Education Business ­ 15.6

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VOLUME 15.6

BETT 2011 The world’s leading event for educational technology

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As a firm that has advisers that are recognised as holding the highest qualifications in the industry, with both Chartered and Certified accreditation, our knowledge and professionalism as a firm is recognised as the highest in the industry.

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The highly anticipated spending review has been announced and, as expected, most will be worse off with tough times ahead. However, education – as promised – fared better than others with real terms budget increases of 0.1 per cent per year, including a £2.5 billion pupil premium to support the education of disadvantaged children.

In these troubled times financial planning and assessing investment risk is increasingly important for schools and their trustees. On page 11 we take a look at the differences between financial planning and traditional investment management services, and find out how you benefit from agreeing and setting financial goals.

BETT 2011 event The world’s leading logy for educational techno

DESIGN & BUILD

ENERGY

FIRE SAFETY

moRE INSIDE gement services PLUS ing and investment mana FINANCE - Financial plann

Dedicated to showcasing the best in UK and international educational technology products, resources and best practice, BETT returns to London in January. Turn to page 23 to read more about this innovative and inspiring event.

Continuing on the subject of technology, the British Educational Suppliers Association comments on the findings of its ‘ICT in UK State Schools’ research on page 27.

Enjoy the issue.

editorial@psigroupltd.co.uk

EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE If you would like to receive 6 issues of Education Business magazine for £45 a year, please contact Public Sector Information, 226 High Road, Loughton, Essex IG10 1ET. Tel: 020 8532 0055, Fax: 020 8532 0066, or visit the Education Business website at: P NEWS P FEATURES P PROFILES P CASE STUDIES P EVENTS P AND MORE

8 www.educationbusinessuk.com EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE PUBLISHED BY PUBLIC SECTOR INFORMATION LIMITED 226 High Rd, Loughton, Essex IG10 1ET. Tel: 020 8532 0055 Fax: 020 8532 0066 EDITOR Sofie Lidefjard ASSISTANT EDITOR Angela Pisanu PRODUCTION EDITOR Karl O’Sullivan PRODUCTION DESIGN Jacqueline Grist

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“ The problem that trusts, charities and corporate investors face in obtaining investment advice, is the same as for individuals: who can I trust? Who is accountable?

Trust takes time to develop, is easy to promise but is rarely delivered, but why?

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If you’re seeking investment and financial planning advice that is impartial, accountable and trusted please contact us.

01603 760866 | post@sgwealthmanagement.co.uk | www.sgwealthmanagement.co.uk

8 www.educationbusinessuk.com

CONTENTS EDUCATION BUSINESS VOLUME 15.6

07 NEWS 11 FINANCE What are the differences between financial planning and traditional investment management services?

The Chartered Institute Of Public Finance and Accountancy explains the main requirements of the chief financial officer

23 BETT 2011 Taking place in January at Olympia in London, BETT attracts more than 600 educational suppliers and around 30,000 visitors BESA’s Ray Barker discusses how results from its ‘ICT in UK State Schools’ research will affect visitor behaviour at BETT 2011 The Business Application Software Developers Association introduces some of its members Ongoing assessment and parental reporting can help engage parents, reduce teacher workload and ultimately transform learning

40 ICT Martyn Hart, Chairman of the National Outsourcing Association, discusses how schools can achieve successful outsourcing

47 DESIGN & BUILD The role of effective stakeholder engagement is crucial when it comes to

the sustainable development of school buildings We review Remodelling Education Spaces – a one stop shop for everything related to refurbishing, renovating and revamping education spaces

55 ENERGY The Eco Team and staff at St Columb Minor School, Cornwall are taking a practical but fun-packed approach to driving energy use down by making eco pledges in class and at home Climate Change Solutions examines low carbon schools and how this can be achieved now the Building Schools for the Future programme has been scrapped RenewableUK writes about how microgeneration technologies can help schools with their sustainability agenda

63 FACILITIES MANAGEMENT We take a look at the complex role of a school facilities manger

69 FIRE SAFETY How can schools make their premises safe from arson attack?

75 PHYSICAL EDUCATION Free schools could be set up with a curriculum based around sport The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games explains how schools can get involved in the 2012 Games

81 CATERING The British Dietetic Association supports a whole-school approach to healthy eating to provide consistent messages about a balanced diet The School Food Trust looks at two successful schools that have transformed their lunchtime experience

87 MARKET RESESARCH The Market Research Society discusses why now is the time to build research into a business strategy

88 CONFERENCES & EVENTS Brighton and Eastbourne offer conference delegates the right mix of business and pleasure

73 SCHOOL TRIPS Children benefit enormously from learning experiences outside the classroom, and health and safety worries should not come in the way of this, writes Paul Gilbert of Kingswood Educational Activity Centres

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATION

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Education Business | Volume 15.6

www.educationbusinessuk.com

£7 billion “fairness premium” for disadvantaged children eputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has announced £7 billion funding for a “fairness premium”, which will give all disadvantaged two-year-olds an entitlement to 15 hours a week of pre-school education. This is in addition to the 15 hours already available to them at three and four years of age.

Clegg said: ”By the time they hang up their coats for their first day at school, bright children from poor backgrounds have fallen behind children from affluent homes.

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“Parents have a huge role to play here – providing love, discipline and education. But the government has a vital contribution too, in offering additional help for those children who, because of the circumstances of their birth, risk falling behind in these critical foundation years.”

The funding will also cover a Pupil Premium to help poorer pupils wherever they live in the country. Schools will receive additional funds to help every pupil eligible for free school meals and reduce educational inequalities.

Teachers oppose schools run for profit, survey says he majority of school staff are fundamentally opposed to state schools being run for profit, according to a survey by the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL).

In the survey of over 1,800 staff working in state and private schools in England seven in ten staff working in state schools said they disagreed with state funded schools being run for profit, with over four in ten strongly opposed. Over 60 per cent of staff working in independent schools also opposed the idea.

ATL general secretary, Dr Mary Bousted, said: “Staff in state and private schools

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do not want state schools to be run for profit with the money for teaching children creamed off to line the pockets of company directors and private consultants.

They are rightly totally unconvinced that academies or free schools will improve education, and they are tired of change for the sake of change in education.”

State school staff were uniformly worried about the impact on their pay, conditions and pensions of local authorities no longer being responsible for running state schools.

Overall 86 per cent were worried about their pensions, 84 per cent about terms and conditions, and 83 per cent about pay.

100th pupil joins Olympic Park Construction Crew 0 primary school children from the five Olympic Host Boroughs have started work on this year’s Construction Crew, bringing the total to 100 since the project started in 2008.

This year’s Construction Crew will have the opportunity to meet the people delivering the Olympic Park and learn about aspects of the project including sustainability, training and archaeology as well as taking part in

4

workshops to promote leadership, responsibility and presentation skills.

ODA chief executive David Higgins said:” Crew is a great opportunity to involve local young people in the transformation taking place in their area and develop their skills. This year’s Crew will see firsthand the Olympic Park ‘big build’ at its peak with venues being completed and the park changing from brown to green as plants and trees take root.”

NEWSINBRIEF Electronic books soon in classrooms Teachers predict electronic books will soon find their way into classrooms, a new survey claims.

A study by www.

SchoolStickers.co.uk found that 77 per cent of teachers believe electronic books will be in schools by 2020. However, 87 per cent believe that paper books will never be obsolete in school.

Consultation on planning regulations for Free Schools The government has launched its consultation on planning regulations relating to Free Schools. This consultation looks at the changes proposed to the Town and Country Planning Order 1995, which aim to free up the planning system in relation to schools development.

As outlined in ‘Planning for schools development: Consultation’, the purpose of the proposals is to support the Department for Education’s policy on new Free Schools.

The consultation paper can be downloaded from www.education.gov.uk.

Review of music education announced All young people should have the chance to learn an instrument, read music and receive top quality music education, Education Secretary Michael Gove has said.

Launching an independent review of music education, which will be led by Darren Henley, managing director of Classic FM, Mr Gove said broadening the access and opportunities young people have to music education is central to raising standards.

Research shows that quality music education improves behaviour, attention and concentration, and has a hugely positive effect on numeracy and language skills.

The review is expected to make its recommendations before the end of the year.

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATION

07

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Education Business | Volume 15.6

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Scotland sets up new education support body new educational support body has been formed in Scotland to increase and improve the coordination of support available to schools.

The new body – the Scottish Education Quality and Improvement Agency – will initially bring together Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education (HMIe) and Learning and Teaching Scotland (LTS).

It will lead the drive to complete the implementation of the new curriculum, improve education and encourage innovation in the classroom. It will do this with less bureaucracy, less red tape and with more resources at the frontline.

Scottish Education Secretary Michael

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Russell said: “Scotland’s education inspectors – HMIe – are one of the great strengths of our education system. While Learning and Teaching Scotland provide important support, practical materials and guidance to schools. They are two sides of the same coin: one supporting improvement, the other inspecting standards.

“The introduction of the new curriculum makes now the right time to bring these two halves together. An entirely new body – the Scottish Education Quality and Improvement Agency – will be created bringing the work of HMIE and LTS together in one place.”

Millions of school days lost due to unauthorised holidays early four million school days in England were missed last spring and autumn because parents took their children out of school on holiday.

Department for Education figures show 0.51 per cent of half-days were missed in the autumn term of 2009 and spring term of 2010 because of family holidays.

Of these absences, 76 per cent were approved and the rest were unauthorised.

In the autumn term of 2008, 0.73 per cent of half-days were lost to

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authorised and unauthorised school holidays and 0.45 per cent were lost in the spring term of 2009.

Schools minister Nick Gibb said: “It is crucial that children are not missing out on valuable lessons that could leave them vulnerable to falling behind.

“The government is committed to tackling the underlying causes of absenteeism, raising academic standards and ensuring every child can meet their potential, regardless of their background.”

Schools miss the axe from coalition government pending review he Chancellor George Osborne has announced that the schools budget will increase from £35 billion to £39 billion over the next four years, as part of the coalition government’s comprehensive spending review.

“Even as pupil numbers greatly increase, we will ensure the cash funding per pupil does not fall,” he said.

Schools will also be given more freedom how they spend their money.

A new £2.5 billion pupil premium that supports the education of disadvantaged children has been agreed, which will provide a real incentive for good schools to take pupils from poorer backgrounds.

The government will also be funding an increase in places for 16 to 19 year olds and will provide support for the early years of our children.

Sure Start services will be protected in

NEWSINBRIEF Schools Shine in new magazine competition School children in England and Wales are being challenged to produce a magazine, digital edition or website as part of a new awards scheme supported by the Periodical Publishers Association (PPA).

Led by the Stationers’ Foundation, the Shine 2011: School Media Awards initiative is designed to give secondary pupils the chance to develop their knowledge and skill in publishing and design. Teachers of English and Art & Design are encouraged to build entry for the awards into the curriculum for the 2010/11 academic year, and can register their interest at the Shine 2011: School Media Awards website (www.shine-schoolawards.org). The website also provides full details of the categories, how to enter and the judging process. Every school registering for the competition will receive a free copy of the Quark XPress 8 DTP System to produce its entry.

Barry McIlheney, chief executive of the PPA, said: “It’s a great initiative that will give secondary school children in England and Wales a real taste of the exciting creative environment of magazine publishing.”

College manager crowned best in the country College manager David Cook, who works at Banff & Buchan College in Scotland, has beaten more than 1,000 managers from across the UK to be crowned as the UK’s best manager.

David won the Chartered Manager of the Year Award after his efforts to restructure the college saved its nautical science department from closure. The nautical industry is one of the most dangerous in the UK and David is committed to ensuring that people are fully trained to cope with the demands of the industry.

The award was presented by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI), and recognises a manager who can show that their excellent leadership skills have made a significant positive impact upon their workplace.

Rural schools in Scotland protected from closure

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cash terms, and the programme will be refocused on its original purpose. This will be helped further by introducing for 15 free hours of early education and care for all disadvantaged two year olds.

Overall, the Department for Education will be required to find resource savings of only one per cent a year.

New rules to ensure alternatives to school closures are fully explored by local authorities in Scotland have been announced.

The move is designed to ensure communities’ ideas for keeping a school open when faced with closure are properly examined. Any closure proposal that fails to properly examine alternatives will be halted by Ministers.

Scottish Education Secretary Michael Russell said: “One of the chief concerns of many rural communities is that they feel their ideas for viable alternatives to closure are not given a fair hearing.

“We will work with communities, local authorities and stakeholders on fresh mandatory guidance that makes it clear to councils that they must consider all viable alternatives to closure – regardless of the source. They must listen to, examine, test and – when it holds water – accept any plan that a community brings forward to save a rural school.”

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATION

09

Leicester office on New Walk

Trustees

Are you aware of your duty of care?

Are you meeting your legal responsibilities?

Trustees, you have a duty of care to the beneficiaries. Both trustees of charitable and non-­charitable trusts are under a duty to exercise such care and skill as is reasonable in all circumstances. This is a serious legal responsibility with a number of implications.

The Trustee Act 2000 places a duty on the trustees to take professional advice.

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Your trustee duties include: n Being impartial; Acting in the beneficiaries best interests n Making informed investment decisions & not hoarding cash n Considering taxation implications n Taking regular, professional advice Absolute Financial Services embrace the Institute of Financial Planning’s ethos and are whole heartedly committed to empowering trustees to take control of their duties and responsibilities by employing the following process:

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Setting realistic and considered goals Gathering & analysing trust details Constructing the financial plan Implementing the financial plan & Investment Porfolio Regularly monitor, review and update the financial plan We would welcome the opportunity to speak with you in detail about how we can ensure that as a trustee you fulfil your statutory obligations under The Trustee Act 2000.

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Education Business | Volume 15.6

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FINANCE

MINIMISING RISK FOR TRUSTEES Danny Cox, writing on behalf of the Institute of Financial Planning, looks at the differences between financial planning and traditional investment management services NEARLY 10 YEARS AGO, the Trustee Act 2000 brought the most significant change to trust legislation for 75 years. Alongside wider and increased powers, the Act placed a greater degree of accountability on trustees, making their duty of care explicit and increasing the potential for personal liabilities. At the time there was a fear that trustees, uncomfortable with this level of personal accountability, would resign by the thousand, leaving gaps never to be re-filled.

In practice, this has not happened. Boards of trustees have undergone training and taken professional investment advice when required.

Traditionally, trustees have looked to their banks to provide investment advice. However, disillusioned with the one dimensional offerings from most banks, trustees are increasingly turning to financial planners for advice. But what are the differences between financial planning and traditional investment management services?

FINANCIAL PLANNING Financial planning has been described as the process of bringing the future into the present, providing the opportunity to do something about it.

In its most simple sense, financial planning involves working out what is most important: the goals. Then, by adding timescales, growth assumptions and costs, the planner can work out how to achieve these goals by planning the finances accordingly.

A financial planning exercise will help trustees: • agree and set goals • have a clear idea of whether these goals are achievable and the strategy required • have a clear idea of the amount of risk required to meet those goals • help meet the responsibilities under the Trustee Act 2000 • feel more in control.

Financial planning will also extend to investment management but in itself is a stand alone service.

RISK ASSESSMENT The method of assessing investment risk is often one of the most noticeable differences between a financial planning service and a traditional investment management service.

Under an investment management service, risk assessment is generally a top down process. The trustees’ capacity for risk is assessed, which then sets an asset allocation and subsequent portfolio. Rarely is there a mathematical link between the goals and the make up of the portfolio – the exception being in the calculation of income.

Financial planning tackles risk from a different angle. A financial planner typically uses cash flow forecasting to determine the rates of

ISSUE

ASSUMPTION

Inflation

3%

Cash Interest

1%

Gilts

4%

Corporate Bonds

5%

UK equities

8%

Overseas/Specialist equities

10%

TRUSTEE ACT 2000 Duty to act in the best interests of beneficiaries: Trustees must always act with honesty and with prudence, acting at all times in the best interests of all beneficiaries, present and future.

Duty to be impartial: Trustees should not accept/decline a recommendation for investment based on any prejudices they may have.

Duty to ensure fairness between beneficiaries: Trustees should hold a fair balance between different classes of beneficiary, whether present or future.

For example, they should not provide excessive income at the expense of capital growth for other beneficiaries.

The exception to this is where the trust deed indicates a specific intention to favour certain beneficiaries.

Duty not to hoard cash: Unless the trustees require near-immediate liquidity, the trustees have to consider investment to increase long-term returns.

Duty to take account of tax consideration: Although not a specific duty, account should be taken of

considerations such as tax and administrative costs. However, in many cases school trusts will be operating as charities and therefore tax is not an issue.

Permitted investments: With the exception of charitable trusts, trustees are provided with a new general power of investment, whereby they may invest as if they were absolutely entitled to the assets of the trust. This is significantly wider powers than under the 1925 act.

Taking advice: In exercising their powers of investment, trustees must obtain and consider proper advice from a person whom the trustees reasonably believe to be qualified to give it, by reason of their ability in, and practical experience of, financial and other matters relating to the proposed investment.

Standard investment criteria: Trustees should ensure the suitability of investments for the trust, relating to both size of investment, risk and tax treatment. As part of this, appropriate diversification must be achieved. An appropriate balance between income and growth is also required.

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATION

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In our experience School trustees are placed in a difficult position, being asked to make strategic investment decisions and manage professional investment managers, without necessarily having the tools, or training with which to make informed and confident decisions.

In 2011 Holden & Partners will be running workshops covering the duties of trustees and how to review investments.

If you are interested in attending please contact Stuart Ryan on:

Z 020 7812 1460 Y sryan@holden-partners.co.uk 8 www.holden-partners.co.uk

Investment Advice to Trustees Independent professional advice on n Investment policy statements n Portfolio construction n Portfolio reviews Tel: 0845 5046433 Email: info@sc-ifa.co.uk www.scottsdaleconsulting.co.uk Scottsdale Consulting Ltd is an appointed representative of Intrinsic Wealth Management which is a trading style of Intrinsic Financial Planning Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.

Education Business | Volume 15.6

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FINANCE

THE FINANCIAL PLANNING PROCESS Step 1. Setting goals: This step identifies where the client wants to go in terms of their finances and life.

Step 2. Gathering information: This would include the qualitative and quantitative aspects of the client’s financial and relevant non-financial situation.

Step 3. Analysing the information: The information gathered is analysed so the client’s situation is properly understood.

This includes the cash flow work to determine whether there are sufficient resources to reach the client’s goals.

Step 4. Constructing the financial plan: The financial plan is a roadmap to the client goals.

Step 5. Implementing the plan: Guided by the financial plan, the strategies are implemented using the resources allocated for each purpose.

Step 6. Monitoring and reviewing the plan: Periodic reviews are undertaken to check for misalignment and changes in the client’s situation or goals. If there are any major changes, the financial plan is revised accordingly. return the trustees need to take to achieve their goals. The cash flow uses the trustees’ long term assumptions for growth and income rates, depending upon the asset class or sector, as well as inflation and interest rates – see table.

If, to achieve the trusts’ goals, the average rate of return required is near 10 per cent, the asset allocation needs to be weighted toward overseas and specialist equities. If nearer 3 per cent, a much larger weighting of cash and fixed interest is acceptable.

This mathematical process can then be linked into the trustee’s views on risk. Clearly, if the goals require a 10 per cent return from a cautious strategy, a re-think is required. The financial planner will help the trustees understand whether their goals are achievable and adjust them or the asset allocation accordingly.

REVIEWING PLANS Importantly, this process should be conducted regularly, normally annually. The assumptions and plan are reviewed based on revised circumstances, and again adjustments can be made.

Once the financial plan has been agreed, many financial planners outsource the investment management function to a stock broker or investment manager. This might be part of the same firm or a completely separate 3rd party. Essentially this separates the functions of planning and investment management, which require different skills and expertise.

FINANCIAL PLANNING WEEK Financial planning works for individuals, trusts and businesses. You can learn more about financial planning and how it might

benefit you, plus find a financial planner near you at www.financialplanning.org.uk.

Alternatively look out for Financial Planning Week, a consumer awareness campaign from the Institute of Financial Planning (IFP) which provides useful tips and tools to help you plan your finances more effectively.

“I can’t think of a more appropriate time to get people to think about their finances. Financial Planning Week is a truly splendid idea,” comments Jeff Prestridge, editor, Financial Mail on Sunday.

Danny Cox CFPCM is head of Advice at Hargreaves Lansdown.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Web: www.financialplanning.org.uk

Shaping the world of education with Ranstad Education ANDSTAD EDUCATION, the new name for Select Education, is a specialist division of Randstad, the world’s largest specialist staffing services group. It is the leading UK and global educational staffing authority, providing quality, individual service to over 10,000 teachers and support staff and to the 15,000 schools that have used its service throughout the UK. Randstad Education teachers, assistants and lecturers work alongside 135,000 young people per day across 2,500 schools a week, positively shaping their lives at nurseries, schools, colleges and training organisations across the UK. Established in 1993, Randstad Education

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has a network of over 35 offices throughout the UK with teams of education specialists, including dedicated primary, secondary, special needs and early years consultants.

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FOR MORE INFORMATION Tel: 0845 6001234 E-mail: education@ranstad education.co.uk Web: www.ranstad education.co.uk

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATION

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FREE financial workshops for all education professionals

Do your colleagues know all of their Teachers’ Pension Scheme benefits?

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All of our Financial Consultants are trained to understand the career paths and financial needs of teachers including the Teachers’ Pension Scheme.

Workshops include information on: • Lifetime financial planning

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quoting reference 60496 YOUR HOME MAY BE REPOSSESSED IF YOU DO NOT KEEP UP REPAYMENTS ON YOUR MORTGAGE. Wesleyan for Teachers is a trading name of Wesleyan Financial Services Ltd, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.

Wesleyan Financial Services Ltd is wholly owned by Wesleyan Assurance Society. Registered No. 1651212. Head Office: Colmore Circus, Birmingham, B4 6AR. Fax: 0121 200 2971. Telephone calls may be recorded for monitoring and training purposes.

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Whenever you feel you may need financial advice it is vitally important to establish whether or not your perceived problem is real.

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Tax & Capital Gains Tax planning to name a few.

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SG Wealth Management – how to ensure the advice you’re getting is genuinely unbiased O WHAT EXACTLY is ‘wealth management’ and how does it differ from simply ‘financial advice’ or ‘investment management’?

As with so many other aspects of daily life, if one is unfamiliar with the area being researched, then it’s easy to be swamped by jargon and obscure terminology.

For a start, the term ‘wealth management’ is much mis-used and abused and it appears that yesterday’s ‘financial adviser’ is now today’s ‘wealth manager’.

Genuine wealth management is a service provided to trusts, charities, corporate entities and individuals that combines strategic financial planning with discretionary investment management to coordinate and manage all aspects of a client’s financial concerns. Tax and trust matters are crucial to this process and we work closely with the client’s other professional advisers to ensure continuity of advice and consistent, complementary actions.

