Education Business Magazine issue 15.2 by Public Sector Publishing

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VOLUME 15.2

DESIGN & BUILD Taking the Soft Landings approach PLUS BSEC 2010 review

SCHOOL SECURITY

CATERING

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

ENERGY - Simple ways to cut carbon as well as costs PLUS LOTS MORE INSIDE

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VOLUME 15.2

Spring seems to have arrived, finally, and with it a Budget and a new fiscal year. Alistair Darling will deliver the Budget against the backdrop of an economy slowly emerging from recession – what will this mean? Cuts in public services are expected but we don’t yet know how severe these will be. As always, value for money is important for educational establishments but how do you ensure this? Throughout EB’s pages we try to guide you through several of the issues of running a school and introduce you to some of the services and products available to make this less of a struggle.

DESIGN & BUILD

ings approach Taking the Soft Land w PLUS BSEC 2010 revie

SCHOOL SECURITY

to cut ENERGY - Simple ways EB 15.2 Pages 1-124.indd

CATERING

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

PLUS carbon as well as costs

LOTS MORE INSIDE 19/03/2010 11:16

Enjoy the issue.

editor@psp-media.co.uk

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

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

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PRODUCTION CONTROLLER Julie White PUBLISHER Carol Symons ADVERTISEMENT SALES Paul Beech, Anna Wyatt, Jade Fisher GROUP PUBLISHER Barry Doyle SALES ADMINISTRATION Jackie Carnochan ADMINISTRATION Charlotte Casey, Victoria Leftwich REPRODUCTION & PRINT Argent Media

© 2010 Public Sector Information Limited. No part of this publication can be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any other means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the publisher. Whilst every care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the editorial content the publisher cannot be held responsible for errors or omissions. The views expressed are not necessarily those of the publisher. ISSN 1362 - 2541 THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATION

Education Business | Volume 15.2

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CONTENTS EDUCATION BUSINESS VOLUME 15.2

07 NEWS

53 DESIGN & BUILD The Building Services Research and Information Association focuses on Soft Landings and Post Occupancy Evaluation

11 FINANCE The Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy writes on financial strategy and the role of resource allocation

Stoke-on-Trent City Council has announced another major step forward in its Building Schools for the Future programme

19 SCHOOL INSURANCE What should be considered when choosing or revising your school’s insurance cover?

23 BETT 2010 What happened at BETT this year? Ray Barker of BESA has the answer

We take a look at what happened at this year’s BSEC

Simple and cheap measures could allow schools to use less energy, save money on their energy bills and also reduce their carbon emissions, says the Carbon Trust

29 ICT The Training and Development Agency for Schools considers the school of the future Once teachers realise the benefits of using Virtual Learning Environments, they will never turn back, finds Linda Mort Dr Stephen Lucey from Becta investigates the impact of ICT on school carbon footprints and the measures that can be adopted to help reduce energy

41 AUDIO VISUAL TECHNOLOGY

Finding the upfront investment for energy efficiency projects can be difficult for schools, writes Salix Finance

47 SECURITY The British Security Industry Association explains how access control technology can protect schools A survey of parents’ views on crime and security in schools has revealed their concerns

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FACILITIES MANAGEMENT Andrew Manning gives an overview of facilities management in the education sector

83 INTERIOR DESIGN Furniture is often an afterthought when it comes to construction projects and can result in schools looking uncoordinated, says Favourite Cat

There has been further development recently in the use of audio visual equipment in schools, says BESA Toby Lewis, managing director of The Live Group plc, discusses the potential for video conferencing in the classroom

ENERGY

CATERING NIVA National can help the education sector with its vending questions and needs The School Food Trust’s Fresh Look Guide advises on how to improve kitchen efficiency using small amounts of capital funding A national study carried out by the School Food Trust has found that the lunches taken by pupils in 2009 were healthier than those of children four years earlier

CASHLESS CATERING Patricia Fellows, former Chairman of the Local Authority Caterers Association, looks at the benefits of introducing cashless catering systems in schools

100 LEGIONELLA PREVENTION The Water Management Society gives an overview of water management in educational establishments

103 HEALTH & SAFETY What’s stopping us from taking learning outside the classroom?

105 OUTDOOR LEARNING Learning through Landscapes discusses its project to encourage schools to grow a traditional fruit orchard in the school grounds

107 SCHOOL TRIPS We shouldn’t let the recession or fear of litigation stop school trips, says David Holloway from the Education Travel Group

108 PHYSICAL EDUCATION It’s game, set and match as The Tennis Foundation helps making tennis accessible for all

111 CONFLICT MANAGEMENT Consistency is the key to behaviour transformation, says the Institute of Conflict Management

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Student energy efficiency campaign saves 1,000 tonnes of CO2 ver 80,000 students at 33 universities across England have been gaining top marks for energy-efficiency as part of a national campaign to encourage students to reduce energy consumption. The Student Switch Off campaign, run in partnership with the National Union of Students, has seen halls of residence within universities competing against each other to save energy. During the first term of the campaign, electricity usage in the halls reduced by an average

of 8.0 per cent, cumulatively saving over 1,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere and over £150,000 in electricity expenditure. The savings have been brought about largely as a result of the actions of the Eco-Power Rangers – students in halls who have pledged to use their energy carefully. Actions include switching off lights and appliances when not in use, putting lids on pans when cooking and not overfilling their kettles – and encouraging their friends to do the same.

NEWSINBRIEF New guidance on violence against females Teachers and professionals working with children and young people will have new support and guidance in cracking down on violence against women and girls. The government has confirmed plans to revise training for new teachers and to include violence against women and girls in the PSHE curriculum from 2011. This change comes after a report from the Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Advisory Group. The recommendations include all schools to receive guidance to help prevent and respond to violence against women and girls, and all young people to be taught about gender equality and VAWG in PSHE as part of the national curriculum. Teachers will also be given clear advice on how to deal with suspected cases of violence against women and girls in their schools.

McDonald’s offers BTec qualification Fast food giant McDonald’s has teamed up with exam board Edexcel to develop a BTec certificate which will require youngsters to complete a ten-day placement in a restaurant and complete work in school. The certificate is fully accredited and equivalent to one GCSE at grade B or C. The ten-day placement adds up to the 80-hour study requirement for regular BTec certificate and will see teenagers cover issues such as team working and communication skills.

Teen mums find it difficult to re-enter education oo many teenage mothers abandon career ambitions and resign themselves to a low income lifestyle because they face barriers getting back into education, says children’s charity Barnardo’s. A report published by the charity highlights truancy, bullying and difficulties at school as common experiences for teenage mums. 70 per cent of young mothers are not in education, employment or training (NEET) compared with about ten per cent of 16-18 year olds generally. Many young mothers interviewed for the report ‘Not the end of the story’ had never been officially excluded but

schools had put pressure on them to drop out over health and safety fears. Other mums interviewed dropped out due to schools’ lack of support and flexibility regarding their pregnancies. In some cases there were no offers of home tuition or alternative teaching arrangements. The report recommends that every effort is made to keep teen mums in education and ensuring that certified exemptions come from medical professionals only. It also calls for publicly funded childcare on-site or nearby for all teenage mothers returning to education or training and for the upper age limit for the Care to Learn benefit to be extended.

£5m to provide more primary schools with school business managers More primary schools will benefit from access to school business managers thanks to £5 million government funding. The new scheme will help schools make their money go further as school business managers have been shown to save schools up to £30,000 a year. The DCSF will provide the National College for Leadership of Schools and Children Services £5 million to fund 250 school business managers next year, each working with four or five schools. A further 250 school business managers will be provided in each of the following three years. The announcement means that schools across the country will now have access to school business managers working to save money in clusters of primary schools, free consultancy support on how to save money and advice, and guidance from the DCSF and National College on partnership working, procurement and delivering value for money.

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Learn with dogs Dogs Trust is the UK’s largest dog welfare charity, caring for over 16,000 dogs every year. By educating the dog owners of tomorrow, we hope to reduce the number of stray, abandoned and ill-treated dogs in the future Dogs Trust’s Education Programme offers FREE workshops to primary schools Our exciting class workshops. . . • Are carried out by enthusiastic Education Officers based around the UK. • Our Responsible Dog Ownership and Safety workshops link closely to the curriculum. • Involve various interactive and experiential learning activities for pupils. • Are flexible to suit your needs - tailored to a curriculum focus, individual learning levels, timescales etc. • Includes a furry classroom assistant - Education Officers can bring their own canine companions along to class to bring lessons to life! • Are completely FREE! If you would like more information or would like to book a FREE education workshop, please call 0207 833 7656 or e-mail educ@dogstrust.org.uk.

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More support for teachers working with the severely disabled chools minister Ed Balls has pledged more support for trainee teachers who want to work with severely disabled children. The announcement comes in response to a major review of the supply and recruitment of teachers of children with severe profound and multiple learning difficulties by Toby Salt. The review, commissioned by the government in September 2009, calls for more to be done to attract and retain teachers who want to teach disabled children in special schools and mainstream schools. Schools Secretary Ed Balls has announced there will be open

discussions with Teach First to bring top graduates into schools, particularly special schools, allowing them to gain the skills they need to teach severely disabled children. Mr Balls also announced a new six-month specialist course for new teachers to enable them to be better prepared for their first job working with children with learning difficulties. New training on teaching children with severe learning difficulties will also be developed by the TDA to ensure that every teacher has access to the quality professional development materials that they need to develop their skills.

Competition to get children involved in healthcare science choolchildren are being encouraged to become the NHS scientists of the future through an exciting new competition called Diagnose it. Students will be asked to carry out a creative project on the work of healthcare scientists with the winning entries receiving one of four laptops and an invite to meet the Chief Scientific Officer in person.

The competition is being launched as part of Healthcare Science Awareness Week which highlights the behind-thescenes work carried out by scientists in the NHS, with the aim of promoting their careers to school children. To help with the competition, schools will be able to interview NHS Healthcare Science Ambassadors and will have access to a resource pack and promotional material.

Guidance to help professionals spot early gang activity ew guidance has been made available to teachers, youth workers and children’s social workers to help them spot the signs of early gang activity. The guidance ‘Safeguarding children and young people who may be affected by gang activity’ will help all professionals working with children and young people by highlighting signs to look out for such as anti-social and aggressive behaviour, permanent

exclusions and substance misuse. The guidance outlines what action professionals should take if they feel a child is at risk, including referrals to social workers, police or charities, and further advice on supporting the whole family to prevent young people getting involved in a gang. Overall, it will support earlier intervention with those at risk of becoming involved in gangs. The guidance is available at www. publications.everychildmatters.gov.uk.

NEWSINBRIEF Shakespeare learning gets active New Shakespeare assessments for 11 to 14 year-olds have been launched which will help young people engage with selected texts in a meaningful and interesting way. The new teaching and assessment initiative, launched by the Qualifications & Curriculum Development Agency (QCDA) and schools minister Diana Johnson is called ‘Active Shakespeare: Capturing Evidence of Learning’. These assessment materials will help bring Shakespeare to life for young people. Teachers will now have a resource of fun, imaginative and challenging activities they can use to teach the works of Shakespeare.

Map marks-up extended school services The Training and Development Agency has launched an Extended Services Google Map Mashup, designed to help schools share details of their extended services. This comes as a result of TDA research revealing that almost a third of parents know very little or nothing about the out-of-hours activities and services offered through their child’s school. Nine pilot schools have uploaded a full description of the extended services they offer onto the map. Schools and clusters across the country are being encouraged to follow suit to build a full picture of extended services across England. The TDA’s Google Map Mashup can be viewed at www.tda.gov.uk

Report calls for tough action on school place fraud A report into parents who cheat to get their child into a school calls for whistleblowing hotlines to be set up. The report by England’s Chief Schools Adjudicator, Ian Craig, also calls for councils to make random checks on 10 per cent of applications to cut fraud. Where a family is found to have cheated to get their child a school place, the adjudicator says local authorities should have a duty to withdraw the place from a child. In his response, Schools Secretary Ed Balls says he supports the idea of random checks and other deterrents but does not want to criminalise parents, and that no child should be punished for their parents’ actions. He says before a child is removed from a school an appeal should be heard within two weeks.

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Education Business | Volume 15.2

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FINANCE

FINANCIAL STRATEGY AND RESOURCE ALLOCATION Kirsten Gillingham, independent consultant and chair to CIPFAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Further and Higher Education Panel, examines the background to and purpose of financial strategy in further and higher education, and the role resource allocation plays in it YOU MAY THINK THAT A STRATEGIC approach to financial planning and management would be accepted as common sense for any organisation. However, in some sectors the development of an organisationwide, systematic management of financial policy and practice has taken longer than in others. The Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) provides support and advice to its members and other senior finance staff across public services, with advice on financial strategy playing a key part.

Institutions should have a financial strategy that reflects their overall strategic plan, sets appropriate targets and performance indicators and shows how resources are to be used. To remain sustainable and financially viable they should also assess, take and manage risks in a balanced way that does not overly constrain freedom of action in the future

FORECASTING & PLANNING In local authorities and health trusts financial planning is a well-developed discipline, driven by the fluctuating levels and purpose of government grants, and their direct impact on policy programmes and staffing levels. Medium term forecasting, sensitivity analysis, scenario planning and risk management

have been built into financial strategy approaches over a number of years. Historically, universities and further education colleges have been led and managed by academic staff, with administrative staff supporting the delivery of education but not represented at a senior management level. This has changed significantly over the past

two decades, and developing an integrated, strategic approach to finance has been part of this change. Indeed, in 2008, the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) made it clear in its financial memorandum with universities: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Institutions should have a financial strategy that reflects their overall strategic plan, sets appropriate targets and performance

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Education Business | Volume 15.2

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FINANCE

indicators and shows how resources are to be used. To remain sustainable and financially viable they should also assess, take and manage risks in a balanced way that does not overly constrain freedom of action in the future.” During the last decade, the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) has also developed its requirements for financial planning information from further education colleges. In 2005 its planning guidance made it clear that “the three-year financial plan should be an integral part of each college’s own strategic and threeyear development plans, as it expresses in financial terms the cost of implementing those plans and shows the income and expenditure associated with projected levels of activity”. PUBLISHED GUIDANCE HEFCE published guidance on financial strategies for universities and colleges in 2002 (Financial Strategy in higher education institutions, Good Practice Guidance, June 2002/34). This defined the purpose of financial strategy as answering the question: “How can we achieve and sustain our distinctive mission and positioning in the current funding and financial environment?” The same publication offered a series of checklists to prompt debate and thinking in an institution to help governing bodies and senior management teams to create financial strategies that are fully linked with business of the organisation, and which consider the many variables and assumptions that a financial strategy should allow for and anticipate. The guidance showed how a financial strategy is interlinked with all the other business and resource strategies for a university or college. A financial strategy is founded on an institution’s financial forecasts. Working from the operational plans across the institution, the finance department needs to create a forward projection of ‘best guess’ income and expenditure in detail for 3-5 years and perhaps 10 years ahead in outline. The projections also need to cover the bottom line, cashflow and the balance sheet and to look at the financial sustainability of the operational plans. Elements of the balance sheet and cashflow should be projected even further, to pick up future estate and infrastructure investment needs, and the shape of the loan and investment portfolios. Universities and further education colleges are in business for the long term – the oldest institutions date back to the 12th and 13th centuries. This initial financial forecast is the starting point for financial strategy. The resulting figures may highlight where the margin on activities is changing, and where action is needed to change plans to keep a course or subject or faculty financially viable. Or the picture for the whole institution may show where resources will need to be shifted to allow for re-investment in particular areas at different times. The financial strategy sets the shape and targets for balancing

Part and parcel of a financial strategy are the procedures, policies and tools which the finance function will use on a daily basis to monitor, influence, control and change what budget holders and administrative staff are doing when ordering, spending, invoicing, costing, pricing and managing their resources THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATION

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FINANCE

competing needs within the institution, and should also ensure that the institution has the tools and information that managers need to manage the finances to achieve their plans. MORE THAN A PLAN A financial strategy should not be simply a plan. The strategy itself should consider how the forecast financial position will be achieved: a strategy is part planning and part implementation. Part and parcel of a financial strategy are the procedures, policies and tools which the finance function will use on a daily basis to monitor, influence, control and change what budget holders and administrative staff are doing when ordering, spending, invoicing, costing, pricing and managing their resources. The resource allocation model is one of these tools. Income for further and higher education does not relate directly to its costs. For example, teaching is not charged to recover costs. Instead, it is linked to the numbers, type and subject of students or learners, and the level of funding is decided nationally on a range of indicators. Research or commercial projects may be charged closer to cost recovery levels, but some of the agencies funding such work are allowed to assume that core central government funding pays for part of the academic infrastructure, so not all costs can be recovered. Some work

can be charged at a profit, but this is in a competitive marketplace, and cost models need to be rigorously maintained to ensure that academic staff know, understand and take responsibility for the full costs of such work. As in any business, each pound of income pays for the direct cost of teaching or research delivery plus the indirect costs of the administration and infrastructure of the whole organisation. The role of the resource allocation model is to ensure that the crosssubsidies between activities are known, but also that they are actively managed. One faculty or course may be making a profit on full cost and total income, but this profit may be needed to subsidise a course or faculty where teaching methods or materials require innovation or re-investment. One area of research may not be recovering its costs, but the developing body of knowledge or national profile may link to new income from other sources. The resource allocation model has to make sense of the current and desired future levels of cross-subsidy, in line with the institution’s strategic priorities. CIPFA supports it members and finance colleagues in the further and higher education sectors through a dedicated panel of volunteers with an interest and expertise in these sectors. The Panel has recently completed a revised edition of Resource Allocation Models in Further

and Higher Education: A Compendium which revealed a variety of approaches being used to resource allocation across different institutions. This would be expected, since every institution’s financial and business situation will be unique. The work also revealed that the principles underlying resource allocation clearly show that institutions are linking these methods with their overarching financial strategies and aims. CIPFA’s panel agreed that models which are open and equitable, with timely and accurate information, are the most effective, whatever strategy is being pursued. The panel supports work on financial strategy through publications on further and higher education finance, and in producing guidance for members of governing bodies working on finance committees. Financial strategies are developing quickly within the sectors and the public spending reductions ahead will make the effective interaction between strategy and the tools of finance more important than ever. CIPFA’s Further and Higher Education Panel is currently working on a revised guide to higher education finance and this features an in depth chapter on financial strategy. The volume will be published later this year.

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FINANCE

A NEW ASSET FOR EDUCATION As demand for up-to-the-minute IT equipment increases, how do education institutions keep up? One answer is to look to leasing. Barclays Corporate, in partnership with Equigroup, offers an excellent package of leasing solutions for both hardware and software within higher education GONE ARE THE DAYS WHEN STUDENTS copied notes from a blackboard and produced handwritten essays. And it’s difficult to believe that the onset of modern technology is anything but a good thing. However, the escalating pressure on colleges and universities to keep apace with this technology means that there’s an increasing focus on budget management, cashflow, and cost savings. CASHFLOW MANAGEMENT Historically higher education institutions would pay cash for assets. But as more premises are opened and requirements continue to grow, asset finance has become a more and more attractive proposition. Most higher education institutions now also have several sites, and it’s increasingly common for international partnerships to result in overseas developments too. Laptops, desktops, audio visual equipment, telephony, servers and software are all ideal for leasing, usually over a 3-5 year period. This is in line with the Learning and Skills Council recommendations. After this, the cost of maintaining the product actually outweighs its value, so by updating and refreshing the equipment regularly cost savings are made. This is naturally top of the list of requirements for many institutions that are looking for financially compelling leasing offers. Leasing is also an obvious way to support budget management and cashflow. Organisations that purchase equipment often find they put off replacing it for many years to avoid a big spend, something which is mitigated through leasing. In our times of economic uncertainty, financial planning is even more of a key factor in education, and regular, steady payments for good quality equipment are being welcomed by colleges and universities. DATA CLEANSING & DISPOSAL Asset management and disposal is another clear advantage to leasing equipment. With collection and disposal services available, it’s one less thing to think about. Disposal is either through remarketing or recycling, in line with the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) directive. In recent times, both security and environmental awareness have become increasingly important to higher education institutions, and they are offered peace of mind through standard regulation disposal procedures and data cleansing processes. All data is wiped from hard drives of computers and functioning equipment is then sold on to emerging markets. Most laptops, for example,

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FOR MORE INFORMATION To find out more, call us today on 0800 015 1874 or visit www.barclayscorporate.com for more information

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26819.001_Eccles_PenPot_Educ_Mar10_125x86_v3_. 09/03/2010 11:09 Page

Education insurance. From schools to universities, you’re in good hands

Balens Specialist Insurance packages for Educational Establishments, Charities & the Not-for-Profit Sector Regular site surveys & detailed risk reports provided at no extra cost A personal friendly service, from a 4th generation family run company established in 1950 with over 60 years of service advice and support, providing specialist comprehensive cover at competitive rates. For more information on Balens, please visit our website

www.balens.co.uk

Telephone: 01684 580771 Fax: 01684 891361 Email: info@balen.co.uk 2 Nimrod House, Sandy’s Road, Malvern, WR14 1JJ

from experts who care... Balens and H & L Balen & Co are Authorised & Regulated by the Financial Services Authority

Thousands of the nation’s educational establishments are already insured with Ecclesiastical. Ask your insurance broker about us or visit www.ecclesiastical.com/ingoodhands

www.progressive-finance.com

School Insurance Experts to the education sector for Insurance & risk management For a quotation please call Educational Insurance Services on

0117 929 9381 St Lawrence House, Broad Street, Bristol BS1 2HF Educational Insurance Services is a trading name of Hayes Parsons Ltd and is Authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority

technology

Growing demand for Budgets under scrutiny Demands on management time Confusing finance market Progressive Technology Finance CSG provides unrivalled choice and service in the educational sector allowing you a real alternative to captive finance companies working with technology vendors, who often have their own agendas. Our consultative approach ensures you can acquire the latest technology at a competitive whole life cost with predictable and simple upgrade options.

sales@progressive-finance.com or 01689 806970

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INSURANCE

WE’VE GOT IT COVERED In this article, David Balen, managing director of Balens Ltd looks at what should be considered when choosing or revising your school’s insurance cover

Insurance has become more and more regulated over time, and whilst this has signalled more public protection and a facility to resolve conflicts with insurers, it has also meant greater complexity in procedure and documentation IN MY 40 YEARS’ EXPERIENCE IN THE insurance industry, I have seen a very varied selection of claims involving many traumatic, sometimes bizarre situations. When I first entered the industry, its public image inspired mixed feelings, some good, others negative, formed by believing that insurers “take your money but always try to avoid paying out for a claim if they can”. This somewhat simplistic view has some basis in fact, but as often as not, a frequently recurring problem in the settlement of any claim, is that of underinsurance. The other main cause for discontent is that an insurance policy is a legal document and as such has various strands and elements of the contract, some quite obvious and others implied or buried within the wordings which can affect whether a claim is paid or not. Fraudulent claims have also taken their toll over the years, and as insurance is based on utmost good faith and trust between the parties concerned, insurers can take a pessimistic view of a claimant if they have any doubts about an insured, in order to protect the collective fund of money that is formed by all policyholders paying them premiums regularly. Nevertheless, the overwhelming intent is to pay claims and pay them in a timely and reasonable fashion.

Claims problems can often be ironed out with good will, using if necessary any strength of the relationship which may exist between an insurer and the broker or intermediary involved. HEADACHE In recent years insurers have taken great pains to make their contracts easier to understand, in more simple language, and backed up by information booklets, some of which are models of clarity and include the salient facts that you need to know. However, insurance has become more and more regulated over time, and whilst this has signalled more public protection and a facility to resolve conflicts with insurers, it has also meant greater complexity in procedure and documentation. This in turn has given clients more of a headache in navigating through it all, and understanding the various issues involved. My aim in this short article is to try and unpick some of the more important strands you need to know and understand when revising or choosing your cover, and to pinpoint particular areas of concern that should be addressed. Obviously I cannot cover all the angles in the space of this article and every educational establishment will have differing needs requiring a customised insurance programme to protect

their assets and people. Whilst you should always take professional advice, certain general principles will hold true for most organisations. ROLE OF THE PROFESSIONAL ADVISOR Ideally your insurance advisor should be an outsourced extension of your staff (without the employment costs and legislation!), blending in seamlessly, yet keeping a weather eye on the changing needs of an educational establishment and ensuring that correct covers and procedures are in place. Site visits should happen regularly to spot any changes or risk management issues that should be addressed and if necessary, reports submitted to provide the necessary audit trail. All combined policies will typically insure claims involving fire, storm, flood, bursting or overflowing of water apparatus, malicious damage, explosion, impact from road vehicles or aircraft, theft and damage caused by theft. In addition it is now common to incorporate an “All Risks” extension to include such incidents as: accidental damage, loss, breaking, staining, scratching and so on. There are options to include damage caused by terrorism at an additional premium. If buildings are not insured on an All Risks basis, it may be prudent to consider including subsidence or landslip cover, at an additional cost. Usually there is an excess to keep down small claims typically £250, but sometimes £500 and higher. There can be a trade off for reductions in premium the higher a voluntary excess is taken. WHAT PROTECTION Some schools do not rely on private income and therefore may not need Business Interruption cover, as they are state funded, but it is wise to check with the education authority that they will continue to pay wages and any additional expenditure in order to keep the school and staff. For those institutions relying on their premises to derive regular income, sums insured for Business Interruption (also known as Consequential Loss or Loss of Profits cover) should be carefully considered, and ideally in conjunction with their accountants and insurance brokers. There needs to be enough money to not only pay for retention of staff and profit to maintain viability, but also to cover unexpected and necessary additional expenditure to reduce the effect of the catastrophe on the turnover. As if this wasn’t enough, a factor for potential growth in income should be built in to cover say up to at least two years trading to put you back in the same position you were before the claim took place. Although provision can be made in advance for growth, it is an inexact science and regular reviews are preferable as underinsurance here can have particularly catastrophic effects and

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Professional Liability Insurance for the Education Sector.

COBRA Insurance Brokers Limited RUGBY - a specialist independent insurance broker providing insurance solutions to the education sector to protect the legal liabilities of governors, directors, council members, officers or trustees of educational establishments or consultancies.

A partner you can trust Contact: Claire Russell COBRA Insurance Brokers Limited RUGBY 23 Cromwell Rd, Rugby, Warwickshire CV22 5LP

Tel: 0845 686 0260 Fax: 0845 686 0262 Email: claire@cobrarugby.co.uk Web: www.cobrarugby.co.uk and www.indemnitas.co.uk

COBRA Insurance Brokers Limited are authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority. Reference No. 307980. COBRA Insurance Brokers Limited is registered as a company in England and Wales No. 03233679. Registered Office: 110 Fenchurch Street, London, EC3M 5JT

Education Business | Volume 15.2

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INSURANCE

an inadequate claims settlement may cause permanent closure in a worst case scenario. The buildings and contents are the major investment and asset. Valuations on the building it is assumed are regularly carried out, but remember these must be rebuilding/ reinstatement – valuations and not sale valuations- there can be quite a difference between the two. Bearing in mind the greater use of technology in schools, and the propensity to buy new kit on a regular basis to keep pace with developments and growing needs ideally there should be an inventory and administrators should advise their brokers on a regular routine basis of changes, revisited at annual review dates. UNDERINSURANCE Let’s look a little closer into a typical policy wording relating to underinsurance. A standard clause that has appeared for as long as most in insurance can remember is called “Average”. It doesn’t appear on most other types of policy such as motor, household, income protection etc, but it does in commercial property and business interruption insurance. Simply put, if you are underinsured, you will not get what you are claiming. You will get a proportion. The proportion is based on the percentage calculation between what you should have insured for and what you did insure for. There may be mitigating circumstances, but in the majority of cases underinsurance is not negotiable, and complaints to the Ombudsman on this aspect usually fail. Apart from regular reviews, it is important to keep an audit trail so that in the event of a claim, possibly serious, where your records may have been destroyed, you can show to a Loss Adjustor (the firm appointed on behalf of the insurer to deal with your claim) that you have thought about this aspect regularly and have based your sums insured on best possible estimations. There is always a little bit of give and take in negotiations, but you can at least

show that you have been diligent and have not been attempting to avoid paying higher premiums by underinsuring. Let us now turn to the various aspects of liability insurance. public liability covers damage or injury caused to others and / or their property for which you could be held legally liable. This extends to products liability for goods, products etc supplied (including food and drink), sold, serviced, demonstrated etc. Employers Liability covers allegations of negligence causing injury to employees (damage to their property may come under the public Liability section). Extra clauses provide for many other aspects too numerous to mention here, but importantly include Health and Safety Prosecutions, Corporate Manslaughter allegations, although many policies may exclude abuse. There are risks to you as the hirer of your property to others who may use or rent your space. There are risks inherent in peripatetic teachers who may or may not be self employed and may or may not be insured themselves. Sums insured for this liability cover are never easy to be definitive about, but certainly an absolute minimum should be £10,000,000 and £20,000,000 a preferable minimum. Children or adolescents are at the start of their lives, so awards for serious disabling conditions could be based on having to pay for care and take account of inflation etc until the end of their lives. WHAT ELSE? Travel insurance and school trips are another area where a close inspection of the small print pays dividends. On inspecting a potential client portfolio last year we asked them what activities they practised when on school trips. Abseiling, potholing, kayaking and other hazardous activities were part of their programme but excluded on the travel policy. It is easy to overlook these little details sometimes! Abuse is an emotive issue, and one that is not

David Balen

always satisfactorily covered. Whilst no insurer wants to encourage it by insuring against it, equally people need to be defended against an allegation, even if cover may cease once it is obvious that there is no defence. There are a few ways that this can be insured, as well as other types of Criminal Defence such as Discrimination, Data Protection, HRMC Investigations, plus Disciplinary Hearings, Industrial Tribunal Hearings and Awards and Free Legal or Employment Helplines etc. Lastly in this brief article, we have to mention some of the lesser understood types of cover such as trustees, governors and, financial indemnity risks, professional indemnity, fidelity guarantee, kidnap risks etc. These are hard to easily summarise here, but we expand a little on some of these heads of cover on our website. www.balens.co.uk. Where would you be without regular computer or car maintenance? Ok for a while until a problem comes along out of the blue! Prevention can be easier than cure, and whilst there is no doubt that a good risk management programme can help offset potential problems in the future, there is no substitute for an effective risk transfer programme via a well thought out and regularly maintained insurance solution.

Ecclesiastical Insurance – an insurer you can trust HEN IT COMES TO protecting your education establishment, you need the support of a specialist insurer – one you can trust. Established in 1887, we’ve been serving the education sector for over 40 years. We also give all our available profits to charity – making us the 7th top corporate donor in the UK.1 For the last three years running, insurance brokers have voted us the best insurance provider for education.2 From nurseries through to universities, we know that each education provider

is unique in its own way. That’s why we can tailor your insurance cover to meet your specific needs – helping you rest assured that you are properly covered. Backed by specialist advice and guidance and an excellent claims service, whatever the size or nature of your education

establishment – you can be confident that, with Ecclesiastical, you’re in good hands. 1 Source: Directory of social change 2 In research conducted by FWD, an independent market research company, of those brokers who named an insurer in the survey, the majority voted Ecclesiastical as the best insurer for education.

FOR MORE INFORMATION To find out more about how we could help you, speak to your insurance broker or visit www.ecclesiastical.com/ingoodhands

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Apple in Education

Complete solutions for 21st-century learning

For decades, Apple has helped to simplify technology, empower educators and inspire students. Supporting the best in education philosophy, Apple continues to deliver innovative products that are ideal for teaching and learning. Via our accredited ASE (Apple Specialist in Education) resellers we are able to help you create a 21st-century learning environment and let all your students discover their own special genius.

Top 3 Reasons for Apple in Education

By offering a complete solution, JTRS Ltd can “hand hold” you through the initial stages from installation, support to even training the teachers to ensure your school is making the most of this technology. JTRS Ltd is able to offer various ways to finance your school requirements and as an independent reseller are able to provide our own choice of packages which suits your own budget. Also, as a Catalyst partner we are able to supply any of our products via the Government approved purchase scheme making purchasing from us even easier

2. The most compatible and interoperable technology platform. With the ability to run applications such as Microsoft Office (sold separately), connect to any network infrastructure, share files with PCs and even run Microsoft Windows, today’s Intel-powered Mac computers provide the ultimate compatibility with a PC environment.

JTRS Ltd, an ASE for over 4 years has helped many schools achieve these objectives and ensured that the students have had the latest technology available to them enabling them to learn across all platforms available today.

Should you be interested in finding out more about Apple in your classroom, please feel free to visit our website or contact any of our sales team. Tel: 0844 870 0435 / www.jtrs.co.uk / sales@jtrs.co.uk Northern Office: BCR House, 3, Bredbury Business Park, Stockport, Cheshire SK6 2SN Southern Office: The Forum, 277, London Road, Burgess Hill, West Sussex RH15 9QU

1. Technology that advances learning for a new generation. The Mac is designed to develop the creative and critical-thinking skills important for today’s learners. With iLife, Apple’s award-winning suite of digital authoring applications, students can produce meaningful digital projects that demonstrate understanding and unleash creativity. And with the built-in Universal Access accessibility features in Mac OS X Leopard, all students can be productive instantly

3. It just works. Mac OS X Leopard provides a familiar interface, consistent menu commands and tight integration between applications. Plug in a printer and it works. Connect a digital camera and iPhoto opens, ready to import photos. Mac OS X Leopard automatically detects wireless networks without any special configuration. The Mac is easier to learn, use and maintain, which means more time focused on teaching and learning.

