central debate area dedicated to the Green Deal, will feature some of the industry’s biggest names discussing the government’s flagship policy. The speakers will be addressing topics such as how we will deliver low-carbon refurb in reality, how we can encourage consumer take-up, what skills the industry needs

Design & Build

Sponsored by

and how the funding models will work. projects to address fuel poverty and A BREEAM showcase looks at the UK’s ensure that the most suitable technology highest scoring projects and revealing how is installed for the required application. they achieved those top marks. The Regulation Fabric first - It is estimated that over 30 Revealed room will feature an expert panel per cent of the UK’s housing stock has solid who are there to answer your questions wall construction. As social housing providers about sustainability and regulation, strive to improve thermal efficiency, whether that’s a particular part this session from Mark Group of the Code for Sustainable examines the challenges Homes or BREEAM. presented by these ‘hard-toNSAET A CPD room with treat’ properties. e looks at th accredited sessions will Sustainable cities - In to s te u ro include ventilation, 2011, housing association t n re diffe window specification, Helena Partnerships t n te e p m o voltage optimisation, carried out a retrofit becoming c from programme on 107 s, le Part G updates and solar b a w e n re in shading, plus a training pre-fabricated BISF full training to hub with taster session, houses in St Helens, on everything from solar Merseyside, including assessment” adding PV installation to becoming solar panels, external a Green Deal assessor. wall and loft insulation, highly Newbuild - Architects will effective double glazing and be talking about the lessons learned improved ventilation to every property. from Greenwatt Way, a groundbreaking Training - Throughout the event there Code for Sustainable Homes level will be a selection of training sessions on six development newbuild. offer, covering solar PV, solar thermal, heat Refurbishment - The complete pump system design, specifying external refurbishment of a Grade II-listed office wall insulation and green refurb. building in Westminister to a BREEAM Ignition12 - The UK’s only woodfuel Excellent standard will be discussed by event, Ignition, is part of Greenbuild Expo Black Architecture, plus how Balfour Beatty and has its own seminar programme transformed Westborough School in Essex with sessions including biomass and with a low-carbon refurbishment. social housing, woodfuel procurement Renewable energy - NSAET looks at the and biomass and the RHI. different routes to becoming competent Regulation and ratings - Ask the experts in renewables, from full training to your questions on BREEAM, the Code for assessment, plus what is involved in these Sustainable Homes, and more. The panel will processes, including knowledge, practical be available to answer any questions you competency and legislation in terms of have about the various rating and regulation MCS, the Green Deal and new EU training systems for sustainable buildings. L directives. The Distributed Energy Team, part of The National Renewable Energy Centre FURTHER INFORMATION (Narec) based in Blyth, Northumberland, For a list of exhibitors visit and to find works with local authorities in north east out more about Greenbuild Expo 2012 England on a number of social housing visit www.greenbuildexpo.co.uk

“

ENVIRONMENTAL BUILDING

New green primary school opens in Caernarfon, Wales The new contemporary school substitutes the outdated old school and has a capacity to accommodate a maximum of 450. It also houses facilities offering adult education, health and social welfare initiatives along with cultural and sporting activities.

The facility abides by a host of green features. It has been designed to allow maximum penetration of natural light throughout the interior which in turn, reaps energy cost cuts. The methods used during the building’s construction process helps keep it warm in the cooler months and cool during summer. This leads to a fall in its carbon footprint by 60%. The facility also employs measures to reclaim rainwater.

The new school is being built using innovative Structurally Insulated Panels (SIP) method. A massive steel frame was been built on the site and insulated panels, manufactured by using high-pressure injected

foam, are fixed to it to create a strong, air tight, fire resistant building.

The building panels are made in a controlled environment so there is minimal waste during manufacturing and construction. This alternative construction method means that the building keeps warm in the winter and cool in the summer, reducing heating costs and leads to a 60% reduction in carbon emissions during the building’s lifetime.

Fifteen per cent of materials used to build the new school will be recycled. The school has already bagged the BREEAM excellent rating owing to incorporation of various sustainable elements.

The new Ysgol yr Hendre will not only provide local children with the new learning environment that they deserve, but will also be the hub of the community, as it will include facilities to for adult education, health and social welfare initiatives as well as cultural and sporting activities.

Volume 17.2 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

47

Energy

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATION – www.educationbusinessuk.net

Sponsored by

Well Educated Banking www.lloydstsb.com/schoolbanking

Schools could save £130m a year by cutting utility costs says carbon expert Sustain New research by carbon reduction specialist Sustain has found that money spent on energy and water by schools could be dramatically reduced. Looking at state schools in England alone this could result in total savings of at least £130m a year, freeing up an additional £19 to spend on each child annually.

With pressure mounting on schools and further education colleges to cut costs across the board, these figures will be welcomed by those keeping our schools running. In a secondary school the energy savings available could easily provide enough savings to the teaching budget to pay for an extra full time teaching assistant or even an NQT. Using publically available data, Sustain analysed the energy spend of state schools in England. It found that every year schools spend £641m on energy and water which represents 3.5% of the costs spent on teaching staff. Even basic utility saving measures for schools in England would result in £130m in savings – enough to fund the annual operating and teaching costs in 116 schools.

Matt Fulford, head of low carbon buildings at Sustain, said: “The kinds of measures

aM&T

schools could easily adopt are tried and tested measures which have been proven to work.

These include changing lamps in existing light fittings, making sure existing heating systems are running well and temperature settings are in place to reduce running time and insulating buildings and boiler rooms.

“These ideas may seem like simplistic solutions and far from the often more attractive renewable energy schemes but, cumulatively, and combined with other well thought out measures they could save schools a fortune. There is currently huge pressure on schools to cut costs and this is an area where they can do so with ease.”

“Within schools the energy saving programmes can also be designed to support the teaching and learning of the students. Getting staff and pupils involved provides additional savings by making them more aware of how they use energy and how their actions can make the building more efficient and more comfortable.”

“We’re sure that Head Teachers and Chairs of Governors, will be delighted to see these figures, which could make a real difference to school finances.”

Sustain understands how cutting utility costs can make a genuine difference to schools as it worked with Bedford Education Partnership to reduce energy costs for two schools by over £15,000 a year. Savings were seen within just three months.

Bill Simmonds, Chief Executive of the National Association of School Business Managers (NASBM), said: “For most schools, electricity and gas costs are the highest behind the annual wage bill. Any savings that can be made are hugely beneficial in allowing the school to meet other financial demands. Under the current budget constraints and a drive for greater efficiency in schools it is key that schools identify and make any savings where possible.”

ABOUT SUSTAIN Sustain was established in 1997 to deliver an innovative approach to environmental issues. We have built an enviable track record by working with clients across utilities, public sector, the built environment and commercial sectors. Visit its website at www.sustain.co.uk

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EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE | Volume 17.2

We are heating our school with a biomass boiler!

www.tersusgroup.co.uk Tersus Consultancy Limited Asbestos Surveys Project Management Bulk Sample Analysis Air Monitoring & Clearance Testing Consultancy Advice Asbestos Management Plans Training On-line Asbestos Management

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Asbestos in buildings - the hidden killer The Control of Asbestos Regulations (CAR) 2006 places an explicit duty on all duty holders to manage the risk of exposure to asbestos fibre in their workplace and to formulate an asbestos management plan.

The starting point of the asbestos management process is a survey, which aims to locate and identify any asbestos containing materials (ACMs) in accordance with HSG264.— Asbestos: The Survey Guide Proven ACMs are risk-assessed and prioritised within the report, which may then be used as a basis for a site specific management plan.

Survey reports are accessible via our web enabled database, giving you or other approved persons secure access to all asbesto s information held on your property portfolio. Survey reports are easy to use and provide you with the information you need to remain compliant.

Precise asbestos type and location details can be extracted quickly allowing you to carry out work in the area safe in the knowledge that all ACM’s have been identified.

Part of the requirement of CAR 2006 is that you inform your staff of the presence of any asbestos materials and train them in how to recognise and manage the risk from exposure to asbestos. Asbestos Awareness is a vital part of compliance. Being a UKAS & UKATA accredited Consultancy and an Approved BOHS training provider Tersus can help you defeat the ‘Hidden Killer’.

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ASBESTOS IN SCHOOLS

ASBESTOS - TIME FOR ACTION After publishing its latest report, Jim Sheridan, chairman of an all-party group on Occupational Safety and Health, calls the state of asbestos in schools a ‘national scandal’

Health & Safety

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A DfE spokesman said the welfare of pupils and staff was paramount: “It is unacceptable for any school not to comply with the strict statutory asbestos guidance – no ifs or buts. HSE’s expert advice is based on the best current evidence. It is absolutely clear that if asbestos is not disturbed or damaged, then it is safer to leave it in situ, with strong systems in place to contain and monitor it”.

The NUT has supported the publication of a report into asbestos in UK schools. The report ‘Asbestos in Schools - The CONCERNS RAISED need for action’ exposes the level of danger in Britain’s Corncerns were again raised after the death of a teacher in December schools, and makes a compelling case for urgent action. who had worked at North Leamington School in the Midlands. The In the past 10 years more than 140 teachers teacher, who died from an asbestos related disease, was in her 50s have died from the asbestos-related cancer, and had worked at North Leamington School in the midlands. The mesothelioma, which is primarily caused NUT said she had done most of her teaching at the school’s “More by exposure to asbestos. Last year, the former buildings, constructed in the 1950s when asbestos r e Department for Education (DfE) revealed was in common use. These were demolished in 2009. people than ev g in y that its ‘best estimate’ was that more An inquest after the teacher’s death in December recorded a d re a re fo be than three-quarters of schools contain verdict of death from an industrial disease. Health and safety , a m lio from Mesothe ng inspectors are not investigating the death as they say it is asbestos. The Parliamentary Group lu on Occupational Safety and Health’s impossible to tell whether the disease was caused by exposure a cancer of the y chairman, Jim Sheridan, said: “This is a to asbestos at North Leamington School, another school, or away b d se u ca g linin national scandal. Urgent action is needed from school altogether. But officials from the NUT say asbestos to prevent more pupils, teachers and other asbestos dust” should be taken out of all schools to be on the safe side. L staff being exposed to this deadly killer dust”.

Sheridan continued: “We need both DOWNLOAD THE REPORT ONLINE HERE far greater awareness of the risks that this http://tinyurl.com/7egmvd3 material poses and a programme for its phased removal.”

The report, published in February, makes six clear recommendations: FURTHER INFORMATION 1. The government should set a programme for the phased removal of www.asbestosexposureschools.co.uk asbestos from all schools, with priority being given to those schools where the asbestos is considered to be most dangerous or damaged.

2. Standards in asbestos training should be set and the training should be mandatory. The training should be properly funded.

3. It is recommended that the DfE and HSE jointly develop asbestos guidance specifically for schools and that current standards be reviewed.

4. A policy of openness should be adopted. Parents, teachers and support staff should be annually updated on the presence of asbestos in their schools and the measures that are being taken to manage it.

5. Pro-active inspections to determine the standards of asbestos management should be reinstated, with a view to reducing future costs.

6. Data should be collected centrally on the extent, type and condition of asbestos in schools and this becomes an integral part of the data collection of the condition of the nation’s schools.

Commenting on a report, Christine Blower, general secretary of the National Union of Teachers, said: “We wholeheartedly welcome the intervention of the APPG on the issue of asbestos enforcement IT specialist, Imperial Pass Training Consultancy delivers a range in schools. The NUT was the first teachers’ union to campaign to Are you preparedatCivilparking for of courses including civil enforcement Enforcement Solutions (ICES), has used the have asbestos removed from schools and yet despite the problem officer, health & safety and notice processing company’s trainers. the every day occurrences? training. The company also provides conflict “The quality of the training that ICES notice being brought to the attention of successive governments, it processing staff receive is very important to management courses for clients in the private Accidents andincluding illnesses happen every us,” day.says Some people need a and public sector local government, Ellis. “We entered into aonly contract is still the case that asbestos remains in most schools. the parking industry and security sectors.

2009 withpermanent South Thames College whowithout put helping hand while others may sufferinserious injuries Mark Cox, managing director of Pass, says us onto one of their training provider, Pass help.

By mastering Emergency First Response Primary Care (CPR) and Last year, a BBC Look East investigation revealed more people the company’s Chartered Institute of Personnel Training Consultancy. We discussed our training Secondary Care(CIPD) (first aid) consultants course skillsneeds you with canPass, render important care who agreed to provide an to and Development training than ever before are dying from Mesothelioma, a cancer of the engagein with its clients to ascertain their offered industry those need.

Current courses are: leading qualification in the form training and development needs. “Within of the NVQ Business Administraion, which lung lining caused by asbestos dust. Asbestos was often used in • these Conflict Management • Welcome Hostprocessing.

Training The course training programmes we offer the use specialises in notice was delivered inCare a timely and professional a variety All of tools including psychometric • of Welcome Disability Awareness • Customer Training fireproofing and insulation from the 1950s until the mid 1980s. It Cox Training says. “These assist in producing manner and has improved beyond doubt the • testing,” Fire Safety • Manual Handling Training resources and facilitate professionalism of all the staff who have so far becomes dangerous when disturbed and if the fibres are inhaled • self-managed Supervisory learning Training • CCTV Enforcement Officers 1950-02 group learning, with training courses designed undertaken the NVQ. • Basic Deaf Awareness • Basic British Sign Language “Being an accredited City & Guilds NVQ, the to meet your staff and organisations needs.” it can cause fatal mesothelioma and debilitating asbestosi.

• First Aid at Work 3 Days (FAW) • 1 Day Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW) WORK RELATED DEATHS According to the Health and Safety Executive, inhaling asbestos is the single greatest cause of work-related deaths in the UK, accounting for 4000 deaths annually. US researchers have also found that for every death of a teacher from asbestos-related disease, nine children will die. Children are more vulnerable as they have longer than adults to develop diseases related to the material.

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VIOLENCE AGAINST STAFF

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Violence in schools: counting the cost and managing the risks A survey conducted by the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) revealed that over a quarter of school and college staff had dealt with physical violence from a student and just over a third had been confronted by an aggressive parent or guardian.

Yvonne Fleming, Leadership and Management Officer at AMiE explores an emotive issue.

The survey, which questioned over 1,000 teachers, lecturers, support staff and leaders in schools and colleges across the UK about behavioural issues, provides conclusive proof that this is something that cannot be ignored.

Nearly 90 per cent of staff had dealt with low level disruption such as talking and not paying attention (89%), over 50 per cent reported verbal attacks, and nearly 40 per cent intimidation. In addition, over 650 staff reported physical aggression including pushing and shoving (83%), the use of fists (48%), or legs (42%). Incidents of physical attacks were far more prevalent in primary schools with 48 per cent of staff reporting pupils being physically aggressive, compared with 20 per cent working at secondary level.

Sixty-four staff reported having been physically harmed by a student, while over a fifth reported mental health problems and a third lost their confidence at work.

Almost 40 per cent of teachers have considered leaving the profession due to poor behaviour by students. Most of the physical aggression was directed at other pupils (87%), although over a quarter of incidents were aimed at the respondent and a further 44 per cent were aimed at either another teacher, or a member of support staff.

A head of department at a state secondary school in Leicestershire, said: “I have been physically assaulted twice (both times violent behaviour was aimed at another student but in their rage hit me) and sexually assaulted twice (groping). I felt like going off sick but didn’t, despite then being physically sick each morning at the thought of going to work and wondering whether my teeth were going to get knocked out. I feel that we get no support from government -they have no idea of the reality of inner city schools.” E

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VIOLENCE AGAINST STAFF E DEATH THREAT Another head of department in a state primary school in Essex commented: “I have had a threat to my life from a parent because I told a child to complete their homework during part of their ‘goldentime’. It was threatened that they and their family would kill me when I came to or from school. The head personally transported me to and from school every day, arranged counselling, banned the parent from the school grounds and set up court proceedings to get an injunction (which we achieved). I would not be working at my current workplace if it was not for the undeniable support I received”.

These examples show both the seriousness and the catastrophic effects that such incidents have on both the professional and private lives of staff in schools and colleges throughout the country. So what can and should be done to mitigate what, for some, is seen as a growing problem for educational professionals?

Perhaps first and foremost, schools and colleges should have clear, practical policies and procedures which support staff in their management of situations that might involve violence, threatening behaviour or abuse.

These should be working documents that everyone understands, including students and parents, and they must be seen to be in operation on a daily basis with no exceptions. Difficulties arise when there is lack of consistency in the way that policies and procedures are viewed, and it is therefore essential for leaders and managers to take the lead and model good practice with the full backing of governing bodies who, in maintained schools, have a legal responsibility for the conduct of the school.

Whilst any such documents reflect the individual context of the institution, there are certain core areas which should be covered.

These include: discipline and behaviour; abusive, threatening or violent adult visitors; dealing with offensive weapons and knives, and use of reasonable force.