To ensure that the service provided and the advice given is completely impartial and in the best interests of the client, none of the wealth manager’s remuneration should come from the sale or broking

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of financial products - commission.

The test of impartiality in financial advice is simply this: if you want to know whether the advice is impartial and unbiased you need ask only one question: “Who pays?” If the answer is anything other than “the client”, the advice will be biased in favour of the adviser.

Although there can be no precise definition of ‘wealth’ as it is to a large extent subjective, we consider this service to be most appropriate for those clients controlling significant assets;

who demand a first class service, are seeking advice across the whole of the assets they control (or hold under trust) and who value genuine impartiality and transparency in their dealings with their advisers, all of which helps to develop and sustain trust.

SG Wealth Management was the UK’s first financial services company to be founded exclusively on the basis of providing first class service and advice to appropriate clients on a completely transparent charging basis instead of a salesdriven commission model: what this means is that our advice is completely impartial and by its very nature encourages a longterm business relationship.

Because our remuneration is not in any way connected to financial products, clients can be confident that we are truly acting in their best interests.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Contact: Neil Shillito - director, SG Wealth Management Ltd Tel: 01603 760866 E-mail: neil@sgwealthmanagement.co.uk Web: www.sgwealthmanagement.co.uk

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Financial Planners and Wealth Managers Specialists in Trustee Investments The Navigator Financial Planning Trustee Service will provide you with: 3 A financial plan to ensure that short and long-term cash requirements of the trust wiil be achieved; 3 An investment philosophy statement, documenting your approach to managing trust investments; 3 An investment portfolio to implement the above, incorporating the latest academic research and fund management technology; 3 Peace of mind that the trust objectives will be achieved and the requirements of the Trustee Act (NI) 2001 are being met.

www.navigatorFP.com Follow us on Twitter (twitter.com/davidcroziercfp) Nominated for New Model Adviser Financial Planner of the Year 2010 (Scotland & NI) Shortlisted for Professional Adviser Financial Education Award 2009

Navigator Financial Planning 3b Milltown Hill, Warrenpoint, The Gasworks, 5 Cromac Avenue, Newry Co Down BT34 3QY Belfast BT7 2AJ T: 028 3085 1199 T: 028 9044 7621 Navigator Financial Planning Limited is an appointed representative of Financial Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.

WHO CAN YOU TRUST FOR TRULY INDEPENDENT INVESTMENT ADVICE? Ensure your school’s investment programme takes maximum benefit from today’s volatile market

Does your adviser pass the Trust test?

3 3  3  3  3 

Authorised and regulated by the FSA No ties to any bank or investment provider Proven experience Minimum Level 4 Qualification Transparent and fair charges

At Almary Green, we tick all the boxes.

Talk to an Almary Green investment specialist:

01603 706740 heather.sonnet@almarygreen.com

www.almarygreen.com

Education Business | Volume 15.6

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FINANCE

TAKING CHARGE OF FINANCAL MANAGEMENT AND ACCOUNTING Kerry Ace, finance and policy manager at the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy, looks at the role and main requirements of the chief financial officer THE CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER (CFO) occupies a critical position in any organisation, holding the financial reins of the business and ensuring that resources are used wisely to secure positive results. While the global financial crisis and economic downturn have made these tasks even more challenging, they have also underlined the fundamental importance of the role. Achieving value for money and securing stewardship are key components for CFOs in all public service organisations.

CIPFA’s Further and Higher Education Panel is currently working on a guide, which describes the role and responsibilities of CFOs in higher education. It will build on CIPFA’s Statement on the Role of The Chief Financial

Officer in Public Services, published in 2009, interpreting the principles and roles set out in that document for higher education.

CONDITIONS & REQUIREMENTS Unlike counterparts in comparable sectors, local government, for example, there is no statutory requirement for a university or college to appoint a chief financial officer. The Charter, Statutes or Articles of Association through which an institution was established often require certain officers to be appointed, for example a vice chancellor, registrar or librarian but rarely, if ever, a CFO. Universities and colleges receive their core funding for teaching and research on

condition that they comply with a number of terms and conditions. These are set out in a financial memorandum between an institution and the funding council. All institutions must have appropriate arrangements for financial management and accounting, and they must be able to prove that the funds are only used for the purposes given.

THE ACCOUNTABLE OFFICER The governing body of a university or college is responsible for making sure that the institution complies with the financial memorandum.

This is done through an accountable officer, who must be identified by the governing body. This accountable officer will report to

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Education Business | Volume 15.6

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FINANCE

the funding body on behalf of the institution and must satisfy the governing body that all the conditions of the memorandum are being complied with. It may seem surprising, but this accountable officer is usually the head of the institution: the vice chancellor or principal. As the executive head of the institution, his or her responsibilities will be so wide that it is usual for financial management and accountability to be delegated to a CFO who will take professional responsibility for all these areas of an institution’s work.

The post of chief financial officer, therefore, is an essential one. The post holder has a vital role to play in contributing to the strategic development of the institution and for ensuring that financial systems and strategies are in place and operating effectively to help deliver the institution’s mission.

FUNDING REVIEW The pressures on higher education institutions to change the way that they work are set to continue, not least as institutions deal with the aftermath of the economic downturn and the new government’s plans for reductions in public funding and new manifesto.

The government continually reviews the funding methodology for teaching, and the methods for assessing and funding research activity are also changing. These changes will lead to on-going shifts in resource distribution across the sector. The funding for individual universities and colleges will be affected, so institutions will need to review and adjust their internal resource allocation mechanisms, changing the resource distribution between subjects and activities.

TRANSPARENT APPROACH TO COSTING Government funding is likely to be more linked to the actual costs and activities within institutions. This is measured through a whole-sector activity-based costing framework called TRAC (the transparent approach to costing). Funding methods will increasingly rely on costing information derived from TRAC, and finance departments will need to continue to develop costing methods which can balance accuracy with practicality, and in ways which are readily understandable and transparent to all colleagues.

Institutions will also need to ensure that their policies and processes for pricing work relate appropriately with their costing frameworks.

Academic colleagues need to develop expertise in costing and pricing, together with a common understanding and acceptance of institutional overheads and investment needs. This can be difficult to achieve with colleagues who are passionate about achieving the best for the students and research endeavours in their immediate subject areas.

Competition will intensify between institutions within the UK and internationally for funding, students and staff. Good

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quality financial information will be essential to support decisions on pricing, financial support packages for students, fee levels, pay levels, estate investment, and the funding balance between teaching and research. New sources of funding will be a priority, and will require pay-back and sensitivity analyses on investments in commercial and development activities.

Competitiveness will also drive continuing efficiencies in all aspects of operating costs.

Increasing sophistication and expertise will be needed in procurement, to gain economies of scale and cost reductions envisaged. Value for money will need to be explored in all areas of administration and institutional management.

The need to reduce costs will renew interest in partnership working, potential mergers and the scope for shared service delivery, especially in administrative functions.

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES All this begs the question of what the core responsibilities for chief financial officers in higher education institutions are and how institutions can be assured that they have the right person for the job. We believe that the following principles define the core activities and behaviours that belong to the chief financial officer: • To be a key member of the leadership team, helping it to develop and implement strategy and to resource and deliver the organisation’s strategic objectives sustainably and in the public interest.

• To be actively involved in, and able to bring influence to bear on, all material business decisions to ensure immediate and longer term implications, opportunities and risks are fully considered, and aligned with the organisation’s overall financial strategy.

• To lead the promotion and delivery by the whole organisation of good financial management so that public money is

safeguarded at all times and used appropriately, economically, efficiently, and effectively.

• To lead and direct a finance function that is resourced to be fit for purpose.

• To be professionally qualified and suitably experienced.

Successful implementation of each of the principles requires the right ingredients. The guide that CIPFA’s Panel is preparing will consider: • the organisation – for each principle, the guide will look at the governance arrangements required within an organisation to ensure that CFOs are able to operate effectively and perform their core duties • the role – the guide will also set out the core responsibilities of the CFO role within an organisation. Many day-to-day activities may in practice be delegated or even outsourced but the post holder will need to maintain oversight and control • the individual – summaries of the personal skills and professional standards that indicate the leadership skills and technical expertise that an organisation should be able to expect from its CFO will also be set out.

These are being considered by CIPFA’s Panel in the context of the higher education sector and the practicalities facing CFOs working in universities and colleges. The panel will issue a consultation draft for consideration and comment by colleagues across the sector.

When completed, this guide will be of interest to vice chancellors, principals, members of governing bodies, senior management colleagues and finance practitioners who are new to the sector, as well as to CFOs themselves and to those aspiring to this demanding, exciting and complex role.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Web: www.cipfa.org.uk

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Specialist, independent financial advice for the education sector from Scottsdale Consulting

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RUSTEES ARE REQUIRED to obtain investment advice from a suitably qualified person. This makes a great deal of sense but how does it work in practice?

The first job of an investment adviser is to help the trustees prepare an Investment Policy Statement. This statement is intended to clearly identify what the proposed investment is required to achieve and over what time period. A typical Investment Policy Statement will include the following: • the overall level of return expected and minimum yield required • the income or capital requirements • the nature of timing of any liabilities • the time horizon over which performance will be assessed • the residence and tax status of the trust and the beneficiaries • any socially responsible investment constraints • other tax and legal constraints.

Once agreed with the trustees, the statement will help the adviser to devise a strategy to generate a sufficient return over the short, medium and long term.

All trustees want an attractive and rising income with no risk to capital. In the real world, however, interest from deposit accounts will not even match inflation.

This means that the real value of many trust assets is guaranteed to go down.

Nowadays, to protect trust assets against inflation and/or to generate a reasonable income, some investment risk has to be accepted. Whilst cash needed in the next year or two will have to be kept on deposit, other funds might be better invested in a professionally designed portfolio of equities, gilts, corporate

bonds and commercial property.

A major factor in reducing investment risk is diversification.

Clearly, investing in a portfolio of 40 or 50 shares carries much less risk than investing in just one or two. This spread is often provided by collective investments such as unit trusts or investment trusts.

Once in place, a portfolio needs to be regularly monitored and rebalanced. As different assets grow at different rates, the risk profile will change. For example, a portfolio might contain 40 per cent equities with the balance in cash and bonds. If stockmarkets have a good year, the equity content could grow to 50 per cent or more and the risk profile will have increased.

To obtain impartial advice on the entire investment market, trustees should deal with an independent financial adviser.

Then there will be no concerns about any recommendations being tainted by access to a limited range of products or funds.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Contact: Mike Wilson, director Tel: 0845 5046433 E-mail: m.wilson@sc-ifa.co.uk

Improve school trust returns with independent professional financial planning from ForeSight HE TRUSTEE ACT OF 2000 heralded the biggest change in Trust legislation in 75 years. This legislative shift has meant greater responsibility for trustees, making them more accountable for personal liabilities, and imposing a certain duty of care.

Declining interest rates have highlighted the mediocre returns trusts have been getting with their traditional source of advice, the banks. Trustees are now looking for alternatives, turning to financial planners like ForeSight Independent Financial Planning, to create a strategic and focused investment portfolio.

A main reason for this move is cash flow forecasting – matching investments with the likely income requirements of the trust. A typical investment management service works from a top down approach, assessing the capacity for investment risk first, and then designing a portfolio. Conversely, a financial planner works from the bottom up, gauging the income requirements of the trust and then designing a portfolio based on assumptions for growth within asset classes.

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ForeSight’s managing director, Simon Booth, is one of only 2,000 Chartered Financial Planners in the UK and a staunch advocate of independent financial planning for school trusts. “Trusts are becoming increasingly concerned over poor returns and the high fees charged for limited service,” he says.

“We can improve the potential for greater returns whilst reducing the cost of advice. It’s

a win-win situation for trustees.”

Clients who work with ForeSight have a first meeting at no expense, and receive a review of existing portfolios. This allows for independent insight into current asset allocation, and the ability for clients, such as trusts, to make informed decisions. “When clients have the right information at their disposal the decisions are actually quite easy,” Booth explains. “The problem is getting that information in the first place, which is where ForeSight is ideally placed to help.”

ForeSight Independent Financial Planning was established in 1998 to provide professional financial planning services to businesses and their owners, professionals, and high net worth individuals.

This proactive planning process has also been beneficial for school trusts, and ForeSight has provided expert advice to trusts throughout the North West.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Tel: 0161 9269350 E-mail: info@foresight-ifp.co.uk Web: www.foresight-ifp.co.uk

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www.educationbusinessuk.com

Visit the website to view the categorised product finder

Almary Green – creating Pearson Jones helps wealth and protecting make sense of finance your financial interests P EATHER HAS BEEN a financial adviser for over 15 years and has gained a wealth of experience assisting clients with their financial planning needs. She holds two of the industry’s most prestigious qualifications – she is a Chartered Financial Planner and a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERCM professional.

After running her own business for five years, Heather joined Almary Green Investments Ltd in 2008.

She felt an instant empathy with Almary Green’s ethos of building long term client relationships through a combination of proven adviser expertise, excellent service and a fair charging structure.

Heather believes that recent initiatives to improve transparency in the industry are long overdue and welcomes the campaign to bring clarity to the degree of independence of the advice being

H

provided: “Investors are finally waking up to the fact that not only is some of the advice being given by banks and other investment houses simply not independent, but there is also a huge diversity in the fee structures being charged.”

Heather also believes that the financial services industry must keep up the pressure to make itself more professional: “Requiring advisers to have a minimum level 4 qualification is just the start. A good adviser will constantly be working to raise his or her game. The IFP plays a critical role in helping to raise standards in both advice and execution stages.”

FOR MORE INFORMATION Heather Sonnet Tel: 01603 706740 E-mail: heather.sonnet@ almarygreen.com Web: www.almarygreen.com

EARSON JONES is a substantial firm of independent financial advisers with offices in Leeds, Sheffield, York, Reading and Bishop Auckland.

The success of Pearson Jones has been built on three simple maxims developed over nearly 40 years of business experience: integrity, professionalism and complete impartiality. We offer high quality services to assist our clients over the long term; we focus on delivering financial planning strategies that fulfil their requirements.

These principles have helped us retain a high degree of loyalty from our clients, accountants and solicitors with whom we work. We are well placed to meet the challenges of the Financial Services Authority changes in 2012 and remain truly independent advisers now and in the future.

Our services include Wealth Management, Pension & Employee Benefits, Tax matters and Trusts of all types.

We are proud to have been awarded the accreditation of Chartered Financial Planners by our professional body, the Chartered Insurance Institute.

We hold the prestigious award IFA Team of the Year 2009/10 from the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) Private Client Awards.

Pearson Jones plc is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Contact: Nick Pike, senior consultant Pearson Jones plc, The Manor House, 260 Ecclesall Road South, Sheffield S11 9PS Tel: 0114 2357000 E-mail: nick.pike@ pearson-jones.co.uk

Well qualified and unbiased advice that is uniquely personal to your school – or the status quo?

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OU MAY ALREADY BE GETTING under-qualified advice, with all the risk that entails. Read on for details on how you can change the situation.

Receiving under-qualified advice? Surprisingly few people verify the qualifications of their financial adviser. It is easy to check, and this step is part of fulfilling your duty of care as a trustee or finance director. Here is a guide, so that you can research the qualifications of your current adviser, and ask informed questions of potential advisers. The FPC or CertPFS qualifications are the minimum entry exams for advisers, but are (being generous) the equivalent of about a single A level. Seek out instead, an adviser who has at least the Diploma in Financial Planning, noted as DipPFS. This qualification comprises three or more university level exams, which are set by professional body the Chartered Institute of Insurance, or CII. The diploma is held by only about 40 per cent of Independent Financial Advisers (IFAs).

You can check the qualifications of all IFAs instantly online at www.unbiased.co.uk Why seek out a professional? For some it is a reflex – they always seek out high quality professionals whether that be lawyer, dentist or independent financial adviser. Others have more explicit motivations, and as an education professional, you probably won’t be surprised to learn that “lack of time” is quite a popular one!

In summary, the two main reasons that

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people find it cost effective to take professional independent financial advice are “shortfall” and the racy-sounding “desire”. On the shortfall side, many professionals lack the time to review their portfolio, lack interest or expertise in investment markets, or do not have in-depth research data on current or prospective investments. On the desire side, many people wish to have professional oversight of their own investment ideas, to include ethical investments in the portfolio or to access specialist knowledge of tax-efficient vehicles.

“I’ll be happy to help if you want more information or a chat to talk through the training needs of your organisation. There is

no charge. Whatever you decide, good luck with making the most of your finances!” says Tanya Pein B.A. (Cantab), DipPFS. She is a FSA regulated independent financial adviser, working on a fee basis and does not accept sales commission. She was a founding trustee of UnLtd, the national charity for social entrepreneurs, and is a guest lecturer on investment at London Business School, she regularly leads training for trustees and investment committees. She gives financial advice to charities and individuals.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Tel: 07974 916934

Education Business | Volume 15.6

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FINANCE

MOVING AWAY FROM THE BIG BANKS OCM Wealth Management looks at the benefits of using a fee-based independent financial adviser over a bank adviser IN RECENT YEARS RECEIVING ADVICE in relation to asset management for the readers of this article was focused on the big banks living on brand awareness and ongoing entertainment of clients and trustees, advocating the reason for staying with them was down to their financial strength, delivering stable returns and not much else. The financial strength has over the last couple of years been thrown into the waste disposal and as margins have been squeezed and budgets reduced for entertaining, banks are no longer providing anyone with good returns and trustees have begun to question what they are receiving in the way of service and returns.

This is great news for the Independent Financial Services industry because the focus is now on the provision of a service and the returns that are achievable, as well as educating how trustees professionally discharge their responsibilities legally. This means that bursars and trustees alike are focusing on the Independent Financial Services sector for firms that are able to help them satisfy their burdensome objectives.

QUESTIONS Once you start looking at the Independent sector though, this raises further questions in that the Independent Financial Planning industry is in itself very fractious and trustees should be careful when appointing an IFA to ensure they get one that is qualified and experienced. Qualified in the context of this article and what trustees and bursars are looking for, means a Chartered and Certified, Fee Based Independent Financial Planning Firm. There are currently less than 300 Chartered firms in the UK but as one of them we provide the following services to clients: • Truly independent, impartial advice on a fee basis • A full information and partnership programme with every client, which aims to work with the trustees and define the Investment Policy Statement. Whilst doing this we will prepare and build a strategic cash flow model which will look at expected inflows and outflows of capital as well as what annualised return is required on the portfolio to satisfy all objectives. The return required then dictates what investment risks are acceptable that link back to the Investment Policy Statement giving a full audit trail for any external inspectors.

• We build an asset management strategy based on what is available from the whole market place linked to your objectives and provide a report on this including our recommendations to the trustees.

Jason Stather-Lodge

• Once the asset management strategy is agreed, we carry out the implementation and alterations – not the bursars or trustees. This has the benefit of removing the entire administration burden associated with being proactive.

• After the assets are in place we will then at agreed intervals provide a report on how the asset management strategy is working; in comparison to the investment policy so the trustees know that the assets are being managed correctly. This report acts as strong due diligence for the trustees to monitor what we are doing and shows they are discharging their duties professionally.

• A controller not a holder of your money. This means that we can move your money from one provider to another to ensure we always obtain market leading rates, but it is always held in your name not ours. Any movement is always reported on in full every six months.

• We agree all fees in writing and do not lock clients into long term contracts, which means that if we do not add value or deliver what is promised, then we can be fired.

At OCM Wealth Management this is what we do on a day to day basis and if you are not receiving the service defined above, you should definitely speak to us. We

are a leading firm that has been dealing with charities and Trusts for many years and have experience in dealing with the unique issues that come with this sector.

PUTTING THE CLIENT FIRST What we are not is a household brand and we certainly do not waste the fees we charge you on unnecessary entertaining. What we are is a firm that has built an enviable reputation from putting the client at the centre of the proposition and pride ourselves in the fact that “our independence makes us dependable”. We have built a brand based on the fact that our clients matter.

FOR MORE INFORMATION To understand more, please ring us on 01604 813013 and speak to one of our experienced and qualified Chartered Financial Planners. Alternatively visit www.ocmwealthmanagement.co.uk and download our brochure.

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Classroom Management

Web-based Incident Management

NetSupport School’s combination of advanced PC

NetSupport ServiceDesk is a web-based Helpdesk and

monitoring and presentation tools help teachers improve the efficiency of computer-led lessons. From a single view teachers can check in real-time the status of each PC while keeping students focused on the task in hand at the same time.

With features including Internet and Application Control, Printer and Device Management, Language Lab Mode, Student Journals, Custom Test Designer and more, NetSupport School rises to the challenge and requirements of today’s modern classroom.

Incident Management solution ideally suited for schools that need a quick and efficient method for reporting and responding to system issues.

Recently named Service Management Product of the Year for the second year running at the Network Computing Awards, ServiceDesk is easily integrated into your ICT infrastructure and being fully web-based, requires no software pre-installation. Real-time management reports keep both the end-user and ICT Technician up to date with the current status of reported incidents and you can even search for a solution to your problem before raising it.

Desktop Alerting

ICT Asset Management

Sometimes you can’t wait for someone to read their emails or check the school intranet and sometimes you just need to get your message out there in a hurry!

Providing schools with the tools they need to effectively manage the cost of ICT, NetSupport DNA is a modular solution that delivers best-of-breed Hardware & Software Inventory and License Management - vital information if purchasing decisions are to be made from an entirely informed position.

NetSupport Notify removes the barriers associated with

traditional forms of communication by enabling administrators to deliver alerts and notifications direct to all or selected desktops across campus within seconds. Whether it’s general news, IT announcements or even security alerts, NetSupport Notify ensures your message grabs the receiver’s attention.

Add to this Application and Internet Metering, Software Distribution and an eco-friendly Energy Monitor component and there’s never been a better time to see how NetSupport DNA can save you money and time.

See us at Bett 2011 - Stand E100 12-15 Jan, Olympia - London For more information and to download a free 30-day trial visit: www.netsupportsoftware.com

Education Business | Volume 15.6

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BETT 2011

A WORLD OF INNOVATIVE EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY As the world’s largest technology in education show, BETT 2011 is returning to Olympia, 12-15 January, for what is sure to be an informative and inspirational event THE BENEFITS that technology can offer, both in terms of supporting teaching and learning, and facilitating school management, have become increasingly clear. However, with new developments in ICT regularly introduced to the marketplace, it can sometimes be difficult for schools to keep in touch with the latest equipment and solutions available. Of course, it is not just the most up to date technologies they need to be aware of, but also how the changes in policy will influence their investment.

THE PLACE TO BE For busy education professionals, finding a way to keep on top of these developments is paramount. BETT, the world’s largest education in technology event provides a place for educators to see the very latest products and services, discover how the coalition government is influencing education, gather advice, meet with peers and undertake professional development.

