Education Business 18.5

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MUSIC EDUCATION

FACING THE MUSIC

How music education can boost attainment levels, improve behaviour and encourage team working

LEADERSHIP

SPREADING THE TALENT

The National College for Teaching and Leadership looks at the Teaching Schools Network ICT & COMPUTING

RISE OF THE TABLET

Advice on introducing successful 1-2-1 schemes and the latest models available for education WEBSITE DESIGN

LOOKING GOOD ONLINE

Experiences in developing the school website

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FACING THE MUSIC

How music education can boost attainment levels, improve behaviourand encourage team working

LEADERSHIP

SPREADING THE TALENT

The National College for Teaching and Leadership looks at the Teaching Schools Network ICT & COMPUTING

RISE OF THE TABLET

Advice on introducing successful 1-2-1 schemes and the latest models available for education WEBSITE DESIGN

LOOKING GOOD ONLINE

Experiences in developing the school website

PLUS: EDUCATIONAL TRIPS | DESIGN & BUILD | STRESS MANAGEMENT | INSURANCE

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Comment

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FREE IPADS FOR ALL As schools gear up for the new year, NUT general secretary Christine Blower has called for ‘Free iPads’ to help bridge the digital divide between rich and poor. According to The Telegraph, Blower said that pupils risked being excluded from lessons if their families couldn’t afford an iPad in schools where a Bring Your Own Device policy is in place.

“Schools need to be aware that initiatives which seem on the surface to be logical and progressive can leave some pupils behind,” she told the paper. Read more on page 7, and check out our tablet feature on page 87. And to catch up on the latest technology available, a visit to next year’s BETT show, which celebrates its 30th Anniversary, will be essential. Read more on page 101.

According to the British Educational Suppliers Association, school resource spending is on the increase – by an average of 2.8 per cent across all categories. Director Caroline Wright says that the introduction of the new primary curriculum has driven demand for aligned resources, schemes of work and teacher’s material. More on page 9.

Our Academies feature on page 13 kicks off with CIPFA’s Kerry Ace examining the role of the Chief Finance Officer. Many academies have business managers as well as accountants. But who is, or should be, the person in the CFO role in an academy, and where should the role fit within the overall governance structure? Plus James Wollam advises on how academies can bet the best insurance deal on page 19, and Andrew Hemmings, principal of the new Bushey Academy in Herts, charts its incredible journey from failure to success on page 23.

Danny Wright

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Contents

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATION – www.educationbusinessuk.net

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CONTENTS EDUCATION BUSINESS 18.5 07 EDUCATION BRIEFER

EFA searches for a PFI deal broker; Education exports plan revealed

13 FINANCE

19 33

Roy Nicholls explains how imaginative playground landscaping can add to childrens’ learning experience

65 EDUCATIONAL TRIPS

Who holds the financial reins in your academy? CIPFA’s Kerry Ace examines the role of Chief Financial Officer in an academy

Learning outside the classroom is recognised as a beneficial part of the curriculum

19 INSURANCE

73 SPORT

23 ACADEMIES

79 MUSIC

With budgetary constraints, how can schools afford to improve fitness levels and see a return on investment? Andy Barge explains

James Woollam considers how to get the coverage right for your academy

Andrew Hemmings, prinicpal, of the Bushey Academy discusses academy conversion

33 LEADERSHIP

Sponsored by

Virginia Haworth-Galt explains the benefits of teaching music in schools

83 SEN

Charlie Taylor from the National College for Teaching and Leadership, finds out the Teaching Schools initiative has taken off

Lorraine Petersen gives an overview of The Pupil Premium key areas

87 COMPUTING: TABLETS

39 RECRUITMENT

Mark Orchison of 9ine Consulting, examines the rise of the tablet

The REC Audited Education Scheme provides quality assurance of recruitment agencies

45

63 LANDSCAPING

41 STRESS MANAGEMENT

97 WEBSITE DESIGN

Jayne Morris offers advice on what to look for and ways to combat stress

Royal Wootton Bassett Academy shares its experience of developing a new website

45 DESIGN & BUILD

101 BETT 2014 PREVIEW

What happens if your building work is running behind schedule as term starts?

Following its successful 2013 relocation, Bett celebrates it 30th birthday in 2014

55 ENERGY

107 MARKET RESEARCH

Luke Wynne shares tips on successful sustainability programmes

Qualitative research can help education providers understand the impact of reforms

59 FACILITIES MANAGEMENT

111 LEASING

BESA summarises the advantages and potential pitfalls of leasing

The British Institute of Facilities Management Awards recognise the best in the industry

79

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EDU TRIPSCATIONA L Volume 18.5 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE Open in to ne g young w po ssibili minds ties

EDUC ATIO N SH OW 20 11 - pr eview of the UK’s

larges t educ ationa l reso urces eve

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FINANCE

ADDITIONAL NEEDS

Education Funding Agency searches for a PFI deal broker

Mumsnet campaign aims to support parents of additional needs children

The Education Funding Agency (EFA) has launched a tendering process to find a company to leverage funding to attract investment in the Priority School Building Programme (PSBP).

The ‘Aggregator Funding Vehicle’ would be responsible for sourcing public funding to help attract private sector investment in 46 schools identified by the Government as being in priority need of rebuilding or repair.

Under the PSBP, 46 out of 216 schools identified as being due for rebuilding or repair are to be financed through the new ‘PF2’ private finance programme. The funding is to be managed by a fund manager, the ‘aggregator’, which would be able to access both bank debt and the capital markets in order to pull together the public sector’s share of the funding and make the money available to the successful private sector bidder for the repair or rebuilding contracts.

“The contracting authority is proposing to procure a funding vehicle which will be expected to access finance (short and

This Is My Child is an awareness‑raising campaign launched by www.mumsnet.com to support parents of children with additional needs.

It draws on NHS information on conditions like autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and includes comments from families of children with the conditions and from specialist charities and lobby groups. The campaign includes tips on how ‘to make life a little bit easier’ for people with disabilities and their families.

The guide also tackles attitudes which suggest there is plenty of easily-accessible help for children with special needs or that parents who receive disability-related payments for a child are benefit scroungers.

Mumsnet chief executive Justine Roberts said: “We can’t all be experts on the many aspects of disability but we can all make an effort to hold back on the instant judgement, hit the empathy button and consciously try to act in a respectful and constructive way.”

long term lending as appropriate) and on-lend to the PF2 projects within the Priority School Building Programme,” the contract notice issued by the EFA said.

Meanwhile, the EFA has shortlisted three contractors for the first privately-funded phase of the Priority Schools Building Programme (PSBP), according to industry press reports.

Wates, Morgan Sindall and a partnership between Interserve and Kajima have been invited to bid for the £150 million contract.

The winner will build seven new schools in the south east of England, and operate them for a 25 year term. The preferred bidder is not expected to be named until early next year.

The EFA tendered this first wave of PF2 schools last month (July). It also invited contractors to bid for a second batch of PF2 schools in the north east, which is worth £120 million and includes a dozen schools. Three more batches will be tendered READ MORE: within the tinyurl.com/lcasd6e next year.

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EDUCATION EXPORTS

£17.5 billion education exports plan revealed

IT

Free iPads can bridge the digital divide says Blower The general secretary of the National Union of Teachers Christine Blower has said that schools should give pupils free iPads to bridge the ‘digital divide’ between rich and poor.

Blower claimed bring your own device (BYOD) schemes, where schools ask families to pay between £200 and £300 for a piece of kit, were fuelling social class divisions,according to reports in The Telegraph.

Blower says schools should give iPads to all pupils and they should be maintained by the school’s IT department, to ensure all children have the same opportunities and any stigma associated with coming from a poorer family is avoided. She went on to say that pupils risked being excluded from lessons if their family could not afford an iPad in schools where BYOD was the norm.

“Schools need to be aware that initiatives which seem on the surface to be logical and

progressive can leave many pupils behind,” she commented.

“If such items are given free of charge to all pupils and are maintained and repaired by the school then that would be… one way of ensuring all pupils have the same access and equal opportunities without stigma.”

A survey by the British Educational Suppliers Association in May found more schools were considering BYOD schemes.

As many as 67 per cent surveyed believed BYOD as a method of product adoption was important.

BESA director Caroline Wright warned schools to take caution: “The growing interest in BYOD schemes comes with many important considerations for schools, given that the device is owned by a pupil rather than the school. We recommend a formal school policy.”

READ MORE:

tinyurl.com/k4dwbxo

A strategy to expand the UK’s education exports industry – revealed to be worth £17.5 billion to the economy – has been published.

The International Education Strategy will aim to ensure British schools, universities, colleges and education businesses continue to stay ahead in the global education market, which is valued at almost £3 trillion annually.

The strategy aims to secure an extra £3 billion worth of contracts for the UK’s education providers overseas, and attract almost 90,000 extra overseas university students by 2018.

It also plans to strengthen education partnerships with other countries, particularly emerging economies, expand the Chevening Scholarship programme which sees future global leaders study in the UK, and encourage more UK students to spend time overseas.

Business Secretary Vince Cable said: “Thanks to our world-class universities, our network of UK alumni who are now in positions of influence around the world is impressive, opening doors that

would not otherwise be possible.

Today’s strategy will help build on this success ensuring we continue to attract international students and promote the UK’s expertise in education.”

Vince Cable: “The International Education Strategy will help promote the UK’s expertise in education”

READ THE STRATEGY: tinyurl.com/la2f6ku

Volume 18.5 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATION – www.educationbusinessuk.net

EXAMS

NEWS IN BRIEF

Top independent schools could abandon A-levels

Maths is the new English

READ MORE:

tinyurl.com/lec2ocj

A level results published by the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) show there has been a big rise in the number and proportion of young people taking A levels in maths, physics, chemistry andxbiology.

Education Minister Elizabeth Truss said: “These subjects the ones which open up modern, high-tech careers and are most in demand by employers and universities. This is good for the economy and will help the UK compete.”

Entries for A-level mathematics reached 88,060 this year, up 2.7 per cent on last year and taking it within touching distance of English, which has long been the most commonly taken A level.

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Several top independent schools are considering dropping A-levels for an international alternative as concerns grow over exam reforms. A number of private schools say they are looking at international A-levels, which would still allow pupils to take AS-levels halfway through the course.

From 2015, AS-levels are to be separated from full A-levels to form a qualification in their own right. Ministers say the changes will encourage greater depth of study.

But the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference (HMC), which represents around 250 independent schools in the UK and Ireland, said it was concerned about the new system being introduced without a trial period. It warned plans for rapid changes to A-levels were ‘high-risk’ and a ‘huge gamble’.

International AS and A-levels in 60 subjects

are offered by Cambridge International Examinations (CIE). Andrew Grant, head of the private St Albans School in Hertfordshire, told tes.co.uk: “I know I am speaking for many of my colleagues in HMC when I say we will look for a way of continuing the AS-level system.

“We at St Albans School are looking very, very seriously at international A-levels because we feel there is a tremendous value in the feedback provided by AS-levels at the halfway point.”

A spokesman for the Department for Education said: “By putting universities in charge of A-levels we are ensuring they match the world’s best and prepare children for work and higher education. Linear A-levels will end the constant treadmill of exams and ensure pupils develop a real understanding of a subject.”

FINANCE

School spending on the increase, says BESA

Schools are increasing their resource spending once again, a new survey from the British Educational Suppliers Association (BESA) has found. In its quarterly report on spending in English maintained schools, the trade group found that expenditure had increased by an average 2.8 per cent

across all categories. That includes ICT, non‑ICT, furniture and storage equipment.

BESA said it expected the supplies sector to return to growth by the end of the year, after spending fell by an estimated 3.8 per cent in 2011-12. It also raised its growth forecast for the year, from 1.5 per cent to 2.3 per cent.

BESA director Caroline Wright said: “The research comes at a time of significant change within the education sector. The introduction of the new primary curriculum in September 2013 is driving demand in schools for aligned resources, schemes of work and teacher’s material.” BESA surveyed 137 primary, 91 secondary schools and 66 sector suppliers. Its sales data is index weighted to READ MORE: company tinyurl.com/kmhbcj3 turnover.

ASE 2014 chair announced The Association for Science Education (ASE) has announced that Professor Alice Roberts will be its president for 2014. Roberts is a clinical anatomist, author, broadcaster and Professor of Public Engagement in Science at the University of Birmingham, where the ASE Annual Conference 2014 will be held in January.

ASE ceo Annette Smith said: “It is an additional benefit that Alice holds a Chair at our host university for the 2014 Annual Conference. As we welcome her to the role for next year, we must also thank Martin Rees, Lord Rees of Ludlow, for all of his efforts for us as our current President.”

READ MORE:

tinyurl.com/mugl4kn

Alternative GCSEs on the increase The number of schools rejecting GCSEs in favour of alternative exams modelled on the old O-level has more than tripled in just three years, according to The Telegraph. The newspaper has reported that around six in ten state and private schools across the UK are teaching the course in at least one subject.

Independent schools such as Sevenoaks in Kent and Bedales in Hampshire are going a step further by devising their own in-house alternatives to GCSEs.

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FINANCE

RECRUITMENT

Government set to increase Pupil Premium funding in 2014/2015

School Direct must take urgent action to address recruitment issues

The Government is to increase the Pupil Premium in 2014/2015 to £1300 – an increase of £400 per pupil, the biggest increase the initiative has ever seen. News of the extra funding has been largely welcomed, but some critics believe the cash still won’t be used to make a difference.

Sir Peter Lampl, chairman of the Education Endowment Foundation has warned teachers to look at evidence before deciding what to spend the extra cash on.

He said: “The extra money is welcome, but it is vital the Pupil Premium is spent well, and used on measures that do most to improve results for our poorest pupils in primary schools.”

Shadow schools minister Kevin Brennan argued that the Pupil Premium had so far only been used to plug holes in education funding, rather than to close the gap between rich and poor. He said: “It is right that we target extra support at disadvantaged pupils to help them succeed in school. But we will need to ensure support actually reaches those children. Because this government has inflicted the biggest cuts to education since the 1950s, many headteachers have so far had to use the pupil premium to plug holes READ MORE: in their tinyurl.com/km7aywk budgets.”

The ASCL has voiced concerns about School Direct following the publication, by DataforEducation, on unfilled training places.

ACSL claims it had already warned the government that its members in some areas of the country are having serious issues with recruitment on to the School Direct programme for teacher training. ASCL has said that these must be addressed urgently in order to avoid a future crisis in teacher recruitment. ASCL Deputy General Secretary Malcolm Trobe said: “The figures are clear evidence that there are major issues that need tackling immediately. While the system is working in places, a significant number of schools say they are having real issues recruiting suitable applicants. It’s not entirely clear why as different schools are reporting different issues.

It could be that the information about School Direct has not filtered through to university graduates. However with places having been moved from the traditional university postgraduate training route to School Direct these figures indicate we are heading for a significant shortfall in teacher recruitment.”

“Although the previous system wasn’t perfect, one advantage it did have was an overall plan to ensure there were enough teachers coming through in every subject. The problem now is that there appears to be no strategic

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plan, and with the recruitment situation not being monitored there is no big picture of teacher recruitment and retention. Having failed to monitor the situation and use the data collected to inform what happens, it is only now, with the production of this report, that we see the true extent of the shortages and it is too late to do much about it. The shortfall is huge and although the report focuses on STEM subjects the figures indicate a shortfall across a wide range of subjects” Ian Bauckham, ASCL President Elect and Head of Bennett Memorial Diocesan School in Kent, said: “In this area of Kent it has been very difficult, and as many as two thirds of places allocated in some cases have gone unfilled.

“We think part of the reason for this is that the new approaches are poorly understood by potential teachers, and a national awareness raising campaign needs to support these changes to teacher training routes. Trainees offered places through School Direct will get an excellent training, including both practical experience and a theoretical framework. We hope the National College for Teaching and Leadership is able to address the problems head on and get this message out much more clearly. If the issues are not addressed, we are fearful of a crisis in teacher recruitment READ MORE: in the tinyurl.com/lchbg8j future.”

REGULATIONS

Languages continue unpopular trend Modern foreign languages are becoming increasingly unpopular among teenagers, with entries for French falling by 10 per cent and German down 11 per cent.

The subjects have seen entries fall by almost 18 per cent since 2008. The three main exam bodies have pledged to work together to investigate why so few students are choosing the subjects. Research teams will spend six months trying to find a reason for the drop, analysing which students opt for languages and whether GCSE choices have a bearing on A-level choices.

Spanish A-level bucked the trend with a 4.1 per cent rise in the number of entries, but experts warned that the overall drop in modern foreign languages was extremely worrying.

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Ofqual’s new corporate plan

Andrew Hall, from AQA, said: “Enough is enough. We are concerned about languages.”

He said the exam boards would “let the technical teams rip” by analysing all the data they have about language exams to try to find a solution.

Some students believe it is harder to get top marks in A-level languages, and this could be nudging them towards other subjects. Today’s results show only 6.9 per cent of French, German and Spanish A-levels were awarded A*s, compared with 8.4 per cent of science exams.

But when A grades are taken into account the outcomes are flipped, with 38.2 per cent of language A-levels graded at either A or A* compared with 30.7 per cent of science exams.

READ MORE:

tinyurl.com/pws7vjq

Exams regulator Ofqual has published its Corporate Plan setting out the organisation’s aims and commitments until 2016. The Plan reflects Government decisions to reform GCSEs, AS levels and A levels in England and details how Ofqual will implement the proposed reforms. It also sets out a commitment to drive improvement in key vocational qualifications, and its approach to setting and maintaining standards.

Chief regulator Glenys Stacey said: “This is a very interesting time for qualifications, with real opportunities to deliver materially better qualifications, both general and vocational, that will better prepare people for the next stages in their education or careers.

“We are committed to keeping a tight grip on standards, so people can have confidence that qualifications represent a proper record of knowledge, skills

and achievement, and to making sure qualifications deliver what their users – students, employers, teachers, universities – need from them.

“The reform programmes for GCSEs and A levels are challenging.

But it is a privilege to be able to oversee changes that will deliver new qualifications that are fit for the future. There is also much we want to do for vocational qualifications, and for existing qualifications before wider reforms are implemented.

“So this report sets out an ambitious programme of work, but it is a programme of work that will make a real difference, and we are up for the challenge.”

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ACADEMY FINANCE

Who should be the Chief Financial Officer in an academy and where should the role fit within the overall governance structure? Kerry Ace, finance and policy manager, CIPFA, examines this crucial position

It tial is essenemies d that aca meone have so signated de clearly ief financial h in the c cer role, offi to the g n i t r o rep acher head te

The Academies Financial Handbook issued by the Education Funding Agency (EFA) puts the spotlight on, amongst other things, the need for a finance officer to ensure resources are properly accounted for and managed in an academy. The Handbook notes that the EFA requires academies to appoint a ‘principal finance officer’ (meaning a finance director, business manager, chief financial officer or equivalent) to lead the finance function and that their key responsibilities will include preparing the annual accounts; preparing and monitoring the budget and providing technical advice, though these duties do not need to be discharged personally.

At the same time, an academy must have an accounting officer, who will normally be the principal or chief executive, who will be personally responsible to the board and through it to the Secretary of State for ensuring financial regularity and propriety, as well as value for money. It makes sense,

therefore to have effective arrangements in place to ensure the success of the chief financial officer role, both in terms of the person carrying out the role, and having the governance structures in place that will enable the person to perform their role well.

HOLDING THE FINANCIAL REINS The chief financial officer (CFO) occupies a critical position in any organisation, holding the financial reins of the business and ensuring that resources are used wisely to secure positive results. While the global financial crisis and economic downturn have made these tasks even more challenging, they have also underlined the fundamental importance of the role.

Achieving value for money and good financial stewardship are key components for CFOs in all public service organisations.

There are different structures in place across the academy sector reflecting the diverse nature and size of the institutions making up

Written by Kerry Ace, finance and policy manager, CIPFA

WHO HOLDS THE FINANCIAL REINS?

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the sector. Many academies have business managers as well as accountants. But who is, or should be, the person in the CFO role in an academy and where should the role fit within the overall governance structure?

CIPFA’s Academies, Colleges and Universities Panel is currently looking at these issues and is working on a guide which describes the responsibilities and skills required of the CFO in academies. It builds on CIPFA’s Statement on the Role of The Chief Financial Officer in Public Services which was published in 2009, interpreting the principles and roles set out in that document for academies.

THE ROUTE TO SUCCESS In the first instance is it essential that academies have someone clearly designated in the chief financial officer role, whether this is termed a school business manager or finance director or other title. This person must have a direct reporting line to the principal or head teacher (the ‘accounting officer’).

A key responsibility of the chief financial officer is to intervene in spending plans to maintain the balance of resources so that the academy remains a going concern. To do this the chief financial officer E

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ACADEMY FINANCE

A further essential aspect which contributes to the chief financial officer being able to perform his or her duties effectively is that he/she should be a member of the ‘leadership team’ with a status equivalent to the other team members

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 must have direct access to the principal.

A further essential aspect which contributes to the chief financial officer being able to perform his or her duties effectively is that he/she should be a member of the ‘leadership team’ with a status equivalent to the other team members.

In academies the concept of ‘leadership team’ may include the governing body, the senior management team and major committees of the institution. The centre of the institution’s decision making process, for most institutions, is the senior management team.

The chief financial officer has an important role in supporting and advising the governing body on all financial matters. They must therefore have access to all governors – individually and collectively – and vice versa – and establish a good professional working relationship with them founded on mutual trust and respect. The chief financial officer will also need to work particularly closely with some individual governors – for example the chairs of finance and audit committees.

Linked to the above, the chief financial officer must be actively involved in, and able bring influence to bear on, all material decisions. Being a member of the senior management team is one crucial element of this. The chief financial officer must be able to advise the ‘leadership team’ directly, in order to enable it to discharge its responsibilities in relation to the institution’s financial health and long term viability. Where the committee system is a major vehicle for decision making, it is important that the chief financial officer is available to support governors and officers with appropriate financial advice at meetings of the major resource committees including finance and planning and resources committee, as well as the audit committee and the governing body.

The chief financial officer must therefore be a persuasive and confident communicator with the status and credibility to challenge others, and influence material business decisions. The chief financial officer also has an important role in ensuring necessary financial information and advice is provided to the ‘leadership team’ and decision makers at all levels across the institution.

THE HEART OF DECISION MAKING Placing the chief financial officer at the heart of the institution’s decision making structure is one way to help ensure the effectiveness of the role but the individual themselves must also exhibit particular skills and qualities. They should be able to provide clear, authoritative and impartial professional advice and objective financial analysis and interpretation of complex situations. It is also advantageous for the chief financial officer to be able to network effectively within the institution to ensure awareness of all material business decisions to which their input may be necessary.

Good financial management is fundamental to establishing confidence in public services E

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ACADEMY FINANCE

 and good relationships with the taxpayer and other funders. The ‘leadership‘ of any organisation needs to make clear that financial management is core to achieving its strategic aims, and to demonstrating that public money is used well. The new academies sector has had its share of scandals and has been criticised for poor value for money, lack of transparency and poor judgement. It is the chief financial officer who must take the lead in establishing a strong framework for implementing and maintaining good financial management across an institution. There may be occasions when the interaction between the chief financial officer and accounting officer prove tense. However, the chief financial officer must always ensure that financial regulations and procedures are complied with.

FINANCIAL LITERACY The chief financial officer must also actively promote financial literacy throughout the institution, so that the ‘leadership team’ and managers can discharge their financial management responsibilities, alongside their wider responsibilities in relation to risk and performance management.

To bring about effective financial management and to perform other key roles outlined earlier, the CFO must lead and direct a finance function that meets the needs of the

business and is appropriately resourced. They have a particular responsibility for learning and development amongst finance staff in order to ensure that both current and likely future finance skill needs are addressed. This will include identifying the competencies needed by the finance function, including specialist skills, and ensuring it can access the skills and experience to exercise stewardship of public finances.

The Education Funding Agency requires that an academy trust’s finance staff must be appropriately qualified and/or experienced.

CIPFA believes that an academy will benefit greatly from ensuring that its chief financial officer is a member of an accountancy body recognised by the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC).

A professional qualification can help a chief financial officer gain the confidence of the institution’s finance team, academic staff, other colleagues, and the external parties who deal with an institution.

However, a chief financial officer needs to demonstrate a skill set beyond a professional qualification. This means

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that, to be effective, chief financial officers should not only have a background of technical expertise but also display strong leadership and inter-personal skills.

A PERSON OF INFLUENCE A chief financial officer is in a position of leadership and influence within an institution. An evident commitment to personal development and learning is an important quality to model as the head of the finance function in the institution.

CIPFA’s guide to the role of the CFO in academies will be of interest to head teachers, principals, members of governing bodies, senior management colleagues and finance practitioners who are new to the sector, as well as to CFOs themselves and to those aspiring to this demanding, exciting and crucial role. We are aiming to circulate this guide free of charge to academies from September 2013. L

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FURTHER INFORMATION www.cipfa.org Email: kerry.ace@cipfa.org

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KL Limited – one of the top independently owned commercial insurance brokers in the UK. ACADEMY STATUS SCHOOLS – Specialist Insurance Product We have longstanding relationships with major insurers that allow us to develop unique solutions for schools converting to academy status. We are pleased to have been selected by Education Business to work with them to provide a personalised insurance solution and to assist schools converting to Academy status.

We offer face-to-face client discussions to design bespoke insurance solutions to suit the requirements of each individual academy.

We have a clear understanding of the risks within the Education Sector and can provide a product designed to create certainty by specific risk transfer generating peace of mind when selecting a policy to protect your assets and interests.

Should you prefer a visit, consultation, one-to-one discussion or fully designed package we can respond to your requirements to provide a detailed service plan to agreed timescales with an account manager specifically allocated to work with your academy. This will include day-to-day queries, risk management including business continuity and, of course, full support and negotiation in the unfortunate event of a claim.

Academy school insurance is designed to provide comprehensive cover including: • Property and asset protection • Loss of income/additional cost of operating • Employers and public liability including abuse extension • Governors, officers and trustees liability • Mini bus insurance • Professional Indemnity • Teachers educational trips • Personal accident • Out-of-school clubs Intelligent insurance

If you are an academy looking for a bespoke insurance solution please email academyinsurance@kerrylondon.co.uk and we will be in touch.

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ACADEMY INSURANCE

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Written by James Woollam on behalf of the British Insurance Brokers Association (BIBA)

SPARE A THOUGHT FOR INSURANCE

With academies responsible for making their own insurance arrangements, James Woollam explains what to consider when shopping around for insurance to get the right coverage Until recently the majority of schools within the state sector have relied on the Local Education Authority to arrange their insurance. Academies, however, are responsible for making their own insurance arrangements and converting academies must ensure they are insured from midnight of the date of their conversion.

Insurance can be a dry topic and the terms used often make insurance unnecessarily complicated. But get the insurance coverage wrong, and the consequences can be disastrous. In the last year alone, independent education insurance specialist EIS has dealt with a fire, a serious flood and numerous liability claims which in total equate to claims in the millions of pounds.

PROCUREMENT RULES Like all institutions accessing public funds academies must follow normal public procurement rules. If your total spend is over a certain limit (currently around £170,000 – including multi-year agreements) you must follow EU procurement directives; below this level and you must ensure the policy offers value for money. Your routes to obtaining insurance depend to a large extent on the experience you have in dealing with insurance and risk

transfer. The options are: to engage the advice of one or more specialist insurance brokers, to ask for quotations from ‘direct’ insurers or to approach the Crescent Purchasing Consortium, a framework with a limited number of brokers and insurers on their panel.

There are approximately 3,500 insurance brokers authorised to transact business in the UK, and yet only around 10 have the requisite experience to deal with education business.

If you choose the broker option, firstly search the internet, ask other local schools or try the British Insurance Brokers ‘find a broker’ website (www.biba.org.uk). Don’t be afraid to ‘interview’ the broker or brokers you choose, and ask them specifically for examples of other schools they insure. You may even want to call some of these schools and check the broker’s credentials. Next find out whether that broker is tied to one insurer or whether a range of insurer’s quotations can be provided. To ensure you have obtained value for money through competitive means, you should seek at least three quotations from E

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ACADEMY INSURANCE  insurers – brokers not tied to one insurer will be able to obtain such a range, others will not and in this case you will need to ask another broker to also provide a quotation.

discount an insurer can provide can be much more significant. This discount will be annual, whereas the initial cost of the alarm will be almost all only in the first year.

PER PUPIL INSURANCE COSTS On 13 December 2012, the DFE announced a major change to the funding of insurance for academies starting from the 2013/14 academic year. Rather than a full reimbursement, every academy will be allocated £45 per pupil for insurance costs. When working with your broker or insurer, this figure does need to be kept at the forefront of your considerations. Some will find it generous; others will find it leaves them with a serious shortfall in their budget, although the DFE has suggested for those with serious shortfalls additional funding may be made available.

Insurance costs can vary wildly, and in basic terms will be affected by: the number of claims you make, the risk management and security of the Academy, location, attitude to risk (ie. how much insurance you decide to buy and with what excess) and the quality of the presentation to the insurer. You may feel that claims are outside of your control, but it is no coincidence that academies with the most interest in risk management and proactively taking and implementing risk advice are often those with the very best claims experience, and it is worth bearing in mind that any money left over from the insurance settlement can be retained and spent by the school.

FURTHER CONSIDERATIONS Other good risk management advice will include checking the insurances of contractors who come on site, ensuring all those driving vehicles owned by the academy have their driving license checked and ensuring risk assessments are completed, in writing, for activities and areas of the site, which are reviewed on a regular basis. A Business Continuity Plan is also a must – what would happen if the academy became unusable on Monday morning, the day before an exam? Would you have the right answers if the press became aware of the issue and arrived to ask what plans had been put in place?

Strong and effective risk management, in conjunction with your insurance broker, will not only reduce your insurance premiums through discounting and a better claims history, but also aid the academies reputation and ensure management time is not spent dealing with avoidable problems.

The insurance programme itself is too complex to deal with in detail here, but in basic terms the policies can be divided into three subsets. Asset protection, from buildings and contents to money, business interruption costs and computers, and engineering cover for heating systems etc. Liabilities, for example public and employers’ liability (a legal requirement), professional indemnity and governors’ liability. Finally other policies such as motor,

DEBATING THE RISKS Insurance is the transference of risk, and each Academy will have a slightly different view of the risks they are prepared to take and those they wish to purchase insurance to protect themselves from. When speaking with an insurance professional, you should be advised of the risks you face, and the availability of insurance to protect the academy from these risks. Some risks are of course uninsurable, and others you will decide are so unlikely that money is better spent elsewhere, and some are compulsory.

For both insured and uninsured risks as alluded to above it is also possible to reduce risk through good risk management and this should be as much a part of the broker’s role as the insurance itself.

It is important to understand that whilst some ideas may cost you money in the short run, in the longer term the savings may far outweigh the costs. For example, particularly with inner city academies, many insurers prefer to see theft alarms installed, covering as much of the site as possible, with a dual path connection to a monitoring station and police response. Initial installation of the alarm can be in the thousands and many have ‘bells only’ alarms, ie. they do not connect through to a central receiving station. However, this connection can often be only a few hundred pounds and yet the

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About the author James Woollam is managing director of EIS, a wholly independent insurance broker with almost 100 educational establishments currently amongst its clients. high and low excesses and limits.

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH CHANGES Finally, insurance is a product of the environment it is designed to protect you against. In other words, as the legal and political framework changes, insurance must keep up. Change in this day and age can be fast paced, and it is essential you use an advisor who can keep you abreast of the changes and ensure your insurance stays relevant. In the last few years the Bribery Act, Corporate Manslaughter Act and other legislation has all directly affected academies and insurance provisions as has case law. For example, a judge in a recent injury case regarding a young girl with life changing injuries has awarded up to £23m in compensation and care costs against the driver who negligently crashed into the car the girl was travelling in, killing her mother. This will have profound implications on the level of public liability insurance academies should purchase.

The purchase of insurance is not as simple

The purchase of insurance is not as simple as obtaining cover ‘off the shelf’ and indeed, with some good advice and a proactive approach, it is possible to save substantial money in the longer term whilst ensuring cover is actually wider than many standard policies allow travel, personal accident and legal expenses.

Keep in mind that the level of cover will hugely affect the premium you pay, and your programme should be bespoke to your requirements. For example, if you are having major theft of lead problems (as is so common these days), you may find that excluding these claims and paying for them yourself is actually cheaper than insuring them, as the insurer will ‘price in’ their belief that more claims will follow in the future.

Particularly when first setting up the academy you will be unsure of what policies attract what premiums and therefore do not be afraid to ask for various different quotations, for example

as obtaining cover ‘off the shelf’ and indeed with some good advice and a proactive approach it is possible to save substantial money in the longer term whilst ensuring cover is actually wider than many standard policies allow. If your insurance professional is not providing advice not only in terms of a bespoke insurance programme, but also risk management assistance and legal and other relevant updates then you are not obtaining the full picture and it is worth looking around to see if you can obtain this assistance elsewhere. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.eisinsurance.co.uk

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ACADEMY CONVERSION

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Written by Andrew Hemmings, principal, Bushey Academy

Andrew Hemmings, principal, of the Bushey Academy in Watford discusses conversion and the journey the school has embarked upon since starting over

BRIGHT EYED AND BUSHEY-TAILED By the time I encountered Bushey Hall School in January 2009 it had significant problems.

It was deemed by OFSTED to require Special Measures, was undersubscribed and performing poorly against a range of measures, including attainment and attendance. Public perceptions were poor and there were pervasive negative views about the behaviour of pupils. As I suspect is often the case, some concerns were exaggerated or myth, but others were not, and the school needed radical change. More than anything else, the students and staff needed self-belief and proof of their abilities and worth as a group. They also needed an ethos to buy into and a sense of direction. That was the first major impact of being an academy; the ability to show things were changing. People often commented

– less so after four years – that “it’s just a change in name”, or “it’s still the same school called something else”. I understand those comments, but they do not truly reflect reality and at a personal level, I used to find this quite frustrating. The school had real and challenging issues, and here we were, a new organisation, taking over the site, taking on the same students and saying we would do something better than had been before.

Regardless of some perceptions, the reality was that everything changed. The curriculum, the pedagogy, the policies, practices, standards and rules. They all changed and they changed quickly, and this was possible because of the change to academy.

