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Primary grammar tests: A gun to the head of teachers?

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In June, Gove announced grand plans to restore ‘rigor’ in the key primary subjects when the DfE published its draft Primary National Curriculum Programmes of Study for English, maths and science. Plans to introduce new grammar tests have been met with condemnation by Dr Simon Gibbons, chair of the National Association for the Teaching of English, who says the test will hold a ‘gun to the head’ of teachers. Dr Gibbons says the reforms are based on ministers ‘diminishing memories of their own grammar - and public school educations’. Gove has also sounded off about school governance, which he said was more suited to Victorian ‘parochial church councils’ than life in the 21st century. According to the Education Secretary, ‘local worthies’ become school governors because it is a badge of status, and fail to hold head teachers to account. But Stephen Adamson, chairman of the National Governors’ Association and chair of governors at Wensum Junior School in Norfolk, said Gove’s description was not a fair depiction of the majority of governing bodies. “There are poor governing bodies, just like there are poor heads and poor maths teachers, but I don’t think there are anything like the numbers it might seem from the way Mr Gove put it,” he said. Adamson added that self-interested governors looking to raise their profile through being a governor are ‘few and far between’. In other news, David Cameron has announced that more than free schools are on the way (see page 9) but these don’t include the ‘Phoenix School’ in Oldham. Plans to open the UK’s first military-run free school staffed by former members of the armed forces have been rejected. Tom Burkard, who proposed the school, accused the Department for Education (DfE) of turning down the plan because it was not ‘conventional’.

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Contents

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATION – www.educationbusinessuk.net

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CONTENTS 07 EDUCATION BRIEFER

81 SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS

Association (ESTA), looks at how schools can keep their bills and emissions down during the autumn term.

More open schools on the way; changes to primary curriculum; Gordon Brown appointed UN Education Envoy.

Next Steps: Sean Stockdale of Nasen details the implications for school leaders in the transition from SEN statements to Education Health and Care Plans, which involves a single assessment process. With a draft bill expected this summer, new legislation should be in place by 2014.

49 FIRE SAFETY

13 FINANCE: ACADEMIES

Each year in England and Wales more than 1,300 schools suffer fires large enough for the Fire and Rescue Service to be called out. Graham Ellicot of the FIA gives the lowdown on the latest policy.

The role of the School Business Manager in an academy conversion is a critical one. This article considers the main legal documents and the practical steps that can be taken by the SBM in order to make the transition process run as smoothly as possible.

85 CONFERENCES & EVENTS

55 ICT & COMPUTING

A look at approaching exhibitions, conferences and events in the education sector.

Caroline Wright, newly appointed director at The British Educational Suppliers Association (BESA) provides a summary of the recent changes since the arrival of the coalition government and looks to the future of technology in education.

21 PAYROLL

Diana Bruce, senior policy liaison officer, Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals, explains what employers need to know about recent changes to payroll processing - Real Time Information and Automatic Enrolment.

87 SCHOOL FURNITURE

69 SPORT & PLAY

Incidence of recurrent back pain is now almost as prevalent in adolescence as it is in adult life, with an estimated eight per cent of children under the age of seven experiencing back pain. Former BESA director Ray Barker discusses the importance of schools adhering to furniture standards.

71 EDUCATIONAL VISITS

93 PHYSICAL SECURITY

77 CATERING

97 SPECIFIERS INDEX

The Association of Play Industries 2012 event, Playfair, goes from strength to strength.

27 RECRUITMENT

Nigel Gardener, Associate Deputy Headteacher at All Saints Catholic and Technology College, Dagenham, London, discusses the importance of implementing effective recruitment procedures in schools, and explains how schools can maximise the potential of their greatest resource resulting in significant benefits for the school as a whole.

Protecting the perimeter and buildings with physical security measures is essential in order to deter intruders. Physical security measures can be cost effective and play a vital role in securing educational establishments, writes James Kelly, Chief Executive of the British Security Industry Association (BSIA).

A school trip, with its natural dynamic environment, provides a learning venue that matches childrens’ natural inclination to know more about things, engages even those with short attention spans and puts the learning subject in context, writes the School Travel Forum.

31 DESIGN & BUILD

Refurbishing historic school buildings can play an effective part of the strategy to achieve the Priority School Building Programme vision, writes Tim Brennan, senior regeneration adviser at English Heritage.

A comprehensive listing of key suppliers to the education sector.

Geoff Jones, director at ParentMail, discusses the advantages schools can gain from switching to an electronic payment collection system.

41 ENERGY

Alan Aldridge, executive director of the Energy Services and Technology

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EDU TRIPSCATIONA L BUSINESS MAGAZINE Specifiers Index 2012/13 | EDUCATION Open in to ne g young w po ssibili minds ties

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CURRICULUM CHANGE

Times tables can help with complex maths education says Nick Gibb Repeatedly practicing basic sums at a young age can prepare children to tackle more challenging topics such as algebra at secondary school, according to schools minister Nick Gibb. His comments come weeks after the Government published plans to overhaul the National Curriculum in England in a bid to promote the core knowledge that children should acquire at each age. A draft mathematics curriculum suggests that five and six year-olds will be expected to count up to 100, recognise basic fractions and memorise the results of simple sums by the end of the first year of compulsory education. Addressing academics and teachers in a speech to the Advisory Committee on Mathematics Education, Gibb quoted a study

from Carnegie Mellon University in the United States that found primary school children with a good grasp of long division and fractions were more likely to go on to achieve high scores in algebra in their teens. Gibb compared learning times tables to playing the piano, when children repeatedly practice scales and chords by heart. He said: “The working memory is only so big When you play the piano, you have to acquire an automaticity to it and that comes with practice. The same comes with learning to read. All these things come with practice and that’s what multiplication tables are about.” However, the National Union of Teachers insisted the approach would ‘stultify the learning process’ by failing to give children the freedom to develop at their own pace.

NEWS IN BRIEF Second Academy Awards winners announced

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The winners of the second Academy Excellence Awards were announced on July 4 by mathematician Matt Parker at a ceremony at The University of Nottingham. This year students representing more than 300 academies were challenged to write an essay in response to questions set by The University of Nottingham. TO READ MORE PLEASE VISIT...

www.academyexcellenceawards.co.uk

OCR Exam Board finds mistakes in 2011 marking More than 250 pupils are to have their exam results changed by up to two grades as The OCR exam board says it has found mistakes in the adding up of the totals of papers and units of exams. The board contacted 180 schools about grade changes at A-level, AS-level and GCSE. Mistakes were made in adding up exams taken in summer 2011.

No place for Gay Bullying

LITERACY FUNDING

£10m literacy catch-up programme for disadvantaged pupils announced Children from poorer backgrounds in England who are behind in reading and writing at the end of primary school will have the chance to get extra catch-up lessons. This comes as part of the Government’s drive to narrow the attainment gap between pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds and their peers. Results from last year’s Key Stage 2 tests show that around 100,000 pupils in England failed to reach the expected standard in English. As part of a £10m programme, projects will be

set up across England to help disadvantaged pupils who fail to reach the expected level of English by the end of primary school (level 4 at Key Stage 2). Some projects will be fast-tracked through the bidding process to start from this September, while other projects will start in 2013. Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said: “I’m determined that the Government does everything it can, through the Pupil Premium, to bring children up to speed in literacy as they make the transition from primary to secondary.”

An Ofsted report into school approaches to bullying has suggested teachers do not always feel able to tackle issues like homophobic bullying and derogatory language. The report, No Place for Bullying, noted that disabled pupils and those who have special needs, and pupils who are, or are perceived to be, gay, were most at risk bullying.

Maths and Science used in sporting event challenge A team from All Hallows Catholic High School, Lancashire, have become winners of STEM Challenge 10 with most exciting plan for a local sporting event, created using their maths and science skills. The finalists presented a Dragon’s Den style pitch to a panel of expert judges. TO READ MORE PLEASE VISIT... www.mathsandscience2012.co.uk

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TEACHER TRAINING

Trainee teachers need to get a grip on managing behaviour - Charlie Taylor’s new government report Trainee teachers need better training in managing pupils’ behaviour and ensuring discipline according to Charlie Taylor, the Government’s expert adviser on behaviour. Taylor has called for more practical training for trainees, including knowing how to vary the tone and volume of their voice to teach effectively and manage behaviour, as well as how to use posture in order to be an authoritative presence in the classroom. The headteacher of The Willows, a special school for children with behavioural, emotional and social difficulties in West London, has published the document Improving teacher training for behaviour. It sets out the knowledge, skills and understanding that trainees will need in order to be able to manage children’s behaviour. Charlie Taylor said: “The greatest fear trainee teachers have is that they won’t be able to manage behaviour. It also remains one of the main reasons why teachers leave the profession. There are essential skills, including some which are underestimated, such as body language and posture – that all teachers need in order to manage behaviour effectively.” He continued: “There are some great training providers but too often trainees aren’t taught the skills they need to ensure discipline in the classroom. We must spread

best practice because without strong discipline and good behaviour children can’t learn.” Taylor, who from September 2012 will become the chief executive of the Teaching Agency, has carried out a review of what trainees are currently taught. It found differences in the quality of training on behaviour management, and some cases where trainees receive little more than a single lecture and limited support from a tutor if things start to go wrong. A survey revealed how 41 per cent of teachers

rated their initial teacher training (ITT) in managing behaviour as ‘poor’ or ‘very poor’. ‘Improving teacher training for behaviour’ has been developed to complement the new Teachers’ Standards that all teachers have to demonstrate from September 2012. It also reflects the new Ofsted inspection framework for ITT providers, which will come into effect at the same time. It has been produced taking on board the practice from the outstanding teacher training providers and Ofsted READ MORE - tinyurl.com/cgncc7f

Planning permission granted for new £1.2m traning centre in Doncaster Teachers look set to be trained up in Doncaster after planning permission for a new centre at one of the borough’s largest schools was granted. Doncaster Council planning committee unanimously backed the plans for the teacher training facility at Outwood Academy (Adwick), after John Mounsey, chairman of the governors at the academy, addressed the meeting. The centre will include a conference theatre to seat up to 150 delegates, an observation classroom, breakout rooms and cafe facilities. Mounsey described it as a £1.2 million state of the art building. He said: “The acquisition of teaching school status is a huge achievement for the Outwood Academy Trust.” Julie Slater, executive principal, said: “We will also be delivering high quality professional development at leadership level.”

TEACHER TRAINING

Teaching Agency data shows big surge in male primary school teachers Data from the Teaching Agency (TA) shows more men are becoming primary school teachers. The number of male trainee primary teachers has increased by more than 50 per cent in the last four years, and has grown at three times the rate of women. More top male graduates are being encouraged to follow suit. The TA is launching two new services to assist men to train to teach primary. Firstly, a new Primary Experience programme will be available to male graduates who register their interest in primary teacher training with the TA and meet eligibility requirements. It gives men 10 days’ work experience in a school. 1,000 places will be available in schools across the country. The TA is also able to put male graduates in touch with a range of inspirational

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male primary teachers, to get an insight into teachers’ motivations, career choices, challenges and the rewards of day-to-day life in a classroom. Lin Hinnigan, interim chief executive of the Teaching Agency said: “Primary teaching is increasingly a career for the most able graduates. It offers the opportunity to earn a good salary and progress quickly. Our aim in joining forces with talented male teachers from primary schools across England is to show the reality of life in a classroom and why there’s never been a better time to join the profession.” Darren McCann, who was promoted to deputy head of St Ambrose Barlow primary school after teaching for seven years, said: “I’d always done well at school and initially thought I’d want to be a doctor or a lawyer. This all changed after I visited a school for work experience.”

STANDARDISED SCHOOL DESIGNS

Southampton goes with standardised designs Southampton City Council has ordered three new primary schools built from standardised models. It will use the Sunesis standardisation concept, developed by builder Willmott Dixon and Scape, a local authority-owned company. Sunesis offers four standard primary school designs and one for secondary schools, and says using these can cut build cost in half with construction at a cost-

per-pupil of £8,500 - £10,000 against a typical £15,000 £20,000. There are four Sunesis models for primary schools. Strategy and capital programme manager Oliver Gill said the £13m investment in three Dewey models had come as a response to the city’s surging birth rate. Scape has been created to find ways to cut building procurement costs for local authorities. It is owned by six councils.

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NEWS IN BRIEF Restaurant chain bosses asked to carry out new school food review Two founders of a restaurant chain have been asked to carry out a review of school food in England. Henry Dimbleby and John Vincent run the London-based Leon chain, which markets itself as offering healthy fast food. Education Secretary Michael Gove visited a school in Hackney to announced the plans. Mr Dimbleby, co-founder of Leon, said: “Jamie Oliver shone a light and made people see how bad things were. It’s a lot better on average than it was, but it’s still not good enough in a lot of schools.”

Primary and Secondary Schools to benefit from BCS Education Bursaries BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, has awarded £30,000 in Education Bursaries. The money will help 31 institutions including primary and secondary schools deliver projects that will enable learners to benefit from computing. In total over 200 institutions applied for the Bursary, which was launched in March to celebrate Alan Turing’s centenary year. Bill Mitchell, Director of BCS Academy of Computing, stated: ‘I’m delighted that we are able to support 31 different projects.

9/11 project winners get trip of a lifetime to New York The 9/11 London Project has announced two winners of a trip to New York. Pupils between the ages of 14 and 16 submitted essays and short films over the past four months, as part of the 9/11 National Schools Competition, tackling the question, ‘How did 9/11 change the world?’. 15 year-old Georgina Hodgson from Chulmleigh Community School in Devon took the first prize in the essay writing category.

Durham schools choose online maths service Students from Seaham School of Technology and Dene Community School in Durham are to be the first in the UK to usie a new online tutoring service which they can access in lesson times, at homework clubs and at home. Costing the schools around £5 per pupil, the new service has been brought in by teachers Claire O’Neill and Helen Feetham, in a bid to help those struggling with English and Maths to boost their grades from level 5-6 in KS3. Known as Tute+, the new service is delivered by UK qualified teachers who have been given specific training in TO READ MORE PLEASE VISIT... online tutoring and uses tinyurl.com/c9ercym everyday technology.

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FREE SCHOOLS

Cameron announces more Free Schools on the way More than 100 new free schools have been approved to open in England over the coming years, Prime Minister David Cameron has announced. The approvals will bring the total number of the new-style primary and secondary schools, which are state-funded but independent of local authorities, to almost 200. They include a school in south London for vulnerable pupils, including teenage mothers and children expelled from mainstream schools; a sixthform college in east Manchester supported by Manchester City football club; a ‘faith sensitive’ co-ed in Oldham; and secondaries backed by universities in Birmingham and Plymouth. Unveiling the list at Woodpecker Hall Primary Academy in London, one of the first 24 free schools to open last autumn, Cameron said: “What we are seeing is real

quality, real choice for parents and it’s a great part of our school improvement programme. Many more children are getting the education they, and their parents, want and deserve.” However, teaching unions have claimed Free Schools adversely affect neighbouring schools when they open in areas with no shortage of spaces. One free school, at Beccles in Suffolk, had received just 37 applications for 162 places when it opens in September. Chris Keates, the general secretary of teaching union NASUWT, said: “Despite the spin put on this announcement by Downing Street, this is not a good news story. Free schools are opened at the expense of neighbouring schools whose already diminishing budgets will be top-sliced to fund them.” tinyurl.com/c7eb687

GLOBAL EDUCATION

Gordon Brown appointed as UN Education Envoy Gordon Brown has been appointed the new United Nations Special Envoy for Global Education. The former Labour prime minister will help ‘galvanise support’ for the UN’s global education scheme, which aims to give every child access to quality teaching. Brown, appointed to the unpaid role by UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon, will launch a universal education programme in the autumn in an effort to raise funding for two million new teachers. The role will see the former prime minister lead a campaign to meet the Millennium Development Goal for every child to be at school by the end of 2015. As part of his new position, he will accompany the UN Secretary on a tour of Asia in August. Brown said he hoped to emulate the successes of Kofi Annan, the former UN Secretary General and former US President Bill Clinton, as special UN envoys for Syria and Haiti respectively. Brown stated “It is a great privilege to be invited by the UN Secretary-General Bank

Ki-moon to serve as his Special Envoy for Global Education. Ensuring that every child in the world has the opportunity to go to school and to learn is a long-standing passion of mine. Education breaks the cycle of poverty and unlocks better health and better job prospects. “Enrolling an additional 61 million children and ensuring a quality education for all by the end of 2015 will not be easy – but it is a goal which, working together, we can achieve.” A UN spokesman added: “The appointment builds upon Mr Brown’s impressive commitment to education as a fundamental right of every child. He has demonstrated unquestionable passion advocating extensively with world leaders, civil society, and the business community to keep the promise of quality education for all by 2015. The SecretaryGeneral is confident Mr. Brown will be a genuine champion for the world’s most poor.” READ MORE tinyurl.com/cenqlyx

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ACADEMIES

ACADEMY CONVERSION: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

It is sensible to establish a list of critical dates which work back from the proposed date for conversion in order to keep you on track for conversion. Often this timetable will be dictated by the Department for Education (DfE) who will generally provide schools with a list of deadlines for the submission of various documents.This timetable will also need to take in account the relevant approvals required by the governors and additional meetings which may need to be arranged. It may be that delegated authority has been granted to a working party, but there will naturally be some aspects which should be considered by the full governing body. TUPE ADVICE As you may be aware, staff at the school will transfer to the academy trust under the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection

of Employment) Regulations 2006 (“the Regulations”). There are two distinct duties for the employer under the Regulations. There is a duty to inform appropriate representatives of affected employees of specified information in good time ahead of the transfer and where changes to working practices or terms and conditions are also anticipated, there is a separate duty to consult with the appropriate representatives. Where there are recognised trade unions, that information and /or consultation will take place with regional representatives of those unions as well as with staff. A failure to inform and consult staff can lead to considerable awards in the event of claims being presented to a Tribunal. It may be that you face challenges from unions in connection with your academy conversion and may need assistance in preparing suitable responses. Our experience

suggests you may, at the very least, be faced with Freedom of Information Act requests from some unions and recommend that legal advice is taken on any such requests.

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GOVERNANCE ARRANGEMENTS The academy trust, which enters into the funding agreement and operates the academy, is a charitable company limited by guarantee. The articles of association which form the constitution of the academy trust will be based on the DfE model. As you might be aware, there are two groups of individuals which are involved in the organisation structure of a company, being the members (the equivalent of shareholders in a company which has shares) and the directors. As directors of a charity, the directors are also the charity trustees, and in this case, would also be the governors of the academy. E

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ACADEMIES E MEMBERSHIP The DfE model broadly anticipates that either: the membership will largely be drawn from the existing governors of the school who then are responsible for appointing successive members; or alternatively, or; an external organisation (such as the school’s foundation) will appoint the members.

The title deeds for the school site should be located as soon as possible. It may be that these are held with the local authority, at the school or perhaps with your solicitors.

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THE GOVERNING BODY The model anticipates that a number of the governors of the academy trust will be appointed by the members. The remainder of the governing body will then be made up of staff governors (up to 1/3 including the Head), an LA appointed Governor and a minimum of two parent governors. It can be helpful at an early stage to consider the current list of governors and (assuming they are to continue on as governors of the Academy Trust) to determine which category they will fall into under the new arrangements. You will generally find that your existing community, foundation and sponsor (if any) governors will fall into the ‘member appointed’ governors category with all other governors largely remaining within their existing category. We suggest that for ease of paperwork, you might like to set up the academy trust with just three members and governors at the outset (being the minimum permitted), and to appoint the remainder once the academy trust has been set up and in preparation for the conversion date. We also recommend that the governors take advice on their new duties and responsibilities. FUNDING AGREEMENT The funding agreement is the document which governs the relationship between the academy trust and the DfE. It sets out the basis on which the academy trust receives its funding and the obligations which are imposed on it in terms of the running of the academy and the administration of the company. The governors should receive a report on the terms of the model Funding Agreement. LAND ARRANGEMENTS The title deeds for the school site should be located as soon as possible. It may be that these are held with the local authority, at the school or perhaps with your solicitors. We have come across many issues in relation to school sites including concerns over rights of access and also lost deeds, which need to be dealt with as part of the process. The categorisation of land as public or private will be a key factor in determining the proposed land arrangements for the academy. Briefly, if the land has been acquired or enhanced at public expense, it may constitute public land. Public land is often held by the governing body or local authority. However, land held by a school’s foundation can also constitute public land if it has been acquired or enhanced at public expense. In these cases, the Secretary

of State has the ability to order that freehold title be transferred to the academy trust. If he does not, the land may revert to the local authority and a lease would be granted to the academy trust enabling it to occupy the land. If the land has not been acquired or enhanced at public expense and constitutes private land, the Secretary of State has no power to make such an order and the Academy Trust will need to agree a lease with the foundation (or other party) that owns the land. Your solicitor will need to prepare a report on title for submission to the DfE. We would also carry out a proportionate amount of due diligence on the site. We recommend that searches are obtained although often schools will generally feel that they are sufficiently familiar with the school site.

and those completed in the last 12 years. It may be sensible to assign these contracts to the academy trust to ensure that it has a right of action against the contractor (and/ or the design consultant) in the event that a latent defect is discovered in the works. Similar thought should be given to any collateral warrantees and or/ guarantees. Where monies (or retentions) remain owing to contractors, the school will need to ensure that surplus funds held for this purposes are capable of being transferred to the academy trust. VAT can be an issue in relation to any outstanding sums. It may be that the local authority is able to claim back VAT on construction costs and fees whilst the academy trust may not be able to do so and early advice on this issue is recommended.

CONSTRUCTION Conversion to academy status can impact upon any existing construction documentation and we recommend that you review any contracts for current construction projects

TRANSFER AGREEMENT An Academy Order coming into force has the effect of dissolving the existing governing body. This being the case, all assets and liabilities will automatically revert to the E

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company@oxcow.co.uk

Thinking of conversion? Need help with the legal and commercial work? Turn to the Academy Team at Oxley & Coward. We will work with you to ensure that your school’s conversion is as smooth and timely as possible; leaving you to concentrate on the day to day school issues. We’ll be there to help you with: 3 The consultation processes within school and the wider community; 3 Setting up the Academy trust; 3 Transferring the property and assets; 3 Funding agreement negotiation; 3 Termination of current supply agreements and new contracts. We will be pleased to present our services to your Governing Body. Please contact us in confidence. Oxley & Coward Solicitors LLP are based in Rotherham and have served the region since 1791; offering a full range of legal services to businesses and individuals. We are committed to providing the very best service for all our clients and hold the Lexcel quality mark. We are also members of LawNet, the UK’s pre-eminent group of law firms.

the Oxley & Coward Academy Team is here to help

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ACADEMIES E local authority (irrespective of its type of category) and there will then need to be a transfer agreement documenting the transfer from the local authority to the Academy Trust. Under the Agreement, the existing governing body is required to provide the academy trust with specified information including employee information and files and pupil records. In order to do this, the school will need to effectively carry out a ‘due diligence’ exercise on itself in order to ascertain that the information is both available and accurate. This will also enable the governors to satisfy themselves that they are able to give the warranties granted under the agreement in good faith. You will also need to review which contracts you currently have in place with third parties and where appropriate, notify the contractor of the change in legal entity. There may be some contracts which require the consent of the third party and we recommend this be sought as early as possible. Finally, it is important to review whether you have any unspent grants relating to the period up to conversion as the model transfer agreement seeks to exclude these from the transfer and will therefore need to be dealt with separately. PENSIONS Most, if not all, non-teaching staff will be members of the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS). Like many other pension schemes, most LGPS funds are currently managing a deficit. Regardless of this, the funding agreement requires academies to offer membership of the LGPS to all non-teaching staff. Existing members of the scheme are unaffected by the conversion, seamlessly continuing to contribute. All new nonteaching staff however will be eligible to join the scheme, automatically being enrolled, with an option to opt out on giving notice within three months of joining. The deficit in respect of pensionable service for existing members transfers from the local authority to the academy trust under the terms of the transfer agreement. To determine the extent of any deficit transferring to the academy and to ascertain the employer contribution rate for the academy on conversion, the school should contact the relevant pensions authority at the earliest possible opportunity. The contribution rates may be higher than that currently made by the school. Also taken in to account when calculating the rate of employer contributions is the amount needed to pay off any past service deficit over a specified period. The DfE suggests this period would normally be 20 years. However, we are aware that some pension administrators are choosing to reduce this term, which inevitably leads to an increase in employer contributions. It is therefore vital that the pension authority is contacted early on to ensure such a reduction in the repayment period can be challenged without delaying conversion.

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An academy trust is a charitable company responsible for the running of the academy, which has control over the land and the other assets. Academies have freedom from local authority control, which means they have autonomy over the decisions made and the education they deliver. There are many benefits to becoming an academy, these include: • Increased freedom to decide how teaching and learning is delivered without being overburdened by bureaucracy • Greater control over admissions and student numbers • Additional benefit of receiving a share of the local County Council’s central funding • Freedom to purchase in support services from providers offering best value • Applying for capital grants from central government Additionally, schools must consider that there are number of hurdles that must be undertaken during this process. These are varying and may involve external advice, including: • Terms and conditions of existing staff are protected by the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006. • The pension deficit is passed over from the Local Government Pension Scheme • Owning the buildings and lands – bringing both freedoms and legal liabilities • The Governing Body will need to be reviewed and new additions appointed In order to convert to an academy the school needs to be applicable, and schools currently able to apply are: • Primary and secondary schools that have been rated outstanding or good with outstanding features by Ofsted, can submit their individual applications • Any schoo which form part of a formal partnership, providing at least one of the schools is rated outstanding or good with outstanding features • Any school that joins an existing academy with a proven record of improvement. Therefore, a school does not have to be rated ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted to apply for academy status as long as you follow the route of a formal partnership. Schools rated as outstanding or good with outstanding features that are applying for academy status have to support other schools; as an essential part of converting to academy status is agreeing to support another school to raise standards.

You will also need to review which contracts you currently have in place with third parties and where appropriate, notify the contractor of the change in legal entity. FURTHER ADVICE To gain further advice on how to convert to an academy you can visit the Department for Education website, which has a wide range of resources from FAQ’s to applications to convert - tinyurl.com/cpx6rah You can also gain practical advice and assistance as a member of the National Association of School Business Management (NASBM), including the member discussion forums, where you can network with other School Business Managers undertaking the process. If you have not yet started the process of conversion then you may wish to attend the ‘Converting to Academies’

events, which is available to book through the NASBM website - tinyurl.com/cc7ern2 These will give you practical guidance on the process, areas of consideration and planning. NASBM also has affiliated local groups across the country where you can meet other School Business Managers and gain insights and advice on the process first hand. L NASBM MEMBERSHIP If you would like to find out more about becoming a member of NASBM, visit the website at www. nasbm.co.uk. Alternatively, call 01788 573300 or email info@nasbm.co.uk

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Tollers are specialists in education law offering a tailored service of excellence. We are committed to ensuring the process of conversion to academy status is a straight forward and hassle free experience for those involved. Our team of experienced solicitors, together with the assigned project manager, will assist and support you through every stage of the academy conversion.

