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LEASING: HOW TO GET IT RIGHT

A great value option for schools, but do your homework first, urges the FLA IT & COMPUTING

HELP FROM THE TECH GIANTS

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VOLUME 20.1

OUTDOOR LEARNING

HEALTH & SAFETY

FINANCE

DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY

ENERGY

LEASING: HOW TO GET IT RIGHT

A great value option for schools, but do your homework first, urges the FLA IT & COMPUTING

HELP FROM THE TECH GIANTS

SOLAR PANELS

Cut energy bills and your school’s carbon footprint

Tapping into the expertise of leading technology firms to improve the teaching of computing

PLUS: BETT REVIEW | DESIGN & BUILD | SCHOOL TRIPS | EDUCATION SHOW PREVIEW

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The education party line With the election approaching in May, the UK education system will no-doubt be used as a football by politicians clambering to assimilate the public’s (and the teaching professions) viewpoint. Child illiteracy will be eradicated within a decade, Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg has pledged as he starts to set out the ambitious election commitments from his party. The target for 2025 has been set by the charity Save the Children; a fifth of children leave primary school unable to read or write properly. The Lib Dems will back the charity’s Read On, Get On mission to get every 11-year-old reading and writing to the standard identified as crucial to achieving success in secondary school and later life – by 2025. The deputy prime minister has made himself even more popular in the coalition by claiming the Conservatives plan to slash education funds by a quarter. Private briefing notes photographed in January show the Tories have refused to rule out cutting the schools budget after the general election. ‘Research’ by Liberal Democrats shows that the Conservatives would need to axe a quarter of the education budget by 2020 to keep pace with their plans for public spending. The Green Party has come under heavy criticism regarding its education policies from Labour shadow education secretary Tristram Hunt. Green Party education policies include delaying the start of formal schooling until the age of six; ending the use of standardised achievement tests in schools; restricting data that would allow the publication of school league tables; abolishing the schools inspectorate Ofsted (this one is, apparently, popular with teachers) and; ending the status of academies and free schools. Hunt declared in the Guardian: “The Green party sell themselves as a new type of politics but when you look closely, they’re anything but modern – they’re more like a flashback to the 1970s than a vision of the future. Nowhere is this clearer than in education.” Interestingly, but perhaps unsurprisingly, a new OECD report undercovers a widespread lack of evaluation of political reforms. It finds that once new policies are adopted, there is little follow-up. Only around one in 10 of the 450 different reforms put in place between 2008 and 2014 were evaluated for their impact by governments between their launch and the publication of the report. Read more on page 11. Danny Wright

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226 High Rd, Loughton, Essex IG10 1ET. Tel: 020 8532 0055 Fax: 020 8532 0066 Web: www.psi-media.co.uk EDITOR Angela Pisanu EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Michael Lyons EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Danny Wright PRODUCTION EDITOR Richard Gooding PRODUCTION CONTROL Jacqueline Lawford, Jo Golding WEBSITE PRODUCTION Reiss Malone ADVERTISEMENT SALES Patrick Dunne, Jackie Preece, Raj Chohan, Jake Deadman, Justine James, Winston Showan, Carol Symons PUBLISHER Karen Hopps ADMINISTRATION Victoria Leftwich, Vickie Hopkins REPRODUCTION & PRINT Argent Media

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CONTENTS EDUCATION BUSINESS 20.1 07

07 EDUCATION BRIEFER Ofsted allowed to take a closer look at Academy chains; new professional development standards aim to ‘empower heads’

13 FINANCE: LEASING

Simon Goldie, head of asset finance at the Finance & Leasing Association suggests leasing could be an ideal solution for schools that want the latest equipment

15 FINANCE: PAYROLL

Samantha Mann from the Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals explains the changes to payroll legislation

17 FINANCE: RISK

Kerry Ace, Policy advisor at CIPFA, outlines the importance of undertaking risk management to minimise lost opportunities

25 ENERGY

Paul Barwell, CEO at the Solar Trade Association, discusses the advantages of solar panelling, what funding is available, and what to watch out for

29 DESIGN & BUILD

Education Business looks at the most recent developments in the Government’s Priority School Building Programme

37 HEALTH & SAFETY

Rob Burgon of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents discusses how schools can prevent slips, trips and falls

41 IT & COMPUTING

Supported by O2 and Google, the Education Secretary has unveiled a £3.6m drive to improve the teaching of computing skills in English primary schools

51 BETT 2015 REVIEW

59 SPORT

Most schools recognise the importance of physical activity and actively promote it throughout the school day, but is the number of minutes spent on PE in decline?

63 OUTDOOR LEARNING

Elaine Skates, of the Council for Learning Outside the Classroom, discusses outdoor learning as a strategy to improve the quality of teaching in school establishments

69 TRIPS

Mike Newman discusses how teachers have the most wonderful opportunity to bring the classroom out into the world

72 DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY: AWARDS

Andy Mitchell, assistant chief executive at the Design & Technology Association, reveals the innovative winners of The Great British Make Off

75 DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY: RESOURCES

Paul Anderson, independent adviser to the Design and Technology Association, discusses how recent changes in the D&T curriculum affect the subject

79 EDUCATION SHOW

The Education Show 2015 on 19-21 March will be providing all of the insight you need for a successful career in the world of education

90 SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS

The British Dyslexia Association informs how to recognise a dyslexic child and how to have a ‘dyslexia friendly’ classroom

95 ALLERGIES

The BETT show at London’s ExCeL Centre discusses how technology continues to play a vital role in the future of education

The importance of having a good knowlege of what causes allergic reactions, and what to do about them

55 CATERING

99 TRAINING

A look back at Jamie Oliver’s drive to improve school food, in light of the new School Food Plan

Education Business

Contents

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The Sutton Trust’s Lee Elliot Major discusses the key elements of effective performance management

www.educationbusinessuk.net Volume 20.1 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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ACADEMIES

Ofsted allowed to take a closer look at Academy chains

The Department for Education has announced that Ofsted has been given the green light to take a closer look at the work of groups running chains of academies, but it will not be allowed to make judgments about whether a trust is effective or not and there will be no formal extension of Ofsted’s inspection powers. Education secretary Nicky Morgan said the inspectorate should be able to publish information about the performance of academy chains. It comes after months of wrangling between the department and Ofsted chief Sir Michael Wilshaw on the issue. Sir Michael made repeated calls last year to be given explicit powers to inspect the head offices of academy chains, in the same way that Ofsted can look at local council children’s services. Back in October, Morgan publicly contradicted Sir Michael over whether the watchdog has the right to inspect academy chains. More than half of England’s schools are now academies with many run by multi‑academy trusts (MATs). Mrs Morgan, and her predecessor Michael Gove, had argued that Ofsted did not need to be given additional rights to examine the overall management of these groups. Setting out new rules for academy trust inspections in a letter, Morgan said that the watchdog should continue to conduct ‘batch’ inspections of academies that are all run by the same trust. She goes on to say that she would expect that Ofsted would meet with staff from multi-academy trusts (MATs) shortly after inspections have taken place. “They should share and discuss the evidence already gathered and collect and consider further evidence to demonstrate the impact of the MAT’s work with its academies. While the focus must remain on the academies that have been inspected, I agree the dialogue should include consideration of achievement and other relevant data for all of the MAT’s academies. Morgan continued: “It should also consider the arrangements the MAT has made for the effective overseeing, challenge and support of

individual academies. Inspectors would then be able to draw together the range of evidence and make a balanced assessment of the work of the chain with the academies inspected.” Morgan goes on to say that any findings published by Ofsted must make it clear which schools have been inspected and which have not. “The published letter should also provide information about the performance of the academies which have not been inspected, so that the wider position across the MAT can be understood.” Ofsted has previously attempted to overcome the issue of Trust inspections by conducting inspections at a number of schools run by the same chain and then publishing its findings. In total, it has issued critical letters to four different academy chains – the Academies Enterprise Trust (AET), School Partnership Trust Academies (SPTA), Kemnal Academies Trust (TKAT) and the E-ACT Trust – after inspecting some of their schools. NUT General Secretary Christine Blower said: “It was always irresponsible in the extreme to allow groups of unaccountable and unelected individuals and organisations to take over the running of schools with barely a check in place. “As a consequence we have seen case after case of mismanagement and poor practice occurring in state schools with local authorities being unable to step in to sort out issues that may have arisen. The losers here are children and young people whose parents and carers trust that the Government, when opening or handing schools over to academy chains, has ensured that they are properly overseen and administered. “However, Ofsted inspection alone is insufficient. All schools should be accountable to their local authority and ultimately the Government should recognise that its damaging academy and free school policy has failed and return all state funded schools to local democratic oversight.” TO READ MORE VISIT: tinyurl.com/kngvmuo

ADMISSIONS

Chief Schools Adjudicator highlights Admissions Code concerns

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The Chief Schools Adjudicator has again called for all admission authorities in England to comply fully with the School Admissions Code on consulting, determining and publishing their arrangements to promote fair access for all children. In her annual report for 1 September 2013 to 31 August 2014, Dr Elizabeth Passmore states that concerns about admission arrangements continue to make up the largest part of the OSA’s work and accounted for 274 of the total of 351 new cases of all types referred to OSA. To improve further fair access for all children to state-funded schools in England, Dr Passmore calls for: all admission authorities to comply with the requirements of the code in respect of consultation about; determination of; and publication of their full admission arrangements; all schools that admit students new to the school to the sixth-form to comply with the general requirements of the code, including those for consultation, determination, having a published admission number for new students and publishing the arrangements, as well as complying with the requirements that apply specifically to the sixth-form; own admission authority schools to determine admission arrangements that comply fully with admissions law and the code, in particular they must not request prohibited information and must have arrangements that are reasonable, clear, objective and procedurally fair. Objections to school admission arrangements have risen by more than 65 per cent in the past year, with almost a quarter coming from one lobby group. READ MORE: tinyurl.com/l26h6e4

SPONSORSHIP

New sponsor for Forest Academy South Gloucestershire and Stroud College (SGS) is preparing to take over the management of Forest Academy in Cinderford from troubled sponsor E-ACT. While a formal transfer will take place on March 1, E-ACT has agreed that SGS can operate as the sponsor under licence. Back in February last year, Ofsted raised serious concerns about the performance of some E-ACT academies. In September, the academy chain announced the transfer of eight of its schools to new sponsors following negotiations with the READ MORE: Department tinyurl.com/m4qmga2 for Education.

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GUIDANCE

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COMPUTING

Child protection Technology firms drafted in to guidance help primary school teachers confusion According to the public sector union Unison, more than 300 school staff, including teachers, are thought to have been suspended in order to comply with government requirements that they should disclose if they are living with someone with a conviction for a violent or sexual crime. Staff who report such connections will not be allowed to work in primary schools unless they apply for a waiver from the schools inspectorate, Ofsted. Regulations requiring disclosure have been in place for childminders and nurseries, but the problem in schools has arisen since the government highlighted the requirement in new guidance issued late last year. Ofsted said it had seen an increase in waiver applications following publication of the updated government guidance. Jon Richards, Unison’s head of education, told the Guardian: “There are serious question marks over whether the Department for Education’s supplementary advice to schools is an effective tool in child protection. It has already resulted in hundreds of innocent staff being suspended from schools. “Because the regulations apply to people living or working in the same household, many members of staff are being suspended for issues completely unrelated to child safety. Staff who have been in post for a long time and have demonstrated that they do not pose a risk are being suspended and left in limbo.” A Department for Education spokesperson said that its guidance had not changed, and schools should use their discretion in applying the rules. A spokesperson said: “While we process all applications as quickly as possible, we must also investigate each application thoroughly before making a decision to grant a waiver. This can often take time, particularly in more serious or complex cases. We appreciate the inconvenience this may cause to some staff affected. However, parents and carers would expect us to take all necessary steps to ensure that children are safeguarded.” Ofsted said it had seen an increase in waiver applications following publication of the updated government guidance.

TO READ MORE VISIT: tinyurl.com/odgrchp

Top technology experts from firms including O2 and Google will be enticed into schools up and down the country with £3.6m of funding to help prepare England’s primary school teachers for the new computing curriculum. In a speech at the annual BETT conference in London (21st January) Education Secretary Nicky Morgan announced five new projects that will see major tech companies parachuting experts in to top-tier universities like Queen Mary University of London, UCL and Oxford to provide the latest training. More than four million primary school children have already received lessons through the new curriculum, which puts much more emphasis on experience of programming and understanding the fundamental principles of computer science. In a separate development, the British Computer Society announced an extension to

Education Briefer

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the successful Barefoot computing project, funded by BT. The project, which supports primary school teachers teaching the computing curriculum, was originally funded by DfE from September 2014 to March 2015, and the latest funding will extend it to the end of this READ MORE: school tinyurl.com/nwnk5vx year.

PUPIL PREMIUM

New professional development standards aim to ‘empower heads’ The government has published new standards to promote professional development among headteachers. The publication follows a review of the 2004 standards carried out last year by Dame Dana Ross-Wawrzynski and other leading members of the profession, with the aim of defining guidelines applicable to all headteachers in the current educational landscape. According to the Department for Education, the new standards will “empower and inspire heads, drive aspiration, promote excellence and reflect the greater decision‑making powers heads now enjoy”. Announcing the standards at the Education the government Forum on 19th January, Education Secretary Nicky Morgan said: “At the heart of our plan for education – at the heart of all great education systems - are great teachers and great teaching. But strong leadership in all our schools is absolutely crucial and a key part of securing the best outcomes for pupils. We already have many talented headteachers driving forward our programme of improvement and ensuring young people are prepared for life in modern Britain. “That is why we want to champion these dedicated professionals who regularly go the extra mile for our children by providing them with aspirational standards of excellence that will support them to get the best of their staff and pupils.” The report’s author, Dame Dana Ross‑Wawrzynski said: ”I am delighted as chair of the review to be able to

announce the launch of the revised national headteacher standards. The review was a process which gave headteachers a genuine opportunity to review and set their own professional standards. Russell Hobby, General Secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT), said: It is important that headteachers and school leaders have a set of professional standards relevant to the modern state of the role. These highly aspirational standards will provide a solid foundation for professional development and dialogue. They also state proudly to the world what heads stand for and how they hold themselves to account. The Education Secretary has also welcomed a review by Sir Andrew Carter into initial teacher training (ITT). The report highlights that more needs to be done to ensure all trainees receive some core grounding in the basics of classroom management and subject knowledge. In response, the government is to commission an independent working group made of expert representatives from the sector to develop a core ITT framework. The Teaching Schools Council will also be tasked with developing a set of national standards for mentors, while the Get Into Teaching website will provide more information on ITT. DOWNLOAD NATIONAL STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE FOR HEADTEACHERS: tinyurl.com/pzbcurb

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STEM SUBJECTS

DfE accounts not adding up The inability of the DfE to prepare financial statements providing a true and fair view of financial activity by its group of bodies means that it is not meeting the accountability requirements of Parliament, according to the Comptroller and Auditor General’s report on the Department for Education. The Department has a different reporting period from that of the academy trusts. The former must produce its financial statements by a year end of 31 March whereas the trusts have a year end of 31 August (to align with the end of the school year). This presents the Department with the significant challenge of preparing financial statements which provide a true and fair view of the financial activity for the period in question and the financial position at the end of that period. The Department has made improvements to the consolidation process but, with the number of academies growing by a further 1,082 during the year thereby increasing the amount of potential error in the extrapolation process, the C&AG, Amyas Morse, considers that the approach adopted by the Department does not give a true and fair view of its financial performance or position. Furthermore, the approach does not provide the required accountability to Parliament. The C&AG has not, however, identified material

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATION – www.educationbusinessuk.net

NEWS IN BRIEF Private Schools continue to outshine state sector

inaccuracies in the financial statements of the individual bodies making up the group. Amyas Morse said: “I recognise the importance of not placing unnecessary additional burdens on the academy sector. But the inability of the Department for Education to prepare financial statements providing a true and fair view of financial activity by its group of bodies means that it is not meeting the accountability requirements of Parliament. In particular, I believe that, if the challenge posed by consolidating the accounts of so many bodies and the fact that so many have a different reporting period is to be surmounted, the Department and Treasury need to work together to find a solution.” The DfE responded: “We recognise the issues identified by the NAO with this process. We take the concerns very seriously. We are working closely with the HM Treasury to find a more sustainable solution to this process.” READ MORE: tinyurl.com/kom8h29

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The Telegraph has reported that private school pupils are continuing to outshine their state sector counterparts by a wide margin when it comes to A-level results, new figures show. Despite forming just 13.6 per cent of all A-level entries, pupils from fee-paying schools achieve nearly 30 per cent of all A* grades, raising questions over the education opportunities on offer to the vast majority of children.

Educating Yorkshire teacher suspended A teacher who featured on the Channel 4 programme Educating Yorkshire has received an indefinite teaching ban after admitting having sex with two ex-pupils and communicating inappropriately with three others. Neil Giffin has been suspended indefinitely after a panel of the National College for Teaching and Leadership (NCTL) found he had engaged in unacceptable professional conduct and conduct that may bring the profession into disrepute. The panel heard that Giffin had admitted communicating inappropriately with three former pupils, including one with special educational needs, over social media and had sex with two others, both TO READ MORE VISIT: of whom were aged over tinyurl.com/ppzfjt3 18 at the time.

Churchill remembered at Wembley School An independent French school to be opened in Wembley, Middlesex later this year will be named after the former British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill. Arnaud Vaissié, chair of the board of trustees, and Mireille Rabaté, Head of the Lycée International de Londres Winston Churchill, said: “By naming the new French international lycée after Winston Churchill today, 50 years after his death, we remember the immensely important role he played in France’s past and make his memory present in our country’s future.”

New leadership team at IAA POLITICS

Report highlights need to evaluate education reforms

A widespread lack of evaluation of the impact of education reforms could hinder their effectiveness and hurt educational outcomes, according to a new OECD report. Education Policy Outlook 2015: Making Reforms Happen finds that once new policies are adopted, there is little follow-up. Only around one in 10 of the 450 different reforms put in place between 2008 and 2014 were evaluated for their impact by governments between their launch and the publication of the report. Measuring policy impact more rigorously will ensure that future

reforms are built on policies proven to work over a timeframe independent of political cycles or pressures, claims the OECD. Launching the report at the Education World Forum in London, Andreas Schleicher, OECD Director for Education and Skills, said: “While it is encouraging to see a greater focus on outcomes, it’s crucial that reforms are given the time to work and their impact is analysed.” READ MORE: tinyurl.com/kom8h29

The Independent Academies Association has announced that Dame Kathy August will be its new chair and Sir Peter Simpson is taking on the new role of chief executive officer. Dame Kathy has had a distinguished career in the education sector, leading one of the very first Sponsored Academies as Principal of the Manchester Academy. She has since held a number of other roles including being the deputy chief executive of ULT and having been a senior education adviser at the Standards and Effectiveness Unit under the leadership of Professor Michael Barber. She is currently working with a number of Multi-Academy Trusts and other educational organisations. Sir Peter was ceo of Brooke Weston Trust and Principal of Brooke Weston Academy and has been a senior leader for many years, driving the development of both the Academy and the wider Trust incorporating four secondary Academies, a secondary Free School and four primary schools. His career in teaching stretches back to the 1970s. The Association has experienced membership growth of 23 percent in the last year and it acknowledges the need for more senior educational leadership capacity to build on and develop particularly the TO READ MORE VISIT: advocacy work it carries out tinyurl.com/kvlx7nx as the voice of Academies.

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LEASING

Finance

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LEASING: GETTING IT RIGHT Leasing could be an ideal solution for schools that want the latest equipment, without the large one-off payment needed for an outright purchase. But you need to do your homework first, advises Simon Goldie, head of asset finance at the Finance & Leasing Association

Written by Simon Goldie, Head of Asset Finance, Finance & Leasing Association

Leasing has significant benefits for the education sector. It can allow them to get the latest equipment, without the large one-off payment needed for an outright purchase. What’s more, it can be used for a wide range of items – anything from computers to vehicles. If you’re thinking of replacing old equipment or buying in new resources, it is important to compare the cost of leasing with buying. OPERATING AND FINANCE Also be aware that there are two main types of leases – operating and finance – a general difference of which is that an operating lease would be used if the customer only needed the equipment for a certain period rather than its entire working life, whereas under a finance lease, the full value of the item would be paid over the lease period. In its ‘Guidance on the use of Leases by Schools’, the Department for Education states that ‘an operating lease is the only type of lease a school should enter into.’ It views a finance lease as the ‘equivalent to you committing the school to a loan’, while an operating lease ‘involves the school paying a rental fee for the hire of an asset for a period of time, similar to a rental agreement.’ As with any financial undertaking, it is important to know whom you’re doing business with. Is the supplier of the new IT suite or minibus the one providing the finance, or is the credit coming from a completely different firm? If the finance company is a member of the Finance & Leasing Association (FLA), you will have the reassurance that our members follow the FLA’s Business Finance Code which sets out the high standards expected of them in their dealings with customers, and we also offer a conciliation service if needed. THE MINIMUM LEASE PERIOD Always look at the details of the agreement – including the minimum lease period. This is the shortest amount of time over which the school will have to continue to pay to use the equipment, so matching it to how long the school has tended to keep similar equipment in the past will help align the duration of your payment schedule to the useful life of the item. Find out if the agreement includes maintenance – and who would provide it. Also, make sure you know what would happen if the maintenance firm went out of business, because your school wouldn’t want to be paying for broken equipment. Check the maintenance charges, and shop around to see if it would

As with any financial undertaking, it is important to know whom you’re doing business with. Is the supplier of the new IT suite or minibus the one providing the finance, or is the credit coming from a completely different firm? be cheaper getting this service elsewhere, and if the maintenance agreement is separate from the lease, check that it runs for the same duration and whether notice can be given. Sometimes supplies such as paper can be included in the agreement – this is obviously handy if you’ve leased a photocopier, but do find out what would be supplied and by whom, and what would happen if that firm went out of business. Always shop around to see if it would be cheaper to buy your paper elsewhere. If you are offered an upgrade during the minimum lease period, seek expert guidance from your Local Authority or the National Association of School Business as it might not be the best option at this point. OWNERSHIP It’s important to add that leases are agreements to rent equipment, so at the end of the minimum period the school

will not own the items concerned. You will usually have a choice of returning them, extending the rental period, or purchasing them. Check at the outset which options would be available – for instance would the payments change if you extended the rental period, and how this would compare to buying the items. Leasing is a great value option for schools but it’s important to do your homework. Shop around to get a selection of quotes, and if an offer seems too good to be true, it probably is. Our basic checklist for Successful Leasing in Schools (see link below) is a good source of information but nothing beats getting some expert advice from your local authority or the National Association of School Business.  FURTHER INFORMATION www.fla.org.uk tinyurl.com/qes345m

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FUTURE YOU LOOK AFTER THEIR

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At Lloyds Bank we understand education. We have relationship managers in your area with specialist knowledge and local insight. It’s one reason why more than half of all Academies already choose to bank with us. Talk to us about how we can support your Academy. lloydsbank.com/schoolbanking

Lloyds Bank plc. Registered Office: 25 Gresham Street, London EC2V 7HN. Registered in England and Wales no. 2065. Telephone: 020 7626 1500.

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PAYROLL LEGISLATION

Samantha Mann from the Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals, explains three changes to payroll legislation that employers will need to familiarise themselves with this year There are few facts that can be relied upon to be constant, however one of them is that there will always be changes impacting upon your payroll processes. Some will occur across the board and impact all employers and others will only impact employers if they are faced with a particular situation. LATE SUBMISSION AUTOMATIC PENALTIES April 2013 saw the introduction of Real Time Information (RTI) which, for the first time since PAYE was introduced in 1944, placed the obligation on employers to submit details of payments being made to their employees ‘on or before’ the date that payments were made to employees. As with any new legislative obligation, RTI brought with it the risk of penalties to employers who failed to submit

the Full Payment Submission (FPS) or a nil payment Employer Payment Submission (EPS), in a timely manner. Initially, employers were given a grace period of one year until April 2014, which was further extended until 6th October 2014. This was later amended again to allow a phased rollout of late submission automatic penalties and saw employers with 50 or more employees being subject to these penalties as from 6th October 2014 and smaller employers enjoying a delay until 6th March 2015. The first penalty notices are expected to be issued in January and employers who receive them will have 30 days in which to either pay the penalty, or to appeal the penalty because they don’t believe it to be due. The reasons for appeal

SHARED PARENTAL LEAVE & PAY Statutory Maternity Leave (SML) and Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) has existed for mothers since the 1980s and seeks to help the expectant mother to stop work before and after the birth of her baby in the interests 

, Initially ere ers w employ ace period gr given a e year until of on 14, which April 20er extended th was fur 6th October until 014 2

Volume 20.1 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Written by Samantha Mann, senior policy and research officer, The Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals (CIPP)

ADMINISTERING PAYROLL: WHAT TO BE AWARE OF

can be many and varied but will fall into two main categories, ‘factual’ or ‘reasonable excuse’. Factual maintains that the penalty is not due because the return was not late, whereas, reasonable excuse accepts that the penalty is due, but there was good reason for the return being submitted late (i.e. IT problems). Since April 2014, payroll software has contained a list of reasons which can be used to identify why a return for a single or group of employees has been submitted late. It would be useful if you familiarised yourself with how this works in your own software so that penalty notices can be headed off before they arise. Penalties can be appealed automatically through your own PAYE online account, or that of your agent, or it can be appealed in writing. Automatic penalties will be issued on paper, not online or by email, so a notification received via the Generic Notification Service (GNS) that informs you that you may need to take action to avoid a penalty is not a penalty notice. The penalty notice will only be sent to an employer and not to an agent, although you might want your agent to deal with the appeal.