It should be made clear that abuse, threatening behaviour or assaults are totally unacceptable and will result in appropriate punishment, including permanent exclusion or the involvement of the police. Clear boundaries of what is acceptable as well as a hierarchy of sanctions and a linked system of rewards should form an integral part of the policy.

It is also important that the general principles take into account the needs of all pupils, including those with special educational needs. Finally, as with all written documentation, it must be reviewed regularly to ensure that it is still practical and fit for

purpose, taking into account: the ethos of the school, its values and the boundaries of acceptable behaviour; the school’s moral code; positive and constructive rules of conduct, and the rewards and punishments, which must be fairly and consistently applied.

TRAINING As well as clear policies, swiftly and consistently acted upon, it is important that all staff have up-to-date, relevant training to prevent unacceptable behaviour in the first place. Recognising what triggers aggressive and violent episodes is a necessary part of the skills of an educational professional. Bodies such as the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) which provides guidance on emotional and behavioural disorders can be useful in this respect.

Indeed physical confrontation is less likely

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viewed as an important induction tool.

Where appropriate, other agencies such as community police officers or social workers can help facilitate this process.

Outside bodies can play a positive role in enhancing the curriculum and promoting a caring environment, where respect for others and the importance of self-discipline are paramount. Well-planned and relevant citizenship and Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education (PSHE) also provide a vehicle to get this message across.

GOOD PRACTICE However, perhaps most important in this process, is the role of the school or college leadership team as a model of good practice. Where an institution’s moral code and values are constantly on display in the words and actions of leadership teams, then it becomes much more

Training should cover areas including: reading body language; making a calm assessment of potentially threatening situations; reacting in the event of a physical attack; using reasonable force and powers to restrain, and dealing with unexpected confrontations and conflicts. to develop if patterns of behaviour are recognised and dealt with early on, and this is as true in the classroom as outside when dealing with angry or frustrated parents.

Training should cover areas including: reading body language; making a calm assessment of potentially threatening situations; reacting in the event of a physical attack; using reasonable force and powers to restrain, and dealing with unexpected confrontations and conflicts.

As a union, ATL provides training courses on behaviour management, as well as policy and procedures which schools and colleges may find useful.

Building good relationships both within and outside the school and college community is also a vital tool in tackling poor behaviour. Open, honest and regular contact with parents and carers is essential to ensure that not only young people, but also adults, learn what is, and what is not acceptable, in terms of behaviour. This needs to start from the beginning of their contact with a school or college and should be

al “Physic tion confronta is less likely to s ern develop if pattare of behaviour d recognised an y dealt with earl on”

difficult for poor behaviour to flourish.

Leaders who are visible, accessible, fair in their judgements and willing to listen to and act upon advice of others in their communities, provide the foundation stone for good behaviour to develop.

Where high expectations in all aspects of school and college life are not only promoted but demanded, then poor discipline ceases to be a major issue.

ATL’s leadership section AMiE produces publications on best-practice for experienced and aspiring leaders, as well as workshops both on-line and face-to-face to help leaders and managers develop the skills they need to promote the highest standards in their schools and colleges. After all, effective teaching and learning, which should always be the key priority for any educational institution, can only take place in a wellordered environment, free from fear. This is why the issue of poor behaviour, in any form, should not be ignored or tolerated to ensure the well-being of all concerned. L FURTHER INFORMATION AMIE - www.amie.uk.com ATL - www.atl.org.uk The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy - www.bacp.co.uk Association of Managers in Education - www.acm.uk.com

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EDUCATION SHOW REVIEW

TRAINING TAKES CENTRE STAGE AT EDUCATION SHOW

Education Show

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A busy Education Show at the NEC featured a multitude of educational resources plus a packed seminar programme, a visit from pop star Peter Andre, who met the worlds tallest man Sultan Kosen The Education Show celebrated its 21st anniversary in March this year, and continued to deliver a vast array of resources, seminars and workshops, product training and demonstrations. For 2012, the event was co-located with the award-winning science and engineering event, The Big Bang UK Young Scientists and Engineers Fair.

The association between the two events aims helped to give teachers the tools, knowledge and inspiration to encourage the next generation of young innovators.

Anita Pal, exhibition director for the Education Show, explains why the two shows seized the opportunity to forge an association: “Inspiring ideas and resources are a powerful currency in education and forging a relationship with The Big Bang Fair helped both shows reach out to a wider audience. The STEM subjects are of huge importance to our young people and The Big Bang Fair shows how inspiration can help to drive learning in these areas.

When coupled with the fundamental role that teachers play in shaping the academic attainment of young people, it makes perfect sense for us to establish this link to enable practitioners, young people and organisations to share exciting ideas, products and projects throughout the education community.”

The packed seminar programme was divided into Early Years, Primary, Secondary and SEN streams and featured something for just about everyone in education.

SEN FOCUS nasen, the UK’s leading professional association embracing all special educational needs, hosted free SENCO training sessions in partnership with the Schools Network and leading SENCOs. The training, funded by the Department for Education (DfE), ran alongside the show’s CPD accredited SEN seminar programme for all practitioners, Learn Live SEN. The 2011 Green Paper, changes to the Ofsted framework and the recent Ofsted report into the wellbeing of vulnerable children all highlight the importance of training for improving outcomes for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

Miriam Rosen, chief schools inspector for Ofsted warned that “satisfactory teaching does not deliver good enough progress for pupils in the most challenging circumstances” and the nasen training aims to address this. E

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GET BE THE SC HIND A T THE E N E S H OF ENG OME L AND RUGB Y

WORKSHOPS AND SEMINARS Package includes: • World Rugby Museum • Twickenham Stadium Tour • Workshop or Seminar

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EDUCATION SHOW REVIEW

Education Resources Award winners 2012

Education Show

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n Best Early Years Resource of Equipment - non ICT WINNER: Time to Talk Baskets, TTS Group Ltd– Stand G20 and Stand F20 n Best Early Years Resource or Equipment including ICT WINNER: Traditional Storyteller Apps, Day Two Productions n Best Primary Resource or Equipment - non-ICT WINNER: Jolly Back Chair and service, Jolly Back – Stand K66 n Best Primary Resource or Equipment including ICT WINNER: Learnpad from Avantis, Avantis Systems n Best Secondary Resource or Equipment - non-ICT WINNER: Investigating Spoken Language, English and Media Centre n Best Secondary Resource or Equipment including ICT WINNER: Twig Science n Best SEN Resource or Equipment non-ICT WINNER: Dockside Reading Scheme, Rising Stars – Stand J69 n Best SEN Resource of Equipment including ICT WINNER: The Fairy Tales, SEN Assist E Developed for secondary school SENCOs, the training is part of a nationwide programme to support schools across the country in meeting the needs of all learners. The three, one-day sessions at the Education Show provided a quality SEND training package for SENCOs in order to equip them with the tools to disseminate training to their school workforce as whole school professional development.

Lorraine Petersen (OBE), CEO of nasen, believes that training has a fundamental role to play in meeting the needs of vulnerable young people: “Robust training is needed for all teaching staff in order to ensure that vulnerable young people are given the best possible start in life. The UK has some of the most passionate and committed SEN practitioners and nasen works hard to support them, developing guidance and a framework to ensure that this expertise can be shared collaboratively with schools across the country.”

AUTISM TRAINING Schools across England can now register for a new three-tier autism training programme, from the Autism Education Trust (AET). The programme, which was launched at the Education Show, is open to primary and secondary schools. Schools can sign up now for the Level 1 training, which is free of charge.

The training is funded by the Department for Education. It aims to raise the level of

Australian celebrity and pop star Peter Andre dropped in – and was mobbed by 200 screaming girls.

n Educational Book Award WINNER: Special Games, LDA – Stand G25

autism knowledge and improve practice among all education professionals and school staff working with pupils aged 5-16 years.

The programme is to be rolled out via seven organisations across the country appointed as training hubs. Autism affects around 1 per cent of the population, so all professionals working in education settings should have some knowledge of autism and how to support pupils on the autism spectrum.

Level 1 is basic autism awareness training and is aimed at teaching and non-teaching staff who need an understanding of autism in their role, including lunchtime assistants, caretakers, office staff and school governors. The face-to-face truing sessions have been piloted and will be available in full and free of charge, with a certificate for attendance, from April 1, 2012.

Level 2 is aimed at staff working directly with children with autism, while level 3 is for staff who need more in-depth knowledge of autism or those in a leadership role. Both levels will be available from September. E

n Supplier of the Year over £3 million WINNER: The Consortium – Stand D30

n Supplier of the Year less than £1 million WINNER: Crossbow Education Ltd n Supplier of the Year £1million to £3 million WINNER: Smart Kids UK Ltd – Stand J90

n Leadership in Education Award WINNER: Jan Lewanowski and Maggie Constable, Languages Consultants, Bedford n Establishment of the Year Award WINNER: All Saints Catholic School, Barking and Dagenham n Marketing Campaign of the Year Award WINNER: Staedtler, Staedtler (UK) Teachers’ Club - Stand H20 n Education Exporter of the Year Award WINNER: TTS Group Ltd – Stand G20 and Stand F20 n Innovation Award WINNER: SIMS Discover, Capita SIMS n Outstanding Achievement Award WINNER: Mike Bird, R G Gray Ltd

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EDUCATION SHOW REVIEW EThe programme forms an essential part of Continuing Professional Development.

The training uses a range of teaching tools including video, case studies, problemsolving scenarios, presentations and practical resources and activities. Through this programme, the AET is developing and delivering the first ever national standard competency framework, qualification and training in autism education. It comes as part of the government’s ‘Improving outcomes for children, young people and families - a national prospectus initiative’ through which the AET has been awarded £1.2 over two years from the Department for Education’s Voluntary and Community Sector grant.

Steve Huggett, director of the AET, says: “Currently there are no nationally-recognised standards for teachers in autism education, yet all teachers, including NQTs and teaching assistants can expect to teach a child or young person on the autism spectrum. Autism affects each child individual differently so it is essential that all teachers - from those newly-qualified, to experienced head teachers - receive training in appropriate teaching strategies and techniques”.

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PETER ANDRE ON MUSIC EDUCATION Australian celebrity and pop star Peter Andre dropped in – and was mobbed by 200 screaming girls. He arrived at the event E

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Conference 2012 20th July - 22nd July

The Midland Hotel, Manchester

An iconic venue, a landmark presence and a monument to grand style hotel, The Midland will host the 2012 BELMAS Annual Conference at the start of celebrations for our 40th year.

Theme: ‘Shaping Educational Reform:Learning from Research and Practice’ International Conference for academics, teachers and policy makers to address the intended and unintended consequences of reform drawing on both UK and international experience.

The BELMAS Conference 2012 will be held at the Midland Hotel, Manchester from Friday 20th to Sunday 22nd July 2012. The Conference will bring together educational professionals, research students and others in a full programme of keynote presentations, workshops and papers presented by academics and practitioners from around the world on topics related to educational reform.

Keynote Speakers Prof Keri Facer

Mervyn Wilson

Prof Jorunn Møller

Professor of Education, Manchester Metropolitan University

Chief Executive, Co-operative College, Manchester

Vice Dean for Research, Educational Sciences, University of Oslo

“Learning Futures: Education, Technology and Social Change”

“Co-operative schools - an organic and democratic response to a changing education system?”

“Educational Reform as Boundary Work”

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EDUCATION SHOW REVIEW E to give a speech to head teachers about his passion for music and education, and was surrounded by excited fans. He had to be ushered into a private room by security.

Andre later presented Lindsey Clarke, head of Park View Business and Enterprise School in Alum Rock, with a bottle of champagne for becoming the UK’s first secondary school to receive ‘outstanding’ under the new Ofsted framework. The Aussie singer, 39, said: “Knowledge is key. My dad always said education is everything and I used to think ‘how boring’ – but it isn’t. We are educated, one way or another, every day of our lives.”

Talking about music, Andre admitted that he had in the past “done some pretty shocking songs”. But made the point he was still selling out arenas, and his education had offered him opportunities to do public speaking.

Andre said his daughter, Princess, now enjoys reading books like Midnight Garden while his son, Junior, is into the Mr Men books. The 5ft 9in tall Andre was also left star-struck at the event after meeting the world’s tallest man, Sultan Kosen, who stands at 8ft 3in and was at the event to promote the Guinness Book of World Records. Visitors also had the chance to have pictures taken with the Olympic Torch.

EDUCATION RESOURCES AWARDS The winners of the 14th annual prestigious Education Resources Awards (ERAs) were

announced at a gala event held at The National Motorcycle Museum, Birmingham, on the second evening of The Education Show.

The Awards are organised by the British Educational Suppliers Association (BESA) and Brilliant Marketing Solutions Ltd, and celebrate the innovative approach to learning and teaching by teachers, institutions and organisations from all levels of education.

Ray Barker, director of BESA comments:

Barker continued: “As the sector’s trade association, we are always working to encourage the creation of high quality, appropriate products and resources to support today’s sector requirements. In the current economic climate schools are looking for high quality and best value products; we certainly feel the winners meet these criteria.”

The Education Resources Awards are sponsored by Berol, Findel Education, Hope

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Miriam Rosen, chief schools inspector for Ofsted warned that “satisfactory teaching does not deliver good enough progress for pupils in the most challenging circumstances” and the nasen training aims to address this.

“The ERAs are judged by an independent panel of education experts, all teaching and learning professionals, providing peace of mind to the UK’s teachers that the judging process is robust. The chosen winners reflect the needs of the education sector right now, detailing innovative and cost- effective resources, exemplary companies and proven approaches. They should be seen as representing the very best in education.”

Education and supported by the National Association of Head Teachers, The Schools Network, nasen and UK Trade & Investment.

NEXT YEARS’ EVENT The 2013 Education Show will again take place in Birmingham at the NEC from 14-16 March.

For further information and to register your interest in the event, visit www.education-show.com L

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Give children the best start in life

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SENSORY PLAY

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Photographs © Mike Ayres Design

APPEALING TO ALL THE SENSES The nasen association embraces special educational needs and disabilities. The organisation’s Sean Stockdale provides a snapshot of sensory play in today’s mainstream schools.

The number of organisations seeking to incorporate sensory play into their setup continues to rise. This is in the context of a dramatic increase in both the range and scope of available resources, and it’s a significant uptake since dedicated sensory rooms first emerged in the early 1990s.

With computer controlled devices sensory play can now be tailored to individual’s needs using a range of media to create sound, light, smell and vibration at a much reduced cost.

Inclusion has lead to more children with special needs being educated in mainstream schools and practitioners who might not have considered sensory play as suitable for their setting have started to explore sensory activities to meet their pupils’ needs. Whether it is a dedicated room, a space allocated to sensory activities, or sensory activities incorporated into lessons, more mainstream schools are looking to develop their sensory curriculum and not exclusively for special needs children.

THEATRE Those of you unsure of the usefulness of sensory play in a more mainstream setting might want to pay a visit to your local theatre.

Theatres have a long tradition of using a range of sensory tools to stimulate and engage their audience (lighting, smoke, sound effects) and there are several theatre companies who specialise in offering inclusive productions for special needs children and young adults.

One such company is Oiley Cart who take care to ensure that their performances are tailored for their audience. Their production Something in the Air enabled wheelchair users to experience the sensation of birds flying, while Pool Piece involved lighting scent and bubbles being used in a hydrotherapy pool.

The way in which Oily Cart adapt a space to include children with complex needs offers valuable lessons for those seeking to explore sensory activities for mainstream children. Theatre can also influence the type of resources selected. For example, Sunfield

School, Stourbridge, commissioned a sensory room using advanced stage lighting to cater for their students with complex needs many of which are on the autistic spectrum.

Of course many schools have undertaken the DIY approach, using their existing resources supplemented with some key items such as a moveable touch wall, lighting, tactile objects and projectors. Indeed this is an ideal way to see if your school is ready to take the leap into a bespoke room or area. It is also worth considering if your school is making the most of sensory play across the curriculum.

MULTI SENSORY ENVIRONMENTS Christopher Davies from the theatre company Bamboozle offers training on creating multi sensory environments (MSE) within the classroom as part of a whole school approach to developing sensory play activities. Christopher suggests a list of basic items idea for creating MSE in 10 minutes: • Something to create height – a pole and base.

• Roll of corrugated card about two metres high – this is a little bulky to store but the advantages are considerable. It can be erected quickly and is self-supporting so provides an easy way of eliminating all the distractions in the room at a stroke and make a clean and clear space in which to tell a story, meet a puppet or pass round a precious object.

• Bag of fabric. Bed sheet size is useful as is having different fabric, such as blue satin for the sea, and a rough blanket for E

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ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

THINKING OUTSIDE-THE-BOX ® USING LEGO EDUCATION! Sarah Turnbull, an independent consultant in mentoring and therapeutic play explains how she has become involved with LEGO® Education Training and how she uses LEGO® in her work in primary and secondary schools that inspires and motivates students, and helps remove barriers to learning Having mentored many children and families in my time in education it has always been obvious to me that children’s ability to learn and socialise stems from their emotional well-being. I was inspired by my children (both girls) as they grew up with the ability to get lost in their thoughts when absorbed in LEGO® play.