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FINANCE

SFVS: A TOOL TO MAKE SCHOOL FINANCE STACK UP

School business director Kerry Brimfield gives her views on the new School Financial Values Standard (SFVS) and why she thinks it will help school business managers and governors with financial management

Do you remember Financial Management Standard in Schools (FMSiS) which was introduced in the early 2000s and made compulsory in 2007 for all schools? FMSiS was that self evaluation tool which enabled business managers to compile file upon file of documentation to satisfy a bureaucratic need to meet more than 100 different assessment criteria. There is no doubt that there is a requirement for some sort of tool to assist governors in discharging their duties, but this required a simpler national standard to avoid the massive burden to schools which previously existed. A CLEARER METHOD OF ASSESSMENT The Schools Financial Values Standard (SFVS), introduced from September 2011, comprised of 23 questions aimed at governing bodies to assist them in ensuring they have secure financial systems and management in place. The list of questions is split into four sections: the governing body and school staff; setting the budget; value for money, and protecting public money. These are followed by a summary of agreed remedial action and a timetable for reporting back. On the face of it the 23 questions alongside the support notes provide a much simpler and

school’s business manager will be heavily involved in the self-evaluation process. Although this appears as more work for the SBM in a world where we are seeing falling educational budgets, it is imperative that we have effective financial management to target resources to raise standards and attainment. I find it is also an ideal opportunity for governors to gain an insight into the role of the business manager and the finance team as a whole. CLARITY The notes which are available to help governors assess the answers to each question are a vast improvement on the old FMSiS, giving clarity to what they are looking for and what evidence would be appropriate. Using this document as part of the induction and ongoing training for governors, particularly those who sit on the finance committee, has proved useful in ensuring that the strategic role of the governing body remains clear, as well and giving them the confidence to ask those challenging questions which are both appropriate and timely. RESPONSIBLE OFFICER One of the positives to have come out of the financial handbook for academies is the introduction of the responsible officer (RO) role – a role which could be replicated in maintained schools. The RO, whose responsibility it is to sample transactions to ensure that correct procedures are being followed, would be in a position of strength and able to lead the governors through the SFVS self assessment process, being confident that the evidence which has been gathered is a true reflection of the

One of the positives to have come out of the financial handbook for academies is the introduction of the responsible officer (RO) role which could be replicated in maintained schools clearer method of self assessment, together with guidance for governors that enables them to be confident about the financial management of their school. It should be clear that the standard is primarily aimed at governors, however it is inevitable that the

systems and processes which are embedded in the day-to-day running of the school. Following the demise of the FMSiS, governors still need to have assurance that they have secure financial management in place and the framework of the SFVS provides

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this assurance. Unlike its predecessor SFVS will not be externally assessed but a copy of each signed record must be sent to the local authority’s finance department, where it will be used to inform the programme of financial assessment and audit. This is an annual return and good practice would be to build this in to the governors’ annual schedule of meetings. THE ROLE OF GOVERNORS I cannot say I was the greatest fan of FMSiS as it was a heavy bureaucratic burden, particularly on some of the smaller primary schools I work with, but I feel reassured that the governors will continue to be required to accept, and recognise, the responsibility they have with regard to the financial management of their school. With an improved and more streamlined structure of self assessment in place I hope that governors will see the benefit in undertaking the annual review and feel more confident when reporting to other stakeholders. We often find that recruiting governors onto our finance committee the most difficult, frequently because they feel insecure about their knowledge of school finance. Although they are still not beating down my door to come and spend some time going through the finance systems we have in place, the supporting notes, which are far more accessible with (on the whole) plain, easy to understand, language, makes the role a little less highbrow and specialist. I believe we should be transparent in our leadership and management of the resources of our schools. I am never afraid to have a governor come and talk through what I do and challenge me over some of the decisions I make and, having the structure of the SFVS to guide those discussions, will ensure that we stay on course. L

About the author Kerry Brimfield is school business director at Dyson Perrins CofE Academy in Malvern, Worcestershire where she provides strategic business leadership to the school and seven local primaries. As a School Business Management support advocate for the National College for School Leadership, Kerry leads one of the college’s demonstration projects aimed at highlighting the role of the school business director. For more about the college’s school business management programmes and the work done by Kerry Brimfield and her colleagues, visit www.nationalcollege.org.uk

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PAYROLL

PAYROLL CHANGES: WHAT EMPLOYERS NEED TO KNOW

Written by Diana Bruce, senior policy liaison officer, Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals

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There are two main topics high on the payroll agenda at the moment; Real Time Information (RTI) and Automatic Enrolment. We gave you an overview of the employer considerations for RTI a couple of months ago (in issue 17.4 - tinyurl.com/chl348x) and since then, the pilot which began in April, has been progressing smoothly. It is reassuring to know that HMRC are one of the ten volunteer employers to join the pilot as this will allow them to see first hand how it is working from an employer’s perspective. It is still early days but so far the pilot is on track and all the expected PAYE submissions have been received and processed by HMRC. The whole point of the pilot is to identify any implementation issues and as yet there have been very few and those that have occurred have been resolved quickly. HMRC is still working on their migration strategy but their current thinking is that most employers will be required to join RTI from April 2013 and all employers will be required to be routinely reporting PAYE in real time before October 2013. AUTOMATIC ENROLMENT Starting from October 2012 all eligible employees will have to be automatically enrolled into either their employers’ existing workplace pension scheme or an alternative qualifying pension scheme. Not all employers will have to comply with the new duties as soon as October 2012 as the changes are being rolled out over the next five or so years based on the largest to smallest PAYE schemes. The ‘staging date’ is the term used for the date that an employer’s automatic enrolment duties start and is the first piece of information required in order to start planning. Some employers may want to align their staging date with other key dates in their financial or operational calendar, so to allow some flexibility; employers may choose a different staging date, as long as it is earlier than their staging date. Many employers will already have a E

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PAYROLL E workplace pension scheme in place when the time comes to comply with the duties. It may well be that this scheme meets the criteria required to be a qualifying scheme, however this must be checked prior to an employers staging date and subsequent registration with The Pensions Regulator. TIMELINE OF DUTIES The minimum contribution rates that an employer must pay into their worker’s pension scheme will be introduced gradually. This is known as ‘phasing’ and will apply to most, though not all, types of pension scheme (check with your scheme provider). From October 2012 the minimum contributions will be a total contribution of 2 per cent with at least 1 per cent employer contribution. The proposed duration periods are set out below but note that contributions can exceed this minimum and can also be employer contribution only. IDENTIFYING ‘WORKERS’ Once the staging date has been identified the first step for employers is to see if they employ anyone classed as a ‘worker’. This is where the understanding of contractual relationships is very important. A ‘worker’ is defined as any individual who works under a contract of employment (an employee); has a contract to perform work or services

Transitional period

Employer minimum contribution

Duration

Employer’s staging date to 30 September 2017

1 October 2017 to 30 September 2018

1 October 2018 onwards workers’. The category of jobholder then further subdivides into 2 groups, ‘eligible jobholders’ and ‘non-eligible jobholders’. The category a worker falls in to is determined by their age and whether they earn qualifying earnings. It is the eligible jobholders who are between the age of 22 and State Pension age and whose qualifying earnings are over £8,105 per annum who must be automatically enrolled.

workers who currently work for them and from then on the assessment is made when an employee joins the company. However employers will also need to be aware of employees who will become one of the categories of worker when they reach their 22nd and 16th birthdays. So a process will need to be in place to trigger when these events are due to happen in order to comply with the resulting duties.

ASSESSMENT DATES The dates on which an employer will have to assess a worker are the employer’s staging date, for a worker already in employment on that date; the first day of employment,

JOINING WINDOW The law also sets out the time limit for completing automatic enrolment. During what is known as the ‘joining window’, a one month period from the eligible jobholder’s automatic enrolment date, the employer must give information to the pension scheme about the eligible jobholder; give enrolment information to the eligible jobholder; make arrangements to achieve active membership for the eligible jobholder, effective from their automatic enrolment date. Once enrolled into an automatic enrolment pension scheme, an eligible jobholder can decide to opt-out of the pension scheme. It is important they are able to make an informed decision so the employer must provide the eligible jobholder with certain enrolment information, within the joining window, that tells them that they have been, or will be, automatically enrolled and what this means to them; of their right to opt-out and their right to opt back in, and; a statement about where to find further information about pensions and saving for retirement.

An employer’s payroll system can support various aspects of the enrolment process and ongoing scheme membership, so it must be ready to deal with this and be capable of doing so. personally (i.e. they cannot send a substitute or sub-contract the work); is not undertaking the work as part of their own business. The next step is to ascertain what type of worker they are as it is only in respect of certain types of workers that an employer will have duties. There are 2 main categories of worker for which the employer duties apply which are ‘jobholders and ‘entitled Age (inclusive) earnings

16-21

for a worker who starts employment after the employer’s staging date; the date of the worker’s 22nd birthday, where this occurs after the employer’s staging date; the date of the worker’s 16th birthday, where this occurs after the employer’s staging date. The first two are straight forward enough in that when the duties apply, employers will ideally already have assessed the 22 to State Pension Age

Over earnings trigger for automatic enrolment (£8,105)

Non-eligible jobholder

Eligible jobholder

Non-eligible jobholder

Over earnings trigger for automatic enrolment (£8,105)

Non-eligible jobholder

Total minimum contribution

Eligible jobholder

State Pension Age to 74

Non-eligible jobholder

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POSTPONEMENT Postponement is an additional flexibility for an employer that allows them to choose to postpone automatic enrolment for a period of their choice of up to three months. This option has been introduced to help allow for temporary and casual workers. To exercise that choice, the employer must issue the worker or workers with a postponement notice. PAYROLL SYSTEM An employer’s payroll system can support various aspects of the enrolment process and ongoing scheme membership, so it E

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PAYROLL

The actual process of calculating and paying contributions is unchanged by any of the employer duties. However, what may change is the rate of contributions and the components of pay included in their calculation. E must be ready to deal with this and be capable of doing so. Business software providers have already been made aware of the changes they will need to make, to ensure that their products are able to support the new employer duties. The actual process of calculating and paying contributions is unchanged by any of the employer duties. However, what may change is the rate of contributions and the components of pay included in the calculation of pension contributions. Employer’s will need to establish from the scheme whether tax relief is to be given at source (contributions deducted from net pay) or under net pay arrangements (contributions deducted from gross pay), and ensure their payroll is set up accordingly. On the employer’s staging date, it is likely there will be a number of eligible jobholders to be enrolled at the same time. Payroll should be ready to make

as early as possible to all those who will be involved and that isn’t just to employees; speaking to pension providers and software providers is essential to find out where they are in their planning stages and to ensure that they will be able to fully support the employer’s new duties. L

deductions and pay across to the scheme from the staging date. Employers who operate a weekly payroll should allow enough time to set this up because, if the eligible jobholder is making contributions, deductions must be made from the first week. The employer should also build into their payroll processes the ability to refund any contributions deducted from a jobholder who opts out during the opt-out period. SUMMARY This really is only a brief outline of the main considerations for employers. There is a lot of detail within these new duties and it is important that everyone involved becomes familiar with the rules. The key piece of information to know now is the staging date and then employers can find out how a current scheme (if there is one) may fit in with the automatic enrolment requirements. It is important that communication starts

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HELP AND SUPPORT The Pensions Regulator has created a seven step guide which details every stage of the automatic enrolment process and specifies all employer obligations in relation to the new regulations tinyurl.com/cau9aga. FURTHER INFORMATION ON RTI tinyurl.com/7s73fjt ABOUT CIPP The Chartered Institute of Payroll and Pensions Professionals has in excess of 5,000 individuals enjoying membership benefits. In addition, the CIPP is the UK’s leading provider of qualifications, training and consultancy for payroll, and has a Pensions Faculty responsible for delivering qualifications and membership services to those responsible for public sector pensions. For further information visit www.cipp.org.uk

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as well as work with senior school leaders to advise and support clients with whole school reviews and preOfsted checks, staff development training, performance management reviews and curriculum planning and timetabling. ITN Mark’s services allow schools and academies to free up time to focus on what matters most: a quality learning experience. For more information about how ITN Mark can assist you, contact the head office. FOR MORE INFORMATION Tel: 0845 615 6511 www.itnmark.com

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GAINING A COMPETITIVE EDGE IN RECRUITMENT A closer alignment between business goals and employee performance is crucial in a challenging economic climate; schools are no different to other organisations in that respect.Set against the backdrop of budgetary constraints, more and more schools are being forced to run themselves as highly efficient businesses. But while many businesses have financial capital to fall back on, for schools it is human capital that often makes the difference between success and failure. Ensuring that you recruit and retain the right staff is key. Having the right person, in the right place, at the right time is crucial for us here at All Saints. Our employee turnover is currently less than three per cent; a testament, I believe, not only to the positive and supportive work environment we have established but also to the emphasis we place on implementing effective recruitment procedures. When it comes to recruiting we often enlist the help of higher education partnerships and invite trainee teachers who have completed their teacher training at the school to apply for unfilled positions. The benefit in doing this is significant; these teachers are already very familiar with the school itself, the staff and they know how our internal systems work. Most importantly, however, they know the students; they have spent time building up valuable rapport with them and know their strengths and weaknesses. Approximately 20 of our current teachers (around 30 per cent) were trainees in the school prior to appointment in all curriculum areas. THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS When our trainee teachers are not suitable for a particular post we turn to trusted advertising sources such as the Times Educational Supplement (TES) Jobs section, or those associated with Teaching Learning and Responsibility (TLR). We also regularly utilise the Barking and Dagenham Borough Jobs Bulletin. Interested candidates are asked to first submit a letter of application; we usually get quite a substantial number of these and go through them with a fine tooth comb in order to create a shortlist. Shortlisted candidates are invited to come for a tour of the school, often led by our students. This is a key step, as being located in an area of multiple social

Written by Nigel Gardener, All Saints Catholic and Technology College

When it comes to recruiting we often enlist the help of higher education partnerships and invite trainee teachers who have completed their teacher training at the school to apply for unfilled positions deprivation, will often mean they have some preconceptions about All Saints, some of which may be quite negative. However, once they come to the school and experience the respectful and positive atmosphere for themselves, our ethos of ‘keeping the school an oasis where the streets are kept “outside’, is very well demonstrated for them. They are introduced to our school council and there is also an informal meeting with department area staff and technicians, where appropriate. Candidates are then asked to teach a lesson on a topic provided with a set list and student data to allow us to judge resources, effectiveness, communications and engagement. A formal interview then

ensues. Often, for more senior positions, we include some additional strategies such as the analysis of school data, and dealing with “in-tray” activities to assess prioritisation skills and managing scenarios. Particular attention is given to the techniques they would use to resolve conflict or respond to a parent. YOU’VE GOT THE BEST, NOW WHAT? Only when we are certain that a candidate meets all our requirements do we offer them a position at the school. Confident that we have hired the very best candidate, we set about making them ever better through Continuous Profession Development (CPD) programmes. CPD is identified as part of the teacher E

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Education Futures provide recruitment expertise to Local Authorities and Schools focussing on Senior School Support and Local Authority interim and consultancy provision. We are a team of education specialists providing a niche service to the areas we are most passionate about.

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RECRUITMENT E performance management strategy which is matched to the needs of a whole school, including departmental areas and individual circumstance, and plays a big role here at the school. We implement a mixture of whole school INSET/CPD on a weekly basis, which includes programmes on teaching and learning, literacy, numeracy and so on. Teacher training is ongoing and integrated into CPD as appropriate. We encourage all our teachers to become involved in accredited CPD such as, The National College Middle Leadership Development Programme, Catholic Certificate in Religious Studies, DATA Health and safety Training, and First Aid. We also encourage Masters Level studies in education management and specific subjects. Not only do we provide opportunities for our teachers to avail themselves of in-house CPD, but we also encourage them to engage with external agencies to access, for example, HEI provided courses or commercial programmes. There is also a heavy focus on in-school development through paired observations of practice, mentoring and coaching approaches (Teacher Training & Professional Studies is largely focused on new entrants whereas for existing staff it’s more CPD focused). Opportunities for secondment to the Senior Leadership Team (SLT), which are often focused on internal professional development and career progression routes, are also

available to our teachers. Consequently, many of our senior staff have been promoted through the school in this way. KEEP ‘EM SWEET Retaining high achieving teachers is crucial for any school. We want to ensure that our teachers are as happy as possible in their roles; by doing so we ensure that they remain as motivated and productive as they can be, staff turnover remains low and our students reap the benefits. We have implemented a number of people management strategies that allow us to hone in on what is required for managing effective teams, involving team members and consultation approaches. We have designated team areas and dedicated rooms for teaching staff. Heads of department have meeting slots included on the school timetable to support the academic and social development of their areas. We also have an open door policy for discussions with senior leaders and can arrange for time to be given to staff to discuss any issues with line management in a non-threatening atmosphere. THE BENEFITS GOING FORWARD As a faith school our mission statement is ‘We are all one in Christ’, and the environment we have created in the school closely mirrors this, in that everyone is equal and should

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be respected and treated as such. If we can sustain a positive environment that supports teachers, nurtures creativity and rewards success then we can rest assured that our teachers will remain motivated. It also means that our teachers are more likely to stay with us longer, which in turn creates a stable, happy environment for our students allowing them to thrive. ABOUT ALL SAINTS All Saints is a designated National Teaching School and works closely with the National College for School Leadership and the Teaching Agency. There are active links with a number of Higher Education providers to support initial teacher training and staff development. The school also operates effectively with private sector organizations providing training for overseas teachers seeking employment in the UK. The school holds IIP status and also has nationally recognized awards in school governance (School Governor Mark) and the National Equalities Award. All Saints has successfully achieved Bronze and Silver Eco-School status and is currently on track to achieve the Green flag award which symbolises an excellent approach to environmental awareness. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.all-saints.bardaglea.org.uk

Consider Hong Kong for your next teaching position

Our new Kowloon Bay Campus opens in September 2013 Register with us to receive details of posts that will be available in 2013 Recruitment commences in October 2012 Email: recruitment@kellettschool.com For further information on the school visit www.kellettschool.com contact Cathy Poole, HR Manager: cpoole@kellettschool.com Tel. (+852) 2551 8234

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REFURBISHMENT

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Written by Tim Brennan, senior regeneration adviser, English Heritage

Burnsall School, North Yorkshire. Image courtesy of Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority

SCHOOL REFURBISHMENT: AN HISTORIC PERSPECTIVE The DfE’s recent announcement regarding the Priority School Building Programme sets out the Government’s vision of ensuring that England’s school estate remains fit for purpose while offering every student a well equipped and modern learning environment. It also highlights the scale of the challenge. Refurbishing historic school buildings can play an effective part of the strategy to achieve this vision, writes Tim Brennan, senior regeneration adviser at English Heritage

The available funding for the Priority Schools Building Programme was so over-subscribed it demonstrates not only the amount of work required to existing buildings, but also how difficult it is likely to be over the short to medium term future to find the necessary resources to be able carry it out. At English Heritage, we believe that refurbishing historic school buildings can play an effective part of the strategy to achieve this vision, especially given the limited resources available. MANAGING CHANGE English Heritage is the Government’s statutory adviser on the historic environment. Our role is to help protect England’s historic environment and to promote awareness, understanding and enjoyment of it. When it comes to the school estate, our interest lies in helping our colleagues in local authorities to ensure that historic school buildings continue in educational use wherever possible through the careful management of change and updating of facilities. Of course, when we refer to ‘historic’ schools we are talking

about a very broad range of buildings. There are over 5,000 listed school buildings in England (although some of these are no longer in educational use) while there are many more situated within conservation areas designated for their special character. There are also likely to be a number of further schools that are of ‘listable’ quality that have not as yet been designated. The types of school buildings that can be described as ‘historic’ are similarly wide-ranging – from several hundred year old buildings that remain in use as schools to modernist architecture built in the post war period. BUDGETS In addition to ongoing reductions in public sector budgets, there are a number of other trends that are creating pressure on the existing school estate. The surge in the birth rate that began a few years ago, particularly in London, is now starting to have significant implications for local education authorities as demand for school places starts to outstrip supply. In tandem with this are the E

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REFURBISHMENT

Design & Build

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King Edward VII School, Sheffield. Image courtesy of Sheffield City Council

E difficulties in identifying new sites for schools, particularly in more densely populated urban areas. At the same time, there is now a much greater awareness of the need for careful management of the existing built environment in the interests of sustainability. Demolition and replacement of existing school buildings involves a high carbon impact, landfill implications and associated costs as well as the material impact of the replacement new build and the loss of the embodied energy within the buildings demolished. Taken together, these issues demonstrate how important it is that we continue to make best use of the entire range of the existing school estate, including historic school buildings. BENEFITS OF REFURBISHMENT Refurbishment of historic buildings often provides a cornerstone for wider regeneration projects and can signal renewed confidence and vitality in particular neighbourhoods. Retaining existing buildings can also help preserve long standing identity and the sense of educational purpose of the school in question. Historic school buildings are often more spacious than more modern schools,

King Edward VII School, Sheffield Originally built as the Wesleyan Proprietary Grammar School in 1837, King Edward VII School in Sheffield (pictured above) is listed at Grade II*. As such, it is among the top ten per cent most important historic buildings in the country. Sheffield City Council’s approach to the refurbishment of the school was very much a heritage-led one. It commissioned a listed building strategy, which identified in detail all the characteristics and elements that contributed to the building’s special interest, as well as those of less importance. This report, together with the involvement of the conservation team at the City Council, informed the development of the refurbishment proposals by ensuring that those areas and features of the building with significance were retained and that the remodelling and refurbishment reinforced the historic character of the building. A sympathetic extension at the rear elevation of the building also provides new accommodation for subjects heavily reliant on IT equipment. and this ‘loose fit’ can create opportunities for remodelling to provide different floorspace and adaptation to modern requirements. In practical terms, refurbishment and remodelling can often be cheaper than demolition and replacement while there will always almost be less disruption to students during the construction process. In recent years, there have been a number of refurbishment projects that have taken advantage of the historic character of their buildings to provide

new learning resources. For example, High Storrs School in Sheffield refurbished certain areas of the Grade II listed building with their original fixtures and fittings in order for students to be able to better understand how previous generations of students and staff taught and learned at the school. A successful approach to these kinds of refurbishment projects starts with a proper understanding of the significance of the buildings in question before embarking E

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RHA’s refurbishment at Waltham Forest College promotes a transformation in Learning Culture Well spent money on refurbishment can offer opportunities for schools, colleges and universities to inspire their students and staff, reduce their running costs, improve their sustainability and deliver new learning environments. Working out what you can do with limited funds in these difficult times is testing. Delivering a vision for the future requires steadfastness, good planning and expert advice. Waltham Forest College has achieved this with its latest project. Disappointed not to have a complete new build after the collapse of the colleges of the future program, the governors and principal engaged with Richard Hopkinson Architects (RHA) to master plan a new incremental approach to improvement of the estate to reflect possible funding opportunities. Core issues were to enable and represent new ways of learning and the impact of technology to make an open interactive learning environment. RHA, working with Platform 5, has delivered a design that takes the best of the old building and transforms the experience of the learning environment. The college had a dark and

gloomy reception, an under-utilised tired old hall, and a remote refectory in an old gym. The team has delivered a high impact multipurpose set of spaces, able to be agile and adapt to modern teaching and learning activities, that is open and transparent, filled with daylight and exciting to be in. Peter Glasgow, Vice-Principal says: “The college now has a physical visible ‘heart’ that reflects the great teaching experience that we offer to the community of Walthamstow.

A total approach to SEN hygiene requirements The movement towards inclusion and integration has seen numbers of pupils with special and complex needs in mainstream schools increase to almost 20 per cent, prompting the need to provide specialist toilet/hygiene facilities. The Department of Education’s Building Bulletin 102 provide design guidance, the former outlining requirements for hygiene rooms - a convenient solution to meeting the needs of pupils in wheelchairs. Such areas should have space for at least the student and one or two adult support workers, a hoist, mobile height adjustable trolley for showering and/or changing, and a washbasin. Total Hygiene, the UK’s leading disabled toileting solutions provider, is positioned to help schools comply, providing a one stop shop for advice, design, supply, installation and maintenance of all the equipment recommended

The project demonstrates what a good team of designers can do with limited funds to raise aspirations in difficult times. The whole arrangement encourages meeting, dialogue and good behaviour. What is best is that its fun for the students and staff alike. A true safe haven in a difficult world.” The scheme included technical improvements to the fabric, reroofing, wall insulation, new windows, new lighting power and wifi to all areas. It provides space that can flex during the working day providing learning resources, social spaces, a variety of seminar spaces for different teaching group sizes, multifunctional refectory and performance spaces and a high impact reception. Shortlisted for a RIBA award, the works have revitalised this learning environment. The college can now offer more to the learners and the wider community. The vision of the architects Richard Hopkinson and Platform 5 have enabled the college to gain maximum value from their investment. FOR MORE INFORMATION www.richardhopkinsonarchitects.com www.platform5architects.com

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REFURBISHMENT E on developing the details of the scheme, Constructive Conservation is a term that English Heritage uses to describe the kind of approach that enables the modernisation and updating of sensitive and important historic buildings by carefully defining what is special or distinctive about a building and actively managing the change or redevelopment to reinforce this particular character. In other words, it is about understanding where in the building the particular architectural or historical significance lies, in order to guide change and updating to where it can most appropriately be inserted. POSITIVE HISTORIC FABRIC Constructive Conservation is particularly appropriate for school buildings. It means being positive about adaptation of the historic fabric where it is sensible to do so, in turn meaning that the building can continue to accommodate new equipment and uses. Such an approach ensures that the inspirational surroundings offered by historic buildings are not denied to future generations of students, while also reusing finite resources in the interests of sustainability. wUnderstanding the existing buildings should be the starting point for all projects involving historic school buildings – both in terms of what makes them significant from a heritage perspective, but also how they have been used and what has worked well in an educational sense. Once this has been undertaken, establishing what is possible in terms of modern methods of teaching within the envelope of the historic building is much more straightforward. Development can use what is special about the buildings as its cue. Preparation of listed building strategies such as that put into place by Sheffield City Council is the kind of groundwork that can eliminate significant elements of risk by ensuring that there are no heritage issues that come to light when proposals are fully developed or construction is underway. They can ensure that everyone involved knows where the sensitive buildings are, which needed to be treated with care and conversely which are of lesser significance in heritage terms. School buildings are no different from any other type of historic building, in that they need regular investment and systematic maintenance to ensure that they remain fit for purpose. So, projects aiming to refurbish, remodel or extend existing buildings shouldn’t be seen as a second best option to new-build – they can ensure the retention of architecturally significant buildings and existing character and distinctiveness, while at the same time providing extra floor space, high tech teaching space and flexible or multi-purpose learning environments. L FURTHER INFORMATION A range of successful case studies and detailed guidance on refurbishing historic school buildings can be found at www.helm.org.uk/historicschools

Design & Build

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Haggeston School interior. Image courtesy of Avanti Architects

Haggeston School, London Designed by Ernö Goldfinger in 1962–7, Haggeston School in London (pictured above) is one of the outstanding school buildings of the period and is Listed Grade II. The original school comprises an assembly block, main teaching block and sports block. These are now supplemented by the new art, design and ICT block. Avanti Architects sought to recover the school’s architectural character and bring the energy performance of the building to modern standards. Architectural intervention and the use of colour brought a sense of natural wayfinding to the building. The new art, design and ICT block is planned around a central open teaching space (The Forum), and linked to the main teaching block by a new canopied walkway.