Case Study

www.educationbusinessuk.net – THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATION

Nick Dufton and Red Spot HR – your one-stop shop for all Human Resources and People needs When I was at school as a pupil, or even later as a teacher, I did not know there was such a thing as ‘Human Resources’ let alone ‘Personnel’ or the new thinking of ‘People’ departments. Yet here I am now after a career of 23 years, and still counting, still learning and adapting to the demands the world of work keeps throwing at me. In all honesty, there is no mystique to HR. I find myself relying upon a lot of common sense which has developed throughout the years along with some robust and practiced policies and procedures for everyone to know ‘where the land lies’. Things tend to get out of hand only when a ‘line has been crossed’ which the crosser has not been aware of or cares about. Then there needs to be a way to rectify the situation and in a fair and balanced way so as not to fall foul of the discrimination laws which are there to protect us all. In my career to date I have worked in all sizes of businesses from assisting start-ups to working through the largest financial services merger when the Bank of New York merged with the Mellon Corporation to become BYNMellon. I have experiences in medical communication agencies, insurance, and even in castles and palaces. Suffice to say I have seen a lot of

human behaviour and there is one thing for certain, which my grandfather used to tell me, “there’s nowt so queer as folk” – he was right. Just when you think you have seen it all something strange happens and you discover a new situation to work through and that is what I love about HR. No two days are the same as no two sets of people are the same. Equally the laws keep adapting and new employment elements keep appearing not only to keep the lawyers on their toes but to test the HR departments to ensure their organisation is compliant. If you have issues you need looking at, advising on or even just checking that you are compliant then you need to have access to

someone who you know has had abundant experience to explain, in simple language, the extent of your issue and how to resolve it. Redspot HR is my consultancy and we use plain language to help you from recruitment to retirement and everything in-between. We are psychometric tester trained so can add that to our services as well – even helping 15+ students with their career choices. FURTHER INFORMATION Visit www.RedspotHR.com for the online platform plus contact details for consultancy work. Tel: 0800 71010 80

Contact Nick Dufton

Read on if you wish to be more organised with your personnel data so that you can access what you need when you need it and a place for every type of data you wish to store about your staff. Read on if you need a system where all your staff can access the policies and procedures you need them to follow for their jobs. Would you like somewhere all your staff training manuals and records can be stored online to be accessed by your staff using any internet accessible device? We offer such a system at a ridiculously low introductory price so register now before our rates have to increase. We charge only £1 per month per active staff record you store with us – leavers’ data can still be accessed but we do not charge you for these records.

Email nick@redspothr.com Call 0800 7101 080

Through our vast HR experience we believe our platform will aid any small to medium sized organisation and have found schools particularly interested to know more. If this is you then please go online and find us to see if we can make order out of your personnel data chaos. Register at www.redspothr.com now to start using the system and your first month is free – we will ask you at the end of your first month if you wish to continue on the above mentioned crazy introductory price. If you have special data to store and no obvious place, or an automated process you wish it would do let us know – we will look into developing it for you. Behind Redspot HR is a consultancy offering HR advice and support on an hourly basis as well as offering for sale this HR platform – contact us if you would like to know more about our experience and charges for consultancy work. The reason we developed our HR platform is through experience of finding companies with data in several places and not accessible to the staff being employed. We are here to make your, and their, lives easier.

EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE | Volume 20.1

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PAYROLL LEGISLATION  of her own and the baby’s health. Since their introduction, both leave and pay have been subject to adjustment, expansion and challenge through the courts. Similarly. both have also experienced the introduction of further legislative leave and pay regimes that look to provide similar support to the partner of the mother in receipt of maternity leave. For births with a due or matching date of 5 April 2015 a new Statutory leave and payment regime will be available to a mother and her partner or to primary adopters and their partner (secondary adopters) in the form of Shared Parental Leave (SPL) and Shared Parental Pay (ShPP). Ordinary Statutory Paternity Pay will be renamed Statutory Paternity Pay and Additional Paternity Leave and pay is to be abolished, but will continue to exist where the expected due date is on or before the week ending 4 April 2015. SPL will, for the first time, allow working couples who share the care of their child, either in a birth or adoption situation, to share any remaining maternity or adoption leave. This will also include, if eligible, the right to share maternity (SMP) or adoption pay (SAP), in the event that the mother or primary adopter, chooses to end their leave early and return to work. In maternity leave situations, the mother must take a minimum of two weeks (four

if she works in a factory) compulsory leave, but in order to create entitlement to SPL and/or ShPP, the mother has to curtail her maternity leave period and pay. A mother can return to work (thus ending her maternity or adoption leave) and then give notice telling her employer when she wants the leave and wants her pay period to end or, whilst still taking maternity leave and/or SMP (or adoption leave and SAP), a mother can give notice that she will end her maternity leave and/or SMP or Maternity Allowance on a future date. ShPP is paid at either the standard weekly rate (currently £138.18 rising to £139.58 for the year 2015-16) or 90 per cent of the AWE whichever is lower however, unlike SMP and SAP (from 5 April 2015) there is no enhanced earnings rate payable for the first six weeks, even where leave and pay is curtailed before the enhancement is taken. Early births can happen, so be aware that there is the potential, as there always is with changes such as these, for the first cases to arise from February or March if the baby arrives early. EMPLOYER NIC AND THE UNDER 21s In recent years there has been a desire from government, whatever political persuasion, for businesses to grow and this latest new initiative aims to encourage that growth

Make outsourcing your payroll work for your Academy With Academy conversion comes many implications, not least the release from the Local Authority payroll service. For some Academies this can be a daunting prospect as it means either managing in-house or outsourcing to a third party provider.

by removing the cost of employer NICs on earnings up to £815 per week where an employee is under the age of 21. From the 6 April 2015 the rate of employer Class 1 secondary NICs for employees under the age of 21 will be 0 per cent up to the new ‘Upper Secondary Threshold’ (UST). Secondary NICs will however continue to be payable on all earnings above this threshold. There will be no change to the basic rules and calculations of National Insurance. NIC for employees who are aged 16 or over and under the age of 21 will be administered by using any one of seven new NI category letters and this new initiative provides a timely prompt to ensure that employers hold the correct date of birth for employees. Three new subjects have been covered, all of which may or may not impact directly on payroll processes in the coming year, but all of which need to be familiarised with if you are responsible for administering the payroll in your educational establishment. If you haven’t already done so, take the opportunity now to ensure that you have established procedures that enable you to remain up to date with changes, because, as we established at the outset of this article – the one constant in payroll is change.  FURTHER INFORMATION www.cipp.org.uk

By choosing the correct partner an Academy can reap the rewards of payroll outsourcing. Dataplan Education provides payroll services to hundreds of schools and Academies nationwide, including Multi Academy Trusts. See what benefits you can gain with Dataplan Education • Greater accuracy and timeliness • Consistent and bespoke reporting • Secure online payroll submission and approval • ePayslip options • Multiple views of your data • Absence Management tools • Payroll, HR and pension data integration through our online dashboard Vera

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Vera, our online payroll, HR and pension dashboard is free to schools who take our payroll service.

VeRA Peace of mind that your Academy payroll is in safe hands PAYROLL HR FINANCE

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educat on Volume 20.1 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

WE KNOW WE CAN SAVE YOU MONEY TO SPEND MORE ON EDUCATION. AND THAT’S MORE THAN AN EDUCATED GUESS.

As one of the UK’s leading risk managers in education insurance we know how much your claims costs can increase your insurance spend. Through efficient claims management we help you reduce your premiums, giving you more money where it is needed. On education.

We do the thinking … Risk Management Partners 0 20 7204 1800 www.rmpartners.co.uk

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RISK MANAGEMENT

MANAGING RISK IN ACADEMIES

For any organisation, including academies, risk can be defined as the uncertainty that an event or an action will adversely affect their ability to achieve their objectives and to execute successfully their strategies. Risk is not only about adverse events, but is also about ensuring that an institution is in a position to minimise its lost opportunities. A risk management system for an academy

must be concerned with looking at the measures they have in place to identify and manage key risks, and then recommending the actions that need to be taken to control those risks more effectively. THE ROLE OF THE GOVERNING BODY The governing body has ultimate responsibility for ensuring there are effective risk

All academies face a range of uncertain internal and external factors that may affect the achievement of their objectives. Risk management and internal controls should be aimed at ensuring that the institution achieves its objectives, aims and targets in the most effective manner

management arrangements in place. These should include defining the institution’s risk management strategy and risk appetite and integrating the process for managing risk into the institution’s overall strategic management, planning, systems, reporting, policies, values and culture. In addition to this, receiving regular reports on risk management actions in order to monitor the institution’s key risks and clearly identifying a person responsible for strategic risk management within the institution remain vital risk management arrangements.

Written by Kerry Ace, policy advisor, CIPFA

All academies face a range of uncertain factors that may affect the achievement of their objectives. Kerry Ace, Policy advisor at CIPFA, outlines the importance of understanding and undertaking risk management to minimise lost opportunities

THE RISK MANAGEMENT PROCESS All academies face a range of uncertain internal and external factors that may affect the achievement of their objectives. Risk management and internal controls should be aimed at ensuring that the institution achieves its objectives, aims 

Volume 20.1 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Advertorial

How to avoid pitfalls when buying Staff Absence Insurance Neville Mort, Head of Education at The Education Broker which has provided the education sector with insurance for 25 years is sharing his expertise with us. “Schools know they need to find best value rather than simply opting for the cheapest premium when buying insurance. We’ve found from roadshows we’ve conducted with the support of NAHT and NASBM that knowing what questions to ask insurers and understanding how to compare their answers is what schools most want and need in their pursuit of the right insurance cover.” Nev’s top openers... The differences in cover are only small, aren’t they?

Maternity, paternity, adoption, shared parental leave – worth insuring?

No two policies are the same. A slight difference between policy wordings, which may sometimes be hard for the inexperienced eye to detect, can mean the difference between having a claim paid or not. You should compare the full policy wording, not just quotes and key facts.

First, establish what your financial loss would be if someone did take leave, e.g. it’s roughly £4,600 for a £32,200 salary. Ask the insurer “How much and when will you pay for a claim? Does the person have to return to work? And on the same hours?”

All policies have exclusions, but when are they applied? Most standard policies provide cover for twelve months, with renewal offered annually. From the outset it’s critical to establish whether exclusions (examples below) are applied only when you first buy the policy or are re-applied at renewal too. Don’t wait until renewal time to ask this question; ask it before you first buy.

What exclusions might there be? These should be itemised in the policy wording. Two examples where insurers have stark differences are: Pre-existing illnesses. Ask “If a staff member was absent six months ago for three weeks with stress, would you pay a claim if they were absent with stress next year? And what about the year after, if they had stress next year too?” Pre-planned operations. Ask “If a staff member needs an operation does it matter that the school did not know about it when we bought the policy? And does it matter if the person had previously received medical advice or treatment for it, without our knowledge?”

When making a claim, will you need to ‘bother’ the absent person? Ask if the insurers will rely on what the school submits or will they want to write to the person’s doctor. If the latter, you will probably want to seek approval from all insured staff before buying.

The Education Broker The Education Broker provides a unique service by comparing 4 different insurance quotes from various insurers. If you’d like to save time and effort, complete the online quote form at www.theeducationbroker.co.uk/EBquote, or call us on 0845 450 7266. With The Education Broker, you can get quotes from:

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RISK MANAGEMENT  and targets in the most effective manner. The key risks that an institution faces will be those that would prevent it achieving those objectives, aims and targets. The institution’s risk register and risk management action plan should, therefore, be linked to the institution’s strategic plan. The institution needs to consider all areas of its operations and what might impinge on their success. IDENTIFYING RISK AND ESTABLISHING CONTROLS IS AN ONGOING CYCLE The cycle might be: The governing body needs to ensure that risk assessments are performed on a continuous basis. Risks should be prioritised and ranked to capture the institution’s risk profile. The number of risks should be kept to a manageable level. To enable effective strategic risk management, the number of significant business risks should be limited to those that are considered business critical, say the 10 to 20 top risks. Above this, it becomes more difficult to manage and monitor risks effectively. The risks need to be organised into broad categories and prioritised into a manageable order. The governing body should only be concerned with those risks that threaten the continued existence of the institution and the achievement of its key objectives. Ultimate responsibility for ensuring effective risk management arrangements are in place in an academy, falls to the governing body of an academy, though it is the role of management to develop and implement such arrangements. Senior management must identify and prioritise the risks associated with the non‑delivery of the academy’s objectives and associated plans. Once risks have been identified and prioritised the institution needs to decide how they are going to be managed and the action that needs to be taken in terms of mitigation or control strategies. Management must match key controls to these risks to minimise them and must monitor them accordingly. An important part of the risk management process is to document the findings. This is achieved by establishing a risk register. The risk register captures the key aspects of the risk management process and should be reviewed and updated on a regular basis (approximately monthly). Such a register should be accessible, straightforward to amend and simple to follow. It needs to be readily understood by a number of audiences including the governing body, the senior management team and departmental managers who will use it for different purposes.

discussions. The governing body should also ensure that ‘horizon scanning’ is undertaken across the institution so that longer-term risks as well as unexpected or unusual risks are identified. FINANCIAL REPORTING OF RISK Academies are required by their funding body to prepare a governance statement and to include it with the financial statements or annual report. In relation to risk, institutions need to cover the way in which leadership has been given to the risk management process and confirm that risks have been reviewed together with the controls implemented to mitigate those risks. The accounts direction requires that the annual governance statement should be signed by the chair of the governing body and the accounting officer. As part of its role, governing bodies need to seek assurance that the controls in place are being monitored to ensure that they work effectively in practice. This is done by the academy’s management, but will also need to be undertaken by an independent person, someone that has not been involved in either the setup of the control mechanisms or their operation. Independent assurance is usually provided by an academy’s internal audit provider or equivalent and the institution’s external auditor. The academy’s audit committee or its equivalent also has a role in supporting the governing body by providing an opinion on the adequacy of the academy’s risk management arrangements. L

ions Institut ave must h in the nce confidety of their capaci e processes anc govern identify to nage and ma risks major

FURTHER INFORMATION This article first appeared on the CIPFA website in September 2014 www.cipfa.org/policy-and-guidance/ articles/risk-management-in-academies

EMBEDDING RISK MANAGEMENT Institutions must have confidence in the capacity of their governance processes to identify and manage major risks. A key element in the success of risk management is to ensure it is embedded within an organisation, and is an integrated part of all decision making. Risk management and internal control must be incorporated within the institution’s normal governance and management processes ensuring some consistency. They must not be treated as a separate compliance exercise. Therefore, assessing and managing major risks and monitoring their associated controls must be carried out on a continuing basis and not regarded as an annual event. In order to embed a culture of positive risk management, the governing body will need to decide on the values and behaviours that it wishes to promote across the institution and to ensure that they are communicated effectively. The governing body will also need to ensure that the culture is, and is seen to be, set by the governing body and that the head teacher is personally involved. Furthermore, ensuring that it has the appropriate skills, knowledge, experience and support to ensure that it can appraise the major risks to the institution and to act effectively is integral to embedding a culture of positive risk. If it does not, the governing body will need to plan on how such gaps can be filled. The governing body should also ensure that there is sufficient time at its meetings to discuss risks to the institution and to assess their impact on the institution’s risk profile. The governing body should agree the frequency of such

Volume 20.1 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

YOUR DATA:YOUR WAY

Meeting the Digital Challenge in Schools MISL provides a complete and bespoke solution to transferring your paper documentation into a digital form. We take an intelligent approach that starts with understanding your information and designing a program that helps you use your information better. Scanning services, storage and document management software working in unison to help you capture your data better and put it to use every day.

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• Understanding your information • Define your goals • What do you need your data to do? • Scan everything or scan smarter? • Digital capture at source

DELIVERY • Document Scanning • Statistical reporting of data • Secure Document Management System • Long Term Storage • Digital Capture and Mobile Access

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Get in touch to find out how we can help you meet the digital challenge:

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DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT

CHANGING THE SCHOOL INFORMATION LANDSCAPE

Advertisement Feature

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATION – www.educationbusinessuk.net

Information and document management specialist MISL Ltd outlines the many benefits to be had from moving all paper-based school information into a digital format When people think about the challenge of running the education system in the UK, or the challenge of running schools specifically, one of their first thoughts are about the challenges of teaching. Speak to teachers and they would add the changing examinations landscape, the ever increasing record keeping or the inspection visits from OFSTED to the list. Often overlooked is the tremendous task of managing the administration of a school. The endless paperwork that is generated tracking students’ progress, attendance and parental permission forms. Information management is a key foundation to a well-run and effective school. ADMINISTRATION IMPROVEMENTS Information has historically always meant paper. Paper files, forms, printers and photocopiers with reams of blank paper arriving on pallets on a regular basis. The thing with paper is it take a lot of effort to manage and control. It costs money to buy, store and move and, when it is needed, it takes time to find and analyse. There have been some major improvements in the way administration is managed in schools in recent years. Parentpay, attendance systems and online learning are ubiquitous. It doesn’t change the fact that most of the core records and information are still held in a paper form. In recent times there has been a dramatic increase in the requirements for statistics to be produced by schools to track the education of their students. This reliance on statistical reporting doesn’t look like it is going to change any time soon. If paper is still the primary source then the effort it takes to generate all this data is challenging to say the least. The solution is to move all your information into a digital format. MISL Limited is a leading information and document management company and it has been helping schools to make this transition. Digital information is more agile than its paper predecessor. Paper can only ever be in one place at a time and it takes time to access. Add to that the increased responsibilities for protecting and making information accessible that have been defined by legislation and it is easy to see the benefits of going digital. BENEFITS OF DIGITAL Digital information really comes into its own when you consider what it can be used for. Digital data allows for all of the statistics to be

gathered live. Is attendance an issue? How about setting warning thresholds for attendance in a system that alerts you when there is a dip? How about analysing achievement across all students in a live environment to highlight problem areas or to act as an early warning system for students that need more support? Maybe all your parental permission forms would be better captured online? The possibilities from a fully digital environment are endless. MISL has been working with schools’ information for 34 years now - originally in microfilm (to reduce space) and since

challenge. They can store paper records cost effectively, they can carry document scanning and they can design a process to better capture documents generated every day. MISL also has a fully functional document management system that not only manages the scanning process and serves scanned documents securely at the point of need, but also allows for forms capture via the web or on tablets. MISL offers a more consultative approach that starts by helping you understand your information and define your needs. It is all very well stating that being digital is the goal

This reliance on statistical reporting doesn’t look like it is going to change any time soon. If paper is still the primary source then the effort it takes to generate all this data is challenging to say the least. The solution is to move all your information into a digital format. the 1990s as a scanning and document storage company. The company has worked with many schools and government departments to unlock the power of their information through going digital. INFORMATION IN A DIFFERENT WAY Increasingly MISL has realised that the key to meeting the digital challenge is to look at the information in a different way. The flow of information through any school throws up new opportunities to make the transition differently. For that reason MISL has devised a complete solution that can be adjusted to suit the organisational context of each school. The tools that MISL has at its disposal cover the full gamut of the

but what does that really mean? Is it simply replicating paper in a digital system or is it transforming a document into an electronic form that only allows relevant terms to be selected so that the resulting data can be more accurate and easier to analyse statistically? The MISL approach is different. Yes, they are one of the most experienced companies out there to scan in all of your paperwork, but they will only suggest an approach that actually fulfils your goals, whether that involves lots of scanning or not. MISL will build an end to end solution that works, pure and simple. MISL’s mantra says it all: Your data, your way. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.misl.co.uk

Volume 20.1 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

You do the maths. We’ll help you to achieve the savings. Save it from the roof top! The 42 solar panels installed by Lark Energy on the school roof pictured left are:

 producing 9,540 kWh of energy a year  reducing the school's CO2 emissions by 

4 tonnes a year giving a 17% return on investment.

Lark Energy’s leading facts and figures

Why use Lark Energy?

as of November 2014

Lark Energy’s solar solutions are designed to enhance the value of existing buildings, reduce consumption of grid energy and reduce the carbon intensity of operations. Our highly skilled staff, based at offices in Peterborough, Solihull and Edinburgh, have unmatched experience in solar development, design, construction and maintenance.

Our commitment to you  Top tier products with industry leading warranties.  First class installations to the highest industry standards.  Operation and maintenance service options to ensure that the system continues to operate with optimal efficiency throughout its lifetime.

Number of rooftops installed 750 Consented 280 MWp Constructed and connected 150 MWp (enough clean energy for 37,000 homes)

Operate and maintain 114 MWp CO2 saved 67,000 tonnes per annum

Find out how to cut costs and carbon. Call us for free, no obligation advice on 01564 711011.

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Why choose solar? Solar is the fastest growing source of energy in the UK and globally. It enables people and businesses to generate their own independent supply of energy that helps cut costs and reduce carbon emissions. an excellent return on  Earn your investment  Cut your energy costs  Shrink your carbon footprint your reliance on the  Reduce big energy companies

Council Offices 30kWp  Number of panels: 122  Annual energy production: 24 MWh

 Estimated return on investment: 18%

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SOLAR PANELS

LET THE SUN SHINE ON OUR SCHOOLS There are many ways for a school to save money on energy bills. One really great way to save money, as well as to provide a useful education resource, is by fitting solar panels. This article will explain why solar on schools makes so much sense, what campaigns are out there supporting solar on schools, how to fund them and things to watch out for when you are considering going solar. This article is mainly concerned with solar panels that generate electricity, called photovoltaic solar. There is however, another type called solar thermal which generate heat for hot water. The installations are typically cheaper than solar PV panels, and there is a subsidy called the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) which allows solar thermal to have similar rates of return and payback periods as solar PV. Solar thermal can be a great option for schools with large hot water heating requirements, such as swimming pools, showers or catering. WHY GO SOLAR? The cost of solar has been dropping hugely in recent years, with a 99 per cent drop in costs in the last 30 years. Much of this has come in the last 10 years due to manufacturing efficiencies and a maturing UK supply chain. This means that, despite subsidies falling by around two thirds since 2011, there’s never been a better time to install solar. Additionally, solar and schools

are a great match from a system point of view: schools use most of their power during the day, exactly when the sun is shining. As well as a purely economic decision, solar on school roofs can be useful for learning by providing a starting point for a

Solar and schools are a great match from a system point of view: schools use most of their power during the day, when the sun is shining discussion on energy, climate change and how to live in a more sustainable way. It also demonstrates the school’s commitment to put its teaching on sustainability into practice. HELPING HANDS There are many supportive institutions that run campaigns to help schools get to grips with solar. One such campaign is Run on Sun by Friends of the Earth. Anna Watson, Senior Campaigner, explains: “We launched our Run on Sun campaign because we wanted to make it as easy as possible for schools to go solar. Solar power can bring real benefits to schools through financial and carbon savings and be a great educational resource for the children. We’ve produced a how to guide for schools to inspire them to get started and we’ve been calling on the

Written by Paul Barwell, CEO, Solar Trade Association

Solar panelling can be a great way to save money on energy bills, as well as cut carbon emissions. Paul Barwell, CEO at the Solar Trade Association, discusses the advantages of solar panelling, what funding is available, and what to watch out for

Education Secretary Nicky Morgan to get rid of red tape so that schools can borrow money for solar panels, just like households can. “We are also working closely with a number of councils to support them in offering solar to schools and we are hosting events and encouraging councils to share information and tips so that they can learn from each other.” Other campaigns aim to get to grips with the nitty-gritty problem at the heart of any new investment a school makes: the money. Solar Schools, a project by the charity 10:10, provide a package of resources to support schools crowdfund the cost of solar panels, to not just help them pay for the panels but to do so in a way that gets the whole community excited and involved. This is beneficial in boosting their budgets and building community. Amy Cameron, community crowdfunding manager, explains more: “Solar Schools began to help schools overcome the financial

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barriers to installing solar. We provide a package of support to help schools raise the funds they need and bring renewable energy to the heart of the community. So far, we’ve worked with 65 schools around the country who’ve raised over £440,000 saved over 2,000 tonnes of CO2 and ensured 100 per cent of volunteers feel more skilled.” HOW TO FUND YOUR SOLAR Although we like to think that all schools would go solar regardless of the cost, the financial case is really what makes the decision. In this regard, solar is a great choice. There are three ways that a school can benefit financially from a solar installation. Firstly, through generation tariff. The system owner is paid for every unit of electricity (kWh) that is generated by the system. 