Over the past 26 years, BETT has evolved to become a show of superior quality which now welcomes around 30,000 visitors from all different levels of education. Part of BETT’s popularity is due to the fact that the event brings the world of education to life. With approximately 700 exhibitors demonstrating the latest solutions, BETT provides visitors with an opportunity to touch, test and compare; what better way to make informed procurement decision than to have first-hand experience with the products or services currently available to schools.

PRACTICAL EXAMPLES Seeing examples of technology being used in a practical light is one of the best ways to truly recognise the benefits to education. The central feature, entitled ‘Visual Learning’, led by leading voice for ICT in education, Prof. Stephen Heppell, makes this possible. With the theme of learning for less, students demonstrate new ways of working and provide examples of their own projects that have been undertaken using technology. Guest speakers from the creative industry will also be on stand to talk to visitors about the skills that our young people need.

Visitors who enjoy seeing products in action can also take advantage of the Demonstration Zone. A number of timetabled demonstration sessions will be held here with exhibitors highlighting how their products can be used to maximum effect. These sorts of opportunities allow visitors to see first-hand the potential that the solutions on offer hold. It also provides

the chance for visitors who have already purchased a particular piece of hardware or software, to come along and ensure that they are using the product to its full potential.

SEE THE LATEST SOFTWARE Returning to BETT 2011 is the Software Zone. Here, visitors will find the latest software innovations on the market. Located next to the Software Zone is the TEEM Information Point, the place for visitors to come for independent advice on the latest software and digital content.

The recent introduction of Free Schools and Academies has created a fresh wave of interest in learning spaces by education professionals.

The Future Learning Spaces feature is a special section of the show relevant to those interested in creating a learning environment that inspires and motivates students. Here, visitors can articulate their requirements whilst suppliers can demonstrate how their products and services are designed to meet new challenges.

SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS The growing focus on special educational needs (SEN) over the past year brings an increasing responsibility on school leaders. In the SEN Zone at BETT 2011 visitors will find a comprehensive gathering of educational ICT providers, showcasing the latest and most innovative specialist SEN resources. At the heart of the BETT SEN Zone you will find the Information Point hosted by nasen (stand SN15), the UK’s leading association for encompassing

all special and additional educational needs.

Research undertaken by nasen helps to highlight new, effective teaching methods for specific conditions and general inclusivity in all UK schools. It enables school leaders to effectively plan SEN provision. The continuing professional development training that nasen offers addresses the evolution of teaching in SEN, highlighting the latest best practice and helping practitioners meet the needs of each individual in their care.

At the SEN Information Point, visitors can seek advice, have their questions answered and also be pointed in the right direction of the exhibitors or resources most relevant to their individual needs.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT A continually changing education landscape requires flexibility from educationalists; continuous professional development (CPD) is an important route to keeping informed and maintaining educational excellence. BETT 2011 features five seminar theatres, each hosting a range of high quality and relevant CPD accredited sessions. Themes include SEN, training and development, management, assessment, and innovation. For 2011, seminars will run from Wednesday 12 to Friday 14 January, with Saturday 15 January taking a new format entitled Open House @ BETT. For the first time, meeting spaces and audio-visual facilities are being offered free-of-charge to not-for-profit subject associations, teachers’ associations, organisations and networks.

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How to Save Budget...

With budget cuts being made everywhere, we are being forced to actively seek out new ways of saving money at the same time as achieving more with the resources at our disposal - times are tough.

So in this economic climate, just how can you save budget and achieve more?

One example of how you could do just that is to review the status of your School Management Information System (MIS). You could spend less and do more by changing your software. e1 from Pearson is the first of a generation of new style MIS products.

But how could e1 save you money?

▪ Unlike most MIS applications, e1 is entirely web-based, this means you can access the system from any internet enabled device, at anytime from anywhere ▪ One licence fee enables the whole school community access to data; teachers, parents, pupils and Governors ▪ e1 is not ‘modular’ and therefore all of the functionality contained within the software is immediately available with no extra charges ▪ e1 wholly endorses the Systems Intoperability Framework (SIF) and as such it can dynamically link seamlessly with third party applications including VLE’s with ease.

▪ No additional software or hardware* is required (*including on-site servers) ▪ e1 is centrally hosted and maintained, therefore all maintenance and upgrades are carried out remotely, ensuring minimum disruption to your school

Management Information

Information Exchange

- Web-based and centrally hosted - Whole school community access

- interoperability - links third party systems to e1 MIS

Report Writing

Financial Accounting

- Integral to e1 - Reports on almost any data item

- Web-based and interoperable - links to e1 MIS

Are you going to BETT? If so, why not drop by the Pearson stands B40 & C40

Pearson Phoenix, Cross Keys House, Queen Street, Salisbury SP1 1EY Tel: +44 (0)1722 344800 Email: phoenix.info@pearson.com

www.pearsonphoenix.com

Education Business | Volume 15.6

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BETT 2011

For visitors looking to enhance their current Management Information System (MIS), Serco Learning will be showcasing the latest developments of its popular Realview tool on stand F20. This includes an exams module that provides real-time analysis of exam results straight from a school’s MIS. Schools can use this to measure their success against performance indicators, including subject-specific data.

Info Technology Supply (ITS) specialises in access management, booking systems, cost recovery, desktop management utilities, greener computing and track and control solutions. On stand E30, one of the solutions that ITS will be showcasing is Mirtak, which tracks student computer activity.

On stand A60 visitors can see WisePay, an integrated platform for managing online payments, income and expenditure, school meals and parent communication.

WisePay saves schools time and money by automating processes and streamlining working practices for school office staff.

IMPROVING ENGAGEMENT Visitors to the Groupcall stand (B60) can see Groupcall Messenger, which enables schools to contact parents via text, multilingual voice calls and e-mail, to mobile phones, landlines or computers. Messenger is proven to reduce unauthorised absences, improve parental engagement and lower costs. It also has a number of brand new features which are soon-to-launch.

As technology becomes embedded in the curriculum, integrated solutions become more important. On stand B50 SMART Technologies will be demonstrating SMART Classroom Suite 2010 interactive learning software. The integrated solution allows teachers to easily manage and assess the entire class while addressing the needs of individual students. The software combines classroom management, assessment, lesson creation and assignment

management tools in one offering.

On stand L10 Daydream Education, the educational wall chart specialist, is unveiling its fantastic new interactive and virtual learning environment content packs for English and ICT. Developed with the aid of consultant teachers and industry specialists, the user-friendly content packs contain a wealth of curriculum-based content and engaging interactive activities which cater for pupils of all learning styles and abilities.

Visitors interested in getting young people engaged with music lessons can visit IT solutions specialist, XMA on stand C100. Here you will witness the genuine enthusiasm and sense of achievement that young people experience when learning to play on Apple’s ‘GarageBand’ software application. On Wednesday 12 January, pupils from a leading academy will join Ben Ottewell, lead singer and guitarist with indie band Gomez, as he puts them through their paces with a ‘GarageBand’ tutorial and jam session. This will culminate with them recording their very own track. ICT experts from XMA will be on hand throughout the show to discuss how integrating music into a school’s ICT system can pay dividends.

For those interested in seeing how technology can facilitate the teaching of science, visitors can meet Twig on stand T14, creator of tailor-made short films. Its content is specifically designed with the help of teachers to meet the needs of the curriculum, and researched by academics to ensure comprehensive coverage and accuracy, from KS2 right through to GCSE. Using prime documentary footage, Twig’s producers create films that engage children with stunning visuals, upbeat music, original scripts and easy graphics to reinforce key learning points.

On stand D135 visitors can see AQA All About Maths, a brand new online resource to support Maths teachers. AQA All About Maths contains hundreds of free maths teaching resources, designed to save schools both time and money. A full demonstration of AQA All

About Maths at BETT will be available on stand.

Stream2School on stand P6 is a new company offering schools the opportunity to source their curriculum application software on a rental basis. Using the latest streaming technologies, Stream2School is able to offer online cloud distribution of the very best educational software titles, such as Textease Studio CT, Kar2ouche, Fuse Creator and WriteOnline, at a fraction of the standard list prices. The Stream2School service also provides schools with entirely free access to a selection of open source titles, such as Open Office and Inkscape.

On stand F59 2Simple is showcasing its most recent development, Purple Mash, a creative online space for children aged 4-11. Purple Mash can be accessed both at school and at home providing learners with additional support outside of school hours. With 100s of activities, programs and tools, Purple Mash supports children across a wide range of topics, developing numerous key skills.

PLAN YOUR VISIT With so much to see at BETT 2011, visitors are encouraged to take advantage of the BETT website to plan their visit in advance.

On www.BETTshow.com, details of exhibitors, seminars and feature areas can be found.

Alternatively, visitors can create and print a personalised route planner of the show using the MyBETT tool on the BETT website.

If you find yourself looking for help or guidance when at the show, the BESA information Point (stand D46) is able to help.

Here, staff can offer information about the show, and point visitors in the direction of exhibitors or seminars most relevant to them.

FOR MORE INFORMATION www.bettshow.com www.facebook.com/bett2011 www.twitter.com/bett2011

Meeting the needs of the newest internet generation RECENT STUDY by British Education Suppliers Association (BESA) suggests that 92 per cent of secondary schools have wireless networks, but they need more than twice the current available bandwidth to meet student and teacher needs. The demand for technology in education has never been greater and the effect of a dated infrastructure never more noticeable, but as budget cuts hit hard, schools must demand more reliable, scalable and affordable solutions from their technology spending.

NETGEAR Prosafe wireless networking solutions are specifically designed to bring the benefits of high-availability wireless networking to education providers without

A

leading Lifetime Warranty, 3 Year Next Business Day Onsite Replacement Guarantee and dependable 24x7x365 support.

Our focus on right-sizing infrastructure for schools to meet your needs today with the flexibility to upgrade capacity and speeds in-place, protecting your investment for tomorrow. It’s simply a smarter way to get your job done.

FOR MORE INFORMATION the cost and complexity of traditional big IT solutions. Intelligent, progressive design means fewer resources for training, installation and maintenance. Our education-grade wireless products are backed by an industry-

If you are looking for ways to do more with less, visit the NETGEAR Stand E106 at the BETT 2011 show or contact us now for a free site survey www.simplysmartereducation.co.uk

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ENTRY-SIGN When you visit most Schools or Colleges today most of them will have paper based signing in systems. EntrySign is a unique, simple to use Digital Touch screen system that will revolutionise the way you monitor the movements of people in your building. The EntrySign system is a unique and easy to use intuitive piece of software that is quite simply setting the standard in Safeguarding for education.

The system has received universal commendation from Primary Schools, Nurseries, Colleges, Academies and even Ofsted!

A secure digital signing in system that’s setting the standards in safeguarding for education.

Visit us online to see our interactive demonstration of Entry Sign. www.entrysign.co.uk See you a the BETT Show!

FREEPHONE :0800 037 2904 Email: info@osbornetechnologies.co.uk EntrySign at Osborne Technologies Ltd Unit 4 Wortley Court Fall Bank Industrial Estate, Dodworth, Barnsley, South Yorkshire S75 3LS

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BETT 2011

KEEPING ICT HIGH ON THE AGENDA With recent BESA research showing schools to be positive about ICT investment, BETT 2011 is expected to be busier than ever, predicts Ray Barker A RECENT SURVEY has revealed that despite government funding cuts for ICT in education, schools appear to be remaining positive in their outlook.

Let’s take a look at the British Educational Suppliers Association’s (BESA) ‘ICT in UK State Schools’ research and how this could relate to visitors’ areas of focus at BETT 2011.

The findings come from our 14th annual survey into the opinions and trends of ‘ICT in UK State Schools’. The survey of 1,379 UK schools (812 primary, 567 secondary) which was conducted in July 2010 in conjunction with the National Education Research Panel (NERP) provides analysis into the likely provision of technology in UK state schools in the next year. It also gives extensive insight into teacher confidence, and the level of ICT in schools. With BETT 2011 on the horizon (Olympia, London,

12-15 January) it will be interesting to see how teachers’ opinions given in the research will affect how they spend their day at the show.

STAYING POSITIVE Although the research comes at a time of significant uncertainty and funding cuts, it indicates a positive approach by educators for purchasing and using ICT. 58 per cent of primary schools and 51 per cent of secondary schools felt they were likely to maintain their planned ICT investments for 2011/12. This will be good news to the sector suppliers but also for the education sector as a whole.

Maintaining the highly effective momentum of technology adoption in the classroom is something none of us want to lose.

Although an overall reduction in investment in ICT by schools is forecast, 71 per cent of primary

and 70 per cent of secondary schools felt that they provided teachers with good access to computer equipment for curriculum purposes.

Looking deeper into the computer provision in schools, the survey showed that since 2005 there has been a higher net (new purchases minus redundancy) provision of laptop than desktop computers. By 2010 it is estimated that there were 2.54 million computers across all UK maintained schools. The majority of these (1.75 million) were desktop computers with the remaining (0.78 million) being laptops.

This is over half a million more computers than recorded in 2005. It is anticipated that in 2010/11, laptop purchases in primary schools will exceed desktop computer purchases for the first time, while in secondary schools the provision of desktop and laptop computers will be equal. For those visitors looking to

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Clarity_Education:Half_Page_Ad

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Teachers take control of your classroom with your Apple iPad™ Doceri is an intuitive interface that can replace or work with interactive whiteboards and expensive AV touch panels all through the Apple™ iPad™.

Interactive whiteboard function:- Draw, circle, highlight, or cross out anything you want from your iPad™. Annotate over presentations, PDFs, spreadsheets, web pages–any document your computer can display.

Computer Control:- Doceri gives presenters the freedom to control their computer from anywhere in the room wirelessly. Similar to remote desktop applications, Doceri Launch Pad provides access to your computer desktop from your iPad™. Launch, open, edit, save—run your computer wherever you like.

AV Control:- Doceri provides touchscreen control of all the audiovisual equipment in the room for a fraction of the cost of comparable systems.

Visit us at BETT Show 2011 Stand W35

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BETT 2011

invest in computer hardware at BETT, the expectation, therefore, is that their focus will be on the manufacturers and suppliers of laptop computers and more mobile devices.

88 per cent of primary schools felt that they provide good internet access levels to teachers in relation to only 75 per cent who held the same feeling in 2006 and only 30 per cent in 2001. It is interesting to see that with the growing adoption of learning content and use of the internet in

about the adequacy of their current digital content with just 32 per cent of ICT leaders considering themselves to be well resourced.

A more polarised view was given by primary schools’ ICT leaders, with 48 per cent considering the school to be well resourced when only 25 per cent of primary schools had given this view back in 2008. If we are able to translate the research findings into a forecast of visitor’s areas of interest at BETT, we can expect more people looking for

Although the research comes at a time of significant uncertainty and funding cuts, it indicates a positive approach by educators for purchasing and using ICT the classroom secondary schools in particular now demand over twice the current available bandwidth (68Mbps) to meet their needs.

DIGITAL CONTENT In many areas the view of secondary and primary education was similar. However, this was not the case when it came to the question of the adequacy of their digital content. Secondary schools were not confident

secondary learning resources then primary.

Other areas of ICT provision in school such as interactive whiteboards, now used in the majority of classrooms in the UK, were viewed with similar optimism. By 2011/12 it is estimated that 70 per cent of secondary schools will consider themselves wellresourced. In primary schools the outlook was even more positive with only ten per cent expected to be under resourced. As

interactive whiteboards become the norm in the majority of schools, it is interesting to watch the increase in adoption of supporting resources such as voting systems, classroom management systems and document cameras or visualisers as they are also known.

MORE FOR YOUR MONEY The research indicates that despite schools being faced with many financial pressures, the survey indicates they are managing the cuts sensibly and with optimism. This is in part due to the efficient procurement of resources by many schools as well as a drop in prices of individual units. They may be spending less, but they can get more for their money.

Those schools indicating that they feel underequipped in vital ICT equipment, such as laptop computers and internet access for pupils, do so mainly because their levels of expectation have grown over recent years. The figures show that there have never been so many computers and interactive whiteboards in UK classrooms.

With this in mind, we expect BETT 2011 to be busier than ever. Visitors will be looking to achieve the highest quality solution for their specific requirement and soaking up the wealth of guidance and experience offered by the array of seminar speakers.

Peace of mind for your school’s IT from QMP

Creating new revenue streams for schools

TUDIES HAVE SHOWN that approximately 72,000 laptops are stolen every year – although statistics differ widely and this figure could be even higher. With the increase in laptop sales, it is highly likely that crime rates will also rise.

QMP’s range of Laptop Charging Lockers and Trolleys provides a simple storage solution for your school’s laptops. And with an affordable price to match, we’re sure to make your budget go further.

However, it’s not just our price you’ll find attractive.

Additional benefits include: Secure – Store your products in tough steel lockers with full depth security shelves and cam locks.

Rechargeable – When not in use, laptops can be charged ready for the next time they’re needed.

RE YOU LOOKING for new revenue streams for your school, college or university?

Our friendly team of specialists can take you through simple solutions that have been designed to help educational establishments make money. Our range of print services allows anybody to easily create photobooks, yearbooks, diaries, as well as many other applications.

Yearbooksdirect is just one solution offered by Unibind Systems, who is the leading

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Mobile – (Brand) Laptop Trolleys can be easily wheeled around.

QMP is a market leader in the design and manufacture of a wide range of secure storage products, industrial furniture and external structures. Beyond our popular range of laptop charging lockers and trolleys, QMP offers a wide range of cycle parking, walkways and workbenches that are well suited to the educational sector.

Visit QMP on Stand G101 to see a selection of our products, including our ranges of secure laptop storage or visit www.qmp. uk.com for further information.

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binding solutions provider in the UK. Our educational services are designed to help you to create and manage your own communication internally.

FOR MORE INFORMATION To find out more about our full range of services, why not visit us on stand W21 at the BETT show in January or call us today on 01293 590715.

Web: www.yearbook sdirect.co.uk

FOR MORE INFORMATION Tel: 01384 899800 Fax 01384 899801 E-mail sales@qmp.uk.com Web www.qmp.uk.com

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www.educationbusinessuk.com

Visit the website to view the categorised product finder

NETGEAR Prosafe wireless networking – meeting the needs of the newest internet generation TUDENTS TODAY are more familiar with technology and networking than ever before.

Tools such as laptops, video games, MP3s and mobile phones have fundamentally changed the way they relate to the world and the way they learn. “Digital natives” describes children who have been exposed to mainstream technology for their whole lives.

Digital natives are used to immediate gratification. Text, instant messaging, YouTube, Skype and Google have made access to information and ideas immediate, graphic, interactive and available concurrently so parallel processing, random access and multi-tasking are the norm. Digital natives function best when networked, and fostering new thinking by using applications like Skype and YouTube to help students connect and communicate with students in different cultures, to learn, share, debate and create make it an extraordinary time to be a teacher.

There is a voracious appetite for networked learning environments. Both educators and students require high-speed and highly available IT infrastructures to enhance the teaching and learning experience. A recent study by the British Education Suppliers Association (BESA) suggests that 92 per cent of secondary schools have wireless networks, but they need more than twice the current available

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bandwidth to meet student and teacher needs.

The demand for technology in education has never been greater and the effect of a dated infrastructure never more noticeable, but as budget cuts hit hard, schools must demand more reliable, scalable and affordable solutions from their technology spending.

NETGEAR Prosafe wireless networking solutions are specifically designed to bring the benefits of high-availability wireless networking to education providers without the cost and complexity of traditional big IT solutions. Intelligent, progressive design lets you use fewer resources for training, installation and maintenance. All our education-grade wireless products are backed by an industry-

leading Lifetime Warranty, 3 Year Next Business Day Onsite Replacement Guarantee and dependable 24x7x365 support.

We maintain a focus on right-sizing infrastructure for schools to meet your needs today with the flexibility to upgrade capacity and speeds in-place, protecting your investment for tomorrow. It’s simply a smarter way to get your job done.

FOR MORE INFORMATION If you are looking for ways to do more with less, visit the NETGEAR Stand E106 at the BETT 2011 show or contact us now for a free site survey www.simplysmartereducation.co.uk

COMPLEX PROBLEMS DON’T NEED COMPLEX SOLUTIONS

NETGEAR Networking Solutions for Education

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Leading desktop and classroom management software solutions from NetSupport Limited

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ODAY’S MODERN LEARNING environments are rightly embracing the technology that is available to them but ensuring the efficient use of that technology can sometimes need a helping hand!

Regular BETT exhibitor and BESA member NetSupport will once again be showing visitors how to maximise the return on their ICT investment with their marketleading range of Desktop and Classroom Management software solutions.

NetSupport products now support almost 9,000,000 systems worldwide and the reputation as one of the leading suppliers in its field has been maintained over 21 years thanks to their ability to evolve the product range to meet the continually changing needs of their education customers, both in and out of the classroom. The company’s commitment to quality has consistently been recognised by the BETT Awards judges. In 2009 they came out on top in the ICT Exporter of the Year category and in 2010 were named a finalist for Leadership and Management Solutions.

The NetSupport Education Range caters for all your day-to-day classroom and network support requirements: NetSupport School provides ICT teachers with all the time-saving features you would expect from a leading classroom management solution, from monitoring student screens, delivering real-

time screen presentations, to handing out files or collecting coursework. In the latest version MFL teachers will see how the product’s Language Lab mode can help them interact audibly with their students. NetSupport also recognises that a successful ICT department relies on both teachers and technicians and NetSupport School offers (as standard) a dedicated Technician’s Console, enabling you to monitor and support the entire school network from a single view.

NetSupport Notify removes the barriers associated with traditional forms of communication. The products simple interface allows administrators to send instant alerts and notifications direct to all or selected desktops across the school network. Taking screen focus, messages can’t get lost in a crowded inbox, ignored or saved for later.

NetSupport ServiceDesk is a web-based, ITIL complaint Incident Management solution

that enables academic institutions to deliver, fast, effective and measurable support for both teaching and ICT support staff.

With education’s increasing reliance on technology comes a growing need to keep track of your ICT assets. NetSupport DNA’s powerful real-time Hardware and Software Inventory and License Management component helps you manage the TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) of your ICT assets helping to ensure that decisions on upgrades and the roll-out of new technology are made from an informed position.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Visit Stand E100 for a demonstration and to find out about NetSupport’s special offers for BETT visitors.

Tel: 01778 382270 E-mail: sales@netsupportsoftware.co.uk Web: www.netsupportsoftware.co.uk

The easy-to-use solution for parental communications

Teacher: take control of your classroom with Apple iPad™

WARD-WINNING Groupcall Messenger is used by more than 2,500 schools, enabling the sending of text, voice or e-mail messages, in multiple languages to parents’ mobiles, landlines or computers, providing unauthorised absencechasing and general parental communication. Messenger reads pupil and attendance information live, in real-time from the school’s MIS system.

Messenger’s online reporting functionality engages parents in their child’s learning by allowing schools to push relevant information directly from the school’s MIS system. Typically, this is information concerning attendance, behaviour, progress, special needs and attainment – all of this information can be sent directly to a parents mobile phone or via e-mail.