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Faithful+Gould - changing the school design industry through the Priority Schools Building Programme The Government’s recently announced the first schools to qualify for the Priority Schools Building Programme (PSBP) and whilst we await further details of how the programme will be delivered, and the order in which the schools will be progressed, some things already seem certain. Firstly, all but the initial tranche is likely to be procured via a batched PFI/PPP arrangement. There is nothing new in this basic concept - after all, batched school PFIs were around long before Building Schools for the Future. What BSF did, however, was to bring an element of standardisation to the contractual documentation with model contracts and specifications, even if these were then made bespoke for each and every project. This is something Faithful+Gould has extensive experience of, with its track record in advising on batched school and BSF PFI projects. Secondly, standardised designs, as recommended in the James Report, look like playing a key part in the attempt to bring down costs. The report recommended the development of standard drawings and specifications to reduce the need to design from scratch each and every time a school is commissioned. Of course, this is nothing new; plenty of other sectors have already embraced it to deliver real savings. It’s not just the benefits of reduced

capital costs either, by using standard layouts with a standard set of components, faster construction times are possible. Faithful+Gould is already investing in this philosophy. The company has teamed up with Scape and Derbyshire County Council to develop the Connect classroom extension model. This concept will deliver an extension 30 per cent cheaper and six months faster than conventional construction, whilst being as robust and flexible as any conventional project. Whilst it does not pretend that this will be the answer for every single project, Faithful+Gould believes it gives a glimpse of what is possible with standardisation. The Priority School Building Programme is a potential game changer for the industry. The economic situation we find ourselves

MEET ANOTHER ONE OF OUR SUCCESSFUL PROJECTS. HIS NAME IS CHRIS. Chris’s hard work and dedication was recognised recently when he fought off tough competition to win the prestigious title of Construction Week’s GCC Project Manager of the Year. Rewarded for his role on what Chris describes as “an incredible project”, he says, “this was only possible thanks to my team” whom he dedicated his award to. Faithful+Gould is one of the world’s leading construction project and cost management consultancies, and we’re proud of being an integral part of some of the world’s most iconic engineering and construction projects. But some of the projects that we are most proud of are our staff. That’s because we offer some of the best learning, travel and career opportunities in the sector.

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in is vastly different to that when BSF was launched; we can expect to be scrutinised at every turn. The reality is that if we want to improve the outcomes for our children by delivering world class facilities, we need to think differently. If we are not prepared to try new things, we will simply end up having to make do with less and this cannot be the right solution. For advice on your next Primary School Building Programme, contact Andrew Constable, director of education at Faithful+Gould. FOR MORE INFORMATION Tel: 01892 510500 Andrew.constable@fgould.com www.fgould.com

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ECOBUILD

LOW CARBON SCHOOLS: AN EDUCATION CHALLENGE

Post James Review, the government confirmed that over their spending review period, total capital investment will be over £17 billion. Although to receive significant capital funding schools will need to be on the Priority School’s Building Programme (PSBP) in line with the majority of the Rt Hon Michael Gove’s policies, schools now have the freedom to decide how to best use their funding for their specific needs. However, one thing that schools must bear in mind is the government’s objective of every school being sustainable by 2020. It is possible that the eminent Steve Jobs best summarised the breadth of consideration demanded by schools looking to invest in a sustainable school, when he said: “Design is not just what it looks like and feels like... design is how it works.” Making small and simple changes to the design of a school and the materials used can really make a difference to its energy saving potential; in fact, it can help schools reduce their energy consumption by up to 30 per cent each year. With this, schools will be reducing their greenhouse gas footprint and saving hundreds, perhaps thousands of pounds each year. Plus, the school community can feel proud of its achievements, which will have knock-on effects to the wider community. Above all, it is an invaluable learning experience for the students.

SUSTAINABLE LIFESTYLES However, the quality of the environment provided by a school building can have a profound impact on both sustainable learning and sustainable lifestyles. Current levels of investment in new buildings give us a once-ina-lifetime opportunity to deliver real change in the sustainability of the schools estate and the learning it is designed to support. In order to grasp this opportunity, school leaders must be equipped with the knowledge and skills required to deliver sustainable buildings through existing procurement systems and processes. It is for this reason that many visited Ecobuild 2012, which took place in March, wanting to develop their understanding of all available opportunities for their school. At Ecobuild, a number of seminar sessions chaired by David Coley, Professor of Low Carbon Design from the Department of

n is “Desigwhat it st not ju like and looks like.... feels how it is designorks” w Jobs Steve

Architecture and Civil Engineering at the University of Bath, looked at a range of sustainable small projects of exemplary education buildings. In each case the focus of attention was on the potential savings, not just financial, but also environmental. What better way to gather some ideas for your school than be seeing what others before you have achieved.

James Blue, Ecobuild

Is it enough to rely on behavioral change in schools? Or should school buildings be seen as a practical link between decarbonisation efforts and the next generation? James Blue, portfolio director of Ecobuild discusses how the need for school buildings to be sustainable is being addressed.

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ZERO CARBON SCHOOLS One of these seminar sessions, which outlined the achievements of Montgomery Zero Carbon Primary School, the UK’s first Zero-Carbon school, was presented by Arthur Tatchell, architectural director, NPS South West Ltd and John Trinick, Passivhaus consultant. Their first quote, taken from The Architects’ Journal in 2009, made everyone consider the enormous challenge of building or refurbishing schools to be sustainable: “Anything proposed now is at best an educated guess, yet huge sums of money and the prospects of generations of children are at stake as thousands of school buildings are rebuilt or renewed in a time period that gives scant opportunity to learn from experience and error. Very little is certain. How space might be expected to serve learning now is still open to debate, never mind 2030.” E

WHERE DO SCHOOLS START? A good place to begin is by following the Department for Education’s guidance provided through their Sustainable Schools National Framework. For sustainable school construction projects, a more detailed list of principles directly relating to the buildings themselves is provided. This includes a list of operational aspects such as energy efficiency; Physical manifestations of the estate including ventilation, natural lighting, green space and attractiveness of design; Quality and durability of the building, and; Sustainability of the materials used in construction. It is recommended that schools start by conducting an energy audit of the classrooms and if possible, the whole school, to see where most of the school’s energy is wasted and where savings can be made.

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Pass Training Consultancy delivers a range at parking enforcement IT specialist, Imperial of courses including civil enforcement Civil Enforcement Solutions (ICES), has used the officer, health & safety and notice processing company’s trainers. training. The company also provides conflict “The quality of the training that ICES notice management courses for clients in the private processing staff receive is very important to Accidents andincluding illnesses happen every us,” day.says Some people need a and public sector local government, Ellis. “We entered into aonly contract the parking industry and security sectors. 2009 withpermanent South Thames College whowithout put helping hand while others may sufferinserious injuries us onto one of their training provider, Pass Mark Cox, managing director of Pass, says help. By mastering Emergency First Response Primary Care (CPR) and the company’s Chartered Institute of Personnel Training Consultancy. We discussed our training Secondary Care(CIPD) (first aid) consultants course skillsneeds you with canPass, render important care and Development training who agreed to provide an to engagein with its clients to ascertain their offered industry those need. Current courses are: leading qualification in the form training and development needs. “Within of the NVQ Business Administraion, which • these Conflict Management • Welcome Hostprocessing. Training The course specialises in notice training programmes we offer the use a variety All of tools including psychometric was delivered inCare a timely and professional • of Welcome Disability Awareness • Customer Training Cox Training says. “These assist in producing manner and has improved beyond doubt the • testing,” Fire Safety • Manual Handling Training resources and facilitate professionalism of all the staff who have so far • self-managed Supervisory learning Training • CCTV Enforcement Officers 1950-02 undertaken the NVQ. group learning, with training courses designed • Basic Deaf Awareness • Basic British Sign Language to meet your staff and organisations needs.” “Being an accredited City & Guilds NVQ, the • First atas Work 3 Days (FAW) • 1 Day Emergency First Aid at individual Work (EFAW) qualification further enhances each Pass Aid works a training provider for South • Thames Care ofCollege, Children First Aid • Inmember’s Case ofqualifications Emergency and (‘ICES’) which has strong links with staff is of value to • the 1/2 security Day AED andDefribrillator parking sectors.& Emergency Oxygen them of the equivalent academic standard as Louis Ellis, business pocessing unit manager five GCSE’s.”

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ECOBUILD

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E The next two projects outlined during the seminar sessions were managed by Wolverhampton City Council using the Passivhaus Standard; the world’s leading fabric first approach to low energy buildings. The first school, Oak Meadow Primary, has a two form entry plus nursery supporting 450 children. In November 2011 it opened its doors to show off its new state-of-the-art facilities, which were developed by Midlandsbased Thomas Vale Construction as part of Wolverhampton City Council’s £16.6m Primary Capital Programme. The new building was one of the first schools in the country to be built to ‘Passivhaus’ standards. Despite the suggested five to 10 per cent higher costs of this building standard, the school is designed to use up to 90 per cent less energy to heat and cool it compared to standard buildings. These savings are realised though added insulation,

high performance windows, air-tightness, construction of good design, thermal bridging, simplew construction and Mechanical Ventilation & Heat Recovery (MHVR). Delegates to the seminar at Ecobuild saw how the school received state-of-the-art ICT facilities, with digital displays in the entrance and learning areas enabling pupils to share their work, while the school is also planning to launch its own radio station to enable parents to keep up-to-date with pupils’ activities. As sustainability has to be a core part of our children’s life now and in the future, the pupils were bought in to design the engravings which feature on the natural wood on show in the school. Another best practice case study discussed during these seminar sessions was Evelyn Grace Academy in London, an ambitious secondary school in Lambeth with high

expectations of their students. The seminar session at Ecobuild looked at the system efficiencies of low energy heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems which achieved an eight per cent reduction in energy use. The high efficiency lighting delivered a two per cent reduction in energy use. Renewables in the form of solar thermal heating geothermal heating and cooling and consideration of alternative energy sources including Photovoltaics (PV), which is a method of generating electrical power by converting solar radiation into direct current electricity using semiconductors, is now delivering further savings.. L FURTHER INFORMATION Ecobuild 2013 will be held at ExCeL from 5 – 7 March 2013. For further information please visit www.ecobuild.co.uk.

Trend can help schools get more value from their building controls system A good indoor climate is crucial for well being, productivity and learning. With Trend, you can create the right learning environment every day. The company can also explain how to make the most of natural ventilation and demonstrate a valuable teaching resource for energy efficiency and technology skills. As much as 84 per cent of your building’s energy consumption could be under the control of a Building Energy Management System (BEMS). But are you in control of your BEMS? The installation of a Trend BEMS has proved a highly cost effective way for end users to cut their energy consumption

– frequently making savings of more than 25 per cent using an asset you probably already own. Simply by making your Trend BEMS work harder, you can reduce your energy usage and make improvements in line with your carbon reduction commitments. Trend is a market leading Building Energy Management Systems manufacturer, with a worldwide distribution and support network. FOR MORE INFORMATION marketing@trendcontrols.com www.trendcontrols.com Tel: 01403 211888

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POWER YOUR SCHOOL WITH SOLAR ENERGY We are experts in designing, installing and supplying solar photovoltaic systems.

BY INSTALLING A 10KW ON YOUR SCHOOL ROOF, YOU COULD GET THE FOLLOWING RETURN: PAYBACK WITHIN 7 TO 10 YEARS 3,500 UNITS OF ELECTRICITY GENERATED EACH YEAR SAVINGS OF MORE THAN 40 TONNES OF C02 OVER THE NEXT 25 YEARS YOUR SCHOOL WILL SAVE 14.5P PER UNIT OF ELECTRICITY GENERATED

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CARBON REDUCTION

ENERGY ON THE SCHOOL AGENDA

How can schools embed energy reduction and sustainability into the heart of school life, asks Jill Partington from Eco Schools In 2007, the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) predicted that commercial CO2 emissions were projected to rise by 17 per cent between 2007 and 2025. DECC’s latest Carbon Reduction Commitment impact assessment also estimates that targeted bodies emit 53.2 million tonnes of CO2 per year. The Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC) launched in April 2010 covers both public and private sectors of the economy. It aims to help these sectors to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 80 per cent relative to their 1990 level by 2050.

Carlton VC Lower School registered to become an Eco School with the aim to reduce waste, car emissions and energy usage, as well as utilise its grounds to benefit wildlife and the school community. As part of the measures, the school put together a travel plan to reduce the amount of school traffic and encourage pupils to walk or bike to school. The school records and tracks ts energy usage on a monthly basis and monitors light usage and litter. The school also recently organised a Big Tidy Up event to collect litter and tidy up the grounds and grows its own fruit and vegetables in its class gardens.

HOW CAN SCHOOLS REDUCE ENERGY USE? As a first step, schools could join Eco-Schools to reduce school emissions and to save money through reduced energy bills. Eco-Schools is an international award programme that guides schools on their sustainable journey, providing a framework to help embed these principles into the heart of school life. You are required to carry out an energy audit as part of your Environmental Review and then set targets for reducing unnecessary energy use through your action plan. Tips on doing a whole school action plan or an audit are available through a number of organisations, such as the Carbon Trust and the Energy Saving Trust.

INCREASING BIODIVERSITY An example of a school that’s improved its environmental credentials through Eco Schools is Brookside Primary School. The school gained a Green Flag Award for its environment garden. An unused part of the school field has been turned into a wildlife haven with habitats for birds, bats, bees, butterflies, ladybirds, hedgehogs, frogs, insects, wildlife shrubs, fruit trees, fruit bushes and raised vegetable beds. The aim was to produce a natural learning environment as the school is located in a council estate. The creation of raised vegetable beds has given the children the opportunity to learn about growing vegetables, cooking and using the produce in school meals. Setting up Eco Warriors and the Gardening

JOIN THE POD The Eco-schools energy topic is supported by EDF Energy through its schools programme the pod. It aims to make real and measureable improvements to the energy use of schools across the country. The Pod offers high-quality, cross-curricular teaching resources, including information packs, lesson plans, assemblies and templates, as well as a range of practical activities designed to be run either by a class or by an Eco-School committee. The Pod has many whole school projects and offers a place for teachers and pupils to share ideas, inspire each other and for parents and the local community to be greener. All Pod activities are accredited by Eco-Schools and will count towards the attainment of Bronze, Silver or Green Flag awards. Visit the website to see examples of how Eco-The Pod will be rerunning their national energy awareness campaign Switch-Off Fortnight this year from 21 November to 4 December. Taking part in Switch-Off Fortnight could not only help your school save money on its energy bills, but it is a fantastic way to get the whole school, as well as parents and the local community, involved in saving energy both in school and at home. What’s more, taking part in Switch-Off Fortnight can support your application for EcoSchools awards as it can be used as evidence towards Eco Schools compulsory energy topic.

Written by Jill Partington, Eco Schools

Club has given the children an insight into what improvements can be made to help the environment. They have been fully involved with litter campaigns, growing of produce, creating habitats for the wildlife, and relaying the latest news to the rest of the school by the school radio station.

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DISPLAY ENERGY CERTIFICATES As part of the European Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, all state schools with a floor area of over 1000m2 are required to display a certificate which rates their energy use on a scale of A-G. The Display Energy Certificate (DEC) looks like the A-G rating you would expect to see when purchasing a new fridge or freezer. Schools have been required to provide details of their Display Energy Certificate (DEC) when applying for the Bronze, Silver or Green Flag awards since September 2010. This is so Eco-Schools can collect data to establish any trends. Currently, if your school floor area is under 1000m2, you’re not required to submit your DEC. As part of our work with the DECC, Eco-Schools has launched a brand new Energy Award to reward schools that can demonstrate energy savings of ten per cent or more. L FOR MORE INFORMATION www.eco-schools.org.uk

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Bringing the sun into schools NAK ECO Displays introduce an exciting new opportunity to schools enabling staff and students to see how solar energy works in their school and how specifically it benefits them by showing their environmental impact in real time. NAK ECO Displays provide a user friendly and intuitive display system which, through a series of image intensive yet easy-to-understand screens, allows environmental learning in conjunction with solar energy to be a fun subject for all.

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ENERGY

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DRIVING ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN SCHOOLS

With a squeeze on school budgets, it has never been more important for local authorities to identify low cost ways to deliver high financial savings. Reducing energy consumption is one of the quickest and simplest ways to deliver direct savings and could help the average secondary school save £21,500 in energy bills - almost equal to the annual salary of a newly qualified teacher.

their classrooms, can help educate students about energy use and act as real life case studies. Handing initiatives such as these over to students can also be an effective way of implementing changes in the long term, giving pupils a sense of empowerment by taking an active role in the operation of the school. Today’s pupils are tomorrow’s parents, and involvement in energy efficiency initiatives at an early age is an effective way of changing behaviour in the long term.

the 10-month programme will help schools save up to 25 per cent on their energy bills. A further nine East Midland authorities are also taking part in the Carbon Trust’s School Collaboration on Resource Efficiency (SCoRE), a tailored scheme funded by Climate East Midlands which began in March and will eventually be rolled out to all 2,260 publicly funded schools across the region.

CUTTING THE PUBLIC SECTOR’S COSTS UK schools currently account for over half of local authorities’ carbon emissions and they therefore play a pivotal role in cutting public sector’s costs and slashing carbon emissions. With schools currently running a total annual energy bill of £543 million, the Carbon Trust has identified that as much as a quarter of this - £135m - could be saved through simple cost-effective measures, such as installing energy-efficient lighting and heating controls, which typically pay back in less than three years.Other simple steps include turning lights off when not in use, and reviewing school heating systems which often come on too early or turn off too late. Tweaking their running time by just 1 hour can save 10 per cent of heating bills.

With schools currently running a total annual energy bill of £543 million, the Carbon Trust has identified that as much as a quarter of this could be saved through simple cost-effective measures such as lighting and heating controls

IN THE CLASSROOM There are further benefits beyond just cost saving alone, and introducing low carbon initiatives into schools can also enhance the educational experience for students. For example, pupil-led switch off campaigns, or giving students the task to create simple inventories of the electrical equipment in

bills, while slashing carbon emissions. Carbon Trust’s Collaborative Low Carbon Schools Service will help over 400 pilot schools implement cost-effective energy savings, aiming to help local authorities identify £40 million of annual energy savings in their regions’ schools. Forty-three local authorities have signed up to take part in the pilot and

WHAT IS THE CARBON TRUST DOING? The Carbon Trust is making a priority of the public sector’s huge potential energy savings. We’re working with 52 local authorities to pilot new school schemes that will save taxpayers millions in energy

Written by Richard Rugg, director, Carbon Trust Programmes

Involvement in energy efficiency initiatives from an early age is an effective way to change behaviour long term. Richard Rugg, director of Carbon Trust Programmes, discusses energy use in schools and the Carbon Trusts’ work with local authorities and schools across the UK

CARBON TRUST’S WORK The Carbon Trust has identified a solution which cuts costs by a quarter, lessens the impact we’re having on our environment, all while enhancing the educational experience of our younger generations. The scheme has been rolled out nationwide, and I believe it is a compelling solution which

will deliver measurable results quickly. From the initial results and feedback received we will build on the lessons learnt to make our offering stronger and empower more local authorities to get involved. FURTHER INFORMATION www.carbontrust.com

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Williams Renewables helps schools and colleges save energy, cut CO2 and show the world they care With rising costs and Government cut backs it’s a wonder organisations can survive these days. Many are struggling, but are missing out on some of the most obvious solutions. Nearly every organisation uses electricity, and over the last 20 years many new products such as computers, whiteboards and printers have pushed up electricity costs meaning that energy usage is now a significant cost. However, many organisations are waking up to the possibility of renewable energy. Williams Renewables recently installed a 50kWp solar panel system at Warwick Schools, one of the most prestigious independent schools in the UK, allowing them to benefit from the free energy of the sun. They will receivethe Feed in Tariff for 25 years (index linked) and won’t have to buy nearly 45000kWh of electricity each year. West Kirby Residential School has also had a 25kWp system fitted to its sports barn. After looking at the figures very closely the governors realised that this was a good solid investment - not only for today, but for the next 25 years plus. Over the last five years the price of electricity has risen 100 per cent, so when you factor in the export tariff (linked to the energy price index) and the fact that many schools are closed for 13 weeks of the year the investment starts to look more than promising.

There has been a lot of press about the Feed in Tariff over the last year, and many think it is now gone, but it is still here and still worth taking. Can you think of anything else that pays you for producing something that you can then use for free as well? The Feed in Tariff is still a good investment and will only get better as energy prices rise. Schools and hospitals also have a responsibility to be an example to the wider community. Many are willing to be so, but are constricted by ever-shrinking budgets and rising costs. As a result, Williams Renewables has worked hard to reduce the barriers to

We have many types of solar and energy saving solutions available to Schools and colleges including funding options. Key Benefits to your School n Get paid for the electricity that you generate, whether you use it or not n Save on your electricity bills n Sell your unused electricity n Reduce your carbon footprint n All staff CRB checked n Reference sites available Nic Sidebottom, Head of Sales nic@williamsrenewables.com www.williamsrenewables.com 07505 125922

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FOR MORE INFORMATION Tel: 07505-125922 nic@williamsrenewables.co.uk www.williamsrenewables.co.uk

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Williams Renewables are an experienced Solar PV company who specialise in Schools and public sector installations.

renewable technologies such as Solar PV. The company has partnered with investors and Syscap Leasing, giving customers various ways of funding alternative energy sources at reduced costs - sometimes even free of charge. If you are looking to reduce your costs, get some security around your budgets, cut your CO2 emissions and show the world you care, then contact Nic Sidebottom, head of sales.

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Energy

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ENERGY

MAKING AUTUMN ENERGY SAVINGS

Schools, like everyone else, face increased bills as global demand for energy continues to grow. The money has to come from somewhere which can put the squeeze on maintenance or capital budgets. Yet there are ways of examining usage and identifying ways of reducing expenditure. Energy sometimes seems to be an uncontrollable overhead: we need heating, lighting, power for equipment, etc. It can be difficult to know where to begin. Well, the first stop should be the bill. The bill should give you monthly breakdowns of expenditure and, in the absence of anything else, year-on-year consumption can be compared, i.e. the number of kWh of electricity or gas. Clearly, the figures need to be compared with the same time last year in order to see whether there are any significant unexplained increases (or

decreases) in consumption. The reason is that comparing this September’s figure with last June’s will not give a meaningful comparison – consumption patterns are quite different between early autumn and early summer. DISPLAY ENERGY CERTIFICATE Another immediate source of information is the Display Energy Certificate (DEC) that all publicly-funded schools are required to produce each year. DECs are a snapshot of energy performance and should be at least broadly similar from year to year. By comparing this with previous years’ ratings it will become obvious whether energy performance is improving or not. In addition, DECs give an indication (although only a general one) of how well the school is doing compared to the ‘average’. Now school buildings do not tend

MONITORING & TARGETING The meters can be used to track consumption. That will give you information about how much energy is being used and also the pattern. Regular data-collecting and analysis will enable the patterns of consumption to be identified. This can then serve as a basis for action. This process is generally known as ‘Monitoring & Targeting’: find out the pattern of consumption, identify where it is excessive or anomalous and then take action to rectify the situation. M&T systems range from small spreadsheetbased options with manual data collection and input, right through to automatic M&T where the data collection is handled remotely and sophisticated analysis is carried out in order to identify a range of options and reports. M&T is having an effect on energy management similar to the automation of office administration systems back in the 1990s. They eliminate the tedious, repetitive tasks and free users to take action. Their effectiveness has been recognised by the Government who are incorporating them into the Building Regulations and the CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme – in which all publicly-funded schools have been included. Many of the newer AM&T systems are also approved to produce the E

Written by Alan Aldridge, ESTA

Alan Aldridge, executive director of the Energy Services and Technology Association (ESTA), looks at how schools can keep their bills and emissions down during the autumn term

to be ‘system built’, they tend to vary in age, layout, fabric, etc, but the DECs can at least give a general idea of energy efficiency levels.