I could see how that absorption freed their minds and allowed their thought processes to be channelled into the creation that was evolving. Whilst in this flow, it was always a good time to be alongside them and talk about issues that might otherwise get missed or avoided. It seemed such a natural concept then, to make use of this very captivating tool, familiar and non-threatening, in my work in schools.

OUTSIDE-OF-THE-BOX The aim of Outside- the- Box is to turn learning on its head by taking creativity out of the box and into the hands of the individual using LEGO Education resources. I deliver my intervention programme Go-peutics either on a one-to-one or small group basis via after school clubs, eight-week Intervention clubs, and holiday and community workshops.

Most of my workshops use just basic LEGO bricks – how better to allow complete freedom in the individual’s thought processes and creativity? During the sessions, abundant amounts of bricks are used to tackle various tasks. The children work together on group activities or individual projects, which they then all discuss and share. I have seen withdrawn, disengaged children shine in their own right alongside others, encouraging teamwork, self-belief, imagination and problem solving skills.

ENHANCING THE CURRICULUM After working with LEGO Education for some time my next step was to become a LEGO® Education Trainer. This enhanced the work I was already doing by providing me with extra support and structure using the knowledge that LEGO Education have been developing for over 30 years and to share ideas with other like-minded people. The contacts I made are still very much alongside me following my progress and I might say have been an invaluable source of support and encouragement.

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I have recently introduced more workshops using some new LEGO Education resources.

Fran Hooper Head of SEN Support base, Castle Batch Primary School, asked for an activity to motivate her Key Stage 1 children to read.

“Sarah uses LEGO to support a whole range of curricula areas in imaginative and innovative ways. She designs activities to suit any theme, age of children or learning outcomes, including social skills. Recently for our ‘Book Week’ she made a giant using LEGO® Education WeDo™ that she programmed to stand up and talk. It was a real ‘wow’ with the children who were so excited, as it brought our story to life.

“My class of SEN children were still talking about it several days later and can’t wait for her to visit us again. It is so refreshing to present learning to children in a way that cannot fail to both motivate and inspire them!”

Promoting Literacy and writing skills, especially in boys, is also a key area for many primaries. I find the use of LEGO Education resources in media workshops provides a stimulating way to encompass such skills as recording and reporting, punctuation, use of varied language types and comprehension.

Being involved in the LEGO Education BuildToExpress™ training and the upcoming launch, has given me the chance to pilot the product as an addition to my existing programmes. BuildToExpress, comprises single kits for every student. Each kit holds identical pieces but each student will interpret the task differently. I am most impressed by the way this product supports and celebrates individual thinking and self-expression. It embeds an appreciation and respect of others’ opinions.

LEGO Education resources have a very definite place in enhancing the curriculum from foundation stage upwards. Being involved with LEGO Education has brought my ideas and visions alive, helping make them a reality. They provide scope for all levels of achievement. This is surely the key to unlocking some of these barriers and closing the attainment gap. L FOR MORE INFORMATION For more information on Sarah’s work contact her at sarah.turnbull@ otb-consultancy.co.uk. For more information about becoming involved with LEGO Education contact enquiries@ LEGOeducation.eu

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SENSORY PLAY E a cave.

• Camouflage net.

• Roll of newsprint.

• Collection of small natural objects – shells, pebbles, sticks • An interesting wooden box.

• Small bags of wood chip and sand. Small amounts of these natural materials can add authenticity to MSEs such as the forest or sea cave very quickly and effectively.

• Carpet squares. Useful way of defining the space where you want students to sit.

Christopher’s list illustrates what can be done on a minimal budget but schools are often tempted to invest in sensory equipment but don’t invest the appropriate time and resources to train staff.

If you are looking to invest in a sensory room or space you can often negotiate training as part of the overall package, but it is also worth seeing what is available from independent providers. The good resource providers take a real interest in meeting children’s needs and will want to ensure you have the correct resources and training to make the most of sensory play.

ipad2, other tablets are available! Using mainstream products means that pupils can develop their skills using technology that is readily available to pupils at home or school.

To conclude whether you are spending a few hundred or a several thousand pounds on equipment or training the keys to success are the same. Ensure that you start with the needs of your pupils and not what the technology or products can do. Sensory rooms and resources are here to say and can have a dramatic effect on the quality of provision but to impact on learning it isn’t enough to provide the resources, they need to be part of the school’s overall vision to raise standards. So what are you waiting for? Your inclusive multisensory environment is only ten minutes away from being created and wowing your pupils. L FOR MORE INFORMATION www.multi-sensory-room.co.uk www.bamboozletheatre.co.uk www.oilycart.org.uk www.nasen.org.uk

Thinking of investing?

• Have a clear plan of how your school will implement and develop sensory.

How will you quantify the impact on your pupils? How will sensory play fit into your school curriculum/vision?

• Talk to other settings which have incorporated sensory play into their curriculum.

• Speak to providers directly at education events such as nasen Live 2012.

• Work out the total cost of ownership if investing in large items not just the installation cost (training, maintenance, insurance, wear and tear).

• Can you use your facilities with the wider community? (Elderly care, feeder schools, local clusters) • Have a clear training plan with short medium and long term goals.

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GETTING ADVICE For those interested in developing their sensory play provision visiting a dedicated special needs event such as nasen Live 2012 is ideal whatever stage you are at. Speaking to the providers face to face and being able to see the resources is a useful way to ensure that you understand the resources available to best meet your needs. You will also be able to see resources from several providers in one place and access the professional development programme that runs alongside the exhibition.

Finally don’t forget that there are a host of mainstream ICT devices that can be incorporated into your sensory play activities.

The Wii is almost ubiquitous in how it has been adopted by children and adults alike, but there is also the Xbox Kinnect, and the PS3 Move. Of course we have the ipod and the range of apps that can be downloaded and if you are feeling particularly flush the

Royal School for the Deaf adapts to the changing needs of its students The Royal School for Deaf Children Margate and Westgate College educates and cares for deaf children or young people with communication difficulties who may have additional needs, helping to provide a positive future in their working lives and the communities in which they live.

The school has adapted to meet the changing needs of its pupils and students.

This has included a new 14-19 Curriculum which offers excellent vocational courses including childcare, catering, hair and beauty construction. small animal care, and art

and drama. These are offered either in the school, college or at the Monkshill Farm. This enables the pupils and students to develop their life skills and employment opportunities along side the National Curriculum.

The Royal School for Deaf Children’s Monkshill Farm offers a wide range of land based accredited courses for young deaf learners and also for other students attending local school and colleges. The Education Centre can also provide work experience placements and educational visits for schools, colleges and youth groups.

FOR MORE INFORMATION enquiries-rsd@rsdcm.org.uk www.rsdcm.org.uk

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ICT CURRICULUM

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Microsoft partners with exam body AQA to develop new computer science GCSE Examining body AQA has partnered with Microsoft to develop a new GCSE in computer science to help address the growing demands for specialised skills in the IT industry. It’s the first time Microsoft has partnered directly with an exam board to create such a qualification. It has taken 18 months to develop and will be taught from September.

The syllabus for the new GCSE computer science has been regarded as ‘unique’ due to its ability to combine computing theory with computing practise. The practical element of the syllabus will give students the chance to create an appropriate software solution, which could take the form of a gaming, web or mobile application.

The move follows recent calls by Education Secretary Michael Gove for schools to teach ICT skills more relevant to current employers and for schools to scrap ‘harmful’ ICT lessons. Gove promised to give teachers freedom over what and how to teach, ‘revolutionising’ ICT as we know it”.

The new AQA course is to cover programming fundamentals such as how to interpret and

create simple algorithms, develop prototypes and code solutions to a given problem. The GCSE qualification is to allow development onto A-levels, vocational courses and most importantly industry-recognised IT courses.

These courses will act as a bridge between education and the business world.

Steve Beswick, director of education at Microsoft said: “Microsoft needs British schoolleavers with programming and design talents not just for the jobs we need to fill now, but also to future-proof against careers which don’t even exist yet. Over the past 18 months, we have worked closely with AQA to develop a fully tested and considered qualification which develops the skills to help to inspire

the next generation to build careers in the creative, programming and media sectors”.

Geoff Coombe, director of general qualifications development at AQA said the new computer science GCSE gave students the chance to gain the latest computer programming skills which would place them well for future career prospects.

“The syllabus we’ve created is designed to take the growing importance of mobile and web technologies into account and ensure that students aren’t left behind,” he said.

TO READ MORE PLEASE VISIT... http://web.aqa.org.uk/

NAACE AWARDS

Naace ICT Impact Awards demonstrate learning in technology rich environments

THE WINNERS

The winners of the Naace ICT Impact Awards were announced at the Naace Strategic Conference Impact Awards Dinner on Friday 9 March in Leicester. Charles Clarke, former Secretary of State for Education, presented the winners at a glittering ceremony.

Ophelia Vanderpuye, Head of ICT, Oakington Manor Primary School, Brent, London.

Rachel Ager, Chair of the Naace Board of Management, commented: ‘We are delighted to see such worthy winners of this year’s awards.

This is our second year running the Naace ICT Impact Awards and we have been staggered by the range of projects and initiatives presented for consideration. The intention when we introduced the awards last year was to showcase how ICT can have a very real impact on student outcomes and the learning that takes place in schools. I am certain that this year’s winners will provide inspiration for all practitioners and will raise the bar yet again for next year’s nominations.’

Bernadette Brooks, Naace General Manager, commented: ‘It was a privilege to be involved in the Awards ceremony and to meet many of the inspired award winning practitioners. We look forward to showcasing their work and, in true Naace fashion, engaging them in sharing their good practice with others”.

Special awards were made to Lewis Philips, pupil at Inverkeithing High School, Fife in the Secondary Category and Casllwchwr Primary School from Swansea in the Primary Category.

n Early years and foundation stage category

Michelle Hill, Deputy Head and ICT Co-ordinator, Leamore Primary School, West Midlands.

n Primary Award

n Secondary Award

Ben McCarey, Head of English/Lead in Driving New Technologies, The Cooper School, Bicester, Oxfordshire.

n Adviser, Consultant or Support Service Award

Derek Robertson, National Adviser – Games based Learning/ Consolarium, Education Scotland

n Supporting Inclusion in any phase Award Woodlawn School, North Tyneside.

n Collaborative Group Project Award TeachMeet

n ICT Technician of the Year Award

Timothy Morton, Network Manager, RSA Academy, Tipton, West Midlands.

n Lifelong Achievement Award

Lawrence Williams, Lecturer, Brunel University.

SEE VIDEOS OF ALL OF THE ABOVE WINNERS http://tinyurl.com/6uhbng3 DETAILS OF OTHER SHORTLISTED NOMINATIONS VIEWED HERE tinyurl.com/7mtz3l6

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ICT

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SCHOOL COMPUTING

SUPPORTING THE DELIVERY OF DIGITAL LITERACY Where next in the bid to change the ICT curriculum? asks David Clarke MBE, Chief Executive Officer, BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT

As BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, we welcome the recent announcement

by Michael Gove which endorses the importance of computer science as part of the school curriculum. We also welcome the recent Royal Society report: “Shut down or restart; the way forward for Computing in UK schools” to which we made a substantial contribution. The report echoed Gove’s announcement and identified three strands to ICT education: digital literacy for 5-14 year olds, information technology and computer science as key subjects.

It is essential children are taught how to create digital technology and software for themselves, starting at primary school.

However, we must not forget children also need to be digitally literate in just the same way that they can read and write.

Digital literacy encompasses vital skills that teach children how to be effective users of IT, but those are distinct from the academic subject of computer science that includes learning how computers work and how to create software.

REVOLUTION There is no doubt that the digital revolution is accelerating, not slowing down. The web is the latest phase of this revolution.

The total value of Internet sales by UK non-financial businesses employing 10 or more people in 2008 was £222.9b, up 36.6% on 2007, which shows in economic terms the pace of this change.

We believe that IT is the profession of the future. It’s already the profession which underpins much of today’s business world and society and its influence is only going to continue to grow. IT impacts almost every element of our lives today; it enables business change and evolution, contributes to scientific discovery and has transformed communication.

As the Chartered Institute for IT our interest in education is part of our Royal Charter to promote the study and practice of computing and to advance knowledge and education therein for the benefit of the public.

Putting this into practice means that we believe that digital literacy skills, computer science and computational thinking should all be part of every child’s education. E

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SCHOOL COMPUTING E School children need to be taught not only how to use technology but should also be given the opportunity to be the entrepreneurs of the future by having the opportunity to study computer science.

QUALIFICATIONS We already support schools in the delivery of digital literacy through our highly regarded qualifications including e-safety, the European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL), Digital Skills, Digital Creator and e-type. As schools look to consider their ICT curriculums from September 2012, we’re looking to continue working closely with schools to help them understand the options open to them; from providing essential digital literacy skills to incorporating computer science.

To help teachers achieve this, together with input from Microsoft, Google, Cambridge University Computer Science department, Computing at Schools (CAS) a BCS partner, has created a model computing curriculum to which Gove referred to in his announcement at BETT and which has also features in the recent DfE consultation document on the subject of ICT in schools.

It describes important principles and concepts that are suitable for schools and is available to download free of charge. CAS is also able to offer advice through its regional network to teachers who want to teach computer science.

GOOD SERVANTS, POOR MASTERS Computer Science is a rigorous intellectually challenging subject and is educationally important. Just as we give every student the opportunity to learn the workings of physics, chemistry, and biology, because they live in a physical, chemical, biological world, so we should offer every student the opportunity to learn the workings of the digital systems that pervade their world. This knowledge is empowering, enriching, and inspiring; computers are good servants but poor masters.

If the UK is to retain its tradition of leading innovation, it needs professionals who can invent new digital technologies, professionals who can integrate those inventions into technology platforms, and professionals who can build software applications that address business needs.

We also need professionals capable of protecting our information, our digital infrastructure and our intellectual property.

The best way to make sure we have those professionals is to teach the underpinning principles of computing in school, which are made exciting and relevant through projects based on the latest technology. Although technology changes at an ever faster pace, it is based on underpinning computing principles that only change slowly over the long term. Knowledge about those principles will be useful for schoolchildren long after they leave school and become professionals.

Challenges facing computing science research

Leading international researchers in computer science will address a major conference hosted by the University of York in April. The BCS Academy of Computing Symposium, held in association with the UK Computing Research Committee, will bring together computing science researchers from across the UK to talk about research challenges, policy and strategy.

Speakers at the event from 10-12 April include Professor Steve Furber, ICL Professor of Computer Engineering at the University of Manchester, who will discuss building computer models of the brain. Frank Meyer, VicePresident of Research & Development at Unilever, will discuss ‘Making sense of Big Data’ giving the industry perspective on the challenges facing R&D and data management while moving towards globally applicable products.

Other speakers include Liam Blackwell, Information and Communications Technology Theme Leader at Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Counci (EPSRC), Professor Carlo Ghezzi of the Politecnico di Milano and Tom Rodden, from the Mixed Reality Laboratory at the University of Nottingham.

Workshops will advise participants on writing grant applications and Research Excellence Framework (REF) impact case studies. The event, held in the University’s Ron Cooke Hub, which sits at the heart of the University’s Heslington East campus, will be hosted by Professor John McDermid, Head of the Department of Computer Science at York. Professor McDermid will also close the conference with Professor Muffy Calder, Chief Scientific Adviser for Scotland. Professor McDermid said: ‘The Symposium offers a forum for researchers in computer science to get together and discuss issues such as the upcoming Research Excellence Framework, as well as a chance to learn more about each other’s research.”

The Symposium is held alongside the Council of Professors and Heads of Computing Conference, and also incorporates this year’s BCS Karen Spärck Jones Lecture, sponsored by IBM, honouring women in computing research. Carole Goble, Professor of Computer Science at the University of Manchester, will give this year’s lecture on ‘Work with Scientists: Fun, Profit and the e in e-Science’.

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT www.bcs.org/academy/symposium2012 PIONEER MYTH There is a myth that all the great IT pioneers taught themselves computing and dropped out of college to build corporate empires. In fact 85% of entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley have a university degree, according to a survey in 2010, and 40% of them have a degree at masters or doctoral level as well.

Given all of this, it seems obvious that teaching children not only how to use computers, but also how computers work, how to create software, is the right thing to do.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR David Clarke MBE is Chief Executive Officer of BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT. The Institute collaborates with government, industry and relevant bodies to establish good working practices, codes of conduct, skills frameworks and common standards. It also offers a range of consultancy services to adopt share best practice. Clarke became CEO of the institute in 2002. During his time the organisations’ membership has almost doubled. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.bcs.org

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THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATION – www.educationbusinessuk.net

LiveCode’s plain english programming language helps keep students engaged with app development The Education Secretary’s decision to scrap the way ICT is taught in schools places the onus firmly on teachers to create tailored computing science courses for their students. The question that arises is what should teaching professionals focus on and how should they approach the task?