For a low subscription fee, Messenger has been proven to increase attendance and reduce

RE YOU FED UP with not knowing which remote controls what? Or perhaps you are learning how to use an interactive whiteboard for the first time? Well, you can simplify it all with Doceri from SP Controls.

Doceri is an all-inone control application for the Apple iPad that allows you to take full control of your classroom from just one point. With Doceri, you can turn projectors on and off, switch the source and control your DVD players as well as annotate on your screen without turning your back on the class.

The days of needing an interactive whiteboard are long gone. All Doceri needs is a

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unauthorised absence, providing an early alert if a child fails to arrive at school. Plus, Messenger also offers rapid contact with groups of parents for general messages or in the event of an emergency. Saving administration time and cutting telephone/ mailing bills, Messenger drastically improves communication between schools and parents.

Experienced Groupcall staff installs Messenger and provides initial training. Support is available 24/7 including ongoing training at no additional cost.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Would you like a free trial?

Call us on 020 33284600, e-mail info@groupcall.com or visit www.groupcall.com/messenger

standard projector, a blank bit of wall to project on to and a PC. Doceri will integrate with all of your PC applications seamlessly, allowing you to view and edit lesson plans and information from your PC and network as well as surf the Internet.

With its easy to use interface, Doceri is ideal for teachers and pupils and will encourage complete class participation and interaction.

FOR MORE INFORMATION For more information about the all new Doceri control application and a demonstration, please visit us at the BETT show 2011, stand W35.

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What if

someone

developed entirely new teaching technology that was better, more intuitive, more affordable and a lot easier for teachers?

(Imagine that.)

In the world of interactive teaching, Mimio stands apart.

NEW from DYMO/Mimio. We took award-winning teaching technologies. We gathered meticulous input from teachers and administrators. We then challenged some of the best engineering minds in the industry to create an entirely new standard.

The MimioTeach™ interactive system transforms the whiteboard you already have into an interactive whiteboard. The MimioCapture™ tracking system lets you use dry erase markers to write, edit and erase directly to your computer. The MimioVote™ assessment system provides instant assessment with a tool that’s more intuitive and easier to use. The MimioView™ document camera displays high-resolution camera images, gets power from your PC and launches the onscreen software simultaneously. The MimioPad™ wireless tablet frees you to move around the classroom while teaching with your whiteboard. And there’s much more to Mimio interactive teaching solutions, all designed to work together. Simply.

©2010 DYMO, a Newell Rubbermaid company

Imagine what the MimioClassroom products can do for you:

MimioVote Simplifies assessment, grading and record-keepng.

MimioTeach Enables you to teach interactively with an ordinary whiteboard.

MimioCapture Captures your whiteboard notes and drawings, made with dry erase markers.

MimioPad Gives you the freedom to move around the classroom.

MimioView Incorporates document camera images and video into your interactive lessons.

Get to know our MimioClassroom™ and visit mimio.dymo.com/new88!

How Colleges benefit from paperless accounting With the sector having to focus on making better use of limited resources, we look at the areas where introducing electronic based accounting can not only improve sustainability, but also deliver much needed efficiencies and cost-savings.

Speed up approval time and avoid bottle-necks of authorisation chains Approving purchase orders or invoices can often involve multiple individuals across a College in the sign off process.

The whole process can be delayed due to sending originals or copies through the internal/external post or simply because a Purchase Order goes missing or sits in an in-tray awaiting signature.

The entire authorisation procedure can easily be automated by moving to electronic based documentation that can be emailed directly to recipients and be chased with alert reminders.

Drive down delivery and storage costs An organisation can save up to £1 per document if it were sent electronically rather than via the post. This not only takes into account the postal charges

but also the stationery, labour, printing and waste disposal costs. Furthermore, the costs of storing financial documents to comply with legislation can be completely avoided.

Better use of human resources Hours spent inputting data, photocopying, faxing, posting or retrieving documents is an inevitable outcome of relying on paper-based accounting systems and one that is exacerbated if there are disputes or queries over a bill. A far more efficient use of departmental resources is achieved with document management technology to scan finance documents and subsequently enable both easy retrieval and the tying of documents to the relevant records in the core finance system.

Chasing approval for expenditure or making amendments to orders is another process made more efficient by using a paperless approach. The finance department can escalate the approvals process electronically and can even devolve purchase order creation to individual departments.

Support remote/flexible working With all documentation held centrally on a network, purchases or payments can be authorised remotely making it easier to support flexible working policies.

Add value elsewhere By easing the burden on the finance department, skilled resources can be used elsewhere for planning, budgeting and chasing student debt, rather than wasting time on administrative tasks that add little value.

If you’re considering how you can reduce the reliance on paper and want to reap the additional benefits that electronic accounting can bring, it may be easier than you think. On average most Colleges that introduce electronic-based accounting procedures typically see a return on investment within six months.

Symmetry FinancialsDirect support for more than 15,000 users in over 75 UK colleges

Saving UK colleges in excess of £800,000 every year through document management systems alone.

Symmetry Financials’ document management system is just one element in a suite of innovative modules. Our experience in the education market means the software is developed around your needs and processes, saving costs and enabling you to operate in an increasingly efficient manner.

Achieve complete transparency of your course costs and deliver the most economic and efficient curriculum using Activity Based Costing.

Instantly transfer data to the f i nance system from third-party applications such as your Student Management and till systems via Financial’s real-time integration tool, Easylink.

Extract the information you want, when you want with Information Manager, a simple to use yet sophisticated and f lexible reporting tool for education f i nance professionals.

To receive Symmetry’s Education Casestudy and Software Evaluation Guide Pack detailing how colleges are tackling common f inance challenges, email ‘education’ to syminfo@symmetry.co.uk Or to arrange a demonstration call

0117 900 6262

Symmetry Financials - the financial and management accounting solution developed solely for the education sector.

Education Business | Volume 15.6

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BETT 2011

SAVING MONEY WITH THE RIGHT SOFTWARE The Business Application Software Developers Association introduces some of its members and their products and services ALL ASPECTS OF THE BUSINESS of running an educational establishment can be made easier and more efficient with suitable software. Here, a selection of products from members of the Business Application Software Developers’ Association (BASDA) are reviewed.

Version One Ltd is the author of electronic document management and imaging solutions.

These solutions enable the electronic storage, retrieval, management, enhancement and delivery of business documents such as invoices, purchase orders and statements. This paperless office technology can be seamlessly integrated into all major ERP and accounting systems and with a typical ROI of less than six months, Version One’s solutions are enabling thousands of organisations to cut paper consumption whilst saving dramatic amounts of time and money. For example, North Warwickshire & Hinckley College has significantly improved purchase-to-pay efficiency with Version One’s document imaging software, integrating it into the college’s accounting system. Doing this has reduce invoice processing time, cut costs and freed-up document storage space.

the costs of the software, and implementation of the @UK PLC marketplace, along with additional process and efficiency savings.

A COLLABORATIVE APPROACH COA Solutions offers its financial management system (FMS) – eFinancials FMS – to many colleges across the country, and the company is keen to work with groups of colleges where appropriate to enable them to take a collaborative approach to upgrades, saving on project management costs. Upgrades to COA’s eFinancials systems offer enhanced reporting capabilities, and collaborative projects can mean that the colleges involved reduce upgrade costs, combining project management meetings and training sessions.

COA says that this type of approach to software upgrades is the common sense answer to the problem of very tight budgets, ensuring that educational institutions continue to have quality systems without breaking their budgets.

The Access Group has developed a college version of its product Select Software (SelectHR).

It provides a fast accessible HR system that produces meaningful management data and

cuts down the amount of time needed to product annual staff individual records (SIRs).

The Access helpdesk (Go-to-Assist) and regional user workshops assist users to make the most of the package, helping them find new ways of working, recording and reporting. The Access Group also provides other modular software covering a complete range of business, financial and administration processes.

INCREASE PRODUCTIVITY Dataflow’s A-Plus software offers increased productivity and cost savings to education establishments, allowing accounts departments to record pupils’ fees, charges and other details to produce fee bills quickly and easily.

The A-Plus software provides both parent and pupil ledgers plus a payroll module which fully integrates with the financial ledgers. The package has the facility to hold as many fees as required, with unlimited adjustments against each record, so it is extremely flexible and user friendly.

As a well established supplier of resource finance, procurement, HR and learner management software to the education sector,

ACCOUNTING SOFTWARE Symmetry is a leading supplier of accounting software to the education sector. Symmetry Financials is a fully integrated, browser-based, financial and management accounting solution already in use at over 75 colleges, with user populations from 2 to 800+. Colleges such as North Warwickshire & Hinckley use Symmetry Financials to help them achieve greater efficiencies by adopting a paperless financial management strategy. The college saves 2,500 hours per annum on invoice processing.

UNIT 4 is a global business software and services company, and in the UK they focus strongly on the public sector, being a leading provider to local government, further and higher education and health organisations.

UNIT 4 currently supplies a shared service for groups of colleges to enable economies of scale, using their Agresso products – Agresso Student Management System and Agresso Finance and Human Resources. @UK PLC supplies its product IncomeMaster to Bristol City Council for all Bristol schools, where they call the solution eazypay. The schools find the system a massive benefit with parents paying for everything from trips to shirts, and removing the need for students to carry cash to school. @UK also offers SpendInsight, which they guarantee can save money with its spend analysis solution. Typical savings provide an immediate 5x payback on

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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 83-inch (UB-T880W) and 77-inch (UB-T880).

• Built-in stereo speakers and 2 USB ports.

• Easiteach software included for creating engaging lessons.

• Height adjustable stand as an option.

E V E RY T H I N G M AT T E R S

UB-T800

UB-T800W

For more information on Panasonic Products see www.Panasonic.co.uk

You can also visit the Easiteach website: www.easiteach.com

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BETT 2011

Corero Systems’s solutions are widely used at sixth form, further education and higher education colleges, as well as many single and group academies. The ability to streamline existing business processes, eliminate large areas of manual, paper-based transactions through the use of the web based applications ensure accurate and effective statutory reporting. Resource Financials provides a dynamic and well proven foundation for the effective financial management of the college, school or academy environment. Resource EMS is a modern and powerful student record management information system, while Resource HR and Resource Payroll cover all staff employment requirements.

RECORDING ALL INTERACTIONS Sage (UK) Ltd provides software and services to over 800,000 organisations in the UK from accounts, payroll, forecasting and business intelligence to customer relationship management and e-business.

Within the education sector, Sage CRM offers the key benefits of a single database to record all interactions with customers and stakeholders rather than disparate systems across multiple users/PCs, and is used by organisations such as the Examinations Officers’ Association and The ifs School of Finance.

TechnologyOne can supply its Business Intelligence/Corporate Performance Management solutions to sit on top on incumbent systems, that they describe as a bridging solution designed to add value to current infrastructure of higher education institutes.

Bond International Software supplies Bond TeamSpirit, a comprehensive and fully accredited in-house HR and payroll system.

It offers flexibility to custom design reports with immediacy and data accessibility. The package allows payroll and HR departments to combine their data to save time and reduce inaccuracies. It also provides full compliance with all current and frequentlychanging government reporting regulations.

TRANSPARENCY OF INFORMATION PS Financials are the authors of award winning accounting, budgetary control and purchasing software used by over a third of academies in the UK. PS Financials’ accounting software provides specialist reporting and analysis, easy-to-use systems for non-financial users, transparency of information and also specific requirements such as monitoring of VAT. Used by academies since 2003, PS Financials is a tried and tested solution to the requirements of this sector of education.

Spend less and achieve more by changing your MIS EARSON PHOENIX as part of Pearson Education has been developing education software solutions for over 20 years. With the first truly webbased Management Information System (MIS) – e¹, Pearson Phoenix is proud to support schools and authorities throughout the UK and internationally in countries such as France, Japan, Dubai, India and Mexico. e¹ supports all aspects of teaching and learning from managing school resources including staff, timetables, personalised learning plans, online real-time reporting to parents and much more. e¹ is accessed via a secure web browser from any PC, Mac or internet enabled device and as such is available at anytime from any location. e¹ provides school leaders with information to inform school strategy and teachers the opportunity to tailor learning

P

to individual needs.

Administration staff are empowered with all the tools required to manage school data and parents can be assigned a secure login to monitor their child’s progress. e¹ supports the easy transfer of data between linked systems via the Systems Interoperability Framework (SIF) such as Learning Platforms to provide a dynamic teaching and learning resource. e¹ provides a real opportunity for schools and authorities to save money. As a centrally hosted MIS, no additional hardware or servers are required and all maintenance and upgrades are handled remotely.

FOR MORE INFORMATION If you would like more information on e¹, visit www.pearsonphoenix. com or alternatively e-mail phoenix.info@pearson.com or call +44 (0)1722 344800.

ABOUT BASDA BASDA is a member-driven organisation where members benefit by sharing knowledge and expertise, and work effectively as one voice to address strategic issues – evolving legal, political and technical influences that affect the business software industry.

BASDA offers member access to events, seminars and training for executives, product managers, developers and marketers. These are aimed at increasing knowledge, understanding changes and providing networking opportunities with peers, policy makers and suppliers.

Through its members and Special Interest Groups (SIGs), BASDA is the acknowledged voice and guardian of the software industry. BASDA is recognised as a stakeholder with governments, including the highest forum within HMRC, where its active partnership achieves common interest goals in harmony.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Tel: 01494 868030 Web: www.basda.org

sQuid’s cashless payment solution QUID’S CASHLESS payment solution for schools, colleges, universities and campus environments is the new convenient way to pay for catering, printing, schools trips, photocopying and online payments. sQuid payments are made through biometric identification or contactless smart cards, which can be branded to your own design. sQuid is low cost and easy to use, money is held securely and parents can protect their account balance if a card is lost or stolen. They simply register their details online, where they can also top up their account with money, check their balance and view their transactions. sQuid is a pre-pay payments network, users can’t get in to debt, and can be set up either stand alone with terminals and readers provided, or linked to your existing till system. sQuid is easy for children

S

to use and for parents to manage, while providing administrators with reports and visibility of all transactions on campus. Free school meal beneficiaries are catered for as are duty staff and visitors.

As parents can top up online, there is no need for cash on campus, which removes the need for cash handling with all of its associated costs.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Tel: 020 8339 2111 Fax: 020 8398 8785 E-mail: education@squidcard.com Web: www.squidcard. com/education

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATION

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Education Business | Volume 15.6

www.educationbusinessuk.com

BETT 2011

PARENTAL REPORTING – THE FUTURE FOR UK SCHOOLS Chris Scarth, commercial director at Classroom Monitor, discusses how ongoing assessment and parental reporting can help engage parents, reduce teacher workload and ultimately transform learning AS THE COALITION government forges ahead with plans to axe industry bodies, how can schools continue to drive and deliver important initiatives such as parental engagement and ongoing assessment in the classroom?

In 2008, the Labour government outlined plans for all maintained secondary schools to implement online reporting for parents

by September 2010, with primary schools expected to follow by 2012. To date, the majority of secondary schools have implemented systems and strategies to achieve this, with primary schools now beginning to research the options available to them.

UNDERSTANDING PUPIL PROGRESS Naturally, the first port of call for many schools has been to enlist the help of their Management Information System (MIS) or learning platform provider to deliver information about student behaviour, attendance and achievement to parents. However, many schools are now finding that simply making raw data available to parents, without context or solid examples of their child’s work, is neither engaging them nor helping them to understand their child’s progress. In fact, it is adding very little value beyond traditional reporting methods. As a result, many schools are still asking the big question; now parents have access to important data, is this enough to truly engage them in their child’s learning?

One of the most important factors for ensuring effective online reporting is relevance.

If parents are overloaded with information from schools that is not pertinent or practical they will be less likely to become engaged in their son or daughter’s learning than they are already. It is therefore vital that a parent can have sight of specific targets and ongoing information as to how their child is developing, so they can comprehend their progress and provide further support at home.

Guidance from Ofsted states that outstanding schools should provide tailored guidance and information about precise ways parents and carers can support their children’s learning. One approach to this lies in the work that primary and secondary schools are already doing to deliver the Assessing Pupil Progress (APP) initiative, whereby greater focus is put upon ongoing classroom assessment. Every day, teachers are gathering examples of their students’ work and mapping it to specific learning objectives, which in turn, can be reported to parents.

A great way to help engage parents is to

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look at more interactive ways of presenting information to them. This could encompass the provision of additional resources, examples of each child’s work, photos, sound clips or videos showing how their child is learning.

For example, in music, teachers could record sound clips of students’ compositions and post them to the portal for parents to download. For younger primary school pupils, teachers could scan their creative writing and upload this to show parents how their child’s handwriting and spelling is improving. These examples should already be linked alongside APP targets and if schools are using an online service to record this, they simply need to log on and send this information to parents.

For parental reporting and ongoing assessment to be a continued success, it needs to be manageable, cost-effective and easy to maintain.

Following this workflow of recording and storing work to support APP alongside MIS data, should help to reduce the time spent reporting to parents, whilst providing them with useful information they can use to help their child.

Another current issue is teachers’ fear of the added workload that parental reporting can bring. End-of-year report writing remains one of the biggest burdens for schools, so the idea of constantly compiling reports seems all too demanding a task. In reality, the structured and on-going approach of APP reporting allows teachers to streamline their efforts and have a clearer view of how each student and class is doing.

THE FUTURE Provided that schools look to incorporate and streamline processes via one input, it will allow for information to be fed into lots of other different resources. By centralising all these processes into one hub, teachers can save having to repeat processes or learn various ways of using such applications. It also negates the chance of error or information getting lost in transit and acts as one useful resource for all authorised to access.

For real-time reporting, it is essential for schools to look for a web-based application that is compatible and complements other existing systems in place, including that of an MIS. The application should look to do more than simply act as a traditional reporting system and if used correctly it should reduce teacher workload. By having an integrated and innovative system, schools should look to bring reporting and assessment into one ongoing process.

Chris Scarth

TOP TIPS Top tips for achieving engaging parent reporting: • Host a meeting with the senior management team and heads of departments to agree what valuable information you want to share with parents and the mediums in which you want to do this. For example, video clips might work better for the drama and sports department, whereas written material may work better for the English department.

• Establish how you are going to control the flow of information to parents. For example, how often you are going to publish information, the sorts of information you plan to make accessible and how you will communicate these plans to parents.

• Publish guidelines to outline your commitment to parents. This is particularly important when agreeing the timescales for returning e-mails from parents. You need to set expectations early so teachers are not continuously contacted and parents do not become disengaged.

• Streamline the reporting process by researching ways to link up your APP practices and your MIS data so parents get a rounded view of their child’s progress.

Chris Scarth is commercial director at Classroom Monitor, the award-winning interactive markbook which currently provides over 15,000 teachers in over 1,500 UK local authorities, schools and nurseries with a consistent approach to teacher assessment.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Tel: + 44 (0)844 5555211 Web: www.classroommonitor.co.uk

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Education Business | Volume 15.6

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ICT

OUTSOURCING THE RIGHT WAY Martyn Hart, Chairman of the National Outsourcing Association, discusses the steps schools should follow in order to achieve successful outsourcing WOULD YOU PUT A NEW KITCHEN into your house just because it looks and sounds like a good idea? It’s not likely. Instead, you will have carefully thought it through and have the entire process planned, and prepared in detail before proceeding. All of which leaves you secure in the knowledge of which appliances you will be keeping, replacing or investing in, as well as the likely overheads, costs and time frame.

Why then, shouldn’t schools follow a similar process when they look to outsource?

AN INCREASING TREND Outsourcing is gaining increased popularity within the education sector, with more and more schools beginning to recognise the benefits it offers. These include the most convenient and viable means of organising payrolls, finances and accounts, all of which will be maintained and updated on time by experienced professionals.

Many schools today are already working with managed service providers to procure, manage, maintain and refresh their Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) infrastructure and equipment. Indeed, earlier this year, the Tribal Group won a £64m contract from Ofsted to inspect nearly half of all the nurseries in England – on top of the 40 per cent of schools and colleges they already inspect.

It’s also clear that despite government funding cuts for ICT in education, schools are remaining optimistic and sticking with planned ICT investments for the next two years. This is reflected through a recent survey conducted by the British Educational Suppliers Associations which found that out of 1,379 UK schools (made up of 812 primary and 567 secondary), 58 per cent of primary schools and 51 per cent of secondary schools were still planning to go ahead with ICT investment plans for 2011/12.

INVESTMENT IN ICT ICT is a good example of an area in which schools are finding it more and more necessary to outsource and it could help them to provide better access to technology as well as increased productivity. Indeed, it’s no exaggeration to say that outsourced ICT could be the catalyst for the development of more sophisticated teaching environments in the future, which will make students more eager to learn.

Indeed, a recent independent study undertaken by Redshift Research found that schools are increasingly looking to outsource

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Outsourcing is gaining increased popularity within the education sector, with more and more schools beginning to recognise the benefits it offers. These include the most convenient and viable means of organising payrolls, finances and accounts, all of which will be maintained and updated on time by experienced professionals their Information Computer Technology. It also found budgetary restraints to be the top concern for 84 per cent of schools in 2010, and despite a historical reluctance to outsource ICT, it’s clear that there has now been a change in philosophy as schools face an uncertain future of limited and restricted funds.

There’s no doubt that the principal appeal outsourcing can hold for schools is the opportunity to save money, while at the same time freeing the educators to educate. But there is a catch: making outsourcing a success is a learning process that demands careful preparation, planning, commitment and lots of communication.

It’s clear that in order to successfully outsource, schools must ensure that the decision is not a waste of time, effort and valuable resources, and that they are undertaking the project for the right reasons.

It’s vital for schools to establish a strategic direction and goal before they decide to

invest time and money in choosing a service provider. So, what exactly do schools need to know if they are to outsource to best effect?

STEPS TO SUCCESSFUL OUTSOURCING There are a number of steps schools should follow in order to achieve successful outsourcing.

First and foremost, the senior management team (SMT) need to acknowledge that outsourcing can be a key to success, rather than a barrier. Often because of bad press in the media people can turn against outsourcing (or shared services or any other variants) before they have even started.

A good approach is to assess what the future state the school needs to be and then what the current situation is. Clear goals should be set by the school’s SMT, marking exactly what needs to be accomplished.

This includes identifying what resources are needed, who will supply them, how

Education Business | Volume 15.6

www.educationbusinessuk.com

ICT

good the internal services are, what the schedule will be as well as highlighting any potential roadblocks (especially political ones).

With the future state in mind, the school can evaluate which processes should be kept in-house and which to outsource, as the simple rule of thumb is that if it is not a core process of the school, or not mandatory and you’re not good at it, then why waste management time on it – outsource. If all that is true but you are good at doing something, then maybe you can offer the service to another school as well? Or even consider a shared service or joint venture?

If it’s an essential service, however, then obviously you need to invest in that function, either directly or by taking it from another school or even an external supplier.

The SMT need to do this together so that they can agree as a team, eventually all the processes that allows the school to function should be characterised, by opportunity and scale.