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| EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE 16/4/12 17:34:20

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATION – www.educationbusinessuk.net

Launch of new Biomass District Heating System from GG Eco Solutions at Culford School in Suffolk GG Eco Solutions, supplier of renewable energy under long-term contract, has recently installed a biomass-fuelled district heating system at Culford School, near Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk. The system became fully operational in March of this year and is already delivering significant financial and environmental benefits. The installation was officially launched on 15th June, with a presentation by Greg Hilton, Managing Director of GG Solutions, and Julian JohnsonMunday, Headmaster of Culford School. GG Eco Solutions makes switching to biomass energy easy as the company bears the costs of installing, maintaining and fuelling the system, relieving the customer of the upfront costs and the on-going operation. Customers simply pay for the energy they use at a discount to their previous fossil fuel costs and benefit from a competitive long-term price. The installation comprises a biomass boiler, housed within a purpose-built plant room, an automated, underground biomass fuel store and district heating pipework, all of which interfaces with the school’s existing heating system within each building. Energy is supplied in the form of hot water which passes through an accredited heat meter, the readings from which form the basis for charging through a Heat Supply Agreement. All woodchip is locally and sustainably sourced

from nearby Thetford Forest. One of the many benefits for the school is that they know in advance what they will be paying for their energy which in turn makes budgeting far easier, and they are removed from the volatility of fossil fuel prices, currently at historic highs. Julian Johnson-Munday, headmaster, is very pleased with the new system: “Pupils of all ages are able to visit the plant room for science and geography purposes, as well as social responsibility and general awareness. The response we have had from pupils and parents alike has been entirely positive and we are all delighted by the ecological as well as the economic benefits.” Additional financial savings can also be realised for customers who are part of carbon emissions trading schemes, such as EU Emissions Trading Scheme or CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme. The combination of high and rising fossil fuel prices and Government incentives means that now is the right time for high-energy users to switch to biomass energy. GG Eco Solutions simplifies the transition process by taking on the upfront costs and securing the long-term

fuel supplies to operate the installation. The final word comes from Crispin Muir, operations & commercial manager at Culford: “Using GG Eco Solutions’ innovative approach to supplying renewable energy has been absolutely the right thing to do and I would heartily encourage other schools to consider it as a viable option. We, as a school, take the issue of sustainability very seriously and as actions speak louder than words, I think everyone now knows we mean business.” FOR MORE INFORMATION Tel: 01223 651 415 info@ggecosolutions.com www.ggecosolutions.com

REDUCE YOUR ENERGY BILLS WITH NO UPFRONT COSTS GG Eco Solutions makes switching to biomass easy for high-energy users

We fund, install and operate biomass-fuelled energy systems, taking on all upfront and ongoing operational costs.

SIMPLY PAY FOR THE ENERGY YOU USE AT A DISCOUNT TO YOUR CURRENT FOSSIL FUEL COSTS. Call now for a free appraisal of your premises’ suitability for a GG Eco Solutions renewable energy contract: Tel: 01223 651415 or email info@ggecosolutions.com Web: www.ggecosolutions.com

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ENERGY E annual DECs required by European (and UK) legislation. The consumption patterns can give an indication where immediate savings can be made. For instance, if consumption does not dip significantly once the school closes, then that might indicate equipment being left on unnecessarily. If the water meter indicates consumption during the night, that may indicate a leak somewhere or that, perhaps, the toilets are still on a standard flushing cycle 24 hours a day. Excessive heating may be caused by a stuck switch or thermostat on the boiler. ENERGY CONSUMPTION SPIKES Around March and October, there are often spikes in energy consumption caused by timeclocks not resetting themselves properly at the change between GMT and BST. In addition, most equipment will eventually drift from its original control settings even and this can lead to loss of performance. Meter data can help identify this drift and check that corrective measures have indeed been effective. This highlights the importance of controls. Energy efficient equipment will still waste energy if used unnecessarily. Lighting that is on overnight or constantly illuminating storerooms still costs the school money which could be put to better use. In fact, lighting is one area where significant savings can be achieved. Most schools are

aware of the value of replacing conventional lighting with low energy versions. However, there are also a range of control systems available – from simple timeswitches that ensure all the lighting goes off (apart from security lighting) after a certain time, through zoning controls, to occupancy sensing and daylight sensors. Different levels of lighting may also be appropriate for different areas – a lower level for corridors and storage areas but higher levels for classrooms and other places. RENEWABLE ENERGY Many schools are looking at the feasibility of on-site renewable energy systems as a way to cut their emissions. There are grants available for some of these options as well. However, it is important to work out the relative merits of different projects. The Government’s programme to promote microgeneration technologies via Feed In Tariffs (FITs) is based on a 8% return on investment (ROI). The new Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI), based on 12% ROI, has prompted wide interest and some investment. However, most energy efficiency technologies have a payback time just a fraction of those for on-site renewables, in some cases only a few months, giving an ROI often well over 30 per cent. This is not to suggest that energy efficiency and renewables are mutually exclusive. They can both play an important part in cutting

Energy

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emissions. Indeed, by reducing the overall consumption, energy efficiency measures can make investment in renewable technologies more viable and lead to shorter payback times. THE EDUCATIONAL ASPECTS Environmental protection, climate change and sustainability all feature in school syllabuses today. Energy management can be a practical way of exploring these subjects. Reducing energy use can cut emissions and improve resource efficiency. Many meters and energy management systems today can be accessed through PCs and this enables the subject to be brought into the classroom. Educating students to be mindful of energy and alert for opportunities to save energy can have multiple benefits. It helps the school to reduce its bills while engaging the whole student body in actively seeking ways to aid that process. It promotes environmental awareness amongst the students and teaches them strategies to avoid waste. And it may even improve energy efficiency in the home as students take their learning home. FURTHER INFORMATION The Energy Services and Technology Association (ESTA) represents over 100 major providers of energy management equipment and services across the UK. Visit the website at www.esta.org.uk L

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Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t gamble if you provide ďŹ re risk assessment!... If you carry out Fire Risk Assessments then you should be considering BAFE registration to demonstrate to customers that your company has been third party certificated to meet the required standards. There are a number of registration bodies that assess the competence of individuals, but it is important that customers know that their work is being done in the framework of a company, large

or small, that provides the reassurance that they are being dealt with professionally. BAFE scheme SP205 has been developed specifically to provide reassurance to the Responsible Person within an organization that they are doing everything possible to meet their obligations with regard to fire risk assessment. And that means that you need BAFE.

To gain certification, contact one of the Certification Bodies listed on the BAFE website as licensed for this scheme.

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FIRE SAFETY

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UNDERSTANDING FIRE SAFETY MANAGEMENT In September 2011 we wrote an article for Education Business detailing the shake-up with regard to fire brigade attendance policies to automatic fire alarms. Over the last year the Association has been urging businesses with automatic fire alarm systems to contact their local Fire and Rescue Service to discuss their attendance policy. If their policy has changed, then they should consider changing their fire risk assessment to take into account any alterations. In addition, the FIA recommends that businesses contact their Fire Detection and Alarm maintenance company to review their system and reminds businesses that they are legally responsible for all fire safety issues within their premises. UNWANTED FIRE SIGNALS Since September, there have been further developments with regard to talking unwanted fire signals; in February 2012 the Government gave Fire and Rescue Authorities the power to go to public consultation on whether to charge for attendance at automatic fire alarms. This would apply to ‘persistent offenders’ at non-domestic premises activated by proven malfunctioning or badly installed equipment. The idea being that this will encourage businesses to properly maintain their fire alarm systems and fire safety management, resulting in reduced time and money lost by fire services. It is not yet known how the charging would work or who would be responsible for paying the bill: the Alarm Receiving Centre or building owner? The FIA estimates that these invoices will be £350 or more per attendance depending upon where the premises is located and how many fire engines are called out. Many people attribute false alarms to a malfunction in the alarm system but in reality, most false alarms are due to poor premises management. Indeed, educational premises are known to suffer from false alarms; in 2006 London Fire Brigade reported they received approximately ten false alarms per day from educational premises. The FIA is very concerned about the changes in brigades’ attendance policies as lives, property and jobs could be put at risk. The Association is particularly concerned that fire alarms may be turned off to avoid a charge due to persistent false alarms, which could prove devastating for fire safety.

Written by Graham Ellicott, CEO, Fire Industry Association

Each year in England and Wales more than 1,300 schools suffer fires large enough for the Fire and Rescue Service to be called out. Graham Ellicot of the FIA gives the lowdown on the latest policy.

Not only are there the financial considerations from fire due to building loss, there is the possible loss of work, teachers aids and records, and the psychological impact on staff and pupils The reality is that each year in England and Wales more than 1,300 schools suffer fires large enough for the Fire and Rescue Service to be called out, with costs estimated at over £60million. DISRUPTION Not only are there the financial considerations from fire due to building loss, there is the possible loss of work, teachers aids and records, as well as the psychological impact on staff and pupils, particularly young children. What is more, the odds of a school experiencing a fire are an estimated 1 in 20 – but that is certainly not the whole picture; the disruption and consequential loss becomes significant when a fire spreads beyond the room of origin. The rationale of the Building Regulations in the UK is that,

‘in an emergency the occupants of any part of a building should be able to escape safely without any external assistance’ (Approved Document B to the Building Regulations). Often the building designer or the owner may want to go further and increase the level of fire protection installed in the building. PORTABLE EXTINGUISHERS In 2008, the FIA carried out a survey into the usage of portable fire extinguishers which showed that 80 per cent of the fires fought with them were successfully extinguished and that in 75 per cent of cases there was no need to call the fire and rescue services. Based on these findings there is no doubt that portable fire extinguishers play a very important role in the preservation of life and property. Portable fire extinguishers E

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FIRE SAFETY E can reduce the risk of a small fire, for example, a fire in a waste paper bin developing into a large one. In particular, for educational premises they may mean the difference between a complete and no evacuation. The safe use of a fire extinguisher to control a fire in its early stages can significantly reduce the risk to other people in the premises, allowing people to assist others at risk or who are particularly vulnerable. Training must be supplied to people who would be expected to attempt to extinguish a fire. All staff however, should be familiar with the location and basic operating procedures of the portable fire extinguishers provided, in case they need to use it.

Under the Fire Safety Order, a person is to be regarded as competent where he/she has sufficient training and experience or knowledge to enable them to properly assist in undertaking the preventive and protective measures.

FIRE SAFETY ORDER All fire safety equipment should be installed and maintained by a ‘competent person’. Under the Fire Safety Order, a person is to be regarded as competent where he/ she has sufficient training and experience or knowledge to enable them to properly assist in undertaking the preventive and protective measures. A competent person should be able to advise on the number of fire extinguishers required for the risk in the premises; the appropriate locations (i.e. on escape routes at each floor level) and suitable signs to indicate the location of extinguishers may also be necessary.

TRIED AND TESTED Portable fire extinguishers are tested, tried and trusted and evidence from the market proves that they are successful in dealing with small fires. Their installation could save lives, property and preserve the ongoing success of the educational premises. The FIA believes that building owners should consider the use of more fire protection in buildings that are critical to the community, such as schools. The FIA feel that the value of keeping these buildings operational far outweighs the small additional cost of an extra level of fire protection. Extra fire protection could mean the difference between school buildings

The FIA strongly recommends that portable fire extinguishers be properly maintained by personnel that can prove their competence through membership of a scheme such as the ‘Portable Fire Extinguisher Service Technicians Scheme’ from BAFE.

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surviving or not in the event of a fire. The Fire Industry Association is a not-forprofit trade association with the aim of promoting the professional status of the UK fire safety industry. The FIA was born out of a merger between two longstanding and well-respected trade associations, FETA (Fire Extinguishing Trade Association) and BFPSA (British Fire Protection Systems Association). The two associations had long shared a common interest in the promotion of the professional status of the UK fire industry and the FIA is proud to continue this work. The FIA provide technical knowledge and advice to anyone who needs it regarding fire safety in the UK. We also provide training courses to members and non-members alike on all the latest technical and legislative topics to affect those working with fire safety. L FURTHER INFOMATION www.fia.uk.com

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FIRE SAFETY

BAFE launches life safety fire risk assessment scheme Following a rigorous development process, the new BAFE scheme SP205 for Life Safety Fire Risk Assessment was launched at Church House London on May 30th 2012. Over 70 guests from the fire protection industry heard from speakers including Phil Toase the BAFE cwhairman, Iain Cox (CFO Royal Berkshire FRS and chair of the FRA Competency Council), as well as David Haywood and Kevin Belson from UKAS. There are now four Certification bodies being assessed by UKAS to meet the scope of the scheme and hopefully the first ones will be accredited by early September. Full details of the scheme and contact details for the Certification Bodies can be found in the ‘Schemes’ section of the BAFE website. Portable fire extinguishers are tested, tried and trusted and evidence from the market proves that they are successful in dealing with small fires. Their installation could save life, property and preserve the ongoing success of the school premises. FURTHER INFORMATION www.bafe.org.uk www.fia.uk.com

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Portable Fire Extinguishers - what to check If you are the Responsible Person the questions to which you should seek answers for portable fire extinguishers are: 1. Are the portable fire extinguishers provided suitable for controlling the risks identified? 2. Are there enough extinguishers sited throughout the premises at appropriate locations? 3. Are the right types of extinguishers located close to the fire hazards and can users get to them without exposing themselves to risk? 4. Are the extinguishers visible or does their position need indicating? 5. Have you taken steps to prevent the misuse of extinguishers? 6. Do you regularly check equipment provided to maintain the escape routes? 7. Are those who maintain the portable fire extinguishers competent to do so?

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ICT & COMPUTING

CHANGES IN ICT: GOOD NEWS FOR THE EDUCATION SECTOR?

ICT & Computing

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Written by Caroline Wright, director, BESA

all central purchasing stopped. This has lost the economies of scale in purchasing and now probably only 50 per cent of the schools have access to a learning platform and have no guidance, nor support from the LA”.

Going back 15 years to the days of Tony Blair’s ‘education, education, education’ statement stressing his commitment to the sector, schools have experienced a budget increase of, on average, 3.5 per cent per annum. Coupled with this was the Government’s Curriculum Online eLearning credits scheme, established to support investment in multimedia resources. By 2010, school’s bursars were sitting in what could be described as a financially comfortable position. With the arrival of the coalition Government in 2010 came a series of immediate changes to ICT investment by schools.

FREEDOM AT LAST For the first time in history, school leaders, who were trained as teachers, have been given significant freedoms. They are now working as managers of a ‘business’ comparable in size to a large company and are conscious of not mismanaging their school’s budget, leaving nothing for unexpected costs later in the year. Combined with all these changes, the delay in the Government’s National Curriculum Review until 2014 has again caused schools to hold back some funds for the new curriculum’s necessary support material. The result has been a significant change in school expenditure. It is interesting to note however that these changes have not always been in the form of a drop in expenditure. E

PANIC OVER CUTS For the first time in 15 years, schools were being hit with a cut rather than a budget increase, that caused a certain level of panic to set in. However, looking at this objectively, while BESA’s recent ‘Resources in English Maintained Schools’ research shows that 2011/12 has seen budget cuts of 1.8 per cent in primary education and a 2.7 per cent drop in secondary education, schools still have significant funds to spend, particularly when compared with budgets ten, five or even two years ago. For schools, it was the speed with which

the cuts arrived and the fact that this was the first decrease in many years, that caused a level of budget panic to set in. Combined with this, many schools started to opt out of local authority control. Dylan Jones, managing director at BESA member itslearning, experienced the sector’s reaction: “Following the changes to the Government’s procurement policy, we experienced a large drop in orders from both local authorities (LA) and schools. I believe that local authorities simply have no money to invest. Taking Essex LA as an example, it had previously purchased an itslearning, learning platform for all its 400 schools. However, soon after the arrival of the coalition Government, the entire ICT team was made redundant and

For the first time in history, school leaders, have been given significant freedoms. They are now working as managers of a ‘business’ comparable in size to a large company and are conscious of not mismanaging their school’s budget, leaving nothing for unexpected costs later in the year. Specifiers Index 2012/13 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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M247 offers connectivity & server co-location for schools and colleges In these changing times many schools and colleges are now able to make their own decisions regarding technology requirements. This can often be a daunting and confusing prospect, but not at M247. With an extensive network spanning Europe, M247 can provide competitive high speed internet access which is often cheaper and more flexible than that provided by the local authority. Schools looking to locate a backup server offsite or other equipment can extend their network into an M247 data centre and take advantage of simple access using the school’s current IP configuration. Having grown rapidly since May 2000, and in 2010 ranked fourth fastest growing technology company in the North of England by Deloitte, M247 is a leading UK internet, infrastructure and ICT company. It operates among

the most environmentally friendly and green datacentres in Europe, which simply uses less power than competitors. A well-funded, independent and privately owned company, M247 offers a wide range of products and services, known not only for highly competitive pricing and technical prowess but also for its ‘safe hands’ reputation. If it’s time to take back control over connectivity and content filtering, then M247 can help. FOR MORE INFORMATION Tel: 0161 615 1270 www.m247.com

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Get ten per cent discount on power protection Zigor is offering schools, colleges and universities a special discount on its range of uninterruptible power supplies this summer. The manufacturer recognises that the education sector is under pressure to show an even greater return on their IT investments due to tough economic times. Until September 30, Zigor is offering 10 per cent off all UPS products, which help education facilities protect against powercuts, spikes and brownouts. The discount scheme is also available to every public sector organisation in the UK and Ireland. The UPS supplier, which recently launched a new 2U rack/ tower online UPS range called

the Zigor Tiber (pictured), ran a similar campaign in 2011. Gavin Banks, sales manager at Zigor, said: “The discount scheme we ran 12 months ago was very successful and helped several organsations in the public sector continue to invest in power protection when they may have otherwise not. “Times are still hard in 2012 so we’re delighted to run the same 10 per discount offer again. We hope this will encourage schools, colleges and universities not to take unnecessary risks with power protection.” FOR MORE INFORMATION Tel: 0844 854 6264 www.zigor.com/uk

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ICT & COMPUTING E Another BESA member, Phil Neal, managing director of Capita SIMS explains: “In our experience schools are still very keen to purchase ICT, particularly if they are spending money on tools that will help them manage their school more effectively or contribute to school improvement. We have noticed a strong trend in schools investing in products that will save them money. Our email and text communication tool is selling well as they reduce printing costs. The fact that pupil reports and communications to parents no longer need to be sent out in hard copy appeals to budget conscious school leaders. Other mainstay products, such as those for recording lesson-by-lesson registration, continued to be in demand.” Geoff Jones, marketing director, ParentMail agrees; “Even during the tough times, we noticed an increase in the adoption of our parental communication systems. This is because for example, ParentMail should save an average school at least £2,000 every year (bigger schools even more) by cutting paper, photocopying, phone and post bills, not forgetting the staff time involved as well.”

Promethean concurs: “We certainly saw reduced spending patterns on ICT in education in the UK over the past 18 months. However, the first months of 2012 have seen an upturn and many providers, including Promethean, are cautiously optimistic for the rest of this year. One reason for this optimism has been the positive impact of improved usability of classroom technologies in their adoption and use.” BESA’s research findings are not only good news for our education sector, but for the nation as a whole. In these times of massive change, ICT and digital learning content have become the new currency for learning; children need to learn in a way that will prepare them for the world they are going to live and work in. To avoid a digital divide developing, schools across the country now realise that the Government’s removal of ring fenced funding for technology was simply its message that technology should now be embedded across the curriculum and that schools now have the freedom to buy what is needed for their specific learning needs. The removal of ring fenced funding was not a missive to stop investing in technology.

in association with the Education Publishers Council (EPC) showed a return of market confidence as procurement across UK primary and secondary schools increased by 8.6 per cent in quarter one, compared to the same quarter in 2011.This analysis into school’s expenditure on digital learning resources gives us extensive insight into an increasing level of teacher confidence and of their recently re-structured budgets. Schools are now realising that the level of funding for education resources is still good, and are starting to invest again. There is still a level of caution – obviously, as schools are now investing more wisely, which reflects the code of practice offered by our BESA member organisations; buy from trusted suppliers, who offer good value for money, which will ultimately have an impact on improving education standards.

in education, has also driven increased money in some schools, although this should of course be limited to expenditure on supporting children eligible for free school meals, who may also have additional learning support requirements. Phil Neal of Capita SIMS Capita adds: “There has been a significant shift from schools buying what they have been advised to purchase, to what they feel will add real value in their school. This means the technology gets embedded into the fabric of the school from the start and the benefits are reaped quickly.” So in these changing times, what advice can be given to schools? I will start by summarising BESA’s views. Schools must continue to invest in learning support. Our 21st century students are motivated by technology. It is also going to be an inevitable part of their future life and career. Schools who are keeping back some budget for the new curriculum announcements in 2014 should remember that to date, every prouncement made by Rt Hon Michael Gove has been based on the foundations of ‘freedom’ for schools to do what they see is best for their individual students. It is therefore highly unlikely that the curriculum review will introduce any highly prescriptive changes. Phil Neal, Capita offers schools his advice; “Check what you already have within your existing systems before purchasing anything new. You may just need additional training on

’s “BESAch resear re not sa findingod news for o only g education e r th ou ut for b , r o t RECENT UPTURN PUPIL PREMIUM sec tion as a By the time 2012 arrived, The pupil premium, a n ” e BESA’s quarterly survey of the which was introduced l o h w school’s digital content industry to improve social mobility

BETTER UNDERSTANDING Dylan Jones, managing director, itslearning adds: “Schools now seem to have a better understanding of funding, especially where they have already moved to academy status. The United Learning Trust and the United Church Schools Trust (ULT/UCST), a leading education charity which currently operates a family of 11 independent schools across the UK, make great use of both centralised purchasing and economies of scale.” Ian Curtis, Head of Northern Europe at

Caroline Wright, BESA

ICT & Computing

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existing software to achieve what you need to.” Geoff Jones, ParentMail adds some words of warning: “In the current climate make sure you carry out sufficient ‘due diligence’ when selecting a supplier so you can be confident they will be there and will be able to support systems in the future.” Ian Curtis, Promethean continues: “Schools should always source technology from authorised suppliers. An on-going relationship with a properly trained supplier is vital for initial installation and, most crucially, future support. Regardless of strained budgets, it is essential not to make sacrifices when choosing a suitably qualified provider. I see no benefit to schools in delaying upgrades to existing classroom technologies. Advances in technology development will continue to accelerate into the future and many technology solutions can be future-proofed, ensuring they will provide many years of service.” TRUSTED BRANDS Rachel Jones, head of education at Steljes adds another consideration to this advice: “Procuring from brands that schools trust and who offer a good level of support with warranties is vital. It is so tempting to go down the cheaper route, but in our experience is that schools are becoming increasingly astute investors. Schools may also want to re look at procurement through leasing, which is not the ogre we originally thought it was, especially when it includes upgrades, training and a warranty; it can be a financially viable way of upgrading six classes rather than just three!” So the future certainly looks bright. Both the Government and we at BESA stress the importance of schools continuing to invest in learning support, but spending wisely, and this is certainly what we are once again starting to see. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.besa.org.uk

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ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE hardware replacement of up to 50 per cent through extended life. The ability to utilise less expensive hardware without losing functionality can also save up to 33 per cent. SEN CASE STUDY An independent specialist school for children on the autistic spectrum between three and a half and nineteen years of age. The school is spread over three sites with the two major locations being approximately two miles apart and connected from an ICT perspective by a 20Mb link. The school needed to revise its technology and approach to providing an improved service across all 3 sites as well as eventually realise the option for students to access school ICT from home. Tribune took on the challenge of virtualising 3 servers, providing 150 virtual concurrent connections to service the 180 or more PCs and laptops and ensure connection with around 60 printers. A key element of the implementation was “intelligent mapping” of users and printers - this ensured that wherever a user logged on they were able to print on the nearest printer automatically without having to search the printer database.

VIRTUAL DESKTOP BENEFITS – REAL OR IMAGINED?

Can virtual desktops really improve attainment, deliver better value for money, support a greener environment, as well as provide anywhere, anytime access for the whole community? ICT in schools is more effective when applied in context across the entire curriculum and delivered through exciting content. Technology developments in ICT infrastructure now enable support of the “anytime, anywhere, any device” delivery scenario and thus support ICT based learning to help raise attainment and standards in schools. A key element is that school networks have long been created using old ‘locked down’ principles for networks and servers – supposedly to protect our students from content that they can readily access outside the school day. Now, a key aspect of how technology can be delivered in support of modern education practice is the use of virtual desktops or Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI). WHAT IS VIRTUALISATION? Virtualisation is already an established technology, ICT industry experts agree that over the next ten years, virtualisation will revolutionise the way software applications are accessed in the same way that broadband revolutionised the way people accessed the internet. A virtualised network allows network

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providers to reduce hardware requirements, increase utilisation of hardware, streamline management, reduce energy consumption, improve service reliability and create a fully optimised network environment. VDI – the creation of a ‘virtual desktop environment’ – describes the process of separating the applications, files and data on a personal computer from the actual ‘physical machine’ on which they normally reside. The ‘virtualised’ desktop can be locally or remotely hosted on networked servers (also known as ‘virtualised servers’). End users can then access their desktop applications, from anywhere and at anytime via a standard and secure web browser on virtually any device including: desktop PC, laptop, Net Book, thin client device, PDA or mobile phone – true 24/7 learning is now a reality. VDI reduces overall ICT expenditure and supports a greener environment. It can deliver substantial cost savings and help to meet environmental objectives, whilst also increasing efficiency. Savings of up to 75 per cent on power consumption can be achieved, along with savings on

CITY LEARNING CENTRE Tribune’s relationship with a London Borough commenced in 2007 with trials of VDI in a City Learning Centre and a girl’s secondary school. The school had limited space and scope to increase the use of ICT without major network changes and also wanted to expand, develop and provide new resources to local schools and communities. The school faced a number of problems in day-to-day ICT operations, such as limited network potential and budget to replace obsolete PCs. They needed a reliable, economical and easily managed infrastructure to run all the sophisticated applications while still offering the teachers and students flexibility in teaching and learning. Having successfully implemented this project the Borough commissioned a new VDI network project, in three of its primary schools, delivered by Tribune. The project has had a positive impact, not just on the overall effectiveness of ICT within the schools but on students, teachers and parents. VDI AND THE CLOUD The growth of cloud computing is an inevitable and fundamental part of service improvement. Within the trend towards cloud based services, VDI sits as one of the options to further enhance the delivery of ICT service improvement. Bring your own device is becoming a key aspect for schools and businesses alike, however the focus is rapidly becoming not the device itself but its ability to provide a browser based connection. The two key acronyms for the future may be VDI and BYOB (Bring your own Browser). L FURTHER INFORMATION www.tribune.co.uk

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Students gain improved accessibility with low-cost high quality desktop virtualisation from NComputing The main challenge faced by the ICT department at Camden School for Girls was finding a solution that would increase the lifetime of its IT assets while also offering significant benefits in terms of time, labour and cost. In assessing solutions, the school considered both initial capital costs and on-going costs of maintenance, including energy costs. In common with many schools, CSG faced budget constraints and issues of aging PC desktops. As a result it became crucial for the school to find a low cost and easy to manage solution that would be compatible with the schools existing computer architecture. Camden School for Girls selected NComputing L300 ethernet-based access devices, and with the highest user density per pound sterling compared to any PC or thin client on the market. These provided the essential features needed for an excellent virtual desktop experience. In addition, the NComputing virtual desktops were compatible with existing applications, reliable, and easy to manage. Since deploying NComputing virtual desktops, CSG has realised capital savings of 75 per cent as well as reduced system maintenance and technical support. Applications can be managed in a secure environment from one central server. and upgrades, new software, virus

checks, and other maintenance activities can be streamlined. In addition the combination of the L300 and Windows MultiPoint Server 2011 provides users with a richdesktop computing experience and since its interface is based upon Windows 7, users have familiar features like folders, Internet Explorer, and Windows search.