If using computer apps is the equivalent of teaching reading, we believe that learning how to write software is the equivalent of teaching writing. It is vital that today’s students gain a deeper understanding of the devices that they use every day. Mobile development is a key industry growth area. It has broad appeal in the classroom as most students have access to this technology from a young age.

What better way to make a course relevant than to teach students how to create a mobile App that will run on the device they have in their pocket?

Unfortunately, developing mobile apps is a complex and involved process. Smartphones use languages that are inappropriate for use in the classroom. Indeed language suitability is a long-standing challenge for any education professional teaching

languages, such as LiveCode, offers an approach that allows teachers to keep students engaged whilst drawing out individual creativity.

LiveCode uses an English-like language, one that is capable of covering the entire curriculum and deploying to both the iPhone, iPad and Android devices. For example, this line of a traditional language theText.substring(0, “Hello”.length). match(“Hello”) != null; is replaced with put theText begins with “Hello”.

Students understand the code they are writing and spend less time fixing mistakes. And because LiveCode is used to produce games, simulations and even flight booking systems in industry, students never hit any limit.

The core content of any computer studies course must reflect the needs and demands of the business world yet actively engage and encourage students in a way that inspires them to want to learn more. Schools that have deployed LiveCode have reported a dramatic uptake in students choosing computer studies courses.

programming at secondary school level. The difficulty arises in ensuring students are not put off by the complex coding associated with traditional programming languages. A typical experience of a computing studies teacher is to hear comments like “I don’t understand this bit of code” and “Programming is just like Maths, I don’t like Maths”.

The advent of alternative programming

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READY FOR A SLICE OF RASPBERRY PI?

It is hoped the £22 bare bones computer launched in March, the Raspberry Pi, will encourage children to take up programming. It has already captured the imagination of many technology enthusiasts Data from January’s Royal Society Report ‘Shut Down or restart?’ which analysed the current state of computing education in schools, showed marked trends in the numbers of students achieving ICT or computing qualifications, including a 60 per cent decline in the numbers achieving A level computing since 2003, a 34 per cent decline at ICT A Level over the same period, and a 57 per cent decline in ICT GCSE. The report stated: “We appear to have succeeded in making many people comfortable with using the technology that we

find around us, but this seems to have been at the expense of failing to provide a deeper understanding of the rigorous academic subject of computer science”.

Indeed, last August, Google chairman Eric Schmidt said the lack of proper computer science lessons in schools was hindering Britain’s chances of success in the digital media economy.

The Raspberry Pi is the work of the

Raspberry Pi Foundation, a charitable organisation founded in 2009. It is supported by the University of Cambridge Computer Laboratory and technology firm Broadcomm, whose system-on-a-chip powers the device.

THE IDEA The idea behind a tiny and cheap computer for kids came in 2006, when Dr Eben Upton and his colleagues at the University of Cambridge’s Computer Laboratory, including Rob Mullins, Jack Lang and Alan Mycroft, became concerned about the year-on-year decline in the numbers and skills levels of the A level students applying to read computer science in each academic year. From a situation in the 1990s where most of the kids applying were coming to interview as experienced hobbyist programmers, the landscape in the 2000s was very different; a typical applicant might only have done a little web design.

Robert Mullins, co-founder of the Cambridgebased Raspberry Pi Foundation, said: “The primary goal was to build a low-cost computer that every child could own, and one where programming was the natural thing to do with it.” E

The primary goal was to build a low-cost computer that every child could own, and one where programming was the natural thing to do with it.

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COMPUTER HARDWARE E The designers were inspired by the likes of the Sinclair Spectrum and BBC Micro computers that hugely boosted UK computer literacy. And, like those classics, you can just plug Raspberry Pi into a TV and go. Unlike the 1980s machines, it has a reasonably powerful CPU and a serious graphics engine.

Plug in a TV (via HDMI) and a keyboard (via USB) and it can be used for many of the things that a desktop PC does - spreadsheets, word-processing and games. It even plays high-definition video.

The first version of the device, which sold out within minutes of going on sale on 29 February, is a simple circuit board without packaging, and has been snapped up by developers in order to write supporting code which can then be preinstalled on to later versions, expected to go on sale in the autumn with proper packaging.

THE OPERATING SYSTEM It is claimed that the Raspberry Pi will comfortably run various flavours of the open source Linux operating system, including Debian, Arch Linux ARM and Fedora 14 Remix.

Dr Eben Upton said of the popularity of the Pi: “We didn’t realise how successful this was going to be. Now we can concentrate on teaching people to program”. Education Secretary Michael Gove, who wants computer teaching to place greater emphasis on skills such as programming. He stated: “Initiatives like the Raspberry Pi scheme will give children the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of programming”.

Web application developer and technology blogger Pete Nelson wrote on his site at www. petenelson.co.uk: “There is one industry that can turn things around for the UK – software.

Dr Eben Upton

THE HARDWARE The Raspberry Pi processor is a 700MHz Broadcomm system on a chip with a Videocore 4 GPU. That provides OpenGL ES 2.0, hardware-accelerated OpenVG and 1080p HD video. There’s 256MB of on-board RAM and sockets for HDMI, USB 2.0, RCA video, USB 2.0 and 3.5mm audio jacks, and power comes via a MicroUSB connector.

The model B, the first to be made available, adds a second USB 2.0 port and a 10/100 BaseT Ethernet connection. There’s no Wi-Fi in either version, but you can easily hook up a USB Wi-Fi adapter. There’s also no hard disk or SSD. It’s designed to use SD cards for booting and storage, although a USB hard disk can also be used for storage, but not for booting.

The computer measures 85.60mm x 53.98mm x 17mm, with a little overlap for the SD card and connectors which project over the edges. Weighing just 45g, the Raspberry Pi does not come with a real-time clock, so the operating system must use a network time server, or ask the user for time information at boot time to get access to time and date for file time and date stamping. However, a realtime clock with battery backup can be added.

We have a strong heritage of computer hardware and software in this country but the beauty of manufacturing software is that it can be done by anyone, in any location with minimal start-up costs. The biggest cost by far is the cost of training people to be able to build software – although fairly easy to pick up the basics it’s still a craft that requires knowledge of engineering principles and practical experience”.

Nelson continued: “This is where the Raspberry Pi can save us: it’s now affordable for the government to equip any child in this country with a machine which they could take home with them and play with. Furthermore if the government keeps its promise to stop giving lessons about how to use software packages and start teaching some decent subjects we will soon have a generation of highly-skilled workers at our fingertips ready to export product to the world.” L

For more Information RASBERRY Pi www.raspberrypi.org BEGINNERS GUIDE h2g2.com/A13735596 PROGRAMMING THE RASPBERRY PI WITH EBEN UPTON tinyurl.com/874tzv9 AN INTRODUCTION TO DEBIAN LINUX tinyurl.com/874tzv9 HOW TO INSTALL FEDORA REMIX ON AN SD CARD tinyurl.com/7kyy7rb

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One client to have benefited from our vision is Hugh Baird College.

HUGH BAIRD COLLEGE

We work closely with all the major vendors, enjoying high-level accredited partnerships with the likes of HP, Dell, Microsoft, NetApp, Citrix and VMware.

We’re an award-winning company too, scooping the prestigious ‘Reseller of the Year’ accolade at last year’s CRN Channel Awards.

An experienced, accredited education team Most importantly, we have a specialist education team with a combined 41 years of experience in the sector.

Working in partnership with schools, colleges, academies and universities, we enrich learning, enhance teaching and drive efficiencies. Under the Building Schools For The Future programme we have delivered boundary-pushing IT, from 3D projectors to fully integrated, flexible learning environments.

We are a member of the Crescent Purchasing Consortium (CPC), the only purchasing consortium that operates exclusively for the Further Education sector. This year Lanway became one of only four companies to gain a space on all five lots in the CPC’s newest framework, a testament to the team’s dedication and expertise.

Purpose over product At Lanway we’re not interested in simply delivering hardware.

We’ve been providing educational institutions with the best infrastructures and A/V solutions for their needs since we launched in 1993 – and we’re still the experts. But technology for the future of education is about much more than devices – it’s about what those devices deliver.

Intelligent IT for the education sector starts by examining content – because content is what enables learning.

A personal partnership Hugh Baird College is Merseyside’s leading FE College. With over 7,000 students and more than 500 teachers, its user base is broad and dynamic.

It offers hundreds of courses from basic to degree level, and provides state-of-the-art facilities across three main buildings.

to the new platform, and deploying new high-performance storage.

It’s not just about bringing in the new – we re-used existing equipment where possible to reduce costs.

The results Servers consolidated by 88% Maintenance time reduced Power and cooling costs reduced by 50% Resilient infrastructure means less downtime Robust disaster recovery capability An on-going relationship Our work with Hugh Baird College continues today. The college is now focusing on a possible Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) project, with potential benefits to include improved desktop management, and greater flexibility and mobility for staff and students.

John explains why Lanway and Hugh Baird continue to work together: “The Lanway team is always great to speak to and it helps us turn our ideas into workable solutions. I call with an idea – they bend over backwards to help. And should problems arise, they’re dealt with efficiently.”

“Thanks to our partnership with Lanway the team brings more knowledge to the table than a one-off supplier ever could.”

The college needs reliable, flexible and highperforming technology to match, and has worked with Lanway for over 10 years to deliver it.

What next?

If you want to enter the next phase of technology in education, and are looking for a partner to help you get there, get in touch with Lanway’s specialist education team today.

John Billington, Network Manager at Hugh Baird College, explains the kind of partnership they wanted:

To attend a Lanway Special Event or become part of the Lanway Education Alumni contact us now.

“We were looking for an on-going partnership. We didn’t want a company to come in, do some work for us, and then walk away. We wanted someone to help us learn – answering our questions and guiding us through projects. Lanway ticked every box and surpassed all our expectations from the outset.”

Lanway initially worked with Hugh Baird to design an Integrated Learning Suite (ILS), whose main goal is to develop new ways of using technology for teaching – trialling virtual desktops and interactive white boards among students.

A high-performance infrastructure Next, Lanway and Hugh Baird worked on two phases of infrastructure development – a server cloning project and a partial virtualisation of the production servers.

Following this, we designed a fully virtualised server and storage environment. This involved migrating workloads from physical to virtual servers, moving current virtual servers

EMAIL: education@lanway.co.uk PHONE: 01282 418 888 WEB: www.lanway.co.uk

Clare Stevens and Debbie Thew (pictured) are part of the Lanway Education Team.

Unlock potential with Kumon’s maths and English study programmes Kumon is the UK’s leading supplementary education provider. Established for over 50 years, Kumon’s unique maths and English study programmes nurture confident, independent children with a passion for learning.

The Kumon programmes are tailored to the needs of each individual child and are therefore suitable for children of all ages and abilities. With Kumon study, children master a subject at their own pace whilst developing independent study skills required for success. As well as building speed and accuracy, the maths and English programmes develop abilities such as concentration, time management and problem-solving; abilities which will prepare

students for a successful future. As a result, children can improve their all-round academic performance and also gain the confidence to tackle new challenges both in and outside of the classroom.

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ICT

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TECHNOLOGY IN ACTION

Speaking students’ language Back in November, Costello Technology College won an Education Business Award for its innovative approach to ICT. Dominic Tester, assistant head teacher, explains how technology can be used to engage students through digital lessons and online learning resources With students in secondary schooling being considered a part of ‘Generation Z’, also known as the Internet Generation, teaching methods are being adapted to ensure students are engaged and learning in a way that is natural to them.

Today’s students have grown up using technology and pick up new innovations relatively intuitively. They are always online and accustomed to having up-to-date multimedia content ready wherever and whenever they need it, be it on music streaming services, video on demand or the latest gossip updates on Twitter.

Breaking down barriers to learning by using technology, students are already familiar with is becoming increasingly commonplace.

DEVELOPING ENGAGING LEARNING CONTENT Many teachers are already using at least some form of technology in the classroom to make lessons more engaging. At Costello Technology College, we create learning content using

screencasting, which is also often referred to as lecture capture. Screencasting allows our educators to record a video of the activity on a computer screen and, at the same time, record their voice narrating what is happening on screen. This allows them to provide an audio explanation of concepts rather than just providing written notes. Audio explanations along with simultaneously recording the computer screen can explain what is happening in the video as it is played back.

This can take the form of an explanation of a software programme or website, or a lesson narrative over a PowerPoint presentation.

Screencasting was first used in ICT teaching at Costello Technology College to explain how to use software applications the students had not encountered before. For example, if a classroom activity involved students recording and producing their own podcasts, a video could be created to show students the stepby-step, with a teacher’s voice narrating the ‘how to’ element. These videos can be made available online for students to review either

during the lesson or as part of a homework assignment. When viewing the video in class, the students can pause the video as they go and skip back if they miss any steps.

This frees up the teacher to help individual students and keeps the lesson progressing.

Some students review the videos from home as part of a homework assignment. If this is completed before a lesson takes place, students are able to spend a greater amount of time on completing practical in-class activities or coursework, having arrived at the lessons already knowing how to use the software.

DIGITAL NATIVES Students at Costello are what we call ‘digital natives’. They have grown up with computers in their homes and use the Web as part of their everyday life. Content delivered through screencasts capitalises on that, appealing to an existing interest and familiarly with technology. Learning through technology also makes learning more effective as it allows pupils to learn E

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TECHNOLOGY IN ACTION

Costello Technology College wins EB award

E through visual and auditory stimuli, as well as encouraging them to participate and interact with the learning content to improve retention. Some videos have been uploaded to our YouTube channel, as many students already use this site to view videos.

ON-DEMAND REVISION AIDS Following the initial use in ICT, screencasting is being expanded across the wider curriculum.

Many teachers use PowerPoint to deliver lesson content, narrating information tagging an engaging narrative on to the slides as they go. This approach relies on students making copious amounts of notes, which can distract them from what the teacher is saying.

Instead, these PowerPoint supported lessons can be recorded to create a video version of the lesson as it was delivered by the teacher. By regularly capturing lessons and placing them online, a bank of resources is created that students can access at any time, from either home or at school.

At Costello this is completed over the period of a term and academic year, creating a full curriculum of online content. While the videos won’t provide the same level of classroom engagement as a traditional lesson, they are a useful revision aid. Any student who misses a lesson can use them as a catch-up, providing much more information than a photocopy of a friend’s classroom notes. Such materials are also appreciated by parents, who access them to support their child’s learning.

Lessons that took place months previously can be viewed again during revision periods.

A mathematics class, for example, may cover how to calculate the circumference of a circle very early in the year. If such a topic were to appear on a summer exam paper, students may struggle to remember the specific calculations or workings.

Reviewing a screencast of the lesson provides students with an instant refresh, regardless of how much time has passed since the lesson took place. Students must be able to get appropriate content, at a time that is appropriate for their learning in a way that is appropriate – whether it be via a desktop PC, mobile or tablet.

DISTANCE LEARNING Students who are unable to attend school, perhaps due to long term illness, can have lessons delivered to them online at home using the videos. One of our past students had myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), which made it difficult for him to attend lessons.

He was able to access the videos online and work independently from home. By creating tailored learning content, teachers can ensure they are engaging with students through technology, aiding in completing homework, providing revision aids and supporting independent learning activities. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.ebawards.co.uk

Dominic Tester Dominic Tester is assistant headteacher at Costello Technology College, a specialist technology school for 11-16 year olds in Basingstoke. The college won the 2011 ICT Innovation Award at the Education Business Awards, held in November last year at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium, by developing an online curriculum with learning content created using screen recording software. This enables pupils to access learning resources outside of lessons, both in and outside school, and provides consistency of learning.

Teachers use the Virtual Learning Environment to give pupils access to materials ‘on-demand’. Teachers create screencasts by recording activity on their computer screens, simultaneously recording their voice explaining what is happening on screen. Pupils can review lessons that took place months previously with exam and test advantages.

Screencast videos are made available online for pupils to review during the lesson or as part of homework assignments.

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Olivetti whiteboards offer Safe and secure with CST’s robustness and speed communication systems The Olivetti OliBoard range of digital interactive whiteboards are being described as among the most durable and reliable boards currently available.

The OliBoard 78 and OliBoard 95 are robust interactive boards, which can be wallmounted or mounted on a stand for added flexibility. They offer a high level of writing accuracy, with 300 dpi resolution and offer the choice of 2 sizes; 78” and 95”, respectively.

These boards are available with full dual pen usage for two people to write simultaneously and are designed to be hardwearing and scratch-resistant.

They offer a fast tracking rate for improved activity and have a stable, locked projector.

The boards are designed to prevent errors being made if the board is accidently brushed against by the hand while writing, as the pressure made by an unintentional brush of the hand is not hard enough to be registered.

All the range of whiteboards can also be linked to the Olivetti OliPad Touch Tablet and Laptop

range. OliBoard software is also available to create teaching materials in Windows, Linux and Mac formats and offers a range of expandable educational libraries which are simple and easy to access.