Because it was a new school we did not have to undertake lengthy consultations E

jor One ma with problemchool is s a failingng funding, i decreas at makes it and th ifficult to very d things turn around

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Lawyers you’ll enjoy working with Make sure you’re working with a team that delivers not just technical legal advice but is To discuss how we can help your conversion process call 01733 887773 Dean Chauhan Solicitor E dmchauhan@greenwoods.co.uk T 01733 887773

Kelly Peck Associate E kpeck@greenwoods.co.uk T 01733 887639

www.greenwoods.co.uk Monkstone House, City Road, Peterborough, PE1 1JE, T 01733 887700 Trinity House, Cambridge Business Park, Cambridge, CB4 0WZ, T 01223 393518

Specialist academy audits and support for primary, secondary and multi academy trusts

Academy expertise for conversion and beyond.

Our friendly team of experts help you successfully negotiate the conversion process and support you on your journey as a new academy

Call Alex Bottom on 08452 770 660 www.hillierhopkins.co.uk

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Academy School Specialist Group member

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ACADEMY CONVERSION  to change systems and structures, we just implemented new ones instead. Where we found a code of conduct we knew did not work, we replaced it; where Bushey Hall had been constrained by a budget legacy, we started afresh; where staffing structures were outdated, we put in place modern and responsive alternatives. The whole institution was being closed and a new one opened in its place. People underestimate this if they have not witnessed it, but they shouldn’t.

FINANCIAL CHANGE Financial change was necessary. One major problem with a “failing school” is that falling rolls lead to decreasing funding, and that makes it very difficult to turn things around.

The funding model for this academy helped by putting in start-up grants, and the best way I can describe these is to say they provided for the management of a larger school in the early days of start-up, and that was essential to turn the corner. A small school in Special Measures will find it hard to finance the leadership and teams it needs to get going again, so the start-up grants made a real difference. The impact was to bring in non-teaching Heads of House and a high quality Senior Leadership Team, and the impact of that was to turn the school around into one with growing numbers and a growing budget to sustain those teams. It all made sense to me, and my background is in maintained schools which were doing very well. I moved here from an OFSTED Outstanding comprehensive.

Our intake is still, and will remain, entirely comprehensive and we operate in a highly selective area, with local schools choosing up to 35 per cent of their intake on ability.

Within that context, we have the highest value added in the town, and we are the most improved school in the county, as well as the 35th most improved in the country.

Much of this is to do with the absolute dedication of the staff who work tirelessly to achieve the best for the students.

We do have strong systems and structures, and I believe very clear leadership, but without the commitment and skill of all the people who work here – teachers and support staff alike – we simply could not do as well for the youngsters as we do.

STUDENT BUY-IN Opening the academy helped to get students on side too. Bushey Hall was far too focused on punitive outcomes for poor behaviour. It had what was described to me as a “point and shoot” approach to behaviour management where poor behaviour was tackled with the view that “they should know better”, rather than the idea that we could help them to learn to do better. Consequently, pupils were routinely punished for minor misdemeanours with little or no consideration of how this might impact on their future conduct. There was limited evidence of discussion with students about progress and attainment.

It would be remiss to not mention the most obvious change this academy has had, which is its beautiful new, £30m, building... We were one of the last academies to secure the funding before the introduction of austerity budgets Becoming an academy allowed for sweeping changes to the pastoral system which could have been achieved if it had remained as a maintained school, but not as quickly.

Students are now routinely asked about their work and how they are getting on in their lessons and their learning. We have a clear system of expectations, rewards and consequences, and students know exactly where they stand. If they do something wrong, there is a consequence, and it is proportional and fair. More importantly it is always followed by a restorative meeting or action of some kind to ensure they can get on with learning.

As an academy, we have freedom and choice. We have first rate advice from people we chose to work with, having gone

out to the wider market and secured the services of organisations considered experts in their fields. The key is, they work for us, they promote our interests, and they are answerable to us. Consequently, we have flexible firms who treat us as a client, apply commercial standards and are responsive to our needs.

ACCOUNTABILITY We also have clear lines of accountability. The Chair of the Academy Trust, David Meller, and I have a good working relationship with shared vision and values, but there is absolute clarity that I am answerable to the Trust for the performance of the school. We talk regularly, as one would with any chair, but the reporting format follows the business model E

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Academies

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Going for academy status? UK200Group Academy Forum’s key issues about academies UK200Group Academy Forum’s five essential issues about Academies are: Under the Academies Act 2010, any person can enter into an arrangement with the Secretary of State to establish and run an Academy.

The only significant prerequisites are: an order from the Secretary of State; a funding agreement with the Secretary of State; access to the assets necessary to run the school; and a consultation with stakeholders, although there is no obligation to follow any findings or representations.

Academies, sometimes known as “academy trusts”, are established as charitable companies limited by guarantee.

The articles of association are the primary constitutional rules governing the Academy’s internal management and decision-making.

How the Academy will own the land will depend on the type of the predecessor school but in most cases the Academy will either have the freehold of the land or the benefit of 125-year lease with a peppercorn rent.

As specialist accountants and lawyers helping schools in the conversion process to Academies, there is a constant need to address those areas of weakness in order to maintain their smooth operation.

One of the most significant areas UK200Group has addressed is VAT and how Academies need to treat items of income and expense.

Most schools now have a better idea of how to operate effective controls and form a good understanding from the Academy Forum VAT guide.

The more complex VAT issues, especially when dealing with subsidiary trading companies have also been successfully dealt with by Forum members.

Financial directors and managers are generally on a learning curve as far as

reporting requirements are concerned, more particularly in the smaller schools where, as would be expected, the business experience is less.

The general view is that working with the right adviser can speed up the process and give structure to facilitate future financial management.

This may mean an initial financial outlay but without this it could result in a false economy where issues arise further along the line.

Some of those areas in which Academy Forum members have provided the necessary support have included sorting budgets, determining what pupil numbers will be and picking up any discrepancies in the accounts.

Another important issue which has been addressed by Forum members is the knowledge gap of governors in smaller schools of accounting procedures where they previously ran only “cash in” and “cash out” systems.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 01252 401050 admin@uk200group.co.uk www.uk200group.co.uk/Academy

Going for academy status?

UK200Group Academy Forum is part of UK200Group, the UK’s leading quality assured member association of independent chartered accountants and lawyers, with over 150 offices nationwide.

Members of the Forum have the specialist skills and expertise to successfully plan and manage all the issues for the successful conversion of schools to academies, and to maintain their continued successful operation.

Academy Forum member www.uk200group.co.uk/Academy

UK200Group members act for over 9% of the academy market

admin@uk200group.co.uk or 01252 401050 UK200Group is an association of separate and independently owned and managed chartered accountants and lawyer firms and as such each has no responsibility or liability for the acts or omissions of other members. UK200Group does not provide client services and it does not accept responsibility or liability for the acts or omissions of its members.

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ACADEMY CONVERSION Andrew Hemmings, principal, Bushey Academy

 of Key Performance Indicators based around attainment and conduct, with a separate report on financial performance. David’s position is to appoint experts in their field, set the vision, let the experts deliver and hold them to account.

It’s the same model he applies in business, and it works.

It would be remiss to not mention the most obvious change this academy has had, which is its beautiful new, £30m, building. After three and a half years in old or temporary accommodation, during which time we made the improvements and secured the outcomes discussed above, we moved in this January. It is the next major step in our development. We were one of the last academies to secure the funding before the introduction of austerity budgets and we are

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tremendously grateful. The old school was in a terrible state, with teaching taking place in four giant, separate, 1920s dormitory buildings. They were so poor that we were delighted to move into temporary classrooms, where we worked for five terms while the new facility was created. Now we are in, and it is wonderful.

ve We ha stem sy a clear ctations, e of exp rds and rewa nces, and ue conseqents know y stud here the yw exactl stand

STARTING AGAIN The question I was asked to answer in this piece was, what are the advantages of being an academy? For us, it was the opportunity to start again with all the opportunity and momentum the academy programme brings. I am incredibly proud of what the staff and students at The Bushey Academy have created and achieved, and being an academy played a very important part in allowing us to move forward with pace and confidence. L

ICT at the very heart of Bushey’s new build In March this year, Lord Alan Sugar officially opened The Bushey Academy. Lord Sugar, principal Andrew Hemmings and sponsor David Meller were joined by the ceo of Viglen, Bordan Tkachuk, students and their families.

Included in the academy are an Internet Cafe and cutting edge ICT facilities provided by Viglen, alongside a Science Mega-lab, The Cube Theatre, climbing wall, dance studio, fitness centre and art, TV and music studios.

The Bushey Academy places ICT at the heart of creating a successful learning environment for its students, and awarded a £1.8million five-year contract to Viglen. A total of 1,350 students at the Academy will benefit from the technology provided by Viglen, which is also working closely with the Academy’s Senior Leadership Team to deliver a programme of training and Continued Professional Development (CPD) support that will help to embed the ICT into teaching and learning throughout the school.

Commenting on the grand opening, Lord Sugar, said: “Principal, Andrew Hemmings and his team have done an outstanding job turning the school around and making it Hertfordshire’s most improved school and a true exemplar of best practice in education - their exam results speak for themselves. I’m delighted to be opening these stunning new premises, featuring an end-to-end ICT solution installed by

Viglen. Technology plays a vital role in the learning environment, helping today’s students prepare and gain the skills required for employment.”

Bordan Tkachuk, ceo of Viglen, said: “Viglen is very excited to have been selected to design and implement the ICT solution for The Bushey Academy. This solution brings the Academy into the 21st Century with a bang. We have worked together with the Academy to deliver a ‘state‑of-

the‑art’ solution deploying the very latest technology to provide an engaging ICT solution for the pupils, teaching staff, and support staff that will continue to evolve and develop as the needs change, and more importantly to provide a solid backdrop to aid the educational transformation which will assist the Principal, Andrew Hemmings, vision of the future. I’m personally committed to working with the Academy to see this vision fulfilled.”

Volume 18.5 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

27

Academies

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CBHC Chartered Accountants LLP: specialist financial services for schools and academies As one of the largest independent firms of chartered accountants in Essex and east London, CBHC Chartered Accountants has a sizable not-for-profit team, specialising in working with schools and academies.

CBHC is a member of CharterGroup, a national alliance of independent firms, serving the needs of over 100 academies.

It can bring that wealth of accumulated and shared knowledge to you.

As part of CBHC’s comprehensive service, it can support you with: Audit – all academies require an external audit. We can offer the statutory audit you require, which is partner led and will add value.

CBHC does not have a one-size-fits-all approach. The company tailors its approach to you; understanding that what is ideal in theory is not always possible in practice.

This work can also include compilation of the Statutory Accounts in accordance with the Accounts Direction from your records.

Responsible officer/internal audit – some academies find the level of “internal audit” comfort provided by the traditional responsible officer service to be somewhat inadequate. CBHC can offer financial probity reviews to provide the

level of assurance that is required and work with your existing auditors.

Payroll services – CBHC offers a complete outsourced solution at a competitive price, tailored to your organisation. The costs of keeping your payroll service with the local authority may rise significantly and, as more schools convert, the level of service provided may reduce.

Assistance with management accounts – CBHC will ensure consistency between the GAG reports and management accounts to keep governors informed that will then align with annual accounts.

VAT – this is not straightforward, CBHC can guide you through the partial

exemption maze and advise on some of the complex areas, such as construction projects, and the impact of conversion midway through a project.

Financial regulations – implementing practical regulation policies that suit your organisation (the EFA model needs tailoring to your own circumstances).

Governance – CBHC can work with governing bodies to ensure that their model leads to good governance, before and after the conversion process is completed.

If you are in the process of converting to academy status or you have already experienced the “brave new world” but are looking for a more personal partner-led service from a practice that specialises in education and charities as opposed to what’s on offer from the larger national firms, call or email David Belbin on the contact details below.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 01708 333303 david.belbin@cbhc.uk.com www.cbhc.uk.com

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EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE | Volume 18.5

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ACADEMY CONVERSION

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Students watch as sports hall gets demolished to make way for new Quest Academy building The £16m rebuild of a South Croydon academy moved a step closer with the demolition of its sports hall. Students watched as workers knocked down the Quest Academy building in Farnborough Avenue, where a new 900-pupil school is being constructed.

The sports halls will be replaced by a state-of-the art athletics track, an auditorium and a landscaped green space.

The new academy building will also include a 215-capacity sixth-form building and community facilities for Monks Hill Sports Centre. Building work is scheduled to finish in summer 2014.

Andy Crofts, principal of The Quest Academy, said: “It’s been great to see such quick progress to date and we’re all looking forward to seeing the new building come into form over the next few months.

“Our students had a great experience being up close to the demolition, especially when the remainder of the building literally roared to the ground.

“Needless to say, we are eagerly awaiting moving the Academy into the

new building in just over a year’s time.”

Richard Shroll, London business unit director for Wates Construction, the firm building the new school, said: “We were delighted to welcome the staff and students onto site as we begin the first stage in the creation

Catering is a very serious business with Amadeus Associates Managing a successful catering service in today’s climate of declining budgets, increasing legal responsibility and pupil resistance to healthy eating (national uptake stagnates at 40 per cent) requires a great deal of time, specialist expertise and effort from hard worked business managers.

Today’s business manager’s are responsible for budget optimisation; food safety; health and safety due diligence; healthy eating; food and service quality; customer care; marketing; facilities; equipment; procurement and administration.

Every school should adopt a “whole school food policy”, involving parents, governors, heads, staff and pupils, which is managed as a “significant business” within budget.

Everyone involved should buy into providing an efficient quality-driven, healthy and varied food service that

represents good value for money.

Facilities need to be adequate, welcoming and the food service on offer should be underpinned with proactive marketing and customer feedback policies to encourage maximum uptake.

Amadeus Associates is an independent catering consultancy, specialising in helping school business managers get the very best from catering, whether it is managed in-house or contracted out.

Amadeus Associates wants your school be proud of its catering service.

FURTHER INFORMATION www.amadeus-associates.co.uk

of their brand new academy building.

Demolition of the existing sports halls as well as the link bridge to the old school building will clear the site for the new facility enabling us to commence construction promptly in the next few weeks.”

Obtaining a DBS check the easy way Acorn Direct is one of the UK’s leading umbrella bodies, registered to carry out DBS checks.

As a national company, it works closely with clients from all sectors, offering a cost-effective service taking the hassle out of applying for a Disclosure, ensuring safe recruitment and selection decisions.

Acorn Direct offers a personal, fast, reliable, cost-effective service by a dedicated, friendly, experienced team.

Are you waiting too long for your DBS checks to arrive?

Are you paying too much per application?

Have you been asked to provide an employer with a DBS check and don’t know where to go?

Do you need a service 24 hours a day/seven days a week?

Would you like regular updates, reminders for renewal and register for the update service?

Obtaining an accurate, cost-effective check in a timely manner is paramount when an individual is looking for employment, or an employer is vetting candidates for selection.

Acorn Direct works closely with all sectors, including education (schools, academies, after-school clubs and colleges, etc).

Don’t waste time and money on a poor service.

Contact Acorn Direct today.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 0161 368 8182 acorn.direct@btinternet.com www.acorndirect.org.uk

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Academies

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Supporting schools through the academy conversion process Winckworth Sherwood’s education lawyers are experts at supporting schools that are going through the academy conversion process.

It has acted for over 300 schools, including community, foundation, grammar and VA in connection with conversion.

Winckworth Sherwood also supports groups of schools that wish to work together in a multi-academy trust structure.

The company’s reputation in the sector is based on the fact that its team always go the extra mile for its clients. If you instruct Winckworth Sherwood, it will project manage your academy conversion, driving the matter forward and co-ordinating the work, which will relieve the burden on your staff.

Competitive fixed fees will also help you to budget for the costs of conversion, effectively.

Winckworth Sherwood knows that conversion can be a Education Business advert FINAL.pdf

significant change for schools, which is why three months’ access to its School Support Service helpline is included in the fixed fee so your staff can ask any questions that come up after conversion.

The company’s School Support Service team is also ready to take your call on any other legal issues that arise on topics such as admissions, exclusions, employment claims, parent complaints and Freedom of Information Act requests.

To find out how Winckworth Sherwood can support your school, contact Andrea Squires, head of education.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 020 7593 5039 asquires@wslaw.co.uk 1 12/08/2013 16:44:46

Manage your risk register the easy way bRisk is a 100 per cent web-based solution that will help you to successfully manage your risk register and incident reporting.

Do away with spread sheets or scraps of paper scattered all over your office! Features include: No software to install – because the software runs on the internet, there is no software to install on your computer. You only need a modern web-browser and an internet connection.

Multiple users – assign unlimited employees to help manage your risk register.

No more chasing paper! – assign admin users with higher privileges that can add hazard categories and delete risks etc.

Multiple Business Units/ Departments – add multiple business units and departments to help reporting on your risks/incidents.

Export your data at any time – export in multiple formats such as MS Word and Excel.

Audit Trail – all actions by employees are audited so you can see who added/ edited hazards etc.

Risk Matrix – editable risk matrix to suit your requirements.

Project management – manage projects with ease including features such as risks, tasks, milestones, notes, files and timesheets.

Register for a free no obligation 30 day trial at www.online-risk-register.co.uk Enter the promotion code EDBZ on the registration page and get 10 per cent off your subscription fees.

FURTHER INFORMATION www.online-risk-register.co.uk

Legal support for schools

With decades of experience, our specialist education team provides a comprehensive and reliable legal service for schools and academies.

We advise on: C

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CM

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• Academy conversions (we have converted over 300 schools) • Employment and HR • Freedom of information / data protection • Contracts • Construction and capital projects • Managing legal disputes • Policies.

CMY

If you are looking for advice from Chartered Accountants at prices you can afford then you have come to the right place.

Our services include: - Payroll (RTI ready) with one off set up fee from £300 - Book-keeping Services from £25 an hour - Advice on budgeting and financial controls

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For further information or to talk to us about a legal issue, please contact Andrea Squires, Head of Education: T: 0207 593 5039 | E: asquires@wslaw.co.uk

www.wslaw.co.uk/education

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EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE | Volume 18.5

At Azure, you benefit not only from the large firm experience of our senior partners (FCAs), you also gain from the wealth of knowledge they have accumulated in dealing with an enormous range of business, large and small, in over 40 years of private practice.

Call Hammad Farooqi on 0207 118 8880 or email: support@azureaccountancy.co.uk Website: www.outsourcecompanypayroll.co.uk Azure Accountancy Ltd, Lansdowne House, City Forum, 250 City Road, London EC1V 2PU

Academies: when it Zero for everything that comes to conversions can be fitted to a door ZEROplus range is exactly Ancillary products now include we’re in a class of our own The what it says: Zero products finger-protection strips, letter The academy conversion team at Paris Smith is led by the firm’s senior partner Nick Vaughan.

Paris Smith has dealt with a number of conversions and covers all the various issues that arise, working with the DfE project leader and local education authorities.

The academy conversion team places a high degree of importance on maintaining a close relationship with the senior management team and governors, and therefore remains in close contact from start to finish.

Each school is unique and the company tailors the extent of its involvement to accommodate your individual requirements.

The guidance provided by the team on conversion focuses on the following core issues: the trust and governance, property issues, staff and TUPE, the funding agreement and

commercial transfer agreement, and contract and suppliers.

The team at Paris Smith have a long tradition of working with local schools by supporting events; acting as school governors; and helping them thrive through the changing economic times.

Assisting schools with conversion to academy status is a natural extension of this support.

If you would like to learn more about the conversion process and how it applies to your establishment, Paris Smith will be happy to visit you and discuss this further.

plus other products that are specified by architects and used for door openings.

Zero Seal Systems’ product range now extends to virtually anything that can be fitted to a door. In fact, Zero sells everything except the door.

Not just door seals to seal it, but hinges to hang it; stays to limit it; bolts to bolt it; intumescent to fireproof it; panic bolts to exit it; louvres to ventilate it; windows, vision frames and porthole windows to let light through it; closers and floor-springs to close it; and door handles to operate it.

Academies

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATION – www.educationbusinessuk.net

plates, door viewers, sliding door gear, door selectors, glass, louvre mesh, glazing tapes, frame fasteners, privacy screens, and a lot more besides.

Zero’s staff are hands-on and have worked in its warehouse, handling the products it sells. This means they can offer full product technical support whether on the phone, by email or face-to-face.

Contact Zero Seal Systems for more details or to request a copy of the 204-page catalogue.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 01785 282910 www.zeroplus.co.uk

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 023 80482252 nicholas.vaughan@ parissmith.co.uk

Considering conversion to academy status? Get the straightforward advice you need from Walker Morris When considering an academy conversion for your school, understanding the potential issues from the outset is key to a successful and cost-effective conversion. Walker Morris’s top 10 tips for converting schools are: Liaise with the governors to discuss the proposed conversion.

You are not alone. Liaise with schools that have recently converted. Discuss the process and alleviate concerns.

Consult with staff, parents and other stakeholders before commencing the conversion process. Ensure all parties understand the process and address any concerns.

Liaise with the council at an early stage.

Some councils have little experience of academy conversions and/or limited resources.

Providing the council with prior notice will assist in preventing delays, enabling councils to properly resource conversion work.

Make contact with the Department for Education (DfE). Ensure the caseworker is aware of your objectives and any concerns you have. Keep the DfE fully informed.

Decide upon your preferred date for conversion and discuss with the DfE. Determine any particular objectives you want

to achieve and when you make decisions, stick with them. Other parties may try to encourage you to change decisions made.

Stand firm if your decisions have been taken to achieve a particular objective or to ensure a certain conversion date.

Obtain a clear understanding of the school land and obtain a plan of the site, confirm ownership and details of third-party rights affecting the land – consider caretaker’s rights and recent works.

Undertake due diligence. Know what contracts the school benefits from and the assets it uses. Compile

lists and share with the council.

Appoint legal advisors to explain and negotiate the provisions in the conversion documentation, draft ancillary documents and advise on any areas of concern.

Walker Morris is offering a free no-obligation telephone consultation to schools that are considering converting to academy status.

The Academies Team at Walker Morris has experience in converting schools across England – including: community, VC, VA and foundation schools – whether converting to single or multi-academy trusts, with a range of issues, including: governance structure; land arrangements including joint ownership, community use, nurseries and children’s centres, caretakers’ houses, swimming pools and leisure facilities; building works, PFI and BSF; Sport England and Big Lottery funding; and loan arrangements.

Call Lucy Hughes to understand how Walker Morris’s Education Team can support you.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 0113 283 4087 lucy.hughes@walkermorris.co.uk www.walkermorris.co.uk

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The British Educational Leadership Management & Administration Society (BELMAS) is a research-based independent voice supporting quality education through effective leadership and management. Ideas and practice in leadership, and the relationship between them, are what interest us.

Our members are a mixture of working academics and practitioners in schools, colleges and universities.

What do we do?

• Conferences • Funding for development of school and colleges and research funding • Seminars for academics, policy makers and practitioners • Liaison with similar organisations all over the world • Online networking, social media and blogging • Publishing the latest educational research and thinking in educational leadership and management through our own journals.

Membership • Free membership for the first year – up to £49 per annum on renewal • Access members only content on our website and join any interest group • Discounts on all Sage publications • Free issues of our flagship journals • Opportunities to publish your own work See our website www.belmas.org.uk for more details.

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TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT

It’s been three year’s since the government announced its intention to set up a network of Teaching Schools, a system where outstanding schools are tasked with developing leaders and teachers.

So how’s it going? Charlie Taylor from the National College for Teaching and Leadership, finds out Since becoming chief executive of the National College for Teaching and Leadership, I have had the opportunity to visit a number of teaching schools up and down the country.

It has been great to get out and see some of the fantastic work they are doing and how they are stepping up to take on a greater role within the education sector, becoming the hub of the school-led system.

It is now three years since the Schools White Paper was published. In it, the government set out their ambition to create an education

About the National College for Teaching and Leadership The National College for Teaching and Leadership exists to support the development of a self‑improving, school-led system.

It has two key aims: improving the quality of the education workforce; and helping schools to help each other to improve. An executive agency of the Department for Education, it was created in April 2013 following a merger of the National College for School Leadership and the Teaching Agency.

system led by the sector itself; a school-led system in which the experts – teachers and school leaders, not government or ministers – take the lead in improving the education of our children.

over 360 now in place and

another application round g Teachins opening in September. school lop MAKING A eve which dd teachers DIFFERENCE Achieving this target is an leaders pping up to important, but what is also important is to see are ste n a greater teaching schools making o e k ta a difference, grasping hin the role witation the reform agenda and making it their own. educ r

Earlier this year we secto

TASKED WITH DEVELOPING LEADERS At the forefront of this school-led system has been the creation of a national network of teaching schools: outstanding schools with responsibility for developing leaders and teachers and a significant role in the drive to raise standards.

Modelled on the concept of teaching hospitals, teaching schools have been tasked with six key areas. Firstly, leading the development of a school-led initial teacher training system. Secondly, leading peer-to-peer professional and leadership development.

The third area is identifying and developing leadership potential, then it’s providing support for other schools. Following on is designating and brokering specialist leaders of education (SLEs), and the final key area is engaging in research and development.

The aim is to have 500 teaching schools operating right across the country by 2015.

And we are on target to reach this, with

Written by Charlie Taylor, chief executive of the National College for Teaching and Leadership

SPREADING THE TALENT

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published ‘How teaching schools are making a difference’ – which highlights some of the collaborative approaches being developed as teaching schools start to lead on these six areas.

The publication includes lots of examples of the excellent activity emerging within teaching school alliances. There are too many to mention here, but examples include free twilight CPD programmes to all staff within an alliance; placement schemes for senior leaders to gain experience of working in other schools and contexts; a mentoring programme for newly-employed heads; developing innovative programmes for School Direct trainees; SLEs offering one-day diagnostics as well as longer deployments focused on increasing attainment and progress in specific subjects; and the establishment of cross-alliance research groups meeting regularly to develop action research. E

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Leadership

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Build a learning programme that really makes a difference Whatever type of school you’re in, the professional development of your teachers is key.

With a strong learning programme, you can inspire your staff, transform behaviour and build a strong platform of skills and knowledge that will really have an impact on your students.

AQA has worked with a wide range of schools and alliances to develop learning programmes that make a difference to performance as well as delivering value for money.

AQA’s support for teachers in both primary and secondary schools includes: bespoke learning programmes developed for your school, academy chain or alliance; a wide range of scheduled courses, covering teaching skills, subject knowledge, AQA specifications and leadership and management skills; and

courses delivered face-to-face, live online and in your school.

AQA has already worked with schools and alliances to support their training needs and reduce costs through economies of scale.

Benefit from AQA’s experience to build a programme that meets your needs.

Start developing your school’s training programme today.

Computing CPD courses for teachers Training company CPD for Teachers is launching a range of courses to help schools with the transition from ICT to computing, under the new national curriculum.

Teachers and ICT coordinators at all key stages are being expected to teach technology in a new way, with a greater focus on programming and engineering.

The courses are designed to get teachers up-to-speed with the concepts of computer programming and provide ideas for engaging pupils.

Over the summer break, trainers will be testing out projects with groups of young people of varying ability and interest levels to see what works. The results will form an integral part of the training.

The company has already been running successful Raspberry Pi workshops in London, Manchester, Birmingham and Bristol. The popularity of these has demonstrated the pressing need for training in computer science.

New courses for September include How to Teach Computer Programming, Build a Web Application, Linux, and language-specific courses in Python and C++.

There are offerings for primary and secondary schools, and all courses are available as INSETs. FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 0844 870 8935 hello@cpdforteachers.com www.cpdforteachers.com

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 0161 957 3646 Teachercpd@aqa.org.uk www.aqa.org.uk

Load • Listen • Learn

Monitoring of students’ usage is easy and very informative. We anticipate there to be a high correlation between podcast access and heightened grades.

Greg Williams – Assistant Head

Exceptional award-winning content from the experts in mobile learning

Whatever your mobile policy we have a solution for you.

Call 0191 2111 999 or visit www.gcsepod.co.uk/teachers

Follow GCSEPod on twitter

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EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE | Volume 18.5

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TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT  These are just a few examples and it is still very much early days. But I believe these activities demonstrate that teaching schools are recognising and embracing a collaborative approach to school improvement. They acknowledge that collaboration needs to extend beyond their own schools, working in partnership with other schools to find and share best practice so that all schools can benefit.

As more teaching school alliances are created, more schools will be reached. However, we cannot ignore the fact that not all schools will join teaching school alliances or participate in other school partnerships.

My concern is that we are in danger of creating a two-tier system, with teaching school alliances and other collaborations such as chains forging ahead, leaving other schools behind.

But to build a truly school-led system, we need all schools to be on board, with the confidence to work with others in effective partnerships – whatever form these partnerships take, supporting and challenging each other to improve.

To build a -led hool truly sc ll schools a system, be on board need to e confidence with th with others to workeffective in ships partner

REACHING ALL SCHOOLS However, there is more to do. In terms of reach, we know the number of schools involved in teaching school alliances is growing but that this varies quite significantly between local authorities, especially between rural and urban areas, and also by phase, with more than twice as many secondary schools involved as primary schools.

COLLABORATION Teaching schools need to ensure absolute collaboration and inclusion in their approach. E

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The Teaching Schools Initiative The teaching schools initiative began in 2011, marking a shift towards more school-centred training and development.

The programme gives outstanding schools the opportunity to lead a group of schools, working with other partners including at least one university, to deliver high quality support for teachers and leaders at all stages in their career.

As they develop, teaching schools working with other schools and universities will help to provide a strong supply of new teachers, develop leaders and the next generation of heads, and support schools in challenging circumstances.

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Membership to inspire into the 21st century

Transform your middle leaders from a teacher to a leader

The Design and Technology Association is the only subject association solely representing the interests of D&T teachers, across all school age groups.

It provides support, advice, information and guidance in the delivery of the subject and represents all D&T teachers, technicians, teaching assistants and trainee teachers, as well as consultants and commercial organisations.

The D&T Association has been instrumental in securing a future for the subject in our schools. This autumn sees the release of the new D&T Programme of Study for the national curriculum.

Throughout 2013/14 and beyond, the Association will be supporting and advising members with the understanding of and the implementation of the new curriculum for 2014.

The D&T Association is planning a series of targeted curriculum training sessions through its local branch network. These will give members and non-members

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This pack will boost confidence, rehearse skills and enable your new and aspiring middle leaders to: • lead teaching and learning, including using data as a key for motivation and setting targets • act on whole-school priorities and manage change within their area of responsibility • conduct teacher appraisals and manage potentially challenging conversations • lead and manage a successful team.

“Optimus training packages allow me to provide these resources to our middle leaders and individual teachers so that they can take ownership of their own professional development and, importantly, they can lead others as appropriate.”

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the opportunity to receive training and guidance about the implementation of the new D&T Programme of Study and to network with local colleagues.

In response to feedback from its members, the D&T Association will be launching several new membership packages in time for the new term in September 2013. These will give members more options, greater flexibility and value for money.

For the first time, there will be departmental membership, designed specifically for a larger D&T team, online-only membership and personalised areas with curriculum credits.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 01789 470007 www.data.org.uk

WJEC: enhancing achievement in England, Wales and further afield WJEC is a leading UK awarding body, based in Cardiff, offering GCE, GCSE and a range of other qualifications to a large and growing number of schools and colleges in England and Wales, and further afield.

WJEC prides itself on the quality of its service to teachers and examination officers, in particular the direct contact offered to expert subject specialists and its reliable administrative support.

Over the next few years, as GCE and GCSE specifications are revised in line with regulators’ requirements in both England and Wales, WJEC will remain fully committed to supporting the teachers who use them.

An exciting development in the coming academic year is the provision of free online examination review training across WJEC’s full range of subjects. This will be available from the end of October.

However, a preview is available now at www.wjec.co.uk.

In addition, this autumn WJEC will be offering internal assessment standardising meetings at a range of locations across England and Wales.

Contact Hugh Lester, assistant director at WJEC, for information on any aspect of WJEC’s provision. He is looking forward to hearing from you.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 029 2026 5379 hugh.lester@wjec.co.uk www.wjec.co.uk

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TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT Get involved

More schools are being urged to join the programme when the next application round opens on 13 September.

Designation is open to any phase or type or schools and schools can share the role of leading an alliance.

You will need to be an outstanding school with a clear track record of successful collaboration with other schools as well as consistently high levels of pupil performance. You will need to be led by an outstanding headteacher with at least three years’ experience and outstanding senior and middle leaders with capacity to support others.

Designation lasts for four years and you receive core funding to cover the management and co-ordination of your activities, alongside additional funding to deliver activities such as initial teacher training, CPD and so on.

You can find out more about teaching schools – including how to apply and details of those in your local area – on our website: www. education.gov.uk/nationalcollege/ teachingschools

 They need to go that extra mile to make sure that colleagues in their own schools and across the alliance of schools feel empowered, while at the same time making no compromises on the quality of provision.

To those reluctant to get involved, I cannot stress enough how powerful collaboration can be, offering the best platform upon which to achieve improvement and raise standards, both in your own school as well as in schools receiving support.

Collaboration provides an opportunity for even the most accomplished leaders and schools to learn how to do elements of what they do even better and gain new ideas, by supporting and learning from other schools.

TEACHING SCHOOLS: GET INVOLVED We will be looking for more schools to join the programme when the next application round opens on 13 September.

Designation is open to any phase or type or schools and schools can share the role of leading an alliance.

You will need to be an outstanding school with a clear track record of successful collaboration with other schools as well as consistently high levels of pupil performance.

You will need to be led by an outstanding headteacher with at least three years’ experience and outstanding senior and middle leaders with capacity to support others.

Designation lasts for four years and you receive core funding to cover the management and co-ordination of your activities, alongside additional funding to deliver activities such as initial teacher training, CPD and so on.

You can also get involved in the programme by becoming part of a teaching school alliance.

Leadership

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About the author Charlie Taylor is chief executive of the National College for Teaching and Leadership.

Previously he was a headteacher, Expert Adviser on Behaviour for the Department for Education and Chief Executive of the Teaching Agency.

Teaching school alliances are groups of schools and other partners such as universities supported by the leadership of a teaching school. They include those schools that benefit from the alliance by receiving support, as well as the teaching school and strategic partners that offer and deliver support.

Alliances can be cross-phase and cross‑sector, working across local authorities and including different types of organisations.