Power consumption and electricity costs have also been reduced by 50per cent. Finally, deployments are much faster - 50 terminal workstations and one host server can be deployed in a matter of hours. FOR MORE INFORMATION www.ncomputing.com

Give exponentially with NComputing. Our desktop virtualisation solutions will give you increased ICT resources while reducing cost, complexity and carbon emissions. Designed specifically for: • classrooms • computer labs • libraries

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ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

GETTING THE MOST FROM THE LATEST TABLET TECNOLOGY The journey John Davies Primary School has been on with integrating iPad into classrooms has been a long one, and continues to develop as staff become confident with the device and the App Store continues to grow.

Shaped by budget constraints, yet made with careful management and sensible judgements, John Davies has been successful in its attempt to make the most out of the technology without letting reduced budgets control the possibilities. Initially, the school invested in ten iPads and deployed them across the school. Every year group received an iPad each, meaning one device per two classes. This was the first generation of the model and staff already commented that the device would be even more beneficial with a built-in camera. The Foundation Stage classes initially made good use of the iPads, with the youngest children in the school being able to access, manage and learn from the Apps which teachers tried and tested. Soon, the desktop PCs became redundant as children worked independently on the new touch screen, mobile devices. Our children were becoming 21st Century learners before our eyes, only relying on adults to find the most appropriate Apps for their learning.

SECOND GENERATION IPAD When iPad 2 was released, John Davies invested in another five devices. The Foundation Stage was given an iPad 2 to use alongside the first generation iPads. Classes who shared an iPad 1 now had an iPad each but staff were unsure as to how to use one device in a class of 30 children. They were planned in for independent learning time, and for extensions to tasks set by the teacher. Teachers were trying to seek guidance on Apps available and strategies to manage the device. At the end of the academic year 2010 2011, the senior management team appointed Marc Faulder, Reception Class Teacher, as the ‘Interactive Technologies Co-Ordinator’ for the whole school. This role outlined responsibility and management of all of the technologies used in school, meaning the ICT co-ordinator could concentrate on managing the school’s servers and maintenance of the hardware. This meant that the ICT team could ensure that both the use of the equipment

and the capabilities of the equipment could reach its potential. Through Marc’s role a partnership developed with European Electronique who offered support and advice on how the iPads can be used effectively as a device for project-based learning. Following a successful BETT show where Marc worked with European Electronique and the ADEs (Apple Distinguished Educator) organised a training event at the school for an INSET day. The staff at the school saw this training opportunity as a real turning point. Spending time with an ADE who could demonstrate the potential of the device as a collaborative learning tool. Following the event, John Davies purchased a further ten iPad 2 devices to ensure that all classes had access to the device with a camera. The school also purchased other equipment needed to further unlock the iPad’s potential as a collaborative tool. Using the ideas demonstrated from the training as an inspiration, staff now have portable Green Screens, iPad tripods and stylus pens so that children can work together to create movies and presentations as a group. This application of the device is being used across all Key Stages in the school.

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IPAD SOFTWARE Children are working together to capture images and video using iPad 2, and utilising Safari and Google Images on iPad 1 to gather images for projects. Together they edit movies using a range of Apps and create a final project using iMovie. Currently, each class at John Davies has two iPads. The previous feedback from teachers who expressed concern for integrating one device into a class of 30 children no longer exists. Through carefully planned training, reflection and sharing, staff now confidently uses the device on a regular basis. The iPad has also developed the school’s ability to communicate with parents, and classes who now blog from their iPad. A school App is also under development. The most pleasing aspect of the journey so far is that we are successfully using a small amount of devices with a large amount of pupils. The school are changing the perception of tablet devices being 1:1 equipment. Our teachers are proving that iPad is different to a NetBook or PC, the very nature of the device and its touch screen technology means that it can be an effective collaborative tool. Marc Faulder is now looking to develop the use of iPad as an alternative to the Interactive Whiteboard. This means that a whole class can engage with an App together. For writing, Marc can model the writing process on the iPad screen alongside a group of children whilst the rest of the class observe from a distance without the obstruction of children moving up to the board to write. The rest of the school will be trialling VGA adapters with their iPads over the Summer term. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.euroele.com www.johndavies.notts.sch.uk

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INTERACTIVE WHITEBOARDS

ALL EYES ON THE BOARD

ICT & Computing

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATION – www.educationbusinessuk.net

A Sharp LCD interactive whiteboard opens up a whole new world of education possibilities In the classroom, traditional interactive boards with projectors are making way for new AV solutions that are more versatile and can show images in bright and clear full HD resolution. Installing a Sharp LCD interactive whiteboard in the classroom opens up a whole new world of education possibilities. Connectivity with a PC or DVD/Bluray player allows the teacher to incorporate video and online content into the lesson. Displaying it on a big, powerful screen ensures that all student eyes are front and centre. PROJECTOR PROBLEMS Using a projector system has inherent problems. These include unsatisfactory image resolution, ambient noise levels from the cooling fan, incorrect reproduction of colours, shadows, and dull images which make the screen difficult to see in bright classrooms, as well as the need for frequent bulb replacements and cleaning, which dramatically add to the total cost of ownership. Using a Sharp interactive display addresses all of these problems. Timesaving and versatile, Sharp interactive whiteboards enable students to stay focused and teachers to perform more effectively. The teacher can emphasise points by enlarging details on the dual touch screen, and by supporting them with crystal-clear photos and other images. As they’re designed to be interactive from the ground up, these displays are slim and stylish. They are built around a proprietary Sharp infrared touch-screen system ensuring use in a wide range of applications, with no image distortions and no physical wear on the touch system, as the user only touches a sheet of toughened glass. VERSATILITY The units are available in 60, 70 and 80 inch screen sizes, can be wall or trolley mounted and when combined with a rear mounted PC, the solution can be fully portable between classrooms. This versatility allows resources to be shared, if required, thus cutting costs. There are also no noisy cooling fans inside and the energy efficient LED backlit screen gives off very little heat, making the classroom environment a more pleasant place to be. Images on-screen are produced in full high definition clarity, colours are reproduced perfectly and thanks to pure white LED backlighting, the reproduced image has excellent brightness uniformity across the whole screen. Built-in speakers offer the benefit of adding sound to your presentations without the need for additional components. What’s more, the pen-mouse provided with the units enables users to write freely on to the screen using the

interactive whiteboard function, or annotate existing presentations and documents using the pen-soft annotation software supplied. SMOOTH RUNNING LESSONS Developed specifically for Sharp touch-screen LCD monitors, Sharp Pen Software allows for the smooth running of lessons. Once documents or images created on any application software have been captured as JPEG images and displayed on the touch-screen, users can quickly write and draw directly on the screen surface using the touch pen or a finger. Screen images can be enlarged or rotated, and handwritten notations such as text and drawings can be selected and moved around. What’s more, everything on the screen can be saved or exported for printout, making it easy to keep. SIMPLE TO USE The software has powerful features such as a full suite of pen colours and sizes to choose from as well as a highlighter function. You can easily erase images using the software’s shape recognition feature with the supplied soft eraser, and undo/redo buttons are provided to rectify mistakes. Insertion of text, lines and shapes is possible, as well as images grabbed from other applications and complete image files. Using the shape recognition feature ensures that rough shapes drawn on screen are changed to a clean shape for presentation. There is also a split screen feature for dual display of whiteboard and on-screen applications, as well as an overlay feature allowing annotation

over anything shown on the desktop. If you use powerpoint or other Microsoft applications for presentation (version 2007 or above) the software provides an additional toolbar that enables full interaction for advancement of slides and ink tool operation. Connecting the unit to a printer with colour-scanning function makes for faster, smoother communication. Documents and images scanned from the device can be imported directly to the pen software for display on the screen. For added convenience, image data shown on the screen, including annotations can be saved to a PC or sent directly to a printer. Of course whiteboard software is perfect if you just want to annotate or use the screen as a whiteboard for notes, but a dedicated education software package, RM Easiteach (5 user licence version) is also included to help prepare complete lessons. Every unit in the Sharp educational range is for professional usage. This means they can be used 24/7 if required, have a wide range of input connections to work with most source devices, have equipment spaces with mounting points on the rear of the screen for source devices such as PCs and media players, and come with a three-year, on-site swap-out of the product as standard. L FOR MORE INFORMATION Tel: 07808 479170 helen.sheldrake@sharp.eu http://www.sharp-world.com/ products/professional-monitors/

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LANWAY HELPS ROTHERHAM COLLEGE GO VIRTUAL

ICT & Computing

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With an IT infrastructure including over 1,500 mobile and fixed devices, Rotherham College of Art & Technology needed a system worthy of their goals. Enter IT solutions specialist Lanway. Rotherham College of Art & Technology is a leading Further Education (FE) college for adults and 14-19 year olds in South Yorkshire. It delivers over 2,000 courses across its two main campuses, with more than 14,000 students enrolled and over 500 members of staff. Rob Hutton at Rotherham said: “Trust and support are the most important elements when we choose an IT partner but of course cost does play a part. We were confident in Lanway’s technical expertise and buying power from the outset. They consistently explain and train us as they go so we have full knowledge of how everything works, and as such we can confidently continue developing the college.” VIRTUAL DESKTOP INFRASTRUCTURE The College’s IT environment is fundamental to students’ success because it provides the applications they need for coursework, as well as the programs they’ll go on to use in the workplace. Rotherham has experienced a rise in the number of students requiring remote learning and therefore flexibility

a massive saving on the cost of a normal desktop installation,” said Rob. “Future installations will also be much more costeffective, using Fusion-io instead of the Storage Area Network. There’s even the potential for us to save on electricity bills as we are not running all the servers.” The new infrastructure has also improved efficiency – the maximum number of clients can now all be online simultaneously, and the distribution of images across the entire VDI is straightforward, improving staff time management. Rob said: “Rather than going to each PC to load the images they need, staff can now deploy them across the entire VDI. Classes aren’t disturbed and staff can manage their time better. Power efficiency also means that the life of our systems has increased.” FLEXIBLE DYNAMIC LEARNING Rob continued: “Mobility is becoming increasingly important in the education sector – being able to access a college network from

“We value Lanway’s experience and expertise and they help us to learn about the areas we’re unfamiliar with. It means the College can continue to grow and increase productivity” – Rob Hutton, Rotherham College of Art & Technology. with the college’s systems. A Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) would allow immediate and simultaneous deployment of images across devices to provide uninterrupted learning from any location at any time. VDI is designed to simplify desktop and application management and at the same time increase security. It reduces the cost of desktop ownership so the students and staff of Rotherham College can enjoy increased levels of availability and productivity. The technology has created a platform for Rotherham College to support forward thinking initiatives such as ‘Bring your Own Device’. Lanway’s engineers installed and configured a VDI across the College, ready to support up to 400 Windows 7 desktops, and scalable to support the rest of the machines over time. “With this implementation we achieved

tablets and laptops as well as central PCs can really enhance the student experience.” Lanway ensured a pilot of the VDI solution was run prior to the system installation to be completely certain it went ahead without a hitch. All users connecting to the virtual desktop at Rotherham College can now access network resources and applications including home folders, file shares, printers, emails and the internet as needed. Mobile devices can connect to the VDI, allowing greater flexibility for remote working and learning. The virtual desktop also supports HD graphics and video, allowing students to access dynamic content that enhances the learning experience. “The VDI deployment was successful and has given the College a boost towards a learning friendly environment. The Lanway education and project teams are always

helpful and work with us to develop new ideas to support our students and staff” said Rob. Lanway’s service included training Rotherham College IT staff in the day-to-day management of the new systems, and three years’ support for the new hardware and software. Rob Hutton summed it up: “We value Lanway’s experience and expertise and they help us to learn about the areas we’re unfamiliar with. It means the College can continue to grow and increase productivity.” ABOUT LANWAY As a high-level partner to multiple vendors, Lanway is ideally positioned to deliver not only desktop virtualisation projects but a full spectrum of bespoke IT solutions. The company was founded more than 20 years ago on the principle of providing cost-effective IT solutions that enable organisations to increase their competitiveness. Lanway’s specialist Education team is dedicated to improving the student experience through intelligent IT, and works with multiple educational institutions across the country. Focused on staying ahead of school and college requirements, Lanway’s education team regularly meet in the Lanway Education Alumni to discuss new technologies, requirements and ideas with a range of education professionals. Lanway simply makes IT work. L FURTHER INFORMATION education@lanway.co.uk www.lanway.co.uk

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INDEPENDENT LEARNING WITH PERSONAL DEVICES Children need to become independent learners in order to thrive. Cramlington Learning Village is reaping the benefits from RM Education’s Personal Device Scheme

What if every new student at your school got a sparkling new tablet device instead of a homework diary? The day of mobile IT for all students may be closer than you think, and along with it the prospect of one-to-one access and all the learning benefits that would bring. With school budgets squeezed until the pips squeak, the idea of eleven-year-olds stuffing high-spec electronics into their backpacks may sound like a fantasy – or the sort of nightmare that wakes school business managers in the early hours. Yet a new leasing scheme from RM Education is making this not only possible, but straightforward, safe and sustainable. Supplying every student with a mobile device isn’t about buying into the latest trend, or providing a photo-op for the school prospectus. It feeds perfectly into the new wave of ‘enquiry-based’ learning - and academic evidence that children need to become independent learners in order to thrive. It’s also a recognition of a huge shift in software development, with the explosion in ‘apps’ across all platforms. Mobile devices

have moved so far away from the concept of a phone with a camera that they are present in almost every facet of life, from giving driving directions to translating into Russian, as well as firing irritable-looking birds at pigs. APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT App development has become a huge industry with education a growth area. As well as using commercially produced apps in the classroom, some teachers and ICT staff are starting to develop their own. Cramlington Learning Village, a large secondary school in Northumberland, was an early adopter of the RM scheme and is using leased tablet devices across the curriculum. They have embraced the mobile revolution enthusiastically, employing three web developers who create custom-designed apps to support their own curriculum. CLV’s decision to equip all its year 7 intake with a tablet device wasn’t taken in isolation. The school – rated ‘outstanding’ in its last three Ofsted inspections – has

an ambitious e-Learning strategy and has based some of its ideas on the ‘hole in the wall’ research by Sugata Mitra. This studied what happened when children in a Delhi slum had unrestricted access to the internet from a computer placed in a kiosk set into a wall. It found that the children who took part made amazing strides in learning, with no intervention from adults, becoming competent computer users but also learning other skills such as English. This form of ‘minimally invasive learning’ harnesses children’s natural curiosity and the power of collaboration.

ICT & Computing

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PERSONALISED LEARNING Providing every student with their own device is allowing Cramlington to get the most out of its fully customised Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). This is personalised for every student and allows curriculum resources to be fully differentiated, so that not every pupil, for instance, sees the same questions. CLV believed that the scheme would only work on a universal basis, and consulted parents of the new pupils before they started at the school. 91 per cent of parents agreed, and those who didn’t already had mobile devices. For parents, the scheme is a risk-free and affordable way to obtain a top-of-therange device for their child to use at home and school. It also lets them engage more with the school and their child’s learning. The scheme works right across the curriculum, with staff from each subject area becoming ‘ICT champions’. The students use the tablets daily, as an integral part of lessons in school and homework. Here, the ability to download assignments and upload finished work as well as accessing individual help from their teacher helps personalise learning. Importantly, the scheme doesn’t mean extra admin, as RM Education provides a scheme to collect the money from parents and chase up any late payers. It also takes the pressure off classroom computers, which are needed only as a backup and can be replaced less often. RM Education also provides comprehensive warranty and insurance products, so you won’t need to worry about the devices being broken, lost or out of action for long periods of time. HOW IT WORKS RM Education supplies the devices, and the school offers the use of these devices to students and asks for a donation towards their cost. Parents pay a monthly donation to the school, and the school pays for the goods and uses the donations to cover their costs. This is done in one of two ways - by paying the RM Education invoice in full or using a lease from RM Rentals to spread the cost and match the rentals to the donations they will receive. This is what mostly happens. L FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 08450 700300 www.rm.com/personaldevices personaldevices@rm.com

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OFFERING YOU THE COMPLETE APPRENTICESHIP SOLUTION Active IQ offers a full range of apprenticeship packages for the sport and active leisure sector. We are a unique Awarding Organisation as our complete packages mean you don’t need to go to other suppliers during the various stages of the apprenticeship. Our complete package provides: • Highly competitive registration & certification fees to support lower delivery costs • Engaging and interactive resources to aid learner retention and achievement • Inspiring eLearning • Free bespoke assessor and verifier training • Only one awarding organisation to deal with & just one set of fees • Unique support to aid high levels of learner achievement • Unrivalled customer care

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SPORTS & PLAY

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SUCCESSFUL PLAYFAIR 2012 MARKS FIFTH ANNIVERSARY

The Association of Play Industries 2012 event, Playfair, goes from strength to strength

had a great time at PlayFair 2012, it’s always very encouraging to see our equipment being put through its paces.” Once again, PlayFair 2012 included a lively and informative seminar program which featured talks from Change4Life and the Right Year for Children campaign, on a number of topics from funding for play to physical activity and the child’s right to play. Several of these seminars will be available to download from the API’s new Community Hub website, under the “How To…” resources section. Visit www.api-play.org

“Steve BE yO Backlely British on is the and field track itor to win t compeals at three med nt Olympic differeames” G Once again the sun shone brightly for the fifth PlayFair tradeshow held on 19-20 June. In the year of London 2012, PlayFair was opened by British Olympic legend, Steve Backley, to cheering crowds and clearing clouds. Steve Backley OBE is the only British track and field competitor to win medals at three different Olympic Games. He broke the World Record three times and was crowned ‘World Athlete of the Year’ by the IAAF in 1990. Exhibitors and visitors to the show reported a great event and praised the show’s new layout, next to the British Association of Landscape Industries (BALI) 2012 Landscaping Show. Side by side a variety of API members showcased their latest innovations, from early-years equipment to young people fitness systems. The event’s organisers, Brintex, were delighted with the turnout at this year’s PlayFair and the BALI next door. Ray Baxter, event manager, said: “2012 has been a tough year for all those involved in the play and leisure industries, so it’s great to see that this year’s PlayFair has created such positive feedback both from exhibitors and visitors. Steve Backley’s appearance and a selection of interesting and trade-focused API seminars helped to celebrate a special year for the show, once again bringing together the leading UK suppliers of sports, play and amenity equipment.” SUNSHINE John Croasdale, API chairman, said: “It’s great to be here in the sunshine to celebrate the fifth anniversary of PlayFair which has grown from strength to strength, year-on-year. I have high hopes for the next PlayFair show which will run on 18-19 June 2013.” Viv Jebson, managing director of Sutcliffe Play, added: “PlayFair is a superb opportunity for us to exhibit our latest products and we’ve had great feedback from the children and teenagers who have come along to play and try out new play equipment.” Stuart Wetherell, sales director of Wicksteed Leisure, said: “We’ve

ABOUT THE API The Association of Play Industries is the lead trade body within the play sector, representing the interests of the manufacturers, installers, designers and distributors of both outdoor and indoor play equipment and safer surfacing. Children’s Rights: The API is a partner of the Right Year for Children campaign (RY4C) which aims to strengthen and raise awareness of children’s rights in England. To find out more, visit www.ry4c.org.uk. The API operates under the umbrella of the Federation of Sports and Play Associations (FSPA) the national trade body responsible for representing 18 Associations in the UK’s sport and play industries. Visit www.sportsandplay.com for further details. L

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EDUCATIONAL VISITS

Written by the School Travel Forum

SCHOOL TRIPS HELP SCHOOLS SUCCEED School trips are one of the things school children look forward to during their school life and the experiences and memories from them are extremely durable. A school trip with its natural dynamic environment provides a learning venue that matches their natural inclination to know more about things, engages even those with short attention spans and puts the learning subject in context.

In addition to the multitude of evidence, there is much anecdotal support about benefits of outdoor education experiences; teachers, for example, often speak of the improvement they have in relationships with students following a trip. School trips are an important part of the wider family of outdoor learning opportunities, all of which provide beneficial outcomes to children with a wide range of abilities and issues. Unengaged students in particular experience events and engage socially in new and positive ways; they will learn in the real world in a manner that is not possible in a classroom. Ofsted’s 2008 report ‘How far should you go?’ concludes that well-planned out-of-classroom activities, which include trips, not only enhance pupils’ learning, but can also re-engage those who are hard to motivate. The above Ofsted

report concluded that learning outside the classroom contributed significantly to raising standards and improving pupils’ personal, social and emotional development. In addition, there are a great number of research papers and evidence which highlight the benefits of taking students on trips, particularly abroad. These apply to a wide range of subjects, for example: Primary Schools - within successful Primary Schools curriculums are enriched by first-hand experiences, including visits locally and further afield, contributions from adults with knowledge and skills that could enhance pupils’ learning, and an extensive range of extra-curricular activities.(Ofsted, ‘The curriculum in successful primary schools’ 553. 2002.) History - wide ranging out-of-classroom

Educational Visits

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activities, including school trips, are cited as examples of outstanding teaching. Students are able to appreciate their studies from a different, and usually more active, perspective. Trips to Berlin and the battlefields of Belgium are named as examples (Ofsted ‘History for all’ 0902232, March 2011) MFL - being able to actually visit places in the countries that speak the languages students are learning is one of the best ways to immerse children and young people in the language itself. There is no doubt that it is far removed from being taught in a classroom. Young people are able to spend some time in the other country, learning much more about how the people live, work and speak as they do so. Ski Trips- the key benefits of skiing trips for young people include physical skills E

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EDUCATIONAL VISITS E and knowledge, personal and social development, the opportunity to set and achieve personal goals, environmental awareness and health / fitness. SELECT COMMITTEE FINDINGS The Education Committee undertook an inquiry into outdoor learning which recognised the cross-curricular nature of out-of-classroom learning. It found that outdoor education contributes to learning in a range of areas, including science and geography fieldwork; physical education; learning through outdoor play, particularly in the early years; history and citizenship, through visits to museums and heritage sites; art and design, through visits to galleries and experiences of the built environment; environmental and countryside education, and education for sustainable development; practical or vocational skills that cannot be practised in a classroom environment; group activities that build self-confidence and social skills; these may include adventurous activities that teach students how to deal with an element of risk, and; the use of the environment as a tool to enrich the curriculum across subject areas. Evidence taken by the Committee strongly indicated that education outside the classroom is of significant benefit to pupils. Academic fieldwork clearly enhances the teaching of science and geography, but other subjects such as history, art and design and citizenship can also be brought to life by high quality educational visits. Group activities, which may include adventurous expeditions, can develop social skills and give self-confidence. Furthermore, the committee concluded that outdoor education has a key role to play in the social inclusion agenda, offering children who may not otherwise have the opportunity the simple chance to experience the countryside, or other parts of our heritage that many others take for granted. ENRICHING THE CURRICULUM The broad extent of this inquiry has convinced the Committee that outdoor learning can benefit pupils of all ages and can be successful in a variety of settings. We are convinced that out-of-classroom education enriches the curriculum and can improve educational attainment. (House of Commons Education and Skills Committee, Education Outside the Classroom: Second Report of Session 2004–05) Confident Individuals: School trips can change attitudes and raise aspirations, through participation in new activities. Rising to new challenges and living alongside their peers helps pupils to become more adaptable and confident which is critical to so many areas of their development. Successful Learners: School trips have the potential to lay strong foundations for encouraging successful learning and building positive attitudes which subsequently lead to improvements in achievement and motivation in all areas – including academic. Children

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Primary School curriculums are enriched by firsthand experiences, including visits locally and further afield, contributions from adults with knowledge that could enhance pupils’ learning, and extensive extra-curricular activities. also enjoy themselves so much they often don’t even realise they are learning which can help produce the greatest achievements. Responsible citizens: Schools trips provide powerful learning outcomes for young people which contribute to a sense of belonging, feeling valued and the ability to make a positive contribution in their community and society at large. A smoother transition: Supporting children through points of transition in their school careers can be challenging. Our courses promote personal, social and emotional development, standing them in good stead to make smooth and trouble-free transitions, whether from Primary to Secondary school, or between later key stages. This fulfils the educational mission set out by the Government and many museums, visitor attractions and destinations, and inspires students to re-visit with their families or come back in later life with children of their own. (Source: Tourism Insights) WELL BEING Improved personal and emotional well-being: Young people become more resilient and optimistic, and their emotional health and

self-esteem improve. 93 per cent of teachers agree that Outward Bound influences their pupils’ personal development, in particular their confidence and self-esteem. Improved social well-being: The quality of young people’s relationships improves, in particular with their friends, family and teachers. 93 per cent of teachers observe better relationships between pupils on return to school. Improved connection with the natural environment: Young people’s knowledge, awareness and appreciation of the natural environment improve. 72 per cent of teachers observe improved awareness of the natural environment in their pupils on return to school. Improved enthusiasm and confidence in learning - their attitude towards learning improves, and they become more confident, capable learners in the classroom. 60% of teachers observe an improvement in their pupils’ performance in the classroom on return to school WHAT DOES THE SCHOOL TRAVEL FORUM WANT TO SEE? Despite the known benefits and excellent safety record of school trips, the organisation of them has become unnecessarily E

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EDUCATIONAL VISITS

Successful Learners: School trips have the potential to lay strong foundations for encouraging successful learning and building positive attitudes which lead to improvements in achievement and motivation in all areas

school and college groups travelled with members of the STF, a growing total. The STF would like to see two simple actions: Firstly, wide-spread and vocal advocacy for the real educational benefits brought by all forms of Learning Outside the Classroom, including school trips. Secondly, all schools organising school trips to demand the high standard of STF Assured Membership from their suppliers.