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Power Purchase Agreements Here are some key questions to ask before entering into a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA). 1. What is the PPA rate? (i.e. what is the price per kWh of electricity offered) 2. How does it inflate each year? 3. Is there a guarantee to ensure that the PPA will not be higher than the prevailing market price for electricity? 4. Does the school have to buy all the electricity generated even if not used on site? Some PPAs will require the school to buy 100p per cent of the electricity even when it may not use 100 per cent. 5. Who will be the installation contractor?

 Secondly, through export tariff. The system owner is paid an additional rate, called the export tariff, for electricity that is not used on-site. Depending on the size of the system, this exported electricity is measured directly or assumed (deemed). Finally, through bill savings. Any electricity generated and used on-site will offset electricity bought from the grid. This means that less electricity needs to be purchased, and therefore there will be savings on energy bills. There are various different ways in which a solar installation can be paid for. The first, and simplest, is to pay for the installation outright and earn your investment back in the three ways described above. It typically takes less than 10 years for the system to pay back the initial cost, depending on factors such as installation size, price and location. If the funds are not directly available to pay for the system, borrowing the money may be possible. Capabilities for schools to borrow depends on the type of school in question, so it is best to make some enquiries to see if this is a possible route to go down. The Run on Sun campaign is working to try and enable as many schools as possible to have access to this financing option. Another way is to have the cost crowd-funded, such as with the 10:10 Solar Schools campaign. This relies on the goodwill of those not expecting a financial benefit for their donations, and could be a good option if it is expected that donations will be able to fund the system. Finally, there is the so-called ‘free solar’ or ‘rent a roof’ option. In this case, an external company effectively rents your roof, installs solar panels on it and retains the subsidy payments. The school pays nothing upfront and buys the electricity from the installation cheaply through a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA). There are, however, important things to bear in mind about these agreements. (See panel: Power Purchase Agreements).

It may be worth engaging the services of an independent consultant who can draft a technical specification, liaise with an installer as well as inspect the finished system prior to handover: this should give you some additional piece of mind. If you wanted to deal direct with your solar installer, see the box ‘what to ask your installer.’ SOLAR INDEPENDENCE DAY The STA runs an award-winning annual celebration of solar called Solar Independence Day, which this year is taking place on Friday 3 July and Saturday 4 July 2015. Last year’s event was the company’s first, with many schools attending local solar farms, seeing the dual usage of agricultural farming as well as generating electricity, discovering the biodiversity measures that many farms use to attract insects and birds through use of wildflower meadows as well as learning how solar is a home-grown solution to the UK’s energy crisis. This year there is a desire to go bigger and better, extending this to showcase commercial rooftop solar, household solar and solar on schools, as well as solar farms. If your school has solar and you would like to invite people to come and learn about it, if you would like to organise a trip to a solar farm, or even if you would simply like a solar‑specific lesson plan, please get in touch at the Solar Trade Association to get involved. Schools aim to provide pupils with the skills and drive to make an impact on the world. Solar on the roof of your school can save money, help you go green and provide a useful example for teaching children about leaving the world in a better state. After all, education is an investment in the future – why not make another and go solar?  FURTHER INFORMATION www.solarschools.org.uk www.yourroof.info

What to ask your installer Here are some key questions to ask your installer before you decide who to use: 1. To see sample risk assessments and method statements from previous projects. 2. To see design statements covering things like lightning protection and how fire risks will be minimise. 3. Confirmation that the roofs will be assessed and signed off by a qualified structural engineer. 4. To see samples of all structural and structural design assessments undertaken for similar projects and confirmation they will actually be provided for the project in question. 5. Detailed justification of the system as designed including component selection. 6. If the operatives working on-site will be directly employed or subcontracted, and if they will be DBS checked. 7. Confirmation that the contractor will obtain permission to connect to the grid under G59. 8. What system monitoring will be provided. 9. If they are a member of the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) and the Renewable Energy Consumer Code (RECC). 10. This can be checked against the lists of the websites of these respective bodies. 11. If they are a member of the Solar Trade Association.

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NEW BUILDINGS

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Education Business looks at the most recent developments in the Government’s Priority School Building Programme, tasked to rebuild some of England’s most run-down schools Newark Academy turf-cutting ceremony

The Priority School Building Programme is the government’s £2.4 billion plan to improve the condition of schools in the most urgent need of repair. It was announced after Labour’s Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme was ended by the Coalition government. As of November 2014, 14 schools have opened as part of the programme, 59 schools are currently under construction, and the government is confident that all 260 schools will be completed by the end of 2017, which is two year ahead of what was originally planned. TURF-CUTTING IN EAST YORKSHIRE In East Yorkshire, Hessle High School and Sixth-Form College had a turf-cutting ceremony to mark the start of construction work on its old, dilapidated school building. Currently, the school is split over two sites and has 1,450 students, including 200 students in the sixth form. The £18.5 million rebuild through the PSBP will allow the school to operate from one site. The new combined site will provide new science labs, ICT and teaching areas and sports facilities for up to 1,550 pupils, including 230 students in the sixth form.

As of r be Novem chools 4s 2014, 1 ned as part e have op overnment’s of the gprogramme to the cutting of the first £2.4bn d 261 schools turf is a really exciting day. This development rebuil he worst will have such a profound in t n impact on the whole conditio

Sarah Young, executive headteacher of Hessle High School and Sixth‑Form College, said: “Our school and wider community are delighted to see the start of the project. Students have been very excited about the build and we are working with Galliford Try Construction to maximise every opportunity for learning throughout the construction phase. “Beyond that the facilities within the new school will further support high-quality learning and enable our students both now and in the future to achieve their full potential.” Work at Hessle High School and Sixth‑Form College is due for completion by summer 2016 by contractor Galliford Try Construction. Also in East Yorkshire, Withernsea High School celebrated work starting on rebuilding its 1,000-place secondary school. The £13 million PSBP investment will provide a new, three-storey school building and a refurbishment of part of the existing building. Richard Williman, Headteacher of Withernsea High School, said: “Having worked so closely with the EFA, BAM and the local authority on the planning of our new school, seeing

Withernsea community that today has even greater significance. We look forward to seeing the building evolve over the next 18 months.” The school’s new building is due for completion by summer 2015 by contractor BAM Construction, and the full site is expected to be completed by summer 2016. NEW BEGINNINGS Hill Top Specialist Arts College in Gateshead is the latest school to have re-opened as part of the programme. It is a special school which has a strong specialism in the arts, gaining specialist arts college status in 2010. The new £4.4 million rebuild comprises of specialist teaching areas, a new performance hall, sensory rooms and a post-16 facility. The rebuild was completed in just over 11 months and was made possible by a successful partnership between the school, Gateshead council, the Education Funding Agency (EFA) and E

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NEW BUILDINGS  the contractor Sir Robert McAlpine. Becky Harrison, Executive Headteacher at Hill Top Specialist Arts College, said: ”We are absolutely delighted with the new school build and feel the building will now truly reflect the high quality of teaching and learning, as well as further enhance it for pupils and staff. We know the new school will be a happy and healthy environment that will inspire all and further raise aspirations and achievement. “The new school enhances the opportunity for community use and we look forward to sharing this excellent provision with the local community, particularly as the landscaping is completed.” Schools Minister David Laws said: “I hope the new school facilities will provide an inspirational learning environment that will encourage every student to reach their full potential.”

COVENTRY SCHOOLS Wyken Croft Primary School in Coventry had its official reopening ceremony, following a multi-million pound rebuild. Wyken Croft Primary School is the third school in Coventry to open in new buildings under the PSBP. In total, seven schools are being rebuilt across the city. Wyken Croft joins Whitmore Park Primary School and St Thomas More Roman Catholic Primary School, which both opened this year. Wyken Croft Primary School has benefitted from a new £7.1 million, two-storey, rebuild comprising new classrooms, a large dining-hall area, state-of-the-art kitchen facilities, a new nursery, and a new centre for before- and after-school clubs. The rebuild was completed in just over 12 months and involved a partnership between the school, Coventry

The Newark, a y Academondary ec mixed swith sixth school vision, will o form pr ew £15.5m get a n e-storey thre lock’ b r e p u s ‘

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city council, the Education Funding Agency (EFA) and the contractor, Wates Construction. Derek Gardiner, Executive Headteacher at Wyken Croft Primary School, said: “Wyken Croft has a long and proud history stretching back over 60 years. We now have an outstanding new building with excellent facilities, which we hope will serve both the children and community of Wyken just as proudly in helping to further enhance their achievement and progress.” THE FIRST OPENING Whitmore Park Primary School in Coventry opened on 1 May and was the first completed project under the programme. It had its run-down, old school building completely rebuilt in just 11 months. The £5 million Whitmore Park project comprises a new build primary school for 630 pupils with a 39-place nursery. The two wings share a central hub comprising the entrance, studio and hall, making E

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BUILDINGS

 it an efficient and effective design. The two-storey school now includes two halls, which enables staff to run lunch time activities for one group of children while others are eating. The new building has gone up alongside the old one which is due for demolition. The former building dates back to the early 1950s and is one of several city primary schools built with metal originally destined for the aircraft industry. Caroline Kiely, executive headteacher at Whitmore Park Primary School, said: “I’m sure the new school environment will make a real difference to the staff and children here at Whitmore Park. Our previous building was past its best so the new school will mean that less money will have to be spent on repairs and can be spent on better equipment or more staff instead.” Pupil Bryn Williams, nine, said: “It’s a bit hard to find our way around. But it’s better than the old one. Everything kept breaking and there were leaks and buckets in the corridor.” GARSTON MANOR Garston Manor School, a special educational needs school in Watford catering for up to 124 secondary aged boys and girls (11 to 16 year olds) has also re-opened in its new building. The school handles all special educational needs including learning difficulties, autism or speech, and language related needs. The renovated £5 million, single story, rebuild comprises new classrooms and a dining area and hall, as well as new internal and external spaces to aid learning and support the students’ individual needs. The rebuild was completed in just 11 months by the contractor, Wates Construction. John Singh, the Chair of Governors at Garston Manor, said: “The community that Garston Manor serves have every reason to be delighted with their new school. The staff and pupils now have an excellent teaching and learning environment designed and built to meet the particular needs of the very special children that the school serves. There is little doubt that the spacious new building and the opportunities it offers will contribute significantly to the progress that they, the pupils, will make both educationally and socially.” Phil Shortman, Business Unit Director, Wates Construction, Northern Home Counties and East, said: “The opening sees the culmination of our successful partnership with Garston Manor School, Watford Borough Council, Three Rivers District Council and the EFA – the results of which can clearly be seen in this impressive new building. Our site team led

by Larry and Lyndon have found it immensely rewarding to be involved in a project that will improve and enhance the learning experiences of the students – I wish school staff and students every success in their new home.” NEWARK ACADEMY Construction work has begun on the Newark Academy in Nottinghamshire. The project is one of 15 in Nottinghamshire under the PSBP programme. The Newark Academy, a 1,320-capacity mixed secondary school with sixth‑form provision, will get a new £15.5 million three‑storey ‘super block’. The new building will bring together the main school and sixth‑form provision (some of which was previously delivered off site) and provide specialist classrooms to deliver a wide-ranging curriculum. The rebuild also includes a new sports block to replace the shared community facility currently used and a new multi‑use games area. Karine Jasper, Principal of The Newark Academy, said: “The building of our new school is a great boost, not just for the students and staff but for the community we serve. “This momentous investment in the town of Newark would not have been possible without the support of many – the voice of primary schools, parents and students, the local action groups, Nottinghamshire LA and Lincoln College Group, our sponsor. “Together we work hard to ensure that we deliver the very best learning and care, and soon we will have the building to match our drive to be the very best we can be. Councillor John Peck, Nottinghamshire county council’s Committee Chairman for children and young people’s services, added: “I’m delighted that work is now underway at The Newark Academy and I’m sure everyone connected with the school – the staff, pupils, parents and the wider community – are excited about seeing the site take shape. “The new school will provide a wonderful learning environment for the children of Newark and it will be a proud day for everyone involved when it opens its doors in 2016.”

The PSBP is e th part of t’s aim men govern er a faster, to deliv reaucratic less bu roach app ing to build ls schoo

WORKS IN PROGRESS Building work has also started on a major £17m regeneration programme at two Hartlepool schools: Manor College of Technology and Barnard Grove Primary School. Manor College of Technology, built in 1966, is to have £14m spent on it, while the work at 50-year-old Barnard Grove site is costing £2.8m. Students at the 1,250-capacity Manor

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College will benefit from a new three‑storey ‘super block’ with updated teaching facilities and a specialist block for 30 pupils with learning difficulties, as well as a major refurbishment of the sports hall and a new multi-use games area. The new two-storey building at Barnard Grove will provide places for 315 pupils and a 26-place nursery. Anne Malcolm, headteacher of Manor College, said: “This is such an exciting time for the Manor family and we are thrilled by the plans for our new school, they are amazing. “The whole process has been carefully managed by the Education Funding Agency and with the support of the local authority, the project is going ahead with little impact upon the school community. “Pupils, staff and governors are eagerly anticipating the brand new facilities.” The work at Barnard Grove is due for completion in July 2015, with work at Manor continuing until September 2016. The schools are being renovated by Kier Construction. SUBJECT TO PLANNING The 100 year old Oasis Academy Henderson Avenue in Scunthorpe has been awarded £5.52 million from the Priority School Building Programme. Plans have been submitted for a new school to be built near the existing building, which will be demolished after students and staff have moved out. Subject to planning, work is due to start in February next year. The new primary school will accommodate 630 pupils, along with a 39-place nursery and children’s centre on the site. Once building work is complete, pupils are expected to move in during October half-term 2015. Head teacher Cath Lloyd said: “This is particularly significant for our school. “We were part of the Labour government’s programme before this, and had plans with the local authority for a super new build. “Then the election came and the recession kicked in, and it didn’t happen. We were all really disappointed. “We have a very old and leaky building. It is 100 years old and has a lot of history. We recognise that, but it has become a hard place to work in. “It is not disability friendly or efficient when it comes to things like heating. There is always a big question whether our boilers will fire up for winter. “We are desperate for this build. “The layout also means that it takes a long time to get from one end of the school to the other, and the classrooms are much smaller than your average school. “We are finding it a problem to fit people in, especially when there aren’t enough school places as it is. The great thing about the new build, subject to planning, will be the spacious classrooms. Teachers will have properly lit, ventilated rooms. It is fantastic and we are all thrilled.” E

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NEW BUILDINGS  A ‘TIRED’ SCHOOL Oakbank secondary school in Keighley has been awarded £16 million for a replacement school. The new state-of-the-art facilities will be constructed at the site of the existing school, in Oakworth Road. The scheme has been approved through the Priority School Building Programme. But Oakbank needs to raise funds to further enhance its sports facilities, which it plans to do by selling for redevelopment an area of scrubland on the school site. The new school will be based on a standard PSBP design, but with individual tweaks and variations to suit the specific site. Teaching spaces wrap around a central hall, dining and drama zone. Headteacher David Maxwell said: “It is really exciting that we are moving closer to getting a new school, which will be a wonderful addition to the local community and to Keighley. “There has been a series of additions over the years to the existing building, and although it is in relatively good condition, it’s ‘tired’.” Part of the current structure, which caters for 1,600 pupils, is Victorian, but the main section dates from the early 1960s. “The new building will give us better facilities and more space with improved ITC and sports provision.”

THE SECOND PHASE A second phase of the programme, worth around £2 billion for spending between 2015 and 2021 was announced in May and the deadline for submitting expressions of interest was on 21 July. Schools Minister David Laws explains how the second phase of spending will work: “The original Priority School Building Programme worked on the basis of the condition of the whole school site. We will now refine this to look at targeting individual school buildings, as well as whole school rebuilds where this is appropriate, so that the department can focus much more tightly on addressing specific issues in the estate. This is only possible thanks to the data coming out of our detailed condition survey. “That survey will be complete by the summer and will give us a detailed pattern of need which will be a useful tool for targeting the available resources most effectively.” STANDARDISED DESIGNS The James Review was ordered by Michael Gove after the cancellation of the BSF programme to investigate ways to improve efficiency and reduce waste in central school building programmes. It was carried out by a panel led by Sebastian James, head of the Dixons group and was completed in April 2011. It set out 16 recommendations for a

new approach to school buildings and stated that school buildings should be based on a set of standardised specifications and designs. The review stated that a suite of drawings be developed showing layouts, dimensions of walls and spaces and indications of how different components and materials can be used. It also said that in the future more off‑site construction could be used for elements such as specialist classrooms and plant rooms. The review was part of the government’s drive to save 30 per cent from the cost of procuring the new school buildings. The PSBP is part of the government’s aim to deliver a more efficient, faster, less bureaucratic approach to building schools. Following the James review, the government is building or improving the condition of almost 900 schools. This includes building almost 300 brand new schools, rebuilding and renovating 200 of the most dilapidated schools in the country, and approving funding for more than 400 projects from previous programmes. Now the deadline has passed for expressions of interest in the second round of the PSBP, schools will soon hear whether they have been successful in attracting funding based on an assessment of those in greatest need. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.gov.uk

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WORKPLACE SAFETY

WHAT ARE THE OBSTACLES TO WORKPLACE SAFETY?

Slips, trips and falls at work are collectively the single most common cause of injury in UK workplaces. Health and Safety Executive (HSE) stats for Great Britain for 2012/13 show that there were an estimated 5.2 million working days lost due to workplace injury, and many of those will be slips, trips and falls. A simple trip or fall at work may be considered as a minor problem to many supervisors and managers – but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Whether you work in a depot, warehouse, factory or office, it’s important to remember that every site is brimming with potential slip and trip hazards. It could be a spillage, a wet or uneven floor, or cleaning equipment and cables left lying around. According to the HSE, the majority of trips are caused by obstructions in walkways, while the rest are caused by uneven surfaces. The good news is that preventing these

accidents is often simple and cost-effective.

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r Whethe n a rk i you wo rehouse, a depot, wr office, it’s o factory to remember nt harm) should importaevery site has be identified, and risk nd that should be assessed al slip a i t n e t to make sure your risk o p s d r a control measures are trip haz

THE STEPS TO TAKE Essentially, employers have to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the absence of risk to the safety and health of workers and others affected by their undertakings. There are certain basic principles that, if implemented effectively, enable organisations to achieve this. Firstly, have a system in place to manage health and safety. You need to be able to show how you plan, organise, control, monitor and review preventative measures, and you need a competent person to help you understand and respond appropriately to your legal duties. Your main hazards (things that could cause

adequate and that they are used and maintained. Safety measures have to be sensible and balanced. You do not need to go over the top. But if necessary, put in place back-up measures such as emergency procedures. Inform, train and supervise employees. Do certain things consistently like: consulting your workforce; conducting regular health and safety checks; reporting, recording and investigating accidents and near-misses; and providing employees and others with certain basic information. Also make sure you have provided suitable first aid and welfare facilities and have employers’ liability insurance, and 

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WORKPLACE SAFETY  make time periodically to review performance and then feed back any lessons learned to improve controls and management arrangements. A risk assessment will help you identify the slip and trip hazards that exist in your workplace and their potential for causing people to slip or trip. The assessment should also have given you some ideas for how to prevent these accidents. Remember, you cannot eliminate all risks – you need to implement control measures that are proportionate to the risk in question and a good approach to health and safety balances control measures sensibly against other needs. As we saw earlier, people tripping over obstructions on the floor is also a common cause of accidents. Therefore, something as simple as good housekeeping – for example, making sure walkways are kept clear and keeping an eye out for trailing wires – could prevent many accidents. CHANGING CULTURE As with health and safety in general, continuous improvement in preventing slips, trips and falls cannot be achieved by one‑off interventions such as a single memo requesting that spilt drinks are mopped up quickly. Prevention strategies have to be bedded in deeper than this so they are sustainable. Therefore, before you start hunting for hazards, assessing risks and reviewing your precautions, make sure you have a robust ‘system’ – the policies, people and procedures – in place for managing health and safety on an on-going basis. Underpinning such a system should be a positive safety culture, encompassing everyone from board-level directors and on-site managers, supervisors and team leaders to the frontline workforce – employees or contractors. Working together to develop a good health and safety culture has to be a team effort, with ownership and commitment to safety built throughout the workforce. What sets a safety conscious company apart is having employees with trained eyes to spot these hazards, and prevent the hundreds of major injury accidents caused by slips and trips every year. Good reporting of near-miss slips and falls can make a huge difference, as they help you build up a picture of where problems are happening so you can then decide what to do next to prevent them. The vast majority of accidents and ill health can be prevented by good health and safety management. The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 requires employers to ensure the health and safety of all employees and anyone affected by their work, so far as is reasonably practicable, which means balancing the level of risk against the measures needed to control the risk in terms of money, time or trouble. This includes taking steps to control slip and trip risks. STRATEGY At RoSPA, we know that risk assessment is a lynchpin of health and safety management and our courses emphasise the simple and cheap measures every company can take to protect the workforce, while also complying with the law. In this case, developing a slip and trip map of your premises is a good way to target problem areas and understand what may be causing these accidents. The last thing an organisation needs is an accident that could keep a key employee off, or bring adverse publicity when competition is stiff, so the focus should always be on preventing serious injuries connected with work activities. After all, safe and healthy working is the foundation upon which everything else in business is built – not just because it is the morally correct way for businesses to work, but because it is also the most cost-effective and efficient. The majority of organisations are also unaware of how much they are actually losing due to safety failures, or how much could be lost if their controls fail. Many are also unaware how much they need to spend to demonstrate reasonably practicable (strategic or operational) compliance. So, do yourself a favour and get in-step with this issue before it costs your school in sickness, lost time, or higher insurance premiums.  FURTHER INFORMATION www.rospa.com

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TEACHER TRAINING and use a range of programming languages. More than 4 million primary school children have already received lessons through the new curriculum, which puts much more emphasis on experience of programming and understanding the fundamental principles of computer science.

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The Education Secretary has unveiled a £3.6m drive to improve the teaching of computing skills in English primary schools, supported by some of the world’s most well-known technology firms, including O2 and Google In a speech at the annual BETT conference in London on 21 January 2015, Education Secretary Nicky Morgan announced five new projects to help prepare England’s primary school teachers for the new computing curriculum. The projects will see major tech companies – from firms including O2 and Google – placing experts in to top-tier universities like Queen Mary University of London, UCL and Oxford to provide the latest training.