Education Business | Volume 15.2

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BETT 2010

LEARNING THROUGH TECHNOLOGY Ray Barker, director of BESA, gives an overview of BETT 2010, the biggest educational technology event in the world FOLLOWING ON FROM LAST YEAR’S event was always going to be difficult. BETT 2009 was the highest ever attended show, with over 30,000 teachers and school leaders coming along to see plenty of exciting new launches into the educational technology market. Without a doubt, BETT 2010 had a lot to live up to. BETT 2010 fell during the worst winter to face Britain in 30 years, and with a snowstorm hitting London and the rest of the UK on the opening day, we were expecting visitor numbers to be significantly down this year. However, educators from both here and abroad made the effort to make it to the show regardless, and those that couldn’t get through on the opening day came along later in the week. I don’t think I’ve ever seen the halls of Olympia so busy on a Thursday or Friday of BETT before – and the figures certainly reflected it, with over 29,700 visitors over the four days of the event. The feedback we’ve had since the doors closed has been overwhelmingly positive, with nearly everyone that we’ve talked to saying that this has been the best BETT yet. WHAT HAPPENED AT BETT? For those that didn’t make it to the show, there were once again a number of exciting exhibitor launches, both big and small. The seminar programme at BETT is always a highlight, and this year the show was opened by a Ministerial address on Wednesday morning by Schools Minister Vernon Coaker who discussed the ‘Home Access’ scheme, developed to provide all learners with access to computers and the internet. He also acknowledged how industry was very much a stakeholder in the education process – a part of the solution, especially in the history of ICT in schools. As founders and co-organisers of BETT, BESA holds an annual keynote seminar, which took the form of an educational debate hosted by leading journalist Merlin John. Discussing various hot topics, panellists included BETT Award winner Prof. Stephen Heppell, Prof. Angela McFarlane, award-winning teacher Tim Rylands and 2Simple’s founder Max Wainwright. Each year, BESA also hosts the main show Information Point to help visitors find their way around the show, and to find exhibitors, resources and seminars that might help them with their current school needs. As the trade association for the sector, BESA also represents 340 educational suppliers, many of whom exhibit at the show.

ABOUT BESA BESA, the British Educational Suppliers Association, is the trade association representing over 300 educational suppliers in the UK, including manufacturers and distributors of equipment, materials, books, consumables, furniture, technology, ICT hardware and digital-content related services to the education market. With 75 years of experience, BESA offers unparalleled support, research,

events and advice on both UK and international markets, and the future of the education supplies industry. BESA is focused on promoting and providing support and advice to their members, the industry and to schools. BESA has a Code of Practice to which all members must adhere, along with a stringent membership process, both of which assure buyers of a high standard of quality in both product and customer service.

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Visit the website to view the categorised product finder

Successful BETT Show sets up huge interest in AVerMedia’s educational visualisers EADING EDUCATIONAL visualiser manufacturer AVerMedia has noticed an increased interest in their visualisers following an extremely successful BETT 2010. The show, said to be the worlds largest education technology event, attracted visitors from far and wide, with many making tracks to the AVerMedia stand. “From the very first day, despite the wintry weather, we were inundated with visitors wanting to find out more about our visualisers” said AVerMedia marketing manager Nigel Roberts. “In these times where maximising budget and return on investment are critical, visualisers can save schools money as teaching assistants no longer have to photocopy handouts for every pupil and the educational benefits of spontaneous presentations due to the immediacy of the product are well documented and supported by industry leaders,” he added. AVerMedia used the BETT Show to launch three exciting new additions to their range, all of which now come with autofocus as standard. “We believe in giving our customers what they want and following feedback from users up and down the country, we have completely revised our product portfolio for 2010 in line with our ethos of offering easy

to use, practical, user friendly products” commented Roberts. “From the entry level CP155, offering 3.2MP camera and 16 x zoom, to our V355AF, which features 80 x zoom and ‘one-touch’ recording to USB stick, we believe our products give end users the features they want, in a simple package” he added. In addition to the increased features available on AVerMedia products, they have also included a full 5 year Warranty for complete peace of mind. AVerMedia is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of visualiser technology and over the past 10 years has been paving the way in gaining the acceptance of visualisers in the UK and Europe. Working closely with specialist educational products distributor, Steljes, together with a national network of dedicated resellers, they have established excellent working relationships with ICT specialists and LEAs around the country. This has allowed AVerMedia to understand the unique requirements of the education sector and incorporate this feedback into their Visualiser range.

FOR MORE INFORMATION The AVerMedia V355AF Visualiser, featuring ’one-touch’ recording to USB stick

Tel: 01908 371772 E-mail: sales.ukppd@avermedia.com Web: www.avermedia-europe.com/uk

The essential tool in the Modern classroom! Having an AVerMedia Visualiser in your classroom makes learning memorable, fun, engaging and spontanteous! Our recently introduced CP155 can connect to virtually any projector or whiteboard to provide a striking visual element to your lessons. Our new range is packed with useful features such as autofocus, 16 x zoom and a market leading 5 year warranty. To find out more about these great products, contact our friendly sales staff now!

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Education Business | Volume 15.2

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BETT 2010

schools putting their money aside for a rainy day, and not using current funding to invest in the future of today’s learners. Withholding spending now comes at the detriment of current learners. If we are to become a competitive economy and make Britain the best place in the world for young people to grown up as per the government’s objective, then investment in education and technology will be key.

A GLOBAL APPROACH As technology makes it easier to connect with others beyond our school gates, BETT has grown to become an increasingly global event, with visitors and exhibitors coming from every corner. This provides great opportunity for UK schools and leaders, as ideas are shared both on stand, in seminars and in fringe like TeachMeet. This is the real value of BETT; the ability to come together and learn from each other, and take new ideas back to our own classrooms and workplaces. To help support the development of links between the UK and international industry, this year BESA sponsored the International Lounge to encourage participation and attendance from those coming from overseas. WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? With visitor numbers at the last two shows the highest ever, despite the end of ringfenced ICT funding in 2008 (e-learning credits), educators continue to be very interested in

testing the latest ICT solutions and seeing how they can be embedded in the classroom. Funding has been allocated to schools for ICT through the Harnessing Technology Grant, but now schools have a greater say over how they wish to allocate future funding. At BETT, we saw schools using the exhibition as an opportunity to explore all the options available to them, and find the resources that can best fulfil their requirements according to their own school development needs. School decision-makers are, however, acting cautiously to ensure they don’t suffer too much in the future. In 2009 it came to light that some schools were leaving money in bank accounts after implementing spending moratoriums, rather than using it to procure resources and update facilities as needed for today’s learners. In response, the government warned schools they risked local authority funding claw backs if they didn’t start using their allocated funds. It’s clear that what we don’t want to see is

CURRENT ICT NEEDS Overall, there are anticipated to be 2.5 million computers in schools during 2010. ICT leaders consider there to be a need for 3.2 million computers to fully implement ICT development plans, a figure which has doubled since 2003. With teachers indicating that they still have ICT needs, and the research also finding that teacher confidence in using ICT is dropping, BESA feels that it has never been more important to help support educators to embed the most fit-for-purpose and best value ICT resources into our schools to help raise standards and enrich learning. When BETT 2010 opened its doors to nearly 30,000 visitors, it also opened doors to a new world of personalised learning and one of greater shared knowledge. I hope to see you at next year’s event – BETT 2011 will return to Olympia in London from Wednesday 12 to Saturday 15 January. If you are looking for new resources between now and BETT, visit the dedicated Ed Zone on the BESA website (www.besa.org.uk) to compare educational suppliers and resources – all of which adhere to BESA’s strict Code of Practice offering schools best value and high quality.

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

Mac support and training services for the education sector E ARE AN EXPERIENCED and friendly team of support, technical, training and consultancy specialists. We are united by our desire to help schools and colleges make the most of their Apple technology. Whether that be by giving you a reliable partner to whom you can outsource critical areas of support or by developing the knowledge and skills of users and technical staff, we will help you identify the support path that suits you best. Established in 1986, we are fortunate to have a wonderful client base from all parts of the British Isles who regularly rely on us for their support and training needs. Our experience across many industry sectors allows us to bring best practice solutions to all of our clients. Our specialist recruitment practice routinely search out and supply the best candidates for technical roles at all levels of expertise.

Now as established and published developers of iPhone Apps we are looking at ways to help schools leverage this new technology from collaboration tools to revision apps. Establishments looking to introduce app development to a technical curriculum may benefit from our SDK development training courses.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Contact us to learn about our partnership approach and special offers for education. Tel: 020 8660 9999 Fax: 020 8763 9332 E-mail: support@amsys.co.uk Web: www.amsys.co.uk

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Amsys_PSP_ad_125x86mm:Layout 1 12/02/2010 09:42 Page 1

Quality Work Stations At Clearance Prices 3 Prices include delivery and installation 3 Free floor planning and design service

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Can’t find what you’re looking for? Please contact Billy Lancaster on 01782 416465 or 07976 647270 or see our website www.ofcstaffs.co.uk to discuss your requirements 04 OFC DMHouse, Range_Education Business:Layout 1 1/10/09 Unit 2, Hewitts Site, Victoria Road, Fenton, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 2HS

10:40

support@amsys.co.uk

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High-quality audio processing at your fingertips Work and play with the stylish DM stereo digital recorder range from Olympus. Record every important detail then enjoy audio books, podcasts and music during breaks. The perfect pocket companion. 2GB1 and 4GB2 internal memory Five storage folders and one music folder, plus automatic archiving and synchronisation Enhanced voice guidance making navigation a breeze Versatile recording quality options, including high quality PCM recording Podcast function with bookmarking for easy stop-and-go listening Customisable playback speed of 50-200% 1. DM-450. 2. DM-550.

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OFC Staffs Ltd bring strategic desk and office furniture solutions to education and business

FC STAFFS LTD SPECIALISES in the manufacture supply and installation of desks and office furniture in education and business space, from a small project of two or three desks right through to multi floor installation of desks workstations dividers chairs and storage. Buying your furniture direct from us will save you money and assure you acquire the highest standard of customer service and quality of product while being supported with free space planning and consultancy right through to the final installation of your furniture. This will be undertaken by our in house, experienced installation team. To ensure we meet your project needs OFC Staffs Ltd. has a vast product range to suit all requirements, we can assure that in an ever changing market place our ability to supply and install your furniture at short notice with minimum disruption is welcomed by our clients. Refurbishing classroom or office space can be a daunting task, here at OFC Staffs Ltd we make the process of purchasing your new furniture easy and convenient, as a result we offer a free no obligation computer aided design and planning service where we visit your premises, measure and design your project space based on your needs and specifications, at this stage we take into account lighting,

power and data points and make sure health and safety and fire regulations requirements are met giving you peace of mind that the furniture you purchase will fit and meet your needs. Draft designs can be ready within 48 hours of your initial contact with us. Being experts in the safe transportation of furniture we offer a site move service here we ensure that your furniture is transported to your new site safely. For all of your furniture needs we offer strategic solutions for education,

business, conference and hospitality projects. Please contact us, we will be pleased to speak with you about any project you are considering or call us to take advantage of our free floor planning service.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Tel: 01782 416465 Fax: 01782 417568 E-mail: bill@ofcstaffs.co.uk Web: www.ofcstaffs.co.uk

Apple in education – complete technology solutions for 21st-century learning

OR DECADES, APPLE has helped to simplify technology, empower educators and inspire students. Supporting the best in education philosophy, Apple continues to deliver innovative products that are ideal for teaching and learning. Via our accredited ASE (Apple Specialist in Education) resellers we are able to help you create a 21st century learning environment and let all your students discover their own special genius. JTRS Ltd, an ASE for over four years, has helped many schools achieve these’ objectives and ensured that the students have had the latest technology available to them enabling them to learn across all platforms available today. Tim MorganHoole, managing director for JTRS Ltd has chosen his Top 3 reasons why Apple have aligned themselves so well to education: Top 3 Reasons for Apple in Education 1. Technology that advances learning for a new generation. The Mac is designed to develop the creative and critical-thinking skills important for today’s learners. With iLife, Apple’s award-winning suite of digital authoring applications, students can produce meaningful digital projects that demonstrate understanding and unleash

creativity. And with the built-in Universal Access accessibility features in Mac OS X Leopard, all students can be productive instantly 2. The most compatible and interoperable technology platform. With the ability to run applications such as Microsoft Office (sold separately), connect to any network infrastructure, share files with PCs and even run Microsoft Windows, today’s Intel-powered Mac computers provide the ultimate compatibility with a PC environment. 3. It just works. Mac OS X Leopard provides a familiar interface, consistent menu commands and tight integration between applications. Plug

in a printer and it works. Connect a digital camera and iPhoto opens, ready to import photos. Mac OS X Leopard automatically detects wireless networks without any special configuration. The Mac is easier to learn, use and maintain, which means more time focused on teaching and learning. By offering a complete solution, JTRS Ltd can “hand hold” you through the initial stages from installation, support to even training the teachers to ensure your school is making the most of this technology. JTRS Ltd is able to offer various ways to finance your school requirements and as an independent reseller are able to provide our own choice of packages which suits your own budget. Also, as a Catalyst partner we are able to supply any of our products via the Government approved purchase scheme making purchasing from us even easier.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Should you be interested in finding out more about Apple in your classroom, please feel free to visit our website or contact any of our sales team on the number/e-mail below: Tel: 0844 870 0435 E-mail: sales@jtrs.co.uk Web: www.jtrs.co.uk

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From the fog of information, clarity... Today, the ‘powers that be’ ask you to deliver environmentally, operationally and financially. All at once. Mutually contradictory demands? Not necessarily. What if we were able to show you a way of reducing your carbon footprint ...and at the same time enhance the efficiency of operations by speeding the flow of information, all for less than it currently costs you to produce, distribute and store that information?

We offer answers to every document management need – from simple archive storage of physical documentation to integrated document management solutions.

Book your FREE paper file audit – where one of our experienced consultants will visit your site, help assess your requirements and answer any questions you may have.

Call us on 0845 604 0080 or visit www.capita-tds.co.uk

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ICT

NEXT GENERATION LEARNING Graham Holley, chief executive of the Training and Development Agency for Schools, considers the school of the future IN TODAY’S SHIFTING EDUCATION climate, few people would assert that a teacher standing in front of a class is the only effective way of helping children to learn. Encouraged by the Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA), to pursue a more creative curriculum in both primary and secondary schools, teachers are exploring different ways of developing independent learners, creative thinkers and great team-players. Urging schools to think about how they can adapt to this changing world, the TDA recently conducted a poll of over 1,000 pupils aged between five and 11 for their thoughts on what schools will be like in the future. Of those we spoke to over half of the children quite rightly thought that schools in the future will be totally different from today, believing that classrooms will be accessed from anywhere in the world and lessons will link up with children in other countries via satellite.

FUTURE LEARNING METHODS Pupils, even at a young age, predicted that the learning methods in the future will look very different from todays’ envisaging virtual lessons attended remotely via webcam. They also predicted that specialists such as artists, writers, or professional sportsmen or coaches would be sharing the classroom with the ‘traditional’ teachers we have in place today. This, they thought, would place a greater emphasis on more personalised learning. While some of the ideas did seem rather far-fetched, the TDA is already working on a number of related or similar initiatives to improve outcomes for pupils. For instance, work is under way to ensure that every secondary school pupil in England will benefit from having a named personal tutor by this time next year. This will help deliver the more personalised learning and support today’s pupils expect to see in the future. Many schools

are also developing and improving teaching and learning by linking up with schools in different countries, bringing external experts into classrooms and encouraging pupils to have an input in the design of their lessons. NEXT GENERATION LEARNING For those of us whose responsibility it is to deliver the next generation of education, it’s encouraging to see that primary and secondary pupils are anticipating new and innovative approaches to education for the future. It’s clear they value an inspiring, personalised, interactive and technology driven approach toward teaching. Even at a young age, children are proving to be very good at identifying these qualities as important for teaching in the future. When this kind of approach is supported by new technology, which excites and engages children, it helps to draw them in further. A combination of personalised learning and new

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technology, for instance, was at the heart of a cutting edge virtual learning environment pioneered by the Armathwaite First School in Cumbria. The school set up a passwordprotected online learning environment in which children log on and post questions that they want answering. Questions may be linked to something they are learning at school or a particular topic of personal interest and members of the environment, mostly parents, teachers, and members of the local community, provide feedback and answers. This personalised enquiry-based approach towards learning enables children to take ownership of a project and encourages them to think on their feet, solve problems independently, develop key communication skills as well as forging essential contact channels with the outside community and preparing them for a life outside of the classroom. Meanwhile, Peases West Primary School in

County Durham has worked closely with a school in Japan since 2007. Teachers from both schools have been on exchanges at different times to learn about the similarities and differences in the schools. The schools have a Private Talk Board – like a social network – where pupils can leave messages for each other and the schools can link up to share information and ideas. The two schools work on projects together so at the moment, they are growing plants together and are tracking the progress. Innovations such as these are exciting for education and contribute to improved results, helping to open up pupils’ minds, increasing their self-belief, whilst allowing for schools to adapt to the changing needs of their pupils. LOOKING FURTHER AHEAD Suppose, however, instead of educating children and young people for today’s world, we look further ahead to the time when

they become adults and set our sights on that – on a world perhaps 10 or 20 years from now. What kind of education will be needed then? What sort of curriculum, schools, teachers? And, since our particular task is to support teachers’ professional development, what kind of initial preparation and CPD are we going to need for the education professionals of the second and third decades of the 21st century – never forgetting that many of them are already in post. Questions like these formed the basis of the TDA’s Futures project, an exercise spearheaded by Professor Mike Newby which involved hundreds of people across the country. People recognised the huge benefits advances in technology could bring to education, but also voiced some caution. Education was not, in their view, something which could be undertaken entirely through the medium of the computer terminal, but a flesh-and-blood process where people get together in the same space and learn from each other. So, the challenge for future educators will be to learn how to tame the power of virtual reality in the lives of children and understand how we support teachers in their use of technology. The future teacher will have to shoulder the role of intellectual and moral guide as much as (and probably more than) that of subject expert. This is a formidable task, but an exhilarating one. Predicting the future, of course, is notoriously unreliable. We only have to look back to the 1970s to witness the prediction that only three computers would be required worldwide, for example; or to the 1960s to witness predictions that we would shortly be living on the moon in fetching silver jumpsuits. As Douglas Adams observed: “The best way to predict the future is to build it.”

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

Using Geographical Information Systems (GIS) in schools IS IS BECOMING a much more accessible tool for managing and analysing data in a wide range of areas. This is reflected by the growing use of GIS technology in education and specifically in secondary schools. The use of GIS requires training to ensure that the data is used appropriately and effectively and a real understanding of GIS and its uses and benefits gained. GIS247 is an on-line training solution that provides access to training in ArcGIS for a range of different levels. Training is provided as a series of quality presentations, InVision video of software plus

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For further information visit our web site where you can sign up for a free trial of the GIS training. Tel: 0115 933 6633 Fax: 0115 933 6634 E-mail: info@GIS247.com Web: www.GIS247.com

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ICT

EDUCATING DIGITAL NATIVES Teachers should not be nervous about embracing Virtual Learning Environments as they have the ability to enrich learning and teaching on many levels, finds Linda Mort, educational director of Child’s Eye Media JANUARY’S HEAVY SNOW DIDN’T disrupt learning at Grays School in Newhaven, East Sussex. Despite the primary being closed, children and their families stayed in touch with teachers by logging on to the school’s virtual learning platform from home. This enabled teaching staff to provide exciting learning experiences – often snow themed – even when sleet and ice was keeping the school gates shut. Head teacher at Grays School, Christine Terrey explains: “We have found the online learning platform particularly useful in the snowy weather as children and parents told us all about their snowy adventures, measured their snowmen, described the snow with ‘wow’ words…. and staff put up lots of fun, snowy activities for the children to enjoy.” In fact, many primary schools, right across the UK, remained virtually ‘open’ in the face of bad weather thanks to their learning platforms. At secondary level, teachers trounced the snow by using school learning platforms to post work for students in all subject areas, provide exam revision guidance, link to resources and websites and generally communicate with students. Virtual learning environments (VLEs), also referred to as learning gateways, learning platforms or managed learning environments, are online spaces where children, families, teachers and, within secure parameters, the local, national and global community, can access and share enriching resources. VLEs are used to communicate, create, collaborate, record, assess and reflect on all aspects of learning and teaching. LIFE LONG LEARNING At all stages, including EYFS, the learning platform is having a dramatic impact for child and family engagement, personalisation of learning and child-led and teacher-led assessment – all leading to empowerment for life-long learning. At Grays School, Christine Terry and her staff make extensive use of their Uniservity learning platform with every child being given their own icon log-in in the nursery class. As a result, children at Grays School, like so many across the UK, are growing up as ‘digital natives’, totally at ease with technology. VLEs have the potential to transform learning and teaching in the 21st century, so that all children can participate fully in a rapidly changing world. There is now the expectation that VLEs will play a major role in embedding ICT at all educational levels. To find out about

the importance of educating the next generation in an information age, watch the powerful film, ‘Shift happens – UK’ by American teacher Karl Fisch, on YouTube. In Scotland, all schools already use Glow, the Scottish national learning platform. In England, recent research by the British Educational Association (BESA), on behalf of Becta, the government’s lead agency for ICT, found that only 67 per cent of secondary schools and 42 per cent of primary schools use learning platforms, although take-up is rising year-on-year, as more schools become aware of the benefits. A DUMPING GROUND? The 2009 Ofsted Report, ‘Virtual Learning Environments: an evaluation of their development in a sample of educational settings’, found that ‘the exploitation of VLEs at curriculum level resembled more of a cottage industry than a national technological revolution.’ In some cases, the VLE was used ‘as a dumping ground or storage place for rarely used files.’ Yet the teachers I talk to say that they cannot imagine teaching without VLEs, and report enthusiastically on the impact these virtual platforms have on child and family engagement, personalisation of learning and assessment. At Grays School, children’s Learning Journals are incorporated into their e-portfolios. Staff, parents and children contribute to these through the school’s blog, adding photos and film and using the embedded sound recorder. For case studies of other schools using VLEs in this way, go to www.becta.org.uk/ nextgenerationlearning and click on ‘Schools’. VLEs allow children to engage with their learning from home, at a time of their choosing, and not just in school hours. They enable schools to interact with other schools globally. VLEs can also aid transition between primary and secondary schools. Today’s ‘digital natives’, growing up with social networking sites, now regard VLEs as an everyday tool for safe social education. These virtual platforms allow children to build up and share their knowledge with others through blogs, forums, wikis and peer reviews, as well as providing that all-important sense of audience. Software such as Photo Story 3 and 2 Create a Story means that even young children can create and share their own talking stories and animations. VLEs offer teachers the exciting opportunity

RESOURCES • Photo Story 3: free download from Microsoft to make a talking story www.microsoft.com (then type in photo story3) • 2Simple Software: 2Create a Story: children can draw pictures, add text and sound www.2simple.com • The Child’s Eye Channel offers the Child’s Eye View of the World series of documentaries, following the stories of young children finding out about the world around them. Themes include festivals, people who help us, keeping healthy and safe and safari animals. The Child’s Eye Channel includes teachers’ notes and printable resources for children www.childseyemedia.com to combine professionally-produced resources and their own user-generated content, to create their own inspirational learning channel, reflecting the interests of their children, families and local community. USEFUL VIDEOS In the North of England, the Child’s Eye Channel, featuring documentaries for young children, is being trialled on local authority learning platforms. The films are based on classic EYFS and KS1 themes and teachers are encouraged to upload related classroom-created videos such as children’s role play, a demonstration of festival cookery or a firefighters’ visit, as well as children’s podcasts, animations, artwork, musical performances and weblinks. Families can also send in digital material created at home, for example photos of pets and festival celebrations, including those of relatives around the world. The school-generated resources can be shared with other schools, locally, nationally and internationally. Teachers should not be nervous about embracing VLEs and empowering children and families to use them. Once you see how these virtual platforms can engage and excite young digital natives you’ll never look back. References • ‘Digital natives, Digital Immigrants’, Marc Prensky (2001) http://www. marcprensky.com/writing/default.asp • Grays School – www.graysschool.co.uk

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SPRING CLEAN YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT Stephen Lucey, executive director Strategic Technologies at Becta, analyses the impact of ICT on schools’ carbon footprints and provides advice to schools on how to go green TECHNOLOGY IS TRANSFORMING learning throughout the UK, ingraining itself in the UK curriculum and enriching the student experience. The majority of teachers recognise and welcome this development, with research showing that 80 per cent of secondary schools now use Virtual Learning Environments to support teaching and 81 per cent of teachers think that ICT makes learning more effective. Yet, while ICT has had a hugely positive impact on education, many schools are rightly concerned about the detrimental effect that their ICT equipment could be having on the environment – namely on the school’s carbon footprint. According to the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology, greenhouse emissions from the ICT industry are comparable with those of the aviation industry, and by 2020 it is estimated that, if things carry on as they are, it could be responsible for up to three per cent of global emissions. So how can schools combine their ICT usage with positive environmental action? There is a lot schools can do to reach this goal without sacrificing the benefits of technology: for example, if a steady watt of power from each of the two million or so computers in UK schools were to be saved all day, every day, it would equate to almost 9,400 tonnes CO2, savings nationally. Going green makes financial sense too. Using technology more smartly could save schools on their electricity bills, for instance power management alone can save up to about £36 per desktop computer per year which, in the current cost-savings climate is a clear incentive to change. It is important to note that whilst the reduction in energy consumed by ICT, and thus its carbon footprint, is a vital endeavour, there are also many opportunities to use ICT to manage other systems, such as power, lighting and heating, more intelligently, and contribute even further to a reduction in energy use and cost. It is possible to view ICT as an enabler for environmental good, rather than simply a burden to be managed. The combination of greener ICT management and the use of such systems can help schools achieve their zero carbon goals. In an immediate call to action, Becta is taking part in the government’s Zero Carbon Taskforce, and is working closely with local authorities, schools, governors, heads and teachers nationwide to ensure ICT usage in schools is managed efficiently.

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GREENER IS CLEANER: SHOPPING WISELY Cutting carbon emissions needn’t be a complicated procedure. One of the first steps that schools should take when purchasing new equipment is to ask about energy use and efficiency. This will include heat output, in order to reduce the need for artificial cooling of ICT suites. It is important to check whether or not the equipment schools are thinking of buying has the EU Energy Star compliance label or has been accredited by the UK Energy Saving Trust as ‘Energy Saving Recommended’. If a product is marked with one of these it means it meets the basic energy performance criteria in operation, which naturally makes it lower in energy consumption when used appropriately. When purchasing equipment schools should also consider whether it might be better to have lower power devices spread around the building, such as laptops and hand-held computers, rather than having fixed ICT suites, as these expend far more energy and cost more money to purchase and install. In addition it is important to think about a product’s longevity as well as disposal or reuse prior to purchase. Schools should ensure that they are aware of the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) directive and should bear in mind that extending use, or re-using equipment will save energy and materials in manufacturing as well as purchase and disposal costs. Another way schools can make greener purchasing decisions is by using a simple comparison tool provided by Becta. It helps schools to compare the energy required by potential purchases of ICT and checks the consumption of existing equipment and its associated cooling requirements. The data provided helps schools maximise cost savings while working towards reducing the associated carbon impact of ICT use. The tool can be found at www.becta.org.uk/schools/carbonfootprint. HOW GREEN IS GREEN? Once schools have purchased and installed their IT software, it is crucial that they then monitor their usage in order to ensure that the technology is being used in an energy efficient way. A good way to do this is to use a smart meter. These meters track the consumption of electricity in more detail than a conventional meter and show when the energy was consumed so staff and pupils can see what is using the most energy.

Smart meters (and sub-meters, temperature displays and plug-in energy monitors) can benefit schools in two main ways; they act as a tool to advise staff on where and when the most energy is used so they can then review their behaviour patterns with regard to energy usage and build up their skills and capability to improve energy conservation. These also act as a good learning tool for children, as they can see the direct impact electricity has on the meter and what uses the most energy. A more ambitious aim would be to introduce energy-saving as part of the curriculum and for children not only to proactively try to save energy within the equipment they use but,

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Framework for ICT Technical Support (FITS) ‘Energy Conservation’ process. • Use LCD monitors as these use less than 45 per cent of the power of conventional monitors. • Switch off equipment, chargers and mains adaptors when they are not being used and it is safe to do so. • Develop policies to ‘think before you print’, when using printers, scanners, photocopiers or fax machines. These include optimising the use of controls such as sleep-mode, duplex, booklet and grey-scale. • Avoid over-provision, review utilisation and consolidate to fewer, but better multi-functional devices, considering centralising of printers and processing power. • Apply timer-switches to non-networked technology and consider solutions such as print management packages to reduce the use of consumables and energy. • Maximise the effective use of servers, and include solutions such as virtualisation to operate as few servers as possible. It is also important to power down unused ones when they are not needed and consider whether all the parts of your ICT systems have to be consuming full-power 24 hours a day. • Position ICT with care, in particular projectors and screens, to maximise energy use. Placing equipment in north facing rooms with translucent blinds combined with ‘blackout’ curtains means not only that displays should be easier to read but also that there is likely to be less need for air conditioning, which will save energy.

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

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using the building and ICT energy as a tool in the curriculum, to learn from devices such as smart meters as to how energy can be saved. ZERO TO HERO: ADAPTING BEHAVIOUR Quite often the smallest changes in behaviour can have the biggest impact on a school’s carbon emissions and can quickly make significant energy savings for very little financial outlay. As well as monitoring the amount of energy used, schools can reduce energy consumption by following these 10 simple behavioural changes: • Ensure active power management capability is present, enabled and used on all your ICT equipment and across your network. This means all devices go into standby or hibernate when not in use. • Remove all active screensavers as these use more energy. • Provide technical support and advice on sustainable use of digital devices and label each device with specific power saving instructions - see Becta’s

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HILBRE HIGH TURNS TO LAPCABBY FOR STORAGE SOLUTION When Hilbre High School Humanities College was looking for a cost-effective, resilient storage and charging solution for its laptop computers it turned to LapCabby for the answer HILBRE HIGH SCHOOL HUMANITIES College in West Kirby, Merseyside is a co-educational school for pupils aged 11 to 18 and, like many other schools, it has taken advantage of falling prices to replace its desktop PCs with state-of-the-art laptops. The schools laptops are transported from classroom to classroom and used by both the pupils and staff for applications from Microsoft Office through to data logging in science lessons and video editing in media studies. But the flexibility offered by laptop computers can come with a price – the storage, security and charging of them can quickly become a headache and this was soon to be the case at Hilbre High School Humanities College. CHALLENGE With 1,000 pupils and three ICT suites, Hilbre High School Humanities College now has 140 laptops in use across the school every day. Soon after they were bought their storage

furniture for more than 25 years. The range consists of models that can house between 10 and 40 laptop and netbook computers. Each features a Green power management system that enables schools to reduce their environmental impact and protect their laptop computer batteries. Using the Power 7 system, an adjustable seven-day timer, teachers can select charging to use Economy 7 power and they can programme the unit to shut down charging after two hours, helping to ensure long battery life. LapCabby’s excellent cable management and power system is housed in a separate compartment to keep it well away from children, providing a level of safety beyond that of other products in the market. Gavin Roberts continues: “The first thing that struck me about the LapCabby was its value for money. The product was as feature-rich, robust and secure as products costing two or three times its price.

Our laptops are now safely stored in the LapCabby when they are not being used and are returned and charged as soon as our pupils finish with them and charging became a problem. Gavin Roberts, network manager at Hilbre High School Humanities College, says: “We invested in a new bank of laptops to be used across the school by all of our pupils so we needed a suitable place to store them as opting for empty cupboards and classroom cabinets would not be acceptable. “With our existing laptop trolleys the cabling was very untidy and we were finding that the laptops were not being charged or even plugged in after use. We also found that if we tried to charge several laptops at the same time we were blowing a fuse, much to the frustration of our caretaker. “We needed somewhere safe and tidy to store our laptops so we began looking at the range of trolleys on the market, to find the most cost-effective and resilient solution.” SOLUTION Earlier this year, Hilbre High School Humanities College bought a Lap Cabby 10V from ICT Direct. LabCabby is a successful range of laptop and netbook computer charging and storage devices made by Monarch Education Furniture, a family run business which has been manufacturing school

“I also liked the contemporary design of the product, particularly the rubber corner bumpers that serve to protect the unit and the classroom.” RESULTS The LapCabby is now used throughout the school by both staff and pupils. The school has also ordered a LapCabby Mini 20V for 20 new netbooks. Gavin Roberts says: “Our laptops are now safely stored in the LapCabby when they are not being used and are returned and charged as soon as our pupils finish with them. “Transporting laptops from one classroom to another is easier and we don’t have to worry about scraping the walls or bumping the cabinet when wheeling it around. “We know that our pupils are safer when it comes to charging and the laptops themselves are being taken better care of. The LapCabby has proved a hit with both the pupils and staff and will be a permanent fixture in the classroom for many years to come.”

FOR MORE INFORMATION For more information about LapCabby visit www.lapcabby.co.uk or call 0115 982 1771.