You can find out more about teaching schools – including how to apply and details of those in your local area – on our website: www.education.gov.uk/ nationalcollege/teachingschools These are times of unprecedented change. But by working together, there is a real opportunity to create an education system that all our children and young people deserve. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.education.gov.uk/ nationalcollege/teachingschools

Teaching school alliances are groups of schools and other partners such as universities supported by leadership of a teaching school. They include those schools that benefit from the alliance by receiving support from strategic partners

Interactive, online training for teachers and schools Essential CPD offers a cost-effective, flexible way to train all of your staff using online courses they can use in school or at home, on their own or in groups, all in one go or over a number of days – all they need is a computer and internet connection.

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Visit the website for details and a free 14-day trial.

FURTHER INFORMATION www.essentialcpd.co.uk

Volume 18.5 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

37

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REC AUDITED

Recruitment

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MAKING SURE OF SUPPORT STAFF

Launched in May this year, the REC Audited Education scheme provides quality assurance of recruitment agencies that supply teaching and non-teaching staff to schools, academies and education providers across England and Wales REC Audited Education builds on the legacy of the Quality Mark, which the REC managed on behalf of the Department for Education for over a decade before the coalition government withdrew funding as part of its austerity programme.

When announcing the Department for Education’s decision to end government funding for the Quality Mark scheme, Schools Minister David Laws MP wrote in a letter to the REC:“The Quality Mark has been instrumental in ensuring agencies have the right systems in place and I believe the time is now right for the recruitment industry to make its own independent arrangements to ensure the continuing high standards of teacher recruitment and compliance with legislation. I hope that trade bodies will lead on this work and that their endorsement will be a reliable indicator for schools.”

REC chief executive Kevin Green says: “When a school turns to a recruitment agency to help them find staff to work with children and young people, they have to be confident that all the appropriate checks have taken place. The aim of our scheme is to give headteachers peace of mind that they are working with an accredited supplier who adheres to the very highest standards.

“To achieve REC Audited Education status and display the badge, recruitment agencies will have to prove they are not just compliant with all necessary legislation and regulations but that they operate the very best practice.”

THE FIRST WAVE Specialist recruiter PK Education is one of the first wave of recruitment agencies to achieve the new REC Audited Education status.

Following an online diagnostic assessment, two REC auditors visited PK Education’s Nottingham office in July and spent a full day reviewing processes and procedures related to safeguarding, client relationships and adherence to relevant legislation.

PK Education director Karl Housley says: “We are placing professionals into schools to educate, challenge and mould young minds, an honour and responsibility we take very seriously. We are extremely proud to be one of the first national supply teaching agencies to be awarded this new standard.

“Applying for REC Audited Education

was our chance to prove to ourselves, our staff and the outside world that we are working to the highest possible standards.

The process, even though rigorous, has extremely clear expectations and makes sure an agency has all the fundamental business processes in place as they should.

“We take our safeguarding responsibilities very seriously and all of our company policies are geared towards delivering the best possible service to our clients and candidates. The REC Audited Education award validates this and will only add to the continued success of the company.”

When developing the scheme the REC gathered input and advice from leading

Kevin Green, REC chief executive

recruitment agencies they use. The work of the REC lets them know that the essential checks regarding identity, safeguarding and right to work have been thoroughly done and allows senior staff to focus their time and efforts in a more effective manner.”

As well as PK Education, Acorn Appointments Limited and 4myschools have achieved REC Audited Education status to date and more recruitment agencies are currently going through the auditing process. The REC is also updating its existing audit scheme to help recruiters in all sectors demonstrate their professional and high standards to clients.

The process now includes an online diagnostic tool, as well as face-to-face meetings with

“To achieve REC Audited Education status and display the badge, recruitment agencies will have to prove they are not just compliant with all necessary legislation and regulations but that they operate the very best practice.” unions, local authorities, education organisations, and individual schools and academies to ensure the scheme addressed the issues of most importance to them.

General secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), Brian Lightman, says: “Schools and colleges take the quality of support staff very seriously and it is important that they can rest assured that they are making safe recruitment decisions in sourcing supply staff. That is why the Association of School and College Leaders supports the REC’s work on compliance in this area.”

COMPLIANCE General secretary of Voice, the union for educational professionals, Deborah Lawson says: “Supply teachers need to know that the agency they are using is serious about compliance. We welcome the work of the REC in raising standards in the sector.”

Vice Principal of Bishop Challoner Catholic College Shaun Wilson, says: “It is essential for schools to have confidence in the

the auditor for staff throughout the business.

To achieve REC Audited or REC Audited Education status, agencies must prove they are both fully compliant and operate best practice in areas such as customer service, staff training and development and diversity.

REC chief executive Kevin Green says: “We have had a tremendous response to our new scheme from recruiters as well their clients in schools and local education authorities. The first agencies to pass the grade should feel rightly proud. To be awarded the badge, recruitment agencies have to prove they are not just compliant with all necessary legislation and regulations but that they operate the very best practice.” L FURTHER INFORMATION The Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC), the professional body for recruiters in the UK, has launched a new quality standard for recruitment within the education sector. For more information about the REC go to www.rec.uk.com/audited

Volume 18.5 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

39

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THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATION – www.educationbusinessuk.net

STRESS

BEWARE OF BURNOUT

According to statistics released under the Freedom of Information Act in 2012, the number of teachers taking stress leave has risen by 10 per cent over the past four years. What’s more, 15 local education authorities reported a 50 per cent increase in stress-related absence. A recent survey of UK teachers, conducted by Teachers Assurance has shown that stress levels within the profession could affect a teacher’s ability to successfully perform their role.

What’s more, high stress levels caused by financial or workplace worries are impacting on a teacher’s family life and health.

Every teacher in the survey identified that they suffered from some form of stress, with a staggering 70 per cent rating themselves as highly to unbearably stressed.

Additional research has shown teachers in the UK have a 40 per cent higher risk of suicide that any other profession.

Thousands of telephone calls to the Teachers Support Network Group – a UK charity providing counselling, information and support specifically for teachers - are logged every year. Hundreds of sick days are taken by teachers every month.

TEACHER BURNOUT Why? Because stress and an off-kilter work‑life balance are contributing to teacher burnout. Within the findings, 76 per cent said their stress levels were having repercussions on their health and lifestyle, rising to 79 per cent for those aged 31-40.

83 per cent responded that they constantly feel tired due to stress. Others said stress was causing them to argue more with friends and partners, with 66 per cent saying they were less patient with others when stressed.

Most concerning, 42 per cent of the teachers surveyed responded that they felt less able to do their job well as a result of their worries and 27 per cent felt distracted at work.

Of course, everybody suffers from stress, whether it is caused by financial, personal, workplace or health worries: so why is it particularly important that teachers get extra support?

Consider most other professions. If someone’s having a bad day because of worries or stress at home, their mood might affect three or four colleagues.

If a teacher has the same concerns and they bring them to the workplace, hundreds of pupils could be affected.

The experience of stress in the education system can no longer be ignored. It is

vitally important to raise awareness of the issue so that both the internal factors and external circumstances contributing towards the experience of stress by teachers can be addressed by both teachers as individuals and by the organisations they work for.

Written by Jayne Morris

The Health and Safety Executive revealed that teaching is one of the most stressful professions, with 41.5 per cent of teachers saying they are ‘highly stressed’. Jayne Morris, resident life coach expert for NHS Online Health Sector, offers advice on what to look for and ways to combat stress and discusses the finding of a Teachers Assurance survey into the matter

Stress Management

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Stress in ith levels wching respondents said they a e t were suffering from e h t ould c n stress as a result of o i s s profe teacher’s financial worries. 13 per admitted to severe affect a successfully cent stress due to concerns o ability trm their role, about their finances.

37 per cent even went perfo cting on as far as to state they impa ealth would either definitely or their h probably be a better teacher if

COMMON CAUSES In addition to identifying the levels of stress that teachers throughout Britain were facing, the Teachers Assurance research survey highlighted the areas that were contributing to the stress levels of teachers.

The four main areas causing teachers concern were financial and workplace worries, as well as personal and health problems. By the very nature of their profession, lack of resources, support and evaluations can also be contributing factors to teacher stress.

FINANCIAL WORRIES It was no surprise that financial worries caused teachers more stress than either health or personal problems. Teachers pay and benefits are set to undergo significant changes; September 2013 sees the introduction of performance related pay; and don’t underestimate the difficulties of coping in the current economic climate.

No less than 81 per cent of the survey

they had fewer financial worries.

WORKPLACE WORRIES The survey results revealed workplace worries caused 51 per cent of teachers severe stress. Concerns over performance, pay and general job security all contributed to teachers’ anxiety. Interestingly, it could be interpreted that all of these concerns relate to fundamental human needs for security of wealth, property and employment.

To support this theory, research conducted

by Teachers Support Network Group adds that teachers are increasingly concerned about their day-to-day lives, rather than professional issues. In particular, money was the biggest worry, with thousands of calls about teachers’ finances every year.

PERSONAL AND HEALTH WORRIES Personal and health issues proved to be lesser contributory factors to stress according to the survey results. 62 per cent of teachers said they felt slight or no stress as a result E

Volume 18.5 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

41

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STRESS

Stress Management

Sponsored by

About the author Jayne Morris is an expert in transforming lives from ‘Burnout to Brilliance’.

She is resident life coach expert for NHS Online Health Sector.

Her one-to-one work, seminars, podcasts, articles and online posts have helped thousands of people around the world regain their sense of power, passion and purpose.

Jayne is the author of upcoming title ‘Burnout to Brilliance’, due for release Spring 2014.  of personal problems, while 72 per cent said they felt slight or no stress regarding their health. However, it’s important to recognise that those figures could easily change when stress starts to impact health and wellbeing.

HOW TO SPOT STRESS AND BURNOUT Stress can manifest itself in many ways. Left unchecked it can lead to burnout, which in turn can affect your health, happiness, relationships and performance at work.

Common signs of stress and burnout to watch for include; exhaustion, frustration, lack of motivation, loss of concentration, a feeling of being overwhelmed, a preoccupation with work, a lack of care for personal health and appearance, and irritability.

Fatigue in particular is incredibly detrimental to a teacher’s ability to carry out their work effectively, which in turn negatively affects the quality of their teaching.

The cumulative effect of prolonged stress leads to the extreme depletion of the adrenal and autoimmune systems, which results in various medical concerns and

can eventually lead to burnout. Recovery from burnout can take several weeks or months, sometimes even years.

In the UK, teachers take an average of 13.2 days sick every year. Not only could this negatively impact a teacher’s health, family and career aspirations; the substantial amount of absenteeism depletes the British economy due to the unprecedented costs on the medical and social support systems.

BEATING BURNOUT Eliminating some of the causes behind stress and anxiety; whether by tackling financial planning to help alleviate money worries; or getting organised to have a better work-life balance, will be key to preventing teachers from burning out. There are a number of things teachers can do to: Take time to relax. It may sound obvious but switching off and taking relaxation seriously can help enormously when trying to de-stress. However one chooses to relax; whether by reading, spending time with family, meditating, walking

or even staring into space for an hour; relaxation is extremely important.

Invest spare time in hobbies, focussing on activities is both enjoyable and distracting.

Challenging and engaging personal projects are a good way to channel attention away from things that are causing stress and worry.

Watch the diet, do exercise and get some sleep. Although not revolutionary suggestions, taking the time to look after physical health will have a positive effect on the mind and help to reduce stress. Additional stress can be caused if dependencies on caffeine, sugar or fat are left unfulfilled. Activity and exercising encourages feel-good endorphins in the brain and can instantly reduce anxiety and stress. As mentioned earlier, not getting enough sleep can seriously impact performance, productivity and motivation – all leading to further worry and stress.

Get organised - taking control, prioritising tasks and getting organised can all help prevent burnout. Too much ‘plate spinning’ will only end up causing further worry. L

MA in Emotional Factors in Learning and Teaching How can stress be kept at manageable levels in a school environment, which is subject to continuous change?

Those working in schools today are often intensely aware of the multiple and competing demands they face. In a target-driven culture where there is a focus on exam results and Ofsted inspection outcomes, it can be challenging to make time for staff support.

One way to manage stress is through reflective practice, a key element of the MA in Emotional Factors in Learning and Teaching programme.

Aimed at teachers and others working in education settings, this course incorporates lectures and work discussion seminars led by child and adolescent psychotherapists.

These sessions provide opportunities for teachers to talk in detail about some of the most troubling interactions in school life. Often this leads to a deeper understanding of the underlying issues and renewed energy to try a new approach or to persevere in the face of turbulence.

Participation in work discussion groups has had good results in

terms of stress management for teachers: Some 83 per cent reported that they felt less stressed after talking about pupils with whom they are struggling; while 91 per cent reported that they had been helped to develop new ways of engaging with challenging or disruptive pupils; and 93 per cent reported they found work discussion groups supportive.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: +44 (0) 208 938 2582 www.tavistockandportman.ac.uk/ emotionalfactorsIn learningandteaching

Volume 18.5 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

43

Design & Build

Sponsored by

Well Educated Banking www.lloydstsb.com/schoolbanking

BUILDING CONTRACTS

Written by Eleanor Kilminster and Rebecca Evans, Winckworth Sherwood

SCHOOL’S OUT, BUT THE BUILDING WORK CONTINUES

As the summer holidays near the end, what happens if your building work is running behind schedule? Eleanor Kilminster and Rebecca Evans from law firm Winckworth Sherwood, give some advice on what schools should consider in such an event The summer holidays will have seen many schools carrying out maintenance and larger projects ready for the new school term. So what should schools watch out for on projects that are running behind schedule? And what should schools should bear in mind when balancing the urgent need for occupation before the start of term against taking completion with a lengthy ‘snagging’ list?

rectified following completion. Whether or not practical completion has been achieved will be a question of fact on each project.

Contractors usually push for practical completion to be certified as quickly as possible following the contractual date for completion for the reasons set out below (and in particular the deduction of liquidated damages).

Schools should, however, be aware of allowing practical completion to be certified before works are completed in accordance with the contract. If returning staff and children mean that you are forced to accept practical completion early, the following should be borne in mind.

When e th nearing work buildingon date, ti comples need to school if ‘practical r conside pletion’ com n has bee d achieve

PRACTICAL COMPLETION When nearing the date for completion a school will need to consider if ‘practical completion’ has been achieved. In legal terms, practical completion means that the contractor has completed the works in accordance with the contract, and strictly speaking, that requires all works to be completed. This does not mean that the works are ‘perfect’, and minor defects often remain to be

WHAT TO BEAR IN MIND? Any defects or incomplete works known about prior to practical completion should be

clearly listed on a schedule ‘snagging’ items attached to the certificate. This approach should prevent the contractor subsequently arguing that you accepted those works in their incomplete state or no longer required them.

Consider which items of work are left outstanding on that snagging list and whether you have a sufficient amount in your retention to attend to those ‘defects’ should the contractor fail to adhere to its contractual obligation to return and put them right at their own cost. If the defects are so extensive that your retention is insufficient then this is usually a strong indicator that the works have not reached practical completion.

After completion you will need to arrange with the contractor for defects to be dealt with and provide access. Given the nature of a school it is likely to be half terms and future holidays before the contractor will have sufficient access and so you should plan and deal with matters early.

If your contract includes completion by sections, you could consider simply taking practical completion of a particular section or sections and asking the contractor to 

Volume 18.5 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

45

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BUILDING CONTRACTS  deliver the time critical first section earlier and to allow the less time critical work to be delivered later, perhaps if practical after the school term has recommenced.

You may find yourself in a situation where you need to take partial possession of the site as it is critical for the first day of term.

If you do, note that the area you take will be deemed practically complete, whether it is or not, and that you are responsible for insuring that part of the site from that date.

Furthermore, the defects liability period will run from that date and so you are likely to have more than one defects liability period to manage, finishing on different dates.

You should also be aware of the implications of certifying practical completion under any other relevant documents, for example, does the performance bond expire on practical completion?

Depending on the reasons for the slippage in programme, you could consider giving the contractor an instruction to accelerate in order to meet the original date for completion – in other words – to put more men on the job. This is more than likely to have cost implications and, depending on the circumstances, you may prefer to incur additional cost than have the building completed later than planned.

NON-COMPLETION If you cannot take partial possession and are not satisfied that practical completion has been achieved you will usually need to serve on the contractor a ‘non-completion notice’.

You may find yourself in a situation where you need to take partial possession of the site as it is critical for the first day of term. If you do, note that the area you take will be deemed practically complete, whether it is or not, and that you are responsible for insuring that part of the site If the contractor is late, and assuming all appropriate extensions have been given, there are usually measures in your building contract to assist. Firstly, provision is usually made in most contracts during pre-contract negotiations for a fixed weekly amount that the contractor has to pay if late.

These are known as liquidated damages.

The rate of liquidated damages should be a ‘genuine pre-estimate’ of your losses should the building not be ready and, typically, would include items such as the cost of renting alternative space, additional finance charges and storage charges.

Of course, this list is not intended to be exhaustive, but gives you a guide as to the items you should be looking at when considering what amount the contractor ought to pay you per week if late.

Liquidated damages are standard practice and it is usually a case of negotiating the amount at the contract stage rather than the existence of them. We often see contractors

Design & Build

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attempt to remove them from draft contracts and this should be strongly resisted. The issue of a non-completion notice is usually a pre-condition to claiming liquidated damages and therefore you should ensure that the notice is issued as soon as possible.

Usually liquidated damages will be deducted from the latest application for payment.

The contractor is only permitted to apply for an extension of time for limited causes of delays that are its responsibility. At the pre‑contract stage this list should be carefully considered in negotiations particularly where the overall programme for the works is tight.

Usually, the contractor would not get an extension of time if he is simply slow, but if matters have been delayed for reasons that are your responsibility, such as a large variation you require to the works or perhaps there has been some extreme weather, then your representative may consider that an extension of time is reasonable. 

Volume 18.5 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

47

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BUILDING BUILDING CONTRACTS CONTRACTS About the authors Eleanor Kilminster is a partner and Rebecca Evans is a solicitor in the construction team at Winckworth Sherwood.  LESSONS LEARNED If you find that your contract is not as robust as you would like then these are our general pointers for next year.

The time spent prior to tendering and entering into a contract is critical.

Whether you are planning major works or routine maintenance, the contractor’s ability to provide a fixed price, which is realistic, is enhanced if you are certain what you want and have fully developed your design.

This can avoid problems arising later for which the contractor may rightly be able to claim for.

The clearer you can be, the greater certainty you will have that the contractor will deliver what you want and when you want it.

It is good practice to have the form of contract ready before going out to tender

and to seek tenderers’ agreement up front in their tender returns. This means that you can put forward the most favourable terms you wish and it is likely that in their tender returns contractors will limit any points they wish to raise as they are in competition and usually very keen to win your work. This makes negotiating the contract with the successful bidder much simpler; it can sometimes be more challenging to agree terms after the contractor has won the tender as the bargaining position of the parties clearly shifts.

Good project management is the key to successful delivery of most projects.

On larger schemes it often goes without saying that professional representatives (who may be external or

There is no or te f substituetailed d having st building u and robcts in place contra h are run whic rienced by expesionals profes

internal) should be engaged to monitor progress, the accuracy of the contractor’s claims and to drive the project forward.

On smaller schemes, it can be tempting to try to save costs by simply relying on the contractor, particularly when there is no in-house expertise, but unfortunately this can sometimes lead to problems for the inexperienced.

If budgets allow, we would always recommend that you appoint professional personnel to represent your interests and advise you generally on the running of your construction contracts.

There is no substitute for having detailed and robust contracts in place which are run by experienced people.

If you are in a situation where the building will be late, document the issues fully and serve all appropriate notices to protect your position. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.wslaw.co.uk

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Volume 18.5 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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STANDARDISED DESIGN

CREATING MUCH-NEEDED PUPIL PLACES

With Bedford experiencing an above-average population boom, resulting in a rise in pupil numbers, Bedford Borough Council has embraced standardised designs and partnership working to increase the capacity of many of its schools Bedford has seen a large rise in housing construction which has resulted in a growth in the population – and a rise in pupil numbers.

Bedford Borough Council has therefore had to look at new ways of procuring and delivering cost-effective solutions to address this challenge.

By working successfully with its construction and procurement partners, Bedford Borough Council has embarked on an innovative

Scape & Sunesis Scape is a local authority controlled company, based in Nottingham, whose shareholders are Derby City, Derbyshire County, Gateshead, Nottingham City, Nottinghamshire County and Warwickshire County Councils.

The company’s objectives are to bring economy and efficiency to the whole building process – including for new buildings and refurbishment projects – and it achieves this through the development of standard designs and strategic procurement arrangements.

Sunesis is a joint venture built on the combined experience between Scape and construction partner Willmott Dixon, which delivers standard whole building designs at a fixed price.

The team has invested £3m into this concept having started developing Sunesis in autumn 2008 and launching it to market 12 months later.

Sunesis delivers high quality buildings for the public sector.

It delivers them with speed, simplicity and certainty. Sunesis delivers buildings through OJEU with absolute guarantees on quality, costs and timescales.

FURTHER INFORMATION www.scapebuild.co.uk www.sunesisbuild.co.uk

schools building strategy which uses standardised whole-school design and standardised fixed-price classroom extensions to increase the capacity of many of its schools.

MAKING THE TRANSITION Councillor Henry Vann, education portfolio holder at Bedford Borough Council, explains: “In the Bedford Academy cluster, the Borough is making the transition from lower (age 5 to 9 years), middle (age 9 to 13 years), and upper (age 13 to 16 years) schools, to a structure of primary and secondary schools.

This has resulted in some middle school closures and lower schools being expanded to accommodate the additional year groups.”

The programme of works consists of a mixture of new build, refurbishment, and reorganisation of the existing school stock.

Bedford Borough Council signed up to the innovative Sunesis product. This is a joint venture by Scape, a local authority controlled company, and contractor Willmott Dixon, combining public sector know-how and private sector expertise.

Bedford Borough Council was also one of the first public sector organisations in the UK to use Scape Connect, the country’s only scheme for standardised fixed-price classroom extensions.

Both Sunesis and Connect offer a range of educational buildings including whole schools, classroom extensions and halls that combine traditional construction methods applied to a standardised design, resulting in fixed costs and timescales. These are delivered through Scapes OJEU compliant frameworks which enable quick delivery and guarantee local spend therefore promoting the local economy.

Councillor Henry Vann said, “The programme of works delivered by Scape and Willmott Dixon includes a mixture of bespoke primary schools which adopt a standardised approach, along with Connect classroom extensions and

Sunesis schools to meet the growing demand for primary school places in the area.”

COMPLETED PROJECTS Completed projects in Bedford include the new Bedford Academy which has been designed to accommodate 1,440 students aged 13 to 18 years, changing to ages 11 to 18 years in 2014, and forms a big part of the transition to primary and secondary route learning.

Great Denham Primary School was completed last year – a two form entry school that can accommodate 420 pupils and has been designed with the main space being split into four family groups creating small schools within a school to develop cross age teaching.

Another two form entry school, Shortstown primary, is due for completion ready for the September 2013 intake. The two form entry Shortstown primary school will replace the current one form entry Shortstown lower school and will accommodate extra pupils from the increase in housing development in the local area.

Bedfordh g Boroou has Council on an ed embarkve schools i innovat g strategy buildin h uses whic ised d standar gn desi

PRIMARY SCHOOL EXTENSIONS A programme of primary school extensions which use the Scape Connect standardised classroom approach, half of which are already completed, are due for occupation for the September 2013 intake. A total of 15 classrooms and two halls have been constructed using this unique approach, and by adopting this route the borough has been able to realise their basic need programme at an affordable cost and deliver more for less.

Elstow Lower school has benefitted from a four class Connect block and multi-purpose hall, taking their overall pupil numbers to 420.

A four class Connect Key Stage 2 block has also been constructed at Shackleton Lower School, taking their overall pupil numbers to 420. In addition, Cauldwell Lower School will E

Volume 18.5 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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building a

bright future creative minds : practical people At the rpa:group, we understand the importance of ensuring that educational facilities offer the optimum environment to encourage learning.

Working closely with educationalists, we design and deliver the best possible space for an inspiring teaching experience, substantiated by our in depth knowledge of all of the legislation and design criteria that enables the creation of both new build and renovation projects.

Our experience includes the successful delivery of projects such the complete conversion of a former 19th Century Victorian fire station into Falcons Boys School in Richmond, Surrey and the design and build of Abingdon House in Marylebone; a new independent specialist school catering for children with learning disabilities.

To find out how we can benefit your school, please get in touch with us on 01784 256 579

To view examples of our work, please visit our website:

www.therpagroup.com

architecture : design : project management

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STANDARDISED DESIGN  soon have a 4 class KS2 Connect block with an extension to the existing hall increasing their numbers to 420. Ridgeway SEN school has had a much needed three class Connect block adapted with a bespoke internal design for the specific needs of the post 16 students to learn core life skills.

Cotton End Lower school will benefit from internal refurbishment, including a new pupil entrance to the main block, and a temporary mobile unit which is being relocated from Shortstown lower school.

Following on from this, Bedford Borough will see a Sunesis two form entry plus nursery primary school in Kempston with an additional feasibility underway at another site elsewhere within the borough.

“The Borough has been under pressure to deliver these much needed educational spaces for growing pupil numbers with reducing resources,” explains Councillor Henry Vann.

“This approach has enabled us to deliver excellent teaching and learning space whilst giving us the confidence of an excellent produce at fixed costs.”

INTEREST FROM OVERSEAS The schools building strategy delivered by Bedford Borough Council has been shown as an exemplar in best practice across the EU. A recent visit to four Bedford schools by a delegation of Swedish professionals showcased how its approach can deliver project excellence and high standards whilst remaining cost effective. A group of 10

An appetite for standardised design professionals of the construction industry from Stockholm and Gothenburg visited the UK to look at good working practices and partnerships.

Bedford was identified as a good example of how successful long-term partnerships with its construction and procurement partners on four significant capital investment projects can deliver benefits for local authorities. As part of the tour the delegation visited Shortstown Primary School, Bedford Academy, Elstow Lower School, and Great Denham Primary School and Nursery.

As part of the visit the Swedish team met with both senior members and officers at Bedford Borough Council to hear about their experiences first hand. Willmott Dixon also provided a detailed overview of the construction delivery as well as leading a group discussion about partnering processes, procedure and best practice.

Alan Coole from Scape commented, “We have worked closely with the team at Bedford Borough Council over the years to help them deliver exceptional, cost effective solutions to meet the growing needs of the local population.

Our Swedish guests were specifically taken to Bedford so they could experience first hand how working collaboratively with the user, client and delivery team provided the most cost effective and timely solutions, cutting out as much waste as possible.” L FURTHER INFORMATION www.bedford.gov.uk

Design & Build

Sponsored by

A recent survey, conducted

by Local Government News in partnership with Scape, gathered views on the use of standardised buildings to identify if there is an appetite for ‘off the shelf’ design.

Over 60 per cent said they would consider using a standardised approach to develop or improve their existing buildings.

Of the approaches available, 70 per cent would consider modular buildings, and over 50 per cent would consider using a template design. Nearly 25 per cent would also use kit of parts in the future.

When asked about the benefits of using a standardised approach, just over 20 per cent of those surveyed said they would expect to see cost savings when using this approach.

18 per cent also said they would expect to see quicker procurement and delivery process, with 12 per cent saying time savings could be achieved.

Only 11 per cent said they did not expect to see any benefits if they opted to use standardised buildings.

Most people (32 per cent) said they thought the average cost savings of a standardised building would be about 20 per cent.

Challow development proves log cabins can provide rapid solutions for tough learning-environment briefs Challow Timber Structures received an enquiry from Bristol-based Northwood Forest Products International, looking for a manufacturer of bespoke log cabins, who had the experience and expertise to handle any “non-standard” projects.

This particular enquiry was made on behalf of Abingdon & Witney College in Oxfordshire, which was developing a Social Enterprise Project.

The brief was to provide a log cabin that could be used as a classroom for land-based studies by students with learning disabilities.

The college elected to construct the cabin during the summer to minimise disruption to its students and staff; ensuring the facilities were complete for the new academic year.

However, an unexpected delay pushed the project back, resulting in a build while the pupils were on-site.

Challow was conscious of the urgency, so it worked hard to ensure the cabin was delivered in as little time as possible.

The finished product was manufactured and delivered within five weeks of receipt

of the original order, the construction of the cabin on-site followed and it was erected by the end of December – just 10 weeks from receipt to completion.

A Northwood Forest product representative said: “The classroom facility exceeded our challenging brief and we would recommend log cabins for any educational institutions that need a fast space solution.

“We were impressed with the can-do attitude over the seemingly impossible time-frame, level of communication and quality of the build. We didn’t expect such a substantial and attractive building.”

The bespoke log cabin was built from interlocking treated softwood timbers, with laminated beams and a steel composite

insulated roof to form a structure, measuring 14m long x 8m span x 2.4m to low eaves.

The timber floors and the plasterboard-lined walls, included high levels of insulation.

All exterior and interior doors and windows were provided, double glazed and of high-performance. The design also called for handrails outside the ramp to ensure health and safety regulations were met.

Challow Timber Structures and Northwood Forest Products International have formed a strong, valued partnership and will continue to work together.

The Challow brand, including Timber Structures and Crop Storage, is a subsidiary of Severn Valley Woodworks (SVW); leading suppliers of quality machined softwood and UK manufacturers of timber products.

Also part of the SVW portfolio are Lingward Crop Drying and Storage Products and Hutton Garden and Landscaping Products.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 01367 240091 www.svw2000.co.uk

Volume 18.5 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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Energy

www.educationbusinessuk.net – THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATION

Bruder Resources: managing energy usage and costs Energy is one of the largest controllable outgoings in running schools and colleges. With limited resources, balancing day-to-day management and maintaining an overview on utility costs can be demanding.

Bruder enhances your internal resources by offering bespoke support in bill validation, monitoring, reporting and supply contract negotiation. A review of your purchasing strategy is offered and negotiations carried out at times when the markets are most favourable to your organisation.

Bruder Resources has gained recognition in energy-efficiency consultancy, bringing unbiased and independent advice to its clients for over 25 years. Its aims are to achieve environmental and economic benefits by promoting cost-effective energy-efficiency measures.

By reviewing your existing bills in an initial audit, the

performance of your buildings can be assessed. Areas of improvement can then be identified and an in-depth survey carried out with a resulting action plan being presented to achieve these savings.

Savings are possible in new construction and when buildings are refurbished or their services replaced. Bruder can offer the engineering liaison necessary to achieve this. Support is offered in the reinforcing of existing and new gas and electricity supplies and associated metering.

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Many school pupils and staff will have looked forward, eagerly, to the end of the summer term, not least because they have been sat in badly overheating classrooms over the past few weeks.

Equally, a few months ago, they would have been wondering why they are still being uncomfortably chilled by that cold draft when it was already mid-May. Many buildings are ill-prepared for the dramatic swings in the weather we have been experiencing in recent years.

Whilst the basic design principles to ensure that buildings are comfortable at all times are simple enough, the combination of dealing with the limitations of existing buildings and the complexities of intensive occupancy – as well as our

unpredictable weather – requires a deep understanding to evolve effective solutions.

LEDA has been working on projects in the public and independent education sectors since the company was created over 15 years ago. LEDA has worked with individual schools over a period of many years, providing existing building energy surveys through to strategy development and full building services and architectural design.

Energy efficiency, achieving high comfort levels and, most importantly, cost savings are the main focus for LEDA’s inclusive collaborative design approach.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 0113 200 9380 www.leda.coop

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 01384 892767 bruder@btconnect.com

Save up to 40% on your electricity consumption Forum Consultancy has been operating as environmental and energy advisors and project management consultants for more than 10 years.

The company has provided carbon reduction advice for universities, as well as for local councils where schools were included in their area of responsibility.

Forum Consultancy and its associates can provide advice, ranging from simple energy-saving audits and proposals to more complex requirements for carbon reduction.

Many schools and colleges could reduce their energy bills and carbon footprint, with relatively simple changes. Forum Consultancy has the experience to assist with the development of such improvements planned to minimise the risk of disruption to education requirements.

Assistance can also be provided for the procurement and installation management,

Effective buildings for cool classrooms

where required. Previous project management experience ranges from housing refurbishments to multi-million pound design and construction in a number of energy-related industries.

Forum Consultancy can also provide advice on the requirements for ISO 50001 and the production of building log books for existing buildings.

The company’s director is an approved assessor for the Carbon Trust standard.

Forum Consultancy is a member of ESTA and an associate member of CIBSE and the Energy Institute.

Forum Consultancy (UK) Limited.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 01202 881026 cmogg2@btinternet.com

EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE | Volume 18.5

Northfield Ecocentre: energy consultants with a twist Northfield Ecocentre is a unique energy and environmental consultancy based in Birmingham.

It was set up five years ago as a charity to offer high-quality, impartial advice services to individuals, businesses, schools, colleges and universities, analysing their energy usage and helping them reduce costs.

Northfield Ecocentre offers a basic scoping service on-site and report creation that includes: advice on easy changes to reduce costs; a breakdown of your energy usage; a review of your current tariff and charges; outline of potential efficiency investments and paybacks; potential for micro-generation and onsite renewable systems; and advice on grants, schemes and projects.

Northfield Ecocentre has experience delivering projects with councils, museums, schools, charities and businesses across the west Midlands.

Clients find that five to 10 per cent energy savings can usually be achieved through simple operational changes to buildings.

Northfield Ecocentre focuses on this approach first before suggesting capital investments.

The company has also worked with education providers on wider environmental schemes, including waste and water management, growing vegetables and linking students into the wider industry.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 0121 448 0119 services@northfield ecocentre.org www.northfieldecocentre.org

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SUSTAINABLE SCHOOLS

Energy

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SUSTAINABILITY: A POWERFUL PEDAGOGICAL TOOL Written by Luke Wynne, Global Action Plan

Luke Wynne, head of schools at leading environmental behaviour change charity Global Action Plan, reflects on his experience working with UK schools to help them improve their environmental performance and embed sustainability into the curriculum, Here, Luke shares his key tips on what makes a truly successful sustainability programme A group of students from West Sussex are an inspirational example of how sustainability can be used to create positive change in the school and home. Led by a student ‘chairman’ the team at St Andrews C.E High School for Boys in Worthing have been a shining light in Global Action Plan’s sustainability programmes in recent times; as finalists and repeat participants in the Sky Rainforest Rescue Schools Challenge and equally impressive water savers in the Aqua Innovation schools programme.