The Department for Education (DfE) is match-funding all the projects as part of a £3.6 million package support to schools. Introducing children to computing and coding from an early age is all part of the government’s long-term plan to ensure young people have the first-class education they need to succeed and make sure Britain is a major player in innovation. The new computing curriculum began in September 2014 and sees pupils taught how to code

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TECH FIRMS CONNECT WITH SCHOOLS Education Secretary Nicky Morgan said: “We know a significant number of jobs in the future will be in the tech industry, which is why we are committed to supporting tech companies to connect with our schools – preparing young people to succeed in the global race. Increasing the focus on subjects like computing is a key part of our plan for education – which is why we are investing in the latest training and support so our teachers are fully prepared to plan, teach and assess the new computing curriculum. “I am delighted that once again top industry experts have taken an active role in helping develop these projects, and I look forward to seeing them pay dividends in our classroom.” An initial batch of projects was announced in June 2014, when Microsoft and IBM were among the companies to offer training to more than 43,000 teachers in the first year of the new computing curriculum. They included providing the British Computer Society (BCS) with more than £2 million to set up a network of 400 ‘master teachers’ to train teachers in other schools and provide resources for use in the classroom. Another project saw £1.1 million provided to Computing at School – a community of teachers, IT professionals, academics and parents – to help train primary teachers already working in the classroom through online resources and school workshops. The funding has introduced computing teacher training scholarships of £25,000 – backed by Microsoft, Google, IBM and Facebook – to encourage more of the very best graduates to become teachers. What’s more, it increased bursaries for those wanting to become computing teachers. FEEDBACK FROM INDUSTRY Bill Mitchell, director of education for the BCS, said: “Thanks to Microsoft’s and the DfE’s matched funding the QuickStart Computing project will be able to provide CPD toolkits to 40,000 teachers by April, as well as providing free online access to the QuickStart resources for teachers everywhere. This will help teachers gain the know-how to design, develop and deliver the whole of the new computing curriculum so that it benefits all primary and secondary students, whatever their ability. Professor Peter Millican, professor of philosophy at Hertford College, and faculties of philosophy and computer science, Oxford, said: “The DfE’s Computing Matched Fund, and the sponsorship it has attracted, is enabling us to support the new computing curriculum quickly and effectively, with software that encourages 

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TEACHER TRAINING  creativity and a web community that provides both teaching materials and a coursework platform, all free to teachers and students. “Without the fund it would have taken several years to do what we are now doing within months, and it would have been impossible to achieve the same standards.” Lauren Hyams, head of Code Club Pro, said: “We’re delighted to be supported by DfE and our industry partners, Google, ARM and Postcode Anywhere. By combining our volunteers’ expertise and enthusiasm with our experience running Code Clubs, we are able to give teachers the confidence and understanding they need to embrace the new curriculum and inspire our children to become digital makers.” LATEST PROJECTS A consortium led by Queen Mary University of London working closely with Hertford College, Oxford, will use £25,000 DfE funding and a further £25,000 matched funding from Google, the UCL led CHI+MED project, the faculty of philosophy at the University of Oxford and a private philanthropist to create a range of resources that will support teachers in promoting the development of computing-related thinking skills. These include 16,000 booklets for teachers on computing-related thinking across the curriculum and further development of the Turtle programming system, which makes text-based programming easier to teach so that it is fully available online. Another project will be DigitalMe, supported by £50,000 from DfE and £50,000 in matched funding from O2 Telefonica. It will develop a set of badges designed to recognise and motivate improvement in teachers’ knowledge and classroom application of the computing curriculum. The system will encourage peer‑to‑peer training by recognising teachers who pass on their skills to other teachers. To claim badges, teachers will have to complete badge missions tasks and challenges contained within a badge and upload evidence of their skill development. There will be badges for each content area of the curriculum. Our Lady’s Catholic High School has been supporting teachers nationwide since 2011 to introduce and develop outstanding computing in their schools. They will use £42,000 funding from DfE matched by the Rasberri Pi foundation, to extend the current offer to a wider geographical base of schools than they are supporting. In particular, they will be looking to support teachers in schools serving communities with the highest levels of social and economic disadvantage. Specific activities will include 18 two-day, nationwide, school-based events for 460 teachers and 8,000 pupils, opportunities for teachers to observe lessons delivered by outstanding computing teachers, 28 online public seminars and a national conference. The Titan Partnership will use £15,500

DigitalMe will be supported by £50,000 from DfE and £50,000 in matched funding from O2 Telefonica. It will develop a set of badges designed to recognise and motivate improvement in teachers’ knowledge and classroom application of the computing curriculum DfE funding and a further £15,500 from other supporters to engage a minimum of 60 teachers (40 secondary and 20 primary) in a personalised computer science training programme. Participants will complete subject knowledge audits and will be trained in line with personalised action plans with SMART targets. The training will include modules on computational thinking and networking being developed by Newman University and Birmingham City

University. Bi-monthly training sessions will be led by expert practitioners and further level 3 and level 7 accredited courses will also be offered by Birmingham City University and Newman University staff. The Centre for Educational Consultancy and Development at Oxford Brookes University is developing online computing CPD for primary school teachers, with help from £15,000 from DfE and £15,000 from the University of Northampton and Turn IT On. This will 

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 include delivering training via a massive open online course (MOOC) and running a number of TeachMeet style events that will be recorded and uploaded into the online environment to provide case study examples of computing teaching in schools. These case studies will include video examples of teaching approaches, resources materials and lesson plans. BAREFOOT COMPUTING In a separate development, the British Computer Society announced on 19 January an extension to the successful Barefoot computing project, funded by BT. The project, which supports primary school teachers teaching the computing curriculum, was originally funded by DfE from September 2014 to March 2015, and the latest funding from BT will extend it to the end of this school year. The Barefoot project supports primary school teachers to teach the new computing curriculum. The scheme provides cross-curricular computer science resources and training for primary school teachers with no previous computer science knowledge. The initiative is being supported through a programme of free in-school computing workshops for primary school teachers across England. Almost 3,000 teachers from over 800 different schools in England have received training via the Barefoot Computing Project since its launch last summer. Pat Hughes, project leader for Barefoot Computing said: “The announcement that BT is providing funding to extend the Barefoot project is great news. The scheme has proved to be popular so far. As well as training thousands of teachers there have been 6,000 registrations to the Barefoot website with 2,500 new teacher registrations in the last two months. Barefoot helps teachers understand ideas and concepts such as algorithms, abstraction and data structures, how they occur naturally in many other disciplines that they also teach, and how they can teach them to children starting from age 5.” School Reform Minister, Nick Gibb said: “I am delighted that BT is extending the successful Barefoot project, providing innovative support for primary teachers on the new computing curriculum. This is an excellent example of industry working together with schools to support teachers – ensuring pupils leave school prepared for life in modern Britain.” Clive Selley, CEO of BT Technology, Services and Operations said: “Computing is a very important skill for BT and through our engagement with schools we’ve seen that children really enjoy it and that it can have a profound impact on other STEM subjects. We’re proud to be partnering with Barefoot Computing and that the workshops BT and other volunteers across England have been involved have been such a success; it’s great to hear from teachers that the programme has boosted their confidence. The programme is due to end in March, but given its popularity to date, BT is pleased to announce it will be working with BCS and Computing At School (CAS) to ensure that it continues to run through the summer term.” The Barefoot training workshops are run by volunteer professionals from the IT/computing and education sectors, these events introduce the new computing curriculum to teachers and explain the support available to them through Barefoot and other related projects. Pat Hughes continued: “This programme of events will help equip teachers with the skills and knowledge needed to incorporate the computer science elements of the new computing curriculum into their lessons. By providing high quality cross-curricular computer science resources for primary school teachers, supported by explanations of the key computing concepts, we are providing support for teachers who may have little previous knowledge of computer science. A lot of teachers are already introducing many of these concepts in to their classrooms without realising it and we want them to see that it’s not as complicated as they may think.”  FURTHER INFORMATION www.gov.uk

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MAYFIELD SCHOOL UTILISES CASIO UST PROJECTORS

Mayfield School in Dagenham has embraced new display technologies throughout its school as it prepares to increase in student numbers and new classrooms this Febuary

Mayfield School in Dagenham, Essex is in the midst of a very exciting few years as its planned expansion project to double in size is due to be handed over in February 2015. This will see the student numbers at the school grow from 16,00 to 2,700 and 60 new classrooms added to the school roster. For Network Manager Kul Sihota, it was a fantastic opportunity to source and implement new display technologies that would be consistent throughout the whole school environment, starting with the new building then filtering through to the existing spaces. “Over the last few years we have been making the transition to LED projector technology, as lamps in other existing models were reaching the end of their lifetime and Laser & LED hybrid has become a very well established and alternative display solution,” explained Sihota. “We always attend Bett Show with Computer Talk, our AV and IT reseller, to see the latest innovations and meet manufacturers and spent a lot of time at the Casio stand, captivated by the Ultra Short Throw model (UST) that was being launched.” “Our initial reaction was purely based on the aesthetics, as we were very impressed by how sharp the image was, especially when compared to a lamp based projector when the prism breaks down towards the end of its lifespan,” said Sihota. Computer Talk has worked with Mayfield School for over 17 years supporting it with all aspects of its AV and IT infrastructure

from the design of the teaching walls and wider spaces to the servers and support, cabling and air conditioning units. PARTNERSHIP WORKING This long term relationship has seen Computer Talk become a valued extension of Mayfield, with the school involving them in the refurbishment project from the early design phases. This allowed the space to be built to perfectly house the desired technologies, maximising their efficiency and impact. Liam O’Mahony, Director and Co Owner at Computer Talk explained: “Mayfield favours Casio as their projector manufacturer of choice as they are the pioneers of Laser & LED Hybrid light source technology. From seeing the UST at Bett we knew that this was the ideal solution for the school, so we held the final stages of the installation until the model was launched to the market.” “As the name suggests, the UST has been designed to work in close proximity conditions with the ability to create an ‘80’ image from a distance of just 27cm. From an operational perspective, using Laser & LED Hybrid light source technology also means the projector turns on instantly without a warming up or cooling down period required, meaning there is no ‘wait time’ for lessons to start.” “Unlike traditional projectors, the Casio UST doesn’t have a mercury lamp, so the light source remains consistent over time with minimal drop off in brightness ensuring visuals remain vivid throughout its 20,000

hour lifespan,” said O’Mahony. “With a continually bright display, the Casio UST negates end users’ regular complaint from traditional projectors of having to draw curtains or blinds during presentations in order to view the screen properly.” “The difference that Laser & LED Hybrid light source technology has made for our teachers is phenomenal,” continued Sihota. “From the sharp imagery which gives an increased level of detail through to the continual high brightness throughout its lifetime, ensuring content can clearly be seen from all desk positions and in any weather. The short distance eliminates shadowing and means that the presenter doesn’t have a bright light shining in their eyes.”

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EASY ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY In addition, the removal of lamps means that there are no parts to change. This provides a much more reliable solution with no downtime and gives schools the peace of mind that over three to five years they can accurately predict its costs. “60 projectors have been installed so far, one in every new classroom. Having no replacement parts significantly reduces the level of maintenance required thus offering a viable and sustainable option for businesses and educational establishments looking for long term technology solutions and industry leading total cost of ownership,” said O’Mahony. The reduced power consumption and more efficient design of the projector means less power is wasted as heat, so no additional cooling infrastructure is needed such as fans, ensuring a silent operation and no disruption to the learning environment. “We have found that the UST can be used in any learning environment including across departments, so the same projector can be placed in a drama studio as in a science lab. This keeps the technology consistent for staff and means they walk into any space feeling confident that they know how to use the systems,” explained Sihota. BRIGHT FUTURE AHEAD The next phase of the project is to implement a wireless management system across the whole school, with uninterrupted internet access in all spaces including its sports field and planned amphitheatre that will join its old and new buildings. “The network is already set up so we are working to install the management software, which for the classroom display technology will have significant benefits such as being able to ensure that all projectors are switched off overnight from one central point, rather than checking each classroom which when the new facility opens would be a very lengthy process.” Concluded Sihota.  FURTHER INFORMATION www.casio.co.uk/projector

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THE CASHLESS WHITE PAPER AND CHECKLIST

There is an income collection revolution underway. An increasing number of UK schools are taking significant steps towards becoming ‘fully cashless’, removing the need for parents to send cash or cheques to school to pay for school dinners, clubs, trips, fees and other services Clint Wilson, Chief Executive of ParentPay, the market leader in school online cashless income collection has advice for school staff considering going cashless with online payments. THE BUSINESS CASE With billions of pounds now being spent online, the benefits of going cashless may seem obvious but you may still need a business case, reasons or other arguments to convince a school leadership team. A business case will be strong if you plan to maximise the number of items you collect income for online. Have you considered the full range of items you could take online payments for? e.g. school meals, clubs/childcare, trips, fees, room rental, extra-curricular activity. Find out how much administration time is currently spent on cash collection, then do a simple time/effort, cost and benefit analysis for going cashless. Talk to local schools who have gone cashless to determine potential time savings. What benefits have been gained? Has going cashless increased uptake and by how much? Has it helped reduce parental debt? PICK THE RIGHT SOLUTION To be successful, school management teams should first ask some key questions around the type of features needed to meet the schools individual needs; including questions around security, interoperability and reporting. Some of these key topics are covered in this article but a more detailed checklist is available on the company’s website. The white paper and checklist will help any school form a ‘statement of requirements’ which can then be used to review potential solutions. Recognised and experienced suppliers should not only be able to provide you with a suitable solution but also advice and support to ensure the online payment facility is readily adopted by parents, students and staff. Remember to keep your goals realistic and achievable. Talk to other local cashless schools and ask for recommendations. BE FULLY INCLUSIVE It is important not to disadvantage parents or guardians who do not have the ability to pay by debit/credit card online. Can the cashless online payments

EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE | Volume 20.1

solution you select collect, manage debit/credit card payments and cash made at local PayPoint stores? Will this information be available online without the need for manual intervention? PEACE OF MIND School reputations can be ruined by untested, unsupported, insecure systems. If a system which allows parents to pay online for their children’s school dinners goes wrong, it becomes a highly emotive issue, so schools need to be sure they have a robust system in place. School leadership teams need to ask themselves do they want to take direct responsibility for the collection of debit/ credit card payments or will you use a secure payment collection service provider. If using a payment collection Service: Will you need to pay transactions costs for ‘every’ single item that is purchased by parents on your system or can these costs be shared / reduced in any way? If you are NOT using a collection service: Have you factored in costs associated with setting up your own merchant account and any related PCI compliance training required for any staff involved in collecting payments from parents? THE NUTS AND BOLTS It is important to be transparent; ensure your solution provides real-time balance reporting and offers electronic payment /

balance alerts and receipts to parents. What audit trails, banking reports and other features do you need from a school reconciliation perspective? Make sure you include these requirements as part of your solutions selection criteria. Does the solution need to integrate with existing or new systems? Can it replace existing solutions giving you efficiencies? For instance most online payments solutions also provide school to home communications facilities. Does the solution share data easily with your MIS or maybe an existing cashless till system? What data do these systems need to be able to share and at what frequency? TOTAL COST OF OWNERSHIP & SUPPORT School staff should look at the overall lifetime costs of the system: not just the initial set-up and annual license but what are the maintenance and support costs? Are there additional or increased fees after the first year of your contract - does your annual license cost increase? Have the supplier/s you are considering got a dedicated team and supporting plan to help you implement your online cashless solution within the timescales required? Download the full cashless school white paper by going to our website.  FURTHER INFORMATION www.parentpay.com/ whitepaper

BETT 2015

TECHNOLOGY IN SCHOOLS IS GETTING BETTER

Once again, the general consensus from the BETT show at London’s ExCeL Centre on January 21-24 is that technology continues to play a vital role in education. Detailed seminar sessions discussed how its role might develop in the future

Making her first speaking appearance at BETT, Education Secretary Nicky Morgan “For more than 30 years, BETT has been pushing the boundaries of technology. It has been the breeding ground for new ideas and technologies, and for the collaborations and partnerships that have nurtured them. “It has played host to some of the leading figures in learning technology, not just from the UK but around the world. “And though we may not see the fruits for a few years yet, I know that here this week the educational technologies of the future are slowly coming to life.” Morgan continued: “British businesses are leading the world in education technology, but I sometimes fear that the fruits of that success are not yet being shared by every school in the country. In part this is a failing of infrastructure.” WI-FI ACCESS “According to last year’s annual survey by the British Educational Suppliers Association (BESA), 65 per cent of primary schools and 54 per cent of secondary schools don’t have access to a good wi-fi connection. A significant number reported that their broadband provision was poor. This is something we need to address. And I’m pleased to say we’re doing so. I am delighted to be able to announce a further partnership

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those involved in bringing technology into the classroom put their own needs above those of the students and their teachers. According to Phillips, technology vendors often want to bring what’s easiest for them to roll out, scale and maintain, rather than what is best for the users, while school administrators look at the immediate cost. “Technology can bring teachers and students closer together, but right now, teachers aren’t buyers,” she said, claiming they often have little or no input into the design process. “The need for EdTech companies to listen to teachers is a bigger issue than it might seem,” she said, claiming that in the past reform movements that have focused on ‘planning, curriculum and materials’ rather than the needs of teachers. This causes early adopters to lose faith and abandon the project, and so it dies, according to Phillips. “Technology alone can’t form a bond with students,” she said. “It can’t fan their interests, guide their projects, design their classrooms, or figure out what’s going on when students aren’t thriving.”

BLENDED REALITY LEARNING Along with new devices and new initiatives for teaching and learning, HP demonstrated its vision for Blended Reality learning on its stand at Bett. HP’s Vice President for worldwide education, Gus Schmedlen, insists that Blended Reality combines the best of the physical world with the best of the digital, to create compelling new experiences that enhance teaching and learning. with some of our leading technology firms HP also launched its National Education like O2, Google, BT, IBM and HP collaborating Technology Assessment Programme, with some of our best universities to train a global initiative that is designed to the next generation of computing teachers. ensure educational establishments “Some of our top technology experts have the IT tools they need to prepare from these firms will be going into schools students for the digital economy. to train primary school teachers.” “What’s more important in a student? The Department for Education has agreed Soft skills, or 21st century skills? to match fund all of the projects as part of a Flexibility and adaptability, creativity commitment to invest £3.5 million to support or reliability?” asked Schmedlen. schools with the new computing curriculum. “We try to look at that and compare it The Keynote speeach by the Education to what the DfE says, and what the Secretary was followed by a teachers and students say, and presentation from Jimmy Wales, make sure the education founder of Wikipedia, who system is built on the entire discussed how open‑source ecosystem, and not just and open-content what the policymakers technology is changing think is the right the way we access idea,” he adds. information, and how On the software side, educators can help their Schmedlen talked students take advantage. up the firm’s HP Classroom Manager or of lips, direct DESIGNING software product. Vicki Phil on at the Bill educati nda Gates TECHNOLOGY ROLLOUTS “It lets teachers block and Meli dation Teachers must be websites, or carry out instant Foun put at the centre of assessment. Instead of designing technology roll-outs in their trying to squeeze consumer or classrooms if they are to be successful, it has corporate products into education, we’ve been claimed. Speaking at Bett 2015, Vicki created bespoke education models, Phillips, director of education at the Bill and built from the ground up and developed Melinda Gates Foundation, said too often from the ground up for education.” E

d “The nee h for EdTec to s companiechers is tea listen to ssue than it i a bigger t seem” migh

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BETT 2015  MATHS IN MOTION Maths in Motion, a joint initiative by Jaguar and Toshiba, encourages children to learn maths through a fun and original challenge: building an F1 racer. Open to schools around the world, pupils must use maths skills including geometry and algebra to design and build their own racing car. The best cars from around the world then compete in a race to see which group of children has done the best job. A national final will be held at the Heritage Motor Centre, Gaydon, Warwickshire, on 24th June 2015. SCANNING PENS Approved by The Joint Council for Qualifications to be used in exams, this handy orange pen helps students with difficulties such as dyslexia to read and understand questions. The scanning technology instantly comprehends written text, displaying it on a larger L.E.D. screen and reading it aloud to the student through a built-in speaker or discreetly through headphones (meaning it can be used in an exam hall with other students). The device has already been deployed in Luckley House School and Blundell’s School. ROBOTS AND RASPBERRY PI Initio from TTS is a robot that can be assembled and programmed by the students themselves. The robot features Raspberry Pi, the credit card-sized single-board computer developed to help teach basic computer science in schools. Students can design their own programme and try it out on Initio, interacting wirelessly through wi-fi or by loading the programme directly using a USB. SAMSUNG TABLET Samsung has produced a tablet that caters especially to the needs of classrooms, called the Galaxy Tab 4 Education. The device integrates Google Play for Education, which provides access to a host of approved teaching content. It has high-performance specifications, running Android 4.4 Kit Kat and hosts both front and rear-facing cameras. The system runs dual-band wi-fi to maximise the number of potential users. ACER CHROMEBOOKS Acer showed off its first 15-inch Chromebook for education, an 11-inch model and two ultra short-throw projectors. The company launched the Acer Education Solution Centre program in 15 countries across EMEA last year, helping resellers sell more into schools. It also worked on a Future Classroom Lab which opened in November 2014 at Ricoh’s office in Hannover, featuring the latest hardware such as interactive whiteboards, projectors, notebooks and tablets with software solutions like the Acer Classroom Manager.

BETT AWARDS The Bett Awards are a celebration of the inspiring creativity and innovation that can be found throughout technology for education. The awards form an integral part of Bett each year. Winners are seen to have excelled in ICT provision and support for nurseries, schools, colleges and special schools alike with a clear focus on what works in the classroom. Among the winners (see panel on right for full list) ICT Company of the Year (between £1m and £10m turnover) was awarded to Frog Education. In response to the removal of National Curriculum levels, Frog recently launched FrogProgress, an innovative tool which enables teachers to assess the progress of every pupil, setting them personal targets mapped against their expected attainment progress. Commenting on the win, Gareth Davies, managing director of Frog Education, said: “We are delighted to receive this prestigious award as recognition of Frog’s continued commitment to providing world-class technology to improve both teaching and learning in the classroom. Frog Progress, our latest tool, is a huge step towards our vision of a personal learning journey for each and every child.” OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN ICT EDUCATION Former Education Secretary Charles Clarke was recognised with the 2015 Outstanding Achievement in ICT Education award. Acepting the accolade, Clarke said: “The area that you are working in is unbelievably important for the future of our country, our country and everything else. “We all know the world is changing in difficult and problematic ways. The only way to challenge that is through education so that our younger generation and our institutions can work out whats happening. “Technology is an immensely powerful way of doing that, both in helping learning, but also in bringing parents, teachers and local communities together in powerful ways. Clarke continued: “It’s an immense honour to get this award. I’ve tried through my political life to promote education, and technology in education, and the recognition of this award is a tremendous endorsement of that. “Bett is an assembly of all the people who are working in this industry trying to improve the quality of education for our young people. That is such a powerful, motive force when you see children who feel they can understand things, command things and get on top of things because education, and particularly technology in education has helped them do that, so its a massive social achievement.” L GET SET FOR NEXT YEAR Bett 2016 takes place at the excel between january 27-30. For further information visit www.bettshow.com

Bett 2015

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BETT Awards – 2015 winners Early Years Digital Content Day Two Productions – The Traditional Storyteller Apps Secondary Digital Content Soundbitelearning UK Ltd – GCSEPod Best Whole Course Curriculum Content 3P Learning – Mathletics ICT Tools for Learning and Teaching – web based SMART Technologies – SMART amp™ ICT Tools for Learning and Teaching – non-web based 2Simple Software – 2Build a Profile Digital Collections and Resource Banks – Encyclopaedia Britannica – Britannica School ICT Special Educational Needs Solutions SOUND FOR LIFE – Forbrain Digital Devices zSpace, Inc. – zSpace Virtual Reality Science Lab ICT Company of the Year – less than £1m turnover – Sonocent Ltd ICT Company of the Year – between £1m and £10m turnover Frog Education ICT Company of the Year – over £10m turnover – Promethean ICT Exporter of the Year – LearnPad ICT Services and Support – Toshiba Free Digital Content / Open Educational Resources – Just2easy – J2Code International Digital Resource – 3P Learning – Mathletics Educational Apps – Red Jumper Studio – Book Creator Bett Exhibition Stand of the Year – Exa Education Innovation in ICT – Airhead Education Outstanding Achievement in ICT Education – The Rt Hon Charles Clarke

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In June last year, the then Secretary of State for Education, Michael Gove, announced the introduction of a new set of standards concerning the food served in schools, that would replace the incentives put in place between 2006 and 2009 by chef Jamie Oliver. The new standards, collected under the banner of the ‘School Food Plan’, is an incentive orchestrated by John Vincent and Henry Dimbleby of the Leon restaurant chain, to further improve school children’s diets, through the nutrition and the taste of the food available. RESTRICTIONS ON CREATIVITY Vincent and Dimbleby claim that the new government measures are less restrictive on school cooks who are entitled to more freedom when it comes to preparing and cooking school meals. Dimbleby highlighted how the ‘previous standards did a lot of good in removing the worst foods from children’s diets’ but admitted to having met with many ‘wonderful cooks who felt restricted by them’. Furthermore, the need to plan meals so far in advance has limited cooks, as they were unable to ‘make the most of cheap, high‑quality, seasonal produce’. Oliver himself has been a spokesman for the role of school canteen cooks, detailing them as being ‘on the frontline in the fight against diet-related disease’. 90 per cent of school cooks have said that the new standards were easier to implement than the older principles. Now, once again, the standard of school food is being placed firmly back on the nations agenda. If there was ever a time to contemplate Jamie Oliver’s crusade against unhealthy school food, it is now. Since his media-fuelled scrutiny of school eating habits in 2005, there has been a considerable improvement in the nutritional quality of the majority of school food, culminating in the reduction of junk foods in school canteens. However, nearly ten years on, the School Food Plan believes that this is only the start of the change. Photograph courtesy of Chris Terry

SCHOOL FOOD STANDARDS

REVOLUTION OR REALISATION?

In 2005, Jamie Oliver caught the nations attention with his documentary series Jamie’s School Dinners, emphasising the harsh reality of food in many schools throughout the UK. Ten years on, the conversation that won’t go away is once again causing controversy up and down schools throughout the country

NEW SCHOOL STANDARDS As part of the new standards, school meals will include; one or more portions of vegetables or salad as an accompaniment to lunch every day, and at least three different fruits and three different vegetables available each week. There is a new placed emphasis on wholegrain foods in place of refined carbohydrates and a stronger emphasis on making water the drink of choice, in order to limit the percentage of added sugars in drinks. In addition, there will also be tighter limitations on food that is deep-fried, batter coated, breadcrumb coated or pastry based. Jamie Oliver has backed the new standards claiming that: “Anything which makes it easier for school cooks to get tastier, nutritious food on the plate at school lunch time has to be welcomed and the new School Food Standards guide does that”. 