E burdensome and, regardless of the Government’s recent reduction of guidance for organising trips, the laws which dictate responsibilities still need consideration. Since 2002 the School Travel Forum (STF), a not for profit organisation, has worked successfully to reduce unnecessary red tape, paperwork and allow schools to easily manage responsibilities, whilst ensuring high quality learning experiences can take place. For example, there is a need to take reasonable steps to ensure selection of reputable suppliers; how can this be achieved without detailed knowledge of the travel companies available? Last year several schools and Local Authorities were badly affected when their ski trip supplier suddenly turned out not to be so reputable. This can be easily managed; all STF Assured Members are required to adhere to a rigorous Code of Practice which covers safety management, financial and trading standards and, importantly, they are audited

ABOUT THE SCHOOL TRAVEL FORUM Since its inception the School Travel Forum has won widespread recognition and support for the way it simplifies and provides essential reassurance for leaders looking to organise study, sports & ski trips. The STF initiative has won the support of the ASCL, ATL, NAHT, NUT and Voice. It is welcomed by the Outdoor Education Advisors Panel (OEAP) and the DCSF, and NASUWT advised members wishing to organise school trips to use companies that had this type of scheme. Teachers using an STF Assured Member can be secure knowing that their travel partner understands and facilitates the needs of educational travel, manages safety effectively, offers fair terms and condition, and the best financial security and Is fully inspected every year by independent experts. L

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annually for compliance by independent experts. Our Code has been adopted as the benchmark for study, sports, ski and cultural tours by the Council for Learning Outside the Classroom’s (LOtC) Quality Badge, and we are proud to be one of their Awarding Bodies. The Quality Badge provides for the first time a national accreditation combining the essential elements of provision - learning and safety - into one easily recognisable and trusted award. It is for this reason that the majority of Local Authorities Outdoor Education Advisors recommend use of Quality Badged providers without further checks. MAINTAINING STANDARDS The School Travel Forum itself does not offer tours; our role is to independently maintain standards, whilst ensuring competition is available in the market place. All members compete individually for business ensuring choice and value. Last year over 13,500

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CATERING

Catering

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SCHOOL FOOD MATTERS: HOW TO PAY FOR IT?

Over the past few years and particularly in recent months, catering has become an even more important consideration than ever for schools. Ongoing campaigns to drive standards from figures such as Jamie Oliver, combined with frequent news items such as the shortage of free school dinners, and the little food eaten by secondary school students means that there is little doubt that for parents, school dinners is likely to be one of the school-related issues at the front of their minds. As a result, for schools, catering is one area that they should, and will want, to make as smooth, effective and efficient a process as possible. An important aspect of this is the payment and administration of funds from parents. OPENING UP TO ONLINE PAYMENTS Payments between parents and schools are an everyday part of school life, and consequently are a pivotal element in school administrative duties. For many, the usual process involves an abundance of spreadsheet systems used to keep track of data and payments as required, spread across multiple sheets and perhaps only accessible by one individual at a time. This is combined with a growing mound of coins, notes and cheques that must be tracked and counted.

Today, ICT is an increasingly common way to deal with many school daily tasks, such as taking the register, updating exam results, or putting together timetables. It is a logical move therefore that school payments, especially for lunches, is the next thing to go electronic. There are now a growing number of electronic, online payment systems that can work in partnership with cashless catering providers to move the whole catering system to a penny-free process. It is not just schools that are considering the potential of online payments; many parents actually want it. New research carried out by ParentMail on more than 14,000 parents across the UK has shown that the vast majority of them (more than 90 per cent) would like the option to pay online for school items including catering, whilst less than half of schools currently allow them to. With technology now a firm feature

Written by Geoff Jones, ParentMail

Geoff Jones, director at ParentMail, discusses the advantages schools can gain from switching to an electronic payment collection system.

throughout everyday life, paying online offers a valuable convenience factor with hectic lifestyles. There is a real demand from parents for online payments, and the sad fact is that schools are just not keeping up with this. CASH V DEBIT CARDS This demand is reflected in wider society. According to the UK Payments Council, in 2010 the running total of debit card spending (£272 billion) overtook the cumulative amount of cash spend (£269 billion) in the economy for the first time. By 2018, it is predicted that cash will make up less than half of all UK transactions for the first time. The potential benefits for schools of the move to an electronic payment system are multiple and farreaching. As with many ICT management solutions, these systems are designed to save on administration and the time required by manual jobs such as counting money, trips to the bank, and accurately tracking who has paid for what. The systems E

ronic “Elect s can systemck of the ra ve keep t pent and gi n s o money ts feedbackren paren their child what choosing are ” to eat

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CATERING E are highly versatile, able to be quickly adapted to suit any size school’s needs. As transactions are electronic, they take away the need for a large amount of cash to be stored on site is an attractive security improvement for any school. Money and cheques can be easily be lost or misplaced by students, or later by staff after collection; electronic systems mean that instances where a cheque might be found down the side of a desk, six months out of date are no longer an issue. Having a transparent system that is easily accessible to both the school and parents removes unnecessary issues of missed payments, or the need to chase repeatedly. This helps to promotes confidence in the school to parents; they can be reassured that financial obligations for their child’s education are being carefully managed in a way that suits the 21st century lifestyle. By centralising all data required in an open system that is password protected, and can be accessed by numerous individuals at a time, the responsibilities that are part and parcel of the school office do not rest solely on one person’s shoulders. The systems are designed to be accessible and user friendly, are able to track and monitor money and calculate things quickly, meaning that reconciling funds and accounts is an easy process. Office staff can then run automatic, comprehensive reports which can then be sent to the local authority, for example on the reconciliation of dinner numbers and free school meals. PARENT POWER For parents, paying for things electronically is now a part of everyday life. The majority of payments are now online, from paying for your car tax or weekly food shop, to your holiday. It can be seen as a puzzle then, that when a child’s school asks for money, there is not the chance to click a mouse and to enter card details, making the process instantaneous. With the regularity that parents need to provide dinner money, it is logical that they expect a quick and easy way of doing so. This also provides peace of mind in knowing exactly where money is ending up, rather than entrusting a child with a cheque or cash that could be lost, spent on something else or even

stolen. Electronic payments solve the problem for both parents and the school of having to get a cash or cheque into school via the child, alleviating this hassle, or having to get parents to take time out to go into school, queue at reception, and hand in the money themselves. AWARENESS An awareness of school dinner choice and consumption has been an important topic for a while now. The introduction of minimum nutritional standards for school meals in England in 2008 has helped reassure this, but many parents are still concerned about what their children are eating. Electronic systems can keep track of the money spent and give

Catering

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that schools might be initially concerned about moving to collecting payments online, as any change would involve moving from current tried and trusted ways of doing things into the unknown. There is however little for schools to be concerned about. Companies that provide these services work closely with cashless catering providers to ensure that the whole process is as smooth, accessible, and well-thought out as possible. Part of this is ensuring system security, as dealing correctly and safely with other’s money is a loaded topic. Companies that provide payment management services are required by their banking partners to meet strict operational and

Companies that provide payment management services are required by their banking partners to meet strict operational and security criteria parents feedback on what their children are choosing to eat. Some catering partners can also provide nutritional information on the items chosen from the school menu. Electronic payment systems have the capability to be used to remind parents of when dinner money is running low, removing the need to have to root around for spare change to buy that day’s lunch at a last minute request. In tight financial times, this also helps parents to budget and track lunch money accordingly with strong benefits as a forward planning tool. TECHNOLOGY Increasingly, technology is also shifting to allow payments on the move through mobile ‘apps’ usable by web-enabled phones and smart phones. The ongoing march of progress now sees the majority of the mobile owning population using a web-enabled mobile or smart phone; these technologies are increasingly commonplace throughout life. These allow parents to monitor and make payments on the move from wherever is required at a time most convenient to them. It is understandable

security criteria. Suppliers of online payment services to schools will use a separate system known as a payment gateway, and it is this service that parents enter their card details into for the payment to be processed. These ‘gateways’ must all be independently verified as PCI DSS (payment card industry data security standards) compliant and demonstrate that the services being used to pay for a trip or buy lunch is both safe and secure. PCI DSS compliance is proof that the organisation has taken steps to ensure that cardholder data remains safe electronically and physically. Ultimately, electronic payment systems make collecting and managing parent payments easy. The best ones also make it easy for parents to use by providing them with a single account where they can pay for items when children attend different schools, nurseries or after school clubs. Thinking back to our own school days, who would have considered the solutions now available to schools - that time could be spent in the school canteen without pupils having a penny in their pocket? L FURTHER INFORMATION www.parentmail.co.uk

Fresh ideas and solutions to solve long standing school food problems Do you work with children? Do you want to promote healthy eating and cooking skills for them, whatever their age or setting? The Children’s Food Trust is a social enterprise working with the School Food Trust, a registered charity and specialist advisor on school meals, children’s food and related skills. Both organisations share the vision that all children should have the balanced diet, cooking skills and food education that will help them reach their full

potential. They offer independent, specialist advice on all aspects of school lunchtimes. Whether you’re starting from scratch and launching a new school meal service, or looking for fresh ideas and solutions to long-standing problems in your kitchen or dining room, the Children’s Food Trust’s independent specialists can help. Through its range of products, services and training, the organisation can provide support on all aspects of school lunchtime – from

kitchen equipment to menus, space and decor in your dining room, training, recruitment, marketing and finance. FOR MORE INFORMATION Tel: 0114 2996901 info@childrensfoodtrust.org.uk www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk

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Awards for Young Musicians Plug and play perfection from Benchvent helps nurture gifted kids Simply having talent doesn’t, on its own, enable a young person to progress from early, unidentified, unsupported potential to musical excellence, or move to creative confidence and the chance of a career in this century’s rapidly changing musical industry. Since 1998, Awards for Young Musicians has been giving musically talented young people from lower income families the support they need to overcome the barriers they face in fulfilling their potential. The organisation combines tailor made support for individuals with advocacy, research and support for music teachers, feeding into national policy and helping to ensure that the whole sector works together to help give young people’s musical talent a chance. It’s likely that young people from lower income families will have their first access to music making at school, so it’s particularly important that teachers, and music leaders generally, have the resources

they need to recognise musical potential within their classes. Awards for Young Musicians’ teacher support programme addresses this through a combination of in-person training and a developing film resource called ‘How can you spot musical potential?’. This features over 40 clips of a musician working with young people across a diversity of contexts. There are lots of practical activities to try that are particularly effective for spotting talent, plus plenty of suggestions on how to help progress potential. FOR MORE INFORMATION www.a-y-m.org.uk

Air filtration and extraction specialist BenchVent (BV) is boosting air quality and convenience for its customers with its latest launch - a new line of plug-and-go bench top models. The line boasts a series of highly effective, selfcontained small bench top fume cabinets which offer an extraction system, gas/ dust filter and work station in one compact and easy to use unit. Each unit is ideal for placing on a lab bench and offers versatility when full size fume cupboards are not practical. They can be used for dust or fume applications. Cleaned air is expelled either back in to the room or to the external atmosphere. Especially suited to removing contaminants produced while using chemicals, gases and powders. BV is an independent designer and manufacturer of desk/bench top air filtration and extraction

systems with more than twenty five years of expertise in the field. With flexible solutions to a range of air contamination issues, BV products can be found in a host of working environments. The specialist designed systems remove the potential respiratory hazards associated with adhesives, solvents, grinding dusts, solder fume, general chemical agents and airborne particulates. FOR MORE INFORMATION Tel: 01423 790039 www.benchvent.com

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These results speak for themselves - a cohort of primary school pupils using the Turnabout Programme for just 1 hour a week for 10 weeks. Turnabout is a short-term intervention comprising activities to improve memory and concentration and unblock the barriers to learning - helping many special needs pupils and those with dyslexic characteristics. Most make at least one year advance in literacy in three months - some make two/three year advances. Behaviour and concentration improve noticeably.

Equally successful in primary - secondary - special schools - PRUs Turnabout is a low-cost intervention with full supporting services; on-site training and analysis and presentation of results in Ofsted friendly format. Enabling schools to demonstrate effective use of pupil premium and Year 7 acceleration grants For an information pack or for an on-site explanation and demonstration contact - response@turnabout-education.co.uk www.turnabout.webplus.net Tel - 01212 707266

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SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS

SUPPORT AND ASPIRATION: A NEW APPROACH TO SEND

The Green Paper published in March 2011 set out the vision for a new system to support the 1.7 million children and young people currently identified with special educational needs and disabilities. In their response to the consultation document published in May 2012, the government set out the next steps towards the changing of legislation by 2014. The Queen’s Speech on 9th May announced a Children and Families Bill that will offer the biggest reform in 30 years. The legislation will be introduced in this session of Parliament and will draw on lessons learnt from the pathfinders. It will also build on the reforms to the health service and draw on recommendations of the Children and young People’s Health Outcomes Forum. A draft Bill is expected in summer 2012 for consultation and pre-legislative scrutiny. This should enable the new legislation to be introduced in 2014. The planned Children and Families Bill will better support families, legislating to break down barriers, bureaucracy and delays which stop vulnerable children getting the support they need. The main elements of the Bill include Special Educational Needs, Family Law, Shared Parenting and Office of the Children’s Commissioner. KEY MEASURES Special educational needs key measures include a single assessment process (0-25) which is more streamlined, better involves children, young people and families and is completed quickly; An Education Health and Care Plan (replacing the statement) which brings services together and is focused on improving outcomes; An offer of a personal budget for families with an Education, Health and Care Plan; A requirement for local authorities and health services to jointly plan and commission services that children, young people and their families need; A requirement on local authorities to publish a local offer indicating the support available to those with special educational needs and disabilities and their families, and; The introduction of mediation opportunities for disputes and a trial giving children the right to appeal if they are unhappy with their support. With 21 per cent of our total education population identified with special and additional needs, schools are under more and more pressure to ensure that they are

meeting the needs of this group of vulnerable pupils and that they are able to evidence the interventions they are implementing to ensure significant progress is being made. The term special educational needs was first introduced by Mary Warnock in the 1970’s to describe a significant group of children and young people who needed something different from or in addition to the education offered to their peers. Much debate has taken place over those 40 years about the terminology and whether these children should be in special

about the over-identification of children and young people with special educational needs. Yes, there may well be pupils who are low achievers who have been listed as SEN but it is also highly likely that there are probably equally as many who have not been identified at all. The report suggested that this over identification was actually due to poor teaching and with better teachers many of these pupils would no longer be on SEN lists. This may have some basis in fact but it is probably more likely to be the

Written by Sean Stockdale, nasen

Special Educational Needs

Sponsored by

The Green Paper sets out some very clear roles for local authorities especially in setting out their local offer. There is a concern that they may not be able to offer everything they would wish to because they will not have the budget or the personnel to deliver. schools or included in mainstream settings, but what has not altered is that these children and young people are still experiencing difficulties accessing an education system that is appropriate to meet their individual needs. In more recent years we have seen a significant increase in the number of children and young people with far more complex needs. Modern medical science is enabling those with life limiting conditions to live longer and babies born very prematurely are surviving. Factors such as alcohol, smoking and drug abuse during pregnancy, poverty and social deprivation are just some of the forces affecting the complex needs that we are seeing in our schools. ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT Although we have some of the best educational provision in the world which supports our most vulnerable young people there is always room for improvement and it is hoped that the proposals in the Green Paper, and the legislation that follows will support schools and colleges in improving their provision for children, young people and their families. Since the Ofsted report, ‘A Statement is Not Enough’, published in 2010, there has been much discussion and media coverage

lack of high quality training at both initial teacher education and within on-going continuing professional development. We need to ensure that we have a highly skilled, trained workforce that can meet the complex needs of 21st century children. A MORE FOCUSED APPROACH The system we currently have relies heavily on families and schools ’fighting’ to get a statement which in the past has come with ‘hours’ of additional support. Boxes are ticked in terms of the hours of support not the outcomes for children and young people. The introduction of the Education, Health and Care plan will hopefully eradicate this notion of ‘hours’ and be far more outcomes focused. What is it that we want this young person to achieve by the time they leave school? How are we going to get them to that point? Schools will need to support families as the transition from statements to Education, Health and Care Plans is undertaken. The proposals within the legislative change are very clear, no child or family will lose out during this transition but there will need to be extensive conversation with families to ensure they understand that the provision identified within the plan has very targeted outcomes and not just about hours of support. E

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SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS E The introduction of the Education, Health and Care plan from aged 0 to 25 will offer real assurances to families and schools in regard to not just education provision but also that which must be provided by health and social care. POSITIVE OUTCOME The really positive outcome in these proposals is the introduction of a plan from aged 0–25 as there are many young people who fall through a gap in the current system once they reach the age of 16. The introduction of the plan will ensure that this does not happen but schools and colleges will have to ensure that they are able to offer appropriate provision for all those at 16+ that enables our most vulnerable young people to access employment, education or training opportunities alongside their peers. Alongside the Education, Health and Care plan is the introduction of personal budgets for families whose child has a plan. It is still very early days of the Pathfinders work to really understand what these budgets will be used for, or where the money is coming from – we will have to wait and see how these develop. There could be very big implications for schools if this is funding that would have gone to schools and will now be directly controlled by families. Alongside these radical changes proposed for SEND, we are also awaiting radical reform on the way school funding is allocated and distributed to schools. Schools will need advice and support on the impact on these changes to their school provision. There is the potential for many schools to lose out financially especially in those local authorities that have previously topped up school budgets to support additional needs. It is possible that we will see a tsunami of statement applications in the next six months as schools get to realize that under the new single assessment process there will not be the current level of financial support. Schools are already beginning to see the impact on the reduction in public sector employees. Many local authorities have lost experienced SEND staff and schools are finding it difficult to access support. If there is an influx in statement requests will there be the personnel to manage that process? CLEAR ROLES FOR LAS The Green Paper sets out some very clear roles for local authorities especially in setting out their local offer. There is a concern that they may not be able to offer everything they would wish to because they will not have the budget or the personnel to deliver. One of the key messages within the Green Paper and reinforced in the new Ofsted framework is the need for high quality professional development opportunities for the school workforce and those who work with schools supporting children and young people. The announcement of the second year of the National Scholarship for teachers

Special Educational Needs

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Since the Ofsted report ‘A Statement is Not Enough’, published in 2010, there has been much discussion and media coverage about the overidentification of children and young people with special educational needs. and the introduction of a Scholarship for SEN support staff was welcomed as was the fourth year of funding for the National Award for SEN Co-ordination. The SENCO is going to be key in ensuring that all the changes within SEND policy are implemented in schools. Although the SENCO regulation in 2008 legislated that all SENCOs must be qualified teachers and those appointed since 2008 must undertake the award – the quality assurance processes is still not robust and so is not being systematically implemented across the country. The SENCO is very important and we must ensure that Governing Bodies understand that they need time and resource to carry out their role and responsibilities to the highest level. Schools also need to ensure that there is high quality continuing professional development opportunities for all staff. All of the changes announced through the Green Paper that will become law through the Children and Families Bill have to be taken alongside many of the other significant developments across the sectors. I have already mentioned the funding reform and the new Ofsted framework. We also have the radical reforms to the health service, the

ever growing numbers of Academies and Free Schools, the introduction of a revised national curriculum, a new Early Years Foundation Stage Programme, the Phonics Screening Check, the raising the Participation Age and the New Teachers Standards – all of which will impact on schools, families and children. We need to ensure that this process is not about reducing numbers, cutting funding, changing terminology and doing the same things, it is about improving the outcomes of all children and young people by offering a high quality education system that meets their individual needs and prepares them for adulthood in the 21st century. L FURTHER INFORMATION Nasen is the leading organisation which aims to promote the education, training, advancement and development of all those with special and additional support needs. Nasen reaches a huge readership through its journals: British Journal of Special Education, Support for Learning, Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs and the magazine Special. For further information visit www.nasen.org.uk

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EVENTS

Events

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CONFERENCES & EXHIBITIONS TES REOURCES SHOW

14-15 September Business Design Centre, London Tel: 0203 194 3401 www.teachingexhibitions.co.uk TES Resources London 2012 will once again be wowing visitors with a one-stop-shop of educational resources, CPD training sessions and expert advice. A must for anyone with an interest in early years, primary or secondary education, the show will offer FREE practical workshops and demonstrations.

17 October QEII Conference Centre, London Tel: 01242 714321 www.highereducationshow.co.uk The Higher Education Show 2012 will take a comprehensive analysis of the challenges affecting the sector and the future developments needed to guarantee the financial stability and world-class reputation of UK Higher Education

INDEPENDENT SCHOOL SHOW

THE ACADAMIES SHOW

28 September NEC, Birmingham Tel: 01254 504 933 www.academiesshowbirmingham.co.uk The Academies Show Birmingham is dedicated to the Academies Programme. It builds on the success of its sister event in the capital – The Academies Show - which took place in May - and is organised in response to high demand from schools outside of London and the South East.

WORLD OF LEARNING

2-3 October NEC, Birmingham Tel: 0208 394 5239 www.learnevents.comk At the heart of World of Learning is its renowned annual conference, which combines extensive research with authoritative input from key industry figures to provide an insight into the major trends affecting the L&D professional.

TES SPECIAL NEEDS SHOW

HIGHER EDUCATION SHOW

12-13 October Business Design Centre, London Tel: 0203 194 3346 www.teachingexhibitions.co.uk An opportunity to shop for the latest SEN resources and services from hundreds of suppliers, for every kind of special and additional need, with exclusive show discounts and even pick up some free samples

10-11 November Battersea Park, London Tel: 0207 317479 www.schoolsshow.com Whether you are looking for a Sixth Form College, for a through school, for a Nursery, for a specific type of school, perhaps one with a particular faith, special needs or provision for dyslexia, the Independent School show will be worth a visit.

BETT 2013

30 January - 2 February ExCeL, London Tel: 0844 588 8074 www.bettshow.com The Education Technology event moves to ExCeL, London after previously being held at Olympia. This multi award winning venue located in London’s docklands has hosted over 3800 events and will be welcoming over 30,000 visitors to BETT.

EDUCATION SHOW 2013

14-16 March 2013 NEC, Birmingham Tel: 0207 7285056 www.education-show.com The Education Show is the UK’s leading education event for the promotion and development of all learning and teaching. It offers a selection of free CPD accredited professional training; practical and engaging content; over 400 leading suppliers and plenty of exclusive show special offers so you can pick up the latest resources for your learning environment.

Meet with key education suppliers at the 10th Education Facilities Forum “A fantastic concept and great opportunity to save time and source suppliers” – Just one of the testimonials from the The University of Sheffield about the Education Facilities Forum, now in its tenth year. With a ‘no hard sell’ approach over a day and a half, the opportunity is given to review potential suppliers, network over a fantastic gala dinner, attend seminars, discuss future projects and ideas, and see how others in the education industry do it. The concept offers an excellent resource for meeting suppliers which are highly relevant and only target services that

are pre-selected by the buyer for an efficient, structured use of their time. The event staff strive to ensure everybody’s time is well spent and memorable at the forums, and a relaxed approach to the annual event has proven to create a positive buzz and step forward towards a better way of doing business. Attendance is totally free of charge, including accommodation, seminar attendance, a place at the evening Gala dinner, all meals and refreshments. The next Education Facilities Forum takes place on the 19-20 November, at the exclusive Heythrop Park Resort,

Oxfordshire. Delegate attendance is limited to 75 complimentary places. For supplier information please contact Ed Whay. FOR MORE INFORMATION Tel: 01992 374089 e.whay@forumevents.co.uk www.forumevents.co.uk

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SCHOOL FURNITURE

FURNITURE STANDARDS: A CHAIR IS NOT JUST A CHAIR

According to the Health and Safety Executive, more than 10 million working days were lost last year to musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), including back pain and upper limb disorders, and 80 per cent of adults develop lower back pain at some point in their lives. There is also evidence that children who report cervical and/or lumbar pain suffer from poorer school performance. Back pain in children could, of course, be linked to carrying heavy school bags or a lack of exercise. However, unsuitable school furniture is certainly a major contributor to back pain in children and in later life. Despite this evidence there have always been two sides of the debate. On the one hand many considered that fixed height furniture enables children to sit with a reasonable posture, providing that a variety of sizes (two in secondary schools) is provided in each class, and that children sit on and at furniture relevant to their individual heights. On the other hand, others felt strongly that schools should recognise the benefits of good posture and ergonomic comfort with any new investment in furniture. BESA is committed to working with both schools and suppliers to raise the standards in education and therefore felt that a review of furniture in schools was long overdue. We worked with FIRA (Furniture Industries Research Association) and decided to start a process for change. Furniture standards at the time were based on the sizes of children measured in the 1960s. We measured 1500 children of all ages across the country. The data confirmed what is obvious: children are generally taller but, importantly, the range of sizes in any age group is now wider. Children are also a different shape with, for example, very different ratios of body to leg lengths compared to the 60s. The implications for ergonomic furniture design are substantial. POSTURE Our research highlighted the benefits of good posture and ergonomic comfort in improved concentration and application. As previously touched on, there is evidence for such improvements in traditional learning environments when the furniture design and quality is improved. However, it became obvious that flexible learning environments, fit for our visions of 21st century education,

Written by Ray Barker

School Furniture

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We measured 1500 children of all ages across the country. The data confirmed what is obvious: children are generally taller but, importantly, the range of sizes in any age group is now wider. required a transformation in our approach to furniture. For a learning space to be healthily used by every age group in a school (including adults), for it to allow movement and encourage flexible use, the furniture must have good ergonomic features such as adjustability, be fit for purpose and be comfortable. For many schools faced with the prospect of purchasing their first new furniture for years, the problem was lack of experience and advice on what to buy. As heads scanned educational furniture catalogues they looked at prices that did not compare with the high street and unfortunately a proportion decided to buy ‘cheap’. They purchased household quality furniture, for as little as a third of the price of equivalent educational products and thought they had a good deal. Educational

furniture manufacturers however, will tell you that the school environment is about the most hostile imaginable for a chair or table. Furniture members of the British Educational Suppliers Association (BESA) will normally manufacture to the British educational furniture standards BS4875 (strength and stability) and BS5873 (educational furniture), and now the European standard prEN1729 (chairs and tables for educational institutions). The latter is particularly to do with dimensions and ergonomic issues. COMPLYING WITH STANDARDS In 2008 we fed our research data to standards bodies around Europe which resulted in the educational furniture standard, EN1729 which also had the support of DfE. E

Specifiers Index 2012/13 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE | Specifiers Index 2012/13

Tastecard works with many organisations helping them to add real value to their employee benefit schemes; it is a pioneering staff benefit, offering employees a unique reward in increasingly cash-strapped times. Tastecard, the UK’s leading diners’ club, allows all of its members to make huge savings on dining out every year, whilst also sampling the great restaurants available as part of the tastecard portfolio. Implementing the tastecard benefit at your organisation is

completely cost free with little administrative burden, so if you’re looking for new ways to show your staff you value them, then look no further. Tastecard provides your employees with a unique way to make their salary go a little further and to still have those important little treats like eating out, even when times are tough. FOR MORE INFORMATION Tel: 0800 56 77 24 robwood@tastecard.co.uk www.tastecard.co.uk

Well Educated Banking www.lloydstsb.com/schoolbanking

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SCHOOL FURNITURE

E Although all school furniture suppliers need to move to the new standard, they are currently only advisory. However, everyone involved in the provision of furniture for children has a duty of care. To comply with the BSEN 1729 Standard, products must pass two components. The first is the size and shape of the products, and the second the strength and stability. In summary, schools should check the functional dimensions of the furniture they are looking to purchase, ensure correct ergonomics for children’s back care and make certain products will stand up to classroom demands. BESA furniture members are at the forefront of trying to get the new standard used extensively in schools. The group supply and supports all products that conform to all the relevant British Standards including EN1729 where relevant. Murray Hudson, sales & marketing director, Gratnells Ltd and and chair of BESA’s Furniture special interest group, explains further: “BESA members are committed to the provision of furniture which meets the highest and most up-to-date standards. BEFMG members work with European standards committees in the drafting of new standards. ERGONOMIC EXCELLENCE “An excellent example of this is the implementation of BSEN1729 – which recognises the importance of both ergonomic excellence and durability in use. BEFMG members have been at the forefront of the development of new products to match this standard – delivering products which support improved lifelong back care for our children, better academic outcomes through comfort which leads to improved concentration and outstanding value for money through product durability and life cycle costs.”