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BRINGING LEARNING TO LIFE Bring your classroom to life with a SMART technology enabled learning environment INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY and audio visual equipment are fundamental to the modern teaching environment to promote learning and improve learning outcomes. But unlocking the potential of achievement to allow students to grow and learn is an ongoing challenge. Interactive whiteboard solutions and other collaborative tools have made a huge impact in personalised and reflective learning and transformed teaching methods to raise standards at all levels. Misco and SMART can help you take the next step to create innovative education solutions; a SMART technology enabled learning environment to bring every classroom to life and aid improving educational results for learners and teachers alike. Danesfield Church of England School believes SMART Board™ Interactive Whiteboards and Response System encourages student participation and eliminates common misunderstandings. IMPROVING LEARNING OUTCOMES Danesfield Church of England School, Somerset is the only specialist middle school in its county. With around 420 pupils, the 9-13 specialist Science School has embraced ICT and installed SMART Board™ interactive whiteboards in every classroom. Assistant head teacher, Gregg Mockridge, oversees the school’s comprehensive training programme and observation schedule designed to ensure all teachers are proficient users of the SMART Board™ and Notebook™ software; an easy-to-use application that enables teachers to create their own lesson resources. Gregg comments: “Notebook software is central to our whole teaching philosophy. It has changed the way our teachers understand how pupils learn. They are now more aware of the impact of personalised learning and can provide a whole range of learning experiences to best suit the needs of their pupils.” SMART Boards are having a positive impact on learning outcomes and classroom management. The enthusiasm for SMART Boards amongst staff is also reflected in pupil behaviour. Gregg explains: “The way the teachers use their SMART Boards, the pupils are more engaged in their lessons and we have minimum time-outs in the classroom. Such statistics reinforce how ICT really is helping schools to achieve greater success in the classroom.” Encouraged by these results, Gregg introduced SMART Response the interactive response system from SMART Technologies to encourage reflective learning amongst pupils and help teachers objectively assess pupil progress. “I compared other interactive voting

systems in the market but none were better for functionality, ease of use and value for money.” Simply by pressing the appropriate button on the SMART Response handset, pupils can answer questions set by their teacher. It seamlessly integrates with Notebook software and teachers at Danesfield have incorporated it into their lesson plans, frequently using it as a “starter” to a lesson. Katrina Avery, a teacher at Danesfield, often uses SMART Response during and at the end of a lesson to display three faces; happy, wobbly and sad. Katrina explains: “The pupils vote to let me know if they have understood a concept or task without feeling embarrassed if they haven’t. This feedback helps me to direct the rest of the lesson or future lessons.” DEEPER UNDERSTANDING Used as a diagnostic tool, SMART Response has helped teachers eliminate common misunderstandings. For example in a mathematics lesson, pupils were asked the following question: 75 + ? = 100. This highlighted a common misconception amongst many of the pupils with several answering ‘35’. When the pupils were asked to justify their answer; they were instantly aware of the mistake they had made. Gregg comments: “This example shows that SMART Response enabled the pupils to gain a deeper level of understanding as opposed to making an assumption. The fact that individual pupils reported their assumption to the whole class enabled the teacher to ask them to reconsider their thinking process; ensuring that this type of misconception did not impact on future learning.”

Last year 20 out of 31 pupils in Year 7 Set 2 mathematics did not reach the required target. Since using SMART Response all but two of the 31 pupils from that same class met or exceeded the required target. Gregg believes that: “The improvement is down to using SMART Response. This type of statistic where you have a like-for-like year-on-year comparison really proves the power of SMART Response. It is more than an interactive voting system. It helps us gain a deeper insight into pupils understanding of a topic to provide a more personalised lesson to suit the needs of our pupils.” Misco.co.uk and SMART Technologies are at the forefront of this technology and Misco’s dedicated public sector team have over 20 years experience in dealing with interactive technology solutions for education. Misco.co.uk provides a specialist audio visual service, tailored to meet the needs of your organisation, with ICT solutions to improve teaching, learning and development in schools and LEAs to higher and further education. From initial consultancy through to implementation and post-sales support Misco.co.uk specialist public sector team will work with you to deliver positive outputs that add value and make lessons more interactive, informative and enjoyable.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Tel: 0800 035 0799 E-mail: education@misco.co.uk Web: www.misco.co.uk/education

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Education Business | Volume 15.2

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AV TECHNOLOGY IN EDUCATION Maximise students’ probability of success with a dynamic and interactive classroom environment procurement route to offer a modern and inspiring learning experience to meet the diverse needs of the community it serves. As a result, it is continuously investing in new technologies that enrich the classroom environment. Maesteg, a PFI new build, has 75 classrooms and in order to provide teachers with consistent access to technology, it needed to equip all its new classrooms with leading edge technology. Solution: Bridgend County Council partnered with Computacenter to procure, deploy and implement collaborative learning solutions, which included projection, interactive whiteboards and digital signage. Results: By equipping its classrooms with the latest interactive education technologies, Maesteg Comprehensive School is able to provide both students and teachers with a rich and varied learning environment. This has helped the school to reduce lesson preparation time and maximise efficiency.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN AS MANY students as possible, schools, colleges and universities need to offer exciting learning environments. From projectors and interactive whiteboards to video-conferencing and digital signage, audio-visual technologies can support more flexible learning methods and enhance interaction between students and teachers. TRANSFORMING THE CLASSROOM With the right technologies, educational establishments can facilitate virtual or distance learning, provide video-conferenced lectures from remote experts and transform the classroom environment. These new teaching methods will inspire students and encourage greater participation, thereby increasing students’ chances of success. To maximise return on investment and ensure these solutions are used to their full potential, educational organisations need a partner with extensive experience and a wide range of skills. Computacenter helps education providers to: • Select the solutions that offer the greatest return on investment • Minimise implementation risks and disruption to teaching schedules • Deploy best-of-breed solutions

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at the lowest price point • Ensure implementations are delivered within budget and on time Computacenter has more than 10 years’ experience of successfully deploying audio-visual solutions to schools, colleges and universities and has strategic relationships with leading technology vendors including Epson, LG and Promethean. END-TO-END SOLUTIONS We can deliver end-to-end solutions, from consultancy and design to implementation, training and support. Our expertise extends from audio-visual technologies to networking, desktop support and data management to help organisations achieve a cost-effective and sustainable ICT infrastructure. “The technology facilities provided by a school can significantly influence a student’s ability to learn. By equipping our new classrooms with the latest audio-visual technology, we can create an engaging educational environment that encourages success.” – Peter Richards, IT service delivery manager, Bridgend County Council. CASE STUDY: MAESTEG COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL Challenge: Bridgend County Council offers the Local Education Authority a structured

To find out more about Computacenter’s audio-visual solutions and other services, go to www.computacenter.com/audiovisual, e-mail audio_visual@computacenter. com or call us on 0800 014 7420. Computacenter (UK) Ltd Hatfield Avenue Hatfield, Hertfordshire, AL10 9TW, United Kingdom Tel: +44 (0) 1707 631000 Web: www.computacenter.com

Written by Ray Barker, BESA

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AUDIO VISUAL TECHNOLOGY

MOVING FORWARD WITH NEW TECHNOLOGIES How the world of business, science and cinema is influencing our schools AFTER 26 SHOWS OVER 26 YEARS, BETT 2010 and its 700 exhibitors pulled out all the stops to showcase how schools are using the latest technological advances to inspire learners to both UK and international visitors. New technology has helped schools and teachers move forward with new learning techniques, whilst providing the tools to make personalised learning a more realistic goal in the UK. Technology has a big part to play in the future of education, as it now does in many other parts of our lives. Many would agree that one of the greatest outcomes of events like BETT is seeing how passionate people are about revolutionising education, and how many great ideas are being shared across industry. Take for example the judging of the recent Education Resource Awards. Each year, around 30 practitioners and educationalists get together to test, evaluate and reward the best teaching resources to be released into the UK market over the last year, both non-ICT and ICT based. Over two days, the judges huddle around piles of newly released products to evaluate how they will make teachers’ lives easier in the classroom, how they can help schools to run more effectively, and how they can help learners to achieve. It is one of my favourite events in education, as it reminds me how much both educators and educational suppliers really care about what they do, and how many innovative ideas are being developed within the sector. With it, we are able to witness the new technologies being used in classrooms, and hear back from those schools that are putting them to good use. THE FUTURE OF EDUCATION New technology is just the start of some of the changes facing our schools. The UK education system has seen huge developments, with the roll out over the last few years of capital renewal programmes like Building Schools for the Future (BSF) and the Primary Capital Programme (PCP), and frequent curriculum changes. With £45 billion and £7 billion earmarked respectively for the renewal or rebuild of secondary and primary schools, technology is a vital part of bringing the UK’s schools up to speed with other sectors. With the first wave of BSF projects beginning in 2004, ICT funding continues to receive a high level of capital funding – around £1,675 per pupil place. Partnerships for Schools, the government body overseeing school capital programmes, is ensuring that BSF will see buildings designed to maximise the use of ICT, and incentives put in place to develop the use of ICT in teaching and

With £45 billion and £7 billion earmarked respectively for the renewal or rebuild of secondary and primary schools, technology is a vital part of bringing the UK’s schools up to speed with other sectors THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATION

Rich, dynamic digital signage to keep your school community up to date with all the latest news and information iMERGE Digital Signage

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Education Business | Volume 15.2

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AUDIO VISUAL TECHNOLOGY

Many schools are starting to use AV equipment as a communication tool – St Matthew Academy is one. Assistant head teacher David Cregan says: “We use plasma screens in the board room, dining room, foyer and staff room. The ones in the foyer and dining room are used as notice boards where we display achievements of the school, theme of the week news and celebration of rewards. We also use it for directions for visitors if something is happening in the evening, for example, ‘Please go through to the boardroom for refreshments’.” A number of BSF schools have begun to use video conferencing equipment, as have colleges and secondary schools delivering Diplomas. It has also been particularly helpful for accessibility for learners in distance education, those that have been excluded, or those not able to come to classes. Some schools have also explored the use of video conferencing to connect with other schools both within their LA or perhaps even abroad. This has been used successfully in schools through PSHE subjects to learn about the world around them, and to introduce elements of globalisation into the curriculum by speaking to students from schools in different countries.

learning. In most instances, a managed service is put in place to provide good value in terms of procurement, management, maintenance and refreshing ICT within the facility. One of the key aims for the use of new technologies in BSF and PCP schools is to facilitate personalised learning, provide access to a range of learning materials and implement infrastructure that is easy to use. Technology changes enough as it is, and one of the most common complaints, and not just by teachers, is the constant need to keep up with new developments. Partnerships for Schools envisage ICT as “becoming the fifth utility: something we take for granted in the same way as water, gas and electricity and telephony”. Given the role technology now plays in education through renewal programmes like these, and in the new curriculums at all levels of education, suppliers have been producing an array of ICT solutions for schools to explore all facets of teaching and learning. ICT has also been written into each new curriculum rolled out into schools, from the Early Years Foundation Stage, new primary and secondary curriculums through to the 14-19 Reform and new Diplomas. Now, with ring fenced funding coming to an end, schools are free to allocate budgetary spending to areas they feel need the most attention. However, money has been made available for ICT expenditure through the Harnessing Technology grant for new resources such as parental engagement tools, broadband, content or new hardware. We could fill this entire magazine looking

at the changes and developments in new technologies for education. Resources for all areas of education, from classroom use to school management support are frequently being reviewed, revised and perfected to meet the needs of modern schools. Here is a look at some of the new technologies to hit the market. AUDIO VISUAL MAKES ITS MARK Whether or not it is a case of the business world influencing the education sector, there has been further development recently in the use of audio visual equipment in schools. In the world of science, Project Faraday is a special DCSF project to create exemplar laboratories in 12 schools to inspire those involved in school renewal projects around the country, such as BSF and new academies. ScienceScope, involved in Project Faraday for the Kings School in Peterborough, has worked closely with the school and other organisations to produce a concept laboratory and support rooms along with a custom ICT/ resource suite, using the latest technological resources available to aid the teaching of science subjects. Some of the new technology introduced into these facilities included solar and wind turbines, seismometer, weather station energy monitoring system and display technology. Using available display materials, including a two projector system and digital notice board and large display area, students’ work could be integrated into the teaching and learning. Teachers can control images, videos and posters displayed in the classroom to support lessons.

AVATAR IN THE CLASSROOM? New resources that received a lot of attention at BETT 2010 this year were those that implemented 3D. Films like Avatar and Up have made 3D popular once again, and I’m sure you’ve heard the news that companies like Sony and Toshiba are launching their own 3D televisions onto the market this year. Now, educational suppliers are also looking at how 3D technology can advance teaching and learning, particularly in the world of science, design and technology. Texas Instruments DLP products showcased the first 3D ready classroom projector at BETT 2010, which aims to deliver interactive learning across various topics ranging from science to art. The company wants to see how 3D can be used to help learners ‘see’ concepts more clearly and help improve understanding of difficult content and subject matter. Meanwhile at BETT, SMART demonstrated mixed reality with a prototype SMART Document Camera 2.0. SMART was seeking customer feedback on the capabilities of mixed reality using the SMART Document Camera to explore the pedagogical benefits of 3D content and mixed reality in classrooms. The subject of the role of new technology in the classroom is no longer debatable, and the time has come to embrace developments and see how they can help support learning; like going to see the latest 3D cinema release, all we can do now is sit back and enjoy the ride.

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

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Education Business | Volume 15.2

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AUDIO VISUAL TECHNOLOGY

TRANSFORMING YOUR LEARNING ENVIRONMENT NEC Display Solutions and SMART combine products for education

NEC DISPLAY SOLUTIONS EUROPE and SMART Technologies are working together to offer education customers better teaching and learning solutions. With the integration of a category-leading interactive whiteboard and high-quality NEC projector, NEC Display Solutions Europe and SMART are offering the simple integration of a combined product that provides optimal performance with minimal setup. POWERFUL SOLUTION Collaborative visual learning combines the latest NEC NP610S short-throw projector and one of three projector-mounting options with either the SMART Board™ 680 interactive whiteboard or SMART Board V280 interactive whiteboard and SMART Notebook™ collaborative learning software. Together these products offer a powerful and affordable interactive display solution for the education market, in which both companies have extensive experience and brand recognition. “This is a strategic collaboration where NEC Display Solutions Europe and SMART, two strong brands, join forces in creating product solutions that will meet the needs of education customers,“ says Bernd Eberhardt, managing director of NEC Display Solutions Europe GmbH. “It underlines both companies’ commitment to drive the integration of innovative products into education environments.” “SMART is the global leader in the interactive whiteboard product category, and NEC is a leading manufacturer and service provider of telecommunications, computer and electronic devices,” says Nancy Knowlton, SMART’s CEO. “By combining our products, we have created a cost-effective interactive display solution that is ideal for educators.” Short throw projection techniques are ideal for classroom environments. The short throw lens eliminates shadows on the screen and allows the

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teacher to lead from the front of class without being dazzled by the projected light. With a number of mounting options available from wall mounting to mobile and height adjustable mountings this product combination can be configured to meet the demands of any learning environment. When selecting a mount it is important to consider how and by whom the equipment will be used. Height adjustability is sympathetic to the height of a child or disabled person, whereas a mobile unit can be used between several classrooms thus keeping costs to a minimum. The classroom setting is benefited by use of projectors and interactive tools helping to support teachers and help pupils to assimilate knowledge and enhance their learning experience. By working together, NEC Display Solutions and SMART Technologies have combined their significant experience in delivering high quality learning tools to benefit both the school and the pupils themselves. COLLABORATIVE VISUAL LEARNING FEATURES NEC NP610S short throw projector – this projector offers low total cost of ownership thanks to its filter, remote control, long lamp life, low power consumption and monitoring via network and RS-232. The projector is environmentally friendly and includes a carbon savings meter, intelligent power management and minimised packaging made of recycled materials. The projector’s exceptional performance and excellent image quality are provided by 2600 ANSI lumens brightness. It also features full connectivity, including DVI and RJ45. NEC’s unique virtual remote software allows the user to operate the projector directly from the SMART Board interactive whiteboard without a remote control and is available at no cost to collaborative visual learning users. Additional

features include auto input detection, automatic keystone correction, color management, direct power-off functionality, and magnify and high altitude modes. Increased security is provided by a Kensington® lock, keypad lock, security bar, an OnScreenDisplay (OSD) menu with 21 languages and a password security system. Three mounting options – NEC’s mounting options range from a rugged wall-mount to sophisticated mobile and height-adjustable options. They include the NP02WM wallmount, the NP01HM height adjustable mobile mount solution and the NP01HW height adjustable wall-mount solution. SMART Board 680 interactive whiteboard – the category-leading interactive whiteboard offers 77” (195.6 cm) of active screen area. Simply by touching the large display, users can access and control computer and multimedia applications, including CDs, DVDs and Internet applications. Users can also write notes in digital ink and save their work to share later. The Pen Tray automatically detects when a user picks up a pen or eraser, while buttons activate the On-Screen Keyboard, right-click and help functions. SMART Board V280 interactive whiteboard – the SMART Board V280 interactive whiteboard offers 77” (195.6 cm) of active screen area. Users simply touch the large display with a battery-powered pen to write notes in digital ink or access and control computer and multimedia applications, including CDs and DVDs, Internet applications, and applications for Windows® operating systems. The entire system is powered with a single USB cable connected to a computer. The SMART Board V280 interactive whiteboard uses SMART’s patented DViT™ (Digital Vision Touch) technology in a front-projection, pen-only system. SMART Notebook collaborative learning software – Both the SMART Board V280 interactive whiteboard and SMART Board 680 interactive whiteboard come with SMART Notebook software, one of the world’s most popular collaborative learning applications with over 2.5 million users worldwide. It is designed to help teachers create and deliver engaging and interactive lessons across all grades and subject areas. Collaborative visual learning solutions are available to education customers across EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa). Customers are able to purchase the collaborative visual learning solution from select NEC Display Solutions Europe and SMART resellers. Pricing will depend on the interactive whiteboard and mounting option selected.

FOR MORE INFORMATION For more information, specifications and a list of authorised SMART distributors, visit smarttech.com. For more information and specifications, visit www.nec-displays.co.uk.

Written by Toby Lewis, managing director, the Live Group plc

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AUDIO VISUAL TECHNOLOGY

NEXT GENERATION ENGAGEMENT While video conferencing and audience engagement tools are being used for large scale educational conferences, they are also applicable at the front line of education and easily translated into a classroom setting THANKS TO THE RAPID advances in technology that we have seen over the last decade, areas such as video conferencing are coming to the fore as a next generation solution for communication. Already beginning to make waves in the education sector, interactive technologies can create a platform for knowledge-sharing while delivering the maximum value greatly needed in these challenging economic times. PUTTING INNOVATIONS INTO PRACTICE The Department for Children, School and Families (DCSF) recently held a Youth Taskforce Roadshow to engage with front line practitioners involved with supporting young people. Looking to create a more sustainable form of event, it opted to hold the roadshow over three days in November and December 2009 and involve nine locations around the country from London to Newcastle. Three ‘hub’ venues hosted the roadshow. Each hub was then linked to two regional venues, enabling approximately 2,000 delegates to convene and share best practice without travelling long distances. By linking the venues in real-time, delegates gained a national perspective on youth issues while remaining in their local regions. Using video conferencing is a great way to minimise travel and time out of the office. Furthermore, interactivity can be enhanced by the use of audience engagement tools. Delegates at the DCSF Youth Taskforce Roadshow used our LiveInteractive technology over the internet for gathering free text and voting results during the event. LiveInteractive comes in its simplest form as handheld voting palmlets offering ‘yes’, ‘no’ and multiple choice answer options. An alternative tool is digital tablets, shared by tables of delegates and enabling free text response generation for question asking, ensuring that all comments and ideas are instantaneously captured and shared. Used together they enable maximum engagement and collation of delegate data. EVENT ENGAGEMENT During its event DCSF used both the palmlets and digital tablets which allowed everyone to vote and share best practice over several venues. We also provided an online web-based portal for delegates for pre and post event engagement. Offering registration facilities, videos and presentation materials via the web is not only more sustainable, but also helps to extend the lifespan of the event by continuing the forum of communication before and long after the physical proceedings. “We decided to go down this route as we

wanted to look at our events in a different way to get the maximum value from bringing people together,” said Emily Simons, communications manager, Youth Taskforce at DCSF. “By linking delegates over nine regions, we could still get a national perspective while reducing travel and keeping attendees in their localities.” VIDEO CONFERENCING IN THE CLASSROOM While video conferencing and audience engagement tools are being used for large scale educational conferences, they are also applicable Interactive tec at the front line of education and hnologies can create a platfo rm for knowled easily translated into a classroom ge-sharing in the education sector setting. Using interactive technologies in the classroom can also be beneficial for employees spend less time sharing knowledge and best practice. ‘out of office’. The network of We have already run two pilots in schools using 150 VC sites across the UK is linked by our LiveInteractive technology. This involved high speed Internet technology and provides live dividing children in a classroom into three teams pictures and sound, full audience participation and giving each team one of our touch screen and keynote speeches with PowerPoint. Events tablets to share. The teacher set a task for each can be powered either from nine regional hubs group, their answer was then passed on for or from a single hub linking up to 150 venues enhancement and development by the second at one time. This helps deliver improvements group and expanded on further by the third in interactivity and productivity to gain the group. The teacher then used the final answer to maximum value from bringing people together. demonstrate the difference between a C, B and an The benefits of this setup include: A grade answer. This refinement technique proved • No daily delegate rates at city centre hotels to be a really effective way of distinguishing • No overnight accommodation charges the difference in grades, while providing instant • Very low travel costs engagement with the teacher and a fresh • Low carbon footprint communication concept for the students to • Whole day agenda condensed to half a day keep attention spans and motivation high. • Greater efficiency with minimal Engagement technology and video time spent away from work conferencing in particular, also have the potential • Avoidance of cross infection for creating links with schools in other locations, from mass gatherings including those overseas, to share information • Limits the need for support workers and access to resources. This concept could to cover staff absences. transform the way languages are learnt and alter The challenges in the current economy have led the face of exchange programmes by instantly to inevitable changes in the education sector, linking children from all over the world. Closer including the way it approaches the delivery to home, it could also connect pupils across of education. However, these challenges have different Local Education Authorities (LEAs) who given rise to improvements as processes are could tune into and engage at the same lecture sharpened to make sure the most efficient using high definition video conferencing. and effective methods are employed. Taking meetings and events onto a new NEXT LEVEL CONNECTIVITY technological platform enables increased We recently expanded our multiple location interactivity and boosts productivity while event concept with the launch of our ‘National making all important cost savings. Its benefits Video Conference (VC) Network’. Designed to are just starting to be explored but its potential encourage specialist integration between groups for this sector is huge and could open up many of people wishing to stay in their local regions or opportunities for teachers and students alike. countries, the VC Network removes the need for people to travel en-masse to a central conference FOR MORE INFORMATION location. This creates not only a more sustainable form of event, but also boosts productivity as Web: www.livegroup.co.uk

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safeguarding your school? Kalamazoo specialise in products designed for the education sector and with safety and security in mind. As the only Capita approved SIMS cheque supplier, we have extensive experience working in this market, and as a result we have developed a product range to enable you to safeguard your pupils and organisation effectively. Contact Kalamazoo to find out how we can help you safeguard your school - call 08445 766 880.

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Education Business | Volume 15.2

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SECURITY

THE ROLE OF ACCESS CONTROL Access control plays a very important role protecting schools from threats such as vandalism and theft. Mike Sussman, the British Security Industry Association’s Access Control Section Chairman, explains how access control technology can protect schools THE AVERAGE EDUCATIONAL

establishment has a transient population with many high value goods such as computers and IT equipment on-site, not to mention the personal possessions of staff and students. These are extremely attractive to thieves so it is no surprise that these sites are becoming more of a target to burglars and vandals. Schools are advised to assess their threats and find security solutions. As a result, an increasing number are turning to access control systems for extra protection. Access control provides the ability to control, monitor and restrict the movement of people, assets or vehicles in, out and round a building and site. It is an essential security method for all businesses, including schools, in order to protect people and assets and it has a wide range of abilities from controlling a single entrance door to a large integrated security network.

In order to reduce the risk of becoming a target to criminals, schools should focus on the issue of accessibility as this area has the beneficial effect of mitigating lower level risks from unwanted callers such as trespassers and walk-in thieves during the daytime. Outside of a school’s opening hours the sites have long been a favourite target for burglars and vandals with the consequences ranging from minor theft or damage to the complete loss of school through actions of arsonists. An access control system can therefore help to manage a school’s known or anticipated threats. Access control systems consist of three components. Firstly, there is the physical barrier, which restricts access into a building. This is achieved via methods such as doors secured by a magnetic or strike lock and turnstiles and speedgates, which are designed to limit access to one person

Access control provides the ability to control, monitor and restrict the movement of people, assets or vehicles in, out and round a building and site. It is an essential security method for all businesses, including schools, in order to protect people and assets and it has a wide range of abilities from controlling a single entrance door to a large integrated security network Keeping schools safe during the day clearly involves the ability to prevent unauthorised access and to summon help in the event of an emergency. Basic principles here include: keeping the number of entrances in use to a minimum, preferably one per building; ensuring all visitors identify themselves and, where possible, operate an appointments system; never admitting visitors until the need for their visit has been confirmed; accompanying visitors at all times and restrict their movements within the school, which are strictly in line with the purpose of their visit; and if you can afford it, invest in a door release/intercom system. As well as these methods, schools should foster good relations with their neighbours and create a generally supportive local community as this has a valuable role to play, both by influencing attitudes towards the school and in providing an informal surveillance function.

for one card presented. Secondly, there is the identification device, which identifies users of an access control system. There are a variety of different devices including a proximity card and reader using Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), which work at both a short or long read range. Other methods include a smart card and reader, a swipe card and reader, PIN pads or biometric equipment such as fingerprint and iris scanning. This equipment can be used throughout a school’s site, which will only grant access to staff and pupils thereby reducing the risk of intruders. The door controller and software is another important tool in an access control system. This is at the heart of the technology and is used to decide who can gain access through which access point at what time of day. These can vary and depend on the size of the

system and how many readers or sites are being controlled. There are several options when it comes to installing this technology including: a standalone door controller linked to a single door with no software; a number of door controllers all linked together to a single PC to control one site; a number of sites all interlinked together over a wide network area. All three systems are effective and depend on the school’s requirements. BENEFITS OF ACCESS CONTROL

As well as the security measures already identified, access control systems carry further benefits for schools. The first is visitor monitoring which proves very useful in school premises as visitors can blend in with staff and pupils very easily. Therefore, the use of PC and computer networks should be considered as these systems can print photographic ID and allow access to be restricted to certain areas. This is an easy and inexpensive solution for visitor management that is frequently used. For example, the Guildhall School of Music and Drama worked with a BSIA member to update their existing access control system to provide a complete security system. The school needed to replace its outdated access control system with one that clearly identifies and records who exactly has access to where and at which time on all of their five separate sites. With around 2,000 people accessing the school’s facilities the system needed to ensure the smooth operation of students, staff and visitors at high volumes. Consequently, a Smart Card system was developed which provides not only access to designated areas but also allows all sites to be linked via a modem, thus allowing administration from a central point. With a large number of pupils and staff driving into school, sites will also benefit from Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR). This technology is used to monitor the entrance of vehicles on-site and identify a vehicle’s number plates through the use of CCTV cameras and computer software. This software allows any suspicious vehicles to be investigated as well as enabling critical information to be passed on to the police to assist in the pursuit, identification and capture of offenders. Access control alone provides a school with effective protection against risks, however, some sites incorporate other security measures depending on their premise’s size

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SECURITY

and layout. For example, if a school is set out over several floors or sites they may also benefit from a fully integrated access control system with CCTV, intruder alarm, fire detection and business management systems. This was the case with the Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) which approached a BSIA member for a facility wide access control card solution, which involved utilising one card database to centralise administration. QMUL has over 10,000 UK, European and international students attending four campuses, which were all once run separately with QMUL’s access control system consisting of several standalone systems supported by several smaller installation companies. The BSIA member studied the university’s requirements and provided a complete upgrade, which included the installation of an access control and alarm monitoring system to communication between the server PC’s and intelligent door controllers across QMUL’s infrastructure. The new access control system allowed for a single card to work across all of the campuses and control the system from a central point. OTHER USES

As well as helping to protect a school from the likes of intruders and burglars, access control can assist with other safety aspects including fire and other emergencies. In the event of a fire for instance, fire rollcall software can be used to automatically generate a report, which contains crucial information in relation to who is within the building and potentially where they are. The software operates via the access control smart card or fob that staff or pupils use to gain access into a building. In the event of an emergency, the software alerts those inside the premise and activates a report at the safe pre-determined remote point.

A BSIA member has installed fire roll-call at Holywell Middle School in Bedfordshire. The member company was asked to provide a fire roll-call software system after the school’s fire health and safety procedures were reviewed. The fire call-roll and monitoring system was installed, which gives immediate reports containing crucial information concerning who is on-site. The function is executed directly from the clocking station and does not rely on the controlling PC or computer infrastructure. This means that when the fire alarm is activated the evacuation list is printed out automatically at a safe pre-determined point, enabling the staff to vacate quickly, safely and account for all those present. ENHANCING SYSTEMS FURTHER

Once a school has applied an access control system to their surroundings, they might like to consider adding other security measures in order to make themselves even more resilient. Additional technology could include CCTV, which can be used alongside access control to check who visitors are before allowing them entry into the premises. CCTV serves as a useful deterrent against burglary and vandalism and also enables the relevant staff to keep an eye on any suspicious activity. Other security methods to consider are physical equipment, which include the use of fences and locks on all windows and doors to protect the outside of a school in order to make an intruder’s task as difficult as possible. Property marking is also advised and involves permanently marking all valuable items and displaying appropriate signs, both to deter theft and enable the return of any stolen property. Schools should also look at installing an intruder alarm system, which of course is

ABOUT THE BSIA 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.

an enormous deterrent to thieves looking to break in to a building. The BSIA advises that an alarm should be linked to an Alarm Receiving Centre, which has priority access to the local police control room. Whether using access control alone or combining the system with other security measures, both are an effective way of providing added protection to schools. With a high volume of valuable equipment on-site and the overriding importance of ensuring the safety of staff and pupils, no one could disagree that crime prevention in schools deserves the highest priority. In recognition of this, the BSIA has produced a guide to access control for education establishments, which is available to download by visiting www.bsia.co.uk/publications. FOR MORE INFORMATION For further information, visit www.bsia.co.uk. The BSIA operates a local rate helpline on 0845 389 3889.

Access control integration from TDSi CCESS CONTROL specialist TDSi has supplied schools, colleges and universities worldwide with a wide range of access control solutions. In addition to its comprehensive range of readers, controllers and software systems, the company has developed specific expertise in the integration of access control with proprietary schools management information systems. TDSi has worked with a number of schools in the UK, developing bespoke integration modules to link both access control and proprietary management systems such as Capita’s School Information Management System (SIMS) and Gladstone’s OnRecord system. For each application, TDSi works closely

rights with the schools’ information systems and avoiding the need for the multiple input or amendment of data. Once the access control system is directly linked to the staff and student information records, they are constantly up to date – as students or staff leave and are taken off the central register, their access rights are immediately withdrawn, further improving active site security.

with security management and installation companies, utilising its Software Integration Module to link to EXgarde PRO, the company’s access management software database. This allows data to be taken directly from the record database to populate the access control system, fully integrating security and access

FOR MORE INFORMATION Tel: +44 (0) 1202 723535 Fax: +44 (0) 1202 724975 E-mail: sales@tdsi.co.uk Web: www.tdsi.co.uk

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATION

A New Era in Security and Safety Management

Look to the Future - Engage with the Pink Fluffy Cloud Take a close look at where the Education Sector can benefit from the direct convergence between what the Security and Safety Sector and the IT and IP infrastructure players are developing. Paul Hennings IP UserGroup Director comment’s.

Applications across many Education sector disciplines: · Surveillance & CCTV · Access Control, Time & Attendance · Intruder Detection & Alarms · Fire Detection & Evacuation · Integrated Safety Solutions · Audio, Intercom & Messaging · Transmission & Comms Systems · Building Management Systems

As a great advocate of hosted business services such as CRM (customer relationship management), Web building solutions, server-side storage and email marketing as a service. I am only too aware of the possibilities available to the Security and Safety function within the Public Sector should some of these fundamentals be employed. The terms Cloud computing, Virtualisation and Saas (Software as a Service) are no longer exclusive to the IT arena, but increasingly crossing the divide into ALL areas of business life. Recently Alastair Hayfield, Research Manager at IMS Research commented “In the year ahead there are a host of new trends that will keep the industry talking and drive market resurgence.” And in bringing together the top ten trends, placed the following at the top of the list:

“2010 will see Video Surveillance as a Service (VSaaS) emerge from the shadows and take the limelight. 2010 will see a raft of companies announce VSaaS solutions.” In truth Saas and Virtualisation in one form or another has been part of the Security, Surveillance and Safety world for several years, but now the Public Sector are seeing it as a major opportunity and using Security and Safety to further leverage investment in the network infrastructure. That Pink Fluffy Cloud!