Access to the internet is also possible to enable information to be researched on demand.

Various accessories including three different sets of integrated mounting kits, a shelf and compartment for a laptop and a mobile stand which is height adjustable.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Tel: 01908 547980 a.locke@olivetti.com www.olivetti.co.uk

Call System Technology’s (CST) communication systems can improve student learning and increase school safety.

Manchester’s Hopwood Hall College ensures its hearingimpaired students’ and visitors’ safety with CST wireless communication systems.

The Macmillan Academy in Middlesbrough, a large, inner city school of over 1,400 students distributed among five buildings, needed effective communications for pupil supervision, incident reporting and medical alerts.

Macmillan’s solution was CST’s Genesis system and pagers.

“We’d used pagers before, but staff could end up making several calls to find the right person to talk to,” said David Exeter, senior leader at Macmillan Academy.

“With Genesis, the recipient knows right away they have a message, yet it’s discreet and causes minimal disruption in the Academy.”

Prad Samtani, technical services manager at University College School, Hampstead,

said: “Genesis meets all our communications requirements for school nurse, teaching staff, head teacher, maintenance staff and IT technicians”.

Goodenough College, London, uses CST’s pagers and fire/ building alarm management, and coordinates staff and students on its 112 acre, 54-building site with a DECT communications system that works even where mobile phones cannot.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Tel: 0800 389 5642 Tel: 020 8381 1338 solutions@call-systems.com www.call-systems.com/ education_and_Sen

Autology makes it easy to find educational content Despite the huge volume of digital education content now available via the Web, traditional search engines such as Google and Bing still fall short when it comes to a student being able to find suitable resources for a piece of coursework or homework assignment. However, Autology believes that it is are now providing the ultimate search and content solution for students.

Eric Hobson, chief executive commented: “Autology provides the simplicity and convenience of a traditional search engine but by only including verified, high quality web content that matches the curriculum we can boost accuracy and relevance, an important time saver for busy teachers and students. In addition Autology can be used

to search and retrieve digital content from major publishers such as Heinemann and Letts/ Lonsdale as well as high quality resources stored on Regional Grids for Learning. We’ve also indexed a large number of video resources and interactive learning objects to provide users with a rich variety of content, all accessible through a powerful, yet simple to use web site.

Hobson continued: “The DFE and Ofsted want schools to increase the breadth and quality of digital resources. At just £99 per school, per year we help to achieve this.”

FOR MORE INFORMATION Tel: 01244 560966 keithe@autology.org www.autology.org

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ICT

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BETT 2012

BETT SHOW CHARTS RISE OF TECHNOLOGY IN SCHOOLS This years’ BETT show reflected the increasing use of technology in schools. The 2012 event was the last to be held at Olympia, having played host to more than 30,000 visitors over four days There was a lot of interest in Michael Gove’s keynote speech at Olympia. His plan to replace the existing ICT curriculum with new courses in computer science is designed to allow schools to create their own ICT and computer science curricula that equip pupils with the skills employers want.

Reaction to Gove’s changes to the National Curriculum for ICT has been mixed, but generally positive. NUS general secretary Christine Blower said that the consultation should be considered “in the context of the current review of the National Curriculum and any changes made to the ICT curriculum in schools should happen at the same time. Piecemeal changes only disrupt the preparation that teachers have to make when initiatives are introduced”.

Gove said that ICT will remain a compulsory part of the National Curriculum, pending the National Curriculum review: “As Google’s chairman Eric Schmidt recently lamented, we in England have allowed our education system

to ignore our great heritage and we are paying the price for it. Our school system has not prepared children for this new world. Millions have left school over the past decade without even the basics they need for a decent job.

“By withdrawing the Programme of Study, we’re giving teachers freedom over what and how to teach. Universities, businesses and others will have the opportunity to devise new courses and exams.

“Imagine the dramatic change which could be possible in just a few years, once we remove the roadblock of the existing ICT curriculum.

Instead of children bored out of their minds being taught how to use Word and Excel by bored teachers, we could have 11-year-olds able to write simple 2D computer animations using an MIT tool called Scratch. By 16, they could be writing their own Apps for smartphones.”

Bill Mitchell, director at the British Computer Society (BCS) Academy of Computing, welcomed the proposal, saying that it is, “Essential we teach our children how to

create digital technology and software for themselves. Good schools will now be free to teach the underpinning principles and concepts of computer science through imaginative and rigorous curricula such as the Computing At School curriculum, which is endorsed by both Microsoft and Google”.

Bernadette Brooks, the general manager of Naace also welcomed Gove’s move: “The only constant in ICT is change, and teachers will see this as their opportunity to bring innovation and creativity to their classrooms. To support this, Naace is working with partner associations, teachers, pupils, school leaders and commercial organisations to develop new curricula and supporting materials that will be world class”.

ON THE FLOOR Prominent amongst the show’s many attractions was the ‘New Worlds of Learning’ led by professor Stephen Heppell and sponsored by Panasonic.

For the past few years the professor, of Heppell.net, has brought many new learning concepts into the central feature area at BETT. His work in schools across the world ensured that this dynamic and energetic area of E

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BETT 2012

E the show gave educators a fresh view of what is possible in education globally.

‘New Worlds of Learning’ was located in a prime position in the middle of the Grand Hall.

It centred on the ‘wise and wired’ children of Hounslow’s Lampton School. Live on the stand, its children questioned and collaborated with other video-linked schools across the world to identify effective ingredients of learning. They then put these new ideas directly into practice at BETT in some bespoke projects. These included humanities in which the students used an app to research local communities, and gather a rich mix of data through handheld devices while exploring historical, demographic and cultural changes. Another project focused on applied science – using crystal growing kits the students shared their insights and conclusions with students in other countries, via a shared blog space.

The central feature also included full reporting on the key activities as they happened. This was provided by radio presenter Russell Prue, who broadcast live from the show floor in a purpose built studio, and interviewed students, exhibitors and visitors each day.

CONFERENCE Those looking for continuing professional development (CPD) came away inspired by attending one of the array of sessions offered by the Education leaders @ BETT conference. The free-to-attend event took place during the first two days of BETT in the purpose-built conference centre at Olympia.

Industry speakers brought interesting and lively debate to the show in two days of compelling presentations, robust discussion and insightful master class sessions. These were all based around key strategic concerns for education leaders, including the curriculum, assessment, finance and autonomy.

The first day of the conference saw Martin Doel, CEO at National Association of Colleges, draw on transferrable lessons from the experiences of FE colleges to

host a master class session that provided detailed insights into the challenges facing school leaders. Discussion centred on ways in which the employability of students can be enhanced by working with partners in industry and commerce. This led into a round table session that included a presentation from Frank Norris, divisional manager for education at Ofsted, who shared his advice

teachers are facing in today’s classrooms.

Planned and delivered by many of the sector’s most esteemed thought-leaders, Learn Live provided educators with high-impact, one hour sessions of insightful and inspiring ideas that could be taken away to bring a fresh, more informed view to teaching.

Available throughout the show, a broad range of subjects were covered in four

One particularly well-attended session was ‘The importance of the new technologies in the strategic leadership of schools and colleges’, which considered the experiences of successful headteachers, governors and technology industry specialists in learning and teaching. and experience on adapting to the changing school inspection regime. Members of the round table included Russell Hobby, general secretary, NAHT; Mary Bousted, general secretary, ATL; Martin Doel, chief executive, National Association of Colleges and Dale Bassett, research director at Reform.

SCHOOL AUTONOMY The second day of Education Leaders @ BETT conference offered equally dynamic and inspiring discussions, including an afternoon session focused on increasing school autonomy. The session considered what is needed to secure curriculum coherence, rather than creating curriculum chaos. It was led by Tim Oates, chair of the expert panel, National Curriculum Review, and group director of Assessment Research and Development, Cambridge Assessment.

For all educators, including teachers and special educational needs practitioners, the Learn Live seminar programmes at BETT offered interactive, informal workshops and seminars closely aligned to the challenges

tracks: ICT Learning and Teaching, ICT Buying and Integrating, Leaders and SEN – all ensuring there was something for everyone. One particularly well-attended session was ‘The importance of the new technologies in the strategic leadership of schools and colleges’, which considered the experiences of successful headteachers, governors and technology industry specialists in learning and teaching. Members of the panel shared their thoughts on the future of strategic leadership of digital technology in education. Panel members included Mike Briscoe, director, IET Associates; Bob Harrison, consultant, National College for Leadership of Schools and Children’s Services, Brian Lightman, general secretary, ASCL, and Sion Humphreys, assistant general secretary, NAHT. BETT’s event director Debbie French, commented: “Teachers belong to one of the few professions that does not provide mandatory training after initial qualification.

Teachers are no different from other professionals in their need for regular training and inspiration. The BETT team works E

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Responding to the Technology Challenges Facing Teachers Collaborate

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Schools now have a greater investment in ICT than ever before, and the challenges in maintaining the technology, supporting their teachers and protecting students continue to grow. Today’s increasingly PC savvy students and the growing reliance on the internet present several challenges to administrators and teachers who are required to manage computer use, ensuring lessons are delivered in an effective and as focused environment as possible.

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ICT

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BETT 2012 E closely with the sector’s key stakeholders each year to design a seminar programme that is sure to see educators leave the show with improved knowledge and understanding, and skills that will be practical, relevant and applicable to their current role or career aspiration”.

LATEST OFFERINGS Around 650 exhibitors at BETT 2012 showcased technologies at the forefront of their field, with many using the show as a platform to unveil the latest offerings to educators.

‘App’ was a buzzword at this years’ show and Autology was showcasing its new learning app for smartphones and tablets, aiming to engage parents outside the classroom. The ‘Autology App’ is the newest user interface for Autology’s pattern matching and search software and learning content database.

Eric Hobson, CEO at Autology World, said: “We need to be flexible and responsive to the needs of our users and to stay one step ahead of the market. Apps are the most versatile user interface currently available and enable users to access the benefits of our educational software anywhere and at any time”.

Another ‘appy’ exhibitor was Groupcall, which announced that its Emerge app is now available for android devices. Emerge delivers up-to-minute management information

system (MIS) data instantly and securely, with access on an anytime, anywhere, basis.

Technogym demonstrated its Excite Med exercise bikes and treadmills. Students using these can perform simple fitness tests, increase/decrease speed and add resistance while plotting their progress visually on a PC. Data collected by the equipment can be downloaded onto a spreadsheet for analysis in academic lessons such as maths and science. Technogym’s multi-language interface is able to deliver instructions and results in French, German, Spanish and Italian, which gives cross curricular modern foreign language lessons their place in the gym.

Ergo demonstrated its approach to delivering ICT products and services to help schools cut costs and improve efficiencies. One example is Scholaris – software that provides a comprehensive teaching and learning environment that helps keep students involved in learning opportunities and experiences, while keeping their parents informed of progress. Students can share, communicate, collaborate and complete assignments while their parents can track student attendance, workload, events and news.

BETT Awards finalist and first-time exhibitor Herff Jones/Nystrom was showcasing StrataLogica. The web-based program, powered by the Google Earth API, gives teachers and students the chance to interact with the

world through a computer or interactive whiteboard. It also allows users to share and collaborate with others around the world.

Espresso Education encouraged visitors to ‘crack the alphabetic code’ with its new phonics videos. ‘Espresso Phonics’ is a systematic, synthetic sequence of phonics teaching using structured videos. It consists of six new video-rich modules based of the DfE’s ‘Letters and Sounds’ phases 2 to 5.

CEO Lewis Bronze was also surprised to be visited by Gove on stand C30, who expressed his joy at meeting a ‘childhood hero’.

There was a range of free resources on offer, including Pora Ora, a 3D world designed to make learning fun. Aimed at primary school children, pupils are rewarded for completing educational tasks that are linked to the national curriculum. The educational content is embedded in games and quests throughout the world, so children really are learning while playing. Pora Ora is also a safe and supervised social networking site where children can learn how to interact safely online with parents gradually relaxing security settings as they get older.

For 2013, BETT moves to the much bigger ExCel at a slightly later date than usual – Wednesday January 30th to Saturday February 2nd. For a comprehensive directory for educational suppliers, visit the BETT website at www.bettshow.com L

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IT Solution Specialists T 0203 384 5680 W www.qualitas-it.com LifeSize is a pioneer and world leader in High Definition Video Collaboration, with high quality HD video combined with the lowest bandwidth and lowest total cost of ownership.

• Easy one-button recording, live streaming & on-demand viewing of lessons/lectures • Extend the curriculum • Interactive distance learning • Access to subject matter experts • Teacher/Administrative meetings without the need to travel • Teacher training • Interactive, virtual field trips • Integrate with teaching tools, including electronic whiteboards and projectors • Wide range of products that will fit the budget of any educational provider Qualitas-IT, have a full video conferencing suite for product demonstrations and can also organise on-site demonstrations when needed. Full installation and support is available for your video conferencing solution, ensuring a hassle free process.

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Safeguarding Children: A Crucial Responsibility Statutory duty to conduct CRB Checks on Staff

Guidance published by the Department of Education in April 2011 for schools applying for Academy status includes the following statement concerning Criminal Records Bureau Disclosures: “The Independent School Standards place a statutory duty on Academies to ensure that all members of staff have received an enhanced CRB check prior to the confirmation of their appointment or as soon as practically possible thereafter, and that this check confirms their suitability to work with children.

New disclosures should be sought unless the member of staff has worked in a relevant educational setting within the previous 3 months. “ First Standard, a specialist Umbrella Body with the Criminal Records Bureau, has wide experience of working with schools to fulfil this requirement. We work with you to establish appropriate protocols and procedures to ensure that the checks are completed on time.

For further information, visit our website: www.firststandardltd.co.uk Email: checks@firststandardltd.co.uk Tel: 01434 600547

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Discover Weeras, your e-learning community

Great value whole-school eLearning you can trust

Weeras is an e-learning environment that aims to be the meeting place for the entire educational community.

Currently, Weeras is used in over 270 educational etablishments in Spain. Its goal is to serve the needs of students, teachers and families, and help them deal with their daily tasks. By doing this, Weeras has modernised the educational system with brilliant tools and modules that allow users to work in an easy and intuitive way.

Use it directly without technical knowledge. The Weeras platform allows users to access digital textbooks; share information, experiences and resources thanks to community tools like blogs, forums and groups; organise school management tasks with agenda, task, schedule, and email; and adapt content according to user profiles, depending on whether they are students, teachers or parents.

Scholastic teacher resources have been trusted by teachers for more than 25 years.

As eLearning becomes the norm, schools are turning to Class PET to bring their teaching into the digital age.

Class PET is an online teaching toolkit based on the bestselling 100 Maths Lessons and 100 Literacy Hours books that have sold more than 500,000 copies over the past 15 years. Every copy comes with hundreds of lessons and access to the powerful Class PET toolkit.

There’s a user-friendly personal area for everybody in the school and a ‘Learning blog’ for every child so they can easily swap messages with peers, parents or support staff as they complete tasks.

Automatic marking gives instant visibility on learning outcomes with the ability to adjust scores, and purposeful self-

With Weeras Tools, the online editing application, users are empowered to create digital textbooks from anywhere and share them with everyone.

You just need to connect and design your contents.

Weeras Tools allows users to design and publish their own digital contents and interactive activities quickly and easily; add rich content such as text, pictures, formulas, video, flash, audio and links; and share across all platforms, including Windows, Mac, Linux, Android and iOS. FOR MORE INFORMATION Tel: 0034934462617 weeras@weeras.com www.weeras.com

Awards aplenty for online resource Twig Online resource specialist Twig Science was recently named winner in the Best Secondary Digital Content section of the BETT Awards. The company also took the honours for the Best in Class Science website at the Interactive Media Awards.

Further recognition could also be forthcoming as the company is a finalist in both the Education Resource Awards’ Best Secondary Resource involving ICT and Innovation categories and within the Learning on Screen Awards’ Courseware and Curriculum Resource category.

Twig Science is a new online resource providing outstanding quality short films and lesson support for schools, and is being praised by judges as an excellent resource for teaching and learning.

There are over 650 threeminute science films available on the company website, created to support the science curriculum at KS3, GCSE and CfE Levels 3 and 4.

The BETT Award judges said of Twig Science: “It was extremely easy to access, has

a great user interface and very high-quality materials, covering a wide range of topics. It is very engaging for pupils”.

Twig Science has been created by BAFTA-winning producers and exceptional science teachers to bring science to life in the classroom. The short films fit seamlessly into existing lesson plans and have been shown to increase both teacher and student confidence with the science curriculum.

Users can try Twig Science for themselves with a twoweek free trial available via the company’s website.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Tel: 0203 4638 608 www.twig-it.com

assessment tools give children instant feedback and let them collect virtual reward stickers.

Class PET works for the whole school, and content packs for subjects and age-groups are available separately to build up a powerful bank of resources.

Every pack includes full access to the Class PET toolkit, home access at no extra cost and free telephone technical support.