Amongst many impressive initiatives the St Andrews students managed to reduce their school’s energy wastage by 50% and had the Mayor of Worthing and the local Fairtrade steering group as well as parents, staff and students attend a Fairtrade coffee morning to raise money for their partner school in Africa.

Used to promote cross-curricular learning, enhance student engagement or simply to improve environmental performance, sustainability can reap numerous benefits for schools, their local communities and the environment. “I have seldom if ever worked on a project which has so many obvious benefits to so many individuals for so many different reasons” Project partner, Aqua Innovation.

The boys from St Andrews demonstrate how well designed sustainability programmes can be driven by the students themselves to benefit the school and wider community.

To achieve these benefits however it is essential to understand what makes a good sustainability programme and how

A girl from Hampton Junior School in Richmond makes a waste sculpture for her Appetitie for Action project

l Persona ally teachers, students and re the school community contact achers’ can be supported in e t boosts ce, helping implementing this n e d more effectively. m fi u t n co men o m e r u WHAT CAN to ens intained and SUSTAINABILITY is ma ilestones ACHIEVE IN THE that m hieved CLASSROOM? c a are Based on more than 15

years experience developing and delivering sustainability education programmes we recently put to paper Global Action Plan’s vision for sustainability in schools. Titled Teaching the Future, the vision describes the key ingredients we believe are necessary for successful sustainability education programmes in schools; programmes that help to improve school performance and quality of learning, engage students, save money and protect the environment.

Improving the quality of learning: through hands on and practical learning experiences, as well as opportunities to diversify the curriculum, sustainability can be used to enhance students’ learning experience and improve their life skills. 83% of teachers taking part in the Sky Rainforest Rescue Schools Challenge said that pupils had improved self-esteem and other life skills such as confidence and team building.

Improving performance: it’s not just teachers who recognise the benefits. OFSTED reports frequently praise the impact that sustainability

can have. The 2011 OFSTED report of a school that took part in our sustainable food programme Appetite for Action stated “in mathematics and numeracy, children have benefited from a sustained learning activity for their Appetite for Action submission.

This has helped them use a range of mathematical knowledge in real life situations.

Commendably, your children achieved first prize in this UK wide competition”.

Achieving real savings: based on the results of schools that have taken part in Global Action Plan’s programmes, by reducing waste and promoting efficiency, schools across England are collectively capable of saving £76 million per year and reducing annual carbon emissions by 675,000 tonnes. That’s enough money to employ around 2,000 extra teachers and the equivalent carbon emissions associated with heating and powering 111,000 homes.

Engaging the community: from site visits to recycling and water treatment plants, through to eco evenings, gardening weeks and Fairtrade coffee mornings, sustainability is a great foundation for engaging the local community.

Another successful Appetite for Action schools partnered with a local farm to provide wider learning opportunities for their students and have now set up a scheme where they sell vegetables to local shops. Their teacher described the role of sustainability at the school “no longer the preserve of after school clubs or one-off events, learning about the environment and our place therein is now an everyday part of our school”. E

Volume 18.5 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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Energy

www.educationbusinessuk.net – THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATION

Eliminate electricity bills with classroom systems powered by solar energy Founded in 2011 and based in the UK, Solar Ready is a young, visionary company with an innovative approach, lots of ideas and plenty of enthusiasm.

Solar Ready believes in working with and for the environment so it is important to the company that the earth’s resources are used wisely.

The company’s technology harnesses the potential of solar, wind and water and pushes the boundaries of efficiency in the process of capturing, storing, distributing, using and reclaiming energy.

Solar Ready is at the forefront of developing technologies that utilise direct and stored power from these renewable energy sources and has integrated them into its own range of IT hardware.

Its ICT solutions use unique and innovative technology to operate completely “off-grid”.

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The company’s solutions are ideal for organisations that have unreliable or no access to mains electricity, or just want to eliminate or reduce their electricity bills.

Solar Ready’s award-winning technology is being used by schools in the UK, providing cost-effective classroom systems powered by solar energy that eliminates electricity bills.

Solar Ready’s mission is to develop sustainable energy solutions that work with and for the environment.

Generate an income stream with Quantum Energy Electricity prices are increasing.

The actions you take today to manage this will have a great impact on what you face in the coming years.

There is a window of opportunity to take advantage of a government initiative; the Feed-in Tariff (FIT) will enable you to reduce your costs and generate an income stream.

Solar PV utilises your roof space to generate your own electricity. It’s quiet and requires virtually no maintenance.

The benefits are that you reduce your electricity bill and, through the FIT, get paid for every kilowatt that is generated.

The FIT rate is decreasing and will probably not be available indefinitely. Organisations

who want to maximise the payback period and income stream, should act now.

You have most likely heard all this before, but it seems a big project and there is never enough time to look into it.

Quantum Energy takes pride in providing a complete solution where your input is minimised.

The company will provide all the information, explain it and then manage the entire process, including the paperwork.

Your problems – solved.

Finance is available. Contact Quantum Energy to see how you can benefit.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: (01738) 70 71 72 www.quantumenergy.org.uk

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: +44 (0)118 973 9706 info@solar-ready.co.uk www.solar-ready.co.uk

Energy efficiency or energy conservation?

A scheme giving power to the people with solar PV

We can all conserve energy by switching off lights and turning down the thermostat, but we’ll be in the dark, cold and not very effective at what we are supposed to be doing.

Energy efficiency, on the other hand, enables us to conserve energy without detracting from our working environment.

The Utility Forum has over 30 years’ experience in doing just that, with over 300 Carbon Trust audits, 250 MAS audits and numerous private audits to its credit. The company’s principal, Chris Holdsworth, is a member of the recently formed Register of Professional Energy Consultants.

Using the Utility Forum’s Energy Reduction Spiral methodology, the company conducts an

“I believe we, the building services sector, are in the enviable position of being able to make changes that really can make a difference – perhaps even the difference,” says Paul Bevis, managing director of Rentec Limited.

Despite the economic downturn, demand for renewables is as strong as ever, driven by increasing legislation as well as the need to reduce both energy costs and fossil fuel consumption.

“Solar PV is an extremely popular low-carbon option,” says Paul. “We are getting enquiries from businesses, schools and farmers as people realise the massive benefits of renewables and the Feed-in Tariff scheme.”

This scheme guarantees a minimum payment for all electricity generated by the system, as well as a separate payment for the electricity exported to the

audit and gathers information; monitors consumption, data logger on sub-metering; benchmarks, internally and externally; forms an action plan to an agreed ROI criteria; targets and controls, implements agreed actions and sets targets; and budgets and controls, sets consumption and cost budgets in-line with the action plan.

All data collected is channelled through and presented by Utility Forum’s web-based “Inspiring Software”. Other services include energy procurement, bill verification and revenue recovery.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 01253851818 info@theutilityforum.co.uk www.theutilityforum.co.uk

EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE | Volume 18.5

grid whilst providing a large reduction in electricity bills.

Rentec can offer assistance with finance and there is even a free solar scheme available, subject to status.

Other renewable options available include solar thermal, ground and air source heat pumps, rainwater harvesting, biomass boilers, wind turbines and low-energy lighting.

Call Rentec’s renewables team for professional, honest advice.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 01202 717060 sales@rentec.ltd.uk www.rentec.ltd.uk

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SUSTAINABLE SCHOOLS  KEY INGREDIENTS FOR SUCCESSFUL SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAMMES Charities, local authorities and businesses all play important roles in supporting schools and young people embark on their sustainability journey. In our experience the most successful programmes are at the very least student led, linked to the curriculum and offer an opportunity to diversify the teaching and learning experience. In addition the following two elements are vital to ensuring students and teachers engage in something that has long term benefits for the school.

Be flexible: the school environment is dynamic and teachers often have precious little time. Sustainability programmes therefore need to be flexible to meet with the changing needs of teachers and schools.

They must cater for schools just starting out on their sustainability journey, through to Green Flag Eco- schools that are looking to take sustainability education to the next level.

Teachers need ready-to-go resources that they can pick up and run with, and clear links to the curriculum allow integration of the programme into classroom activities, helping teachers deliver against existing objectives without creating additional work.

Provide support: whether for six weeks, a year, or three years it is important to support the school, and in particular the lead teacher throughout the programme. Facilitating workshops, attending progress meetings, providing regular project updates and email reminders or just picking up the phone and having a chat are various ways of supporting the school. We have found that personal contact really boosts teachers’ confidence, helping to ensure momentum is maintained and that programme milestones are achieved.

“The support staff have been wonderful and deserve a lot of credit for its success. It is a really well-organised, simple, well‑structured programme and I love it!” Teacher, Sky Rainforest Rescue Schools Challenge.

Students from Shawhead Primary School growing their own food

of the environment, and are amazingly creative and engaging. It therefore comes as no surprise that the best programmes utilise students’ innovative ideas, perspectives and enthusiasm to drive both their own learning and the positive change within the school.

A teacher from St Andrews commented on her students’ experience “the team did everything themselves, with only the occasional steer from me. They were given the Challenge website and were told that if they wanted to take it on that we’d support them. And they just went for it. They’ve been very organised, holding regular meetings – and sending me the minutes so I knew what they’d been up to. It’s been brilliant for building their confidence.”

Establish the baseline: knowledge, attitude and behaviour surveys, meter readings and classroom spot check investigations allow students to monitor progress throughout the programme and apply their learning to real life situations.

Understanding the school’s baseline level of performance provides a starting point to compare your progress against, enabling you to communicate these achievements throughout the programme. This will help gain the support of senior management as you continue to demonstrate the financial, educational and environmental benefits the programme has brought to the school.

Get buy-in: motivated students and supportive management are key ingredients to ensure the ‘sustainability’ of your sustainability programme. In many of Global Action Plan’s programmes students deliver ‘pitch to switch’ presentations to their head teacher and other senior staff to encourage them to support their cause; students can be powerful and convincing advocates.

Communicate success: school assemblies, awards presentations and student certificates can be an effective way of recognising and rewarding the hard work that students

ted Motiva ts studen rtive po and supent are key m manageents to ensure ingredi tainability’ of the ‘sus ustainability your s gramme pro

ADVICE TO TEACHERS Seek support: firstly, don’t try to do it on your own, if you do you risk either burning out or simply re-inventing the wheel. A plethora of resources, networks, websites and programmes are available. From 20 minute activity ideas and ready-made lesson plans to fully facilitated programmes, there are many sources of support and guidance for schools who want to successfully embed and benefit from sustainability education.

Student led: there are innumerate opportunities to engage students in a variety of subject areas across the curriculum. Students are also passionate advocates for the protection

Energy

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have done. When other staff, students and families know about your success they will value the contribution you and the students are making to the school community and are more likely to support your initiatives.

In recognition of their winning efforts the boys from St Andrews won £500 and a trip to the Sky Studios in London to present their rainforest story to a room full of senior business representatives.

According to their teacher “the trip to Sky to present their ideas was a real highlight and a great reward for working so hard.”

Giving students the opportunity to communicate results to the wider school community and celebrate their success also helps to build the foundations of long-term change, with students feeling a sense of achievement and school management recognising the business case from the financial savings achieved.

In 2011 press coverage on the achievements of another winning school from the Sky Rainforest Rescue Schools Challenge prompted the local authority to fund much needed renovations to improve the school building.

Prior to this, and not through lack of trying, the head teacher of this small primary school in rural Scotland had been repeatedly unsuccessful in convincing the council that the renovations were a worthwhile investment.

From curriculum diversification and outdoor learning opportunities through to life skill development and improved OFSTED reports, sustainability can be used as a powerful tool to enrich the school environment and the teaching and learning experience for students and staff. Working with the students at St Andrews and many other schools like them only reinforces for me the potential for sustainability to bring real long lasting benefits to schools, the wider community and the environment. L FURTHER INFORMATION To find out more download the full Teaching the Future report at www.globalactionplan.org.uk/Teachingthe-Future-Report or contact Global Action Plan at all@globalactionplan. org.uk or on 020 7420 4444

Volume 18.5 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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Groupcall Messenger is the award-winning, web-based parental communica�on system of choice for over 2,500 Primary & Secondary Schools throughout the UK.

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BIFM AWARDS

Facilities Management

Sponsored by

Nelson and Colne College

HIGH ACHIEVERS

Since 2001, the British Institute of Facilities Management (BIFM) Awards have recognised the best individuals, teams and projects across the FM industry. To be shortlisted for an Award – whether as a team member, a client representative or member of the leadership team – is tough and consequently a very worthy achievement, providing a true demonstration of independently evaluated differentiation in a highly competitive market. The rigour of the BIFM expert judges has been the key to making the BIFM Awards a reference point for other awards programmes.

We feature two educational finalists from the 2012 BIFM Awards, looking in detail at their achievements and why they were recognised

NELSON AND COLNE COLLEGE FINALIST: SUSTAINABILITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT Nelson and Colne College has demonstrated a thorough and responsible approach to sustainability and environmental impact. They strive to optimise environmental, economic and social performance by improving sustainability across all functions of the college. This includes not only the facilities management team, but also the human resources, finance, and the senior management teams, thus helping to ensure that progress in one area does not negatively impact another.

To further optimise results they formed a sustainability team, which consists of voluntary representatives including both staff and students. The team strives to do the following: calculate and reduce the college’s carbon footprint; reduce resource consumption, including consumable, electricity, gas and vehicle fuels; minimise waste by adopting the waste hierarchy; and implement a green travel plan.

Carbon savings In the 2011/2012 academic year the college successfully achieved the following carbon

savings: the total carbon footprint was reduced by 8.9 per cent; the college’s electricity consumption was reduced by 5 per cent; gas consumption reduced resulting in a 9 per cent carbon saving; mixed waste to landfill reduced which produced a 34 per cent carbon saving.

The team implemented a wide range of projects to achieve these results.

These included: reduction in the number of light fittings and installation of low energy lighting; re-arrangement of the teaching timetable to allow sections of the building to be closed down during non-core hours; installation of computer software to automatically shut down computers at the end of the day; investigation into gas consumption in the kitchen facilities; and many others.

The college also recognises the social aspect of sustainability. A cycle-to-college scheme

was introduced to improve the health of students and reduce the number of cars travelling to the college each day. In addition, the green travel plan promotes the use of public transport. The switch-off campaign encourages people not to waste electricity, while the reduce-printing campaign prevents unnecessary paper being wasted. The college also promotes Betterworld book recycling as well as Fairtrade options.

To improve their local environment the college planted a number of oak and birch trees around their grounds.

Bird boxes were also installed in numerous places to help sustain the local population of birds.

Nelson e n and Col has College rated t demons gh and u a thoro e approach ibl responsainability and to sust ronmental envi impact

Benefits Many benefits are felt by the institution as a result of these efforts. The reduction of their carbon footprint has resulted in significant financial savings, which can then be invested E

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Let the adventure begin with Setter Play Equipment Why not use The Travel Professionals? We can offer you…  Experienced consultants  Comprehensive travel service  Fully licenced & members of ABTA  Competitive airfares, hotel and car hire rates  Fully operational out of hours service  Detailed management information reports  Passport & Visa Service  Competitive transaction fee’s Leisure travel benefits 

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Call: 01462 817538 Email: info@setterplay.co.uk www.setterplay.co.uk www.settershelters.co.uk I N N O VAT I V E P L AY G R O U N D S • D I S T I N C T I V E C A N O P I E S PRACTICAL OUTDOOR CLASSROOMS

ESPO ADDS INSURANCE TO PUBLIC SECTOR CONTRACT ARRANGEMENTS ESPO has added a new EU-compliant insurance framework to its portfolio of professional procurement solutions. Developed in partnership with Government Procurement Service (GPS), this is the first national agreement for the provision of non-life insurance. It will deliver significant cost and time savings to the public sector by providing access to brokerage services, insurance underwriting, claims and risk management without having to go through lengthy EU procurement processes.

“This framework will be particularly relevant for academies and schools undertaking the conversion process with limited experience of buying insurance.” A wide range of policies are available including liability, property and construction, travel, personal accident and motor insurance.

Case Study...A Trust of academies in the midlands had received a quote of nearly £37,000 from a broker to provide services on a three year basis. The Department for Education believed that a quotation would not qualify for financial support towards insurance costs as value for money could not be demonstrated. Consequently, the Trust decided to benchmark this quotation using the ESPO/ GPS Insurance Services framework. As an aid to demonstrating value for money, the Trust decided to run a competitive exercise for broker services under the framework. The broker providing the original quotation was one of the providers and their price for the full five year period was £11,900 (a saving of £25,000 on their original quotation), this bid was accepted by the Trust as the best value for money and this position was accepted by the DfE.

ESPO played a key role in the development of this national framework working with stakeholders to help with contract documentation, specification and evaluation methods.

ESPO has taken the lead on many national frameworks and is recognised as a truly independent procurement specialist that delivers the same level of support previously provided by local authorities.

The new insurance framework will form an important part of ESPO’s portfolio of professional procurement solutions that include consultancy, banking, HR, advertising and recruitment, catering, grounds maintenance and cleaning, all of which have been subject to rigorous and fully compliant tendering processes. The framework allows access to over 40 insurers and brokers, offering buyers real choice and competition.

For more information visit www.espodealingdirect.org • ref RM958

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Phenomenal Fireworks are a professional firework display company with a fantastic track record of client satisfaction.

If you still can’t decide about our extensive range of firework displays then why not call us for advice or to discuss your firework requirements and if required we can supply you with contact details of previously satisfied clients.

Freephone 0800 118 29 21 enquiries@fireworkdisplay.co.uk

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BIFM AWARDS

 back into the college and improvement of facilities. As a result the internal and external environment of the college has improved. There has also been increased participation of all the college community, which has particularly benefitted the students, enhancing the learning experience and increasing individuals’ awareness and understanding of sustainability issues.

And the judges said “Nelson & Colne College is committed to creating and maintaining a sustainable environment. The promotion of their green ethos among students and staff was impressive to behold. The college’s high‑profile sustainability team has worked hard to raise awareness of the environment issues faced by the college. The whole college – staff and students alike – have exceeded all targets in achieving goals in reducing their carbon footprint.”

EDINBURGH NAPIER UNIVERSITY FINALIST: IN-HOUSE CLIENT TEAM OF THE YEAR The property and facilities team has consistently delivered a first-class service to the core teaching and research departments within Edinburgh Napier University. Property and facilities is the largest of the university’s professional services departments, servicing the entire combined student and staff population of 18,500 people.

The department’s cumulative budget responsibility is in excess of £13 million per annum. Key facilities provided include estates and buildings, energy and sustainability, security, cleaning, logistics, print room, sport facility branded [EN] GAGE, catering services, conference management and student accommodation.

Napier University

Value-driver initiatives The department has delivered on numerous value-driver initiatives. The estates strategy to better manage space saw the non‑residential estate shrink from 884,650 sq ft in 2006 to 727,940 sq ft in 2013 despite student numbers increasing by 28 per cent in this time. Sites at Canaan Lane, Comely Bank, Craighouse and Blantyre Terrace have been disposed of as part of a consolidation from more than 10 locations to four. The £10 million refurbishment of the Merchiston Campus, being undertaken in a live campus environment, is also in line with the estate strategy target of having one faculty on each campus with the co‑location of the Faculty of Engineering, Computing and Creative Industries.

The team has also created business-focused strategic solutions such as by opening the sports centre, [EN]GAGE, at the new Sighthill Campus. This supports the university’s strategic plan of attracting students, creating facilities for staff, students and the community, and promoting the university externally and internally. The department is also involved in the construction of new en-suite student accommodation rooms. The project will completely refresh the stock of student accommodation, which will plug the £500,000 per annum deficit on the existing service.

Best practice Leading the way in FM best practice, the department has successfully installed a new facilities management system, Planon, and the sport reservation system, XN. Functionality for the Planon system includes planned maintenance, central helpdesk, space management, knowledge base and asbestos management. Another example of best practice is the accommodation team using Lean methodology to reduce process time and the touch rate. Processes that took

days to complete were reduced to minutes.

The department is committed to the on-going development of its people. The management team has participated in 360 degree feedback and coaching using Myers Briggs and other tools, and the entire team is involved in a strong programme of mentoring and succession planning.

Integral to the team’s service delivery is caring for the environment and the wider community.

Recent environmental achievements include being certified BREEAM Excellent for the new campus at Sighthill, achieving the Carbon Standard energy reduction accreditation by the carbon masters programme, and improving the university’s ranking in the Green League Table from 75th to 13th in the UK and 1st in Scotland in 2011. Initiatives include rolling out an improved print and copy solution using multi‑function device technology and 100 per cent recycled paper, a carbon awareness campaign and stakeholder engagement workshops, and increased waste recycling include food waste.

And the judges said “The facilities management strategy is totally aligned to the business and demonstrated an in-depth knowledge and understanding of student requirements. They have a 10‑year master plan for academic, support and residential premises. They introduced a customer services charter and use a balanced scorecard to measure performance and continually improve. The team demonstrates a professional, knowledgeable and no-nonsense approach which is reaping rewards.” L FURTHER INFORMATION Visit www.bifm.org.uk/awards2013 for details of the BIFM Awards 2013. You can learn more about BIFM at www.bifm.org.uk, email info@bifm.org.uk or call +44 (0) 1279 712 620

Facilities Management

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JJ Food Service offers up new ways to shop and pay through its website

Free public sector sustainability conference for industry managers

JJ Food Service is a privately owned company with a history of almost a quarter of a century supplying all sectors of the food industry. The company has a product range of ambient, frozen, chilled, fresh, packaging and cleaning products.

JJ Food Service has branches in Enfield (head office), Basingstoke, Birmingham, Bristol, Manchester, Doncaster, Sidcup and Leeds.These eight purposebuilt fully operational distribution centers are strategically placed to offer a full national coverage.

High specification cold rooms hold chilled and frozen goods at each branch, with over 200 multi-temperature E5 vehicles for distribution.

Other services include national direct delivery, contract distribution (logistics) and export services. Customers also have the option to ‘Click and

EMSc (UK), manufacturer of the Powerstar range of voltage optimisation energy-saving solutions, is holding a free Public Sector Sustainability Conference with partner Imtech.

The event, on 25 September 2013 at Epsom Downs Racecourse, will address sustainability issues across the public sector and provide information on how to improve energy efficiency, as well as advice on industry best practices.

Industry experts will enlighten the audience on the environmental pressures facing public sector organisations.

The Conference will interest key decision-makers in the education sector, including: headteachers, business managers, bursars, network managers, facilities managers, procurement managers in purchasing organisations

Collect’ or ‘Call and Collect’ from one of its branches.

Click & Collect: This service allows you to shop using the JJ Food Service website. You will then choose to pay online or pay at a branch counter, but as you have selected the time and place of collection, you will have all your goods ready for you when you arrive.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 08433 09 09 91 www.jjfoodservice.com nationalaccounts@ jjfoodservice.com

and LEAs, operations managers, head of services, directors and chief executives.

Speakers include: Greg Markham, president of the Institute of Healthcare Engineering and Estates Management; Dr David Hickie, executive director of the Public Sector Sustainability Association; Paul Burnett, group development director of Imtech; Rob Scoulding, regional energy and environment manager from the Co-operative Group; EMSc (UK)’s public sector business consultants Terry Shemwell (Local Authorities) and Duncan Agnew (NHS).

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 0114 2576 200 tracy.eaton@ems-uk.org www.ems-uk.org

Suffolk Coastal Services: reliable maintenance of your school’s environment Unit 2.4 - 2.6 Bynea Business Park, Bynea, Llanelli, SA14 9SU Head Office: 01792 361 686 Email: sales@crazyplayuk.co.uk Website: www.crazyplay.co.uk

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EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE | Volume 18.5

Suffolk Coastal Services offers flexible, sensibly priced services to schools along the East Anglian coast, from Lowestoft through to Felixstowe and into north Essex.

Local staff provide reliable, committed service on the ground. Meanwhile, the manager running its services is a school governor who understands the needs of the academic sector.

Suffolk Coastal Services gives schools what they want, providing them with as many or as few hours as they require.

Times of work are important: you won’t see one of the company’s ride-on-mowers being unloaded into a playground full of waiting parents, or a van taking up parking space during “school run” times.

The company helps schools maintain their premises with limited funds, and ensures they meet health and safety requirements (through inspections of play equipment

and trees and carrying out tree surgery if required).

Grass and hedge cutting are also provided at the required frequency, as well as help with planting that supports site security, reduces anti-social behaviour and discourages litter.

The same groundsman who understands exactly what you want will attend each visit, so they become “your gardener”.

Suffolk Coastal Services’ staff are CRB-checked and insured.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 01502 527100 Tel: 01394 444000 www.suffolkcoastal.gov.uk

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PLAY AREAS

Landscaping

Sponsored by

LEARNING THROUGH PLAY

It is interesting to see how far our education system has changed within a single generation. The small village school with wooden desks and blackboard dusters has evolved into a place of interactive learning governed by those ever-present Ofsted ratings.

The theories behind how children learn have come a long way as well. To an old fashioned Victorian school, learning and playing were no doubt seen as two separate activities.

Today, however, learning through play is promoted within early years education as an important teaching practice. Thrilling as it would be to discuss different teaching strategies through the ages, it is, perhaps, more relevant to see how this has impacted the landscapes within our schools.

With e pressurted s from Oftions, expectaontractors pe c g landscareasingly beinls wisely. Although our are inc ted by schoo design themes often contac ting outside stay the same, they are easily scaled up or down wan dvice depending on space and space a

GUIDANCE ON OUTSIDE SPACE With the pressure of Ofsted inspection laying down expectations and requirements for learning and learning facilities in schools, landscape contractors are increasingly being contacted by schools who want advice and guidance on their outside spaces. We are often greeted by a square of black tarmac, sometimes accompanied by an area of grass that cannot be used in the winter, or a poorly thought out space that is not being fully utilised. It is clear, when we begin asking questions, that they are very keen to use their outside space and have clear ideas of what they need.

Common requests are for water play, a covered outside classroom, adventurous and risk play areas, garden and growing areas and cycle tracks. It seems that playgrounds are no longer just places into which teachers usher children at various points in the day to amuse themselves whilst they have a rest. These spaces are now being viewed as an extension of the classroom. This does, however, present a challenge for schools in terms of budget, the space they have available and how to order their area to get the best from it.

As a specialist landscape contractor we like to take an holistic approach and offer a bespoke design service because we believe that one size doesn’t always fit all and a unit-based solution doesn’t offer the most inspiring play area or use the available space

budget and if there are any existing features like trees and banks, we use them to our advantage.

A particular design idea at a school with trees was based on the tree top canopy walkway at Kew Gardens. Scaling the idea down to work in a school worked brilliantly as it got the children up in the trees (1.5m high) and created a sense of adventure. Adding to this a climbing wall, access ramp, scramble net, steps and artificial grass slide provided a challenging environment for reception children, promoting upper body strength and small motor skill development at various wooden leaf carved rubbing points hidden on the structure. Themed as the Enchanted Forest, with an all-weather rubber safety surface, it was the ideal place for playing but could also be used by teachers for themed learning for science, role-play and story telling.

What we have found is that children love remarkably simple things but these need to be incorporated within good design and planned space. Ideas based on real concepts are brilliant as this also goes towards teaching children of world realities and also gets their parents onboard.

PROVIDING AN EXCITING SPACE So is it worth the cost, and do outside areas noticeably contribute towards learning?

Everyone will have their own thoughts on the

Written by Roy Nicholls

Roy Nicholls explains how imaginative playground landscaping can add significantly to childrens’ learning experience

matter but one could reasonably argue that a blank piece of tarmac is the perfect place for a kick-about and for forcing children to use their imagination in the absence of anything that is likely to stimulate it. However, I believe that you get out what you put in. If you provide an exciting space that presents challenge and risk, children will learn from their mistakes.

I guess the older generation would call it learning the hard way! I also think that you could assume that making learning fun provides motivation, and having the chance to be outside actively doing something in a lesson rather than interacting with a white board would, to me, seem far more beneficial.

And maybe there is a sub-conscious benefit of simply being physically and psychologically active outside leading to greater concentration and motivation inside the classroom.

Whatever you think, schools are being judged and scrutinised now more than ever about what facilities they are offering to children to fulfill learning criteria in the early years curriculum and this provides a great chance for landscapers to be creative and help in providing teachers with fantastic, unique outside spaces. L FURTHER INFORMATION Roy Nicholls is contract manager at Baylis Landscapes, which is a registered members of the British Association of Landscape Industries (BALI). For information on the Association, or to find a BALI Registered landscape designer or contractor, visit www.bali.org.uk or call 024 7669 0333

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Explore. Dream. Discover.

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"The world is a book and those who do not travel read only a page."

St. Augustine

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Please contact us today to discuss your requirements

01189 737 011

info@nomadic-schools.co.uk www.nomadic-schools.co.uk

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OUTDOOR LEARNING

Written by Ian Pearson, general manager, School Travel Forum

"The world is a book and those who do not travel read only a page."

- St. Augustine

SCHOOL TRIPS: WHAT’S NEW? "Travel teaches toleration." Benjamin Disraeli

Learning outside the classroom has become widely recognised as a beneficial part of a balanced and effective curriculum, and there’s new evidence supporting the value of this and residential In 2008, Ofsted reported that: “Well-planned out-of-classroom activities, which includes trips, not only enhance pupils’ learning, but can also re-engage those who are hard to motivate.”

In a further more recent good practice case study, Ofsted also reported that: “Neston High School secures high attainment and levels of progress through a well-integrated curriculum with a broad programme of learning

About the Paul Hamlyn Foundation Paul Hamlyn Foundation was founded in 1987. During 2012 and 2013 the Foundation’s 25th anniversary was marked with a series of gifts to organisations it knew well and whose work makes a big impact by helping people to realise their potential and enjoy a better quality of life.

Visit www.phf.org.uk for further information and details.

outside the classroom (LOtC). This includes many residential visits, day trips and activities in the local environment”.

Not surprisingly, the evidence from overseas matches: “Outdoor learning improves confidence and self-esteem, positive relationships among students and reduced discipline and behaviour problems.”

Educational Trips

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of the Foundation’s key objectives is to produce evidence that will conclusively prove the value of residentials.

The aims are to build a strong evidence base that will support four key Learning Away propositions, ie to demonstrate that high-quality residential learning: has a strong, positive impact on academic achievement and a wide range of pupil-level outcomes, including emotional well-being, learner engagement, behaviour and personal, social, employability and life skills; can transform the learning experience of pupils; can help to transform schools; does not need to be expensive. Investment in residential learning is money well spent; and to generate new insights and understanding about how and why residential learning achieves these outcomes.

Ofsted ed ort has rep t tha lanned “Well-p assroom l out-of-cs and trips activitiece pupils’ enhan and can CORPORATE learningtivate GOVERNANCE mo With the rapid advance of

INNOVATIVE RESIDENTIAL EXPERIENCES Currently, the Paul Hamlyn Foundation has a special initiative called Learning Away, which is a £2.25m project that aims to support schools in significantly enhancing young people’s learning, achievement and well-being by using innovative residential experiences as an integral part of the curriculum.

The initiative, which began in 2008, is planned to run for six years. Importantly one

academies and the consequential demise of the influence and support of the Local Authorities, school management must ensure there is a continued level of corporate governance.

Despite the reduction of advice and guidance by the government the regulatory background for health and safety and civil law covering negligence have not changed; employers carry the same responsibilities now as they have for the past years. The difference is now that the individual academies are E

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Carroty Wood has been awarded the Lotc Quality Badge

For more information about our adventure centres or to make a booking contact us on 0844 8000 222 or email sales.info@rockuk.org or visit www.rockuk.org

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Rock UK Adventure Centres Ltd is a registered charity No: 1107724 (England & Wales) SC040118 (Scotland)

“We’ve spent over 27 years supporting teachers in their quest to inspire, motivate and educate their students.

Our expertise, our financial security, our operational excellence and our dedication to making your school trip as easy as possible to plan, promote and enjoy is what sets us apart from the rest“

• Offering the highest level of financial protection, backed by TUI Travel PLC • Full accreditation for the Learning Outside the Classroom (LOtC) Quality Badge • A full member of STF, demonstrating good practice and safety in school travel • Assistance with risk assessments and health & safety paperwork • Provide promotional material to help you sell the trip • Fully bonded by ABTA and ATOL

Contact us today to find out more about our fabulous selection of worldwide destinations.

T: 01273 265 265 E: info@travelbound.co.uk W: www.travelbound.co.uk

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OUTDOOR LEARNING  becoming the employers and will inherit the Local Authorities’ responsibilities.

Despite the Health & Safety Executive’s (HSE) well-publicised support of LOtC, we should not consider that when faced with poor practice resulting in death or serious injury they would allow it to preclude an investigation and prosecution.

Following the 2000 tragedy at Stainforth Beck in North Yorkshire, the decision of the HSE to prosecute Leeds Education as the employer rather than the teachers concerned, illustrates the likelihood to prosecute at employer level where good management practice is not in place.

CIVIL CLAIMS Nor should school management ignore the possibility of civil claims, which could arise even though the HSE are not involved.

Clearly it is prudent to continue to ensure sound policies and practices remain at the core of protecting any organisation.

Faced with the changing situation, many local authority outdoor education advisors have adapted their practices to continue to advise schools through new contractual relationships.

In addition, their representative Outdoor Education Advisers’ Panel (OEAP) has free online National Guidance for school trips and outdoor learning (www.oeapng.info). This is replacing the long-established but now withdrawn government guidelines, Health and Safety of Pupils on Educational Visits, and is in line with advice from the HSE.

The STF’s standards are informed by health & safety and legal experts, stakeholders in education including the OEAP, teaching unions and heads’ associations as well as travel industry experts Schools should also consider the benefits of enrolling in the LOtC Mark, which is an accreditation for schools recognising and supporting the development of learning outside the classroom across all subject areas.

improved protection that may arise from the consultation only benefits package travel and will not apply to self-arranged tours, for example, where separate suppliers are booked by a consumer over the internet.

FINANCIAL PROTECTION With a school trip costing in the thousands of pounds and the potential for minor or major disruption of plans, protection of the funds entrusted by the parents to the school and meeting the expectations of all are essential considerations.

Whilst the recent update of the ATOL (Air Tour Operators License) regulations extended protection for package travel, it still does not provide financial protection for tours that are individually organised, including flight tickets booked direct through airlines.