20 SECT E N

International IP Solutions Exhibition & Conference

Earls Court 2, LONDON 20th - 21st October 2010

www.iipseconline.com co-located with

For far too long the Public Sector has been satisfied to treat anything the other side of the ADSL hub or router as a pink fluffy cloud, but are you missing a trick? The IT industry certainly believe that there is mileage in providing products within the cloud and are already providing many business services to both Public and Private Sector customers. Engage before it’s too late! IT and the network infrastructure are key elements in any 21st Century Security or Safety solution. An underlying knowledge of Information Technology and the way that the network operates is essential and without this the effectiveness or efficiency of any deployment could be severely effected. There is a need to engage with specialists that have both the knowledge and influence to drive IP based solutions forward, and a greater understanding of the needs of both parties essential. Forward thinking There are already several companies that have identified the need to engage and exploit this opportunity. To prove this, why not take the opportunity to join the IP UserGroup at one of the IP-in-Action Live events in a city near you, or plan a visit to the IIPSEC event in October where a whole range of solutions will be on show. Visit www.ipusergroup.com/live or www.iipseconline.com for details.

www.educationbusinessuk.com

Written by Perpetuity

SECURITY

STAYING SAFE IN SCHOOLS A survey of parents’ views on crime and security in schools has revealed their concerns INDEPENDENT RESEARCH COMPANY Perpetuity recently undertook a research study for TAC UK (the building management and energy services business of Schneider Electric). There had been a notable lack of research on parents’ perceptions with regards to crime and anti-social behaviour in schools and their awareness of the school’s response to these issues. The purpose of the study therefore was to explore the views of parents, using a detailed survey. The survey was web hosted and the findings are based on 1,000 responses received. PARENTS’ PRIORITIES The survey revealed that parents prioritised staying safe at school above the four other government Every Child Matters outcomes – enjoying and achieving; being healthy; making a positive contribution; and achieving economic wellbeing. Overall, most parents were confident that their child was safe or very safe when at school. There was, however, a significant difference between perceived safety at primary and secondary schools, with parents of children at primary school more confident in their child’s safety than those at secondary school. Despite the general sense of safety in schools felt by parents, it was evident that many still held concerns about specific problems within the school. Parents indicated whether they were worried about crime and anti-social behaviour occurring within their child’s school. Evidently bullying is a primary concern for parents. This includes concern over cyber bullying where worry was significantly greater amongst secondary school parents. This perhaps reflects the greater availability of technology and pupils’ increased ability to use it as they get older. The level of concern for bullying is also notable because staying safe from bullying and discrimination is listed as a specific aim within the Every Child Matters framework, demonstrating its priority as a problematic area. According to this sample, more needs to be done by schools and other partners to meet the aims of the Every Child Matters framework (April 2008). Intruders trespassing on school property also appeared as a common concern, highlighting the worry parents feel in relation to the potential danger posed to their children by unauthorised people. Further, this was the only type of crime listed where the proportion of parents of primary school children worried was higher than that of parents of secondary school children. To achieve the aims of the Every Child Matters

framework experiences of victimisation by children in school need to remain low or ideally nonexistent. However, the level of reports of victimisation by parents suggests work remains to be done in achieving those aims: • 60 per cent of parents reported that their child had been verbally abused • 45 per cent reported their child had been pushed, shoved, grabbed or slapped. RESPONSE TO CRIME The most widely used measure that parents were aware of to stop or reduce crime in and around the school were anti-bullying programmes. The presence of these programmes may be a reflection of the finding that bullying was the issue most parents were most concerned about. One of the most interesting outcomes was the proportion of parents who did not know which specific security measures were used in their child’s school. High levels of ‘don’t know’ answers were given when parents were asked whether a range of different security measures were in place. One of the Children’s Plan 2020 goals (April 2008) is that parents should be satisfied with the information and support they receive. Efforts made to address the level of information parents receive about security measures could help to accomplish this goal. For those parents who were aware of security measures, the following featured highly: • requiring pupils to wear school uniform • requiring visitors to sign in • controlling access to school buildings and grounds. More intrusive measures such as metal detectors, drug testing and security guards, predictably, seem to be less common as far as parents were aware, and were judged by parents as being less effective in reducing crime and fear of crime in schools. In response to the level of effort spent addressing crime and the fear of crime by the child’s school, most parents felt it was adequate or more than adequate. It should be noted however that more than one in ten parents believed the level of effort was less than adequate. One in five parents was not confident in the school’s ability to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour. Parents’ confidence fell for those who reported their child had been a victim and schools need to be aware that they will lose the confidence of parents if their child is victimised due to a lack of measures in place to prevent and reduce crime. Perpetuity is a leading provider of research, consultancy, training and conferences in the areas of crime reduction,

PARENTAL CONCERNS The types of behaviour with the highest proportion of parents indicating they were worried or very worried were: • Bullying – 59 per cent • Intruders trespassing on school property – 40 per cent • Cyber bullying – 40 per cent This was followed by some weapon related behaviour and substance use, where parents were worried or very worried about: • Pupils carrying knives – 39 per cent • Pupils threatening someone with a weapon – 37 per cent • Pupils using a knife against someone – 36 per cent • Drug use – 35 per cent • Drug dealing – 34 per cent • Alcohol use – 32 per cent A lower proportion of parents were worried or very worried about: • Criminal damage – 27 per cent • Pupils firing a gun at someone – 27 per cent • Pupils carrying guns in school – 26 per cent • Graffiti – 18 per cent community safety and security. We provide bespoke services to international companies, central and local government, public service providers, private businesses as well as charities and voluntary organisations. We have established an international reputation for excellence by combining a scholarly approach with a broad range of practical experience. Our collective commitment is to provide our clients with solutions that make a difference. Perpetuity engages in a range of research projects including extensive work around schools, teachers and young people; recent and ongoing work includes the development of a gang’s toolkit for schools and a survey of young peoples’ views and experience of carrying and using knives.

FOR MORE INFORMATION For more information about this research or the work of Perpetuity please contact one of the team on 0116 222 5555 or visit www.perpetuitygroup.com. For more information on TAC UK and their security services please contact – Chris Buchanan on Christopher. Buchanan@uk.schneider-electric.com (www.tac.com)

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“Harlequin Activity floors the best we could have in our new building!” ™

Before the opening of the new building at Edinburgh’s Telford College it became apparent that the wood floors specified and installed were not suitable for dance. Harlequin were invited to provide a sprung floor solution that would provide the right degree of spring and traction for the various dance study courses offered in the curriculum. Three studios were installed with Harlequin Activity floors - ideal for a multitude of dance disciplines, reducing injury risk and enhancing dancers’ performances. In addition, a floor of Harlequin Allegro was installed in the Performing Arts Studio and Harlequin Liberty portable sprung panels supplied for touring use. Winifred Jamieson, Curriculum Manager, commented, ‘We have found Harlequin to be most professional in their dealings with the College. The Dance Department are delighted with the floors and we feel that they are the best we could have in our new building’.

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www.educationbusinessuk.com

Written by Roderic Bunn, BSRIA

DESIGN & BUILD

SOFT LANDINGS – AN EDUCATION With over £45 million of taxpayers money being injected into rebuilding schools, it would be a good idea to ensure the new buildings perform better than the old ones. Sadly, the evidence so far says otherwise IT’S A LOT OF MONEY, £45 BILLION. It’ll buy a lot of new schools, and refurbish quite a few old ones. And why are we doing it? Because we believe that school designs of the 21st century will transform education. That’s what the Building Schools for the Future programme (BSF) is all about. There is a problem, of course, with this central tenet. It implies that any school not built, say, in the last 20 years, is somehow educationally substandard. Sometimes this is true. After a century or so of building substantial and robust red brick buildings, we embarked on a period of construction in the 1960s of lightweight system buildings. They were usually flimsy, poorly insulated, leaky and used too much energy. In a word they were cheap. RESILIENT BUILDINGS Prior to the 1960s, schools tended to be wellconstructed, airy, well supplied with daylight, robust and simple (if not always very flexible). Even Edwardian and Victorian school buildings have proved remarkably resilient as fashions in education have ebbed and flowed. Age has not withered them, nor has the current fixation with information technology staled their infinite variety. Leaving aside problems with circulation, storage and access, they enable teachers to teach children perfectly well. Generations of Oxbridge graduates prove the point. The other important aspect of older schools is that they’ve long since paid back their investment – not just in capital cost terms, but in terms of the energy used to construct them. The government wants all new schools to be zero-carbon by 2016, but the carbonneutral school is much more likely to be an existing school building, albeit with vastly improved insulation, highly efficient heating and lighting systems, triple glazing, and sources of energy based on renewable supplies. That’s not where the BSF programme has taken us. BSF is mostly about building new. And the evidence suggests that where we knock down and build new, we build in complication, we build in a lot more energy-hungry equipment, we occupy them for longer hours, and we drive them harder. BSF schools also tend to be far more ‘architecturally inspiring’. This may be a virtue in design terms, but one thing’s for sure: they’re all prototypes. And prototypes are not production-line items. They are not cars, or widgets. They do not work perfectly ‘out of the box’. They are one-offs that need nurse-maiding into operation. And that goes for the head teachers and administrators too – procuring a new school is a once-in-a-lifetime

event. There is no experience to call upon. And no Alt+Control+Z if you get it wrong. Post-occupancy evaluation – the act of analysing a building to test how well it works – is becoming popular. Postoccupancy evaluation (POE) largely involves energy and systems analysis, and measurements of occupant satisfaction. In general, POE researchers are finding that new schools are usually far more complex than older schools. While they

may use less gas for heating, they consume about three times more electricity. They’re often poorly commissioned, rarely finished off properly, and subsequently very difficult for occupants to control. They have lots of advanced green technology that adds to the burden. A new school building that performs exactly in line with the designer’s promises is very, very rare. The evidence usually shows up in excessive energy consumption that is difficult to

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATION

Education Business | Volume 15.2

www.educationbusinessuk.com

DESIGN & BUILD

rein in, followed by chronic manageability, usability and maintainability problems. WHERE DOES THE ENERGY GO? Excessive energy use in new schools tends to fit in one of the following categories: • Energy intensive systems, such as fans, pumps, controls, lighting, catering equipment, ICT, office equipment, and refrigeration • Conflicts between daylighting, electric lighting and ventilation, particularly where ICT is concerned (blinds down and lights on, for pupils to see the whiteboard) • Things that run for long periods, either due to extended hours of occupation, and/ or control that is difficult to exercise • Things left on when not needed, such as lighting, external security systems, computers and printers on standby or overnight charging • Things that don’t work properly, like heating and ventilation systems that are either inappropriate, over-complex, difficult to use and maintain, or simply poorly commissioned • Things difficult for staff to operate and change. This includes poorly designed user controls. But it’s not just about energy. The last two points are mostly about occupants. Designers don’t think like occupants – they think about architecture and engineering. They are trained to think about technical inputs, not operational outcomes. Conversely, those who have to work in the school don’t want to know about technology – they just want things to work properly, and be intuitive to use. Technology needs careful attention if it is to work as intended, but designers often don’t appreciate that management in schools is a scare resource. Occupant satisfaction surveys and POE workshops also tend to reveal that occupants didn’t get what they were expecting. Even if they are solicited about their needs, it is usually in the very early stages of the project. There is rarely any follow-through. If expectations are not managed properly, it’s little wonder that performance falls short. A new school and its unsuspecting occupants can suffer a very bumpy landing. It’s tempting to point the finger of blame at the construction industry, or even at the BSF programme. That would be untrue and unfair, not to say unhelpful. We should not be in the blame game. We need to fix the problem. Clearly, complicated and expensive school buildings need a new approach to procurement that takes a broad view of design, involving consultation with all stakeholders: teachers, parents, and pupils. We also need to get real about sustainability. Sustainability is not about procuring visible icons of renewable technology that can’t be managed (or understood) by hard-pressed school administrators on tight budgets. Sustainability is about reductions in loads, more efficient and better-controlled fabric and equipment, about gentle engineering and improved user controls. It’s

about getting the essentials right before the school is plastered with photovoltaics. Local authorities and funding agencies need to recognise that the post-completion hand-holding of complex new schools is also essential. The historic 12 month defects liability period is not enough to bed-in complicated schools. We need project teams that take a ‘cradle to long-term operation’ view of their responsibilities, and stay involved with a new school for up to three years to finetune and optimise its engineering systems. SOFT LANDINGS This is where Soft Landings comes in. Soft Landings is an approach to procurement that requires a school client and its construction supply chain to do all these things. The methodology has been published by BSRIA and the Usable Buildings Trust as an opensource Framework that can easily run alongside most common procurement methods operating in the schools sector. Its work-steps augment rather than replace conventional design and construction processes. This makes it easy for project teams to adopt. In essence, Soft Landings requires the project team and client to get greater clarity at the inception and briefing stages about client needs and required outcomes. This involves the setting and reality-checking of performance targets (such as energy use) through the procurement and construction process. Soft Landings also places greater emphasis on building readiness, with the designer and constructor being more involved during pre-handover and commissioning. A Soft Landings team is also required to be on site during the initial settling-in period, and for the professional team to be paid to stay involved for up to three years to resolve both outstanding issues and any that emerge in the light of initial operational experience. The professional aftercare period is a new professional service, and will require funding. The cost – which should be modest – can easily

be offset by savings in energy consumption and by a reduction in remedial works. The aftercare activities involve review meetings, the logging of environmental and energy performance, systems and energy reviews, occupant satisfaction surveys, and the fine-tuning of systems – all things that don’t happen in conventional forms of procurement. MAKING SOFT LANDINGS HAPPEN So how do teachers and school administrators ensure that their new school has a soft landing rather than a painful belly-flop? For a start you need to recognise that schools are in the front line in the battle to reduce the output of greenhouse gases emissions, not just through new build but also refurbishment. Second, local authorities, school boards and governors have the power and responsibility to apply climate change abatement policies. It’s not optional for anyone. Communities are increasingly looking to schools for moral and political leadership. You have the opportunity to enthuse communities and motivate the construction industry to deliver the best it can. You can also set the framework for timescales, for the consultation processes, and for the briefing and procurement procedures. In this respect you have far greater influence than you think. In essence, all you need to do is to insist that your school project is a Soft Landings project, and appoint a project team who will ensure the job is run that way. The construction industry already has the tools and the guidance to deliver Soft Landings. You don’t need to do much more than push them in the right direction. Roderic Bunn is a buildings analyst with BSRIA, a research consultancy specialising in construction advice and good practice.

FOR MORE INFORMATION For more information and a free copy of the Soft Landings Framework, go to www.softlandings.org.uk

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Education Business | Volume 15.2

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DESIGN & BUILD

MAJOR BOOST FOR SCHOOL PROGRAMME It won’t be long before parents, staff and children start to see new schools being built and major improvements made to other secondary and special schools in Stoke-on-Trent STOKE-ON-TRENT’S BUILDING Schools for the Future programme has been given a major boost with the announcement that the project’s Outline Business Case (OBC) has been approved. Confirmation of the approval means government funding is now confirmed in principle for the £250m programme, which will see all secondary and special schools in the city rebuilt or refurbished between 2010 and 2014. Welcoming the news, Stoke-on-Trent City Council leader Cllr. Ross Irving, said: “What it effectively means is that Partnerships for Schools – who control the purse strings – has agreed the overall plan for our BSF programme. It means we can move the programme forward safe in the knowledge that the government agrees with our proposals.” Deputy council leader and cabinet member for regeneration, Cllr. Brian Ward, said: ”The BSF programme is key to the regeneration of the city and confirmation that we’ve had approval for the Outline Business Case is a crucial development in moving the programme forward. We still have a lot of work to do, but it won’t be long before parents, staff and, most importantly, children start

to see new schools being built and major improvements made to other secondary and special schools in Stoke-on-Trent.” Cabinet member for children and young people’s services, Cllr. Ian Mitchell, said: ”This is excellent and significant news. With six out of seven planning applications now given outline approval, the overall plan is taking real, tangible shape. The final element is to secure planning permission for the new Discovery Academy, which we hope to do later in the year, so that the pupils of Mitchell and Edensor schools are not left behind the others. We want to ensure continuity for the programme so that no one is left out.” The new proposed ‘family’ of schools in the city will include five brand new academies, six proposed foundation or trust schools, three voluntary aided schools, four special schools and a ‘hub’ for children with behavioural, emotional and social difficulties. FINANCIAL AGREEMENT Senior members of the council, along with representatives of the council’s two selected design and build contractors, Balfour Beatty

and Thomas Vale/Wates, have also signed the ‘overarching agreement’ which confirms both sides’ financial commitment to the project. This will enable detailed work on the first two school projects, Haywood Engineering and Trent Vale, to go ahead. Councillor Ross Irving paid tribute to the negotiators on both sides. He said: ”I would like to thank all those involved in bringing this agreement to its financial close. This project is challenging in many respects and the level of professionalism shown on both sides to make this happen in such a tight timeframe is commendable.” Ian Mitchell, said: “This agreement means our school teams can get down to some definitive an exciting planning for the design and build aspects of their projects.” The agreement was also welcomed nationally, by Tim Byles, the chief executive of Partnerships for Schools (PfS), the organisation responsible for delivering the national BSF programme, who said: “I am pleased that Stoke-on-Trent has reached Financial Close as it paves the way for the area’s BSF project. The scheme is a oncein-a-lifetime opportunity to improve the life chances of school pupils by providing them with the best possible start. Stoke-on-Trent’s schools will also become hubs for the local community by providing extended services such as leisure facilities, which will benefit people of all ages. 146 BSF schools and over 125,000 pupils are benefiting from BSF investment across the country with 96 local authorities engaged in the programme and I look forward to following Stoke-on-Trent’s project.”

McGee – trusted civil, structural, demolition and decontamination specialists for over 50 years

cGee Group is one of Europe’s leading civil, structural, demolition and decontamination specialists. The Group was founded in 1958 by Tom McGee and has grown dramatically in size and reputation. McGee continues to pioneer innovative techniques and methods, enabling them to deliver projects quicker, cheaper and with reduced environmental impact. McGee Group has been safely removing asbestos from buildings for over 20 years. With its range of in-house resources, the Group has an unrivalled track record undertaking projects of all sizes, from individual private properties through to the most complex and prestigious developments for which it is renowned. McGee has the capacity to take your project from early phase works, for example; site enabling, decontamination, demolition, groundworks and deep foundation construction, through to construction of permanent structures of all kinds. McGee works across the industry in delivering building and infrastructure projects, working with main contractors and clients in the private/commercial,

public, education and military sectors. McGee Group services fall under four divisions which can be employed independently or as part of integrated works packages. Decontamination & Decommissioning inc. Asbestos Services – This division specialises in Asbestos Decontamination including; Asbestos Surveys of all types, removal, encapsulation, transport and Safe Disposal. McGee Group is UKAS and ATAC accredited and has been Removing Asbestos from buildings, ranging from schools to power stations, since the 1970s accumulating vast experience in this sector. McGee Group has been a member of ARCA since 1999. UKAS accreditation is a safeguard for clients to ensure McGee is working to the highest standards, in line with current guidance and legislation. Demolition & Deconstruction – McGee spearheaded the development of the industry

with its innovative approach to the demolition and deconstruction of large structures. The Group is a leading specialist in this area and is renowned for its work on complex projects such as Wembley Stadium, Camden Market and Battersea Power Station. Civil & Structural Services – McGee carries out all works relating to the excavation and construction of deep foundations, basements and underground structures. There is also a specialist team dedicated to the construction of concrete and steel frames and super structures such as those recently implemented at Stables Market, Camden. Transport, Recycling & Waste Management – McGee Group has a specialist division undertaking the transport, recycling and disposal of all materials. The Group also owns and operates a concrete crushing and recycling depot in Canning Town.

FOR MORE INFORMATION For more information please contact Chris Wright on 020 8998 1101 E-mail: chris.wright@mcgee.co.uk or visit our website www.mcgee.co.uk

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATION

Education Business | Volume 15.2

www.educationbusinessuk.com

DESIGN & BUILD

BIGGEST BSEC YET The only event in Britain that caters for all involved in school building projects, from the planning stage through to the use of new buildings, provided a business platform for BSF Programme PRESENTATIONS & SPECIAL FEATURES The exhibitors were supported by presentations from speakers ranging from former film producer and now education philanthropist Sir David Puttnam to Barry Sheerman MP, Chair of the Commons Children, Schools and Families Select Committee, who confirmed the continued need to create learning places that bring out the best in pupils, teachers and the local community and that will support both society and industry’s need for tomorrow’s skilled workforce. Particular interest was shown in the specialist exhibition floor seminars, which included the Danish Pavilion, organised by the Danish Embassy with support from the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Pavilion provided visitors with a different perspective on school design, teaching styles and the opportunity to learn about the Scandinavian approach to education culture, environment and learning spaces. This proved particularly relevant with Shadow Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, Michael Gove MP being recently reported as supporting Swedish-style school reforms, which will allow teachers, parents, faith groups, private firms, charities to set up “free” schools that would receive the same amount per pupil in government funding as existing state schools. BSEC WAS HELD THIS YEAR IN THE shadow of polls suggesting that we could be on course for a hung parliament and desperate party political activists struggling to find policies that will boost a battered electorate who hope for the best but expect the worst. One area all eyes continue to be focused upon is the education sector. This emotional subject area remains a political minefield as parents, schools and local communities wait to see how politicians intend to square possible cuts in public spending and the continued need to invest in schools. This is also particularly relevant to the future of construction companies working or due to work on projects that form part of the current £50 billion BSF programme. LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS It remains the pupils of both the schools of today and tomorrow who will be the real winners if the BSF programme remains intact. The creation of effective, pupil orientated, learning space is essential for education opportunities, study behaviour and personal development. This recognised need for modern learning environments has even been supported by a survey carried out by the Teacher Support Network and

British Council for School Environments, where 87 per cent of respondents agreed that a school’s environment affects pupil behaviour, yet only 12 per cent considered that existing schools were designed effectively. This keen interest in the future of learning environments and school redevelopment projects was probably one of the reasons over 5,500 visitors from all aspects of the education, architectural, supplier and construction sectors gathered over two days in London’s ExCeL to attend BSEC 2010. Pushing visitor numbers up by 10 per cent on 2009 they took the opportunity to meet existing colleagues and potential partners who where promoting their services and products in an exhibition space increased at the last minute to accommodate the 32 per cent growth in exhibitors. Commenting on visitors and exhibitors defying current economic conditions and emphasising the importance of the event, exhibition marketing manager Amie Willenberg explained: “BSEC remains a major milestone in both the education and construction diary and is the only event in Britain that caters for everybody involved in school building projects, from planning, through commercial management to the use of new or renovated buildings.”

LOCAL COMMUNITY REGENERATION Local government was also well represented at the event with presentations from councils already embracing the BSF programme and providing delegates with construction case studies and advice to support future education development projects. In particular Ray Baker of Lancashire County Council gave an account of the realities of the largest early-wave BSF scheme, transforming schools in former milltowns and bringing 21st century learning to an area in need of real regeneration. Making its debut at BSEC 2010, Brent was one of 26 local authorities showcasing its BSF plans and vision for education. Brent’s inaugural appearance as an exhibitor drew great interest from prospective contractors, architects, builders, engineers as well as other industry supply chains. Councillor Bob Wharton, Lead Member for Children and Families, said: “Brent was delighted to be involved in this year’s BSEC event. We were particularly pleased with the amount of interest generated from large consortiums and smaller enterprises within the building and construction industry as well as teachers and other authorities. Such interest reinforces the

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DESIGN & BUILD

value and magnitude of our vision for Brent as a modern, urban and exciting place for schools, business and communities.” MAKING THE ENVIRONMENT PAY The environment, its impact on future building regulations and the associated construction cost implications continued to also attract considerable interest. In particular visitors were interested in products that can help the environment pay its way with innovative ideas like the waterproof membrane that literally turns rooftops into mini power stations. With integrated photovoltaic cells, it can produce up to 20 per cent more electricity than conventional crystalline panels, offering superb energy savings for users. Popular with schools, hospitals and high profile public and commercial buildings, the payback periods of product, developed by Evalon Solar, make it an ideal way to cut power bills as the cost of electricity rises. Even better, any power generated that is unused can be sent to the National Grid and sold to energy companies. The income streams, teaching opportunities and reduced CO2 that installing a wind energy turbine can provide also proved to be popular. Speaking to attendees, Tony Gordon, chief executive, Vertical Wind Energy, explained: “With the government going to pay Feed in Tariffs of up to 34.5 pence for 1kW of energy generated from wind from April 2010, payable to anyone who installs a turbine, regardless of whether they use all the electricity themselves, schools will instantly have a new income stream by installing a Vertical Wind Energy turbine and harvesting free wind. The Vertical Wind Energy turbines can generate electricity regardless of the direction of the wind unlike many conventional horizontal axis wind turbines.” REBUILD & RENOVATION With current BFS projects seeing the demolition and reconstruction of many new schools and the creation of open, well ventilated, illuminated modern learning spaces, architects and builders are beginning to realise that future budgets may see projects moving more towards renovation rather than new build. Recognising this change in direction, earlier this year, long time supporter of BSEC, The British Council for School Environments (BCSE) launched the Big School Makeover – a major national education programme to encourage teachers, parents and young people to get involved in refreshing or refurbishing a classroom, dining room or even an outside space. The programme’s slogan, Small Change to Big Difference, illustrates that with a little imagination and effort any area of the school can be turned into a pleasant and stimulating place for learning, whatever the budget. Speaking at the event BCSE chief executive Ty Goddard said: “We are in the middle of the biggest investment in school buildings since Victorian times. Every child in the country deserves the best possible school building – whether it’s through a refresh of colour, major refurbishment or a new build. We want to see young people and teachers up and down the country involved in designing and taking action in their schools.” Rounding up BSEC 2010 conference manager Michael Stewart explained: “There was universal acknowledgement of the achievements and the impact that BSF has had. The constant theme throughout the presentations and exhibition was that continued investment in the creation of effective learning centres to prepare students for the future is essential. The role of BSF in the regeneration of local communities was also widely recognised. However, the reality of the economic climate means we’re going to see more renovation rather than rebuild. The real challenge will be to deliver even greater innovation in design and execution and we are already looking forward to BSEC 2011 to see how these challenges are being met.” BSEC 2011 will take place 23-24 February

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

REHAU building solutions in new flagship school HE NEW £28M FLAGSHIP Joseph Rowntree Secondary School in York will be a showcase for many of REHAU’s building solution products which were on display at BSEC, including a groundair heat exchanger, underfloor heating and cable management system. The REHAU AWADUKT Thermo ground-air heat exchanger system serves the Demonstration Theatre, a focal point of the school’s science and technology based curriculum. The system will provide a low energy source of ventilation which is increasingly recognised as being essential to maintain pupils’ attention and comfort levels in schools. A 12m x 14m array of 15 runs of REHAU’s 250mm optimised polypropylene pipework has been laid at a depth of around 1.5m under what will eventually be part

of the school’s main entrance. The system operates by drawing air in through the pipes and using the natural 8-12ºC temperature of the earth at that depth to either precool or pre-warm the air – depending on the season – before it is delivered into the building via an AHU. Alongside the REHAU AWADUKT Thermo system, REHAU is also supplying underfloor heating for installation by its Authorised Partner B&K Systems across the school’s 12,000m2 floor area and the cable management system required for the Cat 6a/7 data cabling to be installed throughout.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Tel: 01989 762600 Fax: 01989 762654 E-mail: jo.price@rehau.com Web: www.rehau.co.uk

HYDROPANEL – when performance matters VERY TEACHER is willing to acknowledge the fact that the environment in which students study has an immense impact on the quality of what is being taught. However, increased maintenance costs, deterioration of teaching facilities can become a problem with premature wear of walls. Therefore the choice of materials become of vital importance. In fact, materials that are fully adapted to the school and university sectors will make it possible to reduce maintenance costs and preserve the quality of teaching space offered HYDROPANEL cement board makes it possible for those in charge of educational facilities to tackle all of these challenges with peace of mind. The major challenge is the durability of

separating walls; with resistance to shocks, impacts, water, humidity and rupture being critical. HYDROPANEL cement boards offer the resistance and solidity of a cement wall even in dry construction. Rupture stress tests have proven that HYDROPANEL cement board, is able to support high loads at points of anchorage, is four times stronger than traditional boards and offers 100 per cent water resistance and rot proof.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Tel: 01283 722588 Fax: 01283 722219 E-mail: hydropanel@ marleyeternit.co.uk Web: www.hydropanel.co.uk

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ENERGY

HELP TO CUT CARBON AND COSTS Tom Cumberlege, public sector manager at the Carbon Trust, looks at how a few simple steps can not only improve energy efficiency, but also cut costs

ENERGY EFFICIENCY IS INCREASINGLY sitting at the top of people’s agendas, and with the schools estate emitting around 9.4 million tonnes of carbon dioxide – about two per cent of total UK greenhouse gases – it’s important that governors, teachers and head teachers seize the initiative and strive for a greener, more efficient future. With Schools Secretary, Ed Balls, announcing in January 2010 that schools are to get digital ‘energy display meters’ as part of plans to help schools join the fight against climate change, it is good to see steps are being taken to cut the carbon footprint of the education sector. Research from the Carbon Trust shows Britain’s head teachers could wipe a massive £70 million off school energy bills by making their schools more energy efficient. When you consider those savings could fund around five million textbooks, the business case for carbon reduction becomes clear. CRC PROGRAMME Clearly, if schools use less power, they will spend less money on energy bills. Not only that but by reducing their carbon emissions and

improving their environmental performance, they will fare better in the Government’s Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC) programme which comes into force in April 2010. The CRC is a mandatory scheme that targets carbon dioxide emissions from large public and private sector organisations, which use more than 6,000MWh of electricity per year. Emissions from state-funded schools in Great Britain are included in the scheme through their local authority. The CRC has significant financial and reputational implications for organisations so it is vital that they understand fully how it will impact them and how they can profit from early action to reduce the cost of compliance and minimise risk. Until 2013, organisations that are part of the scheme must buy carbon allowances to cover their emissions at a cost of £12/tCO2, after this the price will float and trading will begin in earnest. This money will be paid back to businesses in October of each year, but how much is dependent on how high they are ranked in the CRC league table. In 2011 the league table is determined solely on the basis of whether the organisation has taken ‘early action’ in advance of the CRC. With schools

included in the scheme, under the responsibility of their council, there is a clear financial incentive to reduce carbon emissions from both the local authority and schools in the area. The good news is that implementing a few simple techniques can help to reduce the amount of energy consumed in a school, and in doing so release funding. Costs can be reduced significantly using simple energy saving procedures, such as setting appropriate temperatures and ensuring that heating equipment and controls are operated and managed correctly. So, with the Carbon Reduction Commitment around the corner and the need to maximise any opportunity to save energy and cost, what actions can schools take to make energy efficiency savings? TOP TIPS FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY • Place heat emitting equipment such as printers and photocopiers in a naturally ventilated area • Switch off all IT equipment when not in use and enable power down modes to reduce energy consumption and heat production • Switch off monitors – this will save 60

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ENERGY

per cent on the energy used by a PC during break times when it’s not in use • Consider renewable energy technologies to generate power and heat • Do not switch on catering equipment too soon. Label equipment with its pre-heat time and educate staff to turn on only when needed • Switch off lighting when not in use – place ‘switch off’ stickers above light switches and put posters up in classrooms • Purchase equipment with running costs in mind. Equipment that automatically switches off (such as pan sensors on hobs or lighting) can save as much as 25 per cent on energy costs. • Switch water coolers and vending machines off at nights and weekends • Set default printing to double sided where possible and try to print in batches to allow the machine time on standby • Involve staff and pupils by developing an awareness campaign to encourage and incentivise energy efficiency • Check your heating system operating hours meet the times when heating, ventilation and cooling are required, as needs vary throughout the day and at different times of the year. Also check that building energy management systems are operating properly • Use a pool cover on swimming pools – this can produce tens of thousands of pounds through reducing the need for heating. SAVINGS IN LIVERPOOL One school that is reaping the benefits of energy efficiency is St Edwards College, a voluntary aided school in Liverpool, with 1,150 pupils from 11 to 18 years old. With restricted budgets and annual energy costs of £55,600, St Edwards College was eager to reduce its energy consumption, particularly when savings could be used for extra college materials. However, staff soon realised they needed some specialist help and contacted the Carbon Trust to gain its expertise in the area of energy conservation. As a first step, the Carbon Trust carried out a survey of the site to see what improvements could be made with minimal financial investment. As a result of the survey, the Carbon Trust produced a list of recommendations, which detailed how St Edward’s could make the energy savings it was looking for and potentially reduce annual energy costs by 20 per cent. One year on, the college has implemented a number of the cost-saving recommendations, including installing presence lighting circuits into large areas such as the assembly hall and dining hall and is currently making arrangements to install a swimming pool cover to help insulate the pool. Staff at the college are also far more vigilant now about ensuring that air conditioning, lights and other electrical equipment are switched off at the end of the day. Other recommendations the

college is now looking at implementing include installing efficiency controls to boilers and replacing damaged heating insulation, and introducing an energy monitoring system. SURVEYING IN NORTH LONDON Woodhouse College, a sixth-form college in Finchley was also able to make substantial savings by taking a few very simple steps. Based around an 18th century manor house in Finchley, North London, Woodhouse College is a sixth-form college with around 80 staff and 1,000 pupils. The original building was extended in the 1920s and 30s, with further areas added in 1997 and 2000. Woodhouse College’s annual energy bill is around £50,000, making it one of the largest expenses after staff salaries. In addition, with limited budgets, the College could not afford the annual energy bill increases of 20-30 per cent it was facing. Carol Kirkland, the director of academic and business operations, had a personal interest in the environment and so called in the Carbon Trust, with the dual purpose of reducing bills and improving the College’s environmental performance. As a first step, the Carbon Trust carried out a free detailed energy survey to see what could be achieved based on low cost solutions. The resulting survey produced a range of recommendations for how the college could reduce energy consumption by almost 17 per cent, saving 36.5 tonnes of carbon a year. The advice ranged from installing more energy efficient light bulbs, to developing an energy efficiency awareness campaign for staff and students. 18 months on and many of the recommendations have been implemented.