School Furniture

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Many considered that fixed height furniture enables children to sit with a reasonable posture, providing that a variety of sizes (two in secondary schools) is provided in each class, and that children sit on and at furniture relevant to their individual heights. Jessica Marshall, marketing manager, Remploy Furniture, designer and manufacturer of high-quality, built-to-last education products supports this by adding; “It is important for furniture suppliers to be committed to continually maintain and improve product standards - both British and European. Schools should look to credible suppliers who are BESA members to ensure they receive the delivery of quality and durable product in the modern testing classroom environment.” Christine Farmer, ABC Desks summarises: “We regularly see schools which have sadly based their purchasing decisions on price, only to find that not only do they break very quickly but that they do not provide a comfortable learning environment for the students. At ABC Desks our furniture lasts at least twice as long as any other on the market, so they are a sensible investment with a full seven year guarantee. As BESA members we are committed to supporting a positive learning environment.” BESA RESEARCH At BESA, our recent ‘Resources in English Maintained Schools’ research (January 2012) carried out in association with the National Education Research Panel (NERP) shows that schools are still investing in furniture,

and hopefully adhering to the BSEN 1729 Standard, with an estimated £78m spending across 2012/13. Although the research showed a reduction in expenditure in furniture of -3.9 per cent in primary and 4 per cent in secondary schools, the projected reduction appears to be less dramatic for 2012/13. Primary schools are predicting a 2.6 per cent reduction while secondary schools forecast a minimal reduction in furniture expenditure of just 1.6 per cent. Looking further into the research, it appears that the combined reduction in anticipated spending over the two-year period is less than that expected from resource expenditure as a whole, which means that furniture may not be one of the most significant casualties of any resulting reduction in school incomes. FURTHER INFORMATION When you are looking for furniture, visit www.besa.org.uk for details of the standards you should buy to and the companies to buy from (all BESA members must annually sign up to abide by the BESA Code of Practice). This will help you ensure that you get quality that will last and represent best value, and design that will minimise medical problems. L

Specifiers Index 2012/13 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

A revolutionary range of postural classroom furniture...

chair and desk Robust, stacking chair and tilt-adjustable desk. Chair can be supplied on a range of bases and beams. State-of-the-art plastics mouldings create durable, posturally correct and comfortable classroom solutions.

workstations For versatile and comfortable classrooms. Our unique saddle combines with a tilt-adjustable writing surface and either a fixed height or height-adjustable wheeled base (as shown).

saddle For music rooms, labs, ICT suites, art studios... Anywhere where a healthy, alert, comfortable posture can be of benefit to the performance levels of your students.

For news and details... www.aalborgdk.com

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

EDUCATION IS ALL ABOUT LEARNING

The focus on education, throughout the world, has never been so intense. Why is learning so important? Is it recession and the need to ensure employment, or is it our innate curiosity, to find reasons for climate change, to learn more about our world, how it evolves and the wonders of life forms? What is the difference between finding out and being told? Do children learn more from a few hours in a science or natural history museum or a week in the classroom? And why should the outside of a new school be more exciting than the inside? Is it the designer’s need to

impress or is it ignorance of the changing patterns of learning styles and technology? These and many more questions need answers if we are to understand why some countries manage achievement so much better than others. And it’s not just money. It’s often a simple matter of getting kids to take an interest. Having fun, wanting to explore, to climb trees, love animals, to be generous and not self centered. Loving parents who spend time with their children provide the best start, but pressures of work, of relationships or of behaviour are there

EVOLVING SCHOOLS Schools have evolved. Church schools were extensions of the Church. The preacher preached from a pulpit. The teacher told or taught the students. They faced the front and listened. Many still do. Compare what they actually learn with the evolving ‘finding out’ regime and the differences are clear. In-the-round learning with focus areas of study, pull down maps or charts, reversible and student accessible work boards around the room, are in great evidence in Scandinavia. These allow grouping of students to learn from each other, with often abilities, ages or even subjects widely different from neighbouring groups and in many cases numbers of 40 or even 70 controlled by one teacher. Cost effective, fun and producing splendid results. These are usually large areas needing desks and chairs to be quickly moved into large or small groups or swiftly stored. Workstations which are easily adaptable, lightweight or wheeled are essential. These are different from the rectangular tables and chairs and easy to vacate since the next resource might be across the room or outside (Scandinavians love this). WORKPLACE ABSENTEEISM Most employers will know that the large majority of absenteeism in the workplace is the consequence of back pain, 60 per cent in fact, of which a large proportion comes from office workers. Yes, those who sit at desks all day! The clear reasons for this problem, which has been increasing over the past forty years, is down to bad posture. Sitting too low at low desks and often poor computer screen heights resulting in kyphosis (rounded back syndrome). This stretches the supporting ligaments and soft tissues at the back of the spine and may also exacerbate potential disc prolapses. We keep hearing that back pain is increasing. We see that this occurring from as early as 5-6 years, and is getting worse. Instances of teenagers suffering are increasing and back pain without correcting bad posture can lead to a life long condition. So better posture is vital. Sitting higher, moving both on and off the seat. New furniture can and must be more comfortable. It will have to work hard and so should be robust and guaranteed for at least 15 years, store easily and, here’s a new one, look exciting to use. And did you know that research in Finland and Germany has shown that better posture equals better grades. L

Written by Anthony Hill DesRCA FRSA , managing director, AH07.com Ltd. suppliers of Aalborg equipment

Instances of teenagers suffering from back pain are increasing. If their bad posture is not corrected, it can lead to a life long condition, says Anthony Hill, managing director, AH07.com

for the school or society to overcome. We’ve become too protective - too addicted to ‘health & safety’ regulations, so that the fun I remember of cycling to school, of climbing trees or rocks, of exploring the country and of competition are absent too often today in England.

School Furniture

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATION – www.educationbusinessuk.net

FURTHER INFORMATION www.aalborgdk.com

Specifiers Index 2012/13 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

A Brother all-in-one printer covers your school perfectly. Our latest all-in-one printers are fast, flexible and economical.

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They print, scan, copy and fax in high-speed and high quality. Our printers can save you money by providing outstanding reliability and free technical support for life. Plus, with a compact design that’s ideal for classrooms or reception areas, they save you space as well. All this in a range that offers a host of features and functions, including network ready wireless printing and built-in security. With Brother all-in-one, it’s covered.

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Well Educated Banking www.lloydstsb.com/schoolbanking

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATION â&#x20AC;&#x201C; www.educationbusinessuk.net

PHYSICAL SECURITY

Security

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GETTING PHYSICAL Protecting the perimeter and buildings with physical security measures is essential in order to deter intruders. Physical security measures can be cost effective and play a vital role in securing educational establishments, writes James Kelly, Chief Executive of the British Security Industry Association (BSIA)

Schools vary in size with some small sites contained in a single building whilst others are stretched across multiple blocks and campuses. As they are frequently located among highly populated areas such as housing estates or town centres, sites are within easy reach of well-meaning staff, pupils, parents and visitors as well as deceitful intruders. Although the overall incidence of criminal activity in schools has dropped in the past few years - thanks to increased awareness amongst staff and parents and the introduction of sturdier security measures - acts of theft, vandalism and especially arson are still a reality. To avoid the nasty consequences that intrusions can have on schools, it is important to ensure the sites are equipped in a way that such breaches are effectively prevented. Physical security measures are the first and arguably one of the most important aspects of school security, as they serve as deterrent to criminals and are aimed at physically keeping intruders out of the vulnerable areas of the site. Ensuring the safety of staff and, in particular, students is paramount and educational establishments should endeavour to use quality equipment that complies with the relevant British Standard and Acts. As well as addressing physical security needs, the establishment of clear strategies, such as key control ones, should be given great consideration. PERIMETER SECURITY When protecting a schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s perimeter with physical security, a great deal of planning is required, particularly when it involves combining technological systems with other more traditional measures. In an environment where the flow of people entering and exiting the site must be monitored, it is important to ensure the perimeter provides meaningful physical barriers that will deter any sort of unauthorised access. Creating such barriers demands attention to a E

Specifiers Index 2012/13 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

construction & property consultants

A FOCUS ON EDUCATION EARLY YEARS, SCHOOLS, COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES

Our professional team has extensive experience working directly for primary and secondary schools, colleges, universities and city academies as well as via local education authorities, trustees and school boards. calfordseaden's design, project management, cost consultancy, engineering and sustainability expertise has been successfully engaged on an extensive portfolio of education and related sector projects. This portfolio includes: Nurseries, Sure Start and Children Centres Academies, Primary and Secondary Schools Colleges, Universities and Further Education Foyers, Community and Youth Facilities Student Halls of Residence and Keyworker Accommodation As experts in the sector, we seek to deliver schemes that meet all stakeholders' needs and embody the principles of inclusive design. We focus in delivering a service that captures the passion, expertise and quality required by our clients. We achieve this through close consultation and solid communication.

For further information contact Jo Parody on: T 01689 888222 E orpington@calfordseaden.co.uk St. Johnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s House, 1a Knoll Rise, Orpington, Kent BR6 0JX

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Well Educated Banking www.lloydstsb.com/schoolbanking

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATION – www.educationbusinessuk.net

PHYSICAL SECURITY

Security

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E variety of design considerations such as sufficient height and strength, the use of climbing impediments, secure ground fixing as well as the provision of clear areas to facilitate surveillance and maintenance. Security fencing comes in a variety of forms and should comply with the British Standard 1722-17: 2006 in order to ensure quality. To enhance the effectiveness of perimeter fencing, physical barriers must be underpinned by measures to detect, identify and react to intrusions. Combining physical security with other measures such as intruder alarms and CCTV will provide even tougher protection, for if a trespasser attempts to breach the barrier an alarm could be triggered to alert a monitoring centre of the intrusion. Clever landscaping can also be utilised to soften the look of fences and barriers, avoiding the risk of making school premises look more like prisons rather than places of learning. SINGLE ACCESS ROUTES Ensuring all visitor traffic is limited to a single access route is another way to secure the perimeter of a school. Signage highlighting entry points will direct foot and vehicle traffic to the clearly designated paths, ensuring more vulnerable parts of the buildings are not accessible by unauthorised people. Traditional gates can be used to secure these entrance points, and alternatives such as bollards can be employed to control vehicle access, by sinking into the ground or being removed when authorised vehicles approach the site. LOCKING INTRUDERS OUT Physical security measures are essential not only for the protection of perimeters, but also for the buildings themselves, externally and internally (locking rooms). Locks are the most basic of measures, and provide a fundamental layer of security, which will prevent crime by deterring criminals and slowing them down when trying to break in. A good quality lock can last for years; however, the popularity of this security product means that people often buy one that is inferior in quality under the misunderstanding that it will provide them with financial savings. High standards are essential when selecting and installing physical security. A quality lock, for example, should comply with BS 3621: 2007 and be specified to meet the requirements of the door or window that it is securing. Locks are useful for any type of building, particularly one where individuals all require access to different areas. Schools and colleges can offer accommodation to students and staff, therefore the categorisation of different internal areas, such as private rooms, designated communal areas, laundry rooms, to allow only authorised access is pivotal. One BSIA member worked with Canada’s Queens University to implement lodging security in their International Study Centre.

Combining physical security with other measures such as intruder alarms and CCTV will provide even tougher protection, for if a trespasser attempts to breach the barrier an alarm could be triggered to alert a monitoring centre of the intrusion. The requirements of the security system meant there was a need to ‘compartmentalise’ different parts of the residences, with specific access codes for different residents. Following a thorough site survey, a locking system was implemented which demonstrated all of the requirements: safety, restricting and zoning of areas, audit security trail and time efficiency were all covered by the system, as well a competitive annual expenditure. The success of the installation ensured the safety of staff and residents, and has resulted in further work being done to extend the project to the main reception, the main education centre, castle and accommodation blocks as well as the forthcoming extension. KEY CONTROL No matter how sturdy a locking system is, it becomes worthless without clear key control strategies. Unfortunately, however, the question of who has access or can get access to the keys is a consideration that is very often overlooked. It is important to remember that an unauthorised person gaining access to an area or premises using just a key can make any insurance claim invalid. By using a key, the intruder will have the advantage of leaving no evidence of a forced break in meaning it

could therefore be a considerable amount of time, if ever, before the unauthorised access is detected. This will put the school at a great disadvantage and may often end up with the school having to pay out for any losses. ADVICE Local police forces can provide clear guidance to schools as to the type of security breaches they are likely to incur and how these can be countered. Gloucestershire police, for example, have recognised the risks associated with school security, and has dedicated a whole page to its site highlighting the importance of physical security measures to avoid breaches. Moreover, employing reliable security consultancy services will confer schools the peace of mind that their premises security is being taken in hand by independent and experienced professionals. The British Security Industry Association (BSIA) is the professional trade association of the UK security industry. Its members produce over 70 per cent of the country’s security products and services to strict quality standards. L FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 0845 389 3889 www.bsia.co.uk/physical

Specifiers Index 2012/13 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Landscaping Ltd

We offer a full landscaping service using our own fully trained staff to ensure BEST VALUE At C R Swift Landscaping Ltd we pride ourselves in not just what we do, but how we do it. This ethos has lead to us winning numerous awards recognising our commitment to quality and the environment. These awards include: -Horticulture Week's “The Most Outstanding Contribution to the Environment” -BALI's “Principal Award for Land Renewal and Regeneration Scheme” -BALI's “Special Award for the Use of Recycled Materials”

Our wide range of services includes: • Grounds Maintenance • Highway Maintenance • Sports Field Drainage & Maintenance • Groundwork • Hard Landscaping • Soft Landscaping • Fencing & Paving • Playground Equipment • Plant Hire • Menage, Stable & Indoor Arena Construction • Wildlife Management • Design • Project Management • Wildlife Surveys • Tree Work

01277 840 732 Mobile: 07860 350 522 Tel:

www.swiftlandscaping.co.uk Greenwoods Farm, Crondon Park Lane, Stock, Essex CM4 9QS

Well Educated Banking www.lloydstsb.com/schoolbanking

ADMIN/ FINANCE & LEGAL

HEALTH & SAFETY

103

AUDIO VISUAL

HUMAN RESOURCES

103

CATERING

ICT

103

CLASSROOM

OFFICE EQUIPMENT

105

CONFERENCES & EVENTS

SECURITY

105

DESIGN & BUILD

SEN

105

EDUCATIONAL VISITS

101

SPORTS & PLAYGROUNDS

105

ENERGY

101

TELECOMS

105

ENVIRONMENTAL

101

TRANSPORT

105

FACILITIES MANAGEMENT

101

ADMIN / FINANCE & LEGAL Accountancy CBHC LLP 01708 333300 www.cbhc.uk.com Dains 0845 5558844 www.dains.com info@dains.com Ensors www.ensors.co.uk/academies helen.rumsey@ensors.co.uk LWA Chartered Certified Accountants 0161 9051801 MCA Cooper Associates 01226 767628 www.mcacoopers.com West and Foster 0114 2689950 www.westandfoster.co.uk Asset Management Real Asset Management 01689 892127 www.realassetmgt.co.uk solution@realasset mgt.co.uk Banking Investec Specialist Bank 01244 525406 www.investec.co.uk/education info@investeceducation.co.uk

Lloyds TSB 0800 6816078 www.lloydstsb.com/ schoolbanking

Arian Finance Limited 07768 960585 www.arianfinance.co.uk info@arianfinance.co.uk

EIS 1179299381 www.eisinsurance.co.uk info@eisinsurance.co.uk

LPT Payroll Services 01925 712712 www.lptpayroll.com payroll@lptpayroll.co.uk

Business Consultants Humphries Kirk Solicitors and arbitrators 01305 251007 www.hklaw.eu

Capital Solutions Group Ltd 0844 8009927 www.csg-lease.co.uk

Lark Insurance 01206 771415 www.larkinsurance.co.uk patrick.jolley@lark insurance.co.uk

Omega Payroll Services 01482 210142

SolStonePlus 01273 206555 www.solstoneplus.com info@solstoneplus.com SQA 0303 3330330 www.sqa.org.uk/ businessdevelopment mycenrew@sqa.org.uk Business Relocation Workplace Moves 01483 760800 www.workplace moves.co.uk info@workplace moves.co.uk Charities I CAN www.ican.org.uk/resources info@ican.org.uk Financial Consultancy Alliotts 020 72409971 www.alliotts.com

CEM www.cemcentre.org Fathom 01189 750044 www.fathom.co.uk info@fathom.co.uk Freeth Cartwright LLP 0845 6349800 www.freethcart wright.co.uk Soprano Solutions 020 73455140 www.sopranosolutions.com Symmetry 0117 9006262 www.symmetry.co.uk syminfo@symmetry.co.uk Syscap 020 82541870 Insurance Balens 01684 580776 www.balens.co.uk commercail@balens.co.uk

Unity Insurance Services 0845 0945702 www.unityinsurance services.co.uk info@unityinsuarnce services.co.uk

Payescape 0845 6740454 www.payescape.com info@payescape.com The CPS Group 0844 8545230 www.thecpsgroupltd.co.uk info@thecpsgroupltd.co.uk

Legal Services Bircham Dyson Bell LLP 020 77833548 www.bdb-law.co.uk

The Payroll Bureau 0161 9290200 www.payroll altrincham.com

Market Research Market Ed 0800 8620491 www.market-ed.com info@market-ed.com

Risk Management First Standard Ltd 01434 600547 www.firststandardltd.co.uk checks@firststandard.co.uk

Payroll eSlip 0800 0437547 www.eslip.co.uk payroll@eslip.co.uk

School Supplies Able For Schools www.able-for-schools.co.uk sales@able-for-schools.co.uk

Frontier Software 0845 3703210 www.frontiersoftware.com sales@frontiersoftware.com

Specifiers Index

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATION â&#x20AC;&#x201C; www.educationbusinessuk.net

Sponsored by

Dawson Books 01933 417500 www.dawsonbooks.co.uk enquiries@dawson books.co.uk

Specifiers Index 2012/13 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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

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

Twickenham’s inspirational setting gives students the chance to engage in fun learning towards real curriculum objectives. Offered in conjunction with an exciting Stadium Tour and informative journey through the World Rugby Museum, our education package promises a fun-filled day out for students and teachers alike.

BOOKING PROCEDURE

Please enquire as far in advance of a booking as possible to confirm availability. Our fun learning programme of Workshop or Seminar, Twickenham Stadium Tour and World Rugby Museum costs £8 per student. 1 accompanying teacher enters for free for every 8 students. Free orientation visit available for teachers.

EMAIL MUSEUM@RFU.COM OR CALL 020 8892 8877 OR VISIT RFU.COM/MUSEUM

Well Educated Banking www.lloydstsb.com/schoolbanking

GLS Education Supplies 0845 1203213 www.glsed.co.uk Slingsby www.slingsby.com Viking 0844 4120000 www.vikingschools.co.uk Solicitors Oxley & Coward company@oxcow.co.uk Paris Smith 023 80482252 www.parissmith.co.uk/ academies Rickerbys LLP 01242 224422 www.rickerbys.com Tollers Solicitors 01908 306950 Stationery 4Imprint 0800 0556196 4imprint.co.uk/ed RICOH 020 83281000 AUDIO VISUAL Information Display Nak Eco Displays 0800 3345730 www.nak-displays.com/ schools info@nak-displays.co.uk

CATERING Cashless Payment Systems sQuid 020 83392111 www.squidcard.com/ education education@squidcard.com Equipment Induced Energy 01280 705900 www.inducedenergy.com sales@inducedenergy.com Food Suppliers AtoZ Catering 020 83425000 www.atoz-catering.com sales@atoz-catering.com

Canford 0191 4181122 sales@canford.co.uk

MIC Hotel & Conference Centre 020 73800001 www.micentre.com

Roberts Limbrick 03333 405500 www.robertslimbrick.com mail@robertslimbrick.com

Youngs Seafood 07917 261403 www.youngsforchefs.co.uk

Milapfest 0151 2913949 education@milapfest.com

Vending Machines Eagle Vending 01634 722999 www.fairtradevending.co.uk info@eagletrading.co.uk

Music Practice Rooms.com 01732 371555 www.musicpracticerooms.com info@musicpracticerooms.com

Building Surveyors Calfordseaden 01689 888222 www.calfordseaden.co.uk orpinton@calford seaden.co.uk

Fairtrade Vending 01364 722999 www.fairtradevending.co.uk

British Thornton ESF Ltd 08705 329201 www.british-thornton.co.uk sales@british-thornton.co.uk

Video Production Affixxius Education 01509 815558 www.affixxius education.co.uk info@affixxius education.co.uk

BeatBox 020 88775860 www.ampcstudio.com

Kucel 020 84175519 www.kucel.co.uk

Mel Bay Music Ltd 0800 4320486 www.melbay.com salesuk@melbay.com

Childrens Food Trust 0114 2996901 www.childrens foodtrust.org.uk info@childrens foodtrust.org.uk

Interactive Whiteboards Hitachi 020 72466868 www.hitachisolutions-eu.com

RealSound and Vision Ltd 0845 8121122 www.realsound.co.uk info@realsound.co.uk

Awards For Young Musicians www.a-y-m.org.uk

Venues Crown Moran Hotel London 020 84524175 www.crownmoranhotel.com crowncb@moranhotels.com

DESIGN & BUILD Architects Richard Hopkins Architects www.richardhopkin sarchitects.com

Paradigm AV Ltd 01234 843388 www.paradigmav.com info@paradigmav.com

PA Systems PC Werth 020 87722700 www.pcwerth.co.uk pasystems@pcwerth.co.uk

Music ABC Music 01372 466195 www.abcmusic.com

KeyStrings 01270 883922 www.keystrings.co.uk admin@keystrings.co.uk

CLASSROOM Classroom Furniture Aalborg 07768 931016 www.ah07.com info@ah07.com

Olivetti 01908 547980 www.olivetti.co.uk

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATION â&#x20AC;&#x201C; www.educationbusinessuk.net

LIDR 01782 413600 info@lidr.co.uk Mount Industries 023 80612841 www.mount industries.co.uk Educational Resources Bamzonia 0845 5051750 www.bamzonia.com Kumon 0800 854417 www.kumon.co.uk People Can 0115 9484600 www.peoplecan.org.uk info.midlands@peoplecan.org.uk

Norfolk Music Service music.service@norfolk.gov.uk

Construction Bauder 0845 2718800 www.bauder.co.uk

Playchimes 00353 86563664 www.playchimes.ie info@playchimes.ie

Eco-Classrooms 01603 706296 www.eco-classrooms.com info@eco-classrooms.com

The Voices Foundation www.voices.org.uk

Elliott 0800 0858231 www.elliott.com/off-site

Westway Sound 020 89641728 www.westwaysound.com westwaysound@gmail.com Yamaha www.yamaha musiceducation.co.uk School Uniforms School Blazer 01832 280011 www.schoolblazer.com info@schoolblazer.com Science: Laboratory Equipment Lab Systems Furniture Limited 01482 444650 www.labsystems furniture.co.uk info@labsystems.co.uk CONFERENCES & EVENTS Event Management Forum Events 01992 374089 www.forumevents.co.uk

Faithful & Gould www.fgould.com Grant Westfield Ltd 0131 3376262 sales@grantwestfield.co.uk Morrco www.morrco.co.uk Primus Build Ltd 020 7330 9233 david.redfern@primusbuild.com Rollalong www.rollalong.co.uk

Waco UK Ltd 0800 3160888 www.waco.co.uk sales@waco.co.uk

Specifiers Index

Sponsored by

Construction: Canopies Canopies UK 01254 777002 www.canopies.com Interior Design Crown Paints www.crownpaintspec.co.uk ESA Mcintosh 01383 827223 www.esamcintosh.co.uk sales@esamcintosh.co.uk Innova Design Solutions 0161 4775300 www.innova-solutions.co.uk info@innova-solutions.co.uk JB Commerical Interiors 01933 411876 info@jb-interiors.co.uk Modular Construction Merlin Building Systems (GB) Ltd 01427 667400 sales@merlin buldingsystems.com Modular & Portable Buildings 085 2711902 contact@modularand portablebuildings.co.uk Outdoor Classrooms 0113 2569941 www.outdoor classrooms.co.uk R G Stones (Buildings) Ltd www.rgstones.co.uk SJ Stanberry & Sons Ltd 01945 870076 www.sjstanberry.com sales@sjstanberry.com T.Preece Timber Buildings 01299 272801 www.tptimberbuildings.co.uk Team Building Systems 01480 861166 www.teambuilding systems.co.uk info@teambuilding systems.co.uk

Rooftech 0800 0838964 www.rooftech.info

Wernick Buildings 0800 1481822 www.wernick.co.uk info@wernick.co.uk

The Learning Escapes 0800 9177726 www.thelearning escape.co.uk info@thelearning escape.co.uk

Windows & Doors Suppliers Britplas 01925 824317 www.safevent.co.uk sales@britplas.com

Specifiers Index 2012/13 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

So you want to be an Academy? Rickerbys’ Education team can help you... Free initial consultation

Members of our experienced education team are happy to meet with you without obligation to talk about the issues surrounding conversion.