Find out more or sign up for a free trial at the company’s website.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Tel: 0845 6039091 www.scholastic.co.uk/classpet

WebMonitor - internet protection at every level Managed Services Centre (MSC) has partnered with GFI Software to provide its WebMonitor to assist the education sector in creating a secure online experience for both pupils and teachers.

The benefits of the internet far outweigh the negatives; however the negatives can include serious threats, such as the harvesting of personal information, malicious internet bourne threats and inappropriate content.

Managing these threats whilst allowing pupils and teachers to harness what the internet has to offer can not only be time consuming but also intrusive.

GFI WebMonitor provides a low cost solution that offers protection at every level and is automated and simple to deploy and use. It provides layers of protection to defend against a range of threats, including inappropriate content from search engines, the use of anonymiser or proxy sites to bypass protection, the

downloading/streaming of music/video and the use of instant messaging. The software also protects against malicious internet borne threats and can block sites that students just shouldn’t be visiting.

As part of MSC’s commitment to providing a safer internet environment, the company can also assist in defining and producing online security policies through a series of linked templates to the software.

To receive a free trial of WebMonitor or for more information, please contact Sally Bale on 01580 800 034 or email sally@msc247.com FOR MORE INFORMATION www.msc247.com www.gfi.com/web-filtering

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Physical Education and Sport Ideas to

Refresh Develop Inspire

NEW 2012 EDITION afPE’s new edition of the most critical health and safety reference guide is available to pre-order.

Every school MUST have a copy to keep up to date with legislation and protect themselves, their staff and their pupils.

Order now at the 2008 price!

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1st4sport.com is a brand of Coachwise Ltd. Coachwise is the trading arm of sports coach UK, the agency for coaching in the UK. Any profits Coachwise make are gift aided back, enabling sports coach UK to develop UK coaching excellence.

Copyright © Coachwise Ltd, 2012. All rights reserved. Registered in England 2340767. Registered Offices at: Chelsea Close, Off Amberley Road, Armley, Leeds LS12 4HP.

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SPORT ENGLAND

PLACES PEOPLE PLAY

Sport England’s Community Sport Director, Mike Diaper, explains how the organisation’s new five-year youth and community sport strategy which embraces its legacy programme, Places People Play, will create a meaningful and lasting community sports legacy from the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games by making better connections between school and community sport Getting more people playing and enjoying sport is the cornerstone of Sport England’s work. In January, we announced our new five-year youth and community sport strategy that will deliver on Lord Coe’s 2012 Games bid promise to inspire a generation to get involved in sport.

The new strategy builds on our existing work, including our legacy programme launched back in November 2010, Places People Play, which is bringing the inspiration and magic of a home Olympic and Paralympic Games into the heart of local communities across England. Places People Play is already delivering results with over 450 sports facilities protected and improved, and 125,000 people inspired to get involved in sport.

Between 2012 and 2017 we will invest over £1 billion of National Lottery and Exchequer funding to create a meaningful and lasting community sport legacy by growing sports participation at the grassroots level.

School Sport

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people to improve the sporting offer that we make available to them: schools, colleges, universities, local county sports partnerships, national governing bodies of sport (NGBs), the Youth Sport Trust, local authorities and the voluntary sector. Our partnerships with these groups play a key role within our strategy and are vital if we are to succeed in building a sporting habit for life.

SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY SPORTS CLUBS In order to create as many opportunities as possible for young people to play sport we need build relationships between local clubs and schools.Under our strategy everyone PARTICIPATION one of the 4,000 secondary schools in While the number of adults playing sport England will be offered a community sport has increase since we won the bid in club on its site with a direct link 2005, sports participation among to one or more sports. young people has fallen.

Once established, n e e “Betw Many young people stop coaches and volunteers e w 7 1 0 2012 and 2 playing sport when they from local clubs will n r £1 billio leave school. We know be responsible for the will invest ove ttery and Lo l young people are faced running of the satellite a n o ti a of N ing to d with a huge range of clubs on school sites. n fu r e u q e h Exc d n a l activities or distractions Having a community fu g in n create a mea nity sport competing for their time, club within the school u and we need to make and linked to a local lasting comm ing sports sure that we make the sports club, it makes it legacy by grow on at move from the structured easier for young people participati environment of school to be involved and then the grassroots sport into community sport make the move into the level” as easy as possible. The quality local club once they are ready. of the community sports offer has

Currently, we to be high and what young people want. are working with NGBs on their To achieve this, we need to bring together funding bids for 2013 – 2017. As all the people who know sport and young part of this, they will have to E

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Image: istockphoto.com, © Lise Gagne

GIVE YOUR PUPILS AND LOCAL COMMUNITY

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SPORT ENGLAND

Currently, 76 per cent of sports halls, 73 per cent of artificial grass pitches, 29 per cent of swimming pools and 52 per cent of grass pitches in England are located in the education sector.

E demonstrate the steps they will take to improve the move from school to community clubs. However, we realise that if we are to achieve our aim of a community sport club on every secondary school site, we need all sectors joined up and working together. Each county sports partnership will help create effective local links between schools and sport in the community, building upon the existing health investment in Change4Life Clubs in schools in England.

COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES Establishing community sport clubs within schools is important but we must also ensure young people at college and university have more opportunities. Already our Sport Makers progamme – part of Places People Play – has had 17,000 people sign up to make sport happen for their friends, neighbours or colleagues, and we want these same principles applied across further education colleges in England where 150 College Sport Makers will delivering new

sporting opportunities for students.

We also want to ensure university students are getting the support they need to take up or continue their sporting passion. Threequarters of the university student population (aged 16-24) – that’s over 900,000 young people – will get the chance to take up a new sport or continue playing a sport they enjoyed in school or college. Through their bids for 2013 – 17 funding, NGBs will need to show how they will support Universities up and down the country to deliver this commitment.

OPENING UP SCHOOL FACILITIES While improving links between schools and local sport clubs, and giving young people more options to play sport, it’s also important that they – and the rest of community – have the right facilities in which to take part in sport. Some communities are in need of new sporting facilities, or upgrades to existing ones that have fallen into a state of disrepair, others have the pitches and halls they need, but they simply aren’t being used

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regularly enough. Currently, 76 per cent of sports halls, 73 per cent of artificial grass pitches, 29 per cent of swimming pools and 52 per cent of grass pitches in England are located within the education sector.

Many of these facilities are underused – enjoyed by children during term time but left dormant during the holidays or in the evening.

If we are to succeed we need to get these facilities opened up so the whole community, not just students, can benefit from them.

Recently we published guidance which will help thousands of schools across the country open up their sporting facilities to the local community. The new guidance aims to help head teachers, governors, school business managers and potential school partners understand the benefits of community use. It advises on the best possible approach, and simplifies the process.

As well as providing much-needed facilities to the sporting community, schools can experience a number of benefits too; including improved educational attainment and attendance, training and career opportunities for students, increased funding opportunities, promotion within the local community, and; sporting opportunities for staff and pupils Under our new strategy, we will also make £10 million of lottery funding available to help open up school sport facilities for public use and help them maximise the use of E

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INTERACTIVE CLASSROOM, INDEPENDENT LEARNING Talk to us about; • • • • •

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SPORT ENGLAND E all their pools, pitches and sports halls.

Good quality facilities are vital to the success of community sport. We have seen this through the early success of Places People Play, in particular the three Places initiatives – Inspired Facilities, Iconic Facilities and Protecting Playing Fields. Over the course of the programme, we will invest £90 of National Lottery funding to build or improve facilities and local clubs.

Already 350 local sports clubs across the country have received grants in the first round of the Inspired Facilities fund to improve and upgrade facilities, while 48 playing fields have so far been created, improved or protected - a number that is set to double following round two. The demand for these funds has shown us we’ve really hit the mark in terms of the legacy that people want for their local community.

HAVING AN IMPACT Our facilities legacy programmes aren’t the only ones to have hit the mark. Already 33,000 young people have been inspired to do sport in their own time in the first six months of the Sportivate programme.

Aimed at young people who currently aren’t playing sport in their own time, this legacy programme gives 14 to 25 year-olds the chance to find a sport they enjoy. They are given six to eight weeks of coaching and once that’s completed they are helped to find a club or venue where they can keep taking part.

In the south west, a group of young people discovered gig rowing thanks to Nankersey Gig Club which was offering an introduction to the sport as part of Sportivate. The group has since been selected to take part in the 2012 Gig Rowing world championships on the Isles of Scilly. One of the participants, Oli Maskrey, a 20-year-old science student from the University of Exeter, said: “I love rowing because it gets me out on the water.

We’re all really excited about going to the world championships which is a really great opportunity that I wouldn’t have had without the Sportivate project that got me started”.

Delivered by the network of 49 county sports partnerships, who are working with local providers and sports clubs, Sportivate shows a joined-up approach can have a positive impact on those young people we are trying to reach through our strategy.

SCHOOL GAMES Another programme having a positive impact on young people is the School Games. The games are being delivered through a national partnership made up of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, Department for Health, Department for Education, Youth Sport Trust, British Paralympic Association and Sport England. This new take on competitive school sport offers competition at the school, district, county and national

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level. With over 30 sports available, including formats for inclusion of disabled people, the School Games is open to all young people no matter their age, ability or background.

Already nearly 12,000 schools across the country have signed up to compete and the first national final to be held in venues in the Olympic Park on May 9, the School Games, together with our strategy, will give young people even more opportunity to take part in sport.

GOING FORWARD Changing the sporting behaviour of a generation is not a challenge we underestimate, not least because of the current trend in participation levels and the tough economic climate. However, by working together and establishing strong links between sport and the education sector, we can do something no other Olympic and Paralympic host nation has ever done. The work of our legacy programme coupled with the roll-out of the new Youth and Community Sport strategy over the next five years will ensure young people develop a sporting habit for life. L FURTHER INFORMATION To find out more about Sport England’s Youth and Community Strategy, or any of the sporting opportunities available, visit our website www.sportengland.org

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PLAYING SURFACES

TENNIS

SAPCA launches synthetic pitch QA scheme

Volleys and Values resource promotes tennis

In a move to ensure the build quality of sports facilities in the UK, SAPCA (The Sports and Play Construction Association) has launched a scheme that will see all synthetic sports pitches and athletics tracks built by its members registered on a quality assurance scheme.

All synthetic sports pitches and athletics tracks over 3000 sq metres that are built by SAPCA’s Pitch Division or Track Division members will be registered within the Pitch & Track Registration Scheme. On a selection of these projects, SAPCA will undertake random site inspections to ensure the project is being completed to the Association’s Codes of Practice. Post-project feedback will also be requested from the customer to establish satisfaction levels with the build and, in the unlikely event of any technical concerns during the project, SAPCA can act as a mediator, if required.

Chris Trickey, CEO of SAPCA, elaborates: “New, refurbished or resurfaced synthetic turf pitches and athletics tracks represent a significant investment by facility owners and we want to help protect that investment. The Pitch & Track Registration Scheme will help ensure that any scheme built by SAPCA members is built to a particularly high standard.

“The Pitch & Track Registration Scheme will ensure that, collectively, standards of sports and play facilities across the industry continue to be raised and we would urge any facility designer, buyer or operator to only use SAPCA members for the construction or maintenance of their projects.”

TO READ MORE PLEASE VISIT...

www.sapca.org.uk/pitchandtrackreg

In the run up to the 2012 Olympic Games, the Tennis Foundation and Lawn Tennis Association have launched a new resource. Volleys & Values is a cross curricular lesson plan for children to learn more about tennis and the values that underpin the Olympic and Paralympic Games. It was written with support of Young Ambassadors from Parkstone Grammar School, Poole.

The resource has been granted the prestigious London 2012 Inspire mark, the badge of the London 2012 Inspire programme which recognises exceptional and innovative projects inspired by the 2012 Games.

Clare Wood, Tennis Competition Manager for the London 2012 Games, said: “Volleys & Values is an inspirational learning experience for all school children, combining the traditional elements of education with fun Olympic and Paralympic based information. A huge amount of thought and hard work has gone into producing the series of 12 lesson plans, which are well researched and put together. It is fantastic that Young Ambassadors have been involved in creating the resource, ensuring Volleys & Values is for young people, by young people.”

All lessons come with worksheets and answers where appropriate. Volleys & Values covers six subjects: literacy, numeracy, science, modern foreign languages, ICT and physical education. www.lta.org.uk

School Sport News

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SPORTS FUNDING

Funding for school site sports clubs announced Earlier this year, culture secretary Jeremy Hunt announced available funding for a community sports club at every secondary school in England as part of a £1bn strategy to encourage young people to take up sport. Hunt said despite huge investment of public funds since winning the Games, fewer young people were playing sport, and that he wanted a “radical change”. Under the five-year youth and community sport strategy, Sport England will help set up some 4,000 clubs where expert coaches will run sessions to create ties between schools and existing local sports clubs. 2,000 football clubs have already pledged to be linked to secondary schools by 2017, in rugby union 1,300 clubs, cricket, 1,250 clubs and rugby league and tennis 1,000 clubs each, according to the government.

The minister said they were looking to tackle what was a fundamental problem with youth sport. He said: “A third fewer people play sport after their 16th birthday than before it - it is that crucial moment when they leave school where everything is organised and go into an adult’s life. Up to now we have had policies to get people to play sports in their schools and policies to play in their communities but there has been no attempt to join the two.” A further £32m of funding was also announced for the School Games. Money pledged from the Department of Health (£14m), Sainsbury’s (£10m) and Sport England (£8m) will extend the initiative from two to four years until 2015.

A further £100m will be invested in creating the clubs and tackling the decline in sports participation when people leave school. Of this, £50m will be invested to boost sport provision at further education colleges and universities with funding for a fulltime sports professional at and at least 150 further education colleges. Between 2013 and 2017, around £450m will go to sports governing bodies to help develop their sport plans but their funding will be allocated on a ‘payments-by-results’ basis. Sport England Chief Executive Jennie Price said: “Changing the sporting behaviour of a generation is a major challenge, which has not been achieved by any other Olympic host nation.

With a new focus on young people and an even tougher, =government-backed regime of payment by results, Sport England and its partners are determined to deliver.”

The money comes from the Lottery and government funding through Sport England £200m of which was from the current Spending Review settlement. Using the London Olympics as inspiration, the School Games aims to transform competitive sport in schools and get more young people playing sport. Adidas has also signed up to provide kit for 1,600 youngsters who will compete in the finals event of the School Games in the Olympic Stadium and other Olympic venues in May. www.tinyurl.com/89uhjj4

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School Service Provision of school transport needs specialist knowledge of legal and ethical requirements and stringent rules have to be met before a coach company can be considered. Here at First National Coaches, we have vast experience of transporting children on hundreds of trips, so we understand every aspect of the job, from insurance and risk assessment, to licences and seat belts but most importantly, the enjoyment of the trip itself for the children is of paramount importance.

At First National Coaches, we tailor our service to suit the specific needs of the schools we make sure we accommodate the complications of school bookings to include late amendments to numbers, addresses and sizes, refunds with late cancellations on agreement and correct confirmation to the relevant authorities. We understand school transport, so give us a call now.

Our specialist school service has included some of the following satisfied customers: Aylward Acadamy, Capital School of English, EF Language School, Europa School of English, Foster Care Assoc, Harris Academies, Langtree School, Lordship Farm School, Santander Universities, UCL Language Centre, Upton Primary School, Weatherby Prep School, Westbourne Academy.

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RISK ASSESSMENTS

School Trips

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Risk - a vital part of learning While no one should be complacent, it is clear that the benefits gained on education visits far outweigh the risks involved. Risk assessments play a key role in preparations designed to safeguard the health and safety of pupils on educational visits, writes the ATL Experiences gained outside the classroom are a valuable part of any young person’s learning - they can help develop personal and vocal skills. Educational visits enjoy a long tradition, be they a visit to the local museum or to far off lands. However, following a number of high profile accidents involving school staff that participated in educational visits, some may feel vulnerable that they will end up in court. Indeed, those who share the public perception of the UK becoming a ’compensation culture‘ may not wish to participate in educational visits at all. ATL believes that this would be an overreaction, as more than a million educational visits take place each year, the vast majority of which are without incident or injury to pupils.

AVOIDING RISK While educational visits are not risk free, schools and colleges should avoid being alarmist. Risk assessments are vital in the planning of any educational visit to contain risks within acceptable levels. The importance of risk assessments was reinforced by the Glenridding Beck case in which 10 year-old Max Palmer died while ’plunge pooling’ during an educational visit in Cumbria in May 2002. Plunge pooling involved jumping four meters into a rock pool in a mountain stream and swimming to an exit point.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) subsequently conducted a thorough investigation and produced a report of their findings, which concluded: “The weather was poor. The stream was in spate. The water was very cold. And, most of all, there were serious deficiencies by the party leader in planning and leading the activity.”

The group leader was convicted of manslaughter for deciding to continue with the activity, despite very bad weather. While such action is rare, the Glenridding Beck case illustrates the need for group leaders to consider the safety of students at all times, even if this means abandoning a planned event.

need to safeguard their own child ahead of others in an emergency.