Many rights of consumers booking a package tour are enshrined in the Package Travel Directive, which were incorporated into UK law as the Package Travel Regulations (PTR) 1992.

On 9 July 2013, the European Commission published proposals for a revised Directive on “Package Holidays and Assisted Travel Arrangements”.

However, the current regulations and any

SELF-ARRANGED PACKAGES The OEAP National Guidance comments on self-arranged packages: “It is possible for a visit leader to create a tour by booking all the elements individually and combining them into a self-arranged package.

“However, a tour operator is legally responsible for the package they put together – the responsibility for a self-arranged package lies with the establishment or their employer”.

The guidance also recognises the value of using a tour operator: “They offer packages building travel arrangements, accommodation and learning content into a co-ordinated programme that removes much of the organisational work from party leaders.”

In 2012, even the PTR were unable to help schools who booked through a company called Skiing Europe. Run by Chris Reynard, who has a history of commercial malpractice, the company failed and whilst insurance arrangements for financial failure were in E

Educational Trips

Sponsored by

STF’s standards: tour cover Accommodation Road transport Financial protection and fair terms Checked by trained and competent auditors/technical experts Local standards, licensing and insurance checks Fire, gas and electrical safety Regulation compliance, licensing and insurance checks Support and breakdown arrangements Financial protection through STF-approved schemes only Fair terms and conditions and clear offer letters Management competence and staff training Security, bedroom and general safety Drivers’ hours compliance Vehicle age, suitability, inspection and maintenance Full ATOL protection for air tours Minimum tour operator’s liability insurance of £5m Suitability for children Food hygiene and legionella Management competence, staff training, driver suitability checks and training Suitability for winter conditions, where appropriate SHOULD THINGS GO WRONG 24-hour duty officer and full emergency procedure Commitment to high-level review of safety process, including accidents, incidents and near-miss reviews Published complaints procedure linked into STF’s complaints process Commitment to ultimate arbitration

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Stretch their minds in ways a classroom cannot

Remembrance Travel: walk in the footsteps of heroes

The YMCA National Centre is an Outdoors Learning and Activity Centre, based at Lakeside on the shores of Lake Windermere.

With over 60 years of experience in delivering residential programmes for schools and youth groups, the YMCA prides itself on what the teachers and students take home from their experiences.

Some of the messages received from teachers and parents include: “The impact of the residential is both profound and memorable.”

“The Lakeside Centre residential improves pupils’ performance and stretches their minds in ways a classroom cannot.”

Clients return to the YMCA year after year, some for more than 30 years now, due entirely to the benefits that the pupils accrue and the success of the courses: Our Lady of Compassion since 1976.

Activities such as kayaking, sailing, orienteering, climbing,

As the national custodian of Remembrance, The Royal British Legion believes that it should be used as a means of educating people about the realities of conflict, those affected by war and the importance of peace.

Remembrance Travel for Schools and Young People was created by The Royal British Legion to enable this belief to become a reality.

It arranges tours to battlefields and key related sites across Europe and in the UK, designed to bring the past to life and to give students a direct and memorable experience of history and culture, tailored to their curriculum or interests.

Tours are led by The Royal British Legion’s trained guides, who encourage participation and debate as they recount the experiences of those who were there. Tour specific support materials linked to curricula or themes are used to create interest and involvement. An Act of Remembrance is held at the end of each tour.

archery and challenging team-building activities are only some of the experiences available at the YMCA National Centre.

And they are delivered to the highest of standards by qualified, friendly and enthusiastic staff.

Quality is assured as the YMCA is affiliated, accredited or licensed by: Learning Outside the Classroom, AAIAC, AALA, The Royal Yachting Association, Institute For Outdoor Learning, BAPA and the British Canoe Union.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 01539 539 000 lakesideenq@ fyldecoastymca.org www.lakesideymca.co.uk

Remembrance Travel offers tours in the UK, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany, Italy and Poland.

Tour durations are from one to five days. As 2014 marks the centenary of the start of the First World War, these tours will have greater relevance and meaning to students than ever before.

Remembrance Travel has been awarded the Learning Outside the Classroom Quality Badge. Tours operated by The Newmarket Group, ABTA and ATOL bonded.

Professional Developmen

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 020 8335 9768 team@remembrancetravel schools.org.uk www.remembrancetravel schools.org.uk

Over night residential courses...

Fractal Dome Maths Workshops

A Science, Maths and Art Workshop for Schools.

...in an amazing setting on Lake Windermere

‘

‘

I have been to many idyllically located outdoor centres before, but none matches Lakesides' quality of instruction and desire to deliver a course tailored to our requirements". "Lakeside is definitely an experience not to be missed!"

Andrew Evans, Asst Head, the Glasgow Academy

60 years of creating and delivering quality experiences.

Tailored programmes meet students needs from KS2 through to 6th Form.

Adventurous experiences ensure growth and development.

015395 39000

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EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE | Volume 18.5

n Fractal Triangles are a popular workshop creating a giant framework throughout the school day. n Mobile Science Programmes (other programmes include planetarium, dinosaur show, Egypt and the Stars, Solar System) n Primary and Secondary level.

www.fractaldome.com www.sciencediscoverydome.co.uk

For a no commitment consultation please call Email: lakesidenq@fyldecoastymca.org www.lakesideymca.co.uk

The Fractal Dome is a workshop and mobile inflatable dome experience with a 360 degree digital screen. The dome comes to your school and can be set up in a hall or large drama studio. Fractals is the spectacular, award-winning full dome planetarium show that takes viewers on a tour of the fractals in nature and zooms through infinitely complex mathematical fractals covering science and art topics.

NATIONAL CENTRE, LAKESIDE

Tel: 01202 304734 Email: sciencedome@ntlworld.com

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OUTDOOR LEARNING

About the author

The School Travel Forum (STF) Assured Member scheme and the LOtC Quality Badge National Guidance recommends use of LOtC-Quality badged organisations which is a nationwide scheme that provides a national award combining the essential elements of provision into one easily recognisable accreditation scheme  place, the insurance company refused to honour the policy as there had been material non-disclosures by the company when the insurance was initially taken out.

Local authorities, school management and parents were left substantially out of pocket. Actions are still pending following the case, which has even been reported on Channel 5’s Rouge Traders and Radio 4’s Face the Facts. The case highlighted the need to carefully ensure suppliers are reputable.

TRUSTED ACCREDITATION SCHEME The School Travel Forum (STF) Assured Member scheme and the LOtC Quality Badge National Guidance recommends use

2000 Stainforth Beck tragedy Two teenage girls were swept away to their deaths on a river walk at Stainforth Beck, North Yorkshire, during a school activity week in the Dales in October 2000.

The trip involved 45 pupils and four members of staff.

The river-walking activity they were engaged in is categorised in guidelines issued by Leeds City Council as “low risk”.

of LOtC-Quality Badged organisations, which is a nationwide scheme that provides for the first time a national award combining the essential elements of provision – learning and safety – into one easily recognisable and trusted accreditation scheme for all types of learning outside the classroom provider organisation catering to children and young people throughout the UK. The STF is the Awarding Body for the LOtC Quality Badge Scheme for study, ski and snowsport trips.

In 2011, almost 14,000 schools went on school trips organised by STF members, an estimated 85 per cent of tours booked through tour operators. A great part of the popularity is the confidence school management and teachers can have when considering their own management of responsibilities, workload, due diligence and peace of mind.

HOW DOES THE STF WORK? Every year, all STF Assured Members are audited by independent experts to ensure they are complying with the organisation’s safety management systems, financial protection requirements and fair trading policies.

This is not a simple tick-box exercise; trained and expert auditors are used and they are entitled to inspect any aspect of a member’s operations. Failure to meet the standards results in loss of Assured Member status and LOtC Quality Badge.

Ian Pearson is general manager for the School Travel Forum (STF), a Trustee of the Council for Learning Outside the Classroom (LOtC) and a member of the LOtC Quality Badge committee.

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Ian is a qualified health and safety manager with over 20 years’ experience in school travel, and he passionately believes that good health and safety practice should enable not restrict.

To respond to this article, email ianpearson@schooltravelforum.com The STF’s standards are informed by health & safety and legal experts, stakeholders in education, including the OEAP, teaching unions and heads’ associations as well as travel industry experts. They cover the various types of tours and all the component parts of the tours (see STF’s standards box on page 67).

STF ASSURED MEMBERS These schemes do not increase costs for the consumer, nor do they restrict choices. From just 16 Assured Members in 2003, the STF now has 40, which represents the majority of the UK’s specialist educational tour operators – from the largest to the smallest.

New members are actively helped and encouraged to get up to standard.

As befits an organisation with a regulatory function, the STF does not involve itself in outright commercial issues and individual members compete for business in the normal way; this ensures choice, value for money and high-quality products.

Both the STF and the Council for LOtC are not-for-profit organisations and each operates on shared, non-competitive, good practice issues only. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.schooltravelforum.com www.lotc.org.uk

Tours and trips abroad tailored to your needs Tours Designed is your first choice for exceptional tailor-made school trips abroad, offering destinations across Europe that include some of the continent’s most unmissable locations.

With many years’ experience, Tours Designed has partnered with leading names in coach travel, channel crossings, accommodation and more, to offer incredible prices on school tours that prove popular with students.

Tours Designed believes learning and fun can complement each other and, to this end, it offers educational tours that could take your party to important cultural sites, including: Paris, Amsterdam, Bruges,

Costa Brava, Barcelona, Lake Garda, European Christmas markets, Lille, Cologne, Koblenz, Aachen, Amiens, the Rhine and Mosel Valleys, Normandy, Battlefield of the Ypres Salient and the Somme.

And, of course, amazing theme parks, such as: Disneyland® Resort Paris, Futuroscope, Poitiers, Phantasialand, Brühl, Europa Park, Port Aventura, Salou, Parc

Astérix, Bellewaerde.

Tours Designed is large enough to ensure tours are fully supported, yet small enough to offer the level of service to make the difference between just another school trip and the adventure of a lifetime.

A member of ABTA and STF Assured, Tours Designed holds the Learning Outside the Classroom Quality Badge.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 01246 570 022 mail@toursdesigned.co.uk www.toursdesigned.co.uk

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Educational Trips

www.educationbusinessuk.net – THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATION

Stoke-on-Trent’s museums offer excellent education sessions Stoke’s museums have an enviable reputation for delivering excellence, both informally as family friendly drop-ins and, in term-time, with formal sessions tailored to primary and secondary school audiences.

The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery in Hanley (with its world-class ceramics collection, natural history, local history, archaeology, fashion and fine art) supports and extends the curriculum offered in schools.

At The Potteries Museum you will also find the world famous Staffordshire Hoard.

Gladstone Pottery Museum in Longton is a working heritage site offering practical art and craft workshops, as well as history and science sessions.

Both sites offer the nationally recognised Real World Science sessions as well as seasonal special events, all advertised on the website, which also

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gives access to an increasing number of post-visit resources.

All sessions are bookable in advance. Regular visitors are invited to reduce costs by signing up to the Educator’s Museum User scheme.

Whether it’s for an hour session or for a whole day, your pupils can look forward to an educational treat in Stoke-on-Trent.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 01782 237777 Tel: 01782 232323 www.stoke.gov.uk/ museumeducation

The greatest football story ever told…

Blending historical exhibits with state-of-the-art interactive experiences, the Manchester United Museum & Tour Centre brings the remarkable legend to life like never before.

The Museum: in over 130 years of football, the club that humbly started life as Newton Heath has lifted silverware on a global stage time and time again. A visit to the sacred trophy room lets you share in every timeless victory – from the European conquests of the Busby Babes to the unforgettable 1999 treble.

The tale of the club that unites millions worldwide is also the story of individuals who have built it: Busby, Charlton, Law, Best, Ferguson, Cantona, Giggs, Rooney… The list continues to grow, and here you’ll find artefacts and insights that capture every kick and every dream Old Trafford has inspired.

The interactive exhibits get you even closer to the world of Manchester United, including an audience with Sir Alex Ferguson

himself in his private office, recreated with flawless attention to detail, and the new “What it Takes” theatre exhibit where you can see exactly what it takes to become a professional footballer.

The Stadium Tour: from the dizzy heights of the North Stand to Sir Alex Ferguson’s dugout spot and the atmosphere-soaked players’ dressing room, every experience will seem to carry the roar of 76,000 fans in your ears. None more so than the ultimate honour of emerging from the tunnel and following so many famous boots into the Theatre of Dreams.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 0161 868 8000 toursenquiry@manutd.co.uk www.manutd.com/museum

Looking for something fund and different for your next venture?

F1 in Schools and Autodesk deliver FREE design software to participating students

Belchamps Scout Activity Centre in Hockley is a 30-acre site, nestled in the Essex countryside, yet close to the coast.

Established in 1936, Belchamps is part of the Scout Association, who has been providing outdoor education for over 100 years.

Full residential packages, activity days, Duke of Edinburgh Awards training, bushcraft, camping and nature days are available.

Belchamps can also incorporate days out to other activities, Southend Beach and a number of educational visits.

As a not-for-profit organisation, Belchamps offers fantastic prices to make your trip inclusive for children and young people of all ages.

Belchamps team of staff believes that through adventure we can challenge individuals in order for them to learn and experience new

The F1 in Schools™ Technology Challenge is the world’s biggest STEM competition. It challenges students to create their own Formula One™ team, which is commissioned using CAD/CAM software to design, construct and race the fastest miniature Formula One Car of the Future. This is a 21cm-long scale model built from balsa wood and powered by compressed air.

Each team of three to six students creates a “pit” display at their regional final and showcases their work in developing their race car, with a verbal and written presentation for the judges.

The teams will race their model car on a specially designed 20m test track, with

things to enrich their lives.

For an experience that is safe, value for money and full of fun, who better to trust with your next residential or day trip than the Scouts?

Free places for teachers on any residential package for 2013/14 are available, simply quote this article when booking.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Tel: 01702562690 info@belchamps.co.uk www.belchamps.org.uk

EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE | Volume 18.5

the cars covering the distance in just over one second.

Autodesk, with an extensive portfolio of 3D design software, has teamed up with F1 in Schools to offer all students and schools participating in the programme free access to an extensive portfolio of Autodesk 3D design software, with a value of £50,000.

F1 in Schools reaches more than 20 million students in 40 countries and challenges them to design a scale-model Formula One car.

Autodesk is the premier software partner for F1 in Schools.

To register your team(s) and receive Autodesk software, visit www.f1inschools.co.uk.

FURTHER INFORMATION www.f1inschools.co.uk

Transport your students in style with Connections: within the UK or Europe

Kick off the new term with a session at the National Football Museum

Connections believes that an educational visit can be the ultimate learning experience.

It has an impressive track record of involvement in a wide range of learning outside the classroom with activities for both primary and secondary school groups.

These include transporting students for participation in drama productions, concerts and other special events.

Students can also be taken to clubs, musical groups and sporting activities held during breaktimes and before or after the end of the school day.

Educational and fun visits organised within the school day and residential visits that take place during the school week, a weekend or holiday.

Connections will work with you to ensure your trip is well-planned and that it meets your study requirements and budget.

In addition, the company

The National Football Museum in Manchester has launched an exciting education programme in time for the new term and the new season.

The city centre museum offers cross-curricular sessions for groups from Early Years, Key Stages 1-4, and Further and Higher education. Sessions cover subjects from poetry to numeracy, and from social history to citizenship, all with the core hook of football to engage and excite pupils.

Interactive Storytime sessions for Early Years groups (complete with exploration of the galleries), have captivated young visitors and proved hugely popular with teachers, too.

Poetry sessions with museum poet-in-residence Paul Cookson have received a fantastic reaction from classes of all ages. Pupils from Key Stages 2-4 are inspired to vocalise their experiences of sport in new and exciting ways.

will always endeavour to go a little bit further to make your trip extra special.

So whatever the age and size of your group and wherever you want to go in the UK or Europe, get in touch and let Connections take the hard work out of planning your next school trip.

Call a member of Connections’ friendly reservations team today.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 0845 257 9943

Academy insurance: why choose a broker?

It’s cheaper and better to buy your insurance direct from an insurer, right? Actually the exact opposite may be true.

For an academy working with an insurance broker, the insurance can be more effective for a number of reasons.

Brokers help clients choose the right level of cover. In fact, it is the broker’s professional responsibility to help clients ensure that adequate cover is arranged. That means confirming that all relevant risks are protected against, but it also means not selling unnecessary cover.

Arranging cover via a broker may provide a range of options from a range of insurers, whilst approaching an insurer direct will not. As with any purchase, the ability to compare and contrast cover and cost is important.

Sometimes the worst does happen and, when it does, a broker can act on your behalf.

If an insurer is disinclined to pay or the claim is disputed by

the insurer, then the broker can step in to fight your corner.

Marsh works with several thousand schools, academies and colleges, and they benefit from Marsh’s expertise and experience in identifying individual risk needs, source competitive and appropriate covers, and provide advice and on-going support.

Marsh is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority for insurance mediation activities only.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 01444 313100 development.team@ marsh.com

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Groups also have the option to take on the museum’s Football Plus+ experiences. These seven challenges range from the penalty box to the commentary box, and come with a range of pre- and post-visit activities to maximise learning outcomes.

Pupils can download their own videos and scores after their visit.

Visit www.nationalfootball museum.com/learning or call Jeannie on 0161 871 8145, quoting “Education Business”.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 0161 605 8200 www.nationalfootball museum.com

Award-winning “asbestos awareness” online training NATAS launches a new generation of training: a first for the asbestos training industry. An innovative solution, 360Certified, allows the student to be immersed into a variety of environments, similar to those that students come into contact with in their day-to-day work activities.

Bridging the gap between classroom-based training and eLearning, 360Certified takes the learner into a virtual environment where practical steps are taken to achieve compliance.

Both theory and practical information within the training environment where identification is the main premise of the solution, with the goal to increase overall asbestos awareness.

The learner’s ability to visually identify asbestos-containing materials has improved almost three-fold for the average user, as 360Certified caters for multiple learning styles. The aim of the training program is

for learners to have increased asbestos awareness so, should they come across asbestos as part of their working or domestic activities, they will take the necessary steps to stay safe.

This new generation of asbestos awareness training will defy expectations as a powerful incomparable training route for compliance and raised awareness, achieving new safety levels for all learners.

Join the 360° revolution today, and learn from every angle.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Tel: 0870 751 1880 info@natas.co.uk

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First class training facilities for your future champions We’re Absolute Performance – the specialists in bespoke strength and conditioning equipment for the education sector

We have a proven track record of installing first class training facilities at a multitude of schools, colleges and universities throughout the UK. Our clients consider us as their one stop shop, managing everything from design, planning, equipment specification, product selection, supply and installation.

Clients choose Absolute Performance because we: Provide independent advice, based on extensive experience.

Work with you to ensure your requirements are met within the budget available.

Deliver bespoke fitness equipment solutions.

Offer an extensive range of outstanding quality products at sensible prices.

Installing new fitness equipment can be a big investment, so it’s important to get it right. Give us a call so we can talk through your requirements and work with you to get the best solution.

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Sport

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COMMUNITY LEISURE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SCHOOLS

In March this year, Prime Minister David Cameron announced that primary school sport is set to be transformed due to a £150 million-a-year boost that will improve coaching for the youngest pupils and inspire sporting stars of the future. Cameron commented, “With this new approach to sport, we can create a culture in our schools that encourages all children to be active and enjoy sport, and helps foster the aspirations of future Olympians and Paralympians.”

While this financial boost is aimed at the primary sector, it is positive to see that investing in physical education is on the government’s agenda. Schools should have the opportunity to offer sporting opportunities to young people, to develop a lifelong commitment to health and fitness.

To developnd a school nity commu ips, the sh relationty of school ili availab ldings for bui is nity use u m m o c capital in a savings nt importa account which had

ACCESSIBILITY Furthermore, in order to develop school and community relationships, the availability and accessibility of school buildings and facilities for community use is highly important. The community surrounding the school is, after all, where students will grow up, make friends and potentially live and work for the rest of their lives. Community leisure is one of the key responsibilities for The Forest of Dean District Council and this is delivered in partnership with local schools including Five Acres and Wyedean School.

In order to improve and enhance the overall PE experience for students at both school sites and in a drive to enhance sports provision and opportunities for the local community, we decided to completely overhaul the current dual use facilities, improving each school’s revenue stream.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATION As a public facility, the leisure facilities we operate are subsidised, but under increasing financial pressure we have been forced to reduce the subsidy so that the year-on-year revenue running costs come down. With

accumulated a small amount of interest, we realised that if we invested this, and could guarantee the return on investment (ROI) would be greater than the loss of the interest, then we would reap lower running costs year-on-year in the long term.

A SOLUTION TO MEET OUR NEEDS Deciding to completely revamp the sports facilities at Wyedean and Five Acres schools was a decision not to be taken lightly.

With the heavy financial implications, choosing the right organisation for the job was crucial. The new offering would need to stand up to thousands of students and members of the community using the gym and sports hall every day, so we knew it was essential to offer high-end quality facilities, without compromising on ease of maintenance and durability.

In late 2007, we were introduced to

Andy Barge, Forest of Dean Council

According to research by Psychological Medicine, if people engage in regular intense activity from childhood, they will perform better in mental tests at the age of 50. With this in mind, and with 30 per cent of children aged between two and 15 overweight or obese in the UK, it is imperative that schools are providing their students with sufficient gym and sports facilities. In a time of budgetary constraints though, how can schools still afford to improve their fitness offering and see a return on investment? Andy Barge, group manager for Forest of Dean District Council based in Coleford, Gloucestershire explains how he helped to support local schools Wyedean and Five Acres do this

Createability by Alliance Leisure Services who funded and project managed the facility developments. Based on Createability’s extensive experience and in depth knowledge of the design and build of dual use facilities, they were appointed for both projects.

AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT The existing sports hall viewing area and single squash court at Wyedean was converted into a fitness suite, which included a studio space and a junior gym. The sports hall’s roof was replaced, the changing rooms were upgraded and changing ‘pods’ for the public were built to effectively manage the social mix of local residents and students during the daytime.

In the majority of schools, space is important. Aside from being used for their primary function, sports halls are often used for assemblies, exams, fetes, and concerts too. Therefore, space that isn’t being used efficiently needs to be reassessed. At Five E

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SPORT to compete with private sector leisure centres, offering high-end quality facilities at public sector prices.

The refurbishments have also resulted in plenty of occasions after school hours where students, staff and the public are all using the sports facilities, bringing the whole community together.

Several studies have shown a positive correlation between exercise and good behaviour in young people, “According to the stimulation seeking theory, low arousal represents an unpleasant physiological state. In line with this theory, antisocial individuals purposely engage in antisocial and aggressive acts in an attempt to increase stimulation and achieve more agreeable arousal levels. If the function of antisocial behaviour is to increase physiological arousal levels, then exposing antisocial individuals to functionally equivalent forms of arousing situations (e.g. aerobic exercise) should result in a reduction in maladaptive behaviours.” (Folino, 2011). On account of the new facilities, both schools have reported a marked reduction in anti-social behaviour and greater self esteem in their students.

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE We are pleased to announce we are looking to enlarge the fitness facilities at our largest dual use site in Lydney. With high membership figures, we want to be able to offer the school and the local community state of the art facilities to continue to foster a love of sport.

Furthermore, over the next five years the town is set to grow substantially so we aim to attract new residents. We feel confident that another investment will reap the same rewards.

g Decidin tely le to comp e sports th revamp at Wyedean s facilitie Acres schools e and Fiv decision not was a e taken to b ly light

 Acres, the lounge bar area on the first floor was vastly underutilised and for the space it took up, was not generating anywhere near the level of income it should have been.

Justifiably, a decision was made to convert this into a fitness area for families. The area was completely stripped, joists were reinforced, air conditioning installed, new flooring was laid and everything was redecorated.

COUNTING THE BENEFITS Membership uptake has significantly increased since the renovations at both sites and much to the schools’ and the council’s delight, Wyedean and Five Acres are able

CONCLUSION Schools and local authorities need to be actively committed to raising the profile of sport and healthy living in their communities. Working alongside Five Acres and Wyedean School to create successful working sports facilities has raised a collective sense of pride. While the benefits can be clearly measured in monetary terms and increased membership uptake, there is no greater benefit than a happier, healthier community. L

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Team GB Olympic Swimmers dive in with local schoolchildren at the Plymouth Life Centre Primary School Physical Wellbeing Scheme Pilot Everyone Active is working with ten primary schools in West Lindsey to deliver activity sessions, exercise and nutrition education. The scheme, called Sporting FUNdamentals, is being initially funded by the National Lottery, and is operating in partnership with West Lindsey District Council, Phoenix Weight Management and Healthy Schools. 270 children participated in the programme, with the pilot term finishing in July 2013. 70% of children who completed the term had improved, by 17% for fitness and by 21% for healthy eating.

Sporting FUNdamentals is an inclusive scheme that aims to improve levels of physical wellbeing without singling out individuals for special attention. Daventry, Plymouth and Ashfield areas are earmarked for the next stage of the scheme, with the hope of rolling the scheme out to more of its 34 local authority areas soon.

FLAME Leisure Centre of the Year Award Fareham Leisure Centre was crowned Leisure Centre of the Year for the second time at the ukactive FLAME Awards.

The competition was fierce – especially with five other centres managed by Everyone Active on the shortlist.

Ian Cook, Leisure Centre Manager said, “We are delighted to have been named Leisure Centre of the Year 2013.

“Our staff have shown a dedication to our customers that is second to none and this commitment has been recognised with this national award for a second time. It’s testament to all the hard work that we have put in for many years and the fantastic team of colleagues working throughout the centre delivering the Everyone Active experience.”

Everyone Active has previously been awarded FLAME’s Leisure Operator of the Year award for three years running, in 2010, 2011 and 2012, as well as the Amateur Swimming Association’s Operator of the Year, and numerous QUEST, National Fitness Awards and Health Club Awards.

Everyone Active secures new contracts to manage leisure services The biggest local authority contract in the leisure industry has recently been won by Everyone Active, adding 14 centres in Brent, Ealing and Harrow to its management portfolio. Contracts have also been secured with Cotswold District Council, Aylesbury Vale District Council and Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council in 2013. With the addition of the Brent, Ealing and Harrow centres, for which management is being transferred in the coming months on a centre by centre basis, the total number of centres Everyone Active operate will be 94, with effective dual-use management demonstrated across many contract areas.

25 Years Getting Everyone Active

GB Olympic Athletes Help Deliver School Sports Legacy in Sutton Health and fitness professionals from Everyone Active and Fit For Sport have joined forces with schools in Sutton and nearby London boroughs to create a legacy of sport, competition and community engagement.

GB Olympic athletes – gymnast Beth Tweddle and swimmer Steve Parry – helped inspire 1,000 7-11 year‑olds in an exciting day of sport and activity at the Everyone Active David Weir Leisure Centre in Sutton.

The Legacy Games aims to deliver the legacy of sport that was promised to children after London 2012.

Fit for Sport, the UK’s leading provider of children’s activities, and Everyone Active have pledged to work together to engage and keep active 500,000 children across the UK in sport and activity to encourage a healthy, active lifestyle.

The Sutton Legacy Games, in partnership with Sutton County Council, is their first joint venture and marks the start of this national initiative. The events are funded by Everyone Active and Fit For Sport, so will remain free for all taking part.

The youngsters tried a range of activities and learned about the benefits of leading a healthy lifestyle. Olympic silver medallist Beth Tweddle took part in an opening ceremony and mass warm up to inspire the children and prepare them for the day ahead. The day ended with the children receiving awards from Beth Tweddle and Steve Parry in a closing ceremony.

Olympic Gymnast Beth Tweddle giving out medals at the Legacy Games

We’re celebrating 25 years of helping the nation get active. At home, at work, or in one of our leisure centres, our mission is to encourage everyone to get at least 30 minutes of physical activity, five times per week. We aim to provide the widest range of activities, the best customer experience and the most comprehensive activity programmes in the UK leisure industry today. We support many schools to help deliver activity for pupils. We also operate facilities for dual use and hire space to schools for swimming lessons, sports sessions, or group exercise. Our Fit For Sport partnership is helping us run the Legacy Games activity days to deliver our joint pledge of engaging and keeping active half a million children. We also have a successful apprenticeship programme for people embarking on a career in the leisure industry.

To find out more about Everyone Active’s school partnerships, visit www.everyoneactive.com or contact the business development team at businessdevelopment@everyoneactive.com / 01455 890508

SCHOOL SPORTS

EVERYONE ACTIVE AND FIT FOR SPORT LAUNCH INITIATIVE TO DELIVER SPORTS LEGACY

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Fitness and activity professionals from Everyone Active and Fit for Sport joined forces with schools and Olympic athletes to kick off a nationwide series of sport, competition and community events Everyone Active and Fit for Sport teamed up with schools in Sutton and nearby London boroughs to create a legacy of sport in June.

They were joined by GB Olympic athletes gymnast Beth Tweddle and swimmer Steve Parry, who both visited the Everyone Active David Weir Leisure Centre in Carshalton, Surrey, to inspire seven to 11-year-olds for an exciting day of sport and activity.

The Legacy Games initiative aims to deliver the legacy of sport that was promised to

children after London 2012. Fit for Sport, provider of children’s activities and national leisure centre operator Everyone Active has pledged to work together to engage and keep children active across the UK to encourage a healthy, active lifestyle.

FIRST JOINT VENTURE The Legacy Games, in partnership with the Borough of Sutton, was their first joint venture and marked the start of this national initiative.

“Our school was lucky enough to attend the ‘Sutton Schools Legacy Games’ at the David Weir Leisure Centre and we enjoyed being part of this large event, joining hundreds of children from other schools,” said Meghan Tomacki from Sutton’s Robin Hood Junior School. “The event gave the children the chance to challenge themselves, work together in teams and feel the excitement of competing. They learned a great deal and returned to school very motivated.”

Fit for Sport is the UK’s leading healthy lifestyle activities provider and has over 20 years’ experience in delivering children’s and family activities, working with schools,

parents and leisure operators. It is committed to engaging and educating children, young people and their families on the benefits of leading a healthy lifestyle through activity.

“The combination of games-based activities and more specific sports were designed to encourage children of all abilities to take part and try their best,” said Fit for Sport CEO and founder Dean Horridge.

“To ensure a lasting legacy, it is vital that we work together to engage children in activity through participation: this will encourage them to lead a healthy, active life and take up a sport.”

CLOSING CEREMONY The youngsters tried a range of activities and sports. Beth Tweddle took part in the mass warm-up and presented medals at the end of the day in a closing ceremony, alongside fellow Olympian Steve Parry.

“The children were excited to see Beth Tweddle at the warm-up,” continued Meghan Tomacki. “They enjoyed a morning of outdoor athletics and in the afternoon they did team-building challenges and learned about a healthy diet. The day ended with the fastest runners from all the schools racing in the finals. We fielded both a girls and boys relay team and there was great excitement as the competitors were cheered on. Our girls won medals and had them presented by Beth.”

“It was fantastic to see so many children getting active and being engaged in sport,” says Duncan Jefford, Everyone Active South East regional director. “Like everyone, I was excited by the promise of a legacy of sport for children after London 2012. But the reality is communities, councils, leisure venues and sports providers must work together to make

this happen. Projects such as the Sutton Legacy Games will send out positive message.”

KEY STRATEGIES Everyone Active manages 93 leisure venues in partnership with 34 local authorities nationwide, stretching from the north in Redcar and Cleveland, to Mid Suffolk in the east, Fareham in the south and Plymouth in the south-west.

Working with Fit for Sport and schools to develop appropriate activities and events – either at an Everyone Active leisure centre or in schools themselves – is one of the key strategies identified for making the biggest impact, and ensuring generations to come have the physical literacy and joy of activity needed for a healthy, active lifestyle.

Legacy Games events are funded by Everyone Active and Fit for Sport, so will remain completely free for all taking part.

Transport between your school and an Everyone Active leisure centre is also provided for all students signed up to the events.

The next Legacy Games event is scheduled for 3 October in Watford Leisure Centre Woodside, where a further 1,000 children are being invited to take part.

To watch a video of the event, search for “Legacy Games 2013” on YouTube. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.fitforsport.co.uk

“To ensure a lasting legacy, it is vital we work together to engage children in activity through participation: this will encourage them to lead a healthy, active life and take up a sport” Volume 18.5 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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MUSIC

Boosting attainment levels, encouraging team working, and improving behaviour are just some of the ways music can benefit your school, argues Virginia Haworth-Galt, chief executive of Music Mark, the UK Association for Music Education Music can say a lot about a school and an increasing number of schools benefit from the transformational power that music brings.

A child’s education that embraces music starts in train a life-long journey that for many never leaves them. This gift of music is part of the DNA of whole life development and is a cultural anchor for young people.

Aside from the individual benefit to children and young people there is a new inspection framework which requires schools to develop deep professional effectiveness resulting in further improvements in pupil learning.

WHAT MUSIC BRINGS TO A SCHOOL Music Mark has produced a summary of 10 things that all schools should know about music. Firstly, music boosts attainment levels.

A musical school is a successful school and time and again music has proved to be the catalyst that makes a good school exceptional.

When music is allowed to permeate the school curriculum it has a positive effect on all aspects of the schools’ learning and enhances the reputation of the school and its pupils.

Music improves learning skills.

Research undertaken by the University of London has clearly demonstrated the cognitive benefits that music gives young children particularly in the younger years of Key Stages 1 and 2.

Music fosters team working as playing in small groups, whole classes or in any ensemble or orchestra means you are

a part of an integrated team. Everyone has a role however large or small and this inter-dependency helps to build team working and a sense of ownership.

SOCIAL SKILLS Music enhances social skills and playing an instrument or learning to sing requires genuine concentration and quietness and calm (on stage or in the classroom).

Working alongside other members of an instrumental or singing group helps children to recognise their own skills and appreciate those of others.

Music underpins better behaviour because in order to learn music you need discipline and to play well requires regular practice and dedication. There are many occasions where music has had a transformational effect on children and helped turn their lives around and research by the QCA in 2002 – ‘Investigation ArtsRich Schools’ has shown that success in the arts, including music, changed pupils’ behaviour, increasing concentration levels, developing team work and creating respect for the school environment.