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SCHOOL FOOD STANDARDS  Jamie Oliver’s influence over the school catering system has been steadily recognisable over the past decade. Following on from the success of his original TV series, The Naked Chef, Oliver began his conquest of the school food issue. He gained support from the British public and his efforts were recognised when the government committed £500 million to the school food system as well as placing a ban on processed junk food in all UK schools in the autumn of 2006. However, the one major downfall of Oliver’s campaign was the loophole that excluded free schools and academies from the rulings that ensured other schools improved the food that they offer to their students. THE TIME FOR ACADEMIES For the first time, the new standards as composed and installed by Susan Jebb, Professor of Diet and Population Health at Oxford University, as well as John Vincent and Henry Dimbleby, will seek to include all academies as well as schools. All academies established before 2010 have clauses in their funding agreement already that require them to comply with the national standards for school food, which has been progressively implemented since 2006. The new school standards accompany revised funding agreements for new academies and free schools, including requirements to follow the standards already in place. Therefore, academies created from June 2014 onwards will also have to comply with the new food standards. THE LOOPHOLE AND THE WORRY However, despite being strongly encouraged to sign up willingly to the national school food standards, academies founded between 2010 and June 2014 are exempt from this clause. According to the Local Government Association, 4,000 academies currently lie within this loophole, as that is the number of schools that became academies between September 2010 and June 2014. This calculates that over two million children are attending schools that do not have to comply. Despite the many parents concerned over the food served at these institutions, the academies themselves are entitled to continue serving, what is deemed, unhealthy food. This staggering issue is further enhanced by the introduction of free school meals for infant students from September 2014. Local Government Association analysis examines that there are 1,789 primary academies, collectively educating 540,000 infant pupils, that do not have to comply with the new standards. David Simmons, head of the Local Government Association’s children and young people board, commented that: “School autonomy is supposed to drive up standards, but in the case of school meals we now have a two-tier system where one type of school can effectively exempt pupils from healthy choices and instead chose to sell fatty and sugary foods. With ample evidence that good food supports good learning in the classroom, all schools should meet the same high standards”. OBESITY AND CHILDREN Obesity in children has risen by over 40 per cent in the last ten years, meaning that nearly 20 per cent of children are considered obese by the time they leave primary school at the age of eleven. If this devastating tendency continues, it can be predicted that half of school children will be obese or overweight by the year 2020. In addition to providing daily school lunches, most schools offer a morning break food facility. These tend to provide snacks such as paninis, wraps and pizzas, but severely lack in foods like vegetables and potatoes. While the popularity of these options seem to be increasing, statistics indicate that 57 per cent of children do not eat the regular school lunches available. According to School Food Matters, a poor diet not only effects children’s health, but also has ‘significant effects on children’s behaviour, concentration and mood. Children with diets lacking in essential vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids tend to perform worse academically, cannot concentrate and are more aggressive’. This remains a key incentive behind the new procedures.

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A general misconception that remains lingering over the school food debate is the advantages of packed lunch. While for many households and families the packed lunch is deemed the easier option, the fallacy that it is healthier is not statistically true. Only one per cent of packed lunch meals meet the nutritional standards that currently apply to school food. The School Food Plan argues that it is far easier to get the necessary nutrients into a cooked school meal, a comment Jamie Oliver has continually reinstated. FOOD FOR THOUGHT Jamie Oliver openly shared his intention for a food revolution to the world ten years ago and the wheels of reformation have been turning ever since. Both the United Kingdom and the United States have benefitted dramatically by aligning their views on nutritional value in school food to Oliver’s outcry. Nonetheless, with Jamie Oliver’s school meal plan being replaced, the question he posed to the public through his earlier revolutionary intentions remains unanswered. He challenged people to ‘imagine a world where children were fed tasty and nutritious, real food at school from the age of 4 to 18. A world where every child was educated about how amazing food is, where it comes from, how it affects the body and how it can save their lives’. The statistics show the changes of the last ten years to be highly beneficial to both children’s health and education. However, the statistics also showcase that not every child is privy to these changes. With the focus of government authorities leaning towards academies, Oliver’s revolutionary antics of the last decade are perhaps a reality too far.  FURTHER INFORMATION www.gov.uk/government/news/new-school-food-standards www.jamieoliver.com/us/foundation

Costco Wholesale is an exclusive membership warehouse club, which sell a wide selection of top quality brand name merchandise at low warehouse prices. There are two types of membership, Trade and Individual. Trade is for owners/managers of small businesses and Individual membership is for certain eligible employment categories eg: Doctors, Police, Accountants and Solicitors. Proof of eligibility is required for membership. The cost per annum is £20 (plus VAT) for Trade and £25 (plus VAT) for Individual, which includes a card for yourself and your spouse/partner. We offer a Double Guarantee on your membership fee and all products purchased from Costco. For further information, please call Costco Thurrock on 01708 683 072 MARKETING REPRESENTATIVES FROM COSTCO THURROCK WILL BE AT THE CHILD CARE EXPO SHOW AT OLYMPIA ON FRIDAY 6th AND SATURDAY 7th MARCH 2015. STAND B4.

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O’BRIEN CONTRACTORS PROMOTION

EDUCATION BUSINESS UK

As the UK obesity statistics soar, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport is investing over £1 billion in the next few years to help people get fitter and healthier through a range of programmes designed to make access to sports facilities easier for everyone.

Investing in a fitter and healthier UK T

hese investments are crucial in getting people more active as a report released by the Institute of Economic Affairs in August 2014 revealed that Britain’s obesity problem is more to do with lack of exercise than with eating too much, or eating the wrong things. So, with grants and funding available to schools, sports clubs, community groups and local authorities, this is a great opportunity for neighbourhoods all over the country to get new sports pitches and facilities in place and get people more active. With the latest statistics showing that 64% of UK adults are overweight or obese, as are one in every ten children when starting primary school, it’s vital that schools and communities make the most of this opportunity. Pitching It Right Investing in new sports facilities has to be done right for two important reasons: firstly, so that this crucial funding is put to best use, and so that people can and will use them for years to come. To do it right you need to work with the best sports pitch providers you can and O’Brien Contractors is the first and only civil engineering firm in the UK able to offer turnkey solutions for a range of sports pitch installations. The company can deliver projects ranging from stadiums and arenas through to sports tracks and football pitches, tailored to meet your individual needs. O’Brien’s team of experts has a proven track record of delivering design and build sports projects to a diverse range of exacting client specifications and all of the work

is completed in-house with no outsourcing required, meaning you get better value for money and projects are always delivered on time and on budget.

“One of the reasons for choosing O’Brien was the fact that we were dealing with the top management from the start and because they are the actual contractors rather than a middle man.”

(Multi-Use-Games-Area) pitches with surfaces suitable for just about every sport and user, from professional sports teams to schools and communities.

park; and a full size sand dressed synthetic grass Hockey pitch, installed upon an insitu rubber shock pad on an engineered base for Oswestry School.

Recent projects that O’Brien has completed include the construction of a FIFA-compliant football pitch; an Olympicstandard athletics track complete with long jump, triple jump, high jump, pole vault and a 400m running track; a football club with 11 natural turf pitches, changing facilities, entrance road and car

“The construction itself wasn’t straight forward due to a large cut and fill exercise, but the end result is spectacular and we are very pleased with the outcome.” Phil Bowd, Bursar Oswestry School

Phil Bowd, Bursar Oswestry School

The sports installations the company delivers include natural sports pitches, such as those used for rugby, football and cricket, and synthetic and MUGA

To find out how O’Brien can deliver sports facilities for your community or school that are tailored to your needs and budget call 01926 423 918 or email info@obriencontractors.co.uk

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PE PROVISION

EXAMINING SPORT AND PE PROVISION IN SCHOOLS

The Youth Sport Trust’s PE, school sport and physical activity survey shows that most schools recognise the importance of physical activity for school children and actively promote it throughout the school day, but suggests that the number of minutes spent on PE are in decline. Education Business reports The Youth Sport Trust has revealed the findings from its PE and school sport survey, looking at the quality and provision of PE and school sport. The survey aimed to identify the varying levels of provision across the country and give schools the opportunity to assess their own performance against others locally and nationally. Since 2010 there has been no national survey resulting in a lack of current intelligence around provision, the activity levels of pupils, and emerging trends across physical education, physical activity and school sport. Alongside participation rates, schools were asked to consider the value they place on PE and sport to improve the well-being, social skills and educational achievement of young people. At the time the survey was launched, in June 2014, John Steele, chief executive of the Youth Sport Trust, said: “It is crucial that we play a

key role in improving physical activity rates amongst young people and there couldn’t be a more important time for us to investigate the current levels of PE and sport in schools.” The Youth Sport Trust conducted its survey in June and July 2014 and 1,392 primary schools and 554 secondary schools responded. ACTIVELY ENCOURAGING PE The survey found that 97 per cent of primary schools and 85 per cent of secondary schools actively encourage physical activity as part of the school day. YST member schools (95 per cent) were more likely than non-member schools (92 per cent) to say that physical activity was encouraged during the school day at their school. Similarly, teachers at mixed schools (94 per cent) were more likely to say that this was the case, compared to both teachers at all-female (86 per cent) and all-male (73 per cent) schools.

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The most common methods of encouraging physical activity in primary schools were; adapting playground designs (80 per cent), playground leadership training and roles for young people (70 per cent) and training of midday supervisors to encourage children to be active at break and lunchtime (69 per cent). The most common methods of encouraging physical activity in secondary schools included a focused approach to encouraging physical activity at break times (51 per cent) and a bespoke extra-curricular offering for the least active pupils (38 per cent). However, it is important to note that a quarter (25 per cent) of secondary school respondents said that their school did not employ any of these methods of encouraging physical activity. The shows that investment in PE and school sport is making a difference. Three-quarters of primary schools (76 per cent) said their school has a PE Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Strategy for staff. The majority of primary schools indicated that a combination of teachers/staff (92 per cent) and external coaches (85 per cent) deliver extra-curricular sport and physical activity in their school. Almost all schools in the South West (97 per cent) and North West (96 per cent) said that extra-curricular sport was delivered by teachers/staff in their schools. CONTRIBUTION OF PE Schools were asked to indicate which areas they consider that PE, physical activity and sport makes a positive contribution to. 95 per cent of schools said that it makes a positive contribution to life skills (confidence, resilience, resourcefulness, teamwork, communication skills). They also said it contributed to achievement (91 per cent), behaviour and truancy (70 per 

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Case Study

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Rubb Buildings provides ‘ingenious’ sports building solution for Ipswich Academy Rubb Buildings Ltd joined forces with construction giant Balfour Beatty to deliver a custom-made sports structure to an academy in Ipswich. The campus is made up of two buildings, a main block which houses innovative spaces for teaching, and a sports block, which will be a custom-made part fabric structure containing a mix of spaces as well as a main sports hall. The split level 20m span x 70m long sports complex boasts a 7m high x 33m long playing area based on a four court badminton hall. This area, situated at the rear of the building, can also be converted to one basketball court, one netball court, one tennis court or one 5-aside football pitch. A 4m high x 37 long amenities block completes the front of the facility and includes an entrance lobby, a dance studio, executive studio, changing facilities, four store rooms, a seminar room and a construction zone. Steve Hawley, Estates and Facilities Manager, Learning Schools Trust said: “Rubb provided an ingenious solution for our new school; they were able to offer a design for a sports hall that met our requirements and those of the planning authorities for a contemporary sports facility but which was affordable and

EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE | Volume 20.1

deliverable within the planning timelines. Our new sports hall complements our main building, which is innovative and modern in style. The facility offers light, airy spaces that inspire great physical activities and learning about health, sports and PE. The facility is widely used by the community and is creating a real impact within our community groups and is becoming a great source of community pride; it is a very popular venue. The sports hall has surpassed our expectations; it was delivered to time and budget and because of its innovative design, it was able to enhance the opportunities offered by Ipswich Academy. I would recommend Rubb to anyone

considering investing in new sports facilities.” The sports structure features Rubb’s traditional galvanized internal BVC type steel frame. The walls from the ground up feature 4m high, 100mm thick insulated steel cladding, providing a U-value of 0.21w/ m²k. Rubb’s Thermohall insulated cladding completes the upper walls and roof. This is the first time this innovative insulation system has been used on a UK building project. FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 0191 482 2211 Email: info@rubbuk.com www.rubbuk.com

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PE PROVISION  cent) and attainment (69 per cent). Secondary schools were significantly more likely than primary schools to say that PE and sport contributed to pupils’ attainment, attendance, behaviour and truancy and integration within the school, while primary schools were more likely to say that it contributed to parental engagement. Schools in London (72 per cent) were significantly more likely than those in other regions (54-62 per cent) to say that school sport contributed to integration within the school (e.g. the integration of different cultures, and pupils with disabilities). Equally, the results of the survey provide an indication of the positive difference made to the provision of school sport over the last 20 years. 65 per cent of schools said they consult with pupils about the provision of sport in their schools. 48 per cent of primary schools include PE and sport in their transition programme, using it as a vehicle to drive wider school agendas. Multi-skills is the fourth most commonly offered extra-curricular sport in primary schools, revealing an understanding of age and stage appropriate sport provision.

use of different research approaches, the data does suggest that there may be levels of decline in certain areas including the average minutes of PE offered to pupils per week and the average number of club links. The average number of minutes spent taking part in PE in a typical week was found to be 102 for Key Stage 1 and 114 for Key Stage 2 in the 2013/14 survey. However, respondents to a similar question in the 2009/10 survey indicated higher values of 126 minutes in Year 1 and 2 (Key Stage 1) and 127 minutes in Year 3, 4, 5 and 6 (Key Stage 2). The 2013/14 survey found that on average pupils across all Key Stages were offered less than two hours of PE per week. The 2013/14 survey found that on average schools had five links with community (or other) sport clubs. While the 2009/10 survey found that on average schools have 9.1 sport or activity links to clubs.

WORK TO BE DONE Despite some positive findings, there is still much to be done. Whilst the survey cannot be directly compared against the last PE and School Sport Survey (2009/10), due to the

ENSURING QUALITY PE PROVISION Finally, schools were asked to select what they considered to be the most important factors in ensuring high quality PE and sport for their pupils. The top factors as rated by all

PE & Sport

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schools were continued investment in primary sport provision (82 per cent); infrastructure or support for schools to work together (51 per cent), and continued investment in the Sainsbury’s School Games (45 per cent). While there was some agreement between primary and secondary schools, there was also some significant differences. Continued investment in primary sport provision and infrastructure or support for schools to work together appeared on both lists, but investment in the Sainsbury’s School Games, more specialist teachers and enhanced guidance for schools only appeared in the most common responses from primary teachers. Similarly, funding for PE teachers to organise competitions for club links, funding to support specialist extra-curricular coaches and improving the quality of PE Initial Teacher training were among the five most common responses from secondary school teachers, but did not appear on the primary school list. 

ults The res an provide of the on indicati difference positivethe provision o made t chool sport of s e last over th ars 20 ye

FURTHER INFORMATION www.youthsporttrust.org

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Advertisement Feature

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OUTDOOR LEARNING

THE JOLLY ROGER BRINGS ANIMALS TO LIFE IN SCHOOLS

Animal parades have been around for many years. This is the opportunity to create your class parade as Primer Jolly Roger Models can be decorated to match any theme or subject. In the 21st century finding new and inspiring projects for students can be difficult. Jolly Roger believes its models could provide a solution as they really capture the imagination. The company has 1000’s of models ranging from dinosaur eggs to racing cars, piglets to pirates. Prices are very reasonable and vary from a lamb at £29.00 + VAT to a full size triceratops at £669.00 + VAT. This means there is something to suit everyone’s budget. The company has had customers in the past which buy one large model and the class then collaboratively paints it, making it a fantastic group activity. All models can be produced in a primer finish, which means they have a matt white finish - the easiest colour to cover with any colour paint. The models can be painted with either oil based or water based paints, which allows flexibility on the finish of the statues whether you are looking for a matt finish or a high gloss contemporary look. Once the models are painted, a sealer or clear varnish can be used and this ensures the models will last for many years to come. The models will then be suitable for outside and inside use. Many are fitted with integrated footplates which allows them to be fastened securely to the ground, ensuring they do not topple over and are more resistant to theft. Dawn Kelly from St Michaels Primary and Nursery School in Kingsteignton said: “It has not only given the children a great opportunity to work collaboratively and on age scale, but has allowed them to think outside the box as one of the merits has been that the children no longer view a piece of paper or canvas as being the only surface to paint on.” The creative part is the designs, which can be coordinated into any project as the models can be decorated based on historical events, creative writing or even album covers. The opportunities are truly endless and can be matched within all subject plans. The models can bring to life many aspects of a subject and help the students retain the information, as endorsed by previous customers. Once the models are complete, they can be displayed in the school grounds or auctioned off to raise money for charity. One customer has arranged for the models to be displayed in the local town so families can follow a trail and see the models created as a recreational outing. Another customer gave the following recommendation: “I would encourage any school to have a

EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE | Volume 20.1

“I would encourage any school to have a go but do warn them it is addictive” go but do warn them it is addictive”. A year five girl from St Michael’s Primary and Nursery School said: “I think our school looks so friendly and colourful with all our painted animals in the orchard” “I learnt a lot about Aboriginal journey paintings when we painted the donkey with Aboriginal designs” said a year six boy. “It has been the best thing I ever did,” said another “I can still see my handprint on the cow.” The Jolly Roger Ltd is very proud of these recommendations and invites readers to get in touch and see if it help you to make the most of your lesson time. Creating and painting parades is not the only use for its models. Several customers use the realistic painted models as education tools. They are ideal for illustrating scale, whether it be a dodo in prehistoric times or the size and shape of a Hippopotamus.

It is also possible to create an illustrated timeline within an area of the school, and having it ranging from Jurassic times through to soldiers from various historical periods, tand on to astronauts and rockets. All these concepts bring the subject to life and as the Jolly Roger models are designed to be interacted with, students can get up close and personal with a full size lion, as an example. The Jolly Roger Ltd prides itself on the quality and variety of models provided. These are unique and encourage the opportunity to be made completely individually. L FURTHER INFORMATION To see the full range of products, please visit www.lifesize-models.co.uk. A two storey showroom is based in Bovey Tracey, Devon which is open Monday to Friday from 9am-4.30pm. Tel: 01626 833646.

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Outdoor Learning

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Written by Elaine Skates, chief executuve of the Council for Learning Outside the Classroom.

LEARNING OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM

THE MOBILE CURRICULUM

Is learning outside the classroom part of your strategy to improve the quality of teaching at your establishment? If not, it should be, writes Elaine Skates, chief executive of the Council for Learning Outside the Classroom Developing the Learning Outside the Classroom (LOtC) provision in your school grounds, local community or further afield can have an enormous impact on enthusing, engaging and motivating pupils to learn. LOtC is particularly effective in raising the achievement of groups with individual needs including free school meals, SEN, boys and other children who may not thrive inside the classroom environment. Furthermore, new evidence is emerging to demonstrate that LOtC can raise attainment across all areas of the curriculum including core subject areas such as english, maths and science. A recent piece of research from the Education Endowment Fund has found that giving pupils memorable experiences to write about, such as educational visits to zoos, farms

and country parks and talks with war veterans, use of any space beyond the classroom can improve their literacy skills by the for teaching and learning, from the school equivalent of nine months – and grounds to local museums, wild 18 months for disadvantaged spaces or places of worship. ng pupils on free school meals. By combining regular evelopi ing D Kevan Collins, the experiences close to home n r the Lea the Education Endowment with more occasional e d i s Fund chief executive, educational visits and t u n O ovisio s residentials further afield, r has said: “It’s rare p m o to find schemes that schools can provide an Classro an enormou e , demonstrate such a inspiring and memorable v g a n h i s n u h ca t n e large impact when they curriculum which links n o are rigorously tested. knowledge gained inside impact aging and That’s why we are excited the classroom to the real eng g about the potential this world that lies beyond. otivatin m project could have in helping pupils struggling students significantly CURRICULUM improve their writing skills.” The new national curriculum is Learning Outside the Classroom is the giving schools the opportunity to be E

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Snowsports for Schools

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LEARNING OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM  creative with lesson planning and take a fresh look at how and where they achieve the best outcomes for their pupils. Many are designing a thematic curriculum where termly ‘wow events’ bring learning to life. Others are thinking about how the real world can be used to facilitate the development of problem solving mathematical skills, scientific working or a love of literature. The key point for senior leaders to remember is that LOtC is most successful when it is an integral element of long-term curriculum planning and closely linked to classroom activities. (Ofsted, Learning Outside the Classroom, how far should you go? 2008) With this in mind, LOtC Mark was launched in 2012 to help the use of LOtC most effectively, to raise standards and to demonstrate the effectiveness of your provision. LOtC Mark is the first national accreditation for schools, nurseries and other educational establishments which recognises and supports the development of learning outside the classroom across all subject areas. Schools are benchmarked at either Bronze, Silver or Gold level, with guidance and support to help schools to progress through the levels and drive up the quality of their LOtC offering. CASE STUDY: BOSTON WEST ACADEMY Boston West Academy has recently become the 6th school nationwide to be awarded the new LOtC Mark accreditation at Gold level, and its journey is a compelling story of the impact of Learning Outside the Classroom on the improvement of a school. Headteacher Mike Schofield shares the school’s story below. Wellies at the ready, an ample supply of mud and lots of imagination – all crucial elements of the curriculum at Boston West Academy. This is no radical new agenda, but part of a thoughtful approach to learning

By combining regular experiences close to home with more occasional educational visits and residentials further afield, schools can provide an inspiring and memorable curriculum which links knowledge gained inside the classroom to the real world that lies beyond and engagement that has led to better results and a richer experience for everyone involved. Learning Outside the Classroom is an exciting, sensible and increasingly necessary part of running a school. Boston West was in Special Measures when I joined in 2000. In particular, it was the children’s bond with the school that needed work; their general attitude to learning was passive, whilst the behaviour of a significant minority was disruptive. Now, the children are engaged, they’re fired up and enjoying themselves, whilst standards reached and have been maintained at a high level. It started with an environmental focus. I joined at the same time as a teacher with a science background, whose passion for environmental issues complemented my belief in the power of first-hand experience and real-life learning opportunities. One of the first things we did to change the whole school culture was to get the children directly involved and feeling valued. We started one of the early primary school councils, asking children what changes they would like. Initially, they focused on the playground, which presented an opportunity for ‘quick wins’ to improve the grey rectangle with faded netball court markings. We also had a lot of green space with some trees but

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none of it developed. Over time, we’ve made use of every square centimetre of our school grounds, allowing the children to drip ideas through and be part of a transformation. We have a woodland area, a pond, a place for camp fires, a tepee (symbolic of early settlement for lessons, but also a very handy place to store our firewood), a mud factory (where children can make anything with mud, sticks, leaves, acorns, or whatever is around) and a collection of sculptures made by local artists to add a touch of inspiration. Today, every subject is delivered outside – maths, english, science, history, art – and there is a minimum weekly time expectation, beyond PE sessions, for children to be learning outdoors. We have a framework of skills and knowledge, but with a significant level of flexibility for staff to respond to the children’s needs, interests and what is happening in the world around them. With wellies at hand, learning can always be taken outside to seize the moment. So children work in, with and, at times, learn specifically about the natural environment. There is a focus on teaching skills not only within subject areas but in group interaction whilst solving real, practical problems. Who can say which pieces of knowledge are the most important? So we try and equip E

"Learning Outside the Classroom is an exciting, sensible and increasingly necessary part of running a school,"says Mike Schofield, head teacher at Boston West Academy

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LEARNING OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM  children with the skills to acquire any kind of knowledge they need or that excites them. Being outdoors and surrounded by real things, with their own character and subject to all the variations of the natural world; the sun, wind, rain, snow, is always an inspiring and liberating starting point for learning. Unless the weather is really bad, we’ll be out there. For example, to teach adjectives in Y1, the teacher read ‘Charlie’s Superhero Underpants’, then developed the whole lesson in the grounds, with children searching for items of clothing that the wind had blown off the washing line, in keeping with the story. What resulted was motivation, engagement, challenge through differentiated tasks and good learning outcomes for every child – and they loved it. Developing our grounds has also proved to be successful in building a partnership with parents. Every term we have a weekend Grounds / Eco Day when everyone pitches in – parents, children, staff and the wider community, working as a team for something that everyone can see is important – and we have fun. It’s a great leveller: much more likely, as a starter, to

Alongside our children’s growing enthusiasm for gardening, our work has prompted wider interest within the community, resulting in an increasing number of mutually beneficial partnerships with local organisations and businesses. We were delighted to achieve the RHS Level 5 School Gardening Award and take a group of children to visit the Chelsea Flower Show as part of a national school gardening project. Our grounds and gardens also received RHS Gold and Best School Garden Awards in East Midlands in Bloom. Our journey has presented many challenges but with determination and relentless hard work over many years, whilst many initiatives have come and gone and within the demands of continuous school improvement, we have kept our philosophy central to our work. Barriers are there to be broken down – what are we if we don’t follow and stick to our principles and beliefs? As I frequently say to our children ‘If you believe, you can achieve!’ And I am pleased to say that Emma Schofield, Outdoor Learning Co-ordinator at Boston West Academy, has been awarded the accolade of Best Educator category in the national Awards for Outstanding Contribution to Learning Outside the Classroom. L

engage any ‘hard to reach’ families than through more traditional curriculum sessions. Not all staff are equally comfortable with taking children outside – like parents, they worry. They need to build confidence, establish rules and working area boundaries. In fact, in our experience, the children’s behaviour is always excellent. We do the necessary risk assessments, and within this framework we teach the children about the risks and how to be safe, gradually building their understanding and ability to make their own judgements. The original science teacher is now Outdoor Learning Leader; Emma Schofield provides in‑house coaching, as well as supporting teachers’ planning. Using our on-site outdoor learning centre, The Hive, we now offer consultancy and training courses to staff beyond the school. This has been extremely well received and will support other schools in developing their own approach to learning beyond the classroom. A two-day residential course is being planned for Spring 2015, in partnership with Freiston Outdoor Environmental Centre.