OVERCOMING BARRIERS Clearly, time plays an important role here, and non-core functions, like pay-bill, or facilities management can be outsourced quite quickly to a specialist supplier. Shared services can take more time (mainly due to politics) and Joint Ventures can take even more (mainly over legal issues).

It’s also important to also realise that plans to outsource could easily be met with stiff opposition, which means a strong action plan is needed, combined with robust communication throughout with all internal and external stakeholders, including staff, students and unions if their outsourcing projects are to succeed. By involving staff and pupils in the procurement process, schools can see their achievements and the end result which should be towards the future state.

It’s also a good idea to talk to potential suppliers at an early stage, before commencing upon the procurement process – this is often called “market warming” and will give the school an idea of how well their requirements will be met. A consideration which is often overlooked by the public sector is that return on investment is important for suppliers. With this in mind, it makes it even more important to consider performance evaluation and relationship management when engaging with your outsourcers. Schools should research and select potential providers with a proven track record in the field required, as well as a developed understanding of the education outsourcing sector.

NEW OUTSOURCING MODELS Developments in the outsourcing industry have meant the creation of a number of new outsourcing models, all of which are certain to keep growing in popularity, such as Cloud Sourcing.

These new services offer huge savings for developments like the Cloud, enabling services to be easily delivered, as well as creating significant savings for schools. However, there is no broad-brush measure that is going to guarantee the successful implementation of any project. It’s clear that a consistent approach is required, which is why the NOA developed a Lifecycle Model for outsourcing, shared services and in-sourcing, which can provide an important steer to schools working their way through this process.

The NOA Lifecycle Model can be used to help point schools in the right direction, by offering advice as to how to ensure the success of an outsourced-based strategy. To be really effective it is critical that the school manages the process throughout the lifecycle, rather than as separate, isolated projects. This is reflected through the NOA Lifecycle having ‘Strategic Leadership’ at its core, highlighting the link and drive towards the other key stages of the lifecycle model: Relationship Engagement; Transition and Change; and Relationship Management.

SHARING EXPERTISE The good news is there are plenty of excellent suppliers out there ready to share their expertise and experience with our schools. They all take a lifecycle approach to their outsourcing projects, which results in them viewing their business relationships with you as a

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It may take a couple of years to see significant results, or it might be quicker, but the right outsourcing arrangement will ultimately benefit pupils, teachers and employees partnership and as a journey, rather than a one-off contract.

Converting to an outside contractor requires strong leadership and a cohesive school board. Schools need to define the objectives and processes as well as being open and honest with everyone. It may take a couple of years to see significant results, or it might be quicker, but the right outsourcing arrangement will ultimately benefit pupils, teachers and employees.

It’s clear that there is now a growing opportunity for schools who are keen to improve and progress, and that outsourcing can help them to achieve this. However, it’s important to understand that an effective and carefully planned strategy can be the difference between outsourcing success and failure for schools.

Any journey starts with that first crucial step, maybe yours should be to read the NOA Lifecycle?

FOR MORE INFORMATION Web: www.noa.co.uk

www.educationbusinessuk.com

Written by Chris Rice, Milton Keynes college

ICT

GETTING THE MESSAGE ACROSS Adopt an integrated media approach in college recruitment campaigns with txttools MILTON KEYNES COLLEGE is a further education organisation in a competitive situation, one of the fastest growing colleges in the UK with over 3,500 16-18 year old students. One of the college’s aim is to attract the maximum number of students onto the courses, and with full-time recruitment up by 40 per cent in the last three years, we are doing this with success.

Our strategy is to use the student as the hero in our marketing communications.

The recruitment department’s marketing plan has a commitment to communicating with potential students using their preferred methods and media formats.

Our preferred style is to use peer-to-peer integrated multi-channel campaigns – “take one simple message and work it hard.”

BEST PRACTICE A well integrated campaign has several key components: It needs to be centred around one clear, focused, big idea for the brand.

It has to have a single communication voice. It must have a consistent look and feel among all components.

Media types need to work naturally together in concert to create a “whole is greater than the sum of the parts” effect. Media types must have a clear and distinct role in the overall communication that leverages the particular strength of that medium.

WHY TAKE AN INTEGRATED APPROACH? Integrated campaigns take the strengths from a number of advertising mediums, and deploy them in a united marketing method to achieve maximum results.

Integrated campaigns that use social media as a central platform can provide explosively successful results. By combining offline, digital and social marketing techniques, a campaign is more likely to be shared between networks, peers and tribes of friends. Once a viral seed has been planted the message can spread far further than the original first line of audience.

Milton Keynes, like all good brands, needs to create great stories • that tell a product truth • that resonate with the target audience • that give the audience something to talk about and engage with.

We set out in 2009 to apply this to our full-time recruitment campaign.

Our research identified that potential students are increasingly looking to online sources and communities for information on selecting a college. The importance of advocacy is all too clear, peer-to-peer

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communication and recommendation were highly valued by potential students.

CAMPAIGN AIMS • Create content featuring current students and then harness their online networks and contacts to reach potential students • Create an online community using social network contacts and make this the focal point for the campaign creative • Create an online community channel where potential students can engage with current students and get a “feel” for college • Convert online interest into applications • Use one big idea and one clear message in an integrated way • Every student is a VIP This campaign set out to: • Create rich content that reinforces key messages in a credible way • Incentivise the sharing of the content to create a viral effect • Use our students and their social networks to reach the audience rather than us – more credible • Support online activity with integrated activity We ran a competition to find two very important people to represent the college. Over a 150 students auditioned and their promo videos were viewed on the College’s YouTube channel by tens of thousands of people.

Students were encouraged to get their social network contacts to view and comment on the videos – many of these were potential students.

The two students with the most views got to be the new faces of the college and were given the VIP treatment for an all-day photo shoot. The results were seen on buses, traditional and digital six-sheets, and online ads.

The images and concept were incorporated in college publications and open evenings.

DIGITAL AND ONLINE MEDIA • Web 2.0: A College YouTube channel became the focus of the campaign.

Social network sites were enhanced.

• Online advertising: Users targeted by age and location. Multiple ads were created and CTRs monitored.

• Digital Six-Sheets: Five-second ads were placed throughout the MK shopping centre.

• Mobile: SMS using the txttools package was used as a call to action.

• College website: Landing pages and banner ads linked to the new online applications feature.

ROLE OF MOBILE MARKETING • The digital communication process has

undergone a drastic change and SMS is now the prime tool for information delivery • SMS is universally adopted by potential students and is their communication method of choice • Ideal for launching viral campaigns and engaging in a cost-effective way • Auto response features and shortcode numbers make it ideal for a call to action • Measurable with real-time data (easy to calculate ROI) • An essential digital marketing tool alongside social media OUTCOMES • 9.5 per cent increase in applications year-on-year • 16.8 per cent increase in acceptances • 31 per cent of applications submitted online • 35,277 video views during the campaign • Winning video got 2,352 views (Archie), second place had 1,248 views (Rhonda) • College YouTube channel had 7,552 views 4th most viewed channel on YouTube LESSONS LEARNT • The demand for online applications.

By next year we expect 50 per cent of our applications will be submitted online.

• If you have interesting and dynamic content, people will engage with you and this positively affects their perception of your offer • Integrating the campaign gave it extra weight and increased awareness.

• It suggested how new media formats might offer opportunities to remove barriers for potential students while providing rich sources of customer feedback.

• The amount of admin work required for an online campaign shouldn’t be underestimated.

• The value of current students in attracting new students and the increasing role of online communities.

E-MAIL VS MOBILE Each day there are twice as many e-mails page views as there are letters sent in the UK. The the demographics for e-mail sends are: 15-24 year olds = 24 per cent, 25-44 year olds = 42 per cent, persons aged 45+ = 34 per cent.

Furthermore, two and half as many people use txt as use e-mail.

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Education Business | Volume 15.6

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DESIGN & BUILD

HOW TO ACHIEVE EFFECTIVE STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT

The construction and education industries must take advantage of online dialogue to effectively engage their key stakeholders throughout project development, writes Erika Roshdi

AS UNCERTAINTY CONTINUES to loom over the education sector, the value of genuine stakeholder engagement has never been so evident. Traditional methods of consultation are important, but as the nature of communication is increasingly altered by the web, effective two-way dialogue is no longer limited to offline delivery.

The education and construction sectors have faced significant changes over recent months, with the scrapping of the Building Schools for the Future programme raising question marks over the future of school redesign projects. Whilst the outlook is uncertain for the 735 BSF projects that have been stopped, work on refurbishing schools has not been halted altogether and there is still much scope for cooperation between the public and private sectors in the sustainable development of school buildings.

The role of effective stakeholder engagement is crucial within this context, helping to shape the decision making process to ensure that each project delivers maximum benefit to all stakeholders within specified financial boundaries. Given the findings from research into the importance of educational environments for both students and teachers, the somewhat contentious nature of the issue requires genuine consultation to take all needs and expectations into consideration.

COMBINING OFFLINE AND ONLINE TOOLS At the heart of stakeholder engagement lies the acknowledgement that decision making capacity is greatly improved by giving those affected by projects a voice and the ability to influence outcomes, allowing the project to be viewed from different angles. This is conducive to good problem solving and innovation, as well as working as a form of risk mitigation by encouraging stakeholder buy-in and ownership of the project.

As various, and often potentially conflicting, perspectives are involved in such community projects, consultation that is meaningful and measurable requires vast amounts of time, resources and organisation. Traditional forms of engagement such as face-to-face meetings and focus group interviews have often worked well as they allow the collection of complex qualitative information.

However, with the increasing sophistication of the web as a communication tool, many organisations have recognised the opportunities it presents in designing effective

The education and construction sectors have faced significant changes over recent months, with the scrapping of the Building Schools for the Future programme raising question marks over the future of school redesign projects

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATION

47

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Education Business | Volume 15.6

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DESIGN & BUILD

With the increasing sophistication of the web as a communication tool, many organisations have recognised the opportunities it presents in designing effective consultation through online mechanisms such as StakeholderTALK™, and are deploying it to complement their offline efforts consultation through online mechanisms such as StakeholderTALK™, and are deploying it to complement their offline efforts.

Offline engagement, whilst effective in gathering qualitative data, is naturally limited by time, distance and their associated costs. It can often be problematic to gather information and opinion from all those involved or affected by projects within a particular timescale, particularly where issues of anonymity are concerned.

FACILITATING PRODUCTIVE DIALOGUE At the recent ‘Remodelling Education Spaces’ event in Manchester, the use of the web in facilitating stakeholder dialogue for the sustainable development of schools was an interesting topic of discussion.

One of the key concerns for those with experience in offline consultation was that of ‘railroaders’, who can be detrimental to productive dialogue and discussion.

Using tools such as online surveys and discussion forums to facilitate stakeholder engagement ensures that the principle of one person, one voice holds true. By requiring individuals to log in to complete surveys, multiple completions are prevented and every opinion expressed bears equal weight, all the while protecting anonymity.

Online communication tools, such as the StakeholderTALK™ toolkit, are being used to overcome the restrictions of traditional consultation by creating a platform for effective two-way dialogue between organisations and their key stakeholders. The web, available continuously, transcends barriers of time and space, encouraging greater participation and a therefore larger pool of information on which to base decisions.

It allows stakeholders to decide on the extent of their engagement in terms of when and how long for, according to their differing needs and expectations. The removal of physical barriers is an important element in the building of more sustainable, long-term dialogue with organisations.

ENGAGEMENT OVER PROJECT LIFESPANS Another concern raised during the discussion was of ensuring that both organisations and stakeholders are kept up-to-date with project developments over lifespans. Unfortunately, offline dialogue does not sufficiently meet the challenges of gathering and measuring

ongoing dialogue over extended time periods. A key benefit of using online tools to complement offline methods in building stakeholder relationships is the ability to provide them with instantly updated information as developments unfold.

Tools such as news and information channels, interactive resource libraries and discussion forums, used individually or together to form a dynamic engagement hub, allow organisations to keep stakeholders informed throughout the lifespan of a project. This is particularly crucial where changes to timescales and modifications could cause inconvenience or even dispute, particularly where projects involve collaboration between public and private sector organisations.

Equally, these communication channels give stakeholders a medium through which to voice their ongoing opinions and views. It is important to remember that stakeholder perspectives are not static and may be subject to change as projects evolve. The web is the ideal mechanism with which to continuously gather, measure and analyse stakeholder input; the ability to track traffic on corporate communications through these channels can result in more timely and accurate decision making capabilities.

GOING BEYOND PR Unfortunately for many, the issue of stakeholder engagement raises fears about PR exercises carried out under the guise of consultation.

Stakeholders have often been brought into projects too late for any meaningful input, and in some cases their opinions have been sought to reach a desired outcome, negating the value of the consultation process altogether.

Recognising the pivotal role of stakeholder engagement in sustainable development can help overcome box-ticking attitudes towards consultation and the various communications tools now available to organisations through the web can simplify what is still sometimes seen as an arduous task.

Online engagement provides organisations with the ability to build ongoing dialogue and relationships with stakeholders that complement offline consultation. Rather than having to ensure meetings take place at relevant points of project development, the web enables both organisations and stakeholders to be readily accessible. This is

Erika Roshdi

particularly important in gathering feedback on complex issues for which no firm decision can be easily made, if at all. The rapid deployment of online mechanisms ensures that time wasting is limited and the engagement that takes place is valuable and meaningful.

THE FUTURE OF CONSULTATION However organisations choose to carry out their stakeholder engagement activities, it is clear that the nature of consultation, along with stakeholder expectations of it, is changing. The growing pressure from consumers, investors, local communities and employees for accountability and transparency is shifting the goalposts for those involved in the refurbishment of education buildings.

In negotiating the road ahead, the construction and education industries must take advantage of the significant opportunities offered by the web in engaging their key stakeholders throughout project development.

With the increasing complexity of projects and number of stakeholder groups involved, the importance of genuine dialogue will continue to escalate, requiring tools that can effectively gather the various perspectives that result.

The use of online communication tools such as StakeholderTALK™ are already shaping the future of stakeholder consultation and will no doubt continue to play a vital role for organisational decision making and risk mitigation in navigating toward sustainable development.

Erika Roshdi specialises in sustainability communications at IMS Consulting. The company develops and delivers two way, online stakeholder dialogue, engagement and communications platforms.

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THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATION

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Education Business | Volume 15.6

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DESIGN & BUILD

NEW WAYS OF THINKING Remodelling Education Spaces brought together the latest technology, innovations, products and services, and provided expert advice for projects around the country REMODELLING EDUCATION SPACES, 13-14 September, Manchester, was deemed a great success, with around 1,000 visitors and delegates, dealing with pitfalls when refurbishing, flexible design, doing more with less, innovative plans for shared services and more efficient procurement; at least in the short-term whilst we wait for Mr Gove to decide the right path ahead.

The speaker line up included a range of key stakeholders within the education building industry, such as architects, contractors, consultants, designers, heads of education establishments, government departments and councils among others, featuring Karsan Vaghani, director of capital projects, University of Bristol, Ian Cleland, chief executive, Ormiston Education Trust, Rachel Shaw, director, architecture plb, Ben Smith, associate director, AECOM and Philip Ives, director, JM Architects.

Discussions centred upon the government’s free schools initiative and case study examples of recently refurbished buildings, including: the conversion of an historic building into a 21st century learning space (the JCB Academy); transforming a neglected space into a successful school (Elm Court School); and re-invigorating a school through creative design (St. Benedict’s School).

MORAL IMPERATIVE Inspirational leader and educator, Richard Gerver gave an invigorating opening address, to a packed theatre of delegates, asking what exactly is our moral imperative?

He argued that “our children are as important as any adult citizen” and that “education is a human experience”. Whilst some politicians are shouting that leaking roofs and lectured education may well have worked in their day, today is 2010 and our children and their futures are different and require different methods of teaching.

“Our moral imperative is to prepare our children for their future, allowing every child the same opportunities,” said Richard Gerver.

Whilst there are still a number of schools simply not fit for purpose there was, without doubt, an increasing feeling of collaboration across the industry and a growing voice urging the government to keep the development of education building at the top of its agenda.

Platinum sponsor of the event was AECOM. The company’s portfolio of experts work with schools and design teams across the country to plan, design and deliver school projects including the BSF and Academies schemes as well as commissions from the independent sector. Gary Chesher, Education Sector Head

(South), explained the importance of the industry from their perspective: “AECOM were proud sponsors of the Remodelling Education Spaces event. We realise that learning outcomes can be hugely influenced by the surrounding learning environment.

Spaces creatively designed to suit many activities, along with the right sound levels; technological support, fresh air and natural daylight combine to increase performance levels for both teachers and learners.

“Remodelling existing building stock in the education sector will become more prevalent as capital expenditure tightens and clients seek to maximise the potential of their assets.

Through working with education professionals across a wide range of school buildings, we understand the importance teachers place upon responsive and adaptive learning spaces.”

GREAT SUCCESS Regional director of AECOM, Phil Cusack commented: “Remodelling Education Spaces was a great success for us – attendance levels were beyond our expectations and I believe that we succeeded in getting our market message across to a large number of clients in a relatively cost-effective and efficient way.”

The free schools initiative came under intense scrutiny with over 50 speakers across the two days, overwhelmed with questions and uncertainties as to whether this is the right route ahead or not? Carl-Gustaf Stawström, secretary general of the Swedish Association of Independent Schools, was quick to point out that whilst this model

has had unprecedented success in Sweden, this isn’t a case of one-solution fits all.

In Sweden, the free schools are run as commercial businesses, which in-turn can raise funds for school upkeep and further investment. This isn’t the case for the Conservative plans and this, plus questions surrounding the curriculum and other standard school “rules”, were amongst the growing number of concerns.

LISTENING TO THE EXPERTS Whatever Mr Gove decides to do it’s important that he listens to the experts. The industry has ploughed billions into training and raising the standards of education in the built environment and, whilst parents and teacher groups may be best placed to contribute from an on-theground point of view, the experts are the people that know how to put those views into practice.

It is clear that the Remodelling Education Spaces event came at the right time: allowing the industry to raise its concerns and come together to discuss solutions for the future.

The outlook for education in the built environment is looking more positive but the questions now for BSEC 23-24 February, are “What happens next and what will replace BSF?”

FOR MORE INFORMATION For more information, please visit remodellingeducation.com or for more information on BSEC 2011 please visit www.bsecevent.com

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATION

51

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The company covers all aspects of window filming including safety, security, solar control, vinyls, manifestations and graphics. Only the best quality materials are used and the workmanship is exceptional.

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THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATION

53

Education Business | Volume 15.6

www.educationbusinessuk.com

ENERGY

EMBRACING ENERGY SAVING PAYS OFF Juliet Heller visits St Columb Minor School in Cornwall, one of the 2010 Ashden Awards winners IN THIS DIFFICULT FINANCIAL CLIMATE, schools across the country need to find creative ways to continue providing high quality education – and make real cost savings. For some this would be a daunting prospect, but the enlightened path taken by one awardwinning school has turned the experience into a positive one – St Columb Minor, a primary school in Cornwall, which in 2008 set out to reduce its carbon footprint.

The school has appointed a school business manager who is leading this energy cutting drive with the full backing and involvement of the head teacher, governors, parents and pupils themselves. A dynamic and determined individual, Gill Harper started out as a part-time school secretary 20 years ago. During her studies for a degree in School Business Management, she focused on how to lead education sustainable development in schools, which led to St Columb Minor adopting an ambitious Energy Management Plan. This has helped the school use less energy and be more energy efficient, already leading to impressive CO2 and cost savings.

There are three approaches to St Columb Minor’s Plan: improving the school building, behaviour change and installing renewable energy technologies.

Work started by bringing in an energy consultant to assess how energy hungry the building was, its electricity and gas consumption and ratings of energy appliances.

The findings led to the next steps of improving the building: installing roof installation, new PVC double glazed windows and doors to avoid heat being lost from the building. Inefficient radiators were replaced with more efficient ones that could be easily regulated, and old white goods in the kitchen have been replaced with higher energy-rated appliances. Lights have also been converted to low energy versions.

SHIFTING BEHAVIOUR Then attention shifted to what people were doing in the buildings. A key element of any energy saving drive in schools, according to the Ashden Awards for Sustainable Energy which assesses and rewards sustainable schools, needs to be changing behaviour.

“Getting pupils directly engaged in measuring energy use, switching off lights and seeing the difference for themselves, is key to sustainable energy learning. Making it enjoyable along the way is even better!” says Sarah Butler-Sloss, founder director of the awards scheme.

Pupils at St Columb Minor patrol the classrooms and corridors turning off lights and appliances such as computers and printers when they are not needed. Each class has

appointed a pupil as their Energy Monitor to carry out weekly checks and meter readings, highlighting any problem spots as they arise.

A smart meter supplied by the local authority provides useful data to help the school track where improvements can be made. Pupils also make pledges to cut their carbon footprint in practical, day to day ways like riding a bike to school or switching off their TV. These pledges are taken home so the message is reinforced and passed on to the whole family.

As Jennie Walker, head teacher says: “Energy saving behaviour is embedded in everything we do, from simple things like turning off the projectors and computers when not in use to raising the awareness of our rights and responsibilities towards people in other parts of the world. Our children are acutely aware that we all have an impact on the environment and that we can all make a difference. In our recent annual pupil survey 96 per cent pupils thought that saving energy was a good idea and 89 per cent thought that the things that they do make a difference to the world.“ HARNESSING GREEN TECHNOLOGY Turning to more technical solutions, the school’s Eco Team decided to install three forms of renewable energy sources as ways to provide practical learning opportunities and reduce carbon even further. It now boasts a 6kW wind turbine, 6kW solar thermal for hot water and a solar PV array of 13.8kW. As highly visible signs of the school’s efforts to save energy, the technologies have increased awareness amongst the pupils and wider community.

One enthusiastic Year 6 pupil explains: “The renewable energy is helping us learn about carbon footprints, and it’s also reducing the school’s energy use. Fossil fuels won’t last forever.”

Engaging businesses in the energy saving exercise is also paying off. Two businesses that installed equipment at the school have participated in assemblies and run workshops for KS2 pupils to consolidate their learning. One local business sponsor also worked with pupils to carry out a community energy audit by going into shops asking people about their green credentials. For the students it was a fun and worthwhile experience, and also informative for the local community.

The school is reaping the benefits of their carbon counting process every day, both financially and environmentally. The solar PV and wind turbine generate around 23,000kWh per year, saving 11 tonnes of CO2 a year, and this has contributed to the school’s impressive Display Energy Certificate rating of ‘C’.

Since 2008, when the renewable energy installations were completed, electricity

consumption has fallen by 37 per cent and energy costs have dropped by 30 per cent.

Changing day to day behaviour has contributed to this significantly. St Columb Minor is now hoping to change its electricity supplier and start selling surplus electricity back to the National Grid. The school is eligible for the existing micro-generators tariff under the government’s Feed-in Tariff Scheme.