Music stimulates creativity in many ways through playing and composition and enables

young people to express themselves. It is a vital part of learning and a wonderful cultural introduction to life. To succeed today and in the future, children will need to be inventive, resourceful and imaginative. The best way to foster that creativity is through arts education. “Performance enhances freedom of expression and offers both pupils and schools the excitement and prestige of demonstrating their hard won skills whether in the classroom or in public. Music is often the demonstrable embodiment of both parental and school aspirations,” stated the President’s committee on the arts & humanities 2011 report ‘Reinvesting in arts education: winning America’s future through creative schools.’

Written by Virginia Haworth-Galt, chief executive of the UK Association for Music Education – Music Mark

HOW CAN MUSIC ENHANCE YOUR SCHOOL?

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THE START OF A JOURNEY Music is for life and an early start in music often results in music becoming a life-long passion. Whilst not all students go on to play in concert orchestras or famous rock bands the seeds sown in the classroom continue to flourish for a life time of musical enjoyment.

What’s more, music is an educational building block and Michael Gove believes that ‘music is an enriching and valuable academic subject.’

Research evidence shows that a quality music education can improve self‑confidence, behaviour and social skills as well as improve academic achievement in areas such as numeracy, literacy and language. E

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Music

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Help children find their voice with Alan Simmons Music It is well-known that it’s easier to learn things when you sing them. Singing helps to instil confidence and feelings of unity, transforms school life, improves learning and builds stronger communities.

But the problem is finding new songs that are suitable and relevant to curriculum subjects, assemblies and celebrations, without paying for a songbook or membership.

The Song Library from Alan Simmons Music is a new singing resource for teachers. Offering great value, with no commitment, this is a library of single songs that cost just £1.75 each.

These songs can be bought and downloaded instantly, and used for years. Each song comes with a backing track, performance track, words, piano accompaniment and teaching notes.

Song Library was created by renowned expert in music

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education Alan Simmons, whose knowledge and experience mean that songs are relevant to the curriculum, and are designed to support and develop children’s voices.

So isn’t it about time you put singing at the heart of your school life, for very little outlay? Find out more, browse the Song Library and listen to sound files today.

The Template Company: assured productivity The Template Company specialises in making Microsoft Office work for you.

If you’ve asked any of these questions, The Template Company will have a solution for you: Does paperwork reduce the time you have for your students?

Do you find yourself retyping the same information?

Is completing a form “just too much effort”?

Do you have a feeling that there “must be a better way”?

Customised templates with the aim of productivity is a good thing, so ensuring elements from your identity guidelines are implemented to also “be on brand” is a natural outcome.

A spokesperson for the company said: “Similar

organisations tend to have similar core processes and we would like to bring those organisations together and standardise processes while enabling effective branding that will bring out the individualism of the organisations.”

Staff at The Template Company have a passion for what they do. If they can get people out of admin tasks and back into the real work of education then this passion can be applied to help educators pursue theirs.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 01733 475710 enquiries@thetemplate company.co.uk www.thetemplate company.co.uk

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 01924 830 670 www.alansimmonsmusic.com

Students can leap ahead and choose the best universities for them

Starshine Music: musicals and songs for children

Do your students struggle to pick the best universities? Does your sixth form team find it difficult to track where each student has got to in making their choices? Unifrog can help.

Firstly, the award-winning tool pushes students to choose universities offering a range of entry requirements. This deals with the common problems of students forgetting to pick a safe choice, or not picking courses that are realistic, given their likely grades.

Unifrog also offers complete, upto-date, course-specific data on all undergraduate courses in the UK, so that students can work out exactly which courses will suit them best. Students can easily compare courses on everything from average starting salaries to the distance from their home.

Further, Unifrog suggests similar subjects to the ones students think they want to apply for. This avoids the

Starshine Music publishes shows and songs for schools, choirs and youth theatre groups.

About 60 per cent of UK primary schools (and hundreds of international schools) have performed at least one of Starshine Music’s 50 shows and cantatas.

The company seeks to provide top-quality materials for children.

Starshine Music’s catalogue ranges from the cute to the sublime: from the ever-popular “A Wriggly Nativity” (KS1/ EYFS) to an excellent adaptation of “The Tempest” (KS2/KS3) and a stunning choral piece “RoQuiem” (KS2/KS3 and KS4), with “Panto Pandemonium” somewhere in the middle!

Further additions to the catalogue that are coming soon include: “This Way to Bethlehem”, a cute new nativity for KS1; nine carols and readings,

problem of students tending to choose over-subscribed subjects.

And, uniquely, the tool allows teachers to keep track of which students have done their research already, and what their final choices are. This saves teachers hours in chasing students to do the research.

It’s no surprise that Ro Sylvester, head of Sixth Form at London’s Highbury Grove School, says: “Unifrog is amazing. It’s what we’ve all been waiting for.”

FURTHER INFORMATION coralie@unifrog.org www.unifrog.org

EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE | Volume 18.5

a fantastic new carol concert; a unique musical app based on “A Wriggly Nativity” and a musical interactive eBook based on “I-Spy Christmas”; “Move It!”, an innovative dance-orientated musical for 8-13 year-olds to perform, with great music, dynamic script and a set of cards to illustrate dance moves.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 0844 846 4812 info@starshine.co.uk www.starshine.co.uk

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MUSIC  And let’s not forget that music is fun.

It’s not only good for the brain but also the heart and young people enjoy the pleasure of mastering a tune or a song and the prestige and stimulation of a first performance in front of an audience is an adrenalin rush that is never forgotten.

MUSIC IS INCLUSIVE Music is for everyone as it is inclusive irrespective of ability. Studies have shown that music can be of particular benefit to children and young people in challenging circumstances – not only those with Special Educational Needs and disabilities but also those who are marginalised, vulnerable and often hard to reach. Music gives SEN/Disabled children a unique motivation to participate and communicate and advances in technology enable more disabled children than ever to take part in music education. The channels of touch, sight and sound that music offers can also have a profound impact on children who benefit from a therapeutic approach.

EMBEDDING MUSIC INTO YOUR SCHOOL Schools can support pupils musically through the pupil premium and Wiltshire Music Service suggests the following strategic approach to really embed music into your school.

Start Early. Music making in Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 develops key social and musical skills early on in a child’s learning. Learning music helps pupils to settle into schools and settings and access the whole curriculum more easily. Schools have reported improved social cohesion of groups of children and significantly enhanced listening skills and focus of the whole class.

As a follow on from Key Stage 1 music, or as a stand-alone scheme, Key Stage 2 Wider Opportunities has had a big impact on enjoyment and participation in music, and not just with the children. The scheme encourages the teachers to learn alongside the children, and exposes them to a variety of different instruments and new skills.

After Wider Opportunities the next step is to increase their knowledge and skills by

About Music Mark taking up an instrument. Many schools make a charge for these lessons which means that for some young people this is not an option.

Learning in a group makes lessons affordable and allows your school to assist more young people through the pupil premium. Some pupils will require an individual lesson but many pupils prefer to learn in a group and experience their first real taste of ‘ensemble playing’. Learning with friends incorporates a social dimension and they support one another.

Offer a bursary to a gifted and talented young musician to help pupils pursue their passion for music and fulfil their musical potential.

Succeeding in music takes dedication but young people also need instruments and lessons. For these young people progress is not just musical and your local music education hub will use its contacts to ensure that personal progress is not lost through lack of opportunity elsewhere.

THE TOP OF YOUR VOICE Whole class singing involves the most inclusive form of music making. Specialist singing teachers know just how to inspire and develop young voices, and make it fun and develop performance material for concerts, end of term services and assemblies.

Start a choir as singing produces communities of people who trust each other and cooperate together. For inspiration, resources and training contact your local Music Education Hub. Create a band or a school music club as band members and music club participants enjoy taking part and making their own music. Capitalise on their enthusiasm and watch their self confidence and self esteem grow and band or club members build better relationships with their peers.

MUSIC OUT-OF-HOURS Support pupils to join an out-of-school band, orchestra or choir at a local music centre.

Music Education Hubs and Music Services have a huge range of opportunities on offer; catering for all age groups and all ability levels. Support pupils by paying their subscription and/or arranging transport.

Buy in a creative music workshop to develop Merton Music Foundation

The UK Association for Music Education – Music Mark is the leading subject association for music and is a new charitable, independent organisation (built on the foundations of the Federation of Music Services and the National Association of Music Educators).

Music Education

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It represents and supports Music Services, Music Hubs and over 12,000 instrumental and classroom music teachers, music tutors, assistants plus consultants, advisers, inspectors and lecturers in Initial Teacher Education. It supports the highest quality music education for all and aim to provide a unified voice for all those involved in music education and to improve the learning and personal outcomes for children and young people in and out of schools.

your pupils’ musicianship and performance skills and help your pupils to express themselves in sound via a song-writing day, themed musical activities to fit in with arts week or a particular topic, to experiencing a samba band or recording a CD. Regional Music Education Hubs and Music Services have a pool of highly skilled practitioners to support your school in developing high quality music making opportunities.

Purchase music technology equipment and software and let your pupils create their own tracks. Music Technology and contemporary music is a great way of bringing young people together. This is a particularly effective way to engage hard to reach and vulnerable or at-risk young people who are not currently accessing provision.

Finally, as the leading subject association for music Music Mark has introduced a School Development and Support Programme, providing a framework for improving the quality of music in schools, within and beyond the curriculum. The programme aims to recognise and promote high quality music teaching and learning and helps schools to improve the quality of music education. The programme also helps schools to reflect on their music education provision and enhance music’s contribution to children and young people’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and school improvement.

Designed by music education experts the programme provides advice, guidance and tailored support to improve outcomes as well as access to expert resources and networks and recognition through opportunities to share successes with other schools on the programme. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.musicmark.org.uk

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Advertisement Feature

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FACILITIES MANAGEMENT

DISABLED TOILET FACILITIES IN EDUCATIONAL BUILDINGS

With 60 per cent of statemented children now in mainstream education, Robin Tuffley of Clos-o-Mat looks at the considerations and specifications for better school toilets should feel “…that their needs are respected and met… in areas such as toilets…”

The Bog Standard Campaign has found that where schools provide quality toilets, pupils respect that commitment.

The key documents covering accessible school toilets are BB102, Building Regulations Approved Document M 2013, and BS8300:2009.

The number of disabled children has increased by 62 per cent in the past 25 years. One child in 20 under the age of 16 is disabled and some 60 per cent of statemented children are now in mainstream schooling. Over 20,000 students have a disability – almost 6 per cent of the student population. Yet, according to research by the Bog Standard Campaign for better school toilets, 57 per cent of schools surveyed did not have any disabled toilets.

By law (under the Equality Act 2010, which replaces the Disability Discrimination Act 1995), service providers are required to make reasonable changes – including to the built environment – where a disabled person would otherwise be at a substantial disadvantage.

Previously, such changes were only required if it was impossible or unreasonably difficult for the person to access or use the service.

BOG STANDARD CAMPAIGN Further, Statutory Instrument No 2 specifies the number of toilets that pupils must have and lays down a minimum of one toilet for every 20 pupils over the age of five. The number of toilet facilities must be adequate having regard to age, gender, and any special requirements.

The Priority Schools Building Programme Facilities output specification requires pupils

KEY DESIGN POINTS In summary, schools should have a combination of: standard toilet cubicles; larger toilet cubicles for children who need more space to use training aids or mobility aids; wheelchair accessible toilets; specially equipped hygiene rooms for changing and showering those with severe physical or profound and multiple disabilities; and separate facilities from those for staff/visitors.

In educational establishments, key design points are: enough room for non-ambulant children to move around and for staff to help, taking into account manual handling and transfer arrangements, including the use of hoists; fixtures and fittings should be robust and at an appropriate height (may need to be adjustable); and the layout, fixtures and fittings should help children learn personal skills.

These points also include: screening needs to allow for supervision whilst maintaining privacy; where a school has pupils with motor disabilities, particular attention paid to fittings, to encourage their use considering both dexterity and reach; hygiene rooms need to provide a comfortable environment with room for assisted changing (12-20m²); shower facilities may be included in toilets, changing rooms and hygiene rooms and should be level access and include a shower seat or a mobile shower chair; and accessible hygiene rooms/ changing rooms have a peninsular toilet, wheelchair accessible shower/shower trolley, and height-adjustable changing bed.

CHANGING PLACES FACILITY Under BS8300:2009 and Approved Document M, it is further recommended there should be a Changing Places facility in any larger building where the public has access in numbers of where visitors might be expected to spend longer periods of time, and specifically itemises

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educational establishments among those.

A Changing Places toilet is similar to a hygiene room, and involves the creation of a larger, better equipped accessible toilet compared to Document M versions, which only address the needs of someone who can use the toilet facilities unaided.

POSITIVE RESULTS Each Changing Places toilet aims to meet the needs of people who require a carer to assist them and provides, as a minimum: the right equipment, such as a height-adjustable adult-sized changing bench, height-adjustable wash basin, and track or mobile hoist system; enough space to enable manoeuvring for the disabled person and up to two carers, for a centrally located (peninsular) toilet with room on either side for carers, and a screen or curtain to allow some privacy; a safe and clean environment, ie wide tear-off paper to cover the bench, a large waste bin and non-slip floor.

Wakefield College is just one educational centre that has invested in meeting all the requirements, and is seeing positive results.

The College is seeing a noticeable increase in

the number of disabled students applying to and attending, since it opened its of hygiene rooms and a Changing Places toilet – all supplied by Clos-o-Mat – at its new Castleford Campus (formerly skillsXchange).

A spokesman for Wakefield College said: “Our inclusive accommodation strategy aims to ensure that physical access is a major priority in all new developments.

The provision of the hygiene rooms has been a major benefit to the students: the rooms are used every hour of every College day.” L FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 0161 969 1199 info@clos-o-mat.com www.clos-o-mat.com

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SEN PROVISION

IN A NUTSHELL: THE PUPIL PREMIUM

The Pupil Premium was introduced to address the current underlying inequalities between children eligible for free school meals and their peers. The total funding available through the Pupil Premium has risen from £625 million in 2011-12 to £1,875 billion in 2013-14, with a further rise to £2.5 billion in 2014-15. This currently equates to £900 per eligible pupil.

Schools are free to decide how to spend the Premium; the money is not ring-fenced.

However they will be held to account through performance tables, online reports to parents detailing the amount of pupil premium a schools has received and how the money has been spent and, of course, Ofsted inspections.

OFSTED RECOMMENDATIONS Ofsted recommends that school leaders and governors should ensure that Pupil Premium funding is separated from mainstream budgets. A thorough evaluation of the Premium should be carried out by schools with particular focus on how the Premium is spent and whether this has an impact on the achievement of eligible pupils, with schools ensuring that the Premium is only spent on pupils that are eligible.

In the 2012 autumn term, Ofsted visited a range of primary and secondary schools to see how effectively the schools were spending the funding to maximise achievement. This report draws together some of the effective practice that inspectors observed, and can be found on the Ofsted website (www.ofsted.gov.uk).

In addition to the report, Ofsted also produced a booklet containing a series of tools that schools can use to help them to analyse where there are gaps in achievement between pupils who are eligible for the Pupil Premium and those who are not, and to plan the action they need to take.

Further advice is available through The Sutton Trust, which has published online

Top tips for your website reporting 1. Keep it simple.

2. Make it anonymous.

3. Use percentages.

4. Detail income for previous year and current year.

5. Detail the impact.

independent guidance on how schools can use resources to improve the attainment of disadvantaged pupils. It summarises 30 topics in terms of their impact on attainment, the strength of evidence supporting them and their cost and can be found on the Trust’s website (www.suttontrust.com).

PROVIDING EFFECTIVE FEEDBACK Providing children with feedback on their performance can be very effective when it is focused on challenge tasks or goals and more on what is right than on what is wrong; overall feedback should encourage and help to build self-esteem.

Time should be made for feedback as all too often pupils are not given time to read and understand written feedback on their work. Teachers need to train pupils to identify their own strengths and weaknesses and develop a culture of self-review.

Teaching children strategies to motivate themselves and plan and monitor their own learning can be a high-impact

difficult were spending the least amount of time with the teacher and that teaching assistants were more likely to be focused on completing a task rather than prompting thinking and understanding.

The research did suggest that using well-trained TAs on small-group literacy and maths intervention programmes, demonstrated a significant impact (it could almost double the rate of progress). Equally, evidence suggests that when focused on the social and emotional aspects of learning they can have a significant impact on behaviour.

Additional support should be planned, wherever possible, with the teacher and the assistant discussing the lesson and their roles beforehand. Support should always be aimed at increasing pupils’ inclusion in the learning of the peer group and discretion is important so that pupils are not overwhelmed or embarrassed. Rather than continuous, the recommendation is that the additional support should be used at particular times for specific purposes within the lesson,

Written by Lorraine Petersen, CEO, nasen

The Pupil Premium was introduced in 2011 to raise the attainment of 1.8 million disadvantaged youngsters, along with a number of measures to scrutinise schools’ use of the additional funding.

Lorraine Petersen CEO of nasen, gives an overview of the key areas that schools should be aware of

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Ofsted recommends that school leaders and governors should ensure that Pupil Premium funding is separated from mainstream budgets. a thorough evaluation of the Premium should be carried out with a focus on how it is spent approach to raising the attainment of disadvantaged children. Strategies to consider include building a culture of self-assessment across your school to help encourage children to reflect on their own work.

Peer-tutoring and coaching with learning mentors can also help develop independence and develop children’s confidence in solving their own problems.

IMPROVE THE IMPACT OF TEACHING ASSISTANTS Ofsted found that the most common use of the Pupil Premium was in employing teaching assistants (TAs). However, worryingly, research from the Institute of Education identified that the more support a child received from a TA, the less progress a child made.

Their findings suggested that the children who found learning the most

should be linked to learning and should also be withdrawn for some of the time.

It should be common practice within the class where the teacher and TAs commonly work with a small group of pupils as part of lesson design, focusing on maximising pupils’ independence through engaging them and building confidence.

All support needs to be underpinned by an awareness of each child’s needs and knowledge of their individual targets, learning objectives and expected outcomes, along with planned activity to support these objectives. The support should also be able to contribute towards assessment for learning of particular pupils through observation and feedback to the teacher and pupil and that the TAs are trained adults who have a good understanding of the subject and teaching and learning strategies employed. E

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THE RIGHT ENVIRONMENT FUELS LEARNING We look beyond limitations of space to create, design and construct flexible, interactive environments that support different styles of learning and teaching, across all Key Stages of education, FE and HE. Working with educationalists, we’ve got access to a wealth of knowledge that allows us to deliver inspirational yet practical learning spaces and we also have a team of funding experts who can assist you with applications for capital funding and advise you on the best way to find grant, should you need it.

Our specialist teams have vast experience in delivering projects in live educational environments and understand the importance of maintaining timetable and curriculum. We’ll work closely with members of staff, pupils and other stakeholder groups to make them part of the process, keeping them fully involved throughout the programme.

Whether you want to us construct a brand new space or change the look and feel of an existing one, we bring a fully integrated solution covering construction, ICT, facilities management, fixtures, fittings and equipment, to deliver a sustainable and cost effective project.

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SEN PROVISION  PARENTAL AND GOVERNOR ENGAGEMENT As with all areas of children’s education, activities that encourage parents to support their children’s learning can be effective.

Parental engagement also forms an important part of the Ofsted inspection framework.

Strategies to consider include creating a welcoming environment for parents, ensuring that good news is sent home to parents and that their views are listened to.

In addition, schools can also consider running courses or workshops for parents to help develop their ability to provide home support. Along with parental engagement, it is imperative that schools inform their governing bodies of the Pupil

Next steps: create a plan for your Pupil Premium spend 1. Download and complete the Ofsted toolkit.

2. Decide how best you can use funding to impact on pupil outcomes.

3. Share your plan with your governing body and ensure they are engaged and knowledgeable about your plans.

4. Explore ways to encourage eligible parents to register their child for free school meals.

5. Update your school website to meets Pupil Premium requirements.

6. Ensure your school systems identify and track the progress of all pupils eligible for Pupil Premium.

7. Make sure the funding received through the Pupil Premium is identified within your budget.

8. Monitor the impact of your Pupil Premium spend to see whether it is narrowing the gap of achievement.

Premium allocation, along with identifying it in the school’s budget planning.

A clear and shared rationale for how the money is spent and what it should achieve must be communicated to all stakeholders including parents, but if funding is combined with other resources, schools should ensure that governors can isolate and check on the impact of the funding and ascertain the difference it is making on an ongoing basis.

School tracking systems and assessment of pupils’ progress should help them report to governors and other stakeholders such as parents on a regular basis to enable them to see clearly whether the gap in the performance of eligible pupils and other pupils is closing.

Overall, governors will need to know, and be able to intervene quickly, if outcomes are not improving in the way that they want them to.

The challenges facing schools in light of these reforms, whether SEN-specific or general, are considerable. With the absence of ring fencing for the Pupil Premium, perhaps the most important thing to consider is that an effective evolution of provision will require effective communication and planning, but that additional guidance and support will sit alongside this.

By involving themselves early in policy discussions, schools will be able to take part in the robust debate and formal or informal consultations to share experiences so that they can continue to refine best practices and identify the successful strategies. L

SEND community to influence policy in a series of unique national events Education and SEND professionals are invited to have their voices heard at a national level in a series of Department for Education (DfE) funded national learning events, hosted by Nasen.

The events will gather feedback from the education sector on the Draft and help the education community to gain a clearer understanding of the practical implications of the single category and additional SEN support.

The events will also enable education professionals and institutions to form vital collaborative links in order to share experiences, insight and advice.

Free to attend, places at the events will be allocated on a first-come, firstserved basis, and will take place at several locations across the country. For more information on how to attend, please visit www.nasen.org.uk/learningevents.

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FURTHER INFORMATION Visit www.nasen.org.uk for an outline of the new Ofsted inspection framework. For the SEND Green Paper visit www.ofsted.gov.uk and www.education.gov.uk

Schools are free to decide how to spend the Premium; the money is not ring-fenced.

However, they will be held to account through performance tables, online reports to parents and, of course, Ofsted inspections

Five Minute Box: can 4,000 schools be wrong?

On average, 20 per cent of children struggle with literacy and maths. So why are so many schools using Five Minute Boxes? Because they work!

The Five Minute Box for literacy, which employs phonics teaching methods, and the Number Box for numeracy, are easily managed, multi-sensory systems that can be put in place rapidly and effectively to teach and support literacy and numeracy in the classroom.

The Boxes are run by teaching assistants (TAs), making them far more effective, and they follow a progression of skills. Progress is easily assessed and monitored by the SENCO. The systems are recommended by most education authorities, with several introducing them across all their schools.

The Boxes are ideally suited for EAL and second language children, as well as any child that does not cope with the pace of class teaching. Research proves that children maintain good progress, and enjoy higher

self-esteem, after using the programmes, which is essential for being a good learner.

Both children and TAs love working with the Boxes, which work alongside existing systems and are suited to comply with the government’s recent green paper on special needs teaching.

Thousands of children in thousands of schools are currently benefiting from using Five Minute Boxes so there really is no reason why we cannot help our nation’s “failing” children to succeed.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 01442 878629 fiveminutebox@aol.com www.fiveminutebox.co.uk

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TABLETS

THE TABLET REVOLUTION

Written by Mark Orchison, 9ine Consulting

It’s easy to forget that the iPad only launched in January 2010; now around one fifth of the UK’s population is expected to own a tablet by the New Year. Meanwhile, figures released in May this year showed that the number of tablets in England’s schools is expected to be around 260,000 by the end of this year and that almost a third of students will have access to a tablet by the year 2020. Demand, it seems, is growing very quickly indeed. So what do schools need to consider when introducing a successful one-to-one scheme?

Mark Orchison, managing director of 9ine Consulting, examines the issue

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The UK is not unique in its move towards tablets in education by any stretch; a recent report by the International Data Corporation found that most United States (US) schools are testing tablet devices, an increase of 103 per cent over the last year. Emerging economies in Asia and Eastern Europe have also announced the adoption of tablets in schools, including South Korea, India, Kazakhstan and Turkey, while trials have also begun in France, Japan, Singapore and Australia.

But it’s not enough to simply introduce tablets; realising the full benefits of tablets in education requires a well thought out strategy and a shift in pedagogical behaviour. “The main pitfall is spending loads of money with no plan, no objectives and no idea what they are buying them for or how they will use them,” says Matt Britland, head of ICT at Kingston Grammar School. “Before schools implement their one-to-one program it must be very well planned. There needs to be solid infrastructure, training needs to be addressed, consideration on how the classroom/ teaching could change and it is so important to decide on a vision, aims and objectives.”

TABLETS FOR SCHOOLS Simon Thomas, practice director at 9ine Consulting, works with several schools on one-to-one schemes and provides advice for the not-for-profit initiative Tablets for Schools. He says identifying your vision is the crucial first step; “Create and share your vision then share this with all your key stakeholders, clearly explaining the main teaching and learning drivers for developing a tablet one-to-one delivery model. For example, is your vision to support the development of 21st Century Skills, provide improved access to technology, an additional tool to enhance learning in the classroom, to reduce your fixed IT costs, or maybe it is because your competitors are doing this? It is important that everyone involved understands and shares the vision and aspirations.”

After this, defining your learning culture is the next step, according E

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TABLETS

 to Simon; “Some schools may be creative by culture able to handle a fast pace of change while others are more traditional, preferring low-risk, familiarity and a slower pace of change? Consider the profile of your users, especially staff.”

IMPLEMENTING TABLETS IN SCHOOLS Getting to the bottom of how a successful one-to-one scheme should be implemented is the focus of a study currently being conducted by Family Kids and Youth (FK&Y), on behalf of Tablets for Schools. Since September 2011, FK&Y have examined one-to-one schemes at three state-funded secondary schools: Honywood Community Science Academy in Essex; Wallace High School, Belfast; and Longfield Academy, Kent. The research also included a ‘control’ school in a similar catchment area, Alec Hunter Humanities College in Braintree, Essex, and two primary schools within the catchment area, St Peter’s Primary School and St Andrew’s Primary School.

In total, 18 focus groups were held with pupils, teachers and parents, and the research identified one of the initial challenges to schools as the readiness of their technology infrastructures, a vital consideration for schools. With the JANET6 super-network expected to arrive in autumn of this year, the possibilities are great for schools, but Wi-Fi networks also need to be strong enough to cope. “The infrastructure is very important to a school’s short and long-term plans for integrating tablets,” says Simon.

“Bandwidth, or Internet connectivity, is just as important and we have found in many cases schools without robust Wi-Fi

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Schools need to figure out how much coverage they require. Mobile devices allow learning to be delivered and taken in new spaces and locations and Internet services can struggle to embed tablets within their learning community due to technical or connectivity issues.”

The readiness of the school network should be gauged with some key criteria in mind, says Simon. “Schools need to figure out how much coverage they require. Mobile devices allow learning to be delivered and taken in new spaces and locations. Density also plays a part in this; the number of devices schools can have connected in a location at one time is a vital point. Classrooms and established learning spaces are easier to estimate but many of the schools we work with take the opportunity to deliver larger teaching groups in new spaces for collaborative learning because their technology is now mobile. No one wants this to be hindered, or not possible, because of poor connectivity.”

good advice, established solutions, costs, professional scoping, evaluation of your learning spaces, professional installation by qualified installers and, importantly, testing and evaluation by your users before sign of or payment. A professional, credible Wi-Fi supplier or reseller should work with you to ensure the solution is right for your short and long term plans.”

So how should schools approach this?

Mark and Simon both cite references as all important, along with contacting other schools undertaking one-to-one schemes.

“Shared expertise is really key,” says Simon.

“Speaking to other schools is very useful, and schools should seek independent advice if they aren’t sure, or are unclear about the technical elements such as internal or externally hosted controllers.”

BRING YOUR OWN DEVICE Mark Howell from Meru Networks agrees; “If a school has a vision for one-to-one mobile learning with tablets, and is encouraging students to bring in their own devices too, then schools must do their research. There are dozens of wireless manufacturers to choose from, all with differing offerings. Senior leadership teams (SLT) and IT teams in schools are not often wireless experts as they have so many competing priorities to deal with.”

Marks thoughts are echoed by Simon: “How you get there will be often come down to

TEACHER RECEPTION Once infrastructure is found to be in place, teacher training is the next crucial step. The Tablets for Schools study saw varying approaches amongst the schools it studied, but identified the drive and determination of the school leadership teams as the key to facilitating the change.

Teachers at Longfield Academy were given tablets before the device was given to pupils, which it found to be an important factor in resolving any uncertainties teachers might have had, and was a means to build E

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TABLETS  confidence. The Academy, which favoured iPads, also received training from Apple Distinguished Educators (ADEs). The leadership reported varying levels of engagement with the tablet from teachers, something they had expected, but they reported that there had been a shift in thinking from those teachers who had previously been sceptical of the introduction of tablets, or even ambivalent about using technology, discovering that the tablet was in fact less daunting than they had anticipated.

Meanwhile, Wallace High School, like Honywood and Longfield, also felt that using the tablet was the best way to become confident and learn its capabilities. The training offered by suppliers can often be one of the distinguishing factors when deciding which tablets to use, along with the operating platform, especially since this can determine the level of access to apps.

A CHANGE IN TEACHING Practices in the classroom also changed with the introduction of tablets. At Honywood, the study identified a profound philosophical shift to an emphasis on independent learning, and teachers’ facilitation of pupil autonomy.

The change was described by some teachers as a ‘rebranding’ process, which they felt had altered the way both teachers and pupils thought about school. Independent learning

was identified as a major benefit across all schools involved in the study, partly because of the enthusiasm with which the students accepted the technology.

The Honywood teachers felt that teaching pupils how to be independent and autonomous was important to prepare them for the world beyond secondary school, arguing that this led to increased motivation and a deeper level of learning. One language teacher explained how her pupils were more motivated by learning to say what they wanted to express in their own words, using the language being taught, instead of a list of pre-prescribed words. Other teachers agreed that the tablet was giving pupils more resources and making them less dependent on teachers’ continual instructions.

Simon’s advice is to invest in ‘inspire moments’; “Show the education community what can be achieved from teachers and learners who are already on this journey. If

At od, the o w y n o H ntified e d i y d stu und a profo al shift phic philoso emphasis to an pendent on inderning lea

Tablets: current models and operating systems Since the launch of the iPad, there has been plenty of additions to the tablet marketplace. Education Business takes a look at current tablet models and operating systems APPLE IPAD Apple’s iconic iPad device has created a huge demand for tablet computing. Early adoption by educational institutions in the UK has seen whole schools kit out their students with the device. The intuitive interface is very user friendly and the range of new educational applications grows almost daily. Key advantages include the high quality touchscreen, ease of use, reliable operating system and good battery life and performance. Its main limitations are that it is proprietary, single source hardware with a lack of support for existing content, connectivity and network resources. Limited configurability, means it is difficult to secure and costly to manage and provision content on multiple devices.

The latest iPad sports the new dual core A5X processor with quad-core graphics, and a ‘Retina Display’ with a resolution of 2,048 by 1,536 pixels.This is over 50 percent more

schools are investing in staff training they should try and move away from traditional CPD models, creating a coffee shop culture of collaboration. Remember that tablets provide mobility so your staff development can be anywhere and anytime but you must provide the staff time to engage with this new culture.”

Ultimately, implementing new schemes is not easy and there will be challenges. But providing schools have mitigated all the risks as best they can, are prepared to adapt and change when necessary and have provided all the key stakeholders with the time and remit to deliver, then the changes can make it all worthwhile.

The research project found that the tablets improved pupils’ ability to research, make informed judgments and present their ideas and learning in a way that facilitated their understanding. Meanwhile, teachers were able to use easily accessible learning resources and adapt them to subject, lesson and environment, while being aware of the individual needs of pupils. With the research project’s next stage due in the autumn term, expected to include quantitative figures, all eyes are on the schools in question; but evidence to date shows that schools, pupils, teachers and parents are all benefiting. L

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pixels than a standard 1,920 by 1,080 high definition TV screen. As with previous iPads, there are two models, in this case a Wi-Fi only model and a Wi-Fi + 3G model and different configurations for internal storage.

Soon after the iPad was released, it was reported that 81 per cent of the top book apps were for children. The iPad has also been called a ‘revolutionary’ tool to help children with autism learn how to communicate and socialise more easily.

ANDROID TABLETS Based on Google’s open source OS, many top manufactures including Samsung, Sony, Motorola, Lenovo, Toshiba, Acer and Asus have released high quality tablet computers running the Android OS, which is open source and also used on third generation phones, as is Apple’s iOS. on their iPhone. The main advantage Android has is that because there are multiple

hardware manufacturers and varied price points, a greater and cheaper range of devices are available. Most support Adobe Flash content and external USB devices.

There is also a greater level of support for network resource and connectivity. The flexible OS allows customisation and easier management and control, and ther is a growing range of educational applications, many of which are free, appearing.

The website at www.android4schools. com contains handy reviews of apps (mostly free ones) that are appropriate for use in K-12 settings, along with some suggestions about how those apps could be used by students, teachers, and school administrators.

The site is compiled by Richard Byrne, who also offers a handy resource with his freetech4teachers.com software blog.

WINDOWS TABLETS To date these devices do not offer the same level of ‘touch’ interaction that is achievable on other tablet devices which has led to poor adoption. However, with Windows 8, Microsoft hopes to provide a more compelling tablet device that may offer schools better integration into their network environment. The key advantages are their closer integration with existing network infrastructure and greater support for existing content. There are multiple hardware vendors with good external device support. The main limitations E

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TABLETS  are that they are more expensive than other solutions, with a more system intensive OS. Many existing applications are not suited to the tablet format or may not run on specific hardware. Once Windows 8 is made available to the general public on October 26, you’re going to see all kinds of tablets running Windows 8/RT land on physical and virtual store shelves, along with a string of announcements between now and then.

Windows RT (formerly known as Windows on ARM) will be a version of the Windows 8 operating system for ARM devices such as tablets. It will officially only run software available through the Windows Store or included within it. Among the applications included will be Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote 2013. Microsoft will sell the operating system only to device manufacturers directly, and not as a stand‑alone product to consumers.

students, year groups or even subject areas.

Once created, profiles can be applied either at the device itself, via QR codes shown to the built in camera, or deployed to a group of LearnPads via the management portal.

Avantis’ partnership with a number of tablet PC hardware providers including Toshiba, Lenovoand Acer, means that whichever tablet technology your school uses, the LearnPad content can be used and shared.