Fixed Fee Academy Conversion For a fixed fee, we will work with you to ensure your conversion into an Academy goes smoothly and without delay. We will provide advice and support in the following areas: • • • •

• •

•

Creation of a new charitable company to form the Academy Trust Transfer of the assets to the Academy Trust Advice on constitutional issues in the Academy’s memorandum and articles Governance issues such as the identification of members and governors of the Academy Trust, and their legal obligations Advice on the terms of the Funding Agreement Investigation of the title to land and buildings and advice on the processes and documentation for passing ownership to the Academy The transfer of any contracts relating to the construction or alteration of school buildings including ongoing capital projects. Staffing issues, including transferring employees to the new Academy and consulting with trade unions where necessary Consulting with parents and other interested parties

•

Transferring the benefit of existing supplier contracts as well as software licenses and intellectual property

Training for Governors We are happy to provide a free training session for your governing body, to ensure they are up to date with legal developments and fully understand their role and responsibilities.

Continued support for your school

We understand that conversion is only the first step! We can help you maximize the opportunities that Academy status presents. These may include: •

Advising on the employment implications of operational changes

•

Procuring best value suppliers and ensuring optimal contractual terms

•

Reviewing your Admissions Policy

•

Assistance with construction contracts and building projects

We provide day to day legal support to over 200 education establishments offering good value, proactive advice on all the issues that schools commonly face. This can include HR and employment support, child protection matters, parental complaints, data protection, SENDA, compliance and regulatory guidance, commercial contracts and good governance.

Our Experience Our team has significant experience working with schools throughout the academy conversion process. We have successfully converted approximately 50 schools to academy status with a number of others in progress.

This has included a broad spectrum of schools with wide ranging issues including church schools, voluntary aided primary and secondary. We also have assisted ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ federations, foundation and community.

What Others Say About Us “The work and quality of the work that was put in by all of your team was of the highest order” ”You have all been absolute stars and there’s no way we could have achieved this without you. I cannot thank you or recommend you highly enough.”

If you are interested in our services or would like to be kept informed about our events for Academies or receive our free legal updates please contact alice.reeve@rickerbys.com.

“I am delighted with the support we received from Rickerbys.They more than met our expectations.They provided expertise, commitment and energy.They were utterly reliable.”

t:01242 224422

www.rickerbys.com @Rickerbys_LLP

Rickerbys’ Academies team

Well Educated Banking www.lloydstsb.com/schoolbanking

Geddes Windows and Doors 01487 831766 admin@geddeswindows anddoors.com EDUCATIONAL VISITS Coach Hire A Class Coach Hire 08000 433263 www.aclasscoachhire.co.uk bookings@acctravel.co.uk First National Coaches 0870 3832455 www.firstnationalcoaches.com coachhire@first nationalcoaches.com Conference Facilities European Study Tours 0844 5761956 www.euro-study-tours.co.uk estsales@eurostudy-tours.co.uk Health & Safety Barcode Data 0161 3300077 www.bcdata/cp/ulpupiltrak Leisure WST 01253 441900 www.wsttravel.com Museums RFU Museum 020 88928877 www.rfu.com/museum museum@rfu.com The MAD Museum 01789 269356 www.themadmuseum.co.uk Outward Bound Centres Brathay Trust 0844 2253100 www.brathay.org.uk Elements Outdoor Arts 01772 655455 www.elements outdoorarts.co.uk English Heritage www.english-heritage.org.uk Grafham Water Centre 01480 810521 grafham-water-centre.co.uk Highline Adventure 0845 4091303 www.highlineadventure.co.uk info@highlineadventure.co.uk Hindleap Warren Outdoor Centre 01342 822626 www.hindleapwarren.org Hindu Workshops 01555 728379 www.personalhinduism.com

Reach Out Plus 0845 2160081 www.reachoutplus.org The Scout Association 0845 3002548 www.scouts.org.uk/sac Ski Trips TUI Travel Plc 01273 265265 www.skibound.co.uk Tours Inspired Travel 01527 559375 www.inspiredtravel.net London Duck Tours 0845 4346013 www.london ducktours.co.uk Tours Designed 01246 570022 www.toursdesigned.co.uk mail@toursdesigned.co.uk Travel Providers The School Travel Company 0121 5042033 www.theschooltravel company.com ENERGY Associations ESTA www.esta.org.uk Consultants Couch Perry & Wilkes www.cpwp.com Elcomponent 01279 503173 www.elcomponent.co.uk sales@elcomponent.co.uk Energy Suppliers Ashdown www.ashdownenergy.com Management Systems D & L Electrical (NW) Ltd 0161 6334536 www.solar42.co.uk GG Eco Solutions 01223 651417 www.ggecosolutions.com ICIS Energy 01476 566564 www.icisenergy.com info@icisenergy.com

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATION â&#x20AC;&#x201C; www.educationbusinessuk.net Systematic Energy 01268 456162 cut.costs@systematicenergy.org.uk

Air Filtration BenchVent 01423 790039 www.benchvent.com

Total Environmental Management Ltd 01252 878722 www.totaleman.co.uk enquiries@totaleman.co.uk

Cleaning A1 Window Cleaners 07888 832658 info@a1window cleaners.co.uk

Trend www.trendcontrols.com

Ednam Cleaning Group 020 82424993 www.ednamservices.com info.ednam@gmail.com

Landscaping Products Trimax 01933 652235 www.trimaxmowers.com

Elite Cleaning & Environmental Services 0161 8606750 enquiries@eces.co.uk

Lighting Cost Saving Lighting 0161 7032272 www.costsavinglighting.co.uk sales@costsaving lighting.co.uk

Trust Renewable Energy Ltd 0800 1691610 www.solarschools.org info@solarschools.org Williams Renewables 07505 125922 www.williams renewables.com Products Beechdale Energy 01223 264520 www.beechdale-energy.co.uk Evance Wind 01509 215669 www.evancewind.com info@evancewind.com Green Energy For Education 01622 742735 www.greenenergy foreducation.co.uk hello@greenenergy foreducation.co.uk LED 4 Light enquiries@LED4light.co.uk PerPetum Sun 01482 227314 www.perpetum.co.uk info@perpetum.co.uk Prism Performance www.prismperformance.co.uk info@prismperformance.co.uk Sun Spirit 08455 198482 www.sunspiritltd.co.uk info@sunspiritltd.co.uk Sunergy 01922 418414 www.sunergy.ltd.uk info@sunergy.ltd.uk

Solen Energy UK 01726 862470 www.solenenergyuk.co.uk

ENVIRONMENTAL Asbestos Management Tersus Consultancy Limited 01708 555705 www.tersusgroup.co.uk info@tersusgroup.co.uk

Surrey Energy Ratings 0800 9550998 www.surreyenergyratings.co.uk enquiries@surrey energyratings.co.uk

Metering and Monitoring OHS 08713 843119 www.ohs.co.uk info@ohs.co.uk

HD Services 01252 315905 www.hdwindow cleaning.co.uk support@hdwindow cleaning.co.uk

Janes Pond Landscaping 01454 202679 info@janespond.co.uk Twig Education Lanscaping www.twiggroup.co.uk Ventrac Tractors 01256 461591 sales@baronessuk.com

The Rooflight Comapny 01993 833108 www.therooflight company.co.uk

Hygiene4Less 01284 810887 www.hygiene4less.co.uk info@hygiene4less.co.uk

Parking RTA Associates Ltd 01492 525055 www.rtaassociates.co.uk

ICS Solutions 247 024 76732151 www.icssolutions247.co.uk

Property Management Hagley & Warman Electrical Ltd 0800 7833577 www.hwelectrical.co.uk

Qualitis Healthcare Solutions 0845 2177750 www.healthcare.co.uk Cycle Parking Cycle-Works 023 92815555 www.cycleworks.com Lock It Safe 01472 346382 www.lockit-safe.co.uk

Specifiers Index

Sponsored by

Resource 0113 2607328 www.resource-group.com Signs Architectural Symbols & Signs Ltd 01922 454656 www.braille-signs.co.uk

Entrance Matting COBA Europe 0116 2401055 www.cobaeurope.com sales@cobaeurope.com

FACILITIES MANAGEMENT Signs Architectural Symbols & Signs Ltd 01922 454656 www.braille-signs.co.uk

Heating Autron 01787 274135 www.autron.co.uk

Variable Message Signs 0191 4237070 www.vmslimited.co.uk traffic@vms.co.uk

Hoval 01636 672711 www.hoval.co.uk

Washrooms AFPR 0161 9691199 info@clos-o-mat.com

Rointe 0845 6045987 www.rointe.co.uk rointe@rointe.co.uk

Amwell Systems 01763 276200 www.amwell-systems.com

Landscaping C R Swift Landscaping Ltd 01277 840732 www.swiftland scaping.co.uk

Twyford 01270 879777 www.twyfordbathrooms.com twyford.sales@twford bathrooms.com

Specifiers Index 2012/13 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

101

Well Educated Banking www.lloydstsb.com/schoolbanking

Venesta 01474 353333 www.venesta.co.uk HEALTH & SAFETY Consultants Handsam 0300 3337393 www.handsam.co.uk info@handsam.co.uk Safety Mark 0845 8732390 www.safety-mark.co.uk info@inhousesafety.co.uk Equipment Cardiac Science 0161 9260000 www.cardiacscience.co.uk Medpac 0845 0739430 www.medpac.co.uk Fire Safety Apollo www.apollo-fire.co.uk BAFE 0844 3350897 info@bafe.org.uk www.bafe.org.uk DESL 01252 710302 www.desl.org.uk info@desl.org.uk Drax www.draxuk.com Evac & Chair International Ltd 0845 2302253 www.evacchair.co.uk enquiry@evacchair.co.uk Geofire 01388 832252 www.geofire.co.uk info@geofire.co.uk Longcross 0800 9558360 www.longcrosssecurity.co.uk Safelincs 0800 6127938 www.safelincs.co.uk/jewel Thomas & Betts 0113 2810600 www.emergi-lite.co.uk emergi-lite.sales@tnb.com Thomson Fire Consultancy 01799 514900 www.firesurveys.co.uk info@firesurveys.co.uk Vtech 020 83941783 www.vtech.me.uk sales@vtech.me.uk

Flooring Dappa Flooring 020 86464232 dappaflooring@ btconnect.com Step On Safety Ltd 01206 396446 www.steponsafety.co.uk Hygiene Dyson Airblade www.dysonairblade.co.uk

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATION â&#x20AC;&#x201C; www.educationbusinessuk.net NUT CPD 020 73804719 www.teachers.org.uk/cpd nutcpd@nut.org.uk Pass Training Consultancy Limited 0843 2895581 info@passtraining.co.uk The Open University 0845 4505411 www.openuniveristy. co.uk/employer

HUMAN RESOURCES Incentives Charity Gift Vouchers 01323 848686 www.vouchers4charity.org.uk sales@vouchers 4charity.org.uk

ICT Broadband RM Education 08450 700300 www.rmeducation.com/ broadband/eb

One4all 020 76082008 corpsales@gift vouchershop.co.uk

Consultancy Lanway www.lanway.co.uk sales@lanway.co.uk

Tastecard 020 3300143 www.tastecard.co.uk benefits@tastecard.co.uk

M247 Ltd 0161 6151270 www.m247.com

Recruitment Eteach 0845 2261906 www.eteach.com Kellett School +852 25518234 www.kellettschool.com recruitment@kellett school.com Permanent Futures 0113 2050124 www.permanentfutures.co.uk Tutor Doctor 020 32399292 www.tutordoctor.co.uk Staff Protection Reliance Protect 0845 1210802 www.relianceprotect.com christine.camillier@ relitech.co.uk Staff Training A6 Training & Consultancy Ltd 07921 115678 www.a6training.co.uk Active IQ Academy 01480 467950 www.activeiq.co.uk/ apprenticeships Andy Vass Education Coach www.andyvass.net ASCL www.ascl.org.uk

Qualitas 020 3845680 www.qualitas-it.com info@qualitas-it.com The FITS Foundation 01532 740695 www.thefitsfoundation.org support@thefits foundation.org

Lego Education 0800 3345346 www.legoeducation.co.uk

OKI Printing Solutions 01753 819856 www.oki.co.uk/promotions

Mizaru www.mizaru.cm info@mizaru.com

Interactive Devices Epson www.epson.co.uk

Pearson www.imagine.uk.com

Internactive Schools www.interactiveschools.co.uk schools@tiarc.co.uk

Scholastic 0845 6039091 www.scholastic.co.uk/ classpet TTS Ltd 0800 318686 www.tts-shopping.com Weeras 34934462617 www.weeras.com Hardware Ash Distribution 0191 4183182 www.ashdistribution.co.uk sales@ashdistribution.co.uk

Faronics 01344 741057 www.faronics.com Frog Trade 01422 395931 www.frogtrade.com

Printer Cartridges HP www.hp.com/uk/toner

Parat www.parat.eu education@parat.eu

IML Technology 01623 726100 www.imltechnology.co.uk

SG World 01270 588211 www.sgworld.com enquiries@sgworld.com

Mitsubishi Electric 01707 278684 www.mitsubishielectric.co.uk displays@meuk.mee.com

E-learning BKSB 01623 413333 www.bksb.co.uk

Panasonic 0800 8409184

ILS 020 3557919 www.intelligentlecterns.com

Zyxel 0118 9121700 sales@zyxel.co.uk

Document Management Hamilton Asset Management Group 01344 401342 www.hamilton-am.com info@hamilton-am.com

Misco 0808 1816199 www.misco.co.uk/ business-it-deals education@misco.co.uk

Security Managed Services Centre www.msc247.com

Lapcabby 0115 9821771 www.lapcabby.com/edbus

Digital Signage Digital Signage 01254 503666 www.digitalsignage.net info@digitalsingage.net

Mind Connex www.mindconnex.xom info@mindconnex.xom

Casio www.casio.co.uk/projectors projectors@casio.co.uk

WYSE www.wyse.com bett2012@wyse.com

NEC 0870 1201160 www.education-nec.com

Y-cam 020 83347373 www.y-cam.com education@y-cam.com Software CDEV 02380 740990 www.cdev.co.uk info@cdev.co.uk

Sharp 07808 479170 www.sharp-world.com

Gladstone Education 01491 201010 www.gladstoneeducation.com

Tri-Tech 3D 01782 814551 www.tri-tech3d.co.uk

Group Call 020 85027344 www.groupcall.com

Viglen Limited 01727 201820 www.viglen.co.uk

NComputing www.e92plus.com/ ncomputing

Zigor 0844 8546264 www.zigor.com/uk

ParentMail 0844 3560000 www.parentmail.co.uk info@parentmail.co.uk

Hardware: Printers Brother www.brother.co.uk/ education

Specifiers Index

Sponsored by

Tribune 020 78700000 www.tribune.co.uk

Specifiers Index 2012/13 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

103

Specifiers Index

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATION – www.educationbusinessuk.net

Ubiquitous http://education. ubiquitousdesktop.com/ Software: Classroom Management European Electronique 0845 3458340 www.euroele.com Netsupport Software 01778 382270 www.netsupport software.co.uk education@netsupport software.co.uk Software: Educational Whizz Education 020 33286564 www.whizz.com/teachers Web 1&1 0800 1712631 www.1and1.co.uk Maxx Design 01635 521224 www.maxx-schools.co.uk design@maxx-design.co.uk Mondokiddo www.mondokiddo.com Riflebird 01423 546603 www.riflebird.co.uk info@riflebird.co.uk Web Anywhere 0800 8620491 www.webanywhere.co.uk OFFICE EQUIPMENT Office Furniture Woodwise Trading Ltd 01934 750084 www.sealwise.co woodwiseltd@btconnect.com SECURITY Access Control Access Security 01908 613326 www.accesssecuritymk.co.uk CLD Fencing Systems 01270 764751 www.cld-fencing.com Green Gate Access Systems 0845 6800269 www.greengateaccess.co.uk schools@greengateaccess. co.uk NSI 01628 637512 www.nsi.org.uk TDSi 01202 723535 www.tdsi.co.uk sales@tdsi.co.uk

104

CCTV Amission Solutions 08456 440701 www.amission.co.uk ID Cards DED Limited www.ded.co.uk ID Xtra 0800 0836053 info@idxtra.com Services Oakpark Alarms Security Services Ltd 01296 713010 www.oakparkalarms.com Vaults Fire and Security Ltd 0121 3545525 www.vaultssecurity.co.uk sales@vaultssecurity.co.uk SEN Associations and Consultancies Iansyst 0800 0180045 www.dyslexic.com Education Resources Five Minute Box 01442 878629 www.fiveminutebox.co.uk fiveminutebox@aol.com Logan Technologies www.logan-technologies.co.uk Turnabout 0121 2707266 http://turnabout.webplus.net response@turnabouteducation.co.uk Establishments Hesley Group 01302 866906 www.hesleygroup.co.uk enquiries@hesleygroup.co.uk RSDCM www.rsdcm.org.uk enquiries-rsd@rsdcm.org.uk The Holmwood School 020 89200665 www.thsl.org.uk nhuseyin@thsl.org.uk Sensory Equipment Hirstwood Training Ltd 01524 426395 www.multi-sensory-room.co.uk Inside Out Nature 0845 8057852 ww.insideoutnature.co.uk Mike Ayres Design 01359 251551 www.mikeayresdesign.co.uk enquiries@mikeayres design.co.uk

EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE | Specifiers Index 2012/13

Progress with Quest www.progresswithquest.com ROMPA 01246 211777 www.rompa.com Sensory Technology 08454 672504 www.senteq.co.uk Software Lucid Research 01482 882121 www.lucid-research.com sales@lucid-research.com Training Ace Consultancy Ltd 020 86941633 www.ace-consultancy.com admin@ace-consultancy.com ITN Mark Education 0161 3624460 www.itnmark.com enquiries@itnmark.com Teaching Assistant Centre 0844 3510098 www.teaching assistantcentre.com SPORTS & PLAYGROUND Activities Chill Factore 0161 7492218 www.chillfactore.com schools@chillfactore.com Hydro Fitness Solutions 01254 777002 www.hydrofitness solutions.co.uk Kingswood 01603 309972 www.kingswood.co.uk Playforce 01225 792660 www.playforce.co.uk Rock UK Adventures 0844 8000222 www.rockuk.org sales.info@rockuk.org Sutcliffe Play 01977 623200 www.sutcliffeplay.co.uk info@sutclifeeplay.co.uk Coaching 1st 4sport.com 0113 2015555 www.1st4sport.com Construction Chiltern Sports Contractors 01494 766673 www.chilternsports contractors.co.uk sports@the chilterngroup.co.uk

Sponsored by

Well Educated Banking www.lloydstsb.com/schoolbanking

Lightmain Co Ltd 01709 763410 www.lightmain.co.uk info@lightmain.co.uk Schoolscapes Ltd 01208 816620 www.schoolscapes.co.uk Spacio Tempo 01889 569569 www.spaciotempo.co.uk sales@spaciotempo.co.uk

amenity@dlf.co.uk Notts Sport 01455 883730 www.notssport.com info@nottsport.com Smiths Sports & Civils 01529 461500 www.smithsportscivils.co.uk info@smithssportscivils.co.uk

Equipment Garden Escapes 02897 564477 www.gardenescapesni.com info@gardenescapesni.com

Sports Surface Maintenance Ltd 01733 576749 www.sportssurface maintenance.co.uk info@sportssurface maintenance.co.uk

Jupiter Play & Leisure Ltd 0131 4457989 www.jupiterplay.co.uk info@jupiterplay.co.uk

Supaturf Line 01530 510060 www.supaturf.co.uk info@supaturf.co.uk

Kedel Recycled Plastic Products 01282 861325 www.kedeleducation.co.uk info@kedeleducation.co.uk

Terrain Aeration 01449 673783 www.terrainaeration.co.uk terrainaeration@aol.com

Precor 08448 480101 www.precor.com info@precor.com Technogym 01344 300236 www.technogym.com uk_info@technogym.com Universal Services 01621 868700 www.universal servicesuk.co.uk info@universal servicesuk.co.uk Lighting C U Phosco Lighting 01920 860600 www.cuphosco.co.uk sports@cuphosco.co.uk Surfaces Charles Lawrence Surfaces Ltd 01636 615866 www.charleslawrence surfaces.co.uk sales@charleslawrence surfaces.co.uk Collinson 0800 8401698 www.collinson.co.uk Desso Sports Systems 01235 557105 www.dessosports.com info@dessosports.com DLF Trifolium 01386 792715 www.dlf.co.uk

Thornton Sports 01282 777345 www.thorntonsports.co.uk info@thorntonsports.co.uk TELECOMS Services Providers BT 0870 4293020 www.bt.com Wireless Communications Multitone Electronics Plc 0845 2003361 www.multitone education.com nick.atkinson@ multitone.com TRANSPORT Minibuses MiniBus Direct 0845 2178619 www.taxi-direct.co.uk MiniBus Sales 01633 485858 www.minibussales.co.uk info@minibussales.co.uk Vehicle Leasing Mustard Vehicle Leasing 0800 4584188 www.mustardleasing.co.uk sales@mustard leasing.co.uk Vehicles Day’s Rental 0800 3897626 www.dayswheel chairvehicles.co.uk Renault www.renault.co.uk/freefuel

Ludbridge Mill, East Hendred, Oxfordshire, OX12 8LN | T: 0845 812 1122 | E: info@realsound.co.uk

LED Followspot

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High performance school hall sound, stage lighting and audio visual systems for musical productions, theatrical drama, music and movement, morning assemblies and presentations. 3 Creative system design to perfectly match your requirements and your budget. 3 Latest technology 3 Professional standards of installation 3 Full one-to-one operator training 3 Nationwide coverage 3 Our own unique FREE 3 YEAR WARRANTY

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Wireless Portable PA Exclusive Sound System Summer Offer Save over £150 on our wireless portable PA system Ideal for sports days, fetes and much more, this unbeatable package includes: 3 100W PA unit 3 CD/USB/SD media player 3 Two hand held UHF wireless microphones 3 Inputs for iPod, MP3, two cabled mics and music instruments 3 iPod connection lead 3 Integral re-chargeable batteries 3 Padded cover for safe transit 3 Weatherproof cover for outdoor use 3 Telescopic tripod stand 3 Our own unique FREE 3 YEAR WARRANTY 3 Immediate delivery 3 Headset or lapel microphones also available

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Advertisers Index

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATION â&#x20AC;&#x201C; www.educationbusinessuk.net ptional Touchscreen Sign In

Track Contractor Movement

orm visitors of your school regulations

Welcome. Identify. Safeguard. Comply.

oose your printed pass type: Paper, Plastic Card or Re-write cards

School Visitor Management Software

ked Out

Entry/Exit Barcode Readers

Record Accidents & Illnesses Print a record to take home

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Visitor Pass

Emergency Roll Call

Contractor Pass

Visit Prebooking & Notification

Haydon Park School

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Notice to all Visitors / Contractors Whilst on our premises the following must be observed

Kate

Instant Pass Printing

Melody Jones Teacher

Historic Reporting Valid Until 01/12/2012

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Accident Reporting

Health & Safety - Your safety and wellbeing during your visit are important to us. As a Visitor, you have a legal duty to care for the Health

and others. & Safety of yourself Re-Write ID Card Staff ID - If the Alarm should sound please leave the building by the Emergency Printing safe exit and proceed to the assembly point. Do not re-enter the nearest building until you are told it is safe to do so.

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VisIT ED combines visitor ID and appointments, staff booking-in, incident reporting and health and safety notices into one easy software program. PLEASE RETURN THIS BADGE TO POINT OF ISSUE

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ADVERTISERS INDEX

The publishers accept no responsibility for errors or omissions in this free service

106

A1 Window Cleaners

Forum Events

OHS 62

Sharpe 63

Active IQ

Geofire 51

Open University

SJ Stanberry & Son

AFPR 34

GG Eco Solutions

Oxley & Coward Solicitors 16

Solen Energy

AH07.com

HD Services

Parat EU

Tastecard 88

90, 91, IFC

Autron 34

HP 4

Parent Mail

Teaching Assistant Centre

Awards for Young Musicians

ICIS Energy

Paris Smith

Technogym 70

Bafe 48

Inspired Travel

Pass Training Consultancy

The Mad Museum

Bauder 84

ITN Mark Education

Permanent Futures

Thomson Fire

BDB Law

Kellett School

Precor 6

Tollers Solicitor

Bench Vent

Lanway

Real Asset Management

Total Environmental

Trend Controls

64, 65

Brother 92

Lloyds TSB

Real Sound & Vision

Calfordseaden 94

London Duck Tours

RFU World Rugby Museum

Tribune Business Systems

CBHC 16

Longcross 50

Richard Hopkinson

TTS Group

Collinson 30

M247 56

Rickerbys LLP

100

Turnabout Education

CR Swift

Mitsubishi 18

RM Education

66, 87

Crown Moran

Morrco Design

Rointe 102

Web Anywhere

Dappa Flooring

Mount Industries

Safelincs 52

West & Foster

DESL 53

Mustard Leasing

SB Payroll Services

Williams Renewables

Eco-Classrooms 38

Nake Eco Displays

School Blazer

Elcomponent 42

Ncomputing 60

School Food Trust

Work Place Moves

European Electronique

NEC OBC

Schoolscapes 68

Youngs Seafood

Faithful + Gould

Notts Sports

Scout Association

Zigor 56

Findel Education

Office Depot

SG World

EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE | Specifiers Index 2012/13

105

20 IBC 79 75 106

Venesta 86

Wilo 47

the first choice for independent schools Schoolblazer are now the leading supplier of uniform and sportswear to independent schools

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We would like to welcome our new partners for 2012 Abbey Gate

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Magdalen College

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Ackworth

Milton Abbey

Central Newcastle High

Newcastle School for Boys

Cheltenham College

Newcastle Church High

info@schoolblazer.com

Cokethorpe

Queen’s Gate

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RGS Newcastle

www.schoolblazer.com

King’s Ely

St Dunstan’s

King’s Tynemouth

St Neot’s

Lancing College

Warminster

Leighton Park

Westminster

STANDARD, WIDE AND SHORT THROW MODELS MULTI-PURPOSE ECO PROJECTION FLEXIBLE INSTALLATION AV MUTE SLIDABLE COVER OR BUTTON UP TO 6000 HOURS LAMP LIFE (ECO) MATCHED FILTER AND LAMP CHANGE

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+44 (0) 870 120 1160

www.education-nec.com

Copyright 2012 NEC Display Solution Europe GmbH. All rights are reserved in favour of their respective ownAers. This document is provided “as is” without warranty of any kind whatsoever, either express or implied.

* FREE 5 Year Extended Warranty Available - For full terms and conditions contact NEC Displays Solutions