FUNDING AND SUPPORT The school has been successful at securing financial support from businesses and via government grants (some of which sadly no longer exist) to support the renewable energy technologies, managing to secure 95 per cent funding towards the cost. In 2010, St Columb Minor won the prestigious Ashden Awards for Sustainable Energy in the schools category, rewarded with £10,000 but more importantly receiving a package of year-round support including introductions to potential supporters, advocacy support and PR. The school is looking at other ways they can continue to make further savings in energy costs as well as providing access to a innovative and creative curriculum where all learners have the opportunity to have real-life experiences.

As Gill Harper comments: “We believe we have a responsibility to equip our children with the knowledge, skills and understanding to empower them to make informed choices by becoming responsible global citizens. Some of our pupils will be decisions makers one day, and we hope they will go on to run sustainable businesses, use renewable technology and find other ways to exploit their know-how and commitment in productive and inspiring ways.”

The school has chosen to use part of the financial award from the Ashden Awards to carry out other energy saving measures within the school, such as installing sun pipes in corridors and work areas, buying equipment and software to enable all pupils to access current data and monitor energy consumption for the school.

The rest of the award will be used to expand their work in promoting and sharing good practice with other schools in Cornwall, nationally and internationally. To this end, the school recently hosted 12 international educationalists from eight European countries to explore how to use the outside environment to inspire learning.

This is the start of an exciting project and partnership with the Ashden Awards to inspire others to embark on the sustainability journey.

FOR MORE INFORMATION St Columb www.blueschool.co.uk Ashden Awards for Sustainable Energy www.ashdenawards.org Juliet Heller is a freelance writer specialising in sustainability issues Tel: 01621 868083 E-mail: juliet@julietheller.co.uk Web: www.julietheller.co.uk

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATION

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Education Business | Volume 15.6

www.educationbusinessuk.com

ENERGY

LOW CARBON SCHOOLS FOR THE FUTURE Richard Berry from Climate Change Solutions reviews the ways in which schools can help themselves and use alternative resources to improve their environmental qualifications WHILST THE BUILDING SCHOOLS for the Future programme may have been brought to an unceremonious close and the impact of the Government Spending Review is about to bite, there are still opportunities to make real changes in schools; to reduce energy use, lower environmental impact and save on operational costs.

The schools sector accounts for approximately 2 per cent of the greenhouse gas emission in the UK and 15 per cent of public sector emissions. The Climate Change Act requires that the UK reduce its emissions by at least 34 per cent by 2020 and by 80 per cent by 2050, below 1990 levels. This is no mean feat particularly as energy use in schools has increased since 1990, a sizeable portion of which was due to the increased use of ICT. For schools to play their part, the previous government proposed that the target reduction

The key principles on reducing emissions remain the same: use less energy, use energy wisely and where possible use renewable sources of energy. Since March 2010, schools will have had a School Travel Plan in place with actions to reduce the emissions from cars, however, once at school there are many behavioural changes that can make a big difference in the energy used in the school itself.

BEHAVIOURAL CHANGE The foundation of behavioural change is knowledge. Schools have taken great steps in educating pupils on climate change, the human contribution and possible consequences.

Many have gone further by bringing climate change home to pupils through engaging with them in what can be done locally both at home and at school. Others have identified projects for pupils that assess the schools

From a greenhouse gas emissions perspective, the largest contributor from schools is due to the energy use in the school buildings. Other contributors include travel to and from school; companies supplying goods and services to schools; and waste for schools should be an ambitious 53 per cent against current emissions. Although this strategy relied on major building works, there are still a wealth of other approaches that can have a major impact.

From a greenhouse gas emissions perspective, the largest contributor from schools is due to the energy use in the school buildings.

Other contributors include travel to and from school; companies supplying goods and services to schools; and waste. The energy use in school buildings has seen a 24 per cent increase between 1990 and 2006, this included a 31 per cent increase in electricity.

MEETING THE CHALLENGE Major capital investment programmes will still be needed to meet the overall proposed emissions challenge, nevertheless, there are still a number of small cost and lower profile actions that can be taken.

Furthermore, now that local councils are registered as part of the Carbon Reduction Commitment Energy Efficiency Scheme, they have an added incentive to support energy efficiency within all public buildings.

environmental impact and look to identify ways to better manage and reduce energy use.

There are a plethora of actions that can be taken and many useful websites and agencies to provide advice. However, the key to get things moving is leadership and engagement to raise awareness and promote participation, such as setting up eco clubs, green teams or energy efficiency committees.

These empower teachers and pupils to take responsibility, recommend actions and then take ownership to implement them.

Head teachers and local authorities need to provide support and guidance to help remove inhibitors to change and encourage those who are passionate about the environment and sustainability; staff, pupils, school managers, site services, parents and governors, to spend time working together to develop energy efficiency strategies and plans.

Outside of school, other agencies and programmes that provide guidance include the Carbon Trust, the ECO Schools programme, the European Carbon Detectives programme and various commercial and third sector support organisations.

LOW COST ENERGY EFFICIENCY Keeping a large school building warm in winter and cool in summer is dependent on three key factors: • how well the building is insulated • how efficient the heating system is • the temperature difference between inside and out.

Whilst it may be at the less exciting end of the energy efficiency opportunities, insulation is still the most effective way of reducing energy waste through heat loss. Thus it is worth reviewing a possible increase in the level of wall and roof insulation and implementing a plan to eliminate drafts. There may be hot and cold spots around the building wasting heat that, if located, can be easily corrected. Creating a pupil owned project to monitor and measure energy use in different zones can help identify key energy use areas, provide validation for business cases and involve pupils in real life projects.

Ensuring that the heating system is efficient and that the building energy management system is used effectively and flexibly is vital to ensure that heating and cooling are provided to the right areas of the school at the right times.

Regular reviews to ensure that the building management system operates in harmony with the school timetable and curriculum should limit the requirement for any localised heating or cooling and reduce energy costs.

Furthermore, subject to ensuring that comfort is maintained, a one degree reduction in internal room temperature could reduce heating bills by approximately 8 per cent, both from lowering the energy demand and reducing heat loss.

SWITCH OFF Other considerations should be made to use timers and lighting sensors that switch lights off when there is enough daylight.

In addition, building/facilities managers are encouraged to work closely with the head teachers to ensure that the building energy systems work optimally to complement natural light and heat, and install sensors in rooms used infrequently to switch off equipment, heating and lighting when not required.

In order to be able to reduce emissions and energy spend it is important to measure, monitor, publicise, educate, inspire and adapt. One useful first step to start the journey might be to invite the Carbon Trust to carry out a free on-site energy survey.

As the school moves from reducing energy use, through using energy more wisely, to using renewables, there are a number of options that schools should be aware of and consider as

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATION

57

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Education Business | Volume 15.6

www.educationbusinessuk.com

ENERGY

part of their strategy on reducing emissions.

With the new renewable heat incentive (RHI) planned for 2011, this government scheme is aimed at supporting a range of renewable technologies. Incentives will be in the form of tariffs that encourage the take up of renewable heat energy systems to offset the investment and subsequently provide a reasonable rate of return.

Schools could benefit from this by replacing ageing fossil fuelled boilers with biomass boilers, air and ground source heat pumps and/or generate hot water by installing solar heating on south facing roofs.

GENERATE OWN SUPPLY In April 2010 the new feed-in tariffs came into force with the government providing incentives to individuals or organisations to generate their own electricity. In order to avoid the initial capital outlay, British Gas has announced that it is to give £15m of free solar panels to British schools. The company is intending to donate and install these in up to 750 schools. This could reduce their electricity bill by around 20 per cent. The company has advised that the income generated from the feed-in tariff would be used by the company to reinvest into providing solar panels to other schools.

Where schools do not achieve selection or may have sufficient funds to install similar sized projects themselves, they could see a revenue return from the feed-in tariff of between £40,000 and £85,000 over the 25-year tariff period, This would include not needing to purchase some electricity from their supplier and also be dependent on the size of the solar panel array.

In addition, natural cooling systems could be considered in lieu of energy hungry air conditioning units. Using such systems based on evaporative cooling or passive ventilation would also significantly reduce energy costs.

On a larger scale and obviously requiring sizeable capital investment, there are opportunities for schools to work with their local authorities to upgrade ageing heating systems and utilise more recent technologies such as Combined Heat and Power (CHP). These systems provide both heat and electricity, and whereas with traditional electricity generation the heat energy is wasted, CHP isolates this heat for local use.

For larger scale systems schools may be able to integrate into a community heating systems. These systems can provide overall energy efficiencies of 90 per cent and if they

are combined with sustainable fuels such as biomass it can provide community heating that has a minimal carbon footprint.

In order to manage such a community power supply and distribution network, including fuel supply, Energy Services Companies (ESCos) can be set up in partnership with local authorities and communities making use of the energy supply companies expertise, management and experience.

IN CONCLUSION Leadership, time and resource are often the biggest inhibitors to making changes, however, by using local authority energy and asset management teams or, where identified, carbon reduction officers, energy companies, government sponsored advisors such as the Carbon Trust and the wealth of enthusiasm that can be tapped into within the school, many of the barriers can be overcome. This will lead to a more energy efficient, less costly and low carbon school of the future.

FOR MORE INFORMATION For more information, support and links to relevant advice and guidance described in this article visit www.climate-change-solutions.co.uk

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ABERCOM’S digital signage solution uses low energy LCD screens and PCs with non moving parts for their paperless communication channel.

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THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATION

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Education Business | Volume 15.6

www.educationbusinessuk.com

ENERGY

FIGHTING CLIMATE CHANGE WITH RENEWABLE ENERGY RenewableUK writes about how micro-generation technologies can help schools across the UK with their sustainability agenda Schools have an increasingly important role when it comes to educating students on climate change. As well as ensuring that they reduce their own carbon emissions, schools have a duty to promote environmentally responsible behaviour and educate our young people about the importance of protecting our planet.

These responsibilities can be seen to go hand in hand. The energy efficiency measures and renewable energy projects that hundreds of schools around the country are rolling out serve as a powerful and very visual example to students of positive environmental action and can be a point of focus for study in many subjects including science, geography, maths and technology.

SMALL WIND TURBINES One micro-generation renewable technology that has been experiencing rapid growth over the past few years is small wind turbines. In the period between 2005 and 2009, 14,000 small wind systems were deployed in the UK as more homes and businesses looked to generate their own clean, green energy. It is an area that expects to see significant growth in the years ahead, driven by declining technology costs, increasing volatility of fossil fuel prices and an attractive financial incentive scheme.

The Carbon Trust has indicated that in theory small-scale wind energy has the potential to generate 41.3TWh, which is approximately 12 per cent of the UK’s current electricity requirement and would save 17.8 million tonnes of CO2 a year. Many schools around the country have started to wake up to the potential of this technology and environmental and economic benefits it has to offer.

FEED-IN TARIFFS Small wind systems have always made sense from an environmental perspective but since the introduction of the government’s Feed-in Tariffs (FITs) in April this year, there is now a new financial incentive that makes this type of renewable energy technology a more attractive investment than ever before. Feed-in tariffs apply to a range of renewable technologies including small wind turbines, solar PV panels and micro hydro products. The scheme has been designed to guarantee the installer a fixed income for producing their own renewable energy and a set price for any surplus electricity they produce and export back to the grid.

For hard-pressed schools facing tighter budgets and higher energy costs it can be a win-win scenario of reduced energy bills and an additional revenue stream.

SMALL WIND SYSTEMS

POWER (KW)

ANNUAL ENERGY PRODUCTION (KWH)

TOTAL HEIGHT (M)

TOTAL INSTALLED COST

Micro wind

0-1.5

Small wind

1.5-15

Up to 1,000

10-18

0.5-5k

Up to 50,000

12-25

2-50k

Small-medium

15-100

Up to 200,000

15-50

50-250k

POWER (KW)

GENERATION TARIFF (P/KWH)

EXPORT TARIFF (P/KWH)

Micro wind

0-1.5

34.5 pence

3 pence

Small wind

1.5-15

26.7 pence

3 pence

Small-medium

15-100

24.1 pence

3 pence

Small wind systems can be divided into three groups: micro wind, small wind and small-medium wind, and vary in their size, power output and cost.

The FIT generation tariff varies depending on the size of a wind turbine, while the export tariff, paid for surplus power exported to the national grid, has been set at 3 pence per kWh, regardless of the type and size of technology.

For example, a school installing a 6kW turbine would receive 26.7 pence for each kWh of electricity produced and 3 pence per kWh of surplus electricity supplied back to the grid.

CHOOSING A SITE Of course the power that can be generated, and ultimately the return on investment from one of these systems, is dependent on the wind resource in a particular area, which is why choosing the right location is vital to installation. It is generally recommended that for a wind turbine to be worthwhile, wind speed needs to be at least 4.5 meters per second. Fortunately, the UK has some of the strongest and most consistent winds in Europe.

Prior to installation it is always advisable to install a wind gauge and collect data on wind speeds for three months to establish whether the correct location has been chosen. For optimum performance a wind turbine should be sited in an area that is free of nearby obstructions to the wind flow such as trees, buildings and hills. It is also advisable to aim for as high up as possible since the higher you go the better the wind. Raising a turbine by just five metres can improve energy output by around 30 per cent.

Denes High School in Lowestoft is just one of many schools up and down the country benefiting from generating their own power.

In April this year the school installed a 5kW Evance R9000 wind turbine, which a group of entrepreneurial students, working with their teachers planned and acquired the £37,000 of funding for. The free-standing

turbine, which measures 15 metres high, is expected to deliver around £1,000 of savings annually and just over four tonnes of CO2.

PLANNING AHEAD Currently in the UK, all small wind systems require planning permission. However, the government is expected to announce a General Permitted Development Order (GPDO) for the sector soon, which will remove the need for planning permission for small scale wind installations that fulfil certain size and noise limits. The industry is urging the government to bring this announcement forward so more homes, businesses and public buildings can enjoy the environmental and economic benefits of a clean and sustainable supply of electricity whilst contributing to the country’s efforts to reduce carbon emissions. A recent report from RenewableUK highlighted that by 2020 the UK small wind sector will be generating 1.7TWh of renewable electricity annually.

Micro-generation technologies such as small scale wind turbines represent an ideal opportunity for schools to showcase their green credentials, educate pupils about the benefits of renewable energy and help focus young minds on the huge climate change challenge we face. Such projects create an awareness of the issues surrounding energy and sustainability and provide a focal point for studies about renewable energy, energy supply, energy costs, engineering, design and technology. The introduction of feed-in tariffs is expected to bring about significant growth in this sector over the coming years as more individuals and organisations take advantage of the chance to make savings on their energy bills and earn money from supplying electricity back to the grid.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Web: www.renewable-uk.com

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATION

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New Academy Achieves ‘Very Good’ Rating Designed and built by award winning developers, Rydon, St Paul’s Academy in Greenwich has finally celebrated its long awaited opening.

Built on the existing campus of St Paul’s Catholic School, the new academy will eventually accommodate 1,200 students. The single site houses a sports and assembly hall, kitchen and refectory, admin space and general classrooms as well as specialist areas that include dance and drama, music, food tech. and science laboratories that all reach a BREEAM rating of ‘Very Good’.

Working with St Paul’s Trust, Rydon ensured only the most robust products were specified, hence the decision to make Armitage Venesta (AV) sole manufacturer and supplier of all washroom and changing cubicles, vanity units and benches.

AV’s Academy range, with its steel cored anti-vandal structure that was specifically designed for the hardest working school environments, was installed to provide a washroom solution that will stand the test of time and still look impressive.

AV’s pre-plumbed system, IPS Evolve, with its factory fitted sanitaryware, was used across the academy to provide easy clean surfaces that promote hygiene and allow easy access for ongoing maintenance.

For more information on Armitage Venesta’s washroom systems and IPS Evolve®, visit www.armitage-venesta.co.uk or call 01474 353 333

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Education Business | Volume 15.6

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FACILITIES MANAGEMENT

WORKING BEHIND THE SCENES TO MAKE SCHOOLS RUN SMOOTHLY Today’s facilities manager has a complex, multifaceted role which is vital to the efficient operation of an educational establishment FACILITIES MANAGERS increasingly require more skill and knowledge in a broad range of areas. As well as the need to cut costs, comply with health and safety legislations, and keep people and estates secure, facilities managers must also proactively manage a building’s impact on the environment. On a day to day basis, facilties managers need to meet the short term needs of the building-users, such as temperature control and lighting, so that pupils and staff have the best possible environment to learn and work in.

By taking control of a mix of such essential, non-core services, facilities managers free up a school’s time to get on with its core operation – teaching.

Recognising the vital, multifaceted role that facilities managers now have, the sector is flourishing and provides

identifiable and meaningful career options for facilities management professionals.

SECURITY Most schools contain a number of high value goods onsite such as computers and IT equipment, which are extremely attractive to thieves. There may also be opportunities during open days or parents’ evening where the school is left vulnerable to theft.

While a facilities manager may not be tasked

with the sole responsibility of security, they will most definitely need to be involved and stay up to speed with security measures.

Together with senior management or perhaps a dedicated security manager, facilities management professionals must ensure that security measures are adequately considered and correctly implemented to protect the building from attacks. This means they need a much greater awareness of security issues and legislation, and to be involved in the delivery

Recognising the vital, multifaceted role that facilities managers now have, the sector is flourishing and provides identifiable and meaningful career options for facilities management professionals

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATION

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FACILITIES MANAGEMENT

of all types of security across an organisation.

In addition, roles need to be clearly defined when it comes to security. Facilities managers, security managers and even IT managers need to jointly agree the security provision, whichever department it falls under.

KEEPING SCHOOLS RUNNING A facilities manager should put in place measures to keep the school running, whatever the circumstance. As we saw in 2009 with the swine flu pandemic, schools are vulnerable to an infection breakout due to the amount of bodies in close proximity. Together with cleaning staff, a facilities manager should ensure rigorous cleaning regimen is implemented, including the disinfecting of surfaces that are continuously touched throughout the day, such as door handles. Facilities managers could also put up posters reminding staff of the importance of washing hands to prevent the spread of infection. Regular and strategic disinfecting will be essential for protecting the health of staff and ensuring business continuity.

Earlier this year we saw some schools close due to heavy snowfall. A facilities manager should also be aware of the impacts of severe extreme weather and make sure the school has adequate protection against icy weather, such as having salt/sand to grit paths.

ENERGY MANAGEMENT The facilities manager may also be responsible for managing the CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme (formerly known as the Carbon Reduction Commitment), which is the UK’s mandatory climate change and energy saving scheme. The scheme is designed to improve energy efficiency in large organisations, and it includes some schools. It operates as a cap and trade process, providing a financial incentive to reduce energy use by putting a price on carbon emissions from energy use.

Organisations have to buy allowances equal to their annual emissions. The overall emissions reduction target is achieved by placing a cap on the total allowances available to each group of CRC participants. Within that overall limit, individual organisations can determine the most cost-effective way to reduce their emissions. This could be through buying extra allowances or investing in ways to decrease the number of allowances they need to buy.

All publicly-funded schools must take part, although their emissions are aggregated with that of their local authority. In addition, any academies that are located in the area for which the local authority “exercises educational functions” are also included. There may also be implications for larger private schools if they have a half-hourly electricity meter on the site.

With facilities management incorporating so many areas, it is no surprise that outsourcing certain functions has grown in popularity.

Outsourcing can help schools keep costs down and also addresses other problems

such as having a lack of in-house resources or a lack of in-house expertise. The facilities manager, however, would have to manage such contracts, and may even be responsible for the procurement of such contracts.

SKILLS FOR FACILITIES MANAGEMENT We’ve seen that facilities management is a multifaceted function that requires a broad range of skills and knowledge. But how can FM professionals develop their skills? There are a range of organisations that can help facilities managers to develop professionally and support them as they encounter new challenges throughout their career. For example BIFM Training, has been delivering FM training since the British Institute of Facilities Management was formed in 1993.

The company was established as a joint

venture between The British Institute of Facilities Management and Quadrilect and brought together well-established facilities training programmes.

Meanwhile, Asset Skills – the Sector Skills Council (SSC) for facilities management, housing, property, planning, cleaning and parking – also works to raise the industry’s profile, promote careers and develop new occupational standards and qualifications, particularly at entry level. It works with higher and further education providers to raise awareness of FM and ensure the range of new training is available on the market.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Web: www.assetskills.org Web: www.bifm-training.com

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATION

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Education Business | Volume 15.6

www.educationbusinessuk.com

COMMUNICATION AND SECURITY Commend UK explains a recent project installing an intercom system for Public Sector Information THE HEAD OFFICE OF PUBLIC SECTOR INFORMATION LTD, publishers and event organisers for many industry titles in government, education, healthcare and transport required a new access control system for their building.

The project type was a simple one-to-one Intercom system to increase security of the building and to simplify staff access with a PIN code entry for approximately 50 staff.

WHAT WAS THE PROBLEM? The incumbent intercom product for access into the Public Sector Information building was not working adequately, either acoustically or securely. The caller at the door was often drowned out by external traffic noise and the administrator who answered the call was unable to hear or be heard by the caller.

The system worked as an intercom to handset solution, with the handset wall mounted behind the administration desk.

When a call was received it was problematic to answer as the administrator had to leave their desk, go to where the handset was mounted and answer the call. Many times, due to poor sound quality, the administrator let the caller in, even when they were unable to identify them.

Originally, staff used a separate card entry system to gain access. However, many cards were lost or forgotten, and as staff turnover is relatively high in this fast-paced sales environment, there was a real need for a more secure solution with a clearer sounding voice application.

THE SOLUTION The intercom solution provided a simple PIN entry access control module to give better security (PIN can be changed easily and securely), an intercom at the front door (Slave), and a Master Station on the administrator‘s desk to answer calls and open the door. The system is expandable, so that more Master and Slave stations can be added at a later date when required and different sites can be networked together.

Phil Harris, electronics engineer from Electronic Projects Ltd in Crayford who installed the Commend solution, commented: “I have never installed a Commend Intercom before, and was pleased by how straight forward the equipment is to put in and get working.“ Charlotte Casey, administration manager at PSI, highlighted how much better the Intercom solution is in comparison to the previous telephone entry system: “The Intercom is very clear, now we hear who is at the door and are confident about who we let in to the building.

“Previously, if there were loud noises outside,

We were looking for a reliable, high performing door entry system and we found Commend to be the best solution for the job. Our High Street is extremely noisy, with high traffic usage, roadworks and shoppers. We needed a communication solution that would not be affected by the adverse noise pollution outside. We are extremely happy with our choice in Intercom equipment – Gavin Devoto, managing director, Pubic Sector Information Ltd such as very heavy traffic, we couldn’t hear anything, now, even with roadworks going on outside, both the person who is calling up and whoever answers the call can hear perfectly.”