GOOGLE NEXUS 7 The tablet was released in July last year but the hardware manufacturer is already currently working on a 3G variant to be released imminently. Asus, which partnered with Google to make the Nexus 7 tablet, is reportedly gearing up production for a launch. The popular 7-inch tablet was launched to glowing reviews and soon sold out at some American retailers. It was the first Android tablet to come with Jelly Bean, the latest version of Google’s mobile operating system. With Jelly Bean, Google significantly reduced latency (lag), one negative aspect of Android compared to Apple’s iOS operating system. Jelly Bean incorporates Google Chrome as the standard web browser, unlike previous iterations of the Android OS. Aggressively priced from £160 it was designed to loosen Apple’s grip on the tablet market. It has an Nvidia Tegra 3 quad‑core processor, and a 1.2-megapixel camera, and is available with 8 or 16GB of storage. It’s nearest competitor is the Kindle Fire, which is now arriving in the UK after being exclusively available to American buyers. ‘

ter Soon af was the iPad, it was d releasethat 81 per d reporte the top book cent of s were for app children

MICROSOFT SURFACE Microsoft Surface is a series of tablets available in two versions – Surface and Surface Pro. Surface will run the Windows RT operating system and use an ARM CPU. Surface Pro will run the Windows 8 Pro operating system and use an Intel CPU. The display is a 10.6inch, 16:9 widescreen HD Display or Full HD Display on the Surface Pro. Several device manufacturers whose products have traditionally run Microsoft operating systems, have, in the main, been positive about the release of the Surface device.

HP, Lenovo, and Dell applauded Microsoft’s decision to create their own Tablet PC and said that their relationship hasn’t changed.

John Solomon, senior vice president of HP, said that “Microsoft was basically making a leadership statement and showing what’s possible in the tablet space”.

LEARNPAD The Avantis LearnPad is a 10 inch interactive e-learning tablet – small enough to be portable but large enough to give a great user experience. The device has been designed specifically for schools to provide a high quality, safe and secure tablet computer to allow students to access existing eLearning content as well as other school network resources. Developed on Google’s Android OS ensures the most cost effective and flexible platform, as well as being available on a number of different hardware vendor devices. It features an integrated secure web browser, with an ‘on-device’ white-list of approved websites. Teachers can create interface profiles for individual

KINDLE FIRE The Kindle Fire is a mini tablet computer version of Amazon.com’s Kindle e-book reader which runs a version of Android and has a colour touch screen. Kindle Fire HD 8.9 is the premium model of the three recent launches recently. The device comes with a large 8.9-inch HD display that packs a resolution of 1920 x 1200 pixels, and is powered by a 1.5GHz dual-core OMAP4470 CPU, 1GB of RAM. Connectivity is through 802.11n Wi-Fi and USB 2.0 (Micro-B connector).

The device includes 8GB of internal storage – said to be enough for 80 applications, plus either 10 movies or 800 songs or 6,000 books.

Technology analysts thought the devices could pose a serious challenge to the market leaders.

“This could easily be the product that beats the iPad particularly for those of us who are readers, easy and innovative in design and use, with unique features like X-Ray which allows you to become far more intimate with what you are reading,” said Rob Enderle, principal analyst at the Enderle Group. L

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Strata Panels UK, based in Cambridgeshire, is one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of tailor-made bedroom and suite packages for the contract furniture market.

Today everybody has their phone with them 24/7.

Putting the school calendar and news in a SmartPhone app makes this information brilliantly accessible.

Apps Central specialises in delivering these apps for just £100 per month.

The app is easy to set up and it’s self-managed from our secure online admin centre. You load the calendar and add in some news. We publish the app and you update it as needed.

You can also use our ‘calendar widget’ service to put the calendar on your website; it updates when you update the app.

Watch our video here: http://appscentral. co/apps-central-video-presentation Contact: mick.empson@appscentral.co.uk

We manufacture and supply a comprehensive range of bespoke bedroom furniture for student accommodation, single living quarters, boarding schools, universities, and care homes. All of our furniture is available in a variety of colour finishes using furniture grade 18mm thick melamine faced mdf and/or melamine faced chipboard, and high quality, durable 2mm PVC or ABS edging.

We have recently launched two styles of dual purpose school classroom / ICT room desks with lockable and hidden compartments for the monitor, keyboard & mouse and pc base unit. The requirement for a dedicated IT room is eliminated as these desks allow schools and colleges the flexibility to use a single classroom for both normal lessons as well as for information technology classes.

The larger desk can seat two students when sharing a screen.

The lockable compartments and retractable monitor ensure that all the IT equipment can be stowed away safely and securely when not in use. Sufficient cable management ports are built into the unit to allow for power and ethernet cables to be run into the desk.

Manufactured by Strata Panels UK, this desk will be delivered fully assembled complete with locks and keys.

Web: www.stratafurniture.co.uk Email: sales@stratapanels.co.uk Tel: 01487 825040

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EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE | Volume 18.5

App Central revolutionises the school calendar

For all your student retail and marketing needs

Apps Central specialises in providing calendar and news smartphone apps to schools.

The company showcased its service at The Bett Show in January, generating much attention, particularly from overseas visitors.

The app is simple. It contains a detailed school calendar, and the facility to send urgent information using free push notifications. This is all self managed from an admin centre, where the client loads up the calendar, provides logos etc and adds in some news. It can then be updated as needed.

For parents, being able to check school events on a phone, wherever they are, rather than switching on the computer or reading an outof-date printed calendar is a huge convenience. It also saves on text message costs by using free push notifications.

This leads to fewer incoming calls for the school, freeing

Golding Products is primarily a supplier of professionalgrade recordable media and associated packaging. It also provides a full in-house print and manufacturing service.

Having spent 18 years supplying the education sector, Golding Products has a dedicated trading division set up solely to serve this sector: Student Essentials.

The range includes, blank CD, DVD and Blu-ray discs, USB flash drives, calculators, batteries and computer/tablet accessories.

With the company’s full in-house print facilities, it can offer both short and long runs at competitive, manufacturer level costs with fast turnaround times.

As Golding Products can oversee your project from start

up valuable admin time.

“The ability to put the detailed school calendar in a smartphone app and send urgent information using free push notifications is a good addition to our communications channels” - Ed Brodhurst, Assistant Headteacher, Carterton Community College.

To see a video of the app in action, visit vimeo.com/64546222

FURTHER INFORMATION Contact: Mick Empson Tel: 0131 5100 901 mick.empson@appscentral.co.uk

to finish, it also has full control over quality assurance.

The company’s in-house print services include: screen and litho printing, bespoke printed packaging and both dome and pad printing on USB flash drives. It also offers CDROM and DVD-ROM pressing and calculator engraving.

To request a catalogue or for enquiries, contact Golding Products to discuss your requirements, quoting ref BTS13.

Golding Products is an ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 assured company.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 01952 606667 sales@essentials4students.co.uk www.essentials4students.co.uk

Students can leap ahead and choose the best universities for them

Powerful development & alumni software focuses on flexibility and value

Do your students struggle to pick the best universities? Does your sixth form team find it difficult to track where each student has got to in making their choices? Unifrog can help.

Firstly, the award-winning tool pushes students to choose universities offering a range of entry requirements. This deals with the common problems of students forgetting to pick a safe choice, or not picking courses that are realistic, given their likely grades.

Unifrog also offers complete, upto-date, course-specific data on all undergraduate courses in the UK, so that students can work out exactly which courses will suit them best. Students can easily compare courses on everything from average starting salaries to the distance from their home.

Further, Unifrog suggests similar subjects to the ones students think they want to apply for. This avoids the

InTouch is a development/alumni database system for schools and colleges. It has an innovative interface which users can easily customise to their precise needs.

InTouch-Web is a community portal, designed to reflect clients’ unique specification and style, where members securely update their details online and participate in community activities.

InTouch-Web synchronises with InTouch seamlessly and automatically in the background.

All modules are included as standard: everything a development and fundraising office needs every day is in place.

Incremental updates, including new features and modules, are provided automatically and without additional cost, so there’s no need to choose, and then pay for, extra modules over time.

InTouch’s innovative design supports literally any information, about any type of record – at

problem of students tending to choose over-subscribed subjects.

And, uniquely, the tool allows teachers to keep track of which students have done their research already, and what their final choices are. This saves teachers hours in chasing students to do the research.

It’s no surprise that Ro Sylvester, head of Sixth Form at London’s Highbury Grove School, says: “Unifrog is amazing. It’s what we’ve all been waiting for.”

FURTHER INFORMATION coralie@unifrog.org www.unifrog.org

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no extra cost. Some schools use InTouch as a Parent Portal and/or an archive database, thereby linking history, students, parents and current alumni.

Comprehensive on-site training and expert support are available yet, despite its sophistication and extensive feature set, InTouch is surprisingly flexible and simple to use.

Given its price, InTouch is well worth a detailed look.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 0845 680 0042 enquiries@intouchsoftware.co.uk www.intouchsoftware.co.uk

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Company Profiles

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A website is no longer an option; it’s a necessity We are living in technology-driven times, where the world is at our fingertips wherever we go – literally, at the touch of a button.

A website will provide parents, pupils and your local community with important information 24/7 with just a click, whilst connecting you with other schools and the local community.

Additionally, it will enable you to deliver official announcements to parents and guardians, or take this even further with an online mailing list.

Why not also celebrate your school’s successes and reward your pupils with a gallery of latest achievements on your website? Or a downloadable resource centre for parents, pupils and even teachers?

Your school works hard to stimulate young minds and build bright futures, so allow it to shine with Green Phoenix Designs’ web packages: affordable, professional, creative and practical.

Green Phoenix Designs is an official sponsor of the Barney & Echo Internet Safety campaign.

The company is pleased to offer Education Business readers a fantastic 15 per cent off all of its website packages for school purposes.

To claim your discount, simply enter promo code EDU15 in any of our web design forms. *Terms and conditions apply.

Vending is changing!

Whilst mainstream vending has traditionally focused on confectionary products, carbonated soft drinks and hot drinks, it is now changing.

Brands already engaged in vending are demonstrating a tangible commitment to producing healthier products; consumers are actively seeking healthier choices; and government and stakeholders are supporting the adoption of healthier lifestyles through a variety of initiatives, including the School Food Plan.

More and more “new” brands are recognising that vending can and should offer options that form part of a healthy, balanced lifestyle.

The Automatic Vending Association (AVA) represents all sectors of the vending industry in the UK and

Ireland: operators, suppliers of commodities, machine manufacturers and distributors.

The AVA is committed to continually raising the quality of vending and the AVA logo is synonymous with the mark of quality.

The AVA is currently involved in developing an Allergen Awareness programme for all members supplying coffee machines to meet the new legislation coming in 2014.

Vending can provide a solution to all your requirements in hydration, snacking and healthy alternatives – just ask members of the AVA. FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 01494 568960 enquiries@ava-vending.co.uk www.ava-vending.co.uk

FURTHER INFORMATION www.GPHX.co.uk hello@gphx.co.uk

Box-it: top of class for secure Ask thosecleverpeople! document management Websites for schools Box-it is a leading provider of and academies paper and digital document management solutions, helping schools and colleges to streamline their administration processes and manage information securely and more efficiently to adhere to relevant compliance criteria.

Offering full document lifecycle management, Box-it provides confidential document destruction, document storage, scanning and data capture as well as secure cloud based solutions. The latter comes in the form of its Omnidox platform for the total control and management of paper and digital records across one or multiple sites. Omnidox Records Manager is the latest innovation for physical archive records retention management. There are also specific Omnidox products for accounts and HR functions, as used by Imperial College and University College London.

Secure document destruction is especially pertinent following recommendations by the BSIA

96

and ICO. Working in accordance with ISO 9001:2008 and ISO 14001:2004, Box-it uses its own uniformed personnel and liveried vehicles for collections of obsolete paperwork which is taken away in shredding sacks or secure containers. Barcoded, they are securely fastened and fullytracked for accurate traceability and audit trails. Shredding takes place under video surveillance.

Certificates of Destruction are issued on completion. The shredding is baled and recycled into new paper based products.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 01962 830 200 sales@boxit.co.uk www.boxit.co.uk

EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE | Volume 18.5

Ask thosecleverpeople! for professional website design that looks fantastic. Promote your school with a fully featured, carefully designed and branded website.

With over 15 years’ experience, thosecleverpeople! has been building websites for schools and businesses.

Your new website will allow you to put pictures, text, news, calendars, booking systems, videos and countdown timers on to pages that are able to work on iPads, iPhones, androids and desktops.

Your site will reflect your branding and provide a portal to online learning spaces. Some schools are using live blogging to show class progress on the internet and on screens in school.

The company has experience in developing online learning systems and working with primary as well as secondary schools and academies. Your new

website can have secure areas for students, staff and governors.

Ask about “class blogging” and online learning systems.

Thosecleverpeople! is passionate about design and the future of online learning, with qualified and experienced teachers on its team, as well as educational consultants to advise you through Ofsted requirements.

If you are looking to have your old website revamped or a completely new one, simply call to see what we can be done for you.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 01626 330399/ 07887 988780 dominic@thosecleverpeople.com www.thosecleverpeople.com

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SCHOOL WEBSITES

CREATING AN ONLINE PRESENCE

More schools are looking to create an online presence and maintain their status in the digital world. However, while many teachers have some of the skills needed, the task of setting up a new school website can still be daunting. Royal Wootton Bassett Academy shares it experience of developing a new website Royal Wootton Bassett Academy is a mixed comprehensive in North Wiltshire, offering an outstanding educational experience for 11 to 18 year olds. The Academy aims to continue to develop beyond the ‘outstanding’ grading awarded by OFSTED in November 2011 and views the achievement and development of its students as its key focus.

More and more schools and academies are utilising the internet to share information with their existing and prospective parents, students and the wider community, whether this be through school websites or learning

platforms. In the increasingly digital culture in which we now live, it was particularly important for Royal Wootton Bassett Academy to develop a dynamic and exciting new website that offered a true and current representation of the vibrant learning environment that epitomizes the Academy.

IN-HOUSE OR OUTSOURCED? An important decision when considering the development of a school website is whether to use an in-house or external team of designers.

Royal Wootton Bassett Academy felt it was

most appropriate to use an external company this time. Constructing and maintaining an in-house website from scratch can be an extremely time consuming job to carry out and it is important to avoid putting undue pressure on a small number of individuals with the expertise to do this. There are a number of companies available that offer great website design services, and as a result the staff involved at Royal Wootton Bassett Academy researched several companies before making their final choice. Angela Bell, Assistant Head Teacher at Royal Wootton Bassett Academy, felt there were several factors that needed to be considered when choosing a school website design company: “What could the company offer in terms of design, technical support and, most importantly, how simple would it be to maintain and edit the website in-house once it went live? An understanding of the educational sector was also an important consideration for us in order to offer a website with a relevant tone or feel.”

A TEAM EFFORT Throughout the process, Angela and fellow Assistant Head Teacher Steve Gillott worked closely together. Steve commented: “We E

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Royal Wootton Bassett Academy’s website shows prospective parents details of subjects that can be taken at the school and provides information about the system of pastoral care

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SCHOOL WEBSITES  thought carefully about the purpose, content and look of the website, and studied other types of school websites. With so much variety and so many different ways of doing things, we definitely felt that taking some time to consider the available styles, layouts and formats, inspired us to create a clear vision of what we wanted to achieve.

We wanted to create an eye-catching and interesting website that gave visitors a real flavour of what Royal Wootton Bassett Academy is like, whilst looking professional and being simple and intuitive to navigate”.

Royal Wootton Bassett Academy used feedback from student voice, parent voice and Governor comments to help formulate the overall design and throughout the process the Academy leadership team were consulted about the look and feel of the burgeoning website.

A ROUTE TO ENGAGE From the start, Royal Wootton Bassett Academy felt that it was very important to be clear about the purpose of the website.

Whilst some schools choose to use their website as a way of sharing learning resources, others might simply use it as an ‘online prospectus’. To create a portal for engaging with the wider community was what the staff at Royal Wootton Bassett Academy had in mind. Steve explained: “We wanted to create a portal for engaging with the wider community, sharing information with students, parents, carers, staff, governors and other interested parties alike. We deliberately chose not to use it as a way of sharing learning resources as this purpose is served through our learning platform, which is a separate system but accessible through the school website. This is password protected and enables students, staff, parents and carers to access specific information and resources that it would not be appropriate to share in the public forum of a website. Our website was therefore designed to be a creative and informative ‘public face’ of the school, sharing news and helpful information.”

When g rin conside n of a ig the des bsite, it is we school commended e highly r into account to take aintenance the m ctor fa

INVOLVING PARENTS Engaging and involving parents and carers in what is going on in school was an important aspect of the school website for Royal Wootton Bassett Academy. The ability to easily update important information or dates on the website is helping parents and carers keep abreast of the latest news and events taking place at the school. Downloadable newsletters are particularly helpful for those parents whose children tend to lose them at the bottom of their school bag.

Another popular feature that Royal Wootton Bassett Academy decided to include on the

school website is the gallery section where photos of school events can be shared, for instance, a recent school sports day, enabling visitors to catch a glimpse of the numerous activities that the students participate in.

Royal Wootton Bassett Academy’s website also caters for prospective parents, offering details of subjects that can be taken at the school and providing information about the system of pastoral care. Having the facility to download both the main school prospectus and the Sixth Form prospectus in PDF format from the website also makes it easier for parents to find out about what Royal Wootton Bassett Academy has to offer when considering schools for their children.

Royal Wootton Bassett Academy also maintains strong links within the wider community, including inviting local senior residents in to have a look at what learning is like for today’s students in the sixth form, promoted via the website.

KEEPING UP APPEARANCES When considering the design of a school website, it is highly recommended to take into account the maintenance factor. Even for those who are reasonably ICT literate, this doesn’t always stretch to the in-depth technical knowledge required to maintain a website. However, by using a Content Management System (CMS), website maintenance is simplified. “This was one of the features that most attracted us to the website design package offered by the company we employed to develop our site, School Website. By using a simple and intuitive system, new pages can be added quickly and easily, text swiftly inserted

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and photos uploaded,” explained Steve.

“There is also scope to add many other features such as video clips, blogs and payment forms. The ease with which the website can be edited means that we can adapt it over time as opportunities arise or needs change, for example our recent creation of a recruitment page, advertising vacancies at the school. The ability to respond spontaneously to events is what makes the CMS so useful and allows us to easily keep the website up to date. We decided to share the activity of updating the website between a small number of staff, which should avoid one person being left in sole control of updating the website – a huge task for one individual to undertake,” added Angela.

The experience that Royal Wootton Bassett Academy had of developing a school website was a really simple, easy process that has resulted in an exciting and dynamic website that the school is truly proud of. The website launch was in the last week of the school year and initial feedback from students, parents, staff and governors alike has been very positive.

Angela concluded: “After having had such a successful experience in developing our school website, we would be keen to encourage other schools not to feel daunted by the prospect of developing a new school website. Working as an in-school team with the excellent support and expertise of our website design company has enabled us to develop a website that we hope gives visitors to the site a glimpse of the vibrant Royal Wootton Bassett Academy community.” L FURTHER INFORMATION www.rwba.org.uk

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EVENT PREVIEW

Bett Show 2014

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CELEBRATING 30 YEARS OF BETT

Following its successful relocation in 2013, Bett, the world’s leading event for learning technology, returns to ExCeL London from 22-25 January 2014, for the show’s 30th year

Bringing together more than 700 exhibitors and 35,000 visitors, Bett is the global meeting place for educators with a passion for the transformational power of learning technology.

The show attracts thousands of visitors every year, whether it is to connect with other like-minded professionals or to see and test the latest solutions. Educators have come to rely on Bett to bring them up‑to‑date with technology in education and, more importantly, guide them through the current challenges they are facing.

The beauty of Bett is that in one day, visitors can meet with various suppliers of a specific product or service, evaluate

Best Tradeshow Exhibition 2013 Bett Show 2013 won the AEO Excellence Award in the Best Tradeshow Exhibition Overall (>2000 sq metres) category.

each and ask all the questions needed to make an informed decision. When considering the “cost” of making the wrong decision, spending a day at Bett is invaluable.

SEN ZONE

g In addition to the main show’s Bringin 700 Information Point, the r Special Educational Needs togethe rs and o (SEN) Zone Information t i b i t h t e ex B , s Point is available to r o visit schools fulfil the 35,000 obal meeting help needs of pupils with l is the gfor educators a special educational need or disability. place a passion Nasen (formerly the with ning National Association for lear logy for Special Educational Needs) once again hosts techno

EDUCATION LEADERS Education leaders may also want to consider attending the conferences at Bett 2014.

As more responsibility is placed on leaders to run their school as a successful business, features of the show where thoughts and ideas can be shared and debated become increasingly valuable.

The show’s main Information Point is run by the education sector’s trade association and the co-founders of Bett, the British Educational Suppliers’ Association (BESA).

Situated on Stand C380 at the heart of the show floor, BESA can help visitors plan their visit to get the most from the day. Educators can also pick up a copy of the BESA book, listing all 300+ BESA members; educational suppliers of every kind who adhere to a stringent Code of Practice, offering schools peace of mind when looking for new products and services for their establishment.

this Information Point at the heart of the show’s SEN Zone. Here, visitors can find details on all SEN resources, gain practical advice and meet with experts to discuss the latest inclusive practice and specialist EN teaching techniques.

SPECIAL FOCUS: CPD AT BETT 2014 As it enters its third decade, Bett continues to bring together an unparalleled programme of speakers, seminars and discussion sessions to support and elevate the education sector.

Its reputation as a hub of innovation, inspiration and debate sees visitors flock to each of the four days, with large theatre talks through to smaller, more personal workshop sessions that all offer valuable, free, continuing professional development (CPD) opportunities. E

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d op eve Sta po lop ff rtu m ni en tie t s

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EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE | Volume 18.5

• consultancy • design & planning • manufacture • delivery • project management • bespoke solutions • installation •

Well Educated Banking www.lloydstsb.com/schoolbanking

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATION – www.educationbusinessuk.net

EVENT PREVIEW

Bett facts & figures

The beauty of Bett is that visitors can meet with suppliers of a product or service, evaluate it and ask all the questions needed to make an informed decision. Considering the “cost” of making the wrong decision, a day spent at Bett is invaluable  WHAT’S IN STORE FOR CPD AT BETT 2014 After a successful inaugural year at Bett 2013, the Bett Arena is to return with a schedule of inspirational sector leaders, internationally renowned education experts and household names, all helping to discover new approaches to learning. Within the amphitheatre, the inclusive space will allow them to present insights and share thoughts into the latest trends and research in technology and learning.

Having hosted last year, Dr Sugatra Mitra, Prof Brian Cox and Baroness Susan Greenfield amongst other key figures gave inspirational talks in the education sector, the anticipated line-up for the Bett Arena in 2014 will be announced from September 2013. Details of the featured speakers will be available at www.bettshow.com.

SCHOOL LEADERS SUMMIT The constant evolution of the education

Top tips while attending Bett 2014 With so much to see and do at Bett, it is recommended that you pre-plan your visit.

Register for the show in advance of your visit on the Bett website (www. bettshow.com). It is free, easy and gives you fast-track entry.

Post-show planning is just as important as pre-show planning.

Gather information and take the time to reflect on what you saw on your visit to the show.

Make the most of the Information Point. It is there to help you get the most from your visit and can point you in the direction of the suppliers addressing your areas of interest.

Reserve a FREE seat for your chosen seminars in advance of the show through the Bett website (www.bettshow.com).

Take advantage of the networking opportunities that the show provides; share ideas and source advice from peers.

And last, but not least, wear comfortable shoes!

sector means that now, more than ever, school leaders and management teams are finding themselves working in a fluctuating environment while, for example, implementing a new National Curriculum, addressing changes in assessment or when involved in converting to academy status.

The School Leaders Summit at Bett 2014 will provide guidance and insight to support these issues through a range of impactful presentations, robust discussions and practical case studies from leading figures and peers throughout education.

Specific opportunities for informal networking also enable school leaders from throughout the UK and further afield to share their experiences and learn together.

For example, recognising the increasing importance of effective budget management for schools as purse strings tighten.

On the morning of Wednesday 22 January, a panel of experts will gather to debate effective allocation of budgets in the session “Driving Value for Money: efficient initiatives to make your budget go further without increasing class sizes”.

Speakers will include Tracy Jackson, assistant principal, core services at the Ossett Academy & Sixth Form College, and Peter Lauener, chief executive of the Education Funding Agency.

PUPIL PREMIUM The pupil premium is the topic on everyone’s lips at the moment and Peter Lauener, chief executive of the Education Funding Agency, is on hand to advise with the session “Pupil Premium Toolkit: top 10 ways to spend the funding and make the most impact”.

Attendees on Wednesday 22 January will be presented with the ultimate guide on how to spend the pupil premium, providing an overview of various ways to spend the money.

The findings of the OECD’s (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) PISA (Programme for International Study Assessment) report make the headlines every time, but what can we take from the findings? Michael Davidson, head of early childhood education and schools division at the OECD will examine the key outcomes from the PISA report, exploring who topped which subject and why in his session.

Entitled “An In-depth Analysis of the Key Findings of the PISA Report”, this discussion will run on Thursday 23 January.

A full programme for the School Leaders Summit can be found at www.bettshow.com.

The first-ever Bett show was held in 1985 as the “Hi Technology and Computers in Education Exhibition” at London’s Barbican Centre.

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As the use of technology in education increased so did the show, and in 1993 it moved to Olympia London.

Annually, Bett attracts around 35,000 visitors from more than 100 different countries.

Around 700 companies who market to schools, colleges and education establishments exhibit at the show.

A large number of seminars from well-known providers are held at Bett, providing visitors with continuing professional development (CPD) opportunities for education professionals.

2014 marks the show’s 30th year.

The show’s floor space at ExCeL London equals that of 13 Olympic-size swimming pools!

TECHNOLOGY IN HIGHER EDUCATION The school sector is not alone in experiencing a period of flux; higher education throughout the UK and globally is realising that student expectation is more influential than ever before, and the pressure is on to provide a business-like service that meets their needs.

This is particularly true when it comes to IT provision, be it a smooth and reliable network or the ability to bring their own devices to campus. The award-winning Technology in Higher Education (HE) Summit returns to provide a space for HE professionals involved in IT provision to share ideas and receive insight into technology delivery on a budget and future-gazing.

The full line up of speakers will be available on the Bett website (www.bettshow.com).

LEARN LIVE Learn Live at Bett has a strong reputation for supporting and celebrating the innovative ideas and leading best practice of educators and practitioners from schools across the UK and further afield.

A four-day programme of free workshops, seminars, training and discussion events offers educators rich opportunities to explore new technologies and their use in the classroom.

Running in purpose-built theatres at the heart of the show floor, the sessions are grouped into five key themes: learning and teaching, buying and integrating, special educational needs (SEN), higher education and workplace learning. The call for papers for Learn Live at Bett 2014 is open now. Submit a session idea now at www.bettshow.com. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.bettshow.com

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Bett Show 2014

www.educationbusinessuk.net – THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATION

Specialist promotional services for your school Promote Your School designs and builds websites that appeal to prospective parents, engages pupils and encourages your parents to be constantly involved in school life. And all websites adapt to work on mobiles.

The websites created come with an easy-to-use Content Management System; an events calendar that pupils, parents and staff can subscribe to; homepage noticeboard; enhanced video and photo galleries; and password-protected areas for additional peace of mind.

Schools are also provided with an app-like button for quick and easy access to the site from mobiles. Promote Your School’s websites enable you to fulfil the latest

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School Information (England) Regulations (Sept 2012).

Educational consultants are on-hand to advise and guide you in creating a current, dynamic site that will impress Ofsted and gain the attention of your school community.

However, Promote Your School is not just about websites. It has years of experience of working with schools across a variety of marketing tools: from prospectuses, leaflets, stationery and letterheads, signage and banners to branding, virtual tours, promotional videos and bespoke wall graphics.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 020 7404 3400 www.promoteyourschool. co.uk

Hue: the playful visualiser and document camera becomes animated The Hue HD camera, widely used in schools as a multipurpose camera and visualiser, has now been combined with easy-to-use stop-motion animation software in the Hue Animation Studio kit.

The camera’s flexible neck makes it perfect for animating or sharing work.

The Hue HD camera can be used for: video recording; video chat with other schools; stop-motion animation; and displaying students work via a whiteboard.

Available in six colours, it is compatible with Windows and Mac OS X. Per camera £29.95 + VAT. Hue Animation Studio includes the Hue HD camera and easy-to-use stop-motion software.

Simply connect your Hue camera, install the software, and you’re ready to start animating – using anything from clay

to felt shapes or drawings.

Single user licence plus camera: £49.95 + VAT. Available as multiple user and school site licences for both Windows and Mac OS X. Contact Hue for a free 30-day trial of the Hue HD camera or Hue Animation Studio.

FURTHER INFORMATION info@huehd.com www.huehd.com/schools www.hueanimation. com/schools

The online maths tutor for students of all ages

Web filtering and security solutions for schools

Most students who have difficulties with maths don’t know why they’re struggling, but the reason is usually due to something being missed or misunderstood in an earlier topic.

Analysts at ConquerMaths.com have devised a way to aid each of these students on an individual basis and help teachers see where best to focus their classroom time.

Students take a diagnostic test before starting new topics which asks questions that adapt to ability and point out the specific areas where individuals have weaknesses.

A clear report is generated to highlight those gaps and will even point students towards animated and narrated tutorials they can take to independently catch up and bring themselves into line with the rest of their class.

The curriculum coverage in ConquerMaths is comprehensive with tutorials and tests for

Smoothwall is the leading provider of web filtering to schools in the UK, while being a growing force in the USA and the rest of the world.

Schools everywhere recognise that access to information and applications needs to be carefully managed to ensure students’ e-Safety and to make the school day more productive.

Smoothwall’s education solutions are built on three core features: real-time content analysis; who, what, where, when control; and the ability to manage wireless devices.

Real-time content analysis can identify and classify content no matter how recently it has been created, while at the same time it can identify the telltale signatures of

every lesson, from Reception right through to A-levels.

For those sitting exams, ConquerMaths provides further help in the form of learning plans that are aligned to National Curriculum levels. Here, students are presented with schemes of work tailored to their level of ability which are intended to help raise their predicted grades.

ConquerMaths is currently offering a no-commitment free trial for any schools that wish to try the system.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 0845 544 0855 www.conquermaths.com/ schools

EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE | Volume 18.5

proxy sites; still the most common method of evasion.

Once content is identified and classified, a decision can be taken about whether a user can view it. Smoothwall’s granular controls mean you can decide the content that a particular user can access at a specific time and a specific location.

Delivering this level of control shouldn’t be based on the device a student is using. Smoothwall’s solutions work across wireless devices provided to students, ensuring they are used appropriately (even when off-site) and the students’ own devices when connected to your Wi-Fi. FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: +44 (0) 870 1 999 500 www.smoothwall.net

Well Educated Banking www.lloydstsb.com/schoolbanking

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATION – www.educationbusinessuk.net

EVENT PREVIEW

16TH ANNUAL BETT AWARDS I2I EVENTS GROUP AND BESA CALL FOR ENTRIES FOR 16TH ANNUAL BETT AWARDS The Bett Awards partners, i2i Events Group and BESA (British Educational Suppliers Association), announce the launch of the 16th annual Bett Awards 2014.

Considered the most prestigious accolade in the industry, the Bett Awards bring together developers, distributors and educational practitioners to recognise, reward and celebrate ICT excellence in the education sector.

The 2014 awards introduces three new product categories to market the changing face of today’s education sector: “International digital education resource”, “Free digital content/open educational resources” and “Educational Apps”.

Two further awards have been introduced to celebrate the unprecedented quality of organisations’ marketing teams, these are “Marketing Campaign of the Year” award and the “Bett Stand of the Year” award.

JUDGING PANEL BESA will again act as chair of judges, overseeing the impartiality and fairness of the robust, two-stage judging process by a diverse panel. Members of the panel are now revised each year to ensure a broad and fair perspective of the qualities needed in today’s learning environments.

The awards’ ceremony will be held at: The Brewery, London, on Wednesday 22 January 2014. This coincides with the first day of the Bett exhibition at London ExCel. AWARD CATEGORIES The Bett Awards 2014 will focus on the impact of ICT products and services in the classroom or school in 19 distinctive categories:

Early Years Digital Content; Primary Digital Content; Secondary Digital Content; ICT Tools for Learning and Teaching; Digital Collections and Resources Banks; ICT Special Educational Needs Solutions; Digital Devices; ICT Leadership and Management Solutions; ICT Company of the Year (less than £1m turnover); ICT Company of the Year (£1-£3m turnover); ICT Company of the Year (over £3m turnover); ICT Exporter of the Year; ICT Service and Support; Outstanding Achievement in ICT Education; Free Digital Content/Open Educational Resources; Marketing Campaign of the Year; International Digital Education Resource; Educational Apps; Bett Stand of the Year.

QUALITY OF LEARNING RESOURCES Rachel Poletti Gadd, Bett portfolio director at i2i Events Group, said: “Recognition of the quality of learning resources provided by UK organisations continues to spread globally.

“Each year the Bett Awards offer suppliers the opportunity to celebrate their commitment to driving up standards within education.

As the provider of these world-class awards, we are proud to see the number and calibre of entrants increase, year-on-year.

“Each pushes at the very boundaries of what is new, innovative and possible in technology, and we are excited to help celebrate this again in 2014.”

Caroline Wright, director of BESA, adds: “Government investment in technology for learning over the years has resulted in

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About BESA BESA (British Educational Suppliers Association) is the trade association representing 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 77 years’ experience, BESA offers unparalleled support, research, events and advice on both UK and international markets, and the future of the education supplies industry.

BESA promotes and provides support and advice to its members, the industry and to schools.

The association has a Code of Practice to which all members must adhere, along with a stringent membership process, both of these assure buyers of receiving a high standard of quality in both product and customer service.

For more information, visit www.besa.org.uk. a plethora of diverse, effective resources.

“Identifying the very best has been the role of the awards for the past 15 years.

The winners of the Bett Awards join an elite circle, enjoying recognition within the sector in the UK and from around the world, as innovative, quality suppliers.”