The nt key poi aders or le for seni ember is to rem C is most t that LO l when it is fu success gral element an inte ong-term of l um curricul

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a few students based on a fear of heights, that the experience overall was both informative and enjoyable and resulted in even the most reticent of participants to write enthusiastically on their experiences.

ions, Attract ms, museu theatre ras, orchest and even shows arkets can food m eaching to bring t in so life ays many w

OUTDOOR LEARNING

BRINGING THE LESSON TO LIFE

By bringing the classroom out into the world, teachers have the most wonderful opportunity to engage all the senses of their students and show the practical application of their students’ studies, writes Mike Newman There is no doubt that a school trip can bring a classroom lesson to life in a way that is otherwise difficult to replicate. The concept of a practical demonstration or enhancement of what is written in books is something that just cannot be overrated. Dim and distant school days learning about the properties of liquid nitrogen and a piece of rubber tubing in chemistry armed with safety goggles and a hammer, can still bring a smile of glee to my face even now. By the same token seeing a real glacial valley in Canada years after leaving school brought back the geography lessons and talk of ‘U shaped’ valleys and gave that all important third dimension to teaching. Now, of course, teaching is hugely dynamic and there are a huge number

of ways to engage students of all ages both inside and outside the classroom. The tourism industry as a whole has embraced this and offers through visitor attractions, museums, theatre and more an enormous amount of curriculum orientated insights and activities that can support teachers. Some of these are based on geography as in the example above, but I read recently of a school trip on the Emirates Air Line in North Greenwich where the classroom lesson on the importance of the River Thames was dramatically enhanced by having the opportunity to view it from the air. The teacher that wrote this particular piece found that despite reservations from

Written by Mike Newman

THE CORE OF THEIR EXISTENCE Teachers’ packs are a common attribute of most, if not all, school visits to attractions and other cultural institutions, and there are dedicated departments that deal with school groups on a daily basis. Shakespeare’s Globe, for example and ZSL London Zoo take teaching extremely seriously and it is virtually written into the core of their existence. Engagement including stage craft, fighting, understanding audience behaviours and so much more in Elizabethan times would simply not have been possible without Globe Education. Likewise, bringing environmental concerns, habitat destruction and breeding programmes in the face of near extinction in the wild have brought the reality of the world that we live in to life in unprecedented ways at ZSL London Zoo. West End musicals, and indeed regional and touring productions, are also looking very much into what they can offer teachers and students in terms of gaining a deeper thematic understanding of some of the content of the story. Productions such as Wicked, for example, focus very strongly on an all important issues of isolation, bullying and acceptance in an educational environment and beyond. Similarly, other productions, such as Billy Elliot, focus very much on the reality of the politics at the time of the Miners Strike in 1984 and shows such as We Will Rock You and Chicago The Musical looked at consumerism and mass identity and the power of the media respectively to focus on just a few of their themes. The London Symphony Orchestra offers a Discover Programme that can include opportunities to attend master classes and talks with professionals, which again can add another dynamic element to teaching outside the classroom. The art of engagement is just that – it is by no means a science and it is something that can very much be learned both literally and metaphorically by touch.

Educational Trips

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WHAT’S THE MEANING When I first went into business in the early 1990s, I was taught the magic power of three incredibly important words that still run through the core of what I do – ‘Which Means That’ – the understanding that the concept being offered must have reason and meaning for the recipient in order to have a positive outcome. 

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OUTDOOR LEARNING  By bringing the classroom out into the world, teachers have the most wonderful opportunity to engage all the senses of their students and show the practical application of their students’ studies. I have no doubt that the impact of what a glacier does to a landscape was not entirely lost on me as a 14 year old geography student but the realisation of what it looked like in

the most ambivalent of us years after the desk lid was closed for the final time. Attractions, museums, orchestras, theatre shows, even food markets can bring teaching to life in so many ways, and the school trip, however time consuming and laborious in its inception, and undoubtedly occasionally panic inducing in its execution is, to this mind at least, one of the

Productions such as Wicked, for example, focus very strongly on an all important issues of isolation, bullying and acceptance in an educational environment and beyond real life as a 20 something year old threw me right back into that classroom imagery. There is no doubt too that the teaching I received allowed that memory to linger and therefore create the immediacy of the connection between my classroom learning and my first hand experience all those years later. I am not suggesting that all geography students should be taken immediately to Canada to see for themselves what millions of tons of ice and rock can do over time, more using a specific example to show the magic that education can have on

most exciting, inspirational and though provoking things that a teacher can offer. In the tourism industry, the focus is on understanding the experience that clients are offering to their visitors, including both the physiological (how long, how far etc) and the psychological (the emotional impact of the experience). This can very happily be extended to the role that the teacher can have when planning a school trip to one of the dozens of uniquely interesting and engaging relevant places to travel too

About the author

Educational Trips

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Mike Newman is marketing and recruitment manager at the Group Travel Organisers Association, and managing director of b2me Tourism Marketing. Established in 2003, b2me Tourism Marketing offers cost effective, specialist domestic and international engagement, marketing and strategy advice to museums, galleries, attractions and destinations. The GTOA is an independent organisation representing the interests of those who organise tours and trips for groups as well as those who provide services for group travel. within a reasonable distance of home. In the digital world in which we work, learn and play, the opportunity to look up and around and explore our physical world will surely only enhance the classroom experience by creating that personal and multi dimensional element that fulfils the equation linked by those three magic words ‘Which Means That.’  FURTHER INFORMATION www.gtoa.co.uk

BRINGING A SCHOOL GROUP TO LONDON? WHY NOT FOLLOW THE PIED PIPER? I am a London Blue Badge Tour Guide with over 25 years’ experience guiding school parties from tots to teens. I can help you plan a bespoke itinerary to get the most of your trip: guided tours on foot or by coach, visits to the Tower of London, St. Paul’s, Changing‑of‑the‑Guard, museums and all the major attractions. Half or full days or a whole week. Let me know your requirements and I will arrange a tour to remember. Whatever your subject of study there will be a walk or visit to cover it: Want to walk with Queen Victoria? Or seek out Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens? A Dramatic tour of Theatre Land London Wall and Gate Walk  Roman London or the Great Fire Royal London  Ghosts and Murders Sing‑a‑Song‑of‑London  Nursery Rhymes

For further details contact: JOY LEVENE, PIED PIPER WALKS // 020 7435 4782 piedpiper1@blueyonder.co.uk And unlike the original Pied Piper, I promise to bring you back safely!

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Design & Technology

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DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY

PRESENTING THE GREAT BRITISH MAKE OFF

The Great British Make Off celebrates the undoubted success of young, talented design and technologists. Andy Mitchell, assistant chief executive at the Design & Technology Association, reveals the competition’s innovative winners There is no doubt about it, good Design and Technology makes good press, and that’s exactly what the launch of the new design competition, The Great British Make Off is doing. Not only was it an opportunity to challenge Key Stage 3 students across the UK to demonstrate their creativity and innovation, it was also set to provide a really positive story to demonstrate just how important the subject is. The four winning teams in the first ever Great British Make Off were revealed in November and their designs were showcased at the Design Museum on 15 December 2014. THE COMPETITION Launched in July 2014 by the Design & Technology Association, the competition invited young people to create design concepts with the potential to transform Britain’s latest sporting passion, namely cycling. Working individually or in groups, D&T students addressed some of the common problems associated with cycling, including: safety, load carrying, bicycle security, and energy rich food products. Then they were required to make a short video to present their idea in concept form and submit it through the dedicated website. Clearly this proved an attractive opportunity and from the many more who engaged through their school D&T departments, over 150 entries were submitted. A panel of experts, including professional designers, reviewed all of the entries over four categories; textiles, product design, systems & controls, and food. From the Textiles Category, Neve Upton from Bideford College claimed the winning entry with Turn Bright – an indicating glove designed to let those around know which direction the cyclist is turning. The winners of the Product Design Category were Jay Earnshaw, Rachel Creer, Ella Richards, and Iliya Ivanov from Sale Grammar School with their product Shock Tyres – a tyre which never goes flat. Ramneek Ahluwalia from Beal High School was judged as the winner of the Systems & Controls Category with Find My Bike. Forgotten where you last saw your bike, this handy application will help you find it.

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And finally, the winners from the Food Category were Paige Dean, Shauna Scott, and Airann Richards from Saint Benedict Catholic Voluntary Academy with Spa Dew – a great energy drink for those on the move combining five a day fruit and vegetables. Big congratulations go to the winners of the first Great British Make Off, as well as a big thank you to all the students, teachers and schools who entered this exciting competition. But the competition did not end there. As part of their prize each of the winning entrants was given the opportunity to visit for a day and work with the judges, expert designers and product developers to take their idea forward. These were Team Sky clothing supplier Rapha, the world’s leading folding bike company Brompton, innovative cycle safety company Blaze and food product developer and celebrity chef Steve Walpole of Steve Walpole Ltd. This enabled both refinement and development of the ideas. To celebrate their success, an event was held in December at the Design Museum, Shad Thames in London, where the winning prototypes were on display at a special exhibition. Well-known broadcaster and adventurer Ben Fogle presented the awards, with a special presentation also being given by renowned designer Dick Powell, a long time advocate for the subject. This event was attended by the winning students, their teachers and experts from industry, education, together with representatives of the press. Richard Green, CEO of the Design & Technology Association, commented: “The quality of ideas was very high. All the judges and companies involved were very impressed. This just shows what students who study D&T are capable of and why it is such an important subject for all young people.” Dick Powell, co-founder of Seymour Powell, acted as chief judge. He commented: “Wow, this was really tough to judge! Great entries and all to a pretty high standard of presentation, not to mention clearly articulated.” The event was subsequently reported by the BBC, LBC, TES and The Daily Telegraph. The coverage gained helped to bring to the attention of key educational decision

makers just how valuable D&T is as a subject within the curriculum. The opportunity was not lost to make the link between the skills, knowledge and understanding it develops and our ultimate prosperity as a nation. The competition was a huge success and The Great British Make Off are exploring how they can best build on this experience in 2015. AIMS OF THE GREAT BRITISH MAKE-OFF The aim of the Great British Make Off was to shine a light on the creative, innovative and practical skills D&T instills in children. It aims to demonstrate the value of the subject that is, at best, often misrepresented and, at worst, completely ignored. It’s a subject that develops essential skills and knowledge for all pupils, but particularly for those who will go on to work in our creative, engineering and manufacturing sectors. Much is said about STEM education – and the Design & Technology Association believes D&T has a major part to play in STEM – and therefore in addressing the skills shortages in these sectors. The Great British Make Off aims to show that English schools have a subject in its curriculum (we were the first country in the world to introduce it 25 years ago), that is being looked at enviously by countries around the world and especially in the Far East at the very time we are at risk of losing it.  FURTHER INFORMATION www.data.org.uk

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RESOURCES

RESOURCING DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY

This is a time of substantial change within design & technology. The new programmes of study (PoS) for Key Stages 1-3, implemented from September 2014, are significantly different to the previous requirements. Later this year, new GCSE specifications will be published. Currently, the D&T GCSEs allow pupils to specialise in one of a range of different subjects, including food technology, resistant materials, textiles, graphic products, electronic products, engineering, systems & control and product design. It is currently proposed that the new GCSEs will offer only two routes: cooking and nutrition and a single general award incorporating all of the other specialisms. Whilst the full implications of whatever the changes to the GCSE specifications are not yet known, together with the changes in the PoS, they will influence how D&T is resourced and supported within schools.

This article provides an overview of how some of the aspects where content changes have been made can be resourced to support the effective teaching of D&T. PROJECTS ON A PAGE The new PoS increases the technical knowledge needed to support Key Stages 1 and 2, for example, introducing the use of mechanical and electrical systems, and exploded views. Finding the time to independently develop new projects to support these can present several challenges to primary schools. Fortunately, the Design & Technology Association has addressed this in their excellent resource ‘Projects on a Page’. The resource comprises fifteen competent and usable A3 sheets, each describing a

different project. These go beyond a simple outline, explaining the important building blocks that should be included to achieve good practice in each project. These include what aspect of D&T is being covered, what children could design and make, purpose of products, cross-curricular links, key vocabulary, key skills and health and safety. The guidance given is in a very user-friendly format and contains all the pointers needed for effective delivery, with examples, sketches and diagrams to help put things into practice. The resource comes with a handy guidance booklet which shows how to get the best out of the planners, and includes sections on long-term planning, cross‑curricular links, assessment and progression. This provides an excellent and time-saving starting point to help children 

The programnew study im mes of from Seplemented ptem 2014, a re signi ber differen ficantly to the p t require revious ments.

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Written by Paul Anderson, independent advisor to the Design & Technolody Association

Paul Anderson, independent adviser to the Design and Technology Association, discusses how the recent changes in the D&T curriculum are affecting how the subject is resourced in schools

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RESOURCES  design, make and evaluate functional products with users and purposes in mind. The reference to the use of 3D printing technologies within schools has accompanied implementation of the new curriculum. Although not specifically named within the PoS, it is the most recent form of computer aided manufacture to be adopted in schools. Michael Gove, when Education Secretary, said 3D printers were ‘revolutionising manufacturing and it is vital that we start teaching the theory and practice in our schools’. David Cameron has also spoken about their importance and implementation in schools. WHAT IS 3D PRINTING? 3D printing involves creating an object using CAD (computer aided design) software, then producing it in a single operation, in three dimensional form on a special computer controlled machine. Unlike many conventional manufacturing processes,

the cost increases commensurate with the print area and the quality of surface finish. When selecting a unit, there are some key questions that need to be asked: How easy is the Driver software – to use? How does it interact with the CAD software being used to design the product? And how much control is there of the build quality? In regards to resolution – how thin are the deposited layers? The thinner the layers, the more detailed the models will be. Part cost – what is the cost of the consumables needed, either by volume or weight? What is the time taken to print a certain amount on the z-axis? One of the big challenges with this technology is that it is slow to produce products. A unit may take a number of hours to print an individual object. Ideally, each school would have several 3D printers to facilitate class activities. In the long term (and with further drop in price) schools will undoubtedly acquire multiple machines – just as it has been the case with conventional paper

Whilst the full implications of whatever the changes to the GCSE specifications are not yet known, together with the changes in the PoS, they will influence how D&T is resourced and supported within schools which start with a piece of material and subtract the areas of material that are not required, 3D printing is an additive process. This means that the product being made is typically built up layer by layer, greatly reducing the wastage of material. This is a new and rapidly developing technology. The first 3D printing process, stereolithography, was invented by Charles Hull in 1984, with the first commercial machine that could produce parts developed in 1992 by 3D systems. However, it was not until 2005 that the first printers to deposit materials became commercially available. DIY kits for 3D printers only entered the marketplace in 2009. CHOOSING A 3D PRINTER FOR USE IN SCHOOL The first schools to invest in this engaging technology used expensive power-based machines. However, the development of the Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) approach has led to a substantial increase in the availability of 3D printers. There are many suppliers in what is becoming a very busy marketplace, including; Imakr, Ultimaker, Technology Supplies, Boxford, Techsoft, Cubify, Cubex, 3D Systems and Flamefast. The cost of the equipment to carry out this approach has fallen by over 90 per cent in the last 10 years – a basic model of a FDM 3D printer will typically start in the range from £1-2k, a fraction of the price of a laser cutter. As a general rule,

printers. Also, as with any new technology, there is a learning curve associated with getting to grips with both the technology and importantly how to apply it effectively in the classroom. For those considering introducing 3D printing, it is recommended to start with the resource ‘Using and understanding 3D printers in schools’, available from the Design & Technology Association. PROGRAMMABLE COMPONENTS Two areas that are explicitly required in the new Key Stage 3 curriculum are electrical and electronic systems and embedding intelligence into products pupils design and make using programmable components. There are some very well-established resources to enable this, such as picaxe or genie microcontrollers. Often these are available as kits to produce standard prototype circuits, which can be modified depending upon the requirements of the application; for example, the piggyaxe variant of the picaxe system, which is available through the Design & Technology Association website. There are many advantages to these systems. Firstly, the cost of the components is still within the range where students can make a model to take home as part of a project. These give the opportunity for students to learn practical electronics skills and knowledge of components by building the actual printed circuit boards (PCBs). Secondly, the programming software is normally free or very low cost and

relatively easy to use, with lots of example resources. They allow students to program using a visual interface and then progress to actual BASIC code. Some of the alternative options available are Arduino and Raspberry Pi. These have a much higher unit cost, but are designed so that they can be used and reprogrammed repeatedly. These are generally used for programming only activities in schools, but could be built from scratch if time and budget allows. These systems generally rely on programming in real code rather than flowcharting and could be used to establish a cross-curricular approach with the computing department.

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IMPROVING GCSE PERFORMANCE At present, the publication of the new GCSE specifications for D&T are still being waited upon. However, it is noticeable that with increasing pressure on results, there has been a significant growth in the availability of resources to support pupils perform maximise their exam results. Of particular note are the context-specific exam papers. Several senior examiners have commented that poor exam skills can cost pupils one or more grades. Practicing exam questions gives students the opportunity to simultaneously practice their exam technique and revise their subject knowledge. Context‑specific exam papers, written using either the context specified by the exam board or a context used by the school (particularly for year 10 exams), are being used in many schools with great success. Whilst schools could write these themselves, the time and experience needed to do so mean that it is normally quicker and cheaper to buy them. The leading suppliers of these papers currently are Attainment in Education Ltd and ZigZag Education, although Attainment in Education have the advantage that their writing teams are all former senior examiners. Ideally, students would be introduced to exam-style questions during the course. These could be used as homework activities and combined with peer marking at the start of a subsequent lesson to maximise their impact. Attainment in Education also market an excellent pack containing separate worksheets for every sub-section of the GCSE specifications, maximising ease of use. Alternatively, the AQA exam board recently launched the Exampro service. Exampro has the ability to sort through past papers to identify questions relative to specific areas of subject knowledge. In effect, this is a paid-for search facility, as the past papers themselves are free to schools through the exams officers. This is an interesting approach given the imminent changes to the GCSE specifications. It’s not yet clear what they will be able to search through when there may be no relevant past papers.  FURTHER INFORMATION www.data.org.uk

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FEATURE SUBSHOW SECTION EDUCATION

THE WORLD OF EDUCATION

From innovative teaching resources and practices, to educational charities and organisations, Education Show 2015 on 19-21 March will be providing all of the insight you need for a successful career in the world of education A rich offering of new content, inspiring education backgrounds, all offering a wealth training and development, and of knowledge and experience in their field. pioneering educational suppliers will When we speak to visitors at the Education be available throughout the show. From Show, the one reason that they give for innovative teaching resources and practices attending year on year is ‘to learn’. Each year to educational charities and organisations, they visit the show to gather advice, guidance Education Show 2015 will be and ideas from both the exhibitors and the providing all of the insight you top quality training and continuing need for a successful career professional development e h T in the world of education. programme on offer. rs Each year, the show arly Yea inars E attracts professionals LEARNING AT THE EVENT sem from primary, The Education Show and SENshops offer k r o secondary and higher hosts learning sessions w d an nd

ctical free, pradvice on the ea valuabl ssues around key i ears and Early Y N SE a

for all types of educators, from classroom practitioners to senior leadership teams. Free CPD accredited training with practical and engaging content. Visitors can choose form over 120 sessions presented by fellow practitioners and industry experts to share best practice. The Early Years and SEN seminars and workshops offer free, practical and valuable advice on the key issues around Early Years and SEN. Among some 15 seminars, Jane Friswell, ceo of nasen, will outline the practical implications of the upcoming SEN Code and the biggest period of SEND reform for 30 years. New for 2015 and in partnership with the Tablet Academy is the ‘Tablets Advice Hub’, which will provide educators with the opportunity to pose their mobile learning questions to experts in the field, whether they are regarding an IOS, Windows 8 or Android device. This feature will be a destination point for educators who are keen to discuss specific requirements and we have some exciting opportunities for tablet providers to showcase their devices. The Tablet Advice Hub will take place in the Learning Through Technology Zone. The ‘How Do I?’ Theatre will present a E

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Feature Heading Education Show 2015

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Helping children discover the pleasure and power of reading

Join us at Stand G50 at the Education Show to find out how we support reading schools. Discover a range of resources including Scholastic Reading Pro, the acclaimed 100 Lessons series and the PM collection â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the largest and most finely levelled reading programme in the UK.

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EDUCATION SHOW learning, going back over 150 years. NCFE offers a wide portfolio of qualifications including apprenticeships, qualifications which support Study Programmes and Traineeships, fundable qualifications for adult learners, high quality distance learning models and V Certs for schools. Ticketmaster Education, part of Ticketmaster UK, will be exhibiting alongside Disney On Ice at stand E56. Ticketmaster Education brings together a variety of materials such as downloadable curriculum resources and education packs that explore the themes of some of Ticketmaster’s best-loved events, which can then be used in the classroom to assist continued learning.