INSTALLED TECHNOLOGY: WS 800P, New Wall Mount Intercom station with Mono-LCD display – A multifunctional Master Station for indoor and outdoor use (IP 65 rated). In addition to voice communication the station allows for the control of other systems. In an in-house training room for example: a projector can be switched on, lights switched on and off and blinds opened and closed – all via the wallmount station.

GE 200 Intercom Server – A compact Intercom Server, suitable for networking intercom systems where small manageable units are combined to form a network. For example: networking offices in different locations back to one reception area.

EE 811 Master Station – A dynamic, timeless

design which fits perfectly into any modern office environment. The Master Station provides a central point to which all Intercom Stations call and a facility to open and close doors allowing access to a building.

FUTURE PROOF The GE 200 Intercom Server allows for PSI to add additional stations to their system and network their offices back to one central location in the future. Ensuring that the PIN code entry is changed on a regular basis will heighten security for the publishers, making sure that access is only granted to authorised personnel.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Commend UK Ltd Tel: 01279 457 510 E-mail: sales@commend.co.uk Web: www.commend.co.uk

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATION

67

You need

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Why.....? Because BAFE is the independent 3rd party approvals organisation, which ensures quality for the fire protection industry and provides the vital reassurance that the services being bought or specified are effective, reliable and competently maintained.

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Education Business | Volume 15.6

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FIRE SAFETY

PUTTING AN END TO MALICIOUS ATTACKS Tom Welland, member of the Fire Industry Association’s Fire Risk Assessment Council, investigates how schools can make their premises safe from arson attack WHETHER YOU PUT IT DOWN TO ARSON, lack of security or lack of maintenance the number of fires in schools is not dwindling.

ATL, the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, reports that on average 2,000 schools are damaged or destroyed by fire each year – that’s one school totally destroyed by fire every week!

Each year a school has a one in eight chance of having a fire. The annual cost of rebuilding or refurbishing schools destroyed or damaged by fires is almost £100 million. Fires in schools are a worrying problem for our economy.

Rather than a fire consultant working on the premise of reducing risk emitting from the usual, machinery, lack of compartmentation and insufficient staff training, they (we) are now having to consider the minds of young disgruntled fire setters.

Arson is something that you can make harder to happen by way of reducing combustible material around the site and improving security but it is not something that you can ever eradicate. So if we focus on malicious fires and how we can reduce the impact of them there are a few simple steps to restrict the spread of fire and smoke.

LONG-TERM DISRUPTION Over 90,000 pupils a year will experience disruption to their education as a result of damage to classrooms or school property.

This can range from an individual classroom being out of action for a matter of weeks to whole schools being taught in temporary accommodation for two-three years. One very effective, widely called for means of protection is sprinklers. The case for sprinklers in all schools is an ever growing one with a lot of wide spread support. However, with a coalition government and budgets being slashed I don’t think that this fire feature is something that will be introduced across the board any time soon.

Recent reports produced by the Fire Protection Association show that in 2008 the number of serious fires in education premises most commonly occurred in storage and production areas. This is perhaps down to lack of focus when it comes to out of bounds areas for pupils. Out of bounds for children is something that we all know if rarely adhered to! So it is vital that all areas of the buildings and the immediate vicinity are looked at in order to reduce and remove any risk of fire. I have been to a number of schools and have often found that the old cabin hooks are still in use. I think that this is down to a case of lack of training,

perhaps lack of suitable risk assessment that allows these hooks to still be in situe. It is evident that a building with heavy traffic and young arms will find fire doors cumbersome but they are one of the best protections measures you can have. Studies suggest that the majority of fires in education occur at night and the impact can be heavily reduced by ensuring that all fire doors are closed.

BE AWARE OF ARSON Security shouldn’t just encompass things like locks and CCTV, it should also be about making the premises safe from arson attack.

Ensuring bins are locked and kept away from buildings, making the site well lit and not leaving potential ignition sources unattended so they cannot be tampered with.

A fire safety manager will ensure that they make it as hard as possible for their premises

to experience a fire, however, it is every employee’s responsibility to assist their efforts.

This will ultimately come from training and improving fire awareness knowledge. It should not always be presumed that when a school experiences a fire through vandalism it was the vandal’s intention to inflict that much damage. It may have started out as messing about with lighters/matches which simply got out of control. This is why it is important to keep any fire safety measures affective. I would suggest that the checking of these precautions be carried out on a highly regular basis as they can be so susceptive to vandalism.

It is also important to note that if a fire were to occur in the day time and the facility is full of children, the priority is for the safety of life.

So it is a must that your fire precautions are all automatic and are under a good maintenance and testing regime by a competent person.

Over 90,000 pupils a year will experience disruption to their education as a result of damage to classrooms or school property. This can range from an individual classroom being out of action for a matter of weeks to whole schools being taught in temporary accommodation for two-three years

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATION

69

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Education Business | Volume 15.6

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FIRE SAFETY

SAFEGUARDING THE BUILDING Large school fires devastate and their aftermath lingers for years. The long-term disruption that follows puts staff and pupils under stress and imposes large financial, educational and administrative costs. I think that to spend money and time on any building it should not just be for financial reasons. If a school had a fire and part of the premises were lost, you are quite likely to have to resort to cramped classrooms and the use of portable class rooms. This is not the best learning environment and the children are our future so it is imperative that not only life but the building is safeguarded from the effects of fire.

After analysis by a competent person, a fire risk assessment will reduce, remove and resolve the risk. By ensuring schools have adequate fire precautions in place, ensuring people on site have adequate knowledge (this includes pupils) and by keeping the process under review, the risk of fire by arson, mechanical fault or human error can be significantly reduced to a level which is as low as reasonably practicable.

Risk assessment is always proven to be the most effective tool in reducing the risk and keeping the premises running as effectively as possible. When it comes to enlisting the help of a risk assessor you should always be wary of anyone who is unable to give you any solution either than the one that best suits them. Does that solution cost money? Will it mean buying products or further services from said expert? This should make you question the authenticity of their “unbiased” advice. If you are engaging a consultant’s services you are paying for a qualified experienced point of view. You are not paying to give them the chance to sell you more services. If you are commissioning a company that already maintains parts of your fire precautions, do you really expect them to criticise their own work?

THE FIRE INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION The Fire Industry Association is passionate in keeping quality in the skill of risk assessing. FIA members, who provide Fire Risk Assessment, subscribe to a code of practice to safeguard the interests of those with duties and responsibilities under UK fire safety legislation in relation to fire risk assessments carried out on their behalf by FIA members.

By ensuring schools have adequate fire precautions in place, ensuring people on site have adequate knowledge (this includes pupils) and by keeping the process under review, the risk of fire by arson, mechanical fault or human error can be significantly reduced to a level which is as low as reasonably practicable

FOR MORE INFORMATION Web: www.fia.uk.com

A company in which you can place your trust IRE AND RISK Management Support Services has an excellent track record of working with NHS Trusts providing a full range of cost effective fire safety support services. This includes fire risk assessment, fire safety training, and technical fire safety advice and consultancy services.

FARMSS will provide tailored fire safety support packages that are designed to meet your legislative responsibilities and at the same time reduce the financial impact of delivering these services.

FARMSS will ensure that resources are focused firmly on those areas of highest organisational risk.

Our electronic Premises Asset Management System provides an extremely powerful tool

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for managing all aspects of fire safety across your building portfolio. This integrated system provides a structured overview of prioritised fire safety improvement action plan requirements

together with associated costs providing ease of management control. The system also produces management reports highlighting progress and flags poor performance, these facilities are not available within conventional systems.

FARMSS provides a full range of specialist fire safety and health and safety support services.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Old Wool House 58 Old Wool Lane, Cheadle Cheshire SK8 5JA Tel: 0161 4884863 E-mail: info@farmss.co.uk Web: wwww.farmss.co.uk

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATION

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Education Business | Volume 15.6

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SCHOOL TRIPS

CHANGING CHILDREN’S LIVES There is very little doubt that a school trip is of the utmost benefit to any class and should not be neglected, writes Paul Gilbert, CEO of Kingswood Educational Activity Centres IN JUNE THIS YEAR, David Cameron appointed Lord Young of Graffham as his adviser on health and safety law and practice. As his very first task, Lord Young was asked to undertake a review of the UK’s health and safety laws and the growth in compensation culture. The findings of the report were recently published and could have real repercussions for our education system and, in particular, learning outside the classroom.

There has been much made in the media of the misguided interpretation of health and safety rules, with ridiculous examples including children being banned from playing conkers by schools. The aim of the review is to ensure that people remain protected whilst cutting away some of the red tape and reintroducing an element of common sense to health and safety.

SUPPORTING DEVELOPMENT So how do school trips fit in to this? I always say that, as a school trip provider, I am in the business of changing children’s lives – enabling them to push themselves to the limit on zipwires or high ropes. I worry that in a misguided attempt to keep our children safe, we are actually failing them. Children’s development is being hindered as school trips and other, extra curricular, activities fall foul of health and safety legislation. Teachers are using health and safety guidelines as an excuse to neglect learning outside the classroom.

A survey conducted by Kingswood Educational Activity Centres last year showed that 41 per cent of teachers felt that school trips required too much organising and involved too much paperwork. The same percentage of teachers also claimed that they were very concerned about the possibility of litigation, whilst 17 per cent said that fear of disciplinary action deterred them. In many cases, fear of litigation actively prevents teachers from

taking pupils on school trips. Among teachers who only take pupils on trips once every few years, fear of litigation was the single most common barrier, cited by 56 per cent.

WORTH THE RISK As anyone who has ever studied history will know, the tradition of adventure and exploration is deeply ingrained in the British psyche. In the past, it was understood that any adventurous activity involved some level of risk but common sense dictated whether the activity was worth it. Nowadays, there is a generally recognised need to assess personal risk more systematically and to hold to account those who fail to do this when carrying responsibility for others.

This is, of course, a perfectly sensible idea and has led to the UK having one of the best health and safety records in the world.

However, it has also led to an increasingly restrictive and pessimistic approach to life, in which the emphasis on risk is out of proportion and people are reluctant to engage in any activity that is remotely adventurous. Even more worryingly, this has led to children not being allowed to engage in activities (from sports to school trips) that would enable them to develop emotionally, physically and academically, through fear of litigation should any error of judgement be made.

Lord Young’s report suggests that there will be a strong focus on making it easier for teachers to take children out of school and give them the benefits of learning outside the classroom.

It advises that teachers will be freed from filling in complex risk assessment forms and instead will need only simple parent consent forms. It also proposes the scrapping of “no touch” rules for restraining and comforting school children.

The government has already tried to make it easier for teachers to take school trips,

introducing initiatives such as the Learning Outside the Classroom Quality Badge, which is awarded to providers that adhere to a rigorous code of practice and safety management standards. However, these new proposals will mean that teachers can spend less time filling out forms, and more time teaching and watching out for their pupils, using their own common sense to ensure that they come to no harm.

As it currently stands, every time a teacher wants to take their class out, whether it be on a local day trip or on a longer trip abroad, they must fill in a 12 page document to cover every eventuality – from first aid, right up to the weather! As you can well imagine, this contributes nothing to making the day safer (that will be up to the vigilance of the teacher on the day) but means that the increased responsibility on top of a teacher’s already heavy workload makes it less likely that the trip will go ahead. In future, a school will simply be able to plan their outing and go.

OPPORTUNITIES & EXPERIENCES The Lord Young report is about more than just health and safety legislation, it is about our chance to change young people’s lives for the better and to offer them the opportunities and experiences that they deserve. I hope that the review’s findings will cause any teachers who do not currently take children on school trips to reconsider their rationale.

Parents and teachers alike enjoyed outdoor learning during their childhoods. We have a responsibility to offer today’s children the same experiences and cast off the irrational fears that our compensation culture has created.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Web: www.kingswood.co.uk

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SkiBound’s eight exclusive Clubhotels, all located in the French Alps, offer students the chance to ski in some of the worlds’ most prestigious resorts whilst maintaining exceptional value for money.

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SCORE WITH FOOTBALL AND FREE SCHOOLS Football on the curriculum may become reality after comments by the chief executive of the Premier League, Richard Scudamore

THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE of the Premier League, Richard Scudamore, has said that the Premier League is looking at Michael Gove’s education reforms and could picture the day when there is a Premier League school.

Mr Scudamore commented: “I can envisage the day when there is a Premier League school or perhaps a sports school in London where a number of sports get together and have a school for elite athletes, whether it be swimmers, runners, rugby players or footballers. We are working with our clubs and we are taking a look

at Michael Gove’s education reforms.

“If you have an elite athlete why not work on their education? We need coaching, schools and schooling to be very closely embedded for football.”

In response to Mr Scudamore’s comments on the government’s Free Schools policy, which will enable teachers, parents and charities to set up schools in areas where there is local need, a spokesperson for the Department of Education said: “We want every child to have a premier league education and would be very happy to talk to the Premier League

about setting up schools in communities across the country, where there is a local need.

“We would be delighted if they joined the hundreds of passionate and talented groups that care about raising standards for all children and are interested in setting up new schools.”

CLUBS LINKED TO ACADEMIES Football clubs are already linked to a number of academies across England.

Watford Football Club is joined up with the Harefield Academy. The sponsors are all former directors of Watford Football Club and the academy is also home to the Watford Football Club academy for young players. This means the talented youngsters have a sound education and all the students at the school benefit from world-class football coaching.

Bristol City Football Club is tied to the City Academy, Bristol, which specialises in sport and is sponsored by John Laycock, former Chairman of Bristol City Football Club. The City Academy, Bristol, is also the home of Bristol City Football Club. Together the partnership has made enormous strides in raising the attainment of young people.

Reading Football Club is linked to the John Madejski Academy Reading. The lead sponsor is John Madejski, Chairman of Reading Football Club. Its specialism is sport and the delivery of the whole curriculum is underpinned by a sporting ethos of participation, motivation, aspiration and achievement. In partnership with Reading Football Club, the Sixth Form offers a unique opportunity for elite footballers.

FREE SCHOOLS Free Schools will enjoy the same freedoms as these and other academies, which are publicly funded independent schools, free from local and central government control. Other freedoms include setting their own pay and conditions for staff, freedom from following the National Curriculum and the ability to change the lengths of their terms and school days. All Free Schools will have to comply with the admissions code that governs all publicly funded schools.

Free Schools will be all-ability state-funded schools set up in response to parental demand. The most important element of a great education is the quality of teaching, and Free Schools will allow excellent teachers – not bureaucrats or politicians – to run schools and improve standards for all children, regardless of their background.

Under the new plans it will become much easier for teachers, parents and charities to start new schools. Ministers are working across government to remove the red tape that can prevent new schools from setting up from planning laws, to the department’s own school premises rules.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Web: www.education.gov.uk

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

LONDON 2012 HELPS SCHOOLS GET SET With only two years to go until the Olympic and Paralympic Games, London 2012 is gearing up for its busiest year yet. Here, the Organising Committee explains how schools can get involved THE EDUCATION TEAM at the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) run Get Set, the official London 2012 education programme, which aims to inspire children and young people through the power and excitement of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. It provides a whole range of learning opportunities that use London 2012 as a unique and engaging hook for learning.

THE GET SET NETWORK There are currently over 14,000 schools and colleges registered with Get Set. These are able to access a huge range of free resources for 3-19 year olds that support students to explore the Olympic Values of friendship, respect and excellence, and the Paralympic Values of courage, determination, equality and inspiration. The resources enable teachers to bring lessons to life across the curriculum by linking learning to the Games. The programme also offers a structure through which to mobilise the whole school behind a set of shared values and a shared goal, thousands

of schools are using Get Set to do just this.

The Get Set network is the London 2012 reward and recognition scheme for the active community of schools and colleges across the UK that are demonstrating a commitment to upholding the Olympic and Paralympic Values. Members of the network gain the right to use the London 2012 education logo, and are given priority access to the most

plan to do next – it really is that simple.

A number of schools have already benefitted from exciting opportunities as part of the network. In the spring London 2012 began to offer tours of the Olympic Park exclusively to members of the network. They also ran competitions and prize draws to win digital cameras, visits from athletes, as well as chances to attend special events, such as meeting

Get Set provides a whole range of learning opportunities that use London 2012 as a unique and engaging hook for learning exclusive prizes and opportunities. Currently 500 schools have been awarded network status, with more joining every week.

Joining the Get Set network is a great way of demonstrating to the community that a school or college is part of the London 2012 family. All the school has to do is tell London 2012 what they’ve been doing and what they

Archbishop Desmond Tutu on his visit to London in February. Recently the Petchey Academy in London was chosen to receive a visit from Jude Law to launch a new strand to the Cultural Olympiad programme Film Nation: Shorts.

The rewards available to network members will become even more exciting the closer we get to Games-time.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Get Set also offers access to exciting prizes and opportunities through participation in competitions and London 2012 partner programmes. Over 20,000 schools are participating in Get Set and Get Set + programmes which are delivered by partners, and which support learning across a range of topics and themes, linked to the Games through the Olympic and Paralympic Values.

Programmes are categorised in strands including Enterprise; Communication, collaboration & citizenship; Culture & creativity; Sustainability & regeneration; Practical learning; Healthy & active lifestyles; Internationalism & school linking; and PE & sport. Programmes in these strands include the Lloyds TSB National School Sport Week, which inspires thousands of schools to use the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and Values to engage their pupils and communities in a week celebrating achievements in sport and physical activity.

GET ENTERPRISING It’s not all about sport. Get Enterprising is a programme that supports students to develop enterprise skills and the Have You Got What It Takes resource challenges students to work in teams to research, prepare and then present their bid to host a pre-Games training camp in their fictional sports facility. This is a real-life scenario that hundreds of sports facilities across the UK are experiencing right now, and a great way to make enterprise learning relevant and interesting.

The BP Enterprise Trading Game is also part of the Enterprise strand of Get Set. This free resource is used in schools across the UK to help students to develop maths, business and enterprise skills as they work in teams, simulating oil trading.

Any school that is using these resources should apply to join the Get Set network to receive reward and recognition from London 2012.

WHAT DO TEACHERS AND STUDENTS THINK? Neilsen, the London 2012 market research provider, recently conducted an evaluation of the Get Set programme which revealed that 96 per cent of teachers would recommend the Get Set programme to a colleague in their own or another school or college.

Furthermore, 70 per cent of educators say that students are inspired by the Games and the Values, and that they are seeing the benefits of using the Values to support the all round ethos and culture of their school. One teacher said: “Values have been a huge hook for us to hang everything on, a whole school enrichment programme... the students are passionate about it... it’s opened their eyes.”

The results also revealed that teachers see the greatest benefits when Get Set is used across the curriculum. In many schools the Games are being used across a variety of subject areas including English/literacy, PSHE/citizenship, arts, maths, science, humanities, business studies,

technology and foreign languages. During Lloyds TSB National School Sport Week, Eltham Green Specialist Sports College, a member of the Get Set network, ensured that every subject area was linking their lessons to sport and the Games – this really demonstrated how effective the whole school approach can be, and how Get Set brings an added dimension to learning.

The most encouraging results are around the impact that Get Set has had on students.

Students have reported a number of changes and improvements in their outlook and attitudes, including better life skills and enhanced confidence, improved behaviour and attendance, increased activity in sport and a greater understand of and empathy with the disabled. The research also revealed that students are developing greater determination to succeed and have new hopes and dreams for the future as a result of participating in Get Set. One student said: “I feel up for everything. If there is an opportunity available I will take it...

I am much more willing to try new things and put myself out more. My confidence has grown and I feel more in control of what I do....”

Through Get Set, young people are developing a deep understanding of the Values and are living them in their everyday lives. A Year 9 boy said: “I’ve learnt the value of hard work. That it’s ultimately down to me and that I can achieve what I want. Hard work and determination is even more important than natural talent.”

COMING UP So, what’s coming up this year that schools and colleges can get involved in?

This term, Get Set is running the ‘Get Set to make your mascot’ competition for primary and secondary schools. Students submit their ideas for new outfits for the mascots, which could then be made into official versions of either Wenlock or Mandeville.

London 2012 partners are also launching new programmes – for example, GE’s Design

My Break competition challenges 11-14 year olds to come up with inspiring and interesting break time activities linked to eating well, getting active and feeling good.

You can find out more through the Get Set website and participation in any of these projects and competitions qualify schools to join the Get Set network. The school just needs to share their activity with London 2012 through Get Set to access the education logo and all those exclusive rewards.

In addition to all this, throughout this academic year there will be announcements about tickets, volunteering and the Torch Relay so we are sure to see an increase in excitement and engagement with the Games amongst young people in communities across the UK. A particularly exciting element of the Games Maker programme is the inclusion of roles for young people and the promise of specific roles at Games-time for around 1,500 16-18 year olds. Details of the young Games Maker programme are currently being developed so look out for more news on this through Get Set.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Web: www.london2012.com/getset

KEY FACTS • 95 per cent of the teachers who are participating in Get Set would recommend the programme to a colleague • 76 per cent of teachers surveyed say they’re likely to continue to work with the Values beyond 2012 • 84 per cent of teachers surveyed want to feel part of the Games • 71 per cent of secondary teachers say that Get Set supports the development of leadership skills in students.

• 69 per cent of respondents said that the students were inspired by the Olympic and Paralympic Values

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SCHOOL MEALS: DON’T LET OUR CHILDREN DOWN A whole school approach to healthy eating is absolutely vital to providing consistent messages about a balanced diet, writes the British Dietetic Association THE LINKS BETWEEN food choices, nutrition and the health of children over the short and longer term are not in question. If children are exposed to eating patterns that promote healthy eating, and positive attitudes to good nutrition, they are much more likely to eat well when they grow older. Healthy eating messages delivered in class, however, ring hollow and make little impact when school food available contradicts and undermines all the messages promoted by teachers and parents alike.

There have been some positive movements in the right direction in recent years, but these have generally been the minimum needed to ensure children and young people in schools experience healthy, wholesome and enjoyable school meals made from high quality ingredients. Children also need to learn about their food, where it comes from, how it is produced, why it is good for them and, in particular, how to prepare it and learn to enjoy the combination of food and conversation.

Positive change is needed in our schools to help combat the escalating rates of obesity, which threatens the wellbeing of an entire generation. In terms of obesity, dietitians’ training provides a deep understanding of the causes, consequences and treatment strategies (including dietary approaches, physical activity, behaviour change skills, drug treatment and surgery). Dietitians understand the public health issues in addition to the clinical implications of disease. They do not see their role as solely

managing those who are overweight/obese, but also have a role in working with the public and health service to help develop strategic approaches to combat the obesity epidemic.

A WHOLE SCHOOL APPROACH The British Dietetic Association has long supported the importance of a whole school approach to food, which includes healthy vending options, nutrient standards for school lunches in the four nations, alongside learning about food within the curriculum, and developing food skills that can contribute to improved diet later in life.

Schools are fully recognised as key players in public health partnerships and need to provide healthier meals, free fruit and vegetables, and sport, both within and outside of school hours.