Pipes and valves have been insulated, light bulbs are being replaced with energy efficient bulbs and computers turn off automatically. The College has even installed more light circuits giving greater control over the lighting of different areas, so that better use can be made of natural light. An ongoing energy efficiency awareness programme has also been successfully implemented, which has led to direct changes in the way students and staff use energy. Woodhouse College is now seeing the results. Its energy consumption is falling month by month, with a six per cent reduction over a year, saving 13 tonnes of carbon. This has been achieved despite an increase in student numbers, which means the College is actually experiencing greater use of its classrooms. The Carbon Trust offers free on-site surveys to schools with an energy bill of over £50,000 per annum. During the survey a carbon expert will visit your school, and work with you to develop an action plan to reduce your energy use. Similarly, smaller schools spending under £50,000 annually on energy can access free, practical advice from the Carbon Trust website and advice line. Ultimately, energy efficiency savings cannot afford to be ignored. Managing carbon emissions will help schools to cut back on their energy costs and secure savings that could be spent on new books, PE equipment or even additional teaching staff.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Tel: 0800 085 2005 Web: www.carbontrust.co.uk/schools

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Wimbledon Park Primary School has by 17% because they use PowerWarden – a unique combination of software and a plug board that reduces the energy cost of their PCs throughout the day and also gives them detailed reporting on emissions, and financial savings. It paid for itself within 6 months. A school of 100 PCs could be wasting as much as £6,552 pa and 28,000 kgs of harmful CO2e emissions. PowerWarden could cost as little as 19p per PC per month with our Pay-AsYou-Save plan for Schools. A school of 500 PCs could be wasting as much as £27,273 pa and 141,000 kgs of harmful CO2e emissions. PowerWarden could cost as little as 24p per PC per month. Why not contact us for a trial or a FREE audit to see how your school can benefit. For more information go to www.ivywenergysaving.com/schools

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Hit renewable targets and generate income with Mitsubishi Electric’s commercial heating systems

ECENT FIGURES FROM the Department of Energy and Climate Change* show that 55 per cent of the energy used in the average commercial property goes on space heating and hot water. The majority of local authorities also now include a requirement for renewable energy in the planning process, and the approach of the Greater London Authority (GLA), which has declared the long-term aim of a zero-emissions energy policy, points to increasingly tough targets for anyone seeking planning permission. To answer this need, Mitsubishi Electric has launched a new range of commercial heating products that will help the majority of buildings achieve renewable energy targets with more ease, reliability and flexibility than any other alternative renewable technology including biomass boilers. The heating-only range uses advanced heat pumps to provide radiant heating, warm air, domestic hot water, or a combination of all three. They can also be retro-fitted to existing buildings and will work independently or alongside other heating systems. “Other renewable systems such as solar thermal, wind turbines, photovoltaic, MicroCHP, and biofuels face reliability issues, high install costs, or the limits in renewable capacity restrict

where they can be used,” explained Philip Ord, Mitsubishi Electric’s product marketing manager. “Even biomass boilers, which are often touted as the solution, are not without limits as many people don’t appreciate how much space is required for secure fuel storage and regular fuel delivery, or how often they need maintenance to keep them working efficiently,” he added. Installation of the heat pump system is straightforward with the entire range covered by a five-year-warranty and they have been deigned to suit a wide variety of heating needs. Each unit can supply domestic water at 70ºC, water for radiators and underfloor systems at 45ºC or warmed air for a ducted supply system. Heat pumps are classified as renewable technology by both the European Union and the UK Government because they harvest free, renewable energy from the air or ground to maximise efficiency and minimise energy consumption. This means that for every 1kW of electricity they consume, at least 3.5-5kW of usable heating energy is supplied to the building. Ord highlights the potential of this final issue by pointing to the government’s plans for a Renewable Heating Incentive in 2011, which in simple terms will see the energy providers, such as EON,

The green alternative to air conditioning ITH ENERGY

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rapidly, a responsibility to reduce carbon emissions, and the need to provide pupils with an environment in which they can achieve their best work, an alternative to air conditioning for classroom cooling has been long overdue. Rising to the challenge, the countries leading natural cooling specialists have developed the Educool system, which is now available across the UK. Educool cools classrooms and other areas without costing the earth. It maintains very high air quality by using only fresh air, not the same stuffy air over and over, has running costs and a carbon footprint at least 80 per cent smaller than air conditioning, and provides 10 to 12°C more cooling than ventilation. The improvements in pupil’s attentiveness, wellbeing and

etc. paying energy users for every kW of renewable energy they produce. “Installing our heating systems will already help a school achieve today’s and tomorrow’s renewable energy targets, reduce emissions, lower running costs and increase control and comfort,” he explains. “In future, building owners also have the real potential to earn money under the RHI scheme.” * Source: Department of Energy and Climate Change - secondary analysis of data from the Digest of UK Energy Statistics and Building Research Establishment 2009

FOR MORE INFORMATION For further details on the new range of commercial heating systems, call 01707 282880 or e-mail commercialheating@meuk.mee.com

Innovative energy saving products from Ivy VY ENERGY SAVING LTD’S high quality product range, of energy saving products is consistently delivering financial and environmental benefits in both the public and private sector that are immediately evident. Standby Buster® is frequently used to take audio-visual equipment out of standby mode; Save-It-Easy® retrofit fluorescent lighting is a cost effective alternative to replacing light fittings; and PowerWarden™ is a unique hardware and software solution that reduces the night and day energy, and emissions, wastage associated with ICT networks. Standby Buster costs £14.99 and can save on average £40 a year. A recent study by University College London states: “The use of Standby Buster may reduce a household bill by 10 per cent.” Typically, Save-it-Easy will reduce energy costs associated with lighting by 36 per cent and offer a payback of around 24 months. PowerWarden is currently shown

productivity are obvious to anyone who has experienced Educool in action. The system improves air quality, including oxygen levels, and reduces room temperatures at the same time; something which other systems cannot do cost effectively. Educool normally costs less than either wind catchers or air conditioning to install, suits most school buildings, and can be installed in a typical half term break or even over a weekend.

FOR MORE INFORMATION For more information, please call 02392 361260, visit www.educool.co.uk, or e-mail info@educool.co.uk

to reduce the energy costs at Wimbledon Park Primary School by 17 per cent and paid for itself within six months. On average, the payback period fo PowerWarden is no greater than 11 months and can be as little as one month. The Ivy client base includes organisations such as Portsmouth Council, The Royal Surrey County Hospital, the London Fire Brigade and so on. Finally, a range of financing options are available for our products that ensure the maximum benefit is gained from their use by changing them from a cap ex expenditure model to an op ex model.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Tel: 0845 855 3553 Fax: 0845 855 3554 Mob: +44 7545 203504 E-mail: garyaj@ ivyenergysaving.com

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You canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t see the quality of air, but you can see its results! - Costs less than AC or wind catchers to install. - Costs over 80% less than AC to run. - 100% fresh air & low carbon emissions. - Complies with BB101 legislation. - 10 to 12Âşc more cooling than wind catchers or ventilation.

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Written by Alastair Keir, chief executive, Salix Finance

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ENERGY

FUNDING FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY While many schools realise they could save money on energy bills, finding the up-front investment that is needed to become more energy efficient can be difficult CLIMATE CHANGE, CAUSED principally by the emissions of carbon dioxide from energy use, is the single biggest challenge facing us today. The UK has legally binding targets of reducing greenhouse gas emissions to 12.5 per cent below 1990 levels over the period 2008-12. The school sector has a large part to play in both achieving energy savings and raising awareness of the importance of energy efficiency. The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) are promoting a whole-school approach to energy efficiency. Energy efficiency and environmental criteria have been included in the bidding guidance for the New Deal for Schools (NDS) and local authorities are encouraged to include energy efficiency measures in all refurbishment work. FINDING FUNDING Against this backdrop, being creative with budgets and sourcing funding is an on-going challenge for school business and energy managers in the current economic environment

as they increasingly have to improve efficiency and reduce costs across the board. Added to this is the continuing drive to reduce carbon footprints and improve environmental efficiency and the need to fund projects that go beyond every day running costs. Energy consumption in schools can vary depending on the age of the buildings, their state of repair, occupancy hours and the amount and type of electrical equipment installed. Generally, secondary schools will have higher energy costs than primary schools. This is due to secondary schools’ longer hours and larger number of students, as well as more widespread use of electrical equipment in ICT, science, sports and crafts lessons. However, areas of energy waste are often the same regardless of school size or level. Many schools are spending far too much on their energy bills, which could be avoided through simple measures that could reduce spend by up to 20 per cent. UK schools spend an estimated £350 million on energy bills each year and could save around £20m a year through improved energy efficiency. However, the problem many schools face

is finding the up-front investment that is needed to become more energy efficient. MISSED OPPORTUNITY Paul Garrett, network and resource manager and school governor at Charles Darwin School in Biggin Hill, Kent explains how a chance meeting with a boiler supplier showed the potential for savings: “The company was planning to do a case study in a school for their system. They approached me and explained we could make substantial savings in both money and carbon emissions. Unfortunately, we couldn’t afford the system at that time and couldn’t take advantage of the opportunity.” This scenario won’t be uncommon in schools across the country, but the good news that help is at hand. Salix Finance offers interestfree energy efficiency loans to public sector organisations for over 100 different types of energy efficiency equipment. These range from building insulation, boiler and lighting upgrades to improved cooling systems and IT energy efficiency improvements. The loans are designed to pay for themselves through the savings in energy – essentially providing free funding to tackle energy bills. Salix

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New Light for greater energy efficiency. The TRILUX Sonara.

Every luminaire from TRILUX is far more than just light. For instance, the TRILUX Sonara: in addition to outstanding lighting performance it contributes significantly to noise reduction, and is suitable for the installation of further features such as fire alarms, sprinkler systems and loudspeakers. The luminaire is primarily suitable for classrooms and office environments where high value is placed on good acoustics and energy-efficient lighting: the highly reflective MIRO-SILVER速 coating and integrated lighting management achieve a light output ratio of 75%. TRILUX Sonara: New Light as it should be. www.trilux.co.uk

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ENERGY

Finance is an independent, not for profit, publicly funded company which was set up to provide public sector organisations with interest free loans to fund projects that specifically make energy savings. This is how Charles Darwin School solved its funding problem and was able to install an innovative boiler, which is predicted to save around £2,700 per year. A FINANCIAL INCENTIVE Clearly if schools use less power, they will spend less money on energy bills. Not only that, but by reducing their carbon emissions and improving their environmental performance they will fare better in the government’s Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC) programme which comes into force in April 2010. With schools included in the scheme under the responsibility of their local authority there is a clear financial incentive to reduce carbons emissions from both the local authority and the schools in the area. Because of the way school budgetary arrangements are set up, Salix funding is usually managed within their relevant local authority. If a school’s council has a recycling fund, the first port of call will generally be the energy manager. They may be able to identify eligible energy efficiency projects within your school and discuss how best to use the Salix fund to meet your needs. Warwickshire County Council is currently implementing £374,000 worth of projects across 33 schools, which are estimated to achieve a carbon saving of 500 tonnes. One project is to replace old steriliser sinks with an annual running cost of £21,500, with dishwashers in 11 schools. The cost of replacing them is £64,000 and will achieve a saving of £14,500 and 75.8 tonnes of CO2 per year. The project will pay for itself in about 4.5 years. In addition to CO2 and cost savings, the schools will benefit from an improved kitchen environment through a reduction in steam and heat output and the dishwashers are safer to operate. Warwickshire County Council is also giving schools ‘smart sub meters’. These devices monitor electricity consumption at each distribution board around the site and give instant readout of consumption. They act as a powerful motivation tool to encourage electricity saving. These low cost, wireless devices show live data on the amount of electricity being used and will allow comparisons of electricity used over various time periods. The sender unit communicates with the display unit every few seconds, so if you turn off a bank of lights or turn on a kettle, the resultant change in electricity consumption is displayed almost immediately. Bill Johnson, corporate energy manager at Warwickshire County Council, says: “The display consumption is very effective at the start and end of each day, to illustrate the consumption of equipment and lighting that may be left on unnecessarily.” Often it is the simplest measures that produce the biggest results, such as better insulation, improved heating systems and more efficient lighting and appliances. All of these can help cut fuel bills and pay for themselves in a relatively short timescale and an assessment should be undertaken to ensure that the most cost effective solutions are identified and implemented. For example, Robert Mellors Primary School in Nottinghamshire undertook a lighting upgrade project where T12 flourescent tubes were replaced with T8 and T5 fittings where appropriate. The costs were reduced from £3,609 per year running costs to a projected £2,015 resulting in an annual saving of £1,594 through this one measure alone. As well as the carbon and cost savings, any work undertaken to save energy can be incorporated into the curriculum and used as a teaching tool, providing practical learning and real-life application for pupils. Also, Salix funding can be used to support any work towards achieving EcoSchool status. Improving energy efficiency in schools does not mean compromising the comfort of staff and students. In many cases, implementing simple energy saving measures can improve conditions as well as saving money. Making energy efficiency savings is an area that schools cannot afford to ignore as it becomes increasingly important to their reputation as students, teachers and parents become more aware of climate change.

Specialist energy training for everyone HE SUBJECT OF ENERGY is high on the national agenda so it makes sense to learn about the issues. Whether you are in a teaching role or responsible for energy efficiency in an educational establishment, our experts can provide you with excellent, cost-effective training about Gas, Electricity, LNG, Oil and Carbon Markets. From transportation, transmission and regulation, to trading and risk management, buying gas or trading carbon allowances we can help you understand and teach the complexities of the energy arena efficiently and confidently. Do you need to understand Emissions Trading or the Carbon Reduction Commitment? Responding to your needs, we run a wide portfolio of lecture-

format, CPD accredited, public courses throughout the year offering both foundational and in-depth seminars. Visit the website to view our full course list. We also present our courses in-house, tailored to our customer’s requirements, often dealing with more advanced or specific aspects of the energy industry. These may be delivered as one-to-one sessions or as lectures. Visit our website, call or e-mail us to discover our flexible solutions to local and national energy issues.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Tel: +44 (0) 845 299 7072 Ext.4 E-mail: info@mjmenergy.com Web: www.mjmenergy.com

SDH – the air conditioning and heating specialists E ARE

W INSTALLERS and suppliers of air conditioning and heating systems for schools, offices, supermarkets, hotels, restaurants, and factory units across the UK. We can advise, design and install a system to suit any requirements. We also service and maintain existing heating and air conditioning systems. Go to our website and click air conditioning projects to see examples of our work. Our fully qualified and experienced engineers aim to take the stress out of our clients’ projects. We are based in Bolton, Greater Manchester, but work all over the country. We can advise schools on how to apply for an interest-free loan from the Carbon Trust in order to fund the installation of energy-

efficient heating systems (such as heat pumps) that work in place of traditional boilers. Contact us for further information and a no-obligation quotation.

FOR MORE INFORMATION For further details about our services please call us on 01204 305 053, e-mail: info@ sdh-aircon.com or visit our website: www.sdh-aircon.com. Address: 8 Forest Way Bolton, Lancashire, BL7 9YE.

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M e t e r i n g & M o n i t o r i n g s o l u t i o n swww.elcomponent.co.uk

Leading the way with sustainable metering & monitoring solutions aM&T Sub-Metering Systems

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Flexible cost-effective metering for all utilities and every type of business. We have the hardware, software, networking and installation skills to supply the package you need, on time and on budget.

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Energy Data Loggers

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2020 vision Focus on your response to meet 2020 carbon and energy targets

• Manage your carbon risk • CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme • Feed-in-tariffs and on-site renewables • Reduce energy costs • Implement available cost effective technology Join us at an ESTA event near you… BRADFORD Cedar Court Hotel, Wednesday 28 April 2010. FALKIRK Inchyra Grange Hotel, Thursday 6 May 2010. PETERBOROUGH East of England Showground, Tuesday 11 May 2010. LONDON Ibis Earl’s Court, Wednesday 12 May 2010. BRISTOL Marriott City Centre, Wednesday 19 May 2010

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Visit the website to view the categorised product finder

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A complex case for a simple solution? Smarter Automated Meter Reading?

UTOMATED METER READING (AMR) is now a topic that has reached even the furthest corners of the UK plc. The main driver of recent months has been the Carbon Reduction Commitment, or CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme, as it is now to be known. As recently as last week the Environment Agency has had a climb down on the requirement to buy two years carbon allowances in July 2011, essentially halving the cash flow impact of the CRC energy efficiency scheme on qualifying businesses. The CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme’s impact on your business (should it qualify) will in 2011 entirely depend upon what are called the Early Action Metrics, whereby a league table is drawn up and your companies relative performance to others is gauged by these metrics. In the first year, a successful installation of AMR across 90 per cent of your portfolio should see you avoid the associated financial penalties as AMR accounts for 50 per cent of these metrics. The other metric is to achieve the Carbon Trust Standard or other similar scheme. In the second and third year the impact of AMR

has doubled, now delivering 40 per cent in the second year and 20 per cent in the third year. This now gives higher emphasis to Early Action changes and reducing more slowly to better recognise your investment in AMR. Of course your company’s ability to reduce its consumption weighs heaviest after the first year, with the difficulties of doing this from estimated invoices, AMR is the best way to prove exactly what you have used. AMR covers a range of technologies, all of which provide users with timely and accurate access to their utility usage. AMR is available for electricity, gas and water meters, however, in the case of gas and water, a data logger or

other similar device needs to be connected to your meter via a pulse output, should a working pulse output be present on your meter. “It is important that your AMR solution is independently verified, financial and consumption benefits clearly detailed, and that the same company will support you in a year or two’s time when you are asked to prove the results,” says Jonathan Akers, head of Technical Energy Services at BIU, who provide metering services to RBS, Tesco, One Stop Stores, NCP, Pets at Home, Café Rouge, Poundland, Pret-a-Manger and the 2012 Olympics’ Athletes Village.

FOR MORE INFORMATION British Independent Utilities St Annes House, Wood St Lytham St Annes Lancashire FY8 1QG Tel: 01253 789816 Fax: 01253 714131 E-mail: amr@biu.com Web: www.biu.com

Save your school money with Enistic energy and water measurement and management

NISTIC IS LOOKING to team up with forward-thinking schools who wish to reduce their energy bills and boost their green credentials. The Enistic Energy Management System shows you exactly where you are using energy, in real-time, via an online reporting site, which you can use to help cut your energy costs. An easy-to-use and inexpensive tool, it will help you identify where savings can be made, and also provide you with an interactive visual aid for the classroom. Easyto-understand graphs show you and your pupils how much energy is being used right there and then – across the whole school site, in a particular classroom or by a single electrical device. Students learn about energy usage and its conservation by using their own school surroundings as an example. Ongoing reporting shows you exactly where and when energy is being wasted, so that you can make changes, cutting your energy bill and your carbon footprint. The system can then be used to implement energy-saving measures, e.g. to automatically shut down the ICT suite and overhead projectors out of school hours. One of the benefits of the system is that it is very simple to get started as it will be fullyinstalled for you. There is no need to turn off

the electricity supply and it usually takes less than half a day. You have immediate access to the user-friendly reporting tools, plus training and ongoing support are available. Provided you make use of our equipment in the recommended way, Enistic guarantee that you will save at least £750 on your energy bills during the first year. If you don’t, they will take the equipment back and make up the difference to £750 in cash. Enistic will promote case studies locally, producing a beneficial message for your school about your active

response to energy management and the reduction of CO2 emissions. Enistic has experience working with organisations of many shapes and sizes, in both the public and private sectors. Clients currently using the Enistic Energy Management system include the Carbon Trust, IBM and the National Grid.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Tel: 0844 875 1600 E-mail: info@enistic.com Web: www.enistic.com

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Worried about the new CRC legislation?

Effective building controls can help you with Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC) requirements. Optimising your building energy management system (BEMS) will quickly deliver significant energy savings and reductions in carbon emissions. In addition to significant energy savings, a Trend system can also provide the environmental data and information collected for teaching purposes in the classroom. Simply email your address details to crc@trendcontrols.com and we will send you a FREE Trend CRC booklet which illustrates the practical steps you can take to reduce your carbon emissions.

www.trendcontrols.com

Request a FREE copy of the Trend CRC booklet now.

Education Business | Volume 15.2

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ENERGY

BUILDING SCHOOLS FOR THE FUTURE The Building Schools for the Future programme represents a great opportunity for improving energy efficiency in schools

AT OCIP ENERGY WE RECOGNISE that the Building Schools for the Future Programme represents a great opportunity for improving energy efficiency in schools. We are excited by the prospect that our LED lighting range can help schools meet energy efficiency objectives and carbon reduction targets, when building new or upgrading existing schools. We are also passionate about the potential for small wind turbines as an income generator for schools. However, we recognise that there is a challenge for schools, and finding and eventually replacing existing lighting stock is a time consuming process. Likewise switching from fossil based to renewable energy sources can be a challenging thing to do. In this edition we talk more about small wind, more about LED lights and more about how we can deploy energy efficient technologies in schools. And for a few lucky schools with a real passion for this, we are offering some free consultancy advice and support. See below for the details of our energy efficient schools initiative and how your school could take part. MORE ABOUT SMALL WIND The potential for small wind solutions has been talked about for some time as a means of complimenting the deployment of large scale wind farms and other renewable energy sources. However, both the design and the economics have been challenged by non believers and some have been as open as to say the business case ‘just does not stack up’. In our opinion a company called quietrevolution is changing all that. They have developed a wind turbine that works

well in both rural and urban environments, where wind directions change frequently. The elegant helical (twisted) design ensures a robust performance even in turbulent winds. It also means there is virtually no noise or vibration. With just one moving part, maintenance can be limited to an annual inspection and at only five metres high and three metres in diameter; it is compact and easy to integrate on a wide variety of sites. It’s well liked too, receiving Yellow Pencils for the D&AD Award in Product Design in 2007, being nominated for the Design Award of the Federal Republic of Germany in 2009 and being a finalist for the iawards 2009. This is why we believe it is ideal for schools. Ocip Energy is the distribution partner for the quietrevolution wind turbine, and we would be delighted to work with any schools interested in deploying small wind turbines. More details on small wind can be found at the British Wind and Energy Association website or at www.ocipenergy.com. In short, by deploying clever solutions like these schools can help meet their own carbon targets and potentially have an additional income too. MORE ABOUT LED LIGHTING Like for small wind, a similar debate has been going on about LED lights in the UK. Some, like us are passionate about the products, others are less keen, but we firmly believe where there are large areas of floodlighting, fluorescent lighting and high bay lighting, there is an immediate opportunity to reduce energy consumption and electricity costs through the direct replacement of existing lighting with the latest LED technology.

Take for example the work we did at RAF Hendon where the Museum has replaced the existing 400W high pressure sodium lighting with twenty 100W LED High Bay lights. The use of the LED lights will see a saving of over 18 tonnes of CO2 and over £4,000 per annum in energy costs, quickly justifying the investment in the technology. However, there are other advantages – the total life costs of implementing the changes – such as the reduced maintenance required due to the longer life of the LED lights and the lack of hazardous waste disposal issues sometimes associated with other forms of lighting. This is why we believe LED lighting is a great idea for schools. Ocip Energy is the UK distribution partner for Singbee, who design and manufacture the LED lights and we would be delighted to work with any schools interested in replacing their lighting. More details on LED lighting can be found at the Lighting Association website or at www.ocipenergy.com. By replacing old lights for new LEDs schools can help meet their own carbon targets and potentially reduce their energy costs too. ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN SCHOOLS INITIATIVE Because we know finding the time to deal with all this is tough we have decided to support a small number of schools throughout 2010 to help them improve their energy efficiency ratings. In summary, we’ll give some free consultancy advice to a small number of schools that are passionate about our products, in an attempt to try and help people understand how they can find the grants and funds needed to pay for renewable energy solutions. The advice might be as simple as how to fill in the appropriate forms to apply for carbon trust grants or, if budgets are already secured, it could be an on site lighting feasibility study to help demonstrate the energy savings switching to LED lighting can make. We are currently looking for schools to take part in this project, so if your school is interested in talking to us about this, we’d be delighted to hear from you. Please send your name and contact details in an e-mail to info@ocipenergy.com listing reference ‘energy efficiency in schools’. We are excited about the potential of these technologies for schools and hope you are too.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Ocip Energy Ltd Free phone: 0800 917 9360 Fax: +44 (0)1242 522 343 Internet: www.ocipenergy.com Registered office: Unit J, Churchill Industrial Estate, Churchill Road, Leckhampton, Cheltenham, GL53 7FD United Kingdom Registered in England & Wales No: 06849542

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New Academy Achieves ‘Very Good’ Rating Designed and built by award winning developers, Rydon, St Paul’s Academy in Greenwich finally opened its doors to pupils this month after being delayed by snow. Built on the existing campus of St Paul’s Catholic School, the new academy will eventually accommodate 1,200 students. The single site houses a sports and assembly hall, kitchen and refectory, admin space and general classrooms as well as specialist areas that include dance and drama, music, food tech. and science laboratories that all reach a BREEAM rating of Very Good. Working with St Paul’s Trust, Rydon ensured only the most robust products were specified, hence the decision to make Armitage Venesta (AV) sole manufacturer and supplier of all washroom and changing cubicles, vanity units and benches. AV’s Academy range, with its steel cored anti-vandal structure that was specifically designed for the hardest working school environments, was installed to provide a washroom solution that will stand the test of time and still look impressive. AV’s pre-plumbed system, IPS Evolve, with its factory fitted sanitaryware, was used across the academy to provide easy clean surfaces that promote hygiene and provide easy access for ongoing maintenance.

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

Academy® Exclusively designed to deliver hard working washrooms to hard working school environments.

Call: 01474 353 333 www.armitage-venesta.co.uk

Written by Andrew Manning from Bevan Brittan LLP, on behalf of the Facilities Management Association

FACILITIES MANAGEMENT

SAFE AND COMPLIANT FACILITIES Effective facilities management can help transform education by making sure staff and pupils have the best possible environment in which to teach and learn selected procurement routes for services, and manages the delivery of services – either by directly employed labour or by sub-contractors. Service delivery covers what you would expect; the carrying out of the activities to the agreed service levels and to the budget specified by management, for example cleaning, maintaining, and catering. It is worth also recognising that in most types of facility, if not all, a significant element of facilities management involves reacting to dayto-day issues, and sometimes 70 per cent of a facilities manager’s time can go on this. This should be expected in any dynamic environment – and particularly in a school where hundreds of pupils are moving around all day. If you find a lot of time is taken up responding to issues then don’t think this is unusual. However, reacting to such pressures must not prevent attention being paid to activities that should be structured, planned and programmed, such as complying with statutory maintenance requirements.

THE FM ACTIVITIES THAT WOULD typically be expected in a school include fabric maintenance for the walls, roofs, floors and windows, and building services (M&E) maintenance, which includes the boilers, radiators, pipework, air-conditioning, lighting and power. Together this is often referred to as ‘hard FM’. Other FM services, including cleaning, security, catering, grounds maintenance, portering and caretaking, is referred to as ‘soft FM’. Another way of looking at FM in schools can be to consider it in terms of ‘day-to-day services’ and ‘asset maintenance’. That is to say services required to support the day-to-day functioning of the school (is it hot/cold, clean/ dirty, is there enough light/power) and those which relate to the long term maintenance of the buildings. Take for example a boiler, asset maintenance questions which may arise include when will it need to be replaced? Can its existing life span be extended? How can it best be maintained until then to meet statutory

requirements? Would it be better to replace it earlier with a more energy efficient boiler? THREE LEVELS OF FM FM also needs to be considered at three levels; strategy, management and service delivery. Strategy typically relates to procurement routes (e.g. what to outsource and how to fund procurement), property (e.g. the consolidation of premises onto one campus or the development of a new science block), and asset maintenance (e.g. condition based or planned preventative maintenance regimes). The management of facilities is of great importance. At its most basic it ensures that there is compliance with health and safety, and other relevant legislation, regulation and policy, such as CRB clearance. At the next level it ensures that the school develops and keeps to a budget for its FM. Management of facilities also seeks to understand and meet the short and long term needs of the facility users (the teachers and pupils), implements the

CHALLENGES AHEAD So what are the issues that are facing those with responsibility for FM in schools? One key issue is that FM in schools, like in most other types of facility and in most other sectors, has either already moved, or is in the process of moving, from being almost solely focused on the ‘service delivery’ level, to paying more attention to management and strategy – partly in recognition of ‘best practice’ and partly in response to government policy – such as PFI. Rather than focus on strategic choice and government policy – which is a huge subject in its own – the rest of this article will cover issues of management that those responsible for FM should address, largely irrespective of the FM strategy they adopt. The first consideration should be who will be made responsible and accountable for facilities management? Whilst there may be a committee which this person reports to and/or consults with, best practice FM does not involve management by committee. This individual then needs to be given appropriate training. At the very least this should be an awareness of relevant health and safety matters, which as mentioned is the base minimum management requirement. This does not mean this person then needs to audit health and safety or become an expert; this can be outsourced to an appropriately trained person from within the local authority or from a private firm. It does, however, mean that this person has a basic awareness of what is required and ensures that somebody monitors compliance, and deals with non-compliance.

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Established in 1997, CRN Contract Services Ltd is an energetic and dynamic Property Services & Contract Cleaning Company operating a 24/7 all year round service with fast response times to emergency calls within 2 hours. CRNâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s business strategy is to operate, manage or self-perform a wide scope of services within facilities & property management, contract cleaning services, pest control and commercial services of any kind, where our customers have a choice of selecting a single service solution or an integrated combined proposition. CRN Ltd has an impressive portfolio of high profile clients such as Canary Wharf Management Ltd, London City Airport, Selfridges & Co as well as many other smaller sized businesses. CRN are members of the British Institute of Facilities Management (BIFM), British Institute of Cleaning Science (BICS) and Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC) and operate to their codes of conduct, keeping up-to-date with legislation as well as new ideas and innovations. Holders of the internationally recognised ISO 9001 and OHSAS 18001 Health & Safety and ISO 14001 the Environmental certification, CRN achieves the highest standards that these quality controls demand, both with our clients and our staff. CRN is based in London and undertakes work throughout London and South East. For more information please see our website on www.crncontractservices.co.uk or call us on 0207 7900 140.

Education Business | Volume 15.2

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FACILITIES MANAGEMENT

Training in budget preparation and management may also be required, although as this role often seems to be fulfilled by the bursar, this may not be necessary. The school should then have a facilities management regime that is safe and whose cost it can control. The basics are in place. MEETING NEEDS The next part of the management jigsaw is to gain an understanding of the actual needs of the users, and the asset, to be able to specify what services are required and to what standard. This is an iterative process as it also involves assessing what is affordable. The base minimum level of service is to meet statutory requirements for health and safety. At the end of this process the facilities manager should have an understanding of the services and service levels that are sought to balance needs, aspirations and budgets. These services then need to be procured and managed. This will involve some strategic decisions but basically boil down to whether services will be directly provided by the school or local authority, or will be outsourced either via PFI or a standard contract. The manager should be an integral part of whatever procurement route is followed. Irrespective of the sourcing route, the

next element of the management jigsaw is a performance measurement system; i.e. a way for the facilities manager to tell whether the school is getting the service it has specified and is paying for – whether from, for example, its own directly employed caretakers or from an external cleaning company. This need not be complex, but must be robust, easy to use and understand and be relevant. It could, for example be as simple as a series of inspection sheets. PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT REGIME The final part of the jigsaw is a performance management regime. Fundamentally this will either involve a ‘Contract Management’ approach for outsourced services (up to and including PFI) or an ‘Operational/Line Management’ regime for directly employed staff. The important message here is to think of FM as a management discipline, not a technical discipline, and to seek expert help; be that procurement advice, maintenance advice, management consultancy, health and safety advice or financial advice from experts. It is also important to remember that even if all of service delivery is outsourced, dayto-day management is outsourced and that

the strategic decisions have been made, such as under a PFI contract, that the school will still need to manage its FM provider, as an ‘intelligent client.’ PFI does not involve not having to manage the facility, it just changes the way the school has to manage the facility. In summary, having asked yourself the question “are our facilities safe and compliant?” and been satisfied with the answer, consider whether you are managing the facilities as opposed to whether the facilities are clean or well maintained, and develop your approach from there. In this way, facilities management, along side the provision of enhanced facilities, can assist the delivery of the government’s goals for education and support the desired transformation by providing a positive impact on the staff and students and their place of education. Any opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and not those of Bevan Brittan LLP.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Facilities Management Association: www.fmassociation.org.uk Bevan Brittan LLP: www.bevanbrittan.com

Revolutionary printing scheme for schools

Axis – improving learning environments

REVOLUTIONARY new scheme has been launched nationwide aimed at helping schools save up to 30 per cent on their annual print budget. The Free Printers for Education scheme provides top-of-the-range colour printers, delivered and fully installed and set-up on-site, as well as unlimited black and colour toner cartridges, servicing and technical callouts – all provided free of charge. Payment is made on the basis of the number of prints you make, starting from just 3.5p per A4 print. Matt Smith of DEOS, who runs the scheme, explains: “Through long-standing relationships with local government and one of the world’s leading printer manufacturers, we have been able to create a scheme that every school and college in the UK can benefit from. You will get all the service, support and

CHOOL PROPERTY specialist Axis, provides refurbishment, decorating and renewing services to enhance the built environment and a repair and maintenance fabric service to ensure the safe and effective running of schools. Axis Education is part of the £60m turnover Axis Group, who provide the above services to over 100,000 local authority properties including; social housing stock, education sector properties and public sector offices. Understanding the challenges of working in and around educational buildings, Axis dedicated education services team has a proven track record of completing projects within tight timescales, working within school holiday times to minimise disruption during term time and ensuring high standards of safety and service. To protect the security of those Axis serve and work in a

guarantees, but none of the upfront or consumables costs.” Chris Goodrich of Mountbatten School trialled the scheme: “I can honestly say that this is a unique offering that has saved my school just under £1,000 in printer consumables in our first year. It’s straightforward, transparent and there’s no capital expenditure.”

FOR MORE INFORMATION www.freeprintersforeducation.org or call 0845 389 0390.

safe manner, all staff working in educational environments are Criminal Records Bureau checked and the company holds all relevant insurances, accreditations and H&S assessments. Use the contact details below to enquire about a free site survey, consultation about your school property requirements or to ask any questions about Axis.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Tel: 020 7564 2095 Fax: 020 7564 2116 E-mail: education@ axiseurope.com Web: www.axiseurope. com/education

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ICT & F&E Education Consultants

Our size, style, and organisational structure provide an ideal environment for creative and unconventional thought and approaches. We adopt a working ethos that encourages client engagement and personalisation resulting in tailored outcomes and optimum results. We take pride in creating cutting edge designs within the scope and parameters designated by our clients. Our independent working structure brings significant value to our clients by providing impartial advice and consultancy. We hold a neutral position when considering suppliers & products ensuring best choice and unbiased guidance that best meets the needs of the client. Our experience extends to working with an increasing number of academies, BSF & PCP programmes and One School Pathfinders. We understand the education process and have a talent in transforming intangible visions into viable solutions that deliver creative teaching environments that support the transformation of learning.