Audio visual specialist, Proactive Learning, will be on stand D79 sharing its extensive experience in providing audio visual solutions to classrooms, designed to inspire, engage and involve students in the learning process  series of free CPD accredited workshops and presentations offers visitors professional development and practical advice on a variety of burning issues. SCHOOL LEADER SUMMIT The School Leaders Summit is designed for individuals with a leader role in a school, to provide an environment where like-minded educators can learn, network and share ideas. The two day programme focusses on addressing and helping school leaders overcome the challenges present in their schools. Subjects include changes to the Ofsted inspection framework, using Pupil Premium effectively to raise student attainment, dealing with assessment changes and using technology to enhance learning. Here’s a snapshot of some of the exhibitors you can meet at the show. On stand N3 will be Gap Education, an award-winning social enterprise, founded by former Headteacher Quentin Gunderson. The company is working across the country to put an end to educational inequality and close the gap so that every child will reach their potential no matter what their starting point. Gap Education will be talking to visitors about its unique toolkit that is being used by primary and secondary schools to narrow the gap through effective family intervention;improving

the attendance, behaviour, attainment and well-being of pupils. Audio visual specialist, Proactive Learning, will be on stand D79 sharing its extensive experience in providing audio visual solutions to classrooms, designed to inspire, engage and involve students in the learning process. Proactive Learning is offering a 100 per cent satisfaction guarantee for any new customers looking to try out its technology, so a visit to the stand is highly recommended! For over 125 years, Helix has been supplying quality educational products, offering a choice of three of the world’s most recognised educational brands, including Oxford, a range of traditional premium academic school accessories; Helix, a quality technical education equipment; and Maped, practical and ingenious products for schools. THE BUNNY RABBIT SHARPENER Helix has been helping innumerable children and teens through their schooling since 1887 and is still the brand leader in the UK today, with its Helix Oxford Maths Set equipping millions of pupils worldwide. New for 2015, Helix will also be introducing the Bunny Rabbit Educative Pencil Sharpener, which combines fun and innovation to teach children how to sharpen pencils correctly. Pop by and meet the Helix team on stands D49-C50! On stand L52 will be NCFE, a registered educational charity with a strong heritage in

Education Show 2015

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DISNEY ON ICE Also at stand E56 is Disney On Ice, who bring their Magical Ice Festival to the UK next year. Produced by Feld Entertainment, Magical Ice Festival is an enchanting mix of royalty; highlighting the stories of Disney’s most beloved heroines through energetic choreography that will have audiences singing, dancing and cheering their favourite Disney characters as they each embark on their own epic journeys. A visit to the stand is highly recommended for any visitors looking at finding events that truly inspire and complement pupils’ learning. For all of your recruitment needs, visit stand C84 and meet the team at Access Personal Checking Services (APCS) who are specialists in online recruitment, vetting and helping schools to employ staff that they can trust. APCS is one of the largest umbrella bodies working with the Disclosure and Barring Service in the UK, with over 12 years industry experience and a catalogue of services on offer. On show on stand C84 will be the company’s Single Central Record system, which allows users to store all information in one place and carry out simple, accurate checks. Eden Learning Spaces will be returning to The Education Show once again, after launching its educational soft furnishings at last year’s show, bringing with it an exciting new presentation this year. On stands H51-G52, Eden will be showcasing an exciting learning environment concept which will give visitors the chance to try out the bean bags and foam filled cushions for themselves. The team will also be on hand to talk visitors through how the product range can enhance the experience of learning with improved levels of comfort, concentration and creativity. THEATRE PRODUCTIONS 2 Boards & a Passion, an established professional touring theatre company will be exhibiting on stand L82. The company specialises in writing, producing and performing theatre productions and drama-based workshops for children and young people. Touring to all mainstream and special E

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Welcome to Arithmetics BM, a unique system that will provide extraordinary help for your child’s success. These 18 progressive booklets, 3 booklets per year from Year 1 to Year 6, will assist children in learning and practising the mathematics basics: addition, subtraction, multiplication, division and logic; from an early age and in a continuous manner that arithmetic and logic become second nature to students. Arithmetics BM is a programme that embeds the New National Curriculum. It encourages a systematic routine to create a strong mathematics foundation. At the same time it develops a priceless working practice for high school and university. These booklets are designed to be used as part of the homework by the teachers who will check pupils’ activities on a weekly basis. A parent’s signature would be required, each week, as confirmation of completion. However, they could also be used by parents – the activities’ answers are provided to check the child’s work and progress. Contact: Beatriz Caulonga Director/Designated Member, Arithmetics BM LLP 07903 536350

See at the E us duc Show 2 ation 0 stand n 15, umber L40

arithmetics.me@hotmail.com www.arithmetics.me

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EDUCATION SHOW  schools across the U.K, it runs three anti‑bullying productions for primary schools on three different themes (verbal bullying, cyber‑bullying and bullying of children with SEN). Magazines for Schools is one of the UK’s leading independent suppliers of magazine subscriptions, offering readers a choice of over 3,000 titles across a comprehensive range of genres. The team will be welcoming visitors to stand L74 to hear more about its services. Teaching and support staff are invited to learn about the education programme available at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter as the attraction hosts a stand at the Education Show. Visitors to stand N59 will get the chance to take part in a photo opportunity as well as discover more about the Studio Tour’s series of twelve free lessons which are enhanced by the use of authentic film-making materials. Based just 20 miles from central London, the Studio Tour reveals behind-the-scenes secrets and showcases the original sets, props and costumes used in all eight Harry Potter films. A CREATIVE INTEREST Fully-qualified and award-winning teachers with hands-on experience in the creative industries are passing on their knowledge with an interactive education programme. Lessons are based on the national curriculum from Key Stages 2 – 5 and cover aspects of the film production process including set design, costume characterisation and script writing. They have enjoyed great success since launching in September 2012 with extra lessons being launched to cope with demand in 2013. Department for Education (DFE) backed company Commando Joe’s hires ex-military personnel to inspire and motivate young people, building resilience through educational learning and personal development services for schools across the UK. Established five years ago by Mike Hamilton, a former bomb disposal expert who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, Commando Joe’s aims to inspire and motivate school children across the UK to have greater self-confidence, respect, and self‑discipline. Don’t miss the chance to meet Mike and his team on stand E32. Helping to manage school budget restrictions, Ryco Book Protection Services will be on stand J20 offering advice on protecting and maintaining your resources. Ryco has protected educational resources for over 20 years, covering millions of books with durable and long lasting book covers. The company is using its expert knowledge of the UK schools market to drive higher standards in this area, through an understanding of the need to maintain the quality of books and other educational materials to keep them in circulation for as long as possible. The team will be welcoming visitors to

Education Show 2015

Sponsored by

DFE-backed company Commando Joe’s hires ex‑military personnel to inspire and motivate young people, building resilience through educational learning and personal development services for schools across the UK come and see what products it has to offer and ask any questions about maintaining the quality of educational resources. CORE MATHEMATICS On stand E31, TeeJay Publishers will be discussing its new set of core mathematics textbooks and support materials. TeeJay is now the largest supplier of mathematics resources in Scotland, selling to almost every secondary and independent school and over 95 per cent of primaries. The company is also offering to send schools copies of all its books to sample for free. If you are looking for incentives and reward schemes for your students, we recommend a visit to stand H61 where Westfield4Schools, a leading supplier of badges and achievement awards will have its large range of products on display. Its new information wheels, used to help pupils learn times tables, fractions and divisions are also a firm favourite with schools. POCKET GUIDE FOR WEBSITES PrimarySite, on stand H40, is a leading provider of websites that fulfil schools’ visions and helps them to engage students as well as communicate with parents and the whole school community. At Education Show 2015, PrimarySite will be showcasing its new ‘Pocket Guide’ for teachers, detailing all the essential information primary schools need to ensure they have an impressive and effective website that also complies with both the DFE’s and Ofsted’s new requirements. This year, with mobile learning high on the

agenda in schools, the Education Show 2015 is joining forces with the Tablet Academy to provide educators with free, hands-on advice on the use of tablets in schools. As one of the UK’s leading education consultancy and teacher training organisations focusing solely on the use of tablets in schools, the Tablet Academy will host the ‘Tablets in Education’ feature, an area devoted to mobile learning at the Education Show 2015. Whether a school is looking to go down the 1:1 route, or is considering implementing a ‘bring-your-own-device’ scheme (BYOD), the Tablet Academy is inviting visitors to see and test a range of devices in an educational context. Its team of teachers will be on‑hand as part of the tablet feature, offering educators the chance to drop by at any point throughout the show to ask any questions or gather advice on mobile learning. BESA INFORMATION POINT Also on hand to help exhibitors plan their route around the show, the British Educational Supplier’s Association (BESA) will be hosting the BESA Show Information Point. To ensure visitors get the very best out of the event, the association will be offering its knowledge and experience to help them plan their time at the event. L The Education Show 2015 takes place from 19 to 21 March at the NEC, Birmingham. To register for your free, fast-track pass, visit www.education-show.com

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Sustainable solutions for effective PE and sport in your school

Q: How can a mobile phone app help a school? A: Visit Piota on Stand F91 to see why and try out a demo on your phone:  Parents love it  Cuts costs for the school  Streamlines school admin  New evidence source for Ofsted & governors  Projects you as progressive & forward-thinking

Have you identified a need to enhance the PE and school sport skills of your teaching staff? Do your Lunchtime Supervisors need support to engage more pupils in physical activity? Or are you looking for an intervention strategy to improve your children’s maths? Aspire can help you with sustainable and effective solutions for PE and sport in your school. For more information, please contact a member of our team.

Email us: info@aspire-sports.co.uk Call us: 0121 663 1979 Or visit our websites: www.aspire-sports.co.uk or www.aspiretrainingsolutions.co.uk

Your school app... powered by Piota

www.piota.co.uk

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07726 224 060

This years Education Show will once again be attended by stationery ergonomic specialists, STABILO.

Burst out of the classroom

EASY features a specific ergonomic gripzone  Every to promote the recommended tripod grip

New brilliant residentials for primary schools • over 100 years experience in the outdoors, delivering education through adventure • links with the National Curriculum • co-created programmes • indoor accommodation and catering also available Booking reference EB2015

 Helps reduce writing strain  Versions for left & right handers  Designed to help improve children’s handwriting  Available in classpacks & singles  Supported by the

Be sure not to miss out on the unveiling of an exciting new educational product and an updated design of the beloved EASYrange, by visiting stand H31.

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Effectively connecting the Wide range of ergonomic wider school community products from STABILO Piota designs high quality but affordable mobile apps to connect together schools, parents and pupils. This enables better communication and engagement with parents whilst providing cost saving opportunities for schools. It also allows automation of some administration processes, freeing up time for more productive use and provides a new way to sample parental and student opinion. New insights into school practices and evidence source for Ofsted and governors, as well as a progressive brand image for your school or group is also incorporated. The app has been designed specifically for mobile devices so it is quick, intuitive, simple to use and has a wide range of functions. The headteacher can use the app to broadcast general news items to everyone. A teacher can use it to send specific messages to their

class or selected individuals. The school office can use it to send out permission forms for school trips and process replies. Parents can use it as a convenient reference source when out and abo ut. Standalone schools or groups can use it to share successes and project a progressive face to the world. FURTHER INFORMATION Contact James Dickson at jdickson@piota.co.uk 07726 224 060

This year’s Education Show will once again be attended by stationery ergonomic specialists STABILO. At Early Years Foundation STABILO offers a wide range of ergonomic products designed to help improve children’s handwriting from the moment they pick up a pencil and start to draw. Starting with the unique STABILO Woody 3-in-1 colouring pencil, ideal for first steps in colouring and progression to the EASYgraph pencils and EASYoriginal rollerballs, that both promote the correct dynamic tripod grip for comfortable writing. The dynamic tripod grip is essential to give children a head start when learning to write. STABILO‘s EASYstart range of pens and pencils have integrated ergonomic grip zones that promote the tripod grip for an easy and comfortable

Education Show 2015

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hold that allows the child to focus on their handwriting. STABILO ergonomic products are recommended by teachers, occupational therapists, special needs experts and are approved by the National Handwriting Association. They are also ideal to address the new requirements of the National Curriculum. Be sure not to miss out on the unveiling of an exciting new educational product and an updated design of the beloved EASY range, by visiting stand H31. FURTHER INFORMATION Visit www.stabilo.co.uk/teach to download our FREE Early Writers resources to help your pupils improve their fine motor skills essential for fluid handwriting.

Burst out of the classroom Inspiring schools to with Scout Activity Centres engage in physical activity Following consultation with a wide range of professionals in education and engagement with Learning Outside the Classroom and Learning Away, The Scout Association has created a range of brilliant residential adventure experiences that provide extremely powerful learning opportunities for young people of all ages and abilities, as well as having an impact on teachers and schools as a whole. The packages are competitively priced, easy to book and the residential experiences cover a range of areas in the National Curriculum. Children attending the day and residential experiences enjoy life-changing experiences that stay with them long past the time they have left full-time education. They have fun and are supported to develop learning and thinking skills and build resilience. Perhaps above all, barriers are broken down between pupils and staff, so

both leave the Scout Association centres with relationships that have strengthened. Over one hundred years’ experience in the outdoors, the Scout Association courses link with the National Curriculum. Centres hold the Adventure Mark and Learning Outside the Classroom quality badge, and provide a range of facilities to meet the needs of your group, including camping and back-to-basics experiences. FURTHER INFORMATION To request a new schools brochure email sac@scouts. org.uk or call 0845 300 2549. For more information or lesson plans visit www.scouts.org.uk/sac

Aspire is recognised as a leading provider of innovative services and resources that educate and inspire schools, coaches, young people, children and their families to engage in physical activity. The company does this by providing professional learning opportunities that raise the standards of Primary PE and sport in your school and supporting your primary school to achieve outstanding PE and school sport. Course leaders include industry experts, qualified teachers and experienced primary school practitioners. Aspire’s sister company Aspire Training Solutions, is recognised and approved by the afPE

Professional Development Board for assuring high quality learning, teaching and coaching for PE and school sport professionals. The company delivers a fully integrated service, tailor-made to help you improve the quality of PE and sport in your school, spearheaded by an expert team. If you would like to find out more about Aspire or to discuss ways in which the company can help, visit stand L62 at The Education Show (19th 21st Match at the NEC). FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 0121 663 1979 info@aspire-sports.co.uk www.aspire-sports.co.uk

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Leading Education is Smooga games areas re-imagining the way CPD make better use of space is delivered within schools Smoogas are fully portable, Smoogas are used in schools Leading Education provides expertise to schools, without the high cost of an expert consultant. The company’s innovative training kits build ready-to-use skills and strategies to equip teachers and TAs across all Key Stages. ‘Equipping schools from within’ is at the heart of the Leading Education philosophy, enabling confident practitioners to engage learners more effectively with learning. Consistently rated ‘outstanding’ by headteachers across the UK and Europe, each kit contains a full-colour stepby-step training manual, instructional video, powerpoint, worksheets and certificates. With prices starting from £75 to train a whole staff team, these training kits offer incredible value for every school. Leading Education’s creative and transformative approach has received commendation from Ofsted, DfE and has

featured on BBC news. School leaders using these training kits are able to harness this expertise and deliver fully accredited, high-quality, lowcost CPD to their staff teams. Leading Education will be launching an exciting new training kit at The Education Show alongside showcasing their current portfolio. Visit Stand LL44 to experience the ‘hot off the press’ release, learn how it can impact teaching and learning, watch a demonstration, and enjoy special offers exclusive to show visitors.

flexible, Smart Multi Use Games Areas - ideal for playgrounds and playing fields. A ‘Smooga’ can be any size and almost any shape which means that most sports and games can be played in a ‘Smooga’. So, what does a Smooga do for you? A smooga improves your PE environment, promotes skills development, higher levels of inclusion, fun, excitement and engagement. Smoogas remove conflicts in the playground, making better use of available space and creating safer environments for all.

from all over the country for games such as: Hockey, handball, football, movement and dance, scooting, drama, maths, rollerblading, cricket and much more. How does it work? - Standing for integrity, honesty, approachability and fun, Smooga has helped to assemble every Smooga installed in the schools around the country so far. Wherever you are, the company always aims to help. FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 01865 301917 keith@smooga.co.uk www.smooga.co.uk

FURTHER INFORMATION www.leading-education.com Freephone 0800 2922 800

Bridgwater – pioneering the Forest School concept

BIC® - designed by experts, recommended by teachers*

Bridgwater College is the pioneer of the Forest School concept in the UK, after an exchange visit to Denmark in the early 90s inspired a programme now widely accepted as a valuable mode of learning for all ages and client groups. The Bridgwater College Forest School team currently visit many areas of the UK, providing training, from Levels 1 to 3, to those interested in running or participating in Forest School provision nationally and internationally. The team, who all have nationally-accredited qualifications, are equipped to meet the needs of all client groups, from pre-school children to adults, and especially including clients with physical disabilities, emotional, behavioural and learning difficulties, mental distress or social crisis. Forest School can easily

With more than 60 years of expertise, BIC® is the UK’s leading brand in writing instruments and provides trustworthy, reliable products perfect for the classroom at school and even for children in early years. BIC® has honoured the tradition of providing high-quality, affordable products to consumers everywhere because BIC® understands the importance of using well designed writing and colouring instruments to aid the different stages of a child’s development. Specialising in writing, colouring, highlighting, correcting and drawing instruments, BIC® has something for all age groups including: BIC® Kids Learners writing range; an extensive range of colouring felt pens, pencils and crayons; iconic ball-pens in array of colours and low-odour white-board markers with good erasability. Designed by experts and recommended by teachers, the

be linked to any education programme, curriculum or team building activity. It is most effective as an ongoing experience, supporting participants in cultivating a lifelong awareness and appreciation of the natural environment, whilst at the same time building confidence and enhancing their physical, social and emotional wellbeing. FURTHER INFORMATION Contact the Forest School team on 01278 441365 or email forest-school@ bridgwater.ac.uk

EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE | Volume 20.1

BIC® Kids range has been created with little hands in mind. Both colouring and writing instruments from BIC® Kids range are comfortable to hold and allow freedom of movement so children can express their creativity, learn and develop their handwriting as well as build necessary motor skills. The iconic BIC® Cristal ballpen range is perfect for both teachers and students. With a renewed focus on marking dialogues and peer marking, the new fashionable colours in the classroom are purple, pink and lime green. *Source: Avg score of 88 per cent product recommendations in BIC Kids colouring range based on 2 studies by Markteffect research firm in France on 1101-2013 (with 227 teachers) & 6-05-2014 (with 387 teachers). FURTHER INFORMATION www.bicworld.com

Edublinds – providing a prompt service and regional knowledge Edublinds is an award winning concept of utilising unused window space as an additional teaching aid. After years of research and development the company is proud to introduce this new, innovative product to the market. Designed and manufactured to the highest standards, EduBlinds provide a fun and friendly, safe and comfortable learning environment for students and teachers. When you buy from EduBlinds you can be happy in the knowledge that you are dealing with a business founded on traditional values, but with a thoroughly modern outlook. You can also be sure that you are buying directly from the developers of the concept. With many years of experience, its friendly and knowledgeable staff are always happy to help.

Edublinds’ nationwide network of local representatives ensures prompt service and regional knowledge. Experienced handpicked agents are fully trained in measuring and fitting and can also advise you on any window shading requirements. They will be happy to show you samples of blinds on request. Blinds can be printed with up to four designs and prepared specifically for the education sector. The selection is constantly updated to coincide with the national curriculum and teachers’ suggestions.

Tree safety courses from Global Tree Vision Global Tree Vision (GTV) surveys trees in school grounds for hazards. Aviva Insurance states: “It is essential that trees are inspected.” If the trees are not surveyed, the school leaves themselves open to criminal prosecution under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, the Occupiers Liability Act 1984 and if the tree kills a pupil a charge of Culpable Manslaughter. Ged M. Collins, director of Global Tree Vision, has 40 years experience in the tree world, with 26 years as arboricultural consultant for local government. He is a technical member of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH), the

longest standing health and safety organisation in the world. Ged M.Collins wrote and teaches the one day course, Surveying Trees Assessing Risk©, certified by IOSH, for anybody with the responsibility for tree safety, especially caretakers and school business managers. For more information about the Surveying Trees Assessing Risk course, GTV’s tree surveying service or using trees as a cross curricula activity, visit Global Tree Vision on stand M35 at the Education Show.

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FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 01617402480 Stand M35, Education Show

FURTHER INFORMATION Visit www.edublinds.co.uk to register your interest.

The awards that recognise Jigsaw: The mindful wider achievement approach to PSHE Junior Award Scheme for Schools (JASS) is a progressive learning programme for 10-13 year olds which has been designed to recognise wider achievement. A key aim is to meet the challenges of the transition from primary to secondary, but in practice it can be used at either level and is also used with wider age groups in special education settings. JASS develops the whole individual by offering recognition in four key areas – regular physical activity (Get Active Stay Active), exploring a personal interest (My Interests), working for the good of the community or the environment (Me and My World) and completing an outdoor activity or challenge (Adventure). It is designed so that participants can move from Bronze, to Silver and then to Gold with increasing levels of learning and challenge.

The objectives of the JASS programme are aligned with those of National Curriculum and The Outdoor Challenge and, most importantly, allow schools and teachers to evidence the school’s commitment and attainment in meeting objectives.

Jigsaw is an original comprehensive Scheme of Learning for years F1/2 to Year 6. Integrating PSHE, emotional literacy, social skills, spiritual development, British Values and SMSC opportunities in a lesson-a-week programme, this scheme includes all the teaching resources needed. Discovery RE is an enquirybased approach to religious education for F1 to Year 6. Discovery RE is a comprehensive scheme of learning (medium term planning) for F1/2 to Year

6 with enquiry based modules on Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Sikhism and Buddhism. The scheme can help you deliver both Jigsaw PSHE and Discovery RE with training and support Come and talk to us about both schemes of learning and we look forward to welcoming you to the growing family of schools using Jigsaw and Discovery RE. FURTHER INFORMATION For more details contact the team on 07792 846091 www.jigsawpshe.com

FURTHER INFORMATION www.jasschools.org.uk Ian Forder, JASS Director ian@jasschools.org.uk 07989 727789

Volume 20.1 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Education Show 2015

www.educationbusinessuk.net – THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATION

Looking for a creative way to raise attainment?

4Delta provides the right 3D printing knowledge

now>press>play is an immersive primary resource that brings the curriculum to life. Primary schools across the country are plugging into now>press>play as a new way to engage their children in literacy, numeracy, history and much more with outstanding results. Watch as your class put on their wireless headphones and are transported to the world of their topic. Immersed in sound, the children become the main characters in an educational adventure they’ll never forget. For the last two years Chisenhale Primary in Tower Hamlets have been using now>press>play to enhance its curriculum delivery. Headteacher Helen James said: “All of the teachers are excited when using now>press>play because the children respond to it so well. Using it as part of curriculum delivery is an effective way to engage their

Just like computers were introduced into the classrooms of the 80s, 3D printers are now the new revolution. The importance of practical skills (as opposed to virtual), as well as understanding the 3D printing instrument, which offers an unprecedented independency for in-class manufacturing, should not be underestimated. An October 2013 report by the DfE on the use of 3D printers in classrooms stated the need for: “Good quality training when introducing new technologies including teaching approaches, and sufficient noncontact time to plan the most effective use of the printers.” Focusing on the tool of 3D printing and founded on the company’s expertise, 4Delta has formulated a practical training course for the educator on computer-aided design. It aims to provide the correct scientific and engineering knowledge of 3D printing; and

class. We are looking forward to hearing more experiences that now>press>play create. This is a must-have resource for every school.” If your school believes children learn best when they are having fun, now>press>play is the resource for you. FURTHER INFORMATION Visit: www.nowpressplay.co.uk or email: hello@nowpressplay.co.uk

Research-based socialemotional learning programme New to the UK, the Second Step programme is a universal classroom-based socialemotional learning curriculum for reception to year nine, brought to the UK by One Education. It is supported by music, videos, take-home activities, stories and puppets that pupils can relate to. Backed by a world-wide evidence base, lessons are easy to teach and fun to learn. Darice Johnson, a year eight teacher, said: “One of the things that strikes me about the programme is how relevant it is for children now, and how relevant it’s going to be as they grow up and become adults.” In reception, the Second Step programme supports children’s school readiness and social success by teaching self-regulation and executivefunction skills helping children manage their feelings, make friends and solve problems. Key stage one and two Second

OneEducation Putting children first

Step materials develop children as successful learners. Fun, easyto-teach lessons develop the empathy, emotion-management and problem-solving skills children need for success. In key stage three, Second Step resources support success and reduce risk-taking behaviours by teaching empathy and communication, emotionmanagement, coping skills, and decision making. Be a leading school for SEL and visit colleagues from One Education at stand N25 at the Education Show 2015. FURTHER INFORMATION www.oneeducation.co.uk

EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE | Volume 20.1

to promote independence and increase capacity for innovation with a skill used beyond 3D printing. It also aims to deliver a balanced course that suits the classroom environment, while accounting for government guidelines, and develop a transferable skill for students. What’s more, it provides post-training support and enriches CPD targets. FURTHER INFORMATION Education Show stand 15 (E93) www.4delta.co.uk training@4delta.co.uk

Experts in medication training for schools Opus Pharmacy Services supports schools and colleges in handling medicines. The comprehensive medicines training courses cover everything you need to know about administering medicines including documentation and procedures in line with supporting pupils with medical conditions. The Opus team specialises in training school nurses and nonmedical staff in the safe handling of medicines. All training modules are created and conducted by qualified pharmacists and are Ofsted and Department of Education compliant. Courses are available as e-learning, distance or face to face medicines training. The course portfolio includes training modules for supporting pupils with medical conditions including asthma and diabetes. Opus can also adapt existing training to specific end user requirements. There are tailored courses

available for all types of educational establishments from nurseries and early years though to boarding schools, international summer schools and colleges. In addition Opus Pharmacy Services also offers guidance and advice on the review and drafting of medicines policies and audit procedures. Train your staff to safely administer medicines – call the experts today on 0845 130 9029. Additionally, the full portfolio of courses is available at www.opuspharmserve.com/eb FURTHER INFORMATION info@opuspharmserve.com www.opuspharmserve.com/eb 0845 130 9029

Take the sting out of lesson planning with PlanBee resources Since its launch in 2010, PlanBee has been providing teachers with ready-to-use KS1 and KS2 primary teaching resources that really take the sting out of planning. With lessons across a range of subjects including Maths and History, PlanBee’s resources provide everything a teacher needs to deliver exciting, engaging lessons - all without having to spend hours on planning. “PlanBee’s lesson plans are fantastic and so easy to follow,” says one teacher. “It’s such a relief knowing I don’t even need to make my own slides to accompany them as everything is there for me - all accompanying resources, slides, worksheets - it’s honestly a teacher’s dream come true.” Each PlanBee lesson contains a lesson plan with three-way differentiation, alternative activity

ideas, a colourful, engaging slideshow, differentiated worksheets and additional resources such as picture cards, games, quizzes or information sheets. Written by experienced primary teachers, PlanBee’s lessons are comprehensive enough to cover all the necessary National Curriculum objectives for a scheme of work yet flexible enough to be tailored to suit the needs of individual classes and children. FURTHER INFORMATION Sign up for a free account and explore resources and ‘FreeBees’ at www.planbee.com (school accounts available on request).