The risk assessment should cover the main activities as well as a ’Plan B‘ for contingencies. For example, a sudden change in the weather may render it unsafe to carry on with the activity that was originally planned.

Ongoing risk assessments involve a re-assessment of the risks while the visit is taking place and as the need arises. Changing weather conditions, new safety warnings, illness or behavioural problems may necessitate a re-assessment of the risks. It is the responsibility of the group leader to ensure that ongoing risk assessments are undertaken.

WATER HAZARDS Fatalities in educational visits have occurred when students were involved in activities in or near water, as in the Glenridding Beck case. Risk assessments for these activities should take account of underwater hazards (e.g. rocks or strong currents), tidal conditions, getting the group in and out of water easily, unexpected panicking, as well as the likelihood of someone falling into the water. The activities must be formal and closely supervised. Impromptu activity should not be permitted, even if students earnestly plead to swim because of the hot weather, for example.

In recent years, risks associated with E.coli 0157 and other infections that could result from farm visits have received publicity. Precautionary measures should include washing hands thoroughly before and E

IDENTIFYING RISK So, why are risks assessments so important? The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 oblige employers to assess the risk of activities, introduce measures to control those risks and inform staff about them. The HSE’s leaflet 5 Steps to Risk Assessment (www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg163.pdf) confirms that this involves identifying the hazards; deciding who might be harmed and why; considering what safety measures need to be implemented to reduce the risks to an acceptable level; recording the findings; and reviewing the assessment at intervals A trip to a local museum may only require a single risk assessment.

However, more complex activities will generally require more detailed assessment. It should be ensured that the group leader is competent to have overall responsibility for the group at all times as s/he has a key role to play in the successful completion of the visit. While there are no legal requirements as to how many adults should accompany a group of students, decisions on ratios will need to take account of the nature, duration and hazards of the visit; number/age/gender/aptitude/normal standard of behaviour of the students; special educational/medical needs and disabilities; requirements of the venue; and accommodation.

For trips to local venues, government guidelines offer advice of one adult per every six pupils in years 1-3; one adult for every 10-15 pupils in years 4-6; and one adult for every 15-20 pupils in years 7 onwards.

Many educational establishments take parents and adults who are not members of staff to help out on visits. These volunteers must be vetted under the appropriate child protection procedures. They should be clear about their roles and responsibilities – a parent may feel the

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construction & property consultants

A FOCUS ON EDUCATION EARLY YEARS, SCHOOLS, COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES

Our professional team has extensive experience working directly for primary and secondary schools, colleges, universities and city academies as well as via local education authorities, trustees and school boards. calfordseaden's design, project management, cost consultancy, engineering and sustainability expertise has been successfully engaged on an extensive portfolio of education and related sector projects. This portfolio includes: Nurseries, Sure Start and Children Centres Academies, Primary and Secondary Schools Colleges, Universities and Further Education Foyers, Community and Youth Facilities Student Halls of Residence and Keyworker Accommodation As experts in the sector, we seek to deliver schemes that meet all stakeholders' needs and embody the principles of inclusive design. We focus in delivering a service that captures the passion, expertise and quality required by our clients. We achieve this through close consultation and solid communication.

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RISK ASSESSMENTS

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E after eating, after any contact with animals and again before leaving the farm, never allowing the pupils to kiss animals, making sure that the pupils wear appropriate shoes and clothing, and that all cuts and grazes on hands are covered with a waterproof dressing. Further information is available on the HSE information sheet “Avoiding Ill Health at Open Farms: Advice to Teachers” which can be downloaded from www. hsebooks.co.uk and www.teachernet.gov.uk FURTHER ADVICE Equipment: Equipment and clothing should be appropriate for the type(s) of activities being undertaken and for the environmental conditions.

Transport: Risk assessments should take account of traffic routes/conditions and arrangements to deal with breakdowns or other emergencies. In ensuring the safety of all passengers, drivers must have the correct licence and be able to maintain concentration.

Members of staff who drive minibuses should not be expected to also maintain discipline whilst driving, unless the journey is very short.

Accidents and emergency procedures: These form an essential part of planning a visit. Every adult should have a checklist for immediate action in an emergency, covering issues such as dealing with casualties and

the emergency services, and contacting the school or college and parents. There should also be a ’lost procedure‘ confirming what adults or students should do if they became separated from the group or lost.

All schools should have written procedures when it comes to safeguarding the health and safety of pupils on educational visits. The Education (Independent School Standards - England) Regulations 2003 require independent schools to draw up, effectively implement and promote these procedures.

Staff who follow the information and training they have received are unlikely to be sued personally if a pupil is injured, or worse.

In any event, legal proceedings are usually brought against the employer who is vicariously liable for the actions or omissions of their staff, which arise in the course of employment.

Being well prepared should give staff the confidence to participate in educational visits.

While no one should be complacent, it is clear that the benefits gained on education visits far outweigh the risks involved. L

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ENGLISH HERITAGE EDUCATION

What do you want to learn today?

LEARNERS GO FREE 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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FUNDING

English heritage funding aims to inspire local area learning English Heritage will receive £2.7m over three years from the Department for Education to use heritage sites to bring history alive in a bid to inspire children to learn about their local area.

As part of the Heritage Schools initiative, it will work with heritage partners to deliver the project, which is all part of the government’s vision for cultural education.

The government money will go on recruiting brokers - including experts in heritage education - to work with clusters of schools and help use local heritage to deliver the curriculum.

Education Secretary Michael Gove will firstly ask English Heritage to create a must-see list of local historical sites, so that schoolchildren can visit them and be inspired by “our rich island story”.

Launching the initiative, Gove said that in

Norfolk’s King’s Lynn alone, school children can see the remains of the Franciscan friary, shattered by the Reformation; visit the great Tudor pilgrimage chapel used as a gunpowder store during the Civil War; explore the opulent Restoration hotel, The Duke’s Head, built to register support for James, Duke of York, during the exclusion crisis; and visit the dock from which explorer George Vancouver sailed to Canada.

With the 100th anniversary of World War I in 2014, the initiative could encourage schools to link up with historical organisations, identifying servicemen who lived locally, or study local war memorials, the Department for Education said.

Gove added: “All of these are the physical remains of the rich, controversial and thrilling story of England. All belong to the people locally, and local children who visit

them will be inspired to delve further.”

Simon Thurley, Chief Executive of English Heritage, added: “Outside every school there is a rich history. In the high street, the housing estate, the park, riverside and field, every town, city and village is full of places in which significant events have taken place.

“We want every child, their parents and teachers to enjoy and take pride in the heritage of their local area and to understand the part it played in the rich story of England.

“Our Heritage Schools initiative will bring history to life both in the classroom and out of it, weaving it into the life of the community and endowing present and future generations of children with a vivid understanding of the place in which they grew up.”

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LEARNING THROUGH LANDSCAPES

Get set for National School Grounds Week happening in June This year’s National School Grounds Week is Learning Through Landscapes’ annual campaign to show just how easy - and worthwhile - it can be to take teaching and learning outdoors. It is now open for registration. This year, LTL has teamed up with Waterwise to deliver a week long programme of ideas, inspiration and support for schools and early years settings across the UK to ‘Tap the Sky’.

Throughout the week, there will be a host of activities designed to get children outdoors to learn about water, experiment with it and play with it - while also thinking about ways of conserving it.

National School Grounds Week takes place between 18th - 22nd June 2012. to register, and be notified when resources are available, visit www.ltl.org.uk/nsgw

SCIENCE GRANTS OUTDOOR EDUCATION CENTRES

Hall Place to opens in April Set in the grounds of the former Berkshire College of Agriculture (now BCA) the Hall Place Outdoor Education Centre is due to open April 2012, in Burchetts Green, Berkshire.

The centre will utilise the 350 acre estate nestling in the Thames Valley offering opportunities for curriculum learning in an out of the classroom. The range of outdoor activities on offer will include high and low ropes, archery, canoeing and kayaking, hill walking and climbing, with opportunities to venture further afield.

The history of Hall Place can be traced as far back as 1234. The current house was completed in 1735, and was requisitioned by the Government during World War II. In 1948, Berkshire County Council acquired the land and established the Berkshire College of Agriculture. Although no longer an agricultural college, BCA still offers a range of land-based courses alongside a diverse range of vocational courses and A Levels. The centre has excellent communication links sitting between the M40 and M4.

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Royal Society encourages schools to bring cutting edge science to the classroom Projects funded by the Royal Society include a bioreactor being built by secondary pupils in Cornwall to test the viability of getting fuel from marine algae. A particle accelerator is being built by a team of Nottingham teenagers.

The Royal Society offered £45,000 in grants to bring science alive. Each school will receive up to £3,000 and the opportunity to work with scientists and engineers from leading universities and industry.

Biology teacher Janine Walker of Cape Cornwall School near Penzance said: “We will be looking at the best way of growing and exploiting algae as a biofuel. We are right next to the sea where it grows. This technology is still at a very experimental stage. We’re saying to the kids: ‘If it works, you could be the one to discover something new. If you’re lucky, you could make your first million!’” www.royalsociety.org

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Revolutionary demountable staging...

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Kits for building stages and sets Employing 750 x 750mm units

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Kits for building stages, sets and the basis for compliant tiering Employing 750 x 900mm units Perfect for creating stages, extensions and drama sets. Also, use to tier spectators and performers indoors and out (please contact us for advice).

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4 Build a raised level by inserting Riser Cups into the top of legs or where panels intersect Handrails and drape or lighting uprights fit in the same way.

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STAGING AND LIGHTING

LIGHTING UP THE STAGE Theatrical consultant Robert Farrance examines the different types of stage lighting that, with a little imagination, can help bring school performances to life Stage lighting is no longer a matter of simple illumination as it was less than 100 years ago. Lighting design is the process of using the qualities and functions of light to affect people, objects and space. The qualities of lighting are intensity, form, colour and movement.

The functions of lighting are visibility, mood (atmosphere), composition and motivation.

Any successful lighting design depends on the operator understanding the equipment they are using and the methods used to create the desired effect.

is required to light the actor or scenery at the given distance. When lighting an acting area, the beam diameters required are usually specified at the actors head height. For example, a down light mounted at 20’ above the floor might provide a 9’ diameter pool on the floor, however, at 6’ above the floor, it provides the actor with less than a 7’ diameter pool, or ‘workable’ acting area.

When not lighting the actor, distance and beam diameter are usually measured to the centre of the actual scenic element being illuminated.

Rather than confuse readers with

THE RANGE A stage lighting rig for a theatre show consists of a range of the different spotlights, plus other types of lights and equipment. Fresnels and PC’s (Prism Convex, Pebble Convex) are most often used flown over the stage with the narrower beam angles of the Profile Spotlights rigged out in the

PARCAN

THE FIXTURES Lighting fixtures come in two basic types: fixed and adjustable focal lengths. Stage spotlights all come with specific ‘beam spreads’, usually referred to as the; beam, field & cutoff angles. Typically focal lengths range from 5 to 150 degrees. If you need to project light to a certain size or the pool of a spotlight to be a specific width, you need to find out the beam angle.

BEAM ANGLES First determine the required distance at which the fixture will be used. This is often referred to as throw distance and is measured from the lighting fixture (or hanging position) to the centre of the object, illuminated.

When lighting acting areas, the designer will usually measure the distance, to the actor’s ‘head height’, (approximately 6 foot/1.8m. above the floor).

When lighting an actor seated in a chair, then the distance is measured to the nose of the seated actor. The distance may be specified in either meters or feet.

Next, the designer must specify the beam diameter (the size of the lighting pool) that

FRESNEL

PROFILE calculations here, there are several beam calculators available on the internet, and even on iPhone applications. Google is our friend here!

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auditorium.

As mentioned above, choosing the right spotlights involves knowing the throw distances and required beam size of each of the lights you need for your show.

FRESNEL A light which uses a circular reflector and which is named after the lens which it uses. The Fresnel gives a very soft edged beam as well as spreading a great deal of light outside the beam (spill).

The light can be focused in order to alter the size of the light beam but it cannot project gobo images. Despite being not particularly efficient, the Fresnel is a good light for stage lighting, especially at close & medium ranges to the subject.

PROFILE An efficient light, which uses one or more lenses and an ellipsoidal reflector to focus the light into a sharp beam. They usually have a longer body than Fresnel and can be focused to form a sharp circular beam E

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STAGING AND LIGHTING heat, the fixtures produce light without getting extremely hot - there are some environments where the low heat properties of LED stage lighting are desirable.

The most common way for LED lights to be used for stage lighting purposes is using a combination of different coloured LEDs. A fixture with all three three lighting primary colours, Red, Green and Blue (RGB) LEDs blended together in different combinations gives the lighting designer loads of colour choices. This is using a principle called Additive Colour Mixing, where the coloured LEDs mix on any surface that reflects the light.

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LIGHTING CONTROL (DMX) DMX controlled lighting systems are used in many professional settings. Technically, DMX is an abbreviation for DMX512-A, the ESTA (Entertainment Services Technology Association) standard for controlling lighting equipment and related accessories. A wide variety of lighting control consoles, controllers and other devices that output DMX signals can be used to connect to an even greater variety of lighting fixtures and accessories.

Lighting design is the process of using the qualities and functions of light to affect people, objects and space. The qualities of lighting are intensity, form, color and movement.

E with little spill. This sharp beam enables the light to project gobos as well as using shutters to project a specifically shaped light beam. Zoom profiles are available, giving an adjustable beam size. Profiles are suited to projections and for lighting at medium and long ranges from the subject.

be focused and is a soft ellipse with little definition. The Parcan is suited to a wide range of duties, most notably band lighting.

PC (PRISM/PEBBLE CONVEX) A cross between a Fresnel and a Profile which uses a rough reflector to diffuse the light, producing a beam which is similar to an out of focus Profile. The PC gives slightly more intensity efficient than a Fresnel and also produces less spill and a larger beam size range.

FLOOD An uncontrolled light which produces a very large area of illumination. It has no lens and relies on a large reflector to direct the light out, resulting in a cheap and efficient light which produces enormous amounts of spill. An asymmetric floodlight directs more light upwards and is used to light flat walls (or cycs). This means the part of the surface furthest away gets more light and so the wall is evenly lit. Floodlights are generally used to produce large colour washes.

PARCAN This light is built around it sealed lamp, consisting of lens, filament and reflector. This arrangement produces an extremely robust bulb able to operate at high temperatures and for short flashes. The Parcan has a metal tube around the front of the bulb, giving a very powerful light which weighs little but produces bright, white light. The beam cannot

LED LIGHTING LED fixtures have many advantages over the aforementioned lanterns that make them attractive in stage lighting.

Because the LED uses a fraction of the power of an normal lightbulb, the power consumption of LED fixtures is very small, and therefore more environmentally friendly.

Although LED stage lighting does produce

EXTERNAL HIRE Your theatre may have enough lighting fixtures, dimmers and cables for your production, but sometimes you need to hire in stage lighting - maybe for special effects in a particular production or perhaps in a larger performance space that needs more stage lights to create the desired effect.

There are many lighting and staging hire companies that will offer a complete service - from simple stage design through to wholesale consultancy and advice on the functionality of all performing spaces in your school. In part two of this article, we will take a look at effect lighting, portable and fixed staging systems, acoustics, theatre sound systems and much more. L FURTHER INFORMATION The Association of Lighting Designers A professional body representing lighting designers working in the live performance industry in the United Kingdom and many other parts of the world. www.ald.org.uk The Blue Room A UK based forum frequented by sound engineers and lighting designers. www.blue-room.org.uk National Drama National Drama is a well-respected and influential professional organisation. It lobbies for drama teaching and theatre as a curriculum entitlement for all children and young people across the United Kingdom and provides professional support for practitioners in the sector. www.nationaldrama.org.uk

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CASHLESS CATERING

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Going cashless - a recipe for good financial management British Educational Suppliers Association (BESA) director, Ray Barker looks at cashless catering systems and summarises the benefits they offer to schools Back in 2009 the previous government implemented new legislation based on food standards for school lunches in England. At the time, the responsibility was placed on the local authorities to measure the take up of school meals, coupled with the monitoring of menus to ensure they and their schools were compliant. This legislation introduced the need for schools to gather data on school meals, something that they had previously not had to do. As a result we started to see secondary schools showing an increasing interest in cashless catering systems to help them collate this data, refine current administration systems and assist them in meeting the forthcoming legislation.

Evidence gathered by the Schools Food Trust in 2009 from secondary schools,

indicated that half the schools were already operating a cashless system. However, these schools also benefited from a range of services provided by these systems over and above simple data capture.

REDUCING BULLYING AND THEFT The most obvious benefit of using such systems is the removal of the need for students to bring cash into schools. It also reduces the opportunity for bullying and theft by removing cash from the student and the school. This issue leads directly to the next benefit of cashless catering systems, that being the time they save school administrative staff in counting, managing and recording each envelope of money that comes into the

school. Instead money is transferred online by parents into their child’s record in the system.