Tel: 01243 773722 Email: info@favcat.co.uk Web: www.favcat.co.uk

• Vision Development • Design Development & Consultation • Full Cost Planning and Data Sheet Creation • CAD Layouts and Rendered Visualisations • Integration of IT and Mechanical and Engineering Services • Detailed Specification of all products • Audit of Existing ICT & F&E, Reporting and Amalgamation in to the final cost plan and designs • Preparation of Packages for Tender and Bid Evaluations • Onsite Management of the ICT & F&E Installation

Written by Anna Barlow, F+E director, Favourite Cat

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INTERIOR DESIGN

BRINGING SPACES TO LIFE Furniture plays a key role in creating an inspiring learning landscape. So why is it often left until last during a construction project? FURNITURE IS CAPABLE OF REALLY bringing a space to life, however, it has also traditionally always been left until last in a construction project, when there is minimal budget left, all the services are connected and interior design completed. The furniture is often an afterthought, often schools end up looking uncoordinated, lacking a holistic and integrated approach. This does not have to be the case however. There are Furniture and Equipment (F&E) consultants who specialise in creating inspiring learning environments. But why are these consultants needed? Are they worth their fee – or should we be using their fee to buy more desks? If you’re asking that latter question, the role of an F&E consultant is paramount to your project. Are they worth the expenditure? The simple answer is yes. THE RIGHT ENVIRONMENT Children spend many of their days in an educational environment – in fact the best part of their early life. It is important to create an inspiring space for teaching and learning. Somewhere where pupils feel a sense of pride, somewhere where they feel excited to learn, and somewhere they can engage, an environment they want to be in. An environment where the colours, textures and objects have been selected with care, creativity and love, which has a direct impact on the schooling experience. Colour plays an important role in our day-today being, either consciously or subconsciously. The way colour is used can have huge affects on our behaviour; yellow for example, will stimulate the mind and aid digestion, blues and greens are often felt to be calming, whilst intense shades of red and orange are thought to promote a lively atmosphere. Interior designers know this, and will use colour palettes which they deem appropriate and they can create fabulous spaces. So why is the F&E not also considered at this stage? After all, it’s key in creating the learning landscape. Are the fabrics, laminates and colour ways available for loose F&E considered? How will it look with 30 pupils working in that space with all that’s required? For example, where will the sewing machines live? Or the end-users’ personal belongings? Or how will all the resources required for the science and humanities be stored? How will we be able to make spaces

multi use rather than subject specific? It’s not likely to be part of the interior designer’s brief, that’s why you need the F&E Consultant. A good F&E consultant aims to pull the teaching and learning landscape together, they will work closely with all disciplines within the design team to ensure that all aspects of the furniture and equipment are coordinated. They help focus the vision, to ensure that not only is the school aesthetically pleasing, but

tables accommodating up to four to six pupils are standard. Because this configuration is so ingrained in our teaching methodologies, its appropriateness with regards to the teaching and learning activities taking place is not often questioned. There are many ways in which classes can be configured to sit and learn. The role of the F&E consultant is to challenge these traditional models, thus challenging the teacher. In order for this to work, the teacher

The way colour is used can have huge affects on our behaviour; yellow for example, will stimulate the mind and aid digestion, blues and greens are often felt to be calming, whilst intense shades of red and orange are thought to promote a lively atmosphere also enhances teaching and learning. The end result needs to be functional and adaptable. CHALLENGE THE WORK SPACE So how can transformational learning be supported and enhanced by adaptable yet functional F&E? In the past, the teaching configuration for pupils in schools was linear, initially desks in rows, but now clusters of two seating

must engage and understand the F&E available to them, and how transformational it can be. This is especially the case in larger, open plan teaching spaces which are now popular within the BSF and Academy. These spaces can be adapted to suit the different pedagogies taught within the environment, furniture is the enabler in this philosophy. The case for change

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KI - Supporting Student Success Smart spaces inspire achievement. KIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s award-winning educational furniture encourages both interaction and autonomy in learning environments. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why more high performance KI products are being chosen for the classroom and beyond. Durable and flexible. Attractive and ergonomic. KI has the products, resources, and expertise to foster student success through smart design.

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Education Business | Volume 15.2

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INTERIOR DESIGN

Isis Concepts which becomes an interactive surface with the use of an E-Beam. Of course, it’s not just about aesthetics and flexibility, good furniture has a positive effect on children’s health and their classroom development. The British Council for School Environments recognises “the right of young people to learn in an environment which is safe, healthy and achieves the highest quality possible.” Poor quality furniture can have a negative effect on achievement and health.

A good F&E consultant aims to pull the teaching and learning landscape together, they will work closely with all disciplines within the design team to ensure that all aspects of the furniture and equipment are coordinated to the orthodox practice of seating pupils in groups is compelling – according to Nigel Hastings and Karen Chantrey Wood from Nottingham Trent University: “There is no sustainable rationale for group seating as a standard practice. The four commonly mentioned justifications do not provide, individually or together, a sound basis.” They go on to say: “There is robust evidence that sitting in groups has detrimental effects on attention. For individual task work, which features prominently in UK primary classrooms, other seating arrangements support much higher rates of attention and engagement, especially among those who find it difficult to concentrate when sitting in groups.” This paper was presented at the Annual Conference of the British Educational Research Association in 2002, eight years ago, and yet we still see classrooms set up in such a manner. Why? We believe that there has only been a more recent fundamental change in the F&E manufactured for learning environments. Teaching spaces in the UK have developed rapidly over the past few years, adopting the ethos and values that European countries have been implementing for years. For example, Marko is a Dutch manufacturer that has been supplying flexible furniture in Holland for decades; based on the Dutch belief in the benefits of 360 degree teaching. THE NEED TO BE FLEXIBLE So where do we start? Firstly, we need to ensure the space is appropriate for the pedagogy in place. So while the aforementioned “desks in a row” may be wholly appropriate for individual lecture style learning, it can be detrimental to other forms of learning, for

instance, project based. In this situation in order to fully utilise the space, functional solutions in the form of F&E products add to the flexibility and cater to a plethora of requirements. In order to manage the expectations of the client and/or end-user and to support the facilities management team, ‘flexible furniture’ has to be defined. To this end, our philosophy is to introduce and categorise a range of flexible and adaptable furniture for schools. We think of furniture as being one of the following: • Flexible furniture is that which is easily movable within a single lesson, for example, the T41 from Isis Concepts or the Flexi 90 from Marko • Agile furniture takes slightly longer to change, so it can be done between lessons or over the lunch break, examples include the Volume Airea Pods • Adaptable furniture will need to be moved over a longer period, such as during a half term and could involve some specialist works, such as changing the formation of some fixed furniture This also includes, removing walls to create a larger space. It’s about transforming the learning environment. ICT INTEGRATION This flexible approach to learning brings us on to the importance of ICT integration with F&E. It has the same high level of importance as the linkage between F&E and interior design. Creating a wireless network without having flexible or agile furniture is nonsense, as is the reverse. The two can support each other so well, and really enhance the learning experience, and there are some superb products on the market which really embrace the integration, such as the VerTable from

SIZE MATTERS Young people spend approximately 15,000 hours sitting down during their school years. It’s no wonder so many young people suffer from bad backs. In many cases this can be attributed to poor seating of the wrong size for the child, and tables provided at the wrong height – as well as other factors. The point is that size matters. Furniture that does not fit the users will lead to restlessness and discomfort, and this will result in a lack of attention. We’re beginning to see items on the market which are addressing these issues, from chairs which have been designed with the variations of size of pupil in mind, such as the ISIS Newton ergonomic student chair, which has been designed to support active, posturally correct sitting. Its sliding seat and integral footrest mean any student from primary school to college or university can be seated comfortably. There are other small changes which can help too, such as the introduction of slightly sloping work surfaces. Movement plays an important part in seating. Research has found that “a school in which movement is supported and encouraged has a positive effect on the learning ability and attentiveness of the children” (Dr Dieter Breithecker). We see office furniture task seating made with this in mind, and is now the accepted standard, yet school chairs are still very inflexible. The benefits for students are obvious, better health and maximising concentration, which results in greater achievement. But there are also benefits for staff, including the ability to create environments which increase productive learning time. For schools, the correct furniture and equipment will encourage excellence. An investment in adaptable high-quality, fit for purpose, ergonomic furniture which meets and exceeds “British and European standards will save resources in the long-term while emphasising the value placed on learning by children, teachers and the community” (FIRA). Exciting educational environments are achievable given quality design, realistic proposals, managed expectations, and a ringfenced F&E budget. Everyone appreciates good design; people understand the outcome of great design, now it needs to be embraced earlier in the design of the new build and funded appropriately.

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IT’S SNACK TIME When it comes to making decisions about what products to vend in schools, the National Independent Vending Alliance can help, says Graham Kingaby, managing director of NIVA National THOSE IN THE EDUCATION SECTOR

responsible for vending machines have much to consider. What can and can’t be vended? How can waste and litter be managed? How can vending be greener? What about ethically traded products and healthier options? NIVA National is the leading alliance of regional vending operators in the UK and can help the education sector with its vending questions and needs. It is a nationwide alliance of regional vending operators who are focused on serving the public and education sectors, amongst others. The alliance consists of independent regional companies that offer highly focused service levels that only local companies can consistently give. The National Independent Vending Alliance (NIVA National) group was established by an entrepreneurial band of independent vending operators to enable them to provide a more comprehensive and professional service to their customers. Many people and different factors contributed to this development, but the driving force behind the formation and success of NIVA National has been based on providing a vibrant and realistic alternative to the big nationals. A FRESH LOOK AT THE INDUSTRY

Early in 2008 it became apparent that as an industry, we needed a fresh approach for a number of reasons. Not the least of these was in response to the new and developing needs of customers. For example, the Jamie Oliver factor was influencing change in schools, greater social awareness meant consumers wanted more choices to include healthier options, ethically traded products, innovation and many other factors. I was also frustrated to see many regional companies, that employ local people in support of a wide range of local communities, often being threatened out of existence by some large national organisations.

For those managers in education looking for new ideas, flexible services and great value, NIVA National members can be relied upon to provide genuine answers and tangible solutions. It is our belief that when it comes to responding to service needs and being flexible enough to match changing circumstances, local people – working within the community – will always be able to out-serve any national conglomerate. STRENGTH IN NUMBERS

By grouping ourselves together in a strong alliance, we have also been able to ensure consistency, increased professionalism and highly competitive value. This is because we have a central support resource able to coordinate key activities, including purchasing and communication. The dedicated NIVA National team, based in Leeds, West Yorkshire is the hub for the NIVA National alliance group. All 20 operator members are able to liaise via the team (who collectively have over 80 years experience of operated refreshment vending service) to ensure that all needs are addressed. This might include research into specific client requirements, checking if new products fit customer criteria, investigating new environmental dimensions or simply liaising with manufacturers on the member’s behalf. Examples of this include our response to recent restrictions on product choice through vending machines. The introduction of products like Yazoo and SUSO to our portfolio, have been part of the solution to these changes. In addition, concepts like Thirsty Planet water and many Fair Trade items have helped engage with school projects and increased awareness of social needs in other parts of the world. Talking of water, the alliance members are able to help many schools, in particular, with a wide range of options to assist in effectively satisfying their obligation to provide fresh water to pupils.

NIVA National is the leading alliance of regional vending operators in the UK and can help the education sector with its vending questions and needs. It is a nationwide alliance of regional vending operators who are focused on serving the public and education sectors, amongst others

BENEFITS OF USING NIVA FOR THE EDUCATION SECTOR INCLUDE: • Service orientated vending operators who will respond positively and speedily to your needs. • Total flexibility and quick responses to meet customer requirements. • Best value – supply of equipment, vend prices, terms, etc. • Commitment to School Food Trust best practice. • Broad experience at serving all aspects of the education sector. • Security – equipment, cash, health and safety, etc. • Products that can engage with young peoples interests. • Environmental, ethical, healthier, organic, socially responsible. • Solutions to controlling packaging waste. • Accessible, central management support function. COMPETITIVE PRICING

Another feature of our efforts is that the Alliance also negotiates its collective volumes through NIVO (the procurement arm) to ensure that pricing is competitive at all times – even against the largest national competitor. Regular meetings of all the operator members create opportunities for high levels of communication, business development, training, consultation and mutual support to ensure that individual NIVA National members are equipped to remain at the leading edge of refreshment vending service provision. All the Alliance members of NIVA National are ready now to present the various service offers in detail at anytime, and yet these services continue to evolve positively in response to ever changing circumstances. As part of this process, topics related to socially responsible, ethical and environmental issues have been the subject of much attention. The NIVA National support package includes a comprehensive range of options to address these topics along with solutions to almost any and all refreshment vending requirements. FOR MORE INFORMATION Tel: 0113 281 0299 Web: www.nivagroup.co.uk

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A FRESH LOOK AT KITCHEN CAPACITY The School Food Trust’s Fresh Look Guide gives schools guidance in how to improve kitchen efficiency using small amounts of capital funding 2009 WAS A YEAR OF MILESTONES in the transformation of school meals. The government’s nutrient-based standards for school lunches are now compulsory for all maintained schools, and the historical decline in take up of school lunch has been halted – with food served at lunchtime now healthier than it has ever been. There is much still to do to encourage more children to try a balanced school lunch – and it’s about more than just food. With research in schools showing that when children eat a good lunch in a pleasant environment they are more focused in their lessons after lunch, and the continuing pressure on kitchens to become more efficient, it’s clear that the cooking and dining spaces in schools can play a big part in making school meals more appealing to their customers. To help any schools considering making improvements to their kitchens and dining rooms, the School Food Trust – the organisation charged with transforming school food – has published a new booklet called ‘A fresh look at efficient kitchens and dining spaces’. THE FRESH LOOK GUIDE Aimed at everyone involved in the school meals service – from head teachers and business managers to cooks, caterers and lunchtime supervisors – the guide looks at how schools can improve kitchen and dining room efficiency with little or no extra investment. The Trust worked with nine schools in four local authorities across England to trial a range of changes to see if they led to improvements within the schools’ kitchens and lunchtime provision, offering a better understanding of what can improve overall efficiency and effectiveness. The ultimate goal was to improve the experience for pupils, whilst maintaining or increasing the number of children buying a school lunch. But efficiency savings can help schools meet other targets too – for example, given the government’s recent call to reduce energy costs in schools, the kitchen can be a good place to start. Prue Leith, Chair of the School Food Trust, explains: “By using better equipment, changing the layout of the kitchen, using staff time better, (and in many other ways), it is possible to improve the quality of food, improve the work experience for staff, increase take up and reduce unit costs. You do not necessarily need large sums of money. You can make small low cost improvements that make a real difference.” The guide shares examples of both improvements that involve an upfront investment, which will help schools to save money over time (for example,

By using better equipment, changing the layout of the kitchen, using staff time better, it is possible to improve the quality of food, improve the work experience for staff, increase take up and reduce unit costs. You do not necessarily need large sums of money. You can make small low cost improvements that make a real difference

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buying new equipment), and those that can be implemented for free, such as changing a queue system or adding self-service points. Cherbourg Primary School in Eastleigh wanted to free up five per cent of total staff hours to allow them to undertake other duties to help increase the efficiency, effectiveness and quality of the service. So the team focused on reviewing activities that took up a considerable amount of time each day. An initial observation indicated that a staggering 21 per cent of total staff time was spent washing up by hand. By investing in a dishwasher, the school managed to free up 10 per cent of total staff time, giving more time to prepare fresh food. This not only makes work more satisfying for cooks but also means the team save money by not buying pre-prepared vegetables. Elsewhere, Applemore Technology College was prepared to fund some changes to help improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the service. It was felt that it was worthwhile investing in improving the kitchen facilities and dining space, as they had been underfunded in the past. During the initial observations

the team noted that the cooking of food had to start early to ensure everything was cooked in time. The school’s ovens took a long time to heat up in the morning, had relatively small capacity and one oven had a broken door, which meant it was inefficient. The project team measured how long items of food were taking to cook in the conventional oven and how long they needed to be stored in heated cupboards before being served. These measures were then compared with the time needed to cook the same dish in a combination oven. The team found that cooking and storage times were considerably reduced which led to a decrease in energy consumption, reducing overall unit costs. Again, the installation of a new dishwasher also freed up both cash and staff time, in a move away from the use of disposable plates and cutlery. INVESTING IN IMPROVED PROCESSES Many improvements to the dining room can be made which require limited or no funding. Hetton High School, a school with very little inside space, wanted to reduce the build

up of pupils within the serving area, which formed a bottleneck and meant children had to wait longer than necessary to get their lunch. The school simply changed the location of the tills and cutlery to reduce a build up of pupils. Initial reports showed that the new layout had improved the flow of customers in the queuing area. One of the most important themes in the guide is involving children and parents in any changes to the dining room environment. If everyone is kept engaged throughout the process, schools will find they have supporters rather than objectors. As Prue Leith concludes: “It is not an easy ride, but it is hugely satisfying to end up with an improved service, happy staff and students who understand and appreciate healthy and appetising food.” The Fresh Look guide has been distributed to all local authorities and catering providers. To download a copy of ‘A Fresh Look at Efficient Kitchens and Dining Spaces’, visit the School Food Trust’s website www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk.

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GIVING PEAS A CHANCE A national study examines what was taken and eaten by primary school children in 2009 and compared with similar data collected in 2005

DURING THE LAST FIVE YEARS SCHOOL food has undergone a radical transformation. Since Jamie Oliver’s 2005 documentary series, Jamie’s School Dinners, the government’s standards have been developed and introduced to make sure food served in schools provides children with all the nutrients they need to learn and grow. A portion of fruit and vegetables must now be provided at lunchtime for every pupil having a school lunch, chips can only be served occasionally, and confectionary and fizzy drinks are no longer allowed. Whilst the agenda is far from complete – far too many children are still not benefitting from the nutritious fayre on offer – it can certainly be argued that it’s now the end of the beginning. An apt time, perhaps, to measure the impact of the new standards on the eating habits of young children. WHAT’S EATEN? Over the past year the Trust has undertaken a national study examining what food was chosen and eaten by almost 6,700 primary school pupils from a nationally representative sample of 136 schools in England. The study took place six months after the introduction of new mandatory nutritional standards for

primaries in September 2008 and compared the findings from a similar study carried out in 151 primary schools in 2005. The research showed that, encouragingly, children have adjusted well to the changed menus and are accepting healthier food as part of the school day. By limiting the range of foods to healthier options, pupils now take

has dropped by almost one third since 2005. The proportion of children taking water to drink at lunchtime has gone up by more than 20 per cent – from 29.5 per cent in 2005 to 51.3 per cent in 2009 – and we all know good hydration is essential for learning. In addition, the overall amount of food that children are leaving on their plates isn‘t any

The research showed that, encouragingly, children have adjusted well to the changed menus and are accepting healthier food as part of the school day healthier lunches. For example, 74 per cent are now taking vegetables or salad as part of their average school lunch, compared with 59 per cent in 2005. On average, children eating school lunch in 2009 took more than two of their ‘5a-day’ as part of their school lunch, eating an average of 1.6 portions of fruit and vegetables. Fat now provides about 29 per cent of lunchtime energy (well below the 35 per cent maximum allowed), and saturated fats provide around 11 per cent (meeting the target). The average sodium content of a meal

higher than it was five years ago. Healthier menus are not leading to higher food waste. PROGRESS DELIGHT Commenting on the results, the Trust’s chief executive, Judy Hargadon, explained: “This is the first time we’ve been able to measure the impact of the new school food standards on what primary age children are actually taking and eating for lunch – and we’re delighted to see the progress that’s been made.” The results are evidence of the hard work

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of schools and caterers to improve the food available. “Caterers across the country deserve an enormous pat on the back for the huge shift in what’s being offered to children, and for all they’ve done to encourage kids to give healthier options a try,” continued Hargadon. Praise for caterers has been echoed by Schools Minister, Diana Johnson; “School cooks, lunchtime supervisors and caterers should be congratulated for their efforts and keep up the good work. Making sure children get a portion of fruit and vegetables each day and the right amounts of fat, salt and sugar, is a vital step towards reversing childhood obesity and protecting their health.” With few exceptions, the average meals taken by children met the new standards for school lunch, however, there is still work to do to ensure every primary school is providing food which fully meets the nutrient-based standards. Hargadon added: “The challenge for us all is to continue supporting schools to create the compliant menus they need, whilst still being creative to tempt even more children to give school lunch a try.” The Trust is committed to continuing to drive take up of nutritious school lunches and is working hard to ensure all primary and secondary schools in England are reaching the nutrient based standards following inspections. The Trust works closely with local authorities, government offices and stakeholders including the Food Standards Agency, Department of

School cooks, lunchtime supervisors and caterers should be congratulated for their efforts and keep up the good work. Making sure children get a portion of fruit and vegetables each day and the right amounts of fat, salt and sugar, is a vital step towards reversing childhood obesity and protecting their health Health and Office of Government Commerce. Part of this work entails the implementation of a whole school approach to healthy eating. The Trust will be supporting this on a national, regional and local level through close working relationships with National Healthy Schools Programme and Change4Life strategy. KEEPING YOUR SCHOOL MOTIVATED The report identified that one of the continuing challenges for schools is reducing how often meat products and starchy foods cooked in fat are offered, increasing the range of ways in which fruit is offered and boosting the iron and zinc content of recipes and meals. To help schools develop menus that include enough iron and zinc, the School Food Trust website provides a recipe finder. Schools can find recipes in different categories, for example, dishes that are high in iron, vegetarian, low fat, high calcium etc.

The Trust also offers recipe cards to give more ideas. A full range of recipe cards are available to schools that sign up for the Trust’s Million Meals campaign. Any school can sign up to Million Meals for free and they will receive free resources and advice to support them in improving their food service and getting more children eating school food. There’s even a ‘School of the Month’ competition in which one school every month wins £5,000 for particularly innovative work to increase take up of school lunch. To support the campaign and find out more about the School Food Trust please visit: www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk/millionmeals.

FOR MORE INFORMATION A summary of the Primary School Study is available at: www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk/ documents/primaryschoolfoodsurvey2009

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CASHLESS CATERING FOR SCHOOLS “The Sycamore staff were really helpful during the implementation phase of our change over to a cashless system and provided excellent support at every stage. The new tills were introduced seamlessly at the start of our academic year and have proved very satisfactory in operation. They have definitely speeded up transaction times and the pupils love the contact-less cards that we now use.” Martin Doidge, Director of Support, Cirencester Deer Park School.

The Cashless Catering System allows schools, parents and students to monitor and control exactly what is being purchased from school catering facilities. • Reduce bullying • Help reduce obesity • Flag allergic reactive foods • Monitor and control spend • Limit spend by time period • Stock control facilities • Supplier purchasing • Wastage control • Margin control • Minimise cash handling Sycamore Supplies The Sycamore Church Road Luckington Wiltshire SN14 6PG To find out more or to see the other ways we can assist your catering needs please contact us now or go to our website. Phone: 01666 841311 Fax: 01666 840800 Email: sales@ssbe.co.uk www.ssbe.co.uk

The benefits of cashless systems are well documented but one of the most important considerations you should have is needing to know your supplier will be there to assist you through the decision making process, the project implementation and beyond. At Sycamore Supplies we believe in total communication with our customers, offering help and advice and building a relationship with you and your staff. If you have an upcoming demand for a cashless system then contact us and we will guide you through how we would work with you to provide you with the system you need. A usual project would run in the following way: • An initial discussion of your needs and your budget which would lead to a demonstration that would be arranged once we are certain that we have the right product at the right price for you. • Once purchase is agreed and following a full consultation with all departments involved in the system within the school, i.e. canteen, IT, support departments, bursars, finance etc. an installation date is booked, staff training days agreed & programming to your specification begins.

• A trial system would be made available to allow for full testing and proving of the programming and for staff familiarisation and training. • On installation day the full system would be installed with full involvement of your IT department where applicable, we would suggest this should occur during a holiday period to reduce disruption. • Go live – our staff will be on site for as long as necessary to ensure a smooth transition to your new system. • Ongoing support is included in the price for the initial 12 months warranty period and then varying support options are available to suit your needs and budgets. Sycamore can provide schools with a reliable, easy to use cashless catering application using touch screen terminals (tills), back office software and a revaluation unit (IRV), which is a point of load terminal that allows the student to “top up” their card by cash. There is also an interface with ParentPay. Student details are added in the canteen or finance office and student accounts can be activated using either swipe or contactless card platforms or fingerprint reading.

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CASHLESS CATERING

GOING CASHLESS Patricia Fellows, former Chairman of the Local Authority Caterers Association, looks at the benefits of introducing cashless catering systems in schools CASHLESS SYSTEMS FOR SCHOOLS were first introduced some 20 years ago in secondary schools, for the pre-payment of school meals using smart cards. The development of this initiative has been huge and the possible applications for schools and local authorities is vast. New applications are being researched, developed and introduced on a continual basis. ADMINISTRATION OF PAYMENTS The over arching principle is to remove cash payments from schools. In order to achieve this online collection, an administrative system is required. There are a number of companies providing this service some of which are Parent Pay, sQuid, Wise Pay, Tucasi and Civica. The company that a large number of schools and local authorities are using is parent pay. It is a web-based service that enables parents/guardians to make secure

online payments by credit and debit card to schools and other service providers. BENEFITS OF BEING CASHLESS For those parents/guardians who are unable to pay online they can pay through a Pay Point in local convenience stores of which there are some 22,000 across the UK. Some schools have opened up the opportunity for parents/guardians to use the school’s computers for payments and even developed some IT training session for the parents.

This system enables primary, special and secondary schools to become completely cashless. Some of the benefits are: • Pupils/students not having to carry cash • Minimises or ceases the handling of cash and cheques in the school office. Saving time spent on counting money, banking and secure cash collection • Identifies payers and debtors making it simpler to chase outstanding payments • Clear reporting of all income • Web-based solution that puts no extra

I believe that cashless systems for schools, parents, pupils and local authorities is the way forward. I expect that by the end of the next decade of the 21st century most schools in the UK will be cashless

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CASHLESS CATERING

burden on the school’s IT support • Collection of payments for school trips, holidays, uniforms, after school clubs and school meals. The system is integrated with leading cashless systems i.e. tills at the point of service in the school dining room. It provides information to parents/guardians identifying their current account balance and even the pupil’s meal choices. It also creates reports to each individual school, the caterer and the local authority to assist in the management of debt, take up of free and paid meals and attendance. It interfaces with the schools and local authority management systems. CASHLESS CATERING SOLUTIONS As with the cash payment systems there are a considerable number of companies offering cashless catering solutions including applications for schools and local authorities. I include two of them who are the main providers; Nationwide Retail Systems and CRB/Cunninghams Cashless Systems. These systems were primarily developed to introduce cashless payments for school meals in secondary schools. However, they have been further developed so that they are also operating in primary and special schools and providing other services to schools. They can be used independently of a web based payment system but increasingly they are being introduced as a joint system. Where they operate as standalone installations parents/guardians can pay into a cashloading machine sited in the school. Pupil identification methods vary and include finger tip biometrics, pin numbers, swipe or smart cards and photographs on the till used in conjunction with one of the other means. If parents/guardians do not allow the photo a silhouette in blue or pink will appear on the till. USEFUL INFORMATION Cashless catering systems give comprehensive information to the school meals provider but increasingly a great deal of financial and statistical information to the schools and local authorities. Some of these are as follows: • Free meal pupils are completely anonymous • Stock and production controls for the school caterer, thus reducing waste and over production • The take up of meals on a daily basis • Nutritional information and special dietary needs of individual pupils • Links into the school management system such as SIMS • Links with other school functions such as security doors, borrowing of library books and registration. Croydon Council has introduced a cashless system to its schools. The results show increased meal numbers, a reduction in pupil debt, elimination of dinner money

ABOUT LACA The Local Authority Caterers Association (LACA) represents over 750 catering managers in local authorities, private contractors and individual schools who are providers of school meals in Primary, Secondary and Special schools all over Great Britain and 450 Associate Members who are providers of food, beverage, equipment and services to the school catering sector. Founded in 1990, LACA is the largest network of school meal providers in the country and is a Change4Life Partner. LACA Members deliver services that meet the government’s new Nutritional Standards for Primary and Secondary school meals throughout England. The Association is keen to work with governors, head teachers, teachers and school managers in the establishment of a whole school approach to healthy eating in schools and to support nutritional education in the classroom with the practical experience of healthy eating in the dining room. in schools, a streamlined administration process and improved child safety INTRODUCING A NEW SYSTEM Enfield Council is in the process of introducing cashless system. I visited and discussed their progress with the project manager for the council. These are some of my findings. There is no doubt that a huge amount of work and training has to take place to get the operation up and running at all levels. The schools and the local authority need to identify exactly what level of service they require from their contracted companies. The systems need to be tailor made to the client be they an individual school or a complete local authority. There will be initial problems with incorrect data and some of the interface within in-house computer programmes. The major challenge will be to get the commitment of all staff involved. The process has to be a team effort and to take account of the various and often different expectations of those concerned.

completely cashless and she is very positive and committed to its introduction. From her point of view the greatest advantages have been: • No money in the school. • No counting of money or banking • No money collection by a security company • Using the system for all payments within the school not just school meals. One of the main benefits has been to give the office staff more time to help parents, pupils and staff with more important issues. Surprisingly the introduction of the till at lunch time has not caused increased queuing or slowed down the service. In conclusion there are of course set up costs and ongoing service charges but there are savings to be made and better controls of finances which can counter balance the costs. I believe that cashless systems for schools, parents, pupils and local authorities is the way forward. I expect that by the end of the next decade of the 21st century most schools in the UK will be cashless.

REALISING THE BENEFITS Whilst at Enfield I visited Our Lady of Lourdes RC Primary School and met with the head teacher Miss Wells. This school is now

Tel: 01483 766777 Web: www.laca.co.uk

FOR MORE INFORMATION

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LEGIONELLA PREVENTION

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Education Business | Volume 15.2

Written by Giles Green, Chairman of the Water Management Society’s Technical Committee

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LEGIONELLA PREVENTION

LURKING LEGIONELLA Water management requires the right balance between preventing harmful bacteria from forming with other issues such as wasting water CONTRARY TO URBAN MYTH, MAINS water supplied in Britain is of very high quality and reliably so; a cursory inspection of the statistics shows the percentage of failures to meet the standards required by the regulations is tiny and a little research will show that those standards are very high indeed. It is also available in seemingly inexhaustible quantities, just by opening a tap and at an astonishingly low price; compare it to bottled water which has to be carried home and may cost as much per litre as mains water costs per cubic metre, which is a thousand litres. Yet, as this is the real world, there can be no joy without alloy and this idyllic state of affairs is not the whole story by far. Common sense would suggest that the amount of water available is limited and, for those with none, the message comes across loud and clear in the press and on television. In fact, the water taken for the mains supply is a substantial proportion of all that is available, even here in rainy Britain. Not only that, but the wholesome water

or modifications to the water systems and to operate a regime sometimes known as the Kingston Controls, which involves using only suitable materials which do not yield nutrients (which is required by law anyway); maintaining at least moderate cleanliness of the water systems (which seems far more reasonable than not doing so); maintaining control over the temperature of both cold and hot water (the cold arrives quite cold enough most of the time and heaters and thermostats keep the hot water hot) and; not allowing water to stagnate (when the occasional Legionella bacterium which may be present in the mains water or from trace contamination within the system can multiply to dangerous levels). This regime is effective and sounds quite simple, but there are, in the real world, complications. A WASTE OF WATER? To keep cold water cold in warm boilerhouses, plantrooms, service voids and occupied space requires not only good insulation (which only

Legionnaires’ disease is frequently fatal and even when it is not, it is a very severe illness which can lead to long term debilitation from the mains is not sterile (it does not need to be either for health reasons or to comply with the regulations) and the few microbes which are present have the potential, if conditions are favourable, to multiply to levels which can be harmful. Probably the most dangerous of these is Legionella, the bacteria which cause Legionnaires’ disease. LEGIONELLA Legionnaires’ disease is frequently fatal and even when it is not, it is a very severe illness which can lead to long term debilitation. It is also completely preventable by simple and fairly inexpensive means and for that reason, it falls within the scope of what is considered under the Health and Safety at Work Act as “reasonably practicable”. This means that several other sets of regulations are applicable, not least the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) and Management of Health and Safety at Work (Management) regulations, which place requirements on anyone in control of a premises used in any enterprise to establish the degree of risk of Legionnaires’ disease at those premises and, if it is significant, to prevent or control it. What usually follows a Legionnaires’ disease risk assessment is a report making recommendations to carry out minor repairs

slows and does not prevent heat gain), but also displacement to remove any water which has warmed and replace it with fresh. This is not a problem where systems are well used, but if there are areas which are underoccupied and times between terms when there is little or no demand for water, the classic Kingston solution is to flush water to drain weekly to compensate. Is this wasting water, contrary to the Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations which replaced the Water Supply Byelaws in 1999? Keeping hot water hot requires even more insulation than keeping cold water cold and the heat losses help create the warm spaces which heat the cold water. The same issues of underuse arise and the solution of flushing seems to waste energy as well as water. And if that is not enough to undermine faith in the regime, the temperatures required to control Legionella have the potential to scald. So this leaves the person in charge with a set of regulation-backed conflicting requirements with environmental considerations for good measure, all in the context of preventing an especially nasty disease: the resolution is as simple as it is difficult, just as might be expected in the real world. The person in charge is considered to be responsible, so he or she is expected to be able to make and implement decisions. In

fact, this person should be senior enough to hold a budget, to place contracts or make appointments and to ensure any contractors or appointees carry out their duties fully and correctly. Such a person would also be expected to be capable of considering risks in the context of other risks or environmental issues and to strike a suitable balance. Let that person consider the conflicts in turn. FLUSHING WATER TO DRAIN The regulations make wasting water an offence, but they do not prevent usage and they are not prescriptive about what constitutes usage. Flushing water to drain to preserve its quality could quite reasonably be considered usage, as the water was being used to preserve the quality of the water being consumed by users. If there are no users, for example when an area is mothballed, repeated flushing over a prolonged period (for example more than 60 days) would probably be considered wasteful. So the person in charge has to decide whether to decommission the system or mothball it, secured against unauthorised use and reinstate it when it is needed. WASTING ENERGY If flushing moderate amounts of water to drain is using, not wasting, the water, reason demands that it is using, not wasting, energy. In fact, flushing with hot water can have a disinfecting effect. The issue of heat loss from hot pipes and raising the temperature of service spaces is easily moderated with more insulation and adequate ventilation, options which are more often not taken either because installation works are not adequately specified and supervised or on cost grounds than for any good reason. SCALDING The hands of a normally fit and healthy person are not very susceptible to scalding in water up to 60°C because the time required to sustain a clinical injury is several seconds and the pain for the first few of those seconds is difficult to bear. Small children, the elderly and infirm may be at considerably greater risk and dedicated mixing devices should be used at washbasins, baths, showers and bidets to protect them. Other parts of the body are also more susceptible to scalding and showers usually have some temperature limiting device. But even when these were less common, real injuries were very rare among the normally fit and healthy. In conclusion, water management in educational establishments is serious, requiring specialist assessment and a measured regime of controls to strike the right balance between risks and other issues; otherwise this superbly crafted and precious essential of all life will show just a little too much of its real world potential.

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FREE HEALTH AND SAFETY AWARENESS SEMINAR FOR BURSARS 12th May 2010 11.00am – 3.00pm, London Lunch and wine will be provided • Learn how to improve your health and safety practices • Understand relevant health and safety legislation • Gain an understanding of where your school may be at risk • Explore best practices to manage health and safety • Free health and safety advice from our fully qualified consultant • Free legal advice from a top health and safety barrister

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Are the floors in your school safe? TEST Equipment W ESSEX Ltd is one of only two manufactures of the British Pendulum Skid Tester. The Pendulum is the only machine sanctioned by the Health and Safety Laboratories for accurate testing of pedestrian walkways in both dry and wet conditions. Wessex Test Equipment Ltd undertake independent testing of your floors supported with a full report, if needed recommendations are given as to how you can resolve any problems that may arise from these tests. We have carried out tests in a number of varied locations, e.g: Railway Platforms, Football Stadia, NHS Clinics in Scotland as well as numerous shopping centres and office blocks country wide. Wessex Test Equipment Ltd

also manufacture the Tortus 3 Floor Friction Tester, this can be used for ongoing monitoring of your floors, allowing you to pick up any changes in the floor surface at an early stage and thus remedy it before any problems occur. If you would like an independent and confidential test carried out on your floors then contact our office to arrange a visit from one of our Test Engineers.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Company Name: Wessex Test Equipment Ltd Tel: 01934 824000 Fax: 01934 820532 E-mail: sales@ wessextestequipment.co.uk Web: www. wessextestequipment.co.uk

Wessex Test Equipment

PHS Waterlogic has a full range of watercoolers, hot water boilers and high volume water dispensers suitable for schools, colleges, universities and staff rooms. The quality, reliability and functionality of our products make them outstanding value for money and with our Totalcare® service package it’s all included, delivery, installation and servicing.

Tel: 01252 852606 waterlogicinfo@phs.co.uk www.phswaterlogic.co.uk

Education Business | Volume 15.2

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HEALTH & SAFETY

TAKE IT OUTSIDE Few of us would deny that learning outside the classroom is important. So what’s stopping us? Jacqui Griffiths of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health finds out A SAFE, INDOOR SPACE DEDICATED solely to supervised education sounds like an ideal learning environment. But if there’s one thing we can guarantee about life both before and after leaving school, it’s that it will be full of unexpected and sometimes risk-laden situations, and pupils need to learn how to handle these. Experiences outside the classroom are vital to teaching our children how to deal safely with risk. But over recent years, schools trips have been surrounded by a growing culture of anxiety. There’s anxiety about how safe each experience will be, about how to risk assess each activity, about the likelihood of litigation, and about being held personally responsible if something goes wrong. And in some cases, that anxiety leads to reluctance to organise any school trips – with pupils losing out on valuable educational experiences. That learning experience includes an endless range of possibilities. Activities can take place indoors or outdoors, in the countryside or the city, and at premises such as youth centres, workplaces, religious institutions, sports centres or parks. The Health and Safety Executive estimates that 7-10 million days are used for school trips across the UK. But it’s also widely acknowledged that many pupils could be learning more from trips outside the classroom. CLEARER GUIDANCE NEEDED In 2009, the Countryside Alliance Foundation (TCAF) commissioned the National Foundation for Educational Research to include questions in its Teacher Voice survey. Of the 1,400 teachers surveyed, 97 per cent thought it was important for pupils to learn about the countryside within the National Curriculum. However, 49 per cent said that “fear of litigation in the unlikely event of an accident” was a major barrier to organising school trips to the countryside, and 76 per cent cited “concerns about health and safety”. Further research by TCAF found little basis for these concerns. To find out more about litigation resulting from school trips, TCAF requested information from local authorities under the Freedom of Information Act. It got responses from 138 local authorities, relating to school trips in the 10 years between 1998 and 2008. Of these, only 364 had led to legal action, and schools had been found culpable and ordered to pay compensation in fewer than half of the cases. Compensation amounted to £404,952 – or £293.44 per year, per local authority. So why is there so much room for misunderstanding? One problem is that, with such a variety of activities on offer for school trips, many teachers don’t feel confident conducting

risk assessments. Before taking up her responsibilities as manager of human resources and health and safety at the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire and Peterborough (BCNP), Su Jenkins worked on the organisation’s educational projects, which include forest schools and countryside classrooms. “Health and safety responsibility often falls to head teachers and school secretaries,” she says. “Many of them don’t feel they have the experience to conduct an effective risk assessment, or they’re receiving confused messages about safety. Unfortunately, in some cases that means it’s tempting for them to simply minimise the number and variety of school trips.” TAKING THE FEAR OUT Risk assessing a school visit doesn’t have to be a nightmare – but some school staff don’t know that yet. “I think teachers are badly advised,” comments Judith Hackitt, Chair of the Health and Safety Executive. “If you look on our website at some example risk assessments – including ones for schools – they’re pretty simple documents, and we say that’s good enough. We need to be clear what the rules are, because there are a lot of myths about rules that don’t exist.” According to the HSE, risk assessments should “provide the fundamental intelligence on the hazards, risks and precautions for carrying out an activity”. That might seem a pretty wide remit, but it looks much more manageable once it’s broken down. For example, HSE says, the overall risk assessment for an adventure activity would need to cover: • Generic risk assessment – the risks inherent in the activity • Site-specific risk assessment – the risks associated with the site • Dynamic risk assessment – the risks at the time. As long as they’re reviewed regularly to take into account any changes in the activity or site, the first two elements of that list can be done fairly far in advance. In fact, many centres that provide learning outside the classroom already have generic and sitespecific risk assessments prepared for each of their activities. Using these as a foundation, teachers can focus on planning for dynamic risk management, including everything from possible transport issues to changes in the weather or a child being taken ill. “We do risk assessments nearly every day,” Jenkins says. “We know the risks of our various activities, but we also have to consider factors like the weather and the needs and abilities of different groups. One day we might have a

group of young children visiting, and the next it could be adults with learning difficulties. We also take into account how different backgrounds and cultures might affect people’s learning needs – for example, if you live in the UK you might take it for granted that plants such as nettles can sting you, but if this was your first visit to the country, it might also be the first time you’ve come across them.” The HSE website provides guidance on risk assessments, and lists 10 ‘vital questions’ that it says everyone, from parents to teachers to school governors, should ask about an off-site visit. These questions stress the need for forward planning, including the main objectives of the visit and a ‘Plan B’ in case these can’t be achieved. At IOSH, we believe that learning outside the classroom is essential if today’s children are to become the confident, risk-intelligent adults of tomorrow. It’s crucial that we educate children about how to manage risk, and to do that we need clear, simple guidance to encourage school staff and parents to embrace learning outside the classroom. We recently welcomed the opportunity to contribute to Health and Safety Outside the Classroom (HASLOC), which sets out a new framework for schools, children’s services and employers when organising and carrying out learning outside the classroom activities. HASLOC aims to replace a range of previously published documents with accessible guidance, including new materials that weren’t available before. Work on HASLOC is still in progress, and it’s important to get it right if the guidance is to achieve its goals of reducing red tape, introducing sensible risk management, and providing legal assurance about the fair treatment of staff if anyone is injured despite their care. TOWARD A RISK-INTELLIGENT SOCIETY To get the best from learning outside the classroom, we need to engage parents and pupils in thinking about risk. Teachers are not the only decision makers here. Parents are often unsure about the safety of proposed trips, and if they can’t be convinced, they simply won’t allow their children to take part. It makes sense to involve pupils in preparing for those experiences by thinking about their own safety at the risk assessment stage – in other words, to begin outsidethe-classroom experiences with preparation inside the classroom. IOSH’s free Workplace Hazard Awareness Course (WHAC) for Year 10 pupils is one way to achieve this. Focused on the management of workplace risks, WHAC encourages pupils to think about a range of activities – including some of the things they already do for fun – and translate their risk intelligence from those activities to the workplace.

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

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A Natural Way to Play

Our Landscape Teams can provide a comprehensive range of skills and tools to enable the full potential of play to be realised in the educational environment, including consultation workshops, optioneering, risk appraisals, funding, design, procurement and delivery. Simon Ward 0161 245 3401 simon.ward@atkinsglobal.com

HRH – turning your ideas into reality

Wild Flower Turf is an educational success

HE ‘OUTDOOR classroom’ is potentially an invaluable resource, but how do you ensure that you maximise the potential of your grounds, budget and stay in control of costs and manage the installation process? As operational landscape architects, HRH Landscapes are ideally placed to transform your ideas into reality. Taking your ideas as our starting point, we produce initial sketch plans. These are followed by all the drawings, schedules and specifications necessary to cost the project and which also form the basis for the contract. Unusually, we can either carry out the installation ourselves or manage the project for you. Our most recent project was a sensory garden for Potley Hill Junior School in Yateley, Hampshire, we advised on design, plant choice, multiple use access and hands-on experiences for the children. Out of five similar projects within the

W produces a soil-

ILD FLOWER TURF

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Hampshire Education Authority Area during the 2008-2009 school year, Potley Hill was the only one to be brought to fruition, being completed and fully installed during the Easter holidays ready for the children’s return. Whether you want just a design service or a complete package, we would love to talk to you.

FOR MORE INFORMATION HRH Landscapes Tel: 01344 772551 Fax: 01344 750297 E-mail: hrh@easynet.co.uk Web: www.hrhlandscapes.co.uk

less, light to handle turf, which is easy to lay and provides new solutions for school building programmes and other urban development. This unique product provides a bio-diverse meadow like environment suitable for all types of landscaping and green roof projects. When local Overton Primary School decided to create a meadow play area for their children, naturally they approached us. Wild Flower Turf provides a natural haven for butterflies, beetles and grasshoppers. Together with the seed, it supplies a rich source of food for birds and gives access to a great environment for children – and is, of course, very educational! We were also selected by the Natural History Museum to extend the meadow habitat in its famous Wildlife Garden. The garden, first opened in 1995, was created to

show a range of semi-natural habitats mainly for educational purposes and for visitors to enjoy. For the museum, Caroline Ware said: “I was so pleased to have the turf in our Wildlife Garden. The ease of the laying and the speed with which the turf set down its roots was amazing. The turf complemented our existing meadows beautifully and attracted a wonderful variety of bees and other insects.”

FOR MORE INFORMATION Tel: 01256 771222 Fax: 01256 771900 E-mail: wildflower@ wildflowerturf.co.uk Web: www.wildflowerturf.co.uk

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OUTDOOR LEARNING

LET’S GET GROWING

Schools are being encouraged to take part in a project to grow a traditional fruit orchard in their school grounds to bring back some of England’s oldest and tastiest fruit varieties LEARNING THROUGH LANDSCAPES Learning through Landscapes provides a School Grounds UK membership scheme that helps schools improve they way they use, design and manage their outdoor spaces. Membership provides unlimited access to individual advice and support by phone or e-mail; bimonthly mailings; online access to a comprehensive library of resources and discounts on training, conferences and publications.

and locally-grown surplus produce to disadvantaged members of the community. Fruit-Full Schools is funded by the Big Lottery’s Local Food programme, the City Bridge Trust, and by the Garfield Weston and John Spedan Lewis Foundations. THE WORLD OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM

LEARNING THROUGH LANDSCAPES, the

national school grounds charity, is launching a new, four-year programme – Fruit-Full Schools. The project, which begins in April 2010, will enable schools to establish a mini, traditional fruit orchard in the school grounds and has been developed to bring back some of England’s oldest and tastiest fruit varieties. There are enough English apple varieties to eat a different apple every day for more than six whole years – yet the UK currently imports 69 per cent of our apples. This has resulted in England losing two thirds of its orchards since the 1950s. HERITAGE FRUIT ORCHARDS

Learning through Landscapes is aiming to change this by encouraging schools to establish their very own mini orchard. With Fruit-Full Schools the school grounds charity plans to enable thousands of young people across England, over a period of four years, to establish heritage fruit orchards within their school grounds in partnership with their local communities. LTL also hopes to launch Welsh and Scottish Fruit-Full Schools projects following the English launch. The charity is working in partnership with Common Ground, the UK champion for local distinctiveness, and Garden Organic,

the UK’s authority on organic fruit tree production. This combined expertise will be maximised to support young people, plus an army of apple volunteers, to research local varieties, graft 2,000 new trees and establish sustainable orchards in 200 schools throughout England alone. At the same time Fruit-Full Schools aims to stimulate children’s knowledge of the UK’s rich fruit culture – and engage them in hands-on learning about the benefits of local fruit. 65,000 children will run and take part in cultural festivals such as Wassailing, apple day and other creative celebrations. Schools will also be able to share experiences and access learning resources through Learning through Landscapes’ interactive site – The Core – which will include details of all the Fruit-Full Schools activities. LOCAL FRUIT

Fruit-Full Schools will culminate in a national campaign in which young people encourage members of their community to sample local fruit varieties and sign up to our 100,000 Reasons Why I Love Local Fruit campaign. There are also plans for a national scrumping competition that will motivate children, their families and neighbours to gather and redistribute donated

Learning through Landscapes has been helping schools to make the most of their outdoor spaces for 20 years. Since 1990 LTL has undertaken research, advised, encouraged and supported schools and all those who care about improving these important environments. In 2010, to mark its 20th anniversary, Learning through Landscapes is hosting an international event that will bring together school grounds professionals from around the world. The international conference, The World Outside the Classroom,will be held in the UK as a three day event and will offer ground-breaking inspiration and ideas, taking delegates on a tour of exemplar British school grounds. The event will explore exactly what can be achieved through outdoor learning and play and will be an informative celebration of grounds around the world with presentations from school grounds professionals from Europe, America, Australia and Africa. The event will be aimed at all those with an interest in what can be achieved in the school grounds such as teachers, landscape architects, designers, local authority officers, artists, horticulturalists, play specialists and professionals with education and environmental interests. FOR MORE INFORMATION Web: www.ltl.org.uk Tel: 01962 846497 To find out more about the Fruit-Full Schools project, e-mail fruitfullschools@ ltl.org.uk or call 0208 850 3112.

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What will you discover at Techniquest? AV O N T Y R R E L L EXPERIENCE • LEARN • DEVELOP Avon Tyrrell Activity Centre is situated within a beautiful 65 acre estate in the idyllic setting of the New Forest with challenging and stimulating activities on offer to educate minds of any age and ability. We offer Residentials all year round to School Groups, Youth Groups, Corporate Groups and specialise in creating bespoke activity packages to suit specific needs and budgets. We offer full board accommodation in the Grade I listed House and self-catering accommodation in our 6, 12 and 14 berth lodges. There are discounts on activity packages available to residential guests. To find out more please call us on 01425 672347, email info@ukyouth.org or visit www.avontyrrell.org.uk

right up to A-level students, with all its producs firmly tied to the National Curriculum. School visits are so well organised that teachers can relax and focus on the learning experiences of their pupils from the moment they arrive. Comprehensive written material is available for teachers to use pre and post visit.

FOR MORE INFORMATION For more information including opening hours and admission prices visit www.techniquest. org or call the bookings team on 029 20475476.

Plas Menai – where adventure happens

Wild Park Brailsford – the ultimate school trip

LAS MENAI is the perfect place for active adventure. The centre has been running school activity programmes for over 25 years with the courses guaranteed to be action-packed, fun, challenging, safe and educational. The centre is purpose-built with impressive residential facilities and an extensive range of equipment. The instructors are some of the most dedicated, passionate and highly skilled coaches you will find anywhere and there really is something to suit every age, ability and interest. Whether your group would like to develop skills and qualifications, enjoy a multi-activity programme or do some team building, Plas Menai can tailor make a programme to meet your needs. If you would like to see the

OR THE PAST 20 YEARS schools and colleges throughout Derbyshire and the UK have trusted Wild Park Brailsford, one of the UK’s leading Paintball Centres, to organise outdoor activities for their groups. As a UK PSF accredited site the prime aim of our family run business is to ensure an exciting, safe and enjoyable time for all of our visitors. We specialise in activity week programs, sessions for tutor or year groups and end of term outings. All of the activities that we run at our purpose built site are designed to promote personal development through social interaction, teambuilding and use of leadership skills in an environment that is both fun and safe for your students. On our 150 acre site we can offer exciting alternatives for your activity day at a reasonable price without having to travel too far. Ten years ago we started a quad trekking centre which has become an equally successful business. All our instructors are European ATV safety institution qualified.

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MAGINE A PLACE where children learn without realising, where the inquisitive mind can explore, and where getting stuck in, hands on and involved is positively encouraged. It’s Techniquest, the hands-on science centre in Cardiff Bay. At Techniquest, children have the chance to see and touch science, and make things happen for themselves. It is no longer a matter of reading about electrical circuits in a textbook – here you can make one and see the results. The exhibition floor has more than 100 interactive exhibits covering all aspects of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths). Every visiting school group sees a show or presentation in the Science Theatre or Planetarium, or takes part in a workshop in the Laboratory. Techniquest caters for all ages from reception class

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facilities, Plas Menai hosts a number of school inspection days throughout the year where teachers can visit the centre, have a tour, try a couple of activities, sample the food and stay overnight.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Tel: 01248 670 964 or 0845 846 0029 (Lo-Call rate) Fax: 01248 673 939 or 0845 846 0031 (Lo-Call rate) E-mail: info@plasmenai.co.uk Web: www.plasmenai.co.uk

Their aim is to teach people how to ride a quad bike safely and show how enjoyable quad trekking is. The course is approximately six miles long of varying terrain and will excite and also challenge young people of all levels of ability. For 2010, Wild Park Brailsford has extended its range of activities to include archery, orienteering and Laser Tag.

FOR MORE INFORMATION For more specific packages or to discuss any special requirements please contact us on 01335 360485 or e-mail to info@wildparkleisure. com or visit our website www.wildparkbrailsford.com, for more details.

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SCHOOL TRIPS

GETTING OUT AND ABOUT The fear of litigation, the economic climate, paperwork – children are being deprived of school trips due to a culture created by adults. Isn’t it time we put things right, asks David Holloway from the Education Travel Group EVERY TEACHER SHOULD KNOW that school trips have the ability to transform children’s learning. However, over the past 10 years a sense of fear and anxiety has descended upon school trips and meant that many children have been denied the opportunity to enjoy learning outside the classroom. The compensation culture that has taken over today’s society has led teachers to fear litigation in the unlikely event of an accident occurring whilst outside the classroom. Other factors, such as the economic climate, have caused teachers to back away further. Children are being deprived of this invaluable learning tool due to a culture created by adults, so isn’t it about time we set about putting things right? Numerous pieces of research have, again and again, proved the benefits of learning outside the classroom on a child’s education and personal development. The government’s own ‘Learning Outside the Classroom Manifesto’ claims that trips transform learning and have the ability to improve academic achievement, enable the acquisition of new skills and help children to realise their potential. The majority of teachers support the idea of school trips and recent research by Education Travel Group found that 95 per cent of those that take children on school trips believe that it facilitates a broader understanding of the subject concerned. Nonetheless, the same research showed that 20 per cent of teachers rarely or never take children on school trips. For these teachers, the perceived likelihood of legal action occurring in the unlikely case of an accident, the cost to parents, and the mounting paperwork and resourcing issues outweigh the benefits of a real life learning experience. WORTH THE RISK The apprehension surrounding outside learning has developed over the past few years as a result of increased media coverage, and therefore public awareness, of rare tragedies occurring on school excursions. In reality, very few teachers actually know someone who has encountered problems whilst on a school trip and children are more likely to be seriously injured in the classroom than on a school trip. Any risks can be significantly reduced by travelling with a well-accredited and audited provider that adheres to a rigorous code of practice and safety management standards. Teachers can also put their minds at rest by checking that groups are insured through their provider and possess the Learning Outside the Classroom Quality Badge. The Quality Badge is amongst numerous measures that the government has recently put in place to encourage teachers to take school trips. Teachers are being encouraged

to participate in extra training for their duties outside the classroom and a learning outside the classroom manifesto and website has been set up (www.lotc.org.uk). The website provides training modules, resources and case studies for teachers, and is designed to encourage and instil confidence in teachers. The scheme also has an annual awards ceremony to celebrate and reward schools that are committed to providing challenging and inspiring learning outside the classroom activities. IMPORTANT PAPERWORK Whilst the guidelines that the government has implemented to prepare for school trips have created superior safety standards, they have also produced a considerable amount of important paperwork. Teachers must complete this paperwork before undertaking any school outing and this can be daunting when they already have very busy school schedules. Nowadays, providers are offering more inspection visits to teachers, enabling them to complete their risk assessment forms with as little hassle as possible. Although they cannot complete the forms for teachers, they have been trying to make everything else that little bit easier – from organising parents’ evenings and promotional material, to offering free places for teachers. These are small things, but they have gone some way to helping teachers become more confident in organising trips. With these measures having been put in place to help alleviate teachers’ worries, many of the traditional worries surrounding school trips are no longer as applicable. However, as with all things, times change and other issues crop up. Over the past year, the cost of school trips has crept in as a problem. Whilst travel has become cheaper, and therefore school trips should have become more feasible for many schools, the recession has prompted many teachers to think twice about where they are spending money. Teachers are concerned that parents are not able to afford trips, even if they wanted to, and are reluctant to organise trips for that reason. In reality, when a trip is arranged, teachers are finding that they have underestimated parents and that take up is relatively high. The economic climate will not stand in the way of parents giving their child a good education. THE FUTURE So, as we start this new decade, what does the future hold for education and school trips? The general election must take place either on or before 3 June, and we may have a new government as a result. If the Conservatives do come to power, their policies are likely to affect the provision of school trips in a number of ways. Firstly, teachers will be given more power

to deal with unruly children without fear of disciplinary action or litigation. This would mean that teachers who are currently afraid to run school trips because of the potential bad behaviour of pupils would be more confident to do so. The Conservatives are also suggesting that teachers will be given the strongest possible protection from false accusations by both pupils and parents, something that many teachers feel is currently lacking. Another policy that is likely to affect school trip provision is the planned overhaul of the National Curriculum to make it more challenging for children. Many of the most challenging elements of the curriculum are best dealt with ‘hands on’, and teachers often use school trips to deliver tricky areas of the curriculum. It is therefore possible that a greater focus will be put on learning outside the classroom. Related policies such as the overhaul of Key Stage 2 tests to make exams more rigorous and the opportunity for state schools to offer high quality international examinations will mean that school trip providers will need to adapt and change with them. Perhaps the most well-documented Tory education policy is the promise to allow any good education provider to set up a new Academy school. The Conservatives hope that this will create a new generation of good small schools with high standards of discipline that are more akin to independent schools. However, if this policy does come into force, it will affect school trip provision as smaller classes will mean higher costs. Providers will have to find ways to cater for smaller groups and meet these new requirements, following the pattern of smaller independent schools. With fewer staff at such schools, it may also be difficult for teachers to take trips during term time as they simply will not have the man-power to support them. It is impossible to predict the future but, whatever happens over the next few years and whichever political party is in power, the importance of learning outside the classroom will in no way diminish. Instead, as we better understand the science behind children’s cognitive and physical development, its importance is only likely to increase. Those in power should recognise the importance of learning outside the classroom and be considering how best to encourage teachers to provide school trips for pupils. By the same token, school trips should not be about politics. We should always be looking at new ways to develop learning, through school trips or otherwise, regardless of political agenda.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Web: www.educationtravelgroup.com

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

BATTLING IT OUT ON THE COURTS Building a link with a tennis club enables schools to improve behaviour and confidence in children, as well as boost the school’s profile in the community and run out of hours clubs THE TENNIS FOUNDATION (TF), Britain’s foremost tennis charity, is driven by the belief that tennis should be accessible to all. Established to help people of all ages and abilities play and enjoy tennis, the TF is committed to developing quality, fun and affordable tennis opportunities for all communities across the UK. Working closely with the LTA, local authorities and education providers, the TF’s delivery stretches across local authority tennis facilities, including schools and parks across England, Scotland and Wales. With services including community tennis, parks tennis schemes and disability tennis programmes, the TF’s commitment to inclusion and accessibility is reflected in its heavy involvement across the educational sector. WORKING WITH SCHOOLS Schools give most children their first experience of sport; this is why the TF is dedicated to providing resources and opportunities for all educational establishments. Tennis is one of the few sports where you can play, compete and socialise for life. It is fun, great for fitness and can be played by all ages and abilities. It works for mixed classes, can be played in small groups or individually and can take place almost anywhere; on courts, in school halls, playgrounds, parks or sports halls. The TF provides extensive support to schools across the country enabling players of all ages and abilities to become involved in tennis. The Schools Tennis Registration & Membership scheme offers the chance for schools to access a range of support and benefits including discounted tennis equipment. Significant changes have taken place to Schools Tennis Membership for 2010, to enhance the benefits available and to enable more people involved in schools tennis to keep up to date with developments and opportunities. The scheme will now operate through a two-tiered structure – Schools Tennis Registration and Schools Tennis Membership. Schools Tennis Registration is free and will be aimed at individuals such as teachers, partnership development managers, school sport coordinators, competition managers and anyone else involved and interested in schools tennis. Registered users are able to access a new, exclusive online area containing a wide range of downloadable resources and support. Registered users are also be able to benefit from a new Schools Tennis E-Newsletter launching in 2010, allowing them to keep up to date with developments in terms of new resources and opportunities.

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Schools Tennis Membership is aimed at schools to join as an organisation and is available for an annual fee (£15 for primary schools and £35 for secondary schools). Schools Tennis Members will be able to access a range of existing (available in 08/09) and new benefits, including: • Access to an online shop with discounted tennis equipment • Access to an exclusive online area containing a wide range of downloadable resources and support • Access to small grants scheme • Eligibility to enter Wimbledon Ticket Ballot • Eligibility to enter Teachers Wimbledon Ticket Ballot

• Free copy of Schools Tennis Magazine • Free entry into AEGON Team Tennis Schools national competitions. A Schools Tennis Competition Framework has also been developed to provide simple, inclusive and progressive schools competition opportunities. Schools Tennis Competitions are split into local and national categories with a strong emphasis upon Team Tennis across all events. For primary schools, Tennis Activity Week Packs are a readily available resource that contains a pre-prepared week of crosscurricular lesson plans and worksheets based on a tennis theme, primarily aimed at years 3 and 4 but which can easily be extended and

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modified. These are available for download on www.tennisfoundation.org.uk. Also ideal for primary schools, Mini Tennis is a fun version primarily used for players under 10. In using shorter racquets, smaller courts, slower/softer balls together with simple scoring and different levels of progression, Mini Tennis ensures players of all abilities can achieve. It is also a great way of attracting ‘semi-sporty’ pupils within secondary schools. Schools that have built links with tennis clubs have reported improved attitude, behaviour, achievement and confidence from the children and young people involved. Children are given support and encouragement and encounter increased opportunities in volunteering for future sporting participation. Building a link with a club, enables schools to boost their profiles in the community and run out of school hours clubs, to benefit pupils and their parents. Furthermore children have become more active, helping their schools and their School Sport Partnerships meet their targets.

TRAINING & COACHING The TF provides teacher training and coach education courses, presenting innovative and effective ways to implement tennis within schools. There is a new and exciting three-hour course available for primary school teachers, designed to give teachers the confidence and the tools to deliver tennis to a class of children in a small space. The course is supported by an innovative DVD, which is teacher and pupil friendly, both delivering and demonstrating the activities directly to the children. All attendees receive the DVD, a lesson plan handbook and a Mini Tennis Equipment Pack including 30 rackets, 60 balls, a net and a kit bag. New Teacher Training Modules will also be available for secondary school teachers from February 2010 and will include curriculum delivery, Cardio Tennis and Team Training. A new coach qualification structure has recently been developed. UKCC level 1 Coaching assistant course is an introduction to tennis coaching, aimed at people who are

enthusiastic about tennis and want to help coaches deliver Mini Tennis. Ideal for teachers, students aged 16 and above and parents who want to help their children enjoy and improve their Mini Tennis, this course gives 21 hours of tuition with LTA qualified tutors. The qualification offers important information and skills as well as providing further opportunities to progress into careers within coaching. Coaching opportunities are not merely limited to teachers. A Tennis Leaders Course is aimed at providing young people aged 14-16 years with a range of skills to assist with the delivery of tennis. In addition to this, a three-hour Competition Organisers Workshop has been developed in association with v, the youth volunteering charity that will prepare young people aged 16-25 to organise and run all types of competitions. FURTHER & HIGHER EDUCATION Over the next year the TF will be working hard to expand the playing, competing and coach education opportunities in further and higher educational establishments, creating many opportunities for colleges and universities across the UK. Working in partnership with seven of Britain’s top tennis universities, the TF has also recently created eight new Tennis Coordinator positions for students. Forging links with the Universities of Bath, Leeds Carnegie, Exeter, Hertfordshire, Loughborough, Roehampton and Durham, the Tennis Foundation will jointly fund the new positions, guaranteeing an overall investment of over £250,000 into the growth of the sector over the next two years. The University Tennis Coordinators will develop all aspects of tennis on campus: from ‘taster sessions’ to structured coaching, competition and coaching qualifications. Targets for the growth of university tennis have been set which aim to introduce over 2,000 students to tennis across the eight universities by 2011, with a further target of a 40 per cent increase in university tennis club members. The University Coordinators who will be studying for a masters degree, also form the first ‘step’ of a career pathway into the tennis industry and create an important training ground for the future British Tennis Workforce. Paul Regan, head of education, said: “We are delighted to create these new and exciting job opportunities which increase our commitment to the university sector and are the first phase of the strategy, which will see a significant increase in the growth of university tennis, over the next three years.” In addition to this exciting strategy, an increase in volunteers entering tennis is also planned with a target of 200 trained competition organisers; 300 qualified coaching assistants and over 400 students receiving Tennis Foundation Teacher Training.

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

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JDS Training Ltd – specialist training

Get the skills to deal with workplace conflict

DS TRAINING LTD IS a training company that has provided down to earth, realistic, enjoyable and affordable training to various NHS trusts, PCT’s, nursing/ recruitment agencies, social care companies, registered charities, primary and secondary schools, security companies, retail and leisure industry plus licensed and food retail establishments for many years. The training team have been delivering specialist sector specific training for over 23 years. JDS Training Ltd can provide training in: • Level 2, (1884) Conflict Management • One day Emergency First Aid at Work, Three day First Aid at Work, Paediatric First Aid, AED (Defib), Oxygen Therapy and Airway Management, plus Medical Gases.

S THE UK AND European specialist provider of conflict risk management and personal safety training coupled with our national award winning cultural awareness and diversity aspects we only provide very high standards utilising the latest proven techniques including NLP, Neuro-Associative Learning and Quantum Thinking. We also deliver courses consistent with NHS Promoting Safe Services standards and offer a range of BTEC Level 2 Intermediate awards in Conflict Resolution & Breakaway and Physical Restraint Practice (Care & Control), a Nationally Recognised Level 2 vocationally specific qualification. Training has also been designed for NHS staff, including care, security, education/teaching and social services staff. This training is for realistically safeguarding all levels of customer facing staff, who encounter the potential for verbal abuse and violence in the workplace by empowering staff with the latest legislative

• Moving and Handling of People and Loads. • Level 2, Foundation in Food Hygiene. • Level 2, in Health & Safety • All care induction training to meet CQC, HSE, NHS and PASA requirements. • Level 2, Physical Intervention and Disengagement Techniques, Control and Restraint. (MAYBO, NHS, BILD and Skills for Security Approved) • Bespoke training courses tailored to meet your requirements.