Introduce a world of adventure with activities organised by Yamba UK Yamba UK, based in the North West of England, is a leading provider of adventurous activities. Using a highly qualified, experienced and skilled team the company offer activities for a wide customer base including adult groups, schools, colleges, private companies and family groups Activities include: Abseiling, Archery, Camping, Canoeing, Ghyll Scrambling (Gorge Walking), Kayaking, Mountain Days, Problem Solving Challenges, Rock Climbing, Sea Kayaking and Survival Skills These activities are offered as single activities or as part of a longer term development package. Yamba UK can run day activities or residential programmes, which can be camping, glamping, centre or hotel based. In addition, the company also offers the Duke of Edinburgh’s

Award programme, and runs residential programmes for schools, colleges, youth groups, etc, including the BTEC Outdoor Adventurous Activities for schools and colleges. Yamba UK prides itself on the quality of its delivery. Its overall aim is always to ensure that the programme works for the customer, and Yamba UK will work closely with you right through from the initial enquiry to ensure that you are completely satisfied with your activities. All programmes are bespoke and designed with your needs, budget and any other requirements taken into account. FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 07903 573585 www.yamba.org.uk

Open up a world of possible with Scholastic Scholastic is the world’s largest publisher and distributor of children’s books and a leader in educational resources and technology. Its mission is built on helping children learn to read and love to read.The company believes that independent reading is a critical part of children’s learning and growth. With support from teachers, parents and schools, children choose the books they want to read from Scholastic and discover the pleasure and power of reading. Finding the right book at the right time can light an emotional spark within children that motivates them to read more, understand more, and read joyfully. When that happens, the world opens. Everything becomes possible. Join Scholastic at Stand G50 at the Education Show to find

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out how the company supports reading schools. Discover a range of resources including Scholastic Reading Pro, the acclaimed 100 Lessons series and the PM collection – the largest and most finely levelled reading programme in the UK. As a headline sponsor and Knowledge Partner at the Education Show, Scholastic will also be supporting teachers and promoting reading for pleasure through a series of free seminars and workshops in the Scholastic Reading Hub. FURTHER INFORMATION Find the latest schedules at www.education-show.com and sign up for alerts at www.education. scholastic.co.uk.

Burst out of the classroom with Scout Activity Centres Following consultation with a wide range of professionals in education and engagement with Learning Outside the Classroom and Learning Away, The Scout Association has created a range of brilliant residential adventure experiences that provide extremely powerful learning opportunities for young people of all ages and abilities, as well as having an impact on teachers and schools as a whole. The packages are competitively priced, easy to book and the residential experiences cover a range of areas in the National Curriculum. Children attending the day and residential experiences enjoy life-changing experiences that stay with them long past the time they have left full-time education. They have fun and are supported to develop learning and thinking skills and build resilience. Perhaps above all, barriers are broken down between pupils and staff, so both leave the Scout Association

centres with relationships that have strengthened. Over one hundred years’ experience in the outdoors, the Scout Association courses link with the National Curriculum. Centres hold the Adventure Mark and Learning Outside the Classroom quality badge, and provide a range of facilities to meet the needs of your group, including camping and back-to-basics experiences. FURTHER INFORMATION To request a new schools brochure email sac@scouts. org.uk or call 0845 300 2549. For more information or lesson plans visit www.scouts.org.uk/sac

Volume 20.1 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Special Educational Needs Written by The British Dyslexia Association

Sponsored by

Well Educated Banking www.lloydstsb.com/ schoolbanking

LEARNING DIFFICULTIES

SPOTTING SIGNS OF DYSLEXIA

Do you feel confident that you could recognise a dyslexic child, and do you feel confident that you could teach one? The British Dyslexia Association shares some tell tale signs of what to look out for, and how to have a ‘dyslexia friendly’ classroom

Dyslexia affects around ten per cent of the population and is a Specific Learning Difficulty (SpLD). It does not only concern reading and writing, but can also impact on maths, spelling, memory and organisational skills. Many Dyslexic children unfortunately are not correctly identified, as teachers cannot always recognise the signs. Research has shown that fewer than 14 per cent of teachers are confident that they can recognise a dyslexic child, and fewer than nine per cent feel they know how to teach one. SPECIFIC LEARNING DIFFICULTIES Dyslexia is one of an array of Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLDs). Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) involves difficulty sustaining attention and can exist with or without hyperactivity. Dyscalculia involves a specific difficulty with aspects of mathematics. Dyspraxia/Developmental Coordination Disorder involves difficulty with motor coordination and organising some cognitive skills. Dysgraphia involves difficulty with fine motor skills, especially for handwriting. Aspergers syndrome includes difficulty with certain interpersonal skills and may be seen as the mild end of the autistic spectrum. The Rose Review (2009), commissioned by the government in England, ‘Identifying and Teaching Children and Young People with Dyslexia and Literacy Difficulties’, provided the following working definition of dyslexia and its characteristics: ‘Dyslexia is a learning difficulty that primarily affects the skill involved in accurate and fluent word reading and spelling. ‘Characteristic features of dyslexia are difficulties in phonological awareness, verbal memory and verbal processing speed. ‘Dyslexia occurs across the range of intellectual abilities. It is best thought of a continuum, not a distinct category, and there are no clear cut-off points. ‘Co-occurring difficulties may be seen in aspects of language, motor co-ordination, mental calculation, concentration and personal organisation, but these are not, by themselves, markers of dyslexia. ‘A good indication of the severity and persistence of dyslexic difficulties

EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE | Volume 20.1

can be gained by examining how the individual responds or has responded to well founded intervention.’ Acknowledged by the BDA, some dyslexic individuals also experience visual processing difficulties. These can include visual stress, visual tracking problems, binocular visual dysfunction and difficulty with visual-motor perception. They may reverse letters or numbers or mis-sequence, report that letters ‘move’, lose their place more frequently reading across lines of print, be sensitive to the ‘glare’ from the white page/board/screen and their eyes can tire more easily when reading. These difficulties can also affect reading musical notation. Visual stress symptoms can also sometimes be suffered by non-dyslexic individuals. AFFECTING THE LEARNING PROCESS Furthermore, dyslexic learners can show a combination of abilities and difficulties that affect the learning process. Some may have strengths in areas such as problem solving, design, creative skills, interactive and oral skills. Phonological processing problems are widely accepted to be a key difficulty for many dyslexics. Connecting letter shapes to letter sounds, breaking words down into sounds, or building strings of sounds up into words and understanding of the way sounds work within words can be a struggle and can undermine the early acquisition of written language skills. Hearing the difference between certain letter sounds, word retrieval and speed of processing can also be problematic for some dyslexic individuals. These issues can impact on musical skills. Some dyslexic individuals also experience elements of another SpLD. These are referred to as ‘co-morbid’ or ‘co-occurring’ difficulties, though in families where dyslexia is evident there can be a higher amount of individuals with other SpLD’s that the dyslexic individual may not have personally as co-occurring. Some children leave primary school unable to read or write. This is contributed to by those who fall behind in their reading at school, not being correctly identified if they are dyslexic and given appropriate intervention programmes until they are two or more years

c Dyslexi efit en pupils bi-sensory ult from m g methods teachinat are th n d broke n a r a e l c ef into bri s section

behind their expected levels. This can make the transition to senior school traumatic for them. It is during this time that the child may begin to become anti-social and their behaviour may deteriorate dramatically. For these young people, the future is potentially blighted and they are at serious risk of becoming disaffected and in some cases involved with the criminal justice system. Of course there are exceptions and there are schools which are very good at recognising dyslexic children and who can provide the appropriate support and assistance. Students who have had their dyslexia recognised at school find their learning development less troublesome and tutors are more knowledgeable as to their learning difficulties and possible strengths. Throughout their school career a dyslexic child may display these ‘tell tale’ signs. They may appear bright and able, but can’t write their thoughts down on paper. They may have areas in which they excel, particularly in drama, art and debating. They may also be clumsy. Another tell tale sign is acting as the ‘class clown’ to mask what they see as their academic failure, or becoming withdrawn and isolated, sitting at the back and not participating. They may be able to do one thing at a time very well but can’t remember an entire list, or look ‘glazed’ when language is spoken too quickly. A dyslexic child may go home exhausted at the end of a normal day because they have had to put so much effort into learning. They may also be bullied. There are also more age specific signs. Pre‑school children may show persistent

difficulty in learning nursery rhymes or the name for things, like ‘table’ or ‘chair’; have difficulty with clapping a simple rhythm; enjoy being read to but no interest in words or letters; or have delayed speech development. Primary school children may show a poor sense of direction and confusion between left and right. Pronounced reading difficulties may include hesitant or laboured reading; omitted lines or repetition of the same line or loss of place in the text; difficulties in saying multi-syllabic words; and confusion of similar letters, like ‘b’ and ‘d’, ‘p’ and ‘q’ and ‘w’ and ‘m’, resulting in some bizarre spelling. Secondary school pupils may continue to experience the same problems as at primary school, for example: still read inaccurately; confuse places, times and dates; have difficulty planning and writing essays; and suffer poor confidence and low self esteem. In addition, secondary school offers a new set of challenges which place a huge amount of pressure on dyslexic pupils, who already have problems with their short-term memory and organisational skills. These may demonstrate themselves as having difficulty organising life around a timetable; failing to remember which books to bring to class; and misunderstanding complex instructions. They may also have problems trying to write down notes at speed and completing work on time; and memory impediments which affect the marshalling of learned facts effectively in exams. One area that needs to be addressed is how school and colleges spend their Special Education Needs budget. A dyslexic student may be allocated time with a learning support teacher and some may receive targeted assistive technology. More often, if support is provided within state schools, it may well be from a teaching assistant (supporting in the classroom and/or delivering a recommended written language programme, e.g. in a small group). It is crucial that all of these staff have appropriate levels of dyslexia training, but often this is not the case. The B.D.A. accredits courses for teachers and teaching assistants working in this field (see www.bdadyslexia.org.uk for details). A prime example of how dyslexia specialist support can allow a child to reach their potential is the case of Ben. Ben is a twelve year old dyslexic boy who had been given learning assistant support for the past six years yet made no improvement in his reading, writing or spelling. Ben was then given twenty hours of dyslexia specialist support and his reading, writing and spelling improved by two years. There is not a cure for dyslexia but by using appropriate coping strategies dyslexics can overcome their difficulties, as Ben has, allowing them to achieve good qualifications and suitable employment in the future.

BEING DYSLEXIA FRIENDLY Overloading pupils with instructions or criticisms can have a negative impact. Dyslexic pupils benefit from multi-sensory teaching methods that are clear and broken into brief sections. This principle is central to the course, which teaches that difficulties with reading and writing need not lead to dyslexic pupils feeling alienated from school if teachers use an approach that recognises that dyslexic individuals process information differently. The key to a ‘dyslexia friendly’ classroom is to remove any necessary barriers to learning and enhance strengths; determine all individual learning needs; and teach in a way that these individuals can learn from. Teachers often comment that what works well for dyslexia pupils also benefits other pupils as well. This is an important point as being ‘dyslexia friendly’ actually means being learner friendly for everyone. Crucial to a child’s education is appropriate use of ICT and assistive technology. Some of the popular computer programmes used in today’s classrooms were originally designed for dyslexic children. When ICT is used effectively, many of the barriers to and differences in learning can be reduced or overcome. Assistive technology, used in conjunction with multi sensory teaching, can enable the dyslexic child to access the curriculum and learn more successfully. As part of the mission to achieve ‘dyslexia friendly’ classrooms, the BDA run a certification scheme, the Dyslexia Friendly Quality Mark, which encourages schools to make themselves more responsive to the needs of dyslexic pupils; the BDA’s training courses can form a part of the process for achieving this status. Several local authorities and many schools have achieved the Dyslexia Friendly Quality Mark certificate, benefiting their pupils. 

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FURTHER INFORMATION www.bdadyslexia.org.uk

Professional Association of Teachers of Students with Specific Learning Difficulties

www.patoss-dyslexia.org

Have you joined us yet? Patoss is for those concerned with the teaching and support of pupils with SpLD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, ADHD

     

Patoss

offers you . . .

CPD Events with reduced fees for members Biannual Bulletin of valuable articles and reviews; keeping up to date with the latest academic research and materials Termly Newsletter with dates of upcoming events, courses, conferences Annual Conference - with guest speakers National Network of colleagues Insurance package for SpLD diploma holders

plus

A national Index of Tutors/Assessors:

Listing Patoss members willing to have their names given to other professionals or parents seeking tutors, assessment or advice. Membership available at various levels, including individual or corporate membership for schools and units. Contact us: Patoss PO Box 10, Evesham, Worcs. WR11 1ZW tel: 01386 712650 fax: 01386 712750 email: patoss@sworcs.ac.uk Or visit our website

website: www.patoss-dyslexia.org

Volume 20.1 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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HEALTH & WELLBEING

ALLERGY ALERT

Allergies can take so many forms that when symptoms occur, people could be unaware there could be an allergic link. When it comes to food allergy, anaphylaxis – the most immediate and severe of all allergic disease – is well understood, however, the more chronic types of allergy related conditions are not. It is often more difficult to ensure that the child is in an environment where their symptoms can be both minimised and well managed. COMMON ALLERGENS Asthma, eczema and allergic rhinitis can be triggered by allergens in the environment such as pollens, house dust mites, mould and even animal allergens. All of these are present in any normal school environment, and may cause symptoms such as wheezing, runny nose, sore, itchy, watery eyes, sneezing and associated respiratory difficulties.

Written by Lindsey McManus, deputy ceo, Allergy UK

With almost 50 per cent of children now having some type of allergic condition in the UK, there is a real need for school staff to have a good understanding of the problems that they may face within the school environment. Allergy UK’s deputy ceo Lindsey McManus, reports

COMMON TRIGGERS Children can be exposed to allergens in an everyday school environment, just as they would be outside of school. So, where would the most likely triggers of an allergic reaction be found? The most obvious places for food allergens would be in communal eating areas, the canteen, or the playground. This may be more of a problem in secondary schools where children are allowed snacks at break and aren’t supervised as they would be in a junior school. Food Technology lessons can be difficult as children with an allergy to milk or egg for example may react, even if they aren’t actually touching or consuming a food, if their allergies are severe enough. Respiratory allergens, are everywhere and it is unrealistic to believe that we can avoid them totally, however, symptoms can be kept to a minimum, if simple measures are in place. House dust mite allergens can be found in most soft furnishings, no matter how clean they are. Carpets can be the worst offenders, and children with asthma, allergic rhinitis and eczema will often react if they have been sitting on mats during assembly, or at story time. Bringing in a blanket from home, or being allowed to sit on a chair can make a substantial difference in keeping symptoms under control.

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SEASONAL ALLERGIES The summer months can be a nightmare for children with hay fever (Seasonal Allergic Rhinitis). Although not so much a problem at this time of year, sitting next to an open window, being on a playing field, even just outside in the playground when the pollen counts are high will result in itchy, streaming eyes and runny noses, and can literally impact on their learning ability. Hay fever symptoms make it difficult to sleep, and some medications can cause drowsiness, both taking their toll in the classroom. In a research study carried out in 2007, it K yU was found that children Allerg parents In the case of food allergy, taking their exams in s e advis ic children most people immediately the summer months rg e e l h l think of anaphylaxis, at the height of the t a h f o e wit dvance hay fever season, s i where the child can a i l to a develop life threatening dropped well in starting, actually l o o symptoms very quickly, a grade as a result h d sc l i h ir c some children however, of their symptoms of the orming them will have less severe affecting their ability f h n t i eal symptoms that might not during the day. of all h es be so easily spotted. Rashes, There is also a u s is hives (nettle rash), vomiting, risk of allergic reactions even symptoms that the child can from wasp and bee stings. find difficult to describe, such as feeling Most stings will cause a localised ‘odd’, or going very quiet can be because reaction, however there is also a number they have been exposed to something they of children that will be anaphylactic. are allergic to, and should not be dismissed. Food allergy can also be a trigger MANAGING ALLERGIES for eczema flare ups, whilst not an The most important thing for staff to consider immediate reaction such as anaphylaxis, when looking after an allergic child, is it is still a cause for concern. knowing what they are allergic to, and E

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HEALTH & WELLBEING

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A well-documented protocol/management plan is invaluable to staff to enable them to be able to care for an allergic child, just as it is with any other medical condition. Schools also find it helpful to have photo of the child in the teacher’s staff room with details of what to do in emergency  what they should do if they become unwell. Every child with an allergic condition should have a protocol in place before they start school. Unfortunately at present in the UK, and the EU, there is no child specific protocol that is mandatory for all schools. However a lot of schools will have developed a management plan for most health conditions, and this can be adapted for children with allergies. Allergy UK advises parents of allergic children to liaise with the school well in advance of their child starting, informing them of all health issues. Allergies can vary from child to child, as can the severity of an allergic reaction within in the same child. It really isn’t a case of one size fits all. MANAGEMENT PLAN A well-documented protocol/management plan is invaluable to staff to enable them to be able to care for an allergic child, just as it is for a child with any other medical condition. Most schools also find it helpful to have photo of the child in the teacher’s staff room with details of what to do in emergency. If you or the parent are not sure where to start, an example can be found on the Allergy UK website (www.allergyuk.org/childcarersand-teachers/allergy-protocols) this should list the child’s type of allergy; any medications such as antihistamines or inhalers that may need to be administered; how their reaction

might look (remember sometimes it isn’t always immediately obvious); whether the child would need emergency medications such as an adrenalin auto-injector or whether emergency services would need to be called; and of course any emergency contacts. A GP or the child’s allergy nurse would be able to help the parents with this. ALLERGY ACTION PLAN There are also Allergy Action Plans for children at risk of anaphylaxis, which have been designed to help facilitate first aid treatment of anaphylaxis, so that it can be delivered by people without any special medical training or equipment apart from access to an adrenalin auto-injector. Although these must be completed by a child’s health care professional, they provide quick, easy instructions for emergency situations. Parents can speak to their GPs who will be able to download this information from the British Society for Allergy and clinical Immunology. (www.BSACI.org/about/ pag-allergy-action-plans-for-children) HOW SCHOOLS CAN HELP So, how can schools help children cope with their allergies? Interestingly most allergic children cope extremely well, learning from a young age what foods are safe for them, for example, and how to to get this across in new

environments. Parents will naturally worry especially when children first start school, but if all the correct procedures have been put in to place, this is reassuring to the parent. Something that should be considered is bullying. Teasing about an allergic condition sadly does happen and can lead to, a normally outgoing child, becoming isolated and introverted. Awareness of any social behaviour might indicate this and should be investigated. Allergy UK frequently gets enquiries as to whether schools should have a ‘no nut policy’ in place if there are nut allergic children in the school. This may seem like the best way to protect a child, but can in fact give a false sense of security to a child, so that they will stop being vigilant, and it would be impossible to ban every type of food that every child is allergic to. The most important thing for an allergic child is that they should always be listened to, and not dismissed if they are feeling unwell. Prompt action in an allergic reaction can literally save a child’s life in a worst case scenario, or in a less severe situation can make a child more comfortable and reassured that staff understand how they are feeling. For more advice visit the Child Carers and Teachers section of the Allergy UK website. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.allergyuk.org

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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

If the quality of teaching that children experience is the most important factor in their attainment, why has there traditionally been so little emphasis on professional development for educators? The Sutton Trust’s Lee Elliot Major discusses the key elements of effective performance management Education’s eternal embarrassment is that the same standards of professional learning expected for our children in classrooms are not applied to teachers themselves. It is baffling that the educators we entrust to nurture pupils are not adequately developed as professionals in the complex craft of teaching. This is after all one of the hardest jobs in the world. After a lifetime of study the American education psychologist Lee Shulman concluded that teaching is “perhaps the most complex, most challenging, and most demanding, subtle, nuanced, and frightening activity that our species has ever invented.” Major studies have confirmed what we all intuitively know: the quality of teaching is by far the biggest factor within schools impacting on the learning and achievement of our children. It is particularly

powerful for children from disadvantaged backgrounds. A Sutton Trust review found that over a school year, poorer pupils gain 1.5 years’ worth of learning with very effective teachers, compared with 0.5 years with poorly performing teachers. In other words a good teacher can produce a whole year’s extra learning. In the world of education that’s a huge difference. Just ask Andreas Schleicher, the OECD’s education expert, who has seen more of the world’s education systems that anyone else on the planet. Schleicher believes that a focus on professional learning and development for teachers has been the ‘number one’ factor distinguishing high performing education nations from the rest. It is the reason that countries like Singapore and Shanghai have shot up the international leagues tables. To their

Written by Lee Elliot Major, director of development & policy, The Sutton Trust

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loss, the UK and US, in his view, have failed to recognise this key insight. TEACHER TIME One of the simple reasons is that teachers on both sides of the Atlantic are so busy that little time is freed up to improve their practice. This year the OECD reported the latest results from its Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) which compares teachers in 30 different countries. Teachers in England spend 46 hours a week doing their job – nine hours more than the median for all countries of 37 hours. That equates to nearly two hours extra per working day. Their US colleagues face the same long workloads. Yet teachers in many of the high performing nations report a far smaller teacher workload. What is also striking is the extra time devoted in these nations for teachers to pursue professional learning through collaborative observation and feedback. In Singapore for example, 250 hours of teacher time a year is dedicated to professional development – far more than in the UK or US. It is not just quantity but quality that is a problem. Many teachers, at least in England, are sceptical about how useful current continuing professional development (CPD) is. In TALIS, only half thought it improved their practice, a low figure by international standards. Just 45 per cent of English teachers meanwhile reported CPD involving ‘working with a group of colleagues.’ Too much CPD comprises one-off sessions with dry external experts rather than active learning with fellow colleagues on targeted problems. 

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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT  The uncomfortable truth for educators is that little has been done to share what appears to be the best approaches to teacher learning. There is scant robust evidence of what actually works whether it is how to observe colleagues, to provide meaningful feedback or to help change the practice of fellow teachers for the better. INSIGHTS FROM RESEARCH There are however some general insights that have emerged from the research: first, the best professional learning programmes for teachers should involve multiple approaches for providing feedback (selected from the seven listed in the panel on this page); second, it is critical that teachers are properly trained as observers; and third, observations and feedback for professional learning should be a parallel and separate process to appraisals for performance management. One of the difficulties for teacher observation, however, is that it is deceptively hard to observe what good or great teaching actually looks like in the classroom. In his blog ‘Classroom observation: it’s harder than you think’ Durham University’s Professor Rob Coe spells out the many easy assumptions and traps observers fall into. Because learning is invisible, those trying to detect good

classroom practice resort to using proxies for student learning, including students seeming busy or engaged and motivated. Professor Coe urges teacher observers to be acutely aware of these limitations. At the very least teachers should be trained in the practice of observation and feedback. School leaders use frameworks that define the components of good teaching such as Danielson’s Framework for Teaching or national standards or develop their own expectations with colleagues. However, the lists used to describe good teaching practice are so broad as to be at best crude diagnostic tools. All teachers agree that you need to plan and prepare lessons and engage students in their learning. The key, however, to diagnosing good teaching is to uncover in detail how well they are doing all the myriad things that make up teaching practice, and indeed how they are deciding what things are best to do when and for whom. It is this ‘executive function’ – knowing what to do and when – that marks out the truly great teachers. But it’s hard to quantify this attribute in some simple criteria. Given all this, it is perhaps unsurprising that the biggest ever study on teacher evaluation, the Measures of Effective Teaching Project (MET), revealed that even the very best observation approaches had limited success 

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Seven approaches to improve teaching Developing teachers through observation and feedback is potentially much more powerful than the standard fare of one-off sessions and conferences that often make INSET days such uninspiring experiences in schools. There are many ways to do this – and the best professional learning programmes combine some or all of these. Here I’ve listed seven approaches used regularly in schools across the world: 1. observations and feedback from fellow teachers or peers 2. observations by principals or headteachers 3. self-evaluation using video or scripts 4. observations by external teachers 5. analysis of classroom artefacts and portfolios 6. surveys and ratings of students 7. And, lastly, the gains in learning and attainment made by students.

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BRINGING A SCHOOL GROUP TO LONDON? WHY NOT FOLLOW THE PIED PIPER?

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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT  in identifying the teachers also associated with the highest gains in pupil attainment. Those scrutinised in the MET study were the very best observation frameworks – using respected teaching frameworks like Danielson’s and proper training for observers. The MET study confirmed the need for multiple sources of feedback and training but has also added to the conviction that the trust needed for observation and feedback to develop teachers means it should be clearly divorced from evaluations that centre on their performance management. FIVE PRINCIPLES FOR PRACTICE One of the most comprehensive reviews of research in this area has been undertaken by New Zealand academic Helen Timperley (whose work is referenced extensively by John Hattie, among others). She offers at least five specific principles for schools to make professional learning strategies effective. The strategies must focus on and be measured against student outcomes and encourage ‘self-regulation’ among teachers who need to embrace the experience as independent learners and sustain the techniques. Input is required from school leaders as well as, ideally, collaboration with peers. The strategies should also pose a genuine challenge. What is striking about the ‘professional learning cycle’, based on Timperley’s work and used by some schools in Australia, is

that it resonates so much with what we know about feedback loops for dialogue between teachers and children. Closing or completing these loops is key to actually changing practice of teachers following feedback – all too often a failure of most programmes.

develop and deliver successful professional learning in the complex, challenging, demanding, subtle, nuanced, real world of teaching? This is exactly the question at the heart of an international summit the Sutton Trust is organising in partnership