The whole school approach to healthy eating is absolutely vital to providing consistent messages about a balanced diet. A coherent and comprehensive approach within schools is important, including healthy catering, healthy tuck shops and vending machines, and the provision of water and breakfast to children. Additionally, the school curriculum should include not only the theoretical benefits of healthy eating, but also practical cooking skills and budgeting sessions.

SUPPORT FOR SCHOOLS Support should be given to schools so that financial factors do not stop them giving clear,

unambiguous messages about a balanced diet.

Dietitians are key contributors to the implementation of the changes needed to improve school meals. They can, for example, play a key role in the analysis of menus. In addition, dietitians are uniquely skilled to work with caterers to ensure that meals remain balanced in the longer term.

Registered dietitians in the UK hold the only legally recognised graduate qualification in nutrition and dietetics and work to promote nutritional well being, treat disease and prevent nutrition-related health problems.

Their unique skill is to interpret and translate the science of nutrition into practical, impartial and safe information about food and health.

Therefore they have a key role to play in the implementation of healthy school meals, or changes to the current school meal menus.

Considerable amounts of work have already been carried out and the British Dietetic Association considers that there is a need to build on, and take forward, the work previously undertaken by the Food Standards Agency and other nutritional standards to be developed throughout the public sector, in addition to schools.

FOR MORE INFORMATION To find out more about the British Dietetic Association, go to www.bda.uk.com or call them on 0121 200 8080.

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TRANSFORMING LUNCHTIMES Can a pleasant lunchtime experience really have a significantly positive impact on pupil behaviour and performance? The School Food Trust finds evidence at two successful schools A PRESTON TEAM that pooled expertise in cooking, teaching and business development to overhaul a local college lunch service has taken a national award for its work – and highlighted the importance of good school food for good performance in the classroom.

The transformation of lunchtimes at Corpus Christi Catholic Sports College in Preston clinched the Times Educational Supplement’s Outstanding School Dinners award for the college, after its new restaurant and catering service saw healthy lunch numbers rise from 20 per cent to 85 per cent in the last two years.

Head teacher Martin Callagher, head chef Chris Callagher and business development director Cath Wallace led the work to transform the old gym into a brand new restaurant, Il Cenacolo, which has been a huge hit with students and staff alike – providing restaurant-style food in a relaxing and inviting environment.

STANDING OUT FROM THE CROWD The School Food Trust supported the award and chief executive Judy Hargadon was among the first to congratulate the school: “There were a lot of strong nominations but Corpus Christi really stood out.

“The team has transformed lunchtime – proof that treating students as customers and making the dining room a place where they want to spend time are among the most important things a school can do to increase its lunch numbers. A good lunchtime isn’t just good for students’ health – it also improves their performance.”

Chris’ team provides restaurant-style food in Il Cenacolo, a relaxing and inviting environment, along with a buffet catering service for the local community. Next year, he hopes to start providing lunches for local feeder primary schools too.

“We are absolutely delighted and I’m so pleased for all the staff,” says former restaurant

chef Chris. “They’ve been with us from the very beginning of this process and have really got on board with the changes we wanted to make.

“It’s fair to say that for some staff it was ‘just a job’ in the old days, but now they’re in a restaurant kitchen – and one of the busiest around. It’s a social experience at lunchtime – the students come in and try things they’ve never tried before. We also invite parents in to try our menus and the response from them is often complete disbelief at how much the menus have changed.”

But inspirational food and a revamped dining space weren’t the only benefits to come out of Corpus Christi’s hard work. Head teacher Martin says he sees improvements in his

Head teacher Martin Callagher, head chef Chris Callagher and business development director Cath Wallace led the work to transform the old gym into a brand new restaurant, ‘Il Cenacolo’, which has been a huge hit with students and staff alike – providing restaurant-style food in a relaxing and inviting environment

Pupils enjoying their lunch at Blatchington Mill School

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CATERING

students’ behaviour after a better lunchtime.

“The entire catering team has put in a huge amount of work to transform school lunch into a fantastic restaurant experience,” he says. “After eating in Il Cenacolo students arrive into afternoon lessons much calmer. You can see a noticeable difference after they have eaten a good lunch.”

Martin’s comments reflect the School Food Trust’s research on the link between lunchtimes and pupil behaviour. Tests in schools during 2007 and 2008 found that, after a good lunch in the right environment, pupils were more focused in their afternoon lessons.

Over a 12 week period, improvements were made to the quality of the food on offer and the dining room environment in four primary schools in Sheffield.

Behaviour in the classroom after lunch was observed at baseline and again after 12 weeks for 136 primary school children aged 9-11. Children from the intervention schools were more than three times more likely to be “on-task” with their teachers after lunch, when compared with those from two control schools where no changes were made.

POSITIVE IMPACT The impact of lunchtime improvements was also seen in behaviour for secondary school students. Seven mixed secondary schools and four similar control schools were selected in Sheffield and, again, schools in the intervention group made changes to both the food on offer and the dining room environment.

Following the changes, pupils in the intervention schools were 18 per cent more likely to be concentrating and engaged in the classroom compared with pupils in the control schools.

It’s a theme raised by other head teachers who’ve shared their experiences of improving school lunch with the Trust – the nondepartmental government body established in 2005 to transform school food and food skills.

Hove head teacher Janet Felkin says making a good lunchtime a highlight on her school’s timetable was the key to improving pupils’ concentration and behaviour during the difficult afternoon lesson period.

Since 2001, Janet has led a programme of gradual improvements to the catering and dining facilities at Blatchington Mill School and says she believes they have made a difference to the way pupils study and behave after their lunch break.

“Afternoon lessons are traditionally a challenge in many schools as pupils’ energy and concentration levels drop, which can lead to bad behaviour and unruly classrooms,” says Janet. “The changes we have made to improve nutritional standards in our food, as well as the renovation to the dining room, have had a huge impact on performance levels throughout the school.”

Blatchington Mill School originally relocated its 1970s-style kitchen and dining room in 2001, to improve efficiency and increase space. In the

All school food is prepared fresh on-site and breakfast, lunchtime and break time services are available with menus rotated every three weeks. Every meal is prepared from recipe cards, planned by development chefs, who are supported by specialist nutritionists last two years, modernisation work has seen the dining room expanded even further and contemporary furniture installed, with a separate sixth form café built away from the kitchen.

Alongside structural works, the school has improved the quality of the food on offer in its canteen. All school food is prepared fresh on-site and breakfast, lunchtime and break time services are available with menus rotated every three weeks. Every meal is prepared from recipe cards, planned by development chefs, who are supported by specialist nutritionists.

UP TO STANDARD Blatchington Mill’s approach to school food is set out in its Healthy Eating policy, ensuring that all food meets the national school food standards but also embedding healthy eating in the curriculum and giving students the chance to give feed back and influence decisions about what they are eating at school.

With a grant from the local authority, the school installed a computerised, cashless Smart Card payment system which means that students

can pass quickly through the servery to collect and pay for their food. Integrated plasma screens display the day’s menu alongside nutritional information about the food on offer. Since the improvements, the school has seen an increase in take-up of school food. Plans for the future include the introduction of a fashionable baguette bar and a facility for parents and guardians to top-up Smart Cards online.

School Food Trust Chair, Rob Rees, said: “We know from our research that a good lunchtime experience can, quite literally, make or break how students feel about their day, as well as having an impact on their performance.

“It’s fantastic that teaching staff at Blatchington Mill are seeing those effects in action. Their hard work to improve the lunchtime experience shows how investing some time and getting everyone at school involved with improving lunchtime can really pay off – in every sense.”

FOR MORE INFORMATION Web: www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk

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PROVIDING CERTAINTY IN UNCERTAIN TIMES We explore the challenges facing education and how market and social research can help providers in the current environment THERE ARE TWO CERTAINTIES in the education sector at present – budget cuts and uncertainty. David Vivian of IFF Research explains: “There are going to be spending cuts in the education sector, this is unavoidable and will certainly impact on research both in terms of available budgets and also the type conducted.

But this doesn’t change the fact that improving skills remains critical to economic growth and personal prosperity. Not only does education lead to a better quality of life for individuals and improved social justice, it’s essential if we are to compete in the global economy.

“While the focus of the research is likely to change, the current government has made it clear that education and skills remain a key priority – illustrated by the fact the Department for Education was one of only two departments asked to plan for a lower level of cuts, 10-20 per cent rather than 25-40 per cent.

“Arguably, research’s role is more important than ever before in helping education providers reduce the risk and uncertainty in their decisions through understanding the needs, emotions and demands of education users, and targeting services accordingly.”

EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES Market and social research has an important role to play in developing effective strategies, as David Smith of DVL Smith Ltd. explains: “Whether a provider is from the public, private or third sector it is important to be able to develop and implement the right strategy. As such, schools and universities are increasingly turning to market and social research in order to receive robust insights around which to shape their business planning. By employing the skills of the researcher, education providers can build in the changing expectations of the government and students into their thinking to enable them to strengthen their business, enhance their competitiveness and compete on an international basis.

“For university researchers three clear areas are becoming a strategic focus: attracting undergraduate students; promoting the benefits of postgraduate study; and securing applications from overseas students.

“Only through research is it possible to fully understand and explore the needs of students and those seeking qualifications. As such the role of the researcher, and the research sector, is vitally important. By obtaining clear and robust insights on these critical issues, schools and universities will be able to adapt

and respond to the changing face of education and fully meet the needs and requirements of their users, while effectively distinguishing their brand from their competitors.

“At DVL Smith Ltd. we regularly undertake reputational research for universities. This includes establishing a university’s reputational status; undertaking a communications audit of various marketing channels; through to developing a decision-making ‘map’ of how students decide upon different institutions to better understand the student journey. There is a growing demand for robust insights that can inform and shape undergraduate marketing communications.”

A SHIFT IN FOCUS David Vivian explains how market and social research is being used differently in the education sector: “We are already seeing a shift in the focus for research. There are fewer evaluations, due to fewer initiatives, as a result of spending cuts. In particular, evaluations associated with pilot schemes or initiatives in development stage.

“There will, of course, still be a need for evaluations. However, we will see researchers being involved earlier in the process – something we have long advocated.

Indeed the more successful evaluations that we have been involved with are those where the design stage is thorough and our involvement is from the start.”

RETURN ON INVESTMENT David Vivian concludes that the key to all market and social research is a clear demonstration of value for money: “Research that demonstrates ROI is going to be the winner. At IFF Research we have carried out work to track student destinations, following the career and learning trajectories of individuals post-study. This research is helping: current and prospective students to understand what options will be available to them on completing a course; providers to plan and improve the courses they offer; and policy makers to explore return on investment in public funding of education and training.

“For example the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education (DLHE) Longitudinal Survey we conduct for HESA (Higher Education Statistics Agency) is a complex and large-scale study that tracks graduates three and half years after finishing their course using a multi-method (online,

telephone and postal) approach. In 2008/09 we consulted around 40,000 graduates and anticipate similar numbers this year in the latest tranche of the project.”

COMMISSIONING QUALITY RESEARCH When it comes to commissioning research, Vanella Jackson, Chairman of The Market Research Society (MRS) says: “The quality and value of market and social research is crucial to delivering something of value to the education sector. Organisations wanting to benefit from the real value of research must ensure that they approach accredited suppliers and researchers whose findings will be accurate, fair and reflect public opinion.

“There are broadly two types of research, quantitative and qualitative, and both have their own specific purpose. MRS members and Company Partner organisations can provide advice on what sort of research suits a specific requirement. Quantitative research generally involves using larger samples of respondents to provide reflective data on major issues – such as asking local people about the perceived quality of local primary school provision. By contrast, qualitative research involves smaller samples and far more bespoke, personal questioning, which can provide a greater degree of insight and explore the behaviour of specific groups. Combining qualitative and quantitative research can sometimes provide the fullest picture.”

Market and social research will continue to play an increasingly important role in the monitoring of service performance and developing effective strategies. Any publicly financed or outsourced service needs to demonstrate that it is serving the needs of the client and critically that it is delivering impact and demonstrating value for money.

Customer satisfaction, perception research and effective evaluation will continue to be important to ensure the education sector delivers, survives and flourishes in this age of change and austerity.

About the authors David Vivian is a director within IFF Research’s Learning and Skills team.

Dr David Smith is director of DVL Smith Ltd, an Insight Consultancy.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Web: www.mrs.org.uk

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CONFERENCES & EVENTS

CONFERENCING BY THE SEA Brighton and Eastbourne are premier destinations for conferences and events. They are close to London and offer delegates an excellent dose of business and pleasure AS WE DRAW TOWARDS the end of what those in the trade call conference season, many government related businesses will have attended or been actively involved in a conference or large meeting at some point over the last few months.

Conferences and meetings are big business, and for those on the planning side of things, they can also be a big headache; months of work culminating in one or more stressful days where everything needs to go right. However, annual research carried out by the Meetings Industry Association (MIA) has consistently shown the three main motivators of conference venue selection as being the same for the last five years: location, price and accessibility.

This is unsurprising and rational – if you’re organising an event you want to make it easy to get to, you want to put it in a place that people not only can travel to, but want to travel to. And naturally, you will have a budget with which to pick and choose.

HELP FOR EVENT PLANNERS Additionally though, there is one thing an event organiser really desires, whether they’re organising a conference, large event, exhibition, or small meeting – help. There are professional conference organisers out there, there are also people who see event planning as a necessity they have to go through once, twice or (heaven forbid) three times a year. But whether seasoned professional or part time expert, you want help.

Enter the VisitBrighton Convention Bureau, we are a group of shy and retiring people, hidden away at the back of Brighton Town Hall, who on appearance seem to spend our time venue hopping around the city or just wondering the streets. On first glance we are city geeks with an unnatural and unexplainable desire to actually get involved in event organising. Take a second look and you will find we have a wealth of information, support, ideas and energy, and what is more, we provide our service for free.

It seems strange but we are people that are paid by our city to make your life easier. This is because Brighton wants your business; if you are bringing over 100 people into a city, we know they will most likely buy coffees, dine in restaurants, stay in hotels, and potentially come back with their families and children.

For this reason alone the Convention Bureau exists and we are determined to make your organisations and delegates experience as enriching as possible whilst you are in the city.

Added to this, we make it our business to know Brighton better than anyone else. We have intricate knowledge of every venue, hotel, bar and restaurant, whether it’s been here for

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400 years, or will be completed next summer.

We also know about every major event coming to the city and can help tie your conference in with local attractions, festivals or entertainment.

Of major importance, we can liaise with venues to get your delegates better deals on their accommodation, get you better deals on your venue, and maybe offer some added value in the form of a civic reception or delegate discounts that can be used in the many attractions, shops and bars throughout the city.

In Brighton, our Convention Bureau succeeds because we have this knowledge in abundance and, let’s face it, there are few cities that have as much going on as ours. This is a city that in the last few years has seen the addition of over 800 new hotel rooms to its already large and varied stock.

It is a city that sees new restaurants opening on a weekly basis, where venues are being renovated and improved, with new event spaces opening constantly. Brighton is a city of festivals, music, carnivals and culture on the doorstep and all of these are different. We have a menu of extras that can bring added shine to any visiting conference.

When you’re looking at the location for your next event, think of it as not just the place, where it is, and how accessible it is – look also at the support within.

POPULAR DESTINATION Brighton has always been popular with government events because it is easy to get to, it’s a green and sustainable city, and because delegates look forward to coming back. For the conference organiser it is popular as well; through the Convention Bureau, we can give your delegates a new and enriching experience, we can introduce them to festivals, show them new and exciting food or just show them new places to walk, explore and spend

time outside of the venue. Brighton after all is perfect for just wandering around on foot.

This may all sound too good to be true but it does work. Whether you choose to take your next event to Brighton or any other city, remember to use the local Convention Bureau, we want to help you.

As a conference organiser you need to keep an eye on location, accessibility and pricing, then you look to the people, the service, and the professionalism. So let the Convention Bureau look after the delegate experience, the grateful feedback, the growing attendance.

EASTBOURNE The UK’s official sunniest place might instantly conjure up images of seaside holidays, the iconic white chalk cliffs of Beachy Head and the acres of spectacular South Downs National Park countryside that surrounds it. And with over 4.5 million visitors every year, you wouldn’t be wrong.

Eastbourne also presents a premier conference destination on the south coast. Just an hour and a half from London, boasting attractions to rival the city such as the award-winning Towner Gallery, which is also available to hire, and offering diverse accommodation including the UK’s number one celebrity owned hotel, Eastbourne is a hidden treasure waiting to be discovered. Just ask the Kingsway – Mission Worship, Royal British Legion Women’s Section and International Brotherhood of Magicians which are amongst a number of events that return year after year bringing thousands of delegates to Eastbourne.

Since the destination’s Conference Bureau was re-launched in 2008, the town’s business offer has gone from strength to strength with 2009 being the best ever year for conferences

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CONFERENCES & EVENTS

in Eastbourne. And with Eastbourne Borough Council continuing to invest in their main conference venue, Devonshire Park Centre, including the installation of Wi-Fi late last year and the refurbishment of the Gold Room, the conference and event offer is constantly evolving with the potential to attract big industry names.

Towner, Eastbourne’s brand new art gallery, was a welcome addition to the Devonshire Park Centre when it opened last year extending the exhibition space available in a state of the art contemporary building. Hosting major art exhibitions, which included a key work

by Damien Hirst earlier this year, the gallery continues to pick up awards competing with national venues. With the ground floor available for hire by organisers booking events into the Devonshire Park Centre, the venue offers up to 3,100m2 of exhibition space in total.

Towner and the Gold Room are just two aspects of many that make up the Devonshire Park Centre, with the venue also offering the modern International Lawn Tennis Centre (ILTC), an official accredited pre2012 Olympic Training Venue and home to the annual AEGON International Tennis Championships. Containing a number of smaller rooms, it is a popular choice for

local companies looking for meeting space, and a welcome addition providing breakout and seminar rooms for larger events.

Set in the heart of the hotel district and cultural quarter, the Devonshire Park Centre is ideally located for shopping, entertainment and time out, a popular choice for delegates looking to enjoy the town’s top hours of sunshine.

From watching a show straight from the West End at the Congress Theatre, an auditorium seating up to 1,700, to exploring Eastbourne’s heritage and visiting landmarks such as the seafront Bandstand or taking time out at the cosmopolitan Sovereign Harbour Marina, Eastbourne presents an exciting and diverse landscape for delegate activities.

ACCOMMODATION FOR ALL With one of the highest number of bedspaces in the south east, Eastbourne offers a wide range of accommodation including large hotels, friendly guesthouses and modern self-catering options, catering for all price brackets and tastes, and within easy walking distance of the Devonshire Park Centre.

Offering an Accommodation Booking Service for conference organisers, rooms are directly allocated for each event meaning delegates

are presented with an affordable choice of accommodation, often making significant savings on the rack rate. A variety of accommodation is available, from England’s only 5-star seaside hotel, The Grand, to the celebrity owned Big Sleep Hotel counting Hollywood star John Malkovich amongst its backers, and from the boutique style Guesthouse East offering bed and breakfast or self-catering to Sovereign Harbour apartments.

Situated on the beautiful Sussex shoreline, boasting spectacular South Downs landscape, acres of 1066 countryside on its doorstep, miles of award-winning beaches and officially the country’s most holiday-friendly destination (Virgin Money Travel Insurance 2010), Eastbourne offers a breath of fresh air for any event.

FOR MORE INFORMATION VisitBrighton Convention Bureau Tel: 01273 292629 E-mail: Darren.johnson@visitbrighton.com Web: www.visitbrighton.com/conferences Eastbourne Conference Bureau Tel: 01323 415437 E-mail: conference@eastbourne.gov.uk Web: www.conferenceeastbourne.com

CONFERENCING AT BRANDS HATCH

Situated at the world famous race circuit just 20 miles from London, the MotorSport Vision Centre offers arguably the most stunning conference and meeting venue in the south east - capable of hosting up to 600 delegates.

Delegate Rate* – £42.00 +VAT. Includes: • Conference room hire and AV equipment • Arrival tea, coffee and Danish pastry • Morning tea, coffee and biscuits • Working lunch buffet • Afternoon tea and cakes • Dedicated event co-ordinator • Free car parking and 24 hour security *subject to a minimum booking of 40 delegates

01474 875224 www.brandshatch.co.uk

2010 CHRISTMAS PARTIES Immerse yourself in the glamour and sophistication of the motorsport world this Christmas by celebrating the festive season at Brands Hatch.

Call our sales team on 01474 875224 for details.

‘Best Hotel 2010’ Northern Hospitality Awards ‘Hotel of the Year 2010’ - The Mersey Partnership Annual Tourism Awards ‘Isambard Kingdom Brunel meets Carrie Bradshaw’. 10/10 The Sunday Times “…the hope street hotel, a boutique hotel, a symbol of Liverpool’s renewed prosperity as potent as the new arena down by the old docks”. Culture Company Government day delegate rates are £39 per person including room hire, lunch, coffee and tea breaks, stationery and presentation facilities.

The 24 hour government rate is £158 per person which includes a king standard room, breakfast and a three course dinner in The London Carriage Works. 2 AA Rosettes. Available until March 2011

For a closer look visit www.hopestreethotel.co.uk or call Laura on 0151 709 3000

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ADVERTISERS INDEX The publishers accept no responsibility for errors or omissions in this free service 2 Save Energy

60

Group Call

31

Osborne Technologies

26

Absolute Financial Services

10

Holden & Partners

12

Panasonic

36

Ace Engineers

74

Hope Street Hotel

89

Pearson Jones

12

AIT Partnership Group

42

Hope-Stone Research

86

Pearson Phoenix

24

Almary Green Investments

16

IP UserGroup

52

Pop Up Arena

74

Alternative Energy Solutions

56

JJ Food Service

82

QMP

39

Amthal Security

70

Kodak

Quorum Training

15

Armitage Venesta

62

Kroll

70

Randstad Education

13

B2B International

86

LAR

60

Rap Industries

12

BAFE

68

LETN Solutions

39

Rentokil Specialist Hygiene

Balens

16

London Duck Tours

72

Sabercom

59

Clarity SLV

28

MHS

50

Scottish Power

59

Climate Change Solutions

58

Micro P

43

Scottsdale Consulting

12

Collinson

74

Mike Ayres Design

48

SDH Airconditioning Services

58

Commend UK

66

Mimio

32

SG Wealth Management

Energy Services and Technology Association

58

Modular Buildings

46

Skibound

73

86

Morgana Systems

45

Symmetry

34

Müller Dairy UK

80

Theo’s Food Company

84

16

True Colours Distribution

28

txttools

44

Esotec Research & Consulting Factory Gate Marketing

90

IBC

6

8

4

FARMSS

71

Navigator Financial Planning

Findel Education

64

NEC

Fleet (Line Markers)

76

NETGEAR

30

Unibind Systems

39

22

Wesleyan Assurance Society

14

Foresight Independent Financial Planning

16

NetSupport

Gaz Prom Marketing & Trading Retail

54

OCM Wealth Management

Glass Protection (Essex)

53

Oliverdi

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