Whether this money is for school meals, trips, or books the time saving benefits in terms of the collection and management of money, for both parents and the school, are obvious.

Cathy Tilley, business manager, the Queen’s C of E Primary School, Richmond, says “Having an electronic payment system installed also responded to parent demand.

Many parents purchase things over the internet nowadays and so are used to this way of payment”. In fact, internet sales hit a record £58.8 billion in 2010, an increase of 18 per cent on the previous year. After the introduction of a cashless catering system

by BESA member, ParentPay Marianne E

The most obvious benefit of using such systems is the removal of the need for students to bring cash into schools. It also reduces the opportunity for bullying and theft by removing cash from the student and the school.

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CASHLESS CATERING

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E Lewis of Croydon Council said: “Dinner management administration workload has been reduced by 80 per cent in some cases.”

Of course, as with any use of technology within management, security is a concern and should be a key consideration when implementing any cashless catering system.

Taking another payments solutions supplier and BESA member, ParentMail, as an example, all data on its ParentMail iPad package is stored in the ‘cloud’, not on the iPad, providing another level of security.

As more autonomy is given to schools the reporting facility of these systems is vital to school leader’s management. Knowing how much is being spent on school meals with the local authority or alternative provider and how many children take school meals, gives school leaders the opportunity to manage their budgets more effectively and be aware of cost saving opportunities.

FEED ME BETTER In 2005, the television series ‘Jamie’s School Dinners’ officially launched his ‘Feed Me Better’ campaign to get good, healthy and well balanced food into Britain’s schools. Since this time, significant changes have been made to school food. While Oliver stresses there is a long way to go to achieve his vision, a new poll announced on 4 October 2011 by the School Food Trust found that many parents are failing to put fruit and vegetables into their children’s lunch boxes, with 40 per cent not containing any for their children to eat.

This compares to just ten per cent of school meals, which are mostly designed to ensure pupils go some way to getting their five-a-day.

The research actually suggested that cashless catering systems in schools could prove to be a way of making school children healthier.

Figures published by the School Food Trust and Local Authority Caterers Association in July 2011 showed that an average of 44.1 per cent of children in primary schools, and 37.6 per cent of pupils in secondary schools, opted for school meals in the 2010-11 year, up from 41.4 and 35.8 per cent respectively in the previous year. Because a school meal accounts for one-third of a child’s daily nutritional intake it is important for it to be good and balanced. Children’s Minister Sarah Teather recently said: “Healthy eating has a direct impact on behaviour, concentration and ability to learn in schools. It is vital that we help schools, children and parents develop healthier attitudes to nutritious food from a young age.”

Once again, the benefits of cashless catering systems are realised because the school can, at any time, run a report on what each child has eaten that day, week or month, to ensure they are eating a stable, nutritionally-balanced diet.

Stephen Hetenyi of Gloucestershire County Council commented after the introduction of its ParentPay system: “The new online payment system has contributed greatly to a very successful project; meal uptake has increased by 26 per cent since the

start of the contract. The convenience that paying online is offering parents, combined with our new fresh meal approach is really paying dividends.”

The UK currently has the highest rate of childhood obesity in Europe, with 25 per cent of young people being classified as obese or overweight. For these, with support from the parents, the school can manage the child’s diet and calorie intake. The reporting also gives schools the opportunity to bring their diet into the Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) curriculum.

Encouraging children to make better food choices at school is absolutely vital.

DISCRIMINATION Cashless catering systems also ensure that those students who receive free school meals are not discriminated against.

Recording on the system that a child receives free school meals means that it is only the school management team that need know the status of this child. Aside from whether they have free schools meals or not, for a few students today, it is also possible that a good school meal may be the only nutritious food they eat that day.

As schools move away from local authority control and have to manage the provision of school dinners we can expect to see an increase in the adoption of cashless catering systems. The increasing part that cashless catering is playing in schools is reflected in

the evolution of the systems available. For example, BESA member ParentMail, used by over 5,000 schools, now offers primary schools an iPad package. The package brings together the company’s electronic communications and payment suite with an innovative portable dinner register - all installed and supplied on an iPad on a flexible lease basis. A smartphone app enables parents to top up their child’s dinner money account online or via their smart phone.

Then, in the school canteen, caterers simply select an image of the particular pupil buying lunch and the system automatically deducts the cost of the meal from the child’s ParentMail account. When a parent’s balance falls low, the system automatically reminds parents when funds need topping up.

Many cashless catering systems use ParentPay Data Capture™ to send till transaction details back to ParentPay. This means a parent can view detailed account statements online and even see the meal choices their child makes. L ABOUT BESA BESA has over 300 members which include manufacturers and distributors of equipment, materials, books, consumables, furniture, technology, ICT hardware and digital content - all to the education market. The total turnover of BESA members is in excess of £1.8 billion. www.besa.org

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EDUCATION BUSINESS AWARDS 2012

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2012 EB AWARDS TAKES PLACE IN DECEMBER

Now in its eighth year. the Education Business Awards will again take place at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium on the 6th December, and will continue to recognise shining examples of exclellence in the education sector

Despite cutbacks, investment in education over the last decade has delivered real change, with thousands of pupils now being taught in new or improved facilities. Although some parts of the country were affected by the cancellation of Building Schools for the Future projects, more refurbishments and new builds are planned in to be completed in 2012. Since the Coalition government came to power in 2010 and offered greater financial incentive, there has been an explosion in the academy sector, where schools enjoy more autonomy and greater flexibility with regards to budgeting and procurement.

RECOGNITION Over 80 schools from across the UK were rewarded for their achievements at the 2011 Education Business Awards, held last November in London. Presented by Moira Stuart, the Awards recognised successful schools and projects that demonstrate how the dedication of teaching and management staff, coupled with sound investment, have delivered better learning environments. Entry is open to Primary and Secondary Schools from all sectors.

Now in its eighth year, the Education Business Awards is supported by the British Educational Suppliers Association, nasen and NAACE. As well as coverage in The Independent Newspaper, the event is promoted through leading magazine Education Business, published six times a year. The event is attended by representatives from the educational organisations which have been shortlisted for each award, who are treated to a champgne drinks reception, foloo9wed by a fiur course lunch before their award category winners are revealed.

Those attending are be able to network with fellow professionals and discuss projects, best practice and other ideas that have come to fruition to make their school stand out.

The Education Business Awards is free to enter, and free to attend for shortlisted schools. The Emirates Stadium, home of Arsenal Football Club, has been home to the event since the year after it launched E

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EDUCATION BUSINESS AWARDS 2012 E in 2006, and provides a superb venue that is easily reached by public transport and, as several of last years shortlisted schools remarked: “The food was excellent!”

THE AWARDS The Outstanding Progress Award for Independent Schools is sponsored by Espresso Education and Channel 4 Learning, and presented for outstanding progress in the management of facilities, finances and human resources. The 2011 Award went to St Joseph’s School in Cornwall, which also recently received the Independent Schools Association (ISA) Award for Excellence. From top exam results and sporting prowess to national music and ballet success, alongside community fundraising, which pupils have organised over the past two years, the school is increasingly sought after. With a substantial increase in pupil numbers, the school’s continued commitment to maintaining small classes remains a bedrock priority.

St Joseph’s combines broad, challenging, quality education with excellent pastoral care and extra-curricular opportunities. High in self-esteem, pupils respect others and their school environment, underlining the school’s aim to provide ‘a firm foundation for life’.

The Outstanding Progress Award for Secondary schools, sponsored by NEC Display Solutions, went to Bethnal Green Technology College (BGTC), which made another leap in GCSE results, achieving 80 percent fiveplus A*-C grades, including English and Mathematics. That took them from 27 percent in 2007 and on to 57 percent in 2010. Each has been a tremendous jump. Much of that has been guided through strong, long-term management, carefully targeted resources and high retention of committed teachers.

Creating a tightly structured environment and staff development programme, assisted

by Teach First, BGTC transformed other schools’ excluded students and created a new culture of expectation. They have received approval for Academy status.

SEN AWARDS The SEN Inclusion Award, sponsored by Mike Ayres Designs, is presented to the UK Mainstream School that can demonstrate an increase in the quality of care and education services provided to students with Special Educational Needs.

Last years winner, Baxter College in Worcestershire has relentlessly reshaped itself and directed its educational principles to eradicating the ‘crisis school’ image that arose in a ward considered the seventh most deprived in England. Baxter College’s equal opportunities, attitudes and values, cohesive school life, curriculum flexibility and proactive community perspectives, have a critical impact: from personalised ‘hot lesson’ learning, mentoring and hardship funding to external, assisting partnership groups recognised as ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted. Such is the resolve and

creative teaching expertise the school also runs nurturing sessions for five local primaries. That is testimony enough to both their emerging worldly learning vision and their desire to catch every pupil ‘doing something good’.

Also sponsored by Mike Ayres Designs, the SEN Provision Award is for a UK SEN establishment that can demonstrate an increase in the quality of care and education services provided to its students.

James Brindley School in Birmingham picked up the 2011 Award. As a result of the outstanding care, guidance and support, the school provides its students, pupils’ medical barriers to learning are successfully overcome.

Parents readily explain their view of the

EB Awards

Sponsored by

is presented to the educational establishment that can demonstrate an outstanding committment to developing the sporting skills of its students through the provision of first class facilities and coaching programmes. In 2011 it went to The Oratory School in South Oxfordshire, which promotes a ‘sport for all’ ethos. The school is recognised for students’ exceptional abilities and their dedication to sport with the expertise and commitment of staff and parental support winning through.

Sporting excellence acknowledged the school’s inclusive approach. Pupils at Oratory School reach out to pupils from around the Thames Valley and beyond, bringing together young people from different countries enriching their

Since the Coalition government came to power in 2010 and offered greater financial incentive, there has been an explosion in the academy sector, where schools enjoy more autonomy and greater flexibility with regards to budgeting and procurement. exceptional assistance they gain in helping them understand and manage their children’s needs, especially when children are returning to mainstream schools or are moving to the next stage of their education. Where pupils spend extensive periods of time at the school, targetsetting is used effectively in promoting their personal, social and academic development.

Thorough monitoring systems track the work of the school, and assessment data accurately targets where further improvements are due.

EDUCATIONAL VISITS The Educational Visits Award, sponsored

by WST Travel, recognises an educational establishment that can demonstrate a commitment to providing students with a range of subject specific educational visits in order to further their learning experience.

South Bromsgrove High School, Worcester, won it last year, and has operated the Duke of Edinburgh Award for over 25 years. The scheme’s success led to them becoming the largest school-based centre for the Award in the country, with over 500 students taking part annually. Volunteering, physical activity, skills, and an expedition form the core programme leading through to the Gold Award. Planning is considerable, typically involving around 240 students, and completion rates are high. The Gold Award is available to Sixth Form students and is seen as a pinnacle of achievement. From practice camp they walk for four days carrying packs and provisions, and camping at sites they nominated in their planning. Students gain increased confidence, self-esteem; develop group skills including leadership, practical knowledge, camp craft and navigational skills.

The Sports Award, sponsored by Collinson

experiences. That degree of achievement owes much to the coaching capabilities of expert sports professionals who provide training focus. Intensively used and refurbished used sports facilities reveal their strength: an indoor heated pool, indoor soccer and basketball, squash courts, indoor cricket and gymnasium.

SCIENCE Awarded to the educational establishment that has excelled in the provision of a first class environment for teaching science subjects including biology, chemistry and physics, The Science Award, sponsored by Lab Systems Furniture, was picked up by Pate’s Grammar School in Cheltenham. For the second successive year, Pate’s students led and won the UK Space Settlement Design Competition national final, which means they will represent the UK in the international final to be held at NASA in Houston, Texas. So it is just as well two of the 10 science labs have been extensively refurbished. Pate’s Science Department run Science Festival events for both visiting students and the school’s younger students, showcasing achievement. In Science and Engineering week – from bridge building to rat dissection – science thereby becomes more popular and engaging. That limitless attainment ethos is taking the Physics Department to Cern in Switzerland, to discover the excitement of fundamental research and to take a look behind the scenes of the world’s largest particle physics laboratory.

The School Recruitment Award, sponsored

by Eteach, recognises an educational establishment which has invested in its recruitment methods and processes to ensure a timely intake of appropriate teaching E

Volume 17.2 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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As the recognised standard for children’s washroom cubicles, Genesis is a popular, highly flexible choice for your school or nursery. Contact us to order our new brochure. Call 01474 353333. www.venesta.co.uk 10-year guarantee.

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THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATION – www.educationbusinessuk.net

EDUCATION BUSINESS AWARDS 2012

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E and support staff. This went to the James Brindley School in Birmingham. When the new management team were recruited to James Brindley School in 2007/8 the school was already considered outstanding. The challenge was to retain that outstanding badge by improving on its previous best to become, in effect, ‘outstanding plus’.

Implementing a new recruitment strategy, they were awarded Outstanding Special Schools in 2010. Every applicant is seen teaching, they are shortlisted, observed in the candidates’ home school environment and, most importantly, in their relationship with pupils and colleagues. Once satisfied, their skills and ideas for adapting current knowledge are examined. A pupil panel, with support, astutely formulates questions and is encouraged to explore answers further if they do not understand when deciding on a preferred candidate. L FURTHER INFORMATION The 2012 Education Business Awards takes place on 6th December at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium. It is free to enter and free to attend for shortlisted schools.

For details, visit www.ebawards.co.uk

Business intelligence solutions that go further

Quality furniture solutions from a unique business

SolStonePlus is a leading Business Intelligence services company with an established and growing reputation.

It enables its clients to be more efficient, provide better service to their customers and improve bottom-line performance through solutions delivering the deep and actionable insight needed to make quicker, smarter, joined-up decisions.

The company says it offers an enviable combination of specialist capabilities and pedigree that other providers simply can’t match.

With an impressive track record in all public and commercial sectors, SolStonePlus has enjoyed particular success in higher education, working collaboratively with more than 20 institutions to deliver innovative university-wide business intelligence solutions that go far beyond the limited, siloed, proprietary reporting tools still

Countless schools and businesses have found their furniture solutions at Mount Industries.

Based at Eastleigh in Hampshire the company designs and manufactures a comprehensive range of standard and specialist educational and office furniture.

Not only are the products manufactured to the highest standard with top quality materials, but Mount Industries also holds a unique place within the sector. The company is a social enterprise within the charity Enham, offering work opportunities to disabled people.

With more than 30 years experience behind it, the business has built up a loyal customer base. Reputation and competitive pricing won it a contract with Forest Edge Special School near Southampton.

Mount Industries worked to Hampshire County Council architect drawings, manufacturing and installing units as each new building became ready, making it an exciting and rewarding project.

offered by many other vendors.

We work in tandem with the university’s own business and technical people to design an enterprise-wide solution guided by an overall strategic architecture. Then regularly deliver pieces of that solution providing specific business value.

One phase may focus on student experience, the next may be module costing or staff analysis. The secret to success is providing a single joined-up solution where the whole is worth far more than the sum of the parts, and ensuring that full ownership transfers smoothly from supplier to customer as the journey progresses.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Tel: +44 (0) 1273 206 555 www.solstoneplus.com

Mount’s customers include local education authorities, schools and colleges, and public sector organisations. Its school range includes the popular tray units, height adjustable desks and art equipment storage.

It also supplies office solutions from basic storage units to smart reception desks, computer workstations and cupboards.

Its products’ functional designs enable Mount’s products to meet the demands of today’s busy working environments. They’re quality products produced by a socially aware company.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Tel: 023 8061 2841 www.mountindustries.co.uk

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Advertisers Index

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SOLUTIONS for EDUCATION

New UB-T880 touch-sensitive Interactive Whiteboard • Multi-touch operation: 3 pupils can work together and multiple points can be used to manipulate objects.

• Both finger-touch and electronic pen operation or simultaneous usage of both.

• Highly durable surface to resist everyday use.

• Large screens for high-impact lessons 86-inch (UB-T880W) and 78-inch (UB-T880).

• Built-in stereo speakers and 2 USB ports.

• Easiteach software included for creating engaging lessons.

• Height adjustable stand as an option.

EVERY THING MATTERS

UB-T800

UB-T800W

For more information on Panasonic Products see www.panasonic.co.uk/education

You can also visit the Easiteach website: www.easiteach.com

with eBeam Technology

Interactive Learning

FINALIST

The new NEC interactive classroom projection solution utilises your existing NEC short throw or ultra short throw projector, reducing your costs for an easy installation and future proof investment.

Compatible with industry standard software or available with fully featured eBeam software, the NP01Wi interactive wall mount will enhance your teaching and stimulate your students.

For more information please visit

www.nec-display-solutions.co.uk

Copyright 2011 NEC Display Solutions Europe GmbH. All rights are reserved in favour of their respective owners. This document is provided “as is� without warranty of any kind whatsoever, either express or implied.