FOR MORE INFORMATION E-mail: daveash@ jdstraining.co.uk or info@jdstraining.co.uk Web: www.jdstraining.co.uk Mobile: 07788 594110 (Dave Ash) or Lo-Call: 0845 643 4842

knowledge and confidence in the skills to assess the risk of conflict and violence at the workplace and if necessary, in serious circumstances reducing injuries by justified and confident application of intervention skills and techniques.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Tel: 07743 417 180 E-mail: info@nofearltd.com Web: www.nofearltd.com

Keeping the peace by being in the middle

Professional training services from Parkhill

W HATEVER HAPPENED to the

INCE 1992, Parkhill has seen dynamic growth and developed an all-encompassing range of services led by customer needs. From our origins as an internal audit provider, we now support clients in areas as diverse as counter fraud, security management, recruitment, digital forensics and since 2006, training. Parkhill’s Professional Training Services provide tailored and refresher courses specialising in personal safety skills, health and safety, equality and diversity and risk management. Our training is delivered to an exceptional standard by our accredited and experienced staff. Delegates benefit from interactive teaching methods to optimise their learning and enjoyment and will receive detailed course materials and a certificate of attendance upon completion of their course. Some of the popular courses within our portfolio include: • Conflict resolution • Control and restraint (BTEC Level 2)

‘quiet word’ as a means of sorting out staff disputes? In increasingly litigious times, employees have become all too inclined to resort to formal measures, including legal action, when they have concerns about a colleague’s behaviour. Mediation offers an alternative. By enlisting the expert help of an impartial mediator, around 80 per cent of workplace disputes can now be nipped in the bud, and need not proceed beyond a private, structured, and voluntary mediation session. UK Mediation is the UK’s foremost provider of mediation and mediation training. Working principally with universities and colleges, Local Authorities and NHS Trusts, the Organisation is now in its 11th year and continues to go from strength to strength. More and more organisations are realising that the early and informal resolution of workplace disputes can dramatically reduce

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the number of grievances and harassment & discrimination claims. Working relationships that have taken years to build up can be maintained and restored by offering mediation at all levels within the organisation. The company can provide mediators for one-off cases, or can train a body of internal workplace mediators. In education, you expect the best. As the mediation specialists, we provide it.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Tel: 01773 822222 Fax: 01773 827155 E-mail: admin@ukmediation.net Web: www.ukmediation.net

• Breakaway techniques (BTEC Level 2) • Manual handling • Fire awareness • Root cause analysis Parkhill’s many training clients include NHS and healthcare organisations, schools, retailers, local authorities and housing associations. Please contact us today to discuss how our courses can develop and safeguard your workforce.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Contact Stephen Lamley on 0208 869 7456, e-mail: stephen.lamely@parkhill. org.uk or visit our website www.parkhill.org.uk

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CONFLICT MANAGEMENT

REACHING OUT TO THE TROUBLED YOUNG In order to change behaviour in such a way that it becomes sustainable in the long term, any intervention needs to be carried out over a significant period of time, finds Debbie Dugdall, director of the Institute of Conflict Management THROUGHOUT THE UNITED KINGDOM there is a vast array of provision for young people whose behaviour or circumstances mean that they are unable to integrate into mainstream social life or educational provision. However, there are some serious issues which in many cases result in potentially excellent programmes failing through no fault of the providers. In order to transform behaviour in such a way that it becomes sustainable in the long term and so that the young person can be effectively rehabilitated, any intervention needs to be carried out over a sufficiently long period of time. All too frequently the sad story repeats itself where funding dries up and therefore the participant is withdrawn from the programme, or where there are only sufficient monies to provide a short term intervention.

In order to transform behaviour in such a way that it becomes sustainable in the long term and so that the young person can be effectively rehabilitated, any intervention needs to be carried out over a sufficiently long period of time The process becomes haphazard and communication is inadequate and often young people are let down and their sense of low self-worth is compounded. CASE STUDY ONE: A YOUNG PERSON Steve was a 12 year old boy who had fallen foul the law and was excluded from mainstream school. Through his social worker, he was referred to Lance who ran a behavioural

transformation programme five days a week. Lance’s attitude was always ‘to see the good in someone, to show them the good in themselves and to teach them how to use it for other people’. Lance was required to send a report to Social Services after four weeks and the difference in Steve’s behaviour was so remarkable that it was decided to withdraw him from the programme. Steve felt terribly let down and he was

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completely demoralised. He had been given a sense of self-worth and responsibility in the programme. At home domestic violence was the norm and Steve was physically and psychologically abused by his father. This caused devastation to both Steve and his mum. He regressed and the result was that Steve entered a life of drug abuse, drug dealing and crime. Steve cites that continuation on the programme and the counselling and compassion he received would have helped him to learn to integrate into mainstream society. The fact was that he had just begun to learn important lessons when he was abruptly removed from a place where he felt safe, where he could receive healthy role modelling and where he was developing a previously unknown enthusiasm for life and motivation to learn. CASE STUDY TWO: A PROVIDER A nationally recognised programme was being run in a rural coastal area with young people coming in from two local towns as well as from very isolated locations. This programme had been in place for three years and the provider had been sub-contracted by a lead organisation which received its funding from a national body. The sub-contractor had provided the greatest success in terms of outcomes achieved for the whole of the region for two out of those three years and things were going really well. Young people were achieving well on the ASDAN qualifications system and they were given the type of support and help which meant that they were also managing to turn their lives around in terms of lessening their use of alcohol and successfully coming off drugs. Four participants who had been homeless were guided how to become responsible and were beginning to live independently. Very

suddenly, the lead organisation ceased trading with a third of the school year left and the subcontractor was left with a difficult dilemma. The directors of the sub-contracting provider felt morally bound to see the young people through the academic year, but with no funds coming in and with staff to pay and resources to be provided it was going to be serious. It

strategy for resolving that behaviour. People who have not been shown boundaries, those who have not been shown love, those who are rejected or who have been abused – all these people will require patient oneto-one and group work whereby they will learn how to grasp their value as a person and how to treat others with kindness and

It is pivotal that young people are appropriately assessed and that funding is put in place to tackle problems at a root level if long term success, transferable skills and changed lives are to be achieved was unthinkable to leave these young people in the lurch, so the directors decided that they would allow the programme to finish. The result was that 12 young people completed their studies, gained Level 1 and 2 qualifications and it has since been confirmed that ten out of the group of 12 are in education, training or long term full time employment. ACHIEVING LONG TERM SUCCESS A Magistrate whose work focuses mainly on young offenders, has stated that a minimum of four months full-time contact needs to be maintained on any effective rehabilitative programme. It is pivotal that young people are appropriately assessed and that funding is put in place to tackle problems at a root level if long term success, transferable skills and changed lives are to be achieved. Behind every behaviour is the reason for that behaviour. The reason is the clue to the

compassion using good communication skills. Many young people find themselves labelled and victimised because of behaviour of the few. The fact is that those who engage in antisocial behaviour are almost always subject to extreme difficulties and psychological traumas in their lives. In these cases, punishment is not an effective solution, but instead they need an accurate assessment of their needs and then those needs require meeting using suitable and sensibly time-framed interventions. This takes skill and the guarantee that enough time and money is put in place to deal with the problems with the intention of finding enduring solutions. Failure to make a lasting repair at this stage will ultimately cost incalculably more, especially as the secondary effects will inevitably involve those people who are in day-to-day contact with affected individuals. Working to overcome conflict at the root level, i.e. conflict transformation, is the most reliable and economically viable lasting remedy.

Adopt best practice violence and aggression ALF OF ALL NEWLY-qualified teachers expressed that they have not had enough training to deal with violence in schools,” NUT assistant secretary John Bangs, interviewed on BBC television February 2010. Guiding Hands Training is a professional supplier of specialised training and knowledge to organisations where professionals have to manage confrontation in the workplace. Guiding Hands Training provides you with the two building blocks that professionals need to maintain best practice: underpinning law and physical skills. Our training consultants have many years experience of working in the public sector and the NHS in areas such as social care, nursing, children’s services, forensic care and security. We are accredited BTEC and

“H

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PTLLS training providers offering courses in management of aggressive behaviour, physical intervention, breakaway and self defence, and care and control. Guiding Hands also offers bespoke in-house training and certification according to clients’ needs. We are unique in being the only training provider in the UK to offer the combination of accredited trainers and an in-house

lawyer. We can provide all female or all male trainers should your requirements dictate. Protect your organisation, pupils and staff in an increasingly litigation conscious age.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Tel: 01709 544318 E-mail: info@guidinghands.co.uk Web: www.guidinghands.co.uk

Visit the website to view the categorised product finder

Bespoke conflict resolution training for the FE sector BA TRAINING & RECRUITMENT LTD provides cost-effective training solutions to all our clients, be they the fully accredited and recognised courses from our extensive list delivered to Edexcel, EDI, Maybo and NCFE standards, or bespoke stand alone courses prepared and delivered around the client’s needs and working environment. Our ethos has always been to train to the highest standards available and continue to be both client and quality driven. We boast a track record of proven, bespoke courses, including delivery of conflict management to a Further Education Sector College that, when independently assessed, was proven to be absolutely fit for purpose. Our tutors and management team continually upgrade and refresh their training methodologies and qualifications in order to deliver to the highest quality assurance and professionally recognised standards. All tutors are Institute for Learning registered as well

as those delivering conflict management aligning with the Institute for Conflict Management. PBA Training and Recruitment Limited is fully Information Commissioners Office and VAT registered and dedicated to achieving ISO 9001 and Investors in People for your peace of mind. Please contact our friendly and helpful staff should further details be required.

Training solutions for teachers and students XAMPLES OF OUR courses for teachers and staff (available in house or at multiple national locations): Full legal Briefings for teachers on the use of force with children, Conflict resolution following the City and Guilds and NHS CFSMS Syllabus, BTEC accredited Physical Intervention courses and Search awareness. Special offer for courses booked before June 2010 – one full day’s training in house £600 all inclusive. Examples of courses available for secondary age students include; Personal Safety, Self Defence, Edged weapon awareness, Drug Awareness, Gang Awareness,

Conflict Resolution, First Aid – (BTEC Sport, JSL or GCSE PE and Lifesaving). These courses are available as curricular options, as part of theme weeks or enrichment days and can be tailored for assemblies, PSHE or citizenship options. Special offer for activity days – book one option from our menu get one free.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Defend UK Professional Safety Education Tel: 01772 774577 Mobile: 07872 500272 E-mail: info@defenduk.org Web: www.defenduk.org

FOR MORE INFORMATION Tel: 0845 519 3381 or 0845 519 3382 Fax: 0161 386 8708 E-mail: info@pbagroup.com Web: www.pbagroup.com

Preventing and managing challenging and violent behaviour ECURICARE HAS been at the forefront of training in the prevention and management of challenging, aggressive and violent behaviours since the early 90’s. The training is accredited and can be externally certificated. SecuriCare is an Institute of Conflict Management Quality Award Centre ICMQAC. The training covers the following core learning objectives and meets the requirements of the NHS National Conflict Resolution Training Programme: Describe the common causes of conflict; describe different forms of communication; give examples of communication breakdown; explain three examples of communication models that can assist in conflict resolution; describe patterns of behaviour they may encounter during different interactions; explain the different warning and danger signs; give examples of impact factors; describe the use of distance when dealing

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with conflict; explain the use of “reasonable force” as it applies to conflict resolution; describe different methods of dealing with possible conflict situations. The training also includes disengagement skills and physical intervention/restraint skills where necessary and is part of the organisations policy and staff guidelines. ‘Train the Trainer’ packages are available for in-house training personnel and can including NVQ Level 3 Direct Training & Support (QTLS).

FOR MORE INFORMATION For more information please visit our website at: www.securicare.com

Bray Leino BroadSkill – learning and development services RAY LEINO BROADSKILL is one of the UK’s leading providers of learning and development services. Our principal activities include management and leadership development, coaching, and personal workplace skills development, both soft skills and IT. Operating throughout the UK, we have been a contracted partner of over 50 public sector clients for over 14 years and also serve a wide array of private sector clients. Combining unparalleled training experience and professional project and account management capabilities, we work in close partnership with clients helping them create and deliver solutions for their staff in these important areas. By using experienced learning professionals to design solutions, we ensure that we incorporate the latest evidence and thinking in these key areas and provide advice on wider issues as well as creating effective learning and development solutions relating to a wide range of relevant skills. We are highly experienced in working with organisations with specific organisational

cultures and values. We operate across the training and development cycle from needs analysis through bespoke design and face-toface delivery to evaluation and we can respond to projects of all sizes from ad-hoc one day events to major programmes as well as design of e-learning and new media solutions.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Tel: 01271 337110 Fax: 01271 337111 E-mail: broadskillenquiries@ brayleino.co.uk Web: www. brayleinobroadskill.co.uk

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EDUCATION SHOW

EDUCATION AND INNOVATION With the world of education constantly evolving, this year’s Education Show provided a central point where professionals could discover the latest in educational resources and methods

A WINTRY MARCH SAW THE 20TH annual Education Show, the UK’s largest educational exhibition, return to Birmingham to inspire today’s educators. Visitors flocked to the NEC to experience the latest in educational resources, best practice methods and continuous professional development (CPD). With the gloom of recession fading in the corporate sector, many educationalists remain cautious, with talk of tightening belts and the pre-election political uncertainty. What was clear, however, was that educators are still committed to obtaining the very best resources for the needs of their learners – from literacy resources, playful learning products and outdoor space solutions to furniture and ICT solutions. The 2010 show saw a fantastic variety of exhibitors and seminar speakers, covering all of the hot topics in education. Literacy, numeracy, STEM, citizenship, sustainability, SEN and leadership were all at the heart of the show, offering visitors insight into the latest initiatives in education. Richard Joslin, exhibition director at Emap, the show’s organisers, agrees: “Visitors to the show were able see companies that bring inspiration and innovation to the education sector in the UK, and those who support schools to provide a rich learning experience to children and young people. With

so many wonderful exhibitors and supporters, along with countless professional development opportunities, the 2010 show was a great day out for anyone interested in education.” SUSTAINABILITY AND EMPLOYMENT Sustainability is again key when it comes to educational resources. Greener living is on the minds of many people and schools are increasingly coming under the spotlight. DLB Ltd, creator of the revolutionary ‘Don’t Lean Back’ chairs, introduced its eco-friendly range of seating solutions at the show, while also highlighting its revolutionary Chair 2 Chair scheme. The initiative allows schools to have their old, unwanted or broken chairs collected by the company, negating the need for a costly skip. The new chairs, with their sleek and robust design and bright colours, are made from 99 per cent recycled material, so that each purchase can decrease the size of schools’ carbon footprint. Offering educational visits to see the recycling process in action, the company can also help to teach children about the importance of environmentalism. Another key focus at the moment – and one that looks set to continue irrespective of the results of May’s election – is the employability of younger generations. Particular attention

is being paid to 21st century skills, with the aim of ensuring that young people have the knowledge and abilities to compete in the global marketplace. From the STEM agenda to the drive for languages, there are many vital initiatives that hope to achieve this and the 2010 Education Show saw several exhibitors already responding to the call for creating sustainable and employable talent that can help put Britain at the forefront of innovation. The first of these exhibitors was the worldrenowned Eden Project, which showcased its collection of educational training packages for teachers and learning days for pupils alongside the online careers resource, developed in partnership with the government. The Project’s site, Real Cool Futures, has been developed to advise young people and provide inspiration to pursue careers that will make a positive contribution to the planet. Highlighting the many different areas of industry that can contribute towards sustainability, the site dispels the myth that to lead the fight against climate change, you need to be a scientist. Instead, case studies illustrate the endless ways for children to pursue their dreams and become part of the solution to climate change, along with free lesson plans and activities. Skill Force was another exhibitor tackling

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Education Business | Volume 15.2

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EDUCATION SHOW

ABOUT THE EDUCATION SHOW Free to attend, the Education Show is the UK’s largest showcase of educational resources, best practice methods and CPD training. Each year over 15,000 visitors test, sample, discuss and compare thousands of resources, designed to meet a huge range of educational needs. The 2011 show will take place 17-19 March and the vast array of resources, seminars and workshops, product training and demonstrations make this the most useful date in a school’s calendar.

employment. Skill Force works throughout Britain to increase the number of young people entering employment, education or training upon leaving school. Showcasing a range of in-school programmes of vocational qualifications, community volunteering and life skills, the organisation employs many ex-Service personnel as instructors, using their world class training and experience to benefit young people. HEALTH AND WELLBEING With health also taking centre stage in 2010, the show welcomed Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) to the show. The society, supported by Waitrose, showcased its campaign for school gardening, which aims to help children learn about growing food, healthy eating and how to care for the environment. More than 10,000 schools have already signed up to grow their own garden and many more did so at the show. Tying in nicely to sustainability and the environment, the Nether Wallop Trading Company exhibited its range of innovative eco friendly gardening products. The company designs and supplies a range of innovative tools to inspire gardeners of all ages and abilities, including the award-winning ‘Paper Potter’, for creating an unlimited supply of seedling pots from old newspapers. Visitors were able to see a great range of products and resources that illustrate the reaches of the drive for environmentally-friendly products – gardening bags that can become compost, plant pots that become part of the soil. The company produces resources that can help inspire children while teaching them worthwhile lessons. Aside from growing gardens, environmental initiatives and employment projects, visitors left the show inspired by a huge number of outdoor play and learning exhibitors at this year’s show. From Playforce’s outdoor classrooms to Solardome’s geodesic outdoor spaces, the show had plenty to offer for educators keen

to find attractive solutions for playful and outdoor learning. Richard Joslin, exhibition director at Emap, comments: “Combining outdoor play with gardening, healthy eating projects, music and exercise are just a few of the innovative ways that today’s schools can help learners grow, while meeting the objectives of the Every Child Matters agenda. Our aim was to highlight the myriad of solutions on offer to enable visitors to make the best-value procurement decisions for each individual school budget. This then allows schools to work towards reducing their carbon footprint while fostering a sense of purpose and awareness of environmental issues in young people.” CITIZENSHIP For teachers who sought resources to assist in delivering the EU strand of the citizenship curriculum at KS3 and 4, the European Parliament exhibited the new educational resource. ‘Crisis Point’; a role play game based on the outbreak a fictitious disease. The resource, which is ideal for PSHE and citizenship lessons, requires students to take on roles as citizens, MEPs and Commissioners and act quickly to come up with a law to help save Europe from the threat of a pandemic. Further educational resources that assist with increasing the global view of pupils were available from the European Commission. The commission’s free resource. ‘Passport to the European Union’ contains information on the 27 member countries of the European Union, such as their size and population and famous citizens, along with the answers to dozens of questions designed to inspire interest in young learners. In addition, teachers found The British Red Cross offered some fantastic aides for fostering an understanding of migration in a global sense, promoting positive attitudes towards refugees, asylum seekers and vulnerable migrants. Using interactive exercises, photo quizzes

and group debates, the resource encourages young people to reflect on the reasons people migrate and the issues faced by refugees and asylum seekers, and to think critically about how the media conveys messages. Continuing on the theme of awareness, EGAR proved to be a worthy visit for teachers wishing to help tackle youth violence. Director Sue ScottHorne devised a set of Discussion Card games that stimulate meaningful, focused discussion between teens and teachers or youth workers in a non-judgemental way. With a career spanning 25 years in teaching PSHE, Sue Scott-Horne has seen youth on youth violence escalate dramatically. Her aim is for in-trouble teens to put down their knives and pick up the discussion cards and start talking about how they feel. SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS In the wake of the Lamb Inquiry and Ed Balls’ planned implementation of all of Lord Lamb’s recommendations, the area of SEN will continue to be a major focus in 2010. nasen, the UK’s leading organisation embracing all special educational needs, hosted the SEN Information Point once again, helping visitors to seek out suitably SEN-specific or inclusive resources. The winners of the nasen annual poetry competition were also announced at the show, proving to be a highlight for many. With the winning poems ranging from the moving to the amusing, all shortlisted entries demonstrated once again how creativity and self-expression can assist inclusion. Lorraine Petersen (OBE), CEO of nasen, commented: “The poems that we receive are, by turns, inspiring, though-provoking, emotional and challenging. By celebrating the creativity and individuality of all children, the message of inclusion is presented loud and clear, with the hope that more young people are encouraged to speak up and enrich the lives of others in similar situations. Each year we are impressed by the standard of the poems and the talent of our children across schools in the UK.” PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Professional development is a large feature of the Education Show, Richard Joslin explains: “The show has maintained its success over the

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Making The Grade – the student tracking system that goes further MART THINKING is an entrepreneurial new company which has its roots in both business and education and can offer a range of services to small and medium sized companies and educational establishments. Smart Thinking’s newest product is a software package called ‘Making The Grade’, an application that has been developed over a number of years. Making The Grade is a student tracking and grade recording system that goes further than simply recording assignment or coursework marks. Making The Grade is designed to drastically reduce the time involved in the preparation of assessment results, reporting for moderation boards and programme award panels. The system is designed around the needs of Higher Education or Degree programmes delivered in colleges and universities. It offers a very cost effective standardisation and quality control system for the presentation of documentation to academic boards. Whilst the documentation is always required, Making The Grade also

Kumon Ed_cational franchises. The only thing missing is u. Do you share a passion for knowledge and understand the true value of education? Do you have a natural ability to work with children and the talent to fulfil their potential? If the answer is yes, we’d like to meet you. provides an ‘on screen’ view that allows instant recording of adjustments and decisions. Smart Thinking’s ‘Making The Grade’ development team have over 50 years experience in teaching, training, lecturing and computer programming. It includes an external examiner of many years experience. Making The Grade was developed by lecturers for lecturers.

As an Instructor of a Kumon maths and English study centre, your role will give you the job satisfaction you’ve been looking for, whilst offering the support and training needed to build a successful career through running your own business. We currently have fantastic opportunities in your local area. For more information, visit kumon.co.uk or call 0800 854 714.

share the vision

FOR MORE INFORMATION Tel: 01225 783355 E-mail: alan@making-the-grade.biz Web: www.making-the-grade.biz

Quality office products from Fellowes ELLOWES IS A GLOBAL manufacturer and marketer of business machines including paper shredders, binding machines, laminators, trimmers and guillotines. Records storage solutions with the R-Kive brand of filing and storage products and workstation accessories and cleaning products. Harry Fellowes founded the company in 1917 with the now famous Bankers Box® records storage boxes. As the workspace evolved so did Fellowes, expanding into new categories. From our founding in Chicago, Illinois, Fellowes is now a global operation and has expanded over the years into Europe and Asia. Fellowes enables people to work with greater security, organisation and productivity and recently demonstrated a wide selection of their products at the Education Show, along with new innovations – visitors witnessed the end of the paper jam and

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A new minibus could be more affordable than you think... Castle Minibus can source and provide the ideal transport solution for your school on easy payment finance options. see how you can save time, save money and protect your identity with Fellowes Intellishred range of paper shredders and witness the world’s quickest assembly, with R-Kive premium storage boxes with Presto construction.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Tel: 01302 836859/ 00800 18101810 Fax: 01302 836899 E-mail: cs-uk@fellowes.com Web: www.fellowes.com

T 01869 253744 E enquiries@castleminibus.co.uk W www.castleminibus.co.uk Castle Vehicle Leasing · Commerce House · Telford Road · Bicester · Oxfordshire · OX26 4LD

Education Business | Volume 15.2

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EDUCATION SHOW

years because it is so much more than just an exhibition; it offers fantastic CPD opportunities for teachers. With the challenges that we all face in the current economic climate, we felt it was important for the show to offer decision makers – whether teachers, school governors or local authority staff – the easiest way to explore the most cost-effective method of achieving professional development across all of the Key Stages and across all levels of ability.” Seminar highlights included renowned author Sue Palmer, whose wide-ranging research on ‘toxic childhood’ helped spark a national debate about the effects of modern life on child development. Sue spent the last two years investigating the impact of 21st century lifestyles on boys. In her presentation in the Early Years Theatre, she discussed what’s going wrong, and how schools, parents and the wider community can help boys back on track. Another wellreceived session on the topic of behaviour was delivered by Fin O’Regan in the SEN Theatre. Fin, a behavioural consultant, delivered a seminar which looked at the issue of supporting children who appear difficult, demanding and sometimes defiant in terms of how they respond to direction by supervisors. Educators were able to gain a better understanding of why some

A new ‘premier’ standard of service for schools is announced by Castle Minibus

ASTLE MINIBUS is pleased to announce the launch of a new aftersales mobile service for their Academy, College and School Customers throughout the UK. Chris Maynard, sales director, says: “By listening to what our school customers want, I am delighted we can now offer this exclusive service which will provide our Clients with the benefit of a ‘hassle free’ on-site service covering: the 10 week safety check, annual service, replacement tyres and MOT facility with the assurance that their vehicles continue to be maintained in accordance with current VOSA minibus legislation. “We will pro-actively contact you to arrange the safety checks etc to be carried out at your School and at your convenience to ensure that time spent by staff and yourself is kept to an absolute minimum. With the new regulations we understand that in the event of an accident, the budget holder is held personally responsible and for this reason our Castle Minibus ‘on-site hassle free service’ makes sure that your vehicle remains fit for purpose at all times “Essentially, all of our academy, college or school clients have only now to put fuel in and insure the vehicle. “We are proud to be the first company in the UK to provide Schools with

a level of service normally reserved for BMW or Mercedes drivers.” Since 1995, Castle Vehicle Leasing has offered a choice of vehicle finance packages and a quality service to businesses throughout the UK. Castle Minibus was launched in response to the needs of schools, colleges, universities and academies also requiring a high level of service and expertise in providing solutions for their transport needs. We pride ourselves on being an efficient and dependable supplier, and firmly believe in keeping traditional business values whilst embracing the latest technology to deliver a flexible service. You can expect impartial advice and constructive recommendations to ensure a

solution tailor made for your needs. One call gives you access to our dedicated account managers who take time to understand your requirements and are supported by an experienced in-house customer services team. So the next time you forget to book a safety check or are still having to drive to your local Dealer for servicing, contact us at Castle Minibus and we can explain how we can look after your minibus without all the fuss.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Call me, Chris Maynard, at Castle Minibus on 01869 253744 or e-mail me at chris@castleminibus.co.uk or visit our website www.castleminibus.co.uk

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children present more challenging behaviour and have different learning styles and identify a number of key strategies for management. School leaders found a seminar from the National College particularly useful; Stuart Sutherland’s session, which took place in the Leadership Theatre, focused upon the ways in which leaders across the education sector can and do network and collaborate with each other online to solve problems, share practice and enhance their professional development. Visitors were able to listen to some successful examples of both informal and formallyorganised online networking and collaboration to support leadership development. The session also enabled them to get involved in a discussion about some of the general challenges and benefits for busy leaders using the social web to develop their leadership practice. Continuing on the theme of leadership and networking, a highly engaging seminar from Peter Cook, author of three books on innovation and creativity at work and director of Human Dynamics, took place in the Primary Theatre. His session explored leadership through a unique mixture of leading edge academic theory supported by examples from music and the arts. Peter looked at ways to change the classroom experience so that it engages all the pupils, along with how to exploit our own creativity and that of others to deliver superior outcomes. The 2010 Education Show was a great example of how collaboration in the sector can help to promote good ideas, and how educationalists can come together to share best practice. With the world of education constantly evolving, the show provides a central point where professionals can discover the latest in educational resources and methods, allowing us to constantly enrich the classroom experience for our pupils. Next year’s show will take place from 17th to 19th March – we look forward to seeing you there.

The ultimate fun fitness resource for schools 5 -A-DAY FITNESS is the ultimate fun fitness resource for schools. Collections of fully demonstrated five minute exercise routines incorporated into easy-to-use school computer software. It’s perfect for projection on to interactive whiteboards and guaranteed to get your whole class jumping. Right now we’re offering you the chance to win a copy of 5-a-day Fitness Volume One, not only for your school, but for EVERY SCHOOL in your School Sport Partnership; a prize worth over £5,000.* Simply visit www.5-a-dayfitness. com/prizedraw for your chance to win.

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and really easy to use, it doesn’t require teachers to prepare, or have lots of training…it simply delivers quick blasts of pure physical activity.” - Chris Story, PDM. (*Prize value based on average of 40 schools per SSP. Total value of goods £140 per school. Terms and conditions apply. No purchase necessary. All rights reserved. 5-a-day Fitness © 2010.)

Now used by over 300 schools across the UK, here’s what some of our customers have been saying about us: “What a fantastic resource. Reception through to Year 6 absolutely love it.” - Brendan Rouse, PLT. “5-a-day is engaging

FOR MORE INFORMATION Tel: +44 20 8123 5032 Fax: 01689 890136 E-mail: info@5-a-dayfitness.com Web: www.5-a-dayfitness.com

Visit the website to view the categorised product finder

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Kumon seeks instructors Making your budgets for new study centres go further without compromising quality “R ESEARCH SHOWS that failing to grasp the fundamentals of maths at primary school leaves only a one in ten chance of catching up by the age of 16” (Channel 4 Dispatches, February 2010). Kumon is a leading supplementary education provider which offers maths and English programmes to children of all ages and abilities. In 2009, we bucked recessionary trends and grew by 12.9 per cent. As a result we are looking for dedicated, passionate people to run maths and English study centres at numerous locations across the country. If you are looking for a rewarding career and understand the true value of education, then you could become a Kumon Instructor

and own a franchise that would give you freedom, flexibility and solid financial rewards. By running your own study centre, you would be helping children in your area to achieve their true potential. You would also be working for yourself, managing the franchise business whilst earning a comfortable living. Kumon has around 60,000 students at over 600 study centres in the UK. Successful candidates are extensively supported throughout their careers by ongoing training and substantial marketing support.

FOR MORE INFORMATION For more information about Kumon in your area and details of forthcoming information sessions, call 0800 854 714 or visit kumonfranchise.co.uk.

The shelving and locker specialists OR OVER TWO decades Action Storage has supplied durable shelving, lockers and storage systems to schools, hospitals and other public sector organisations. Our innovative product range includes hardwearing eXtreme® Plastic Lockers (which can be stacked outdoors), secure laptop lockers and cycle shelters for up to 80 bikes. We’ve supplied storage equipment to hundreds of schools, colleges and universities all over the UK. Whether it’s installing cloakroom equipment or hundreds of lockers, we know how to manage projects so they run smoothly and hassle free. Our long standing relationship with the public sector enables us to accept orders on credit in exchange for a valid purchase order. As well as innovative products, we provide the expertise to ensure you’re making the maximum

use of your storage space. Our unique, free helpline offers advice on choosing the best equipment to match your needs, whilst for larger projects we provide a free survey and design service to tailor arrangements to suit your premises. Details of Action Storage’s full range of shelving, lockers and storage systems can be found on our website, where you can also order a free catalogue and join our mailing list for updates on our latest products and special offers.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Freephone: 0800 592215 E-mail: sales@action-storage.co.uk Web: www.action-storage.co.uk

ALMOST W ITH 30 YEARS industry experience, 4schoolfurniture. com is a leading national specialist for education furniture and educational environment fit out projects. Our ethos is simple – We will cut your costs without compromising comfort, quality, choice, durability or service. This means that your budget will always go further with us. We also recognise that the average pupil spends over 12,000 hours sat at a desk in their school life. It’s for this reason, that we pay particular detail to ergonomically sound products – helping to correct a child’s posture at an early age, shown to benefit their health in later life. All our products conform with regulations and certification standards, and with our lengthy guarantees and unparalleled customer service you can be rest

assured that you’ve made the right choice with 4schoolfurniture.com. As suppliers to schools and academic institutions nationwide, including Oxford University, our track record speaks for itself. Our extensive range covers everything from desking to seating, tables to lab furniture and storage solutions to tiered theatre seating. Whatever your academic interior need we have got the right product, at the right price, delivered with the best customer service and after care.

FOR MORE INFORMATION For further information call 0800 181941 or visit www.4schoolfurniture.com

Audley Digital’s innovative e-signs lead the way UDLEY DIGITAL specialises in the installation and management of digital information screens to schools. Digital signs have much to offer because they are dynamic, eye-catching and cost-effective. Audley Digital has developed a product range to meet a wide variety of needs, from a desk or wall-mounted 19” integrated display to an extremely versatile, web-enabled solution. Audley Digital’s signage system can easily grow as needs change or budgets increase. Digital information screens are most effective when they are regularly updated. Audley Digital recognises that schools do not always have the time or expertise to update their screens and have developed approaches to assist them. We are able to provide training in system administration and content production or we can remotely look after any element of the management and updating of a school’s digital signage system.

The most impressive feature about Audley Digital’s signage solution is that the information can be directed to any screen with web access – across a large school site, within clusters and federations or across the world! Information can easily be seen on every teacher’s computer screen (or whiteboard), making notices available to students in tutor time or to teachers at the end of the teaching day.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Tel: 01799 529880 E-mail: office@audleydigital.co.uk Web: www.audleydigital.co.uk

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ADVERTISERS INDEX The publishers accept no responsibility for errors or omissions in this free service 4 Business Group

117

Ecclesiastical Finance Services

Monarch Education

5-A-Day Fitness

120

Elcomponent

Monodraught

Action Storage Systems

121

Electrolux

MRG Systems

AIT Partnership Group

Ellison Europe

114

M端ller Dairy UK

Amadeus Associates

Enistic Energy

NEC (UK)

AMSYS

ESTA

Defend UK

113

Armitage Venesta

Evac+Chair

Ocip Energy

OBC

OFC Staffs

Onelan

Atkins

104

Favourite Cat

Audley Digital

121

Fellowes

AVerMedia Avon Tyrrell UK Youth

106

Focus Games

Open University

GDL Air Systems

PBA Training & Recruitment

113 106

Axis

GFV Goldstar

Plas Menai

Balens

GMC Landscapes

Procool

Barclays Corporate

Grant Westfield

Rehau

Guiding Hands

112

Ross Brand

Royal Albert Hall

RSM Tenon

32 66

Bose UK Bray Leino Broadskill

113

Hoval

British Harlequin

HRH Landscapes

104

British Independent Utilities

Induced Energy

SDH Airconditioning Services

Brother

Ing Car Lease UK

SecuriCare

Institute of Credit Management

Randstad Education

IP UserGroup

Smart Thinking

Cadbury UK Capita Total Document Solutions

IBC 28

113 12 118

Castle Vehicle Leasing

118

Ivy Energy Savings

Sological Solutions

Centurion Europe

102

JTRS

Squid Card

98 96

Charity Gift Vouchers

Kalamazoo Secure Solutions

Sycamore Supplies

Collinson

Kinnarps

Techniquest

Computacenter

Time & Data Systems International

Trilux Lighting

Vencel Resil

Vericool

Coronet Turf

122

118

104

Kumon

118

CRN Contract Services

LAR

CSM Global

Marley Eternit

Cubicle Centre

McGee Group

D&E Office Solutions

Misco

Mitsubishi Electric

MJM Energy

Datasound

102

Dogs Trust

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATION

106

Wessex Test Equipment

102

Wild Park Leisure

106

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