AWARD ENTRIES Award entries must be completed online at www.bettawards.com before the closing date of 30 September 2013. Each product can only be entered into one category. L

Technology to enhance the learning environment With over 40 years in business and 60 offices worldwide, Crestron is the leading provider of control and automation systems for homes, offices, schools, hospitals, hotels, and more.

Enhance curriculum through easy-to-use technology for teachers and professors. From one touch on an intuitive Crestron touchscreen select to play a DVD, use a document camera or present a PowerPoint from the PC. Crestron makes it easy for teachers to use classroom technology and for IT managers to support hundreds of rooms through the standard IP network. Tech support can

remotely manage classrooms, labs and conference rooms, globally and remotely.

Control lighting and climate by time of day and usage. Check lamp life and schedule maintenance. Let your teachers and professors focus on teaching, not worry about technology.

Education solutions from Crestron

include: DigitalMedia™ to access and watch digital HD video around the campus; CaptureLiveHD™, to schedule, record, publish online and view lectures, presentations and seminars in HD; MediaManager to select, transmit and control audio and video devices for classroom presentations; RoomView Connected is classroom control built into projectors.

Look for the “Crestron inside” logo.

FURTHER INFORMATION www.crestron.eu

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QUALITATIVE RESEARCH

Market Research

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AN EDUCATION IN USING EVIDENCE It is increasingly important for education providers to understand the impact that education reforms will have. Qualitative research from a reputable market research organisation can help with this, says the Market Research Society From the introduction of free schools and the English Baccalaureate to a review of the National Curriculum and vocational qualifications, the education system is undergoing a period of rapid change. Now, more than ever, those working in the sector need to understand the practices, values and impacts of different models of school governance. What’s best for the future? Are schools spending the right money in the right areas? And what do young people need to do to give themselves the best chance of success in these increasingly difficult times?

Jane Frost CBE, ceo of the Market Research Society (MRS), explains how market research can help to answer these questions: “In the era of educational choice and competition, using reliable evidence is invaluable, providing insights that those working in the sector wouldn’t be able to get any other way.”

EMPLOYMENT The recession has hit young people particularly hard and created a very competitive employment environment where educational qualifications are coming under increased scrutiny and even the brightest of students can struggle to find jobs. The futures and expectations of the country’s school leavers

are also changing with university education now seen to be financially out of reach for many. As a result, schools have had to adapt the advice they provide to pupils on what steps to take next and encourage them to consider alternative options.

“Reform in education is set to continue and in the current economic and employment climate, it is increasingly important for education providers, whether academy groups, FE colleges or schools, to understand the impact that this may have,” says Claire Purchase, head of public services at FreshMinds. “Robust evidence will aid decision making by helping institutions to understand the impact of new models of funding and schooling, ensuring that advice, guidance and money is allocated in the right areas.”

The previous government encouraged university education with a 50 per cent target and, for a long time, it was considered the logical progression for the majority of young people with options disregarded.

However, there is now a range of routes students can take – whether school, college, independent training provider, or into the workplace for an apprenticeship.

PUPIL MISCONCEPTIONS Pupils often have misconceptions about the value of alternative routes, such as vocational training, and need a fair and balanced perspective which highlights the advantages of each option and how they suit different types of people. “At a time when students are increasingly hesitant about their E

“Robust evidence will aid decision making by helping institutions to understand the impact of new models of funding and schooling, ensuring that advice, guidance and money is allocated in the right areas”Claire Purchase, FreshMinds Volume 18.5 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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SafetyMARK is a safety certification and support scheme created specifically for the education sector. It will provide your school with an unrivalled on-site safety audit which generates a rigorous report together with a prioritised improvement plan.

Your improvement plan will be integrated into and managed through the Handsam system. Handsam helps you to organise, manage, record and check all of your school’s health, safety, welfare and security responsibilities. It is effectively an extra pair of hands for your already overstretched team!

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QUALITATIVE RESEARCH  prospects in the job market, and schools and universities face uncertainty when it comes to securing funding, there is a need for solid evidence to inform crucial decisions and shape future policies”, Jane adds.

And it’s not just young people who are being affected by changes in the sector. With the retirement age much higher than it used to be, it has become more common to change careers later in life. This has meant that many adults, whose wants and needs are different to younger people, are returning to higher education.

Jane continues: “Institutions need to understand their audiences and the range of alternative models now available. Research gives you an expert professional team that knows the sector inside out, delivering accurate findings and offering an independent view.”

It is important that commissioners of research understand all of the options available to ensure that they choose the right one. Qualitative research could involve

evaluation of teaching tools using a small sample to create improved products, or sensitive research with small hard-to-reach groups who would not normally respond to traditional research methods such as surveys or telephone interviews. On the other hand, quantitative research involves big sample sizes, such as the National Student Survey, and covers larger-scale issues where an understanding of the views of a large number of people is important.

The esearch R ’s S R M Guide Buyer’s your first be should of call for port ng a findi arch se good resation organi

COMMISSIONING RESEARCH You may have more information at your fingertips than you realise and you just need help to analyse it. The key is using competent and qualified research professionals – they will know how to keep costs down while delivering research that meets your objectives.

It might include an audit of existing sources and some telephone interviews, for example.

Doing this with a research supplier, rather than handling it internally, means you get efficient results, from a team with an objective view.

Professional research is underpinned by robust methodologies and a strong ethical framework detailed in the MRS Code of Conduct. MRS members and Company

Partners have to abide by the MRS Code which, together with relevant legislation such as the Data Protection Act of 1998, provides a step-by-step guide to providing effective, impartial and ethical research.

When these legal and ethical rules and guidelines are met, research can provide an unparalleled insight into the thoughts and opinions of stakeholders and audiences that can redefine the way decisions are made.

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BUYER’S GUIDE The MRS’s Research Buyer’s Guide should be your first port of call for finding a good research organisation. The site lists MRS Company Partners and organisations with MRS members, their contact details, geographic area and research specialisms.

All organisations and individuals listed in the Research Buyer’s Guide are committed to adhering to the MRS Code of Conduct. L ABOUT MRS With members in more than 60 countries, MRS is the world’s largest research association serving all those with professional equity in provision or use of market, social and opinion research, and in business intelligence, market analysis, customer insight and consultancy.

For further information visit www.mrs.org.uk

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Not necessarily, before you incur any costs we will discuss your requirements, document them and provide you with a no obligation fixed price quote and we will stick to that quote. You get exactly what you want working the way you need to ensure efficient processing. Imagine the frustrations in using a system that does not do exactly what you want in the way you want to do it, many ‘off the shelf’ systems never get fully implemented, often require many manual work arounds or end up back on the shelf.

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LEASING

Written by Caroline Wright, director, BESA

FINDING FAITH IN LEASING

The recent leasing scam that affected several schools has delivered a costly word of warning to others. BESA director Caroline Wright summarises the advantages and potential pitfalls of leasing and how BESA is working with members to stop this mis-selling controversy from happening again Purchasing goods for the education market can seem rather like the child catcher scene in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. If you remember, lured by the offer of free lollipops, ice-cream, chocolate, cherry pies and treacle tart, Jeremy and Jemima climbed into the horse drawn carriage on the streets of Bulgaria and were snatched and imprisoned. It is not surprising, that they got caught; the treats were on offer only going to be offered free

and supported this with a significant investment in technology in schools.

Unsurprisingly the substantial budgets for ICT meant that it was not long before suppliers across the UK recognised the enormity of this potential new audience, and in turn, new hardware and software resources designed for schools starting appearing on the market.

The classroom environment soon evolved from having a shared BBC

Sadly, the recent negative publicity has resulted in schools becoming very cautious in entering into lease arrangements, it is likely that the resulting reduction in available funding to schools will have a detrimental effect on their ability to invest in the best equipment and maintain standards of charge on that one day and the benefits appeared to be too attractive to refuse.

Similarly for several schools, the promise of free computers if they signed a contract too long to read, lured trapped them into outrageously over inflated lease agreements.

However this recent example of mis-selling is not new to the sector. If we roll the clock back 15 years, Tony Blair summarised the focus of his plan to grow the economy with the iconic statement “education, education, education”,

micro‑computer on a trolley, to a place where every child has access to a PC device.

A range of e-Learning software started to become available to suit each child’s learning needs and interactive whiteboards replaced the traditional blackboard.

SO FAR, SO GOOD However, with the funding came the expectation of an improvement in developmental standards. Many schools

started to notice the positive effect that technology was having on student engagement and therefore wanted more.

When it got to the point that school’s requirements were greater than the available budget, schools started to look at other ways of financing products.

In some local authorities (LAs), the significant level of ring-fenced government funding for ICT investment was held by the LA, who procured on behalf of their schools, while other authorities devolved their funding straight to their schools to make their own investments. In recent years the government’s education technology agency, Becta, which had been responsible for reviewing and approving suppliers, was dissolved. As a consequence, despite a lack of training, many head teachers had to become business managers overnight and mistakes were inevitably made.

Many of the resources that became available to them were designed by credible suppliers who understood the sector’s needs, but sadly others resembled the child catcher.

Stories started to circulate of some unscrupulous suppliers of high cost products, turning up at a school, promising them a ‘too good to be true’ deal and then encouraging forcing the head teacher to sign a completely inappropriate contract for finance. Sadly, many head teachers with little business experience, but large ICT budgets were seen as ‘rich pickings’ by suppliers with far too little moral integrity. E

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LEASING  REGAINING FAITH However, despite amongst all the recent negative media coverage of leasing, huge benefits can be realised if schools have and apply a small amount of knowledge of this potentially very valuable part of their procurement process.

Looking at the advantages of leasing first, the main and most obvious benefit is that schools can invest in resources they need, when they need them, whether or not the full initial capital is available. The periodic payments are fixed and so the equipment cost is spread over a number of years which can significantly help protect and plan maintain cash flow, which is critical to all schools. This benefit is enhanced when the school finances not only hardware but also the increasingly critical software and services that are required.

Secondly, because the finance contract provides both the budget and the means to pay, schools can acquire the technology they need rather than just what they have the budget to pay for. So educational outcomes can be delivered and schools can avoid the false economy of buying cheaper products.

Thirdly, the majority of available leases for school equipment allow for technology upgrades, enabling the head teacher, governors and bursars to manage the life of their products. Depending on the term of the lease, as new equipment becomes available schools can upgrade to the latest models often at the same monthly fee. Of course the upgrade usually comes with a new fixed term contract, but with many ICT equipment leasing programmes, schools have the flexibility to add-on extra computer equipment, or upgrade current computer equipment. This enables schools to progress with the latest technology and equipment and avoiding being left with obsolete equipment to dispose of.

WORKING THE BUDGET Another popular advantage of leasing in schools is based on the fact that a lease agreement is almost always a fixed contract, which means it is relatively easy to budget and forecast. The amount can be worked into the school’s budget much more easily than an irregularly occurring lump sum, allowing better control over current and future cash flow. In the event that an item needs replacing quickly, such as a server, schools can do so with a relatively minor monthly adjustment to the budget, instead of a lump sum that could seriously affect cash flow.

While not a major issue at the current time, leasing is also inflation friendly.

Although inflation will be built into the lease, it is based on the current cost of the products rather than how much they will cost at the end of the contract. Of course, with the price of many ICT products falling, this can equally be a disadvantage.

Sadly, the recent negative publicity has resulted in schools becoming very cautious in entering into lease arrangements, it is likely that the resulting reduction in available

funding to schools will have a detrimental effect on their ability to invest in the best equipment and maintain standards over time.

LEASING SAFELY Therefore, as the sector’s trade association, we are committed to finding a way for schools to achieve the substantial savings from leasing while ensuring the contracts are straight forward and transparent and cannot be altered by a finance company at any time during the term of the lease. In partnership with BESA member RM Education, the leading supplier of ICT to UK education, we are keen to work with the government to make a small change to the current leasing and finance guidance it provides to schools so that schools can safely realise the available benefits.

Jon Higgins, RM Education, explains: “By amending current leasing guidance to reflect industry best practice, schools will be able to secure better value leasing contracts, which are more relevant to their educational needs. In this way they can achieve multi-million pounds benefits across the sector, supporting the Government in the delivery of its publicised efficiency targets.

“Our belief is that new directives, supported and promoted by this industry, would also ensure that schools benefit from clearer, simpler guidance to avoid the unfortunate scams recently publicised.”

BESA member Syscap shares these concerns.

Philip White, chief executive officer, Syscap outlines the work it has been doing to support schools.

“Recognising the significant benefits that can be achieved in schools through leasing, we worked with the Department of Education to produce a short guide entitled ‘Tips for successful leasing in schools.’ The advice was written in association with the Technology Advisory group of the Finance and Leasing Association (FLA) of which I am vice-chairman, and the National Association of School Business Management (NASBAM).

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arrangements to schools are the equipment suppliers rather than finance companies themselves. It is therefore important not to be pressured into signing a leasing contract with the product supplier before reviewing the actual leasing company offering the finance. Choose a company that is a member of the UK Finance Leasing Association (FLA) and bound by their rigorous and well-documented codes of conduct.

Another important consideration is the term of the lease. What some schools don’t understand is that buying a computer which will, on average, last three years, is a very different investment from something like school playground equipment which could last 20 years.

The period of the leasing agreement should reflect the expected economic life of the product.

Going back to the total cost of ownership, schools have a legal requirement to dispose of products in an environmentally friendly way. With a lease, the school is agreeing to rent the equipment, not to buy it. Therefore the responsibility of disposal may lie with the leasing company, not the school. Accordingly leasing may be very compatible with any school’s environmentally sensitive procurement policy.

Many for llow leases aquipment e school r technology allow foades to the upgr dels, often o latest mhe same at t y fee monthl

FIVE STEPS TO SUCCESSFUL LEASING So let’s look at our five important top tips in turn.

The first step is that the school will carry out a detailed evaluation of their needs, evaluate the suppliers and consider the total cost of ownership (including training, maintenance, support and expected life span of the product), not just the initial product cost. Leasing can allow schools to use better equipment that despite appearing to be too expensive to buy outright, does have a better ‘total cost of ownership. The total cost of ownership should also include the cost of disposal of the product at the end of its life.

We will come back to this point shortly.

The next step is to find a credible leasing company. Many businesses offering leasing

TIME FOR AN UPGRADE The majority of available leases for school equipment allow for technology upgrades, enabling the head teacher, governors and bursars to manage the life of their products. Depending on the term of the lease, as new equipment becomes available schools can upgrade to the latest models often at the same monthly fee.

Of course the upgrade comes with a new fixed term contract, but with many ICT equipment leasing programmes, schools have the flexibility to add-on extra computer equipment, or upgrade current computer equipment. This enables schools to progress with the latest technology and equipment and avoiding being left with obsolete equipment to dispose of.

Leasing today is a very appropriate tool to ensure schools have a sustainable investment strategy, but it is vital to work with an appropriate supplier and leasing company. An easy way of identifying these companies is to ensure they are members of the FLA and BESA. Companies who are members of these associations sign up to a code of business practice that considers the quality of the product and service and its relevance to the needs of the school.

As summarised by the Department for Education, ‘used with care, leasing can be a useful way of paying for equipment over the period it will be used, avoiding a large one-off payment, and potentially saving money.’ L FURTHER INFORMATION www.besa.org.uk

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HANDHELD DEVICES

CAN TECHNOLOGY RAISE STANDARDS IN SCHOOLS?

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As headteacher at Victoria Park Academy, the answer for Andrew Morrish is, in essence, “Yes, given the right conditions.” In 2007, the school was taken out of special measures and Outstanding by 2011

Victoria Park Primary Academy, West Midlands, has a large number of pupils for whom English is an additional language, and has a high percentage of pupils on free school meals. In 2007, the school was taken out of special measures and in 2011 was judged to be Outstanding.

You can see the improved results, but what numbers won’t tell you is the buzz of excitement that pervades the school.

This is, in part, due to the introduction of the 1:1 device scheme. The pupils love using their tablet devices and the teachers, parents and governors regard them as crucial to the school’s success.

NEW APPROACHES Before the school adopted the 1:1 initiative, made possible by the RM Education and Microsoft Shape the Future scheme, it had tried out a number of different ideas and put into place several approaches to support and enhance the pupils’ learning.

These included the introduction of Enrichment Coaches. One of these coaches is Vicky, a qualified teacher, and her job is to liaise with teachers to see which pupils are in danger of falling behind, by studying the assessment data. Then a programme of early intervention kicks in, taking into account the child’s preferred learning styles, to make sure progress continues to be made.

Part of the school’s Pupil Premium funding has been used to pay for a senior teacher to provide daily intervention sessions for disadvantaged pupils using devices to close

the attainment gap in English and maths.

It works; the school’s 2013 tracking shows that this group are just 0.16 Average Points Score behind national expectations, compared to 0.8 for the rest of its cohorts.

Other innovations introduced by the school include peerassisted learning groups, a new curriculum that involves real-world experiences and enterprise activities, structured learning activities through a TASC (Thinking Actively in a Social Context) wheel and teacher intervention.

SHAPE THE FUTURE So why did the school decide to go down the 1:1 route via Shape the Future? Headteacher Andrew Morrish recalls: “We received a call from Shirelands Collegiate Academy, one of our main local secondary schools and judged Outstanding by Ofsted. They invited us to take part in a pilot scheme. What convinced me was the software suite installed on each device, and the companies involved: RM Education and Microsoft. It’s not like these are tinpot companies. Given the involvement of both Microsoft and RM, plus the software bundle, and not to mention the discounted price of the devices themselves, I’d have had to be crazy to not give it serious consideration.”

DEMONSTRATING THE BENEFITS Everything the school does is interlinked: the 1:1 devices, the tools on them, role play (such as pretending to be Victorians),

the emphasis on speaking and listening, school trips and peer-assisted learning.

Ofsted itself commented that: “Information and communication technology is also used very well to enrich learning, including enabling pupils to video or record their work, or to present their work to others.”

There can be no doubt that the 1:1 programme has been a vital component in the school’s success in helping its children make astounding progress. It has enabled the pupils to learn when and where they want to and, crucially, has helped to engage the children’s parents and siblings in their education.

And what of the children? It’s clear that Shape the Future has been transformational.

The pupils share their discoveries about websites or using the software. The children have proved so proficient at using the software, whether to organise their work or to make a video, that teachers tend to allow the pupils to decide which is the most appropriate application to use for a particular assignment.

The children talk articulately about their work with the device. One of them said that she was enjoying improved scores in both literacy and maths. Another said she had leapt from a level 4a in maths to a 5b since the start of the year. Like the others, she not only knows what level she is on, but what her target level is.

WORTH EVERY PENNY But is cost an issue? According to Ruth, a parent governor representing the governing body, embarking on the Shape the Future scheme was the best thing the school has done. Andrew Morrish points out that having the devices can even save the school money, but says, “Ultimately it depends on what a school considers a child’s education is worth. A device costing £300 is less than £1 a day.” L FURTHER INFORMATION To see the full case study on Victoria Park Academy, visit www.rm.com/casestudies

The 1:1 programme has been a vital component in the school’s success in helping its children make astounding progress. It has enabled them to learn when and where they want and has helped engage parents and siblings in their education Volume 18.5 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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CHILDHOOD OBESITY

TACKLING OBESITY IN CHILDREN – STARTING EARLY

Written by Tam Fry, National Obesity Fourm

Tam Fry FRSA, honorary chairman of the Child Growth Foundation and the National Obesity Forum, examines the problem of childhood obesity and advocates an early start – when the would-be mother is still at school In April the new look NHS emerged. The UK’s public health budget will be ring fenced and devolved to local authority. A certain amount of its cash and the responsibility for how it is spent nationally will be retained by Whitehall but the bulk of the money – and financial incentives for those who show how it improves local health – will pass to the local Clinical Commissioning Groups [CCGs] and Health & Wellbeing Boards. As far as obesity is concerned, only time will tell if 2013 will be the year when a totally preventable epidemic begins to become a thing of the past. The people in Whitehall are hoping that it will: others – and count me amongst their number – are not betting on it. In my view, success will ultimately depend on local authorities developing a new strategy – or strategies – to accomplish what Whitehall was completely unable to do in the past 13 years. What is needed more than anything else is to stop children from getting fat in the first place.

BACKGROUND Too many children are born fat and too many become fat in the first two years of their lives.

The simple statistic, that on average 25 per cent of UK children are overweight or obese by the time they enter primary school, is an horrific figure. Somewhere along the line, and certainly within the 1000 days between conception to the child’s 2nd birthday, the chance for hundreds of children in your local authority’s area to look forward to a healthy lifestyle has evaporated. Certainly from their first signs of life - and probably for some time before - we are failing them.

Something must be done about it – and soon.

Something must be done since the consequences of childhood obesity may be worse than the simple obesity itself. Type II diabetes, which used to be an adult onset condition, is increasingly appearing in young people. Cardiovascular problems and some cancers are two further co-morbidities threatening the lives of adolescents. In fact, early death itself is a possibility and it is truly appalling to consider that children may now

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Something must be done since the consequences of childhood obesity may be worse than the simple obesity itself. Type II diabetes, which used to be an adult onset condition, is increasingly appearing in young people be at risk of dying before their parents. It is arguably even more appalling that the parents themselves are blissfully aware of the dangers because successive national governments have not got this message across. It is difficult

to believe that with this knowledge any parent would feed their children on junk food and allow them to drink highly-sugared energy drinks in an effort to be ‘cool’. There are several national weight loss programmes which are on E

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CHILDHOOD OBESITY  offer in many UK towns and cities – MINI‑MEND, The Carnegie Weight Loss Programme, Trim Tots etc – and they do the best that they can. They do not however reach every locality and can’t cater for the tens of thousands of children who need them.

When family efforts at weight loss have broken down these programmes are the only alternative since pre-pubertal children, unlike adults, can’t be given drug or bariatric surgical solutions. Even if they could the cost to the NHS would be prohibitive. It is imperative therefore that new, low cost local strategies are implemented which are aimed at getting all children born at an average weight, fed correctly from the start and pointed in the direction of a healthy lifestyle which, hopefully, will stay with them for life. What might the strategies be? Here are some priority pointers.

START AT THE BEGINNING Start at the beginning actually means starting well before birth when the would-be mother is still at school. Because women are increasingly entering pregnancy either overweight or obese, and courting the real dangers that such fatness might lead to, every female of childbearing age should be taught from as early as is reasonable just how important it is to stay trim for conception. Recently the Royal Society of Medicine heard a presentation flippantly entitled ‘get in shape for serious sex’ but the message was serious enough. The speaker emphasised that the opportunity to deliver it was when girls gathered en masse for their rubella and human papillomavirus immunisations in secondary school. Even if 50 per cent forgot the message the moment the school nurse left the building, 50 per cent just might remember it and 50 per cent is, co-incidentally, the approximate percentage of unplanned pregnancies. There is little chance of getting the very overweight woman at booking-in back to size since dieting in pregnancy is not recommended: it’s a no brainer therefore that she should do everything possible enter pregnancy at a reasonable weight.

BODY MASS INDEX If she is overweight at booking-in, calculating her body mass index [BMI] and then doing something meaningful with it should be another priority. It would be ideal, too, if at some early stage of the pregnancy the father’s BMI could be calculated since the risk factor for the baby to develop overweight in childhood increases dramatically if both parents are fat.

Knowing if either or both parents have high BMIs should direct both midwifery and health visitor teams to anticipate a rapid weight gain after delivery, plan intervention programme to mitigate it and deliver appropriate dietary advice. At booking-in midwifery teams in particular should also hammer home the message that pregnancy is not the time for the would-be mother to “eat for two” and that the midwife should routinely monitor pregnancy weight gain over the ensuing months. It is quite

disturbing that in 2006 NICE dismissed the need routinely to check this with the result that to-day far too many women are being wheeled into the labour ward at a quite unhealthy size.

It is brilliant that more women than ever are making the decision to exclusively breastfeed – and subconsciously follow nature’s way of slimming children down after the first weeks of life. It is tragic however that their aspirations to continue to do so for the next six months are being are being stymied by the failure to provide proper support for them in their ambition. Only 1 per cent achieve it. Successful breastfeeding is for many an acquired skill and it can be some time before mother and baby have an acceptable modus operandi. Patience from whoever is delegated to the support task should be mandatory since without it mothers will turn to formula preparations and a real benefit to the health of both parent and infant will be lost. If this lack of support is also compounded by your local environment – workplaces, shops, offices, restaurants and public buildings – not tolerating breastfeeding, a priority should be to sort them out, too. It is disgraceful that years after a law was passed stating that mothers should not be prevented from breastfeeding in public – and should be offered a quiet room in which they could breastfeed in private – mothers are still being shown to the toilet or nappy‑changing room to feed their infants.

ROUTINE WEIGHT CHECKING Implementing the routine monitoring of 1st yr weight routinely to check that it is not significantly shifting upwards towards obesity has to be another priority.

A substantial number of the 25 per cent

success in childrearing is misplaced. To curb inappropriate early weaning doesn’t escape the priority list either. Early weaning is a risk factor for obesity since it is likely to instil an unwarranted dependence on solids and over‑consumption. No infant should be fed solids prior to 17 weeks but stories abound of mothers having no qualms in offering their babies pureed chips and remnants of their previous night’s takeaways at 12 weeks! Such food – or indeed any food - will be injurious to the gut and kidney at this age.

A final priority should be that health visitors are enabled to continue to undertake a role that the educational system abandoned twenty years ago and teach mothers to cook.

It is an indictment on society that there are UK mothers who left school finding that even boiling an egg is a challenge and are quite incapable of producing the kind of meal which you and I would call ‘healthy’.

It is a relief that cookery as a classroom subject is starting to re-emerge in primary and secondary schools but it will be a decade or longer before many very young children get the nutrition that a healthy lifestyle calls for.

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ACTIVITY Footnote: If nutritious food is important for an infant to learn this lifestyle, learning to physically exercise is equally so.

Contrary to popular belief, research has shown that being overweight leads to inactivity and not the other way round. New guidelines have recently been published recommending movement from the earliest age. ‘Tummy time’ or scrabbling around the floor is emphasised for infants

A substantial number of the 25 per cent of pre‑schoolers who are overweight at age four didn’t suddenly put on that weight overnight: they will have begun to pile on the pounds as early as two weeks following delivery of pre-schoolers who are overweight at age four didn’t suddenly put on that weight overnight: they will have begun to pile on the pounds as early as two weeks following delivery. Currently, routine weighing is frequently not adhered to because the Department of Health’s own child health manual, The Healthy Child Programme, fails to recommend any routine that will identify the early stages of obesity as recommended by the Chief Medical Officer for England in 2003. Indeed, over the last generation, the UK has ignored the value of charting any growth monitoring throughout the early years of life and that is a fact that must have contributed to the current epidemic.

The popular conception that to have a big, bonny, bouncing baby is the epitome of

who are not yet walking with 3hrs of daily activity for those who are. Floor-based and water-based play, such as ’parent and baby’ swim sessions encourages infants to use their muscles, develop motor skills and finish up with a trim tot. Play also provides valuable opportunities to build social skills and emotional bonds. L ABOUT THE AUTHOR Tam Fry, 73, honorary chairman of the Child Growth Foundation, has spoken for children with growth problems since 1977, has championed childhood obesity since 1994 and became a Forum Trustee in 2005. For further information of the work of the National Obesity Forum, visit www.nationalobesityforum.org.uk

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INFECTION CONTROL

A CLEAN FIGHT AGAINST INFECTION

Health Protection Agency information indicates that approximately half of children’s GP consultations are for infectious diseases.

Children are more susceptible to infectious diseases for a number of reasons including immature immunity, lack of prior exposure to infections and incomplete vaccinations. But social aspects also play a part in children’s vulnerability. A higher degree of close contact, sharing communal facilities and, importantly, lower levels of good hygiene practice mean that schools can be the ideal setting for infections.

Most of these infections will be self limiting although unpleasant for the child or staff member. Others however can cause wider impact, even forcing schools to close for operational reasons if the majority of staff are infected, such as in the case of diarrhoea and vomiting outbreaks or influenza. Good hygiene practices in schools can reduce the spread of these illnesses and allow school children the best possible opportunity for their education.

spread the infection to others. Food can also become contaminated if it is handled by an infected person who hasn’t washed their hands properly, and objects such as toys and flush handles. People can pick up the infecting organism by eating the contaminated food or touching contaminated surfaces and then putting their fingers in their mouth.

OFF SICK Of the infectious illnesses that do end up affecting schools, gastrointestinal and respiratory infections are among the major contributors to absenteeism. These infections cause a significant burden on students through lost days in education and to parents and carers who have to take time off work to care for a sick child.

Certain infections, such as measles, chickenpox and parvovirus, can cause complications for pregnant women and immunocompromised people. In such circumstances, schools should know who to contact for advice, i.e. the school nurse, the HPA’s local health protection unit or ask the individual to seek advice from their health practitioner.

Hand washing is the single most important hygiene measure in reducing the risk of transmitting infections amongst children and staff. Hands are used for all sorts of activities during the course of a school day and can become easily contaminated from daily activities such as using the toilet or outdoor play. Germs on a person’s hand can easily be passed onto others by direct touch or by contamination of objects. Once on the hands it is easy for germs to get into the mouth.

Some infectious diseases, such as chickenpox and measles, can be passed on to others before the infected person has any symptoms of being unwell. Some people carry certain infections, including hand, foot and mouth disease, and ringworm, without becoming unwell at all and can pass these on to susceptible people. For these reasons it is important that high standards of basic hygiene and cleanliness are maintained at all times and not just in the event of an outbreak.

Some s u infectiorvive su spores ell in very w nment iro the env stay on an and can ate object inanim everal for s days

HOW INFECTIONS SPREAD To understand the role hygiene can play in preventing illness in schools, it is important to know how infectious disease can spread.

Infectious diseases can be spread in a number of ways in schools. Aerosol spread (small droplets) is when the organisms which cause the disease are spread from the infected person via droplets in the air (caused by coughing, sneezing or during close conversation) and then inhaled by another person. Diseases spread in this way include colds, influenza (flu), measles and mumps.

Direct contact spread is when skin contact, such as holding hands, transmits some contagious skin diseases and infestations such as ringworm and scabies. Head to head contact will also facilitate the transmission of head lice.

Lastly infection can be spread the faecal/ oral route. For some diseases, including viral gastroenteritis and Hepatitis A, the infecting organism is excreted in the faeces. If the infected person does not wash their hands properly after using the toilet, then they can

Asha Abrahams is Health Protection Nurse Specialist, North East and North Central London Health Protection Unit, Health Protection Agency FURTHER INFORMATION www.hpa.org.uk

Written by Asha Abrahams, Health Protection Nurse Specialist

A higher degree of close contact, sharing communal facilities and lower levels of good hygiene practice amongst children mean that schools can be the ideal setting for infections. A clean environment is therefore essential in the fight against infection

A CLEAN ENVIRONMENT Infection control is not just about clean hands; a clean environment is also essential to prevent or minimise transmission of infectious diseases. There should be a regular daily cleaning regime in place which is undertaken by suitably trained staff. Colour coding of mops, mop buckets and cloths is recommended and all staff should be made aware of which colour is dedicated to which area, i.e. red for toilet areas, blue for classrooms and other general areas, green for kitchen area, etc. In the event of an outbreak the cleaning regime should be increased to at least twice daily with special attention to areas which are most likely to have been contaminated by hands such as toilet flush handles, taps, light switches, handrails, door handles, and so on.

Some infectious spores survive very well in the environment and can stay on an inanimate object for several days. For this reason it is essential to have a robust cleaning regime which should commence as soon as an outbreak is suspected. A suitable disinfectant should be used and it is important to know that hypochlorite (bleach) solutions do not eliminate all viruses/bacteria, therefore should be used after the area has been disinfected.

Carpets and rugs should be cleaned using a steam cleaner as any other method will not be effective in removing the bacteria or virus particles.

With any gastrointestinal illness, staff and children should not return to school until they have had no further symptoms for 48 hours and until they feel well enough to return.

Other infections have their own exclusion periods dependent on how long the infection is infectious to others and parents should be advised to keep their children at home until the period of infectivity has passed.

An ‘outbreak’ can usually be defined as when there are two or more cases of a similar illness in the same class or when there is an unusually high number of children with a similar illness. Unfortunately outbreaks of infection within schools are inevitable due to the large numbers of people in close contact with each other. However by having simple hygiene and infection control programmes, schools can effectively reduce disruptions due to infectious disease and maximise the time available for a child’s education. L

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The publishers accept no responsibility for errors or omissions in this free service Absolute Performance 72 Acorn Direct 29 Active IQ 20 AFPR 82 Alan Simmons Music 80 All Safety T/A Diggerland 66 Amadeus Associates 29 Amwell Systems 49 Apps Central 94 AQA 34 Automatic Vending 96 Aviate 116 Azure Accountancy 30 Baker Ross 4 Belchamps Scout Centre 70 Belmas 32 Box-IT UK 96 BPS Designs 30 Brathay Trust 102 British Thornton ESFATD 102 Britplas 44 Bruder Resources 54 Cannons UK 112 Capita Business Services 6 CBHC Chartered Accountants 28 Challow Timber Structures 53 Chemical-Solutions 122 Cherrill Scheer & Associates 46 CPD For Teachers 34 CrazyPlay UK 62 Crestron UK 105

122

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EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE | Volume 18.5

Lloyds TSB 8 Manchester United 70 Marsh UK 71 Natas e-learning 71 National Football Museum 71 NEC OBC NHS Creative 43 Nomadic Schools 64 Northfield Ecocentre 54 OKI Systems UK 112 Optimus Education 36 Paris Smith 31 Payplus 16 Performa Sports 74 Phenomenal Fireworks 60 Powered By Solar Ready 56 Profile 22 50 Promote Your School 102, 104 Quantum Energy 56 Rathbone Brothers 14 Rentec 56 Rising Stars UK 37 RM Education 114, 115 Rock UK Adventure Centres 66 RPA Group 52 RSA Environmental Health 108 School Blazer 10 Secom IBC Setter 60 Shrewdd Marketing 62 Smoothwall 100

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+44 (0) 120 1160 +44 (0)870 870 120 1160 www.education-nec.com www.education-nec.com Copyright 2013 NEC Display Solution Europe GmbH. All rights are reserved in favour of their respective owners. This document is provided “as is” without warranty of any kind whatsoever, either express or implied. * Terms and Conditions apply.

Copyright 2013 NEC Display Solution Europe GmbH. All rights are reserved in favour of their respective owners. This document is provided “as is” without warranty of any kind whatsoever, either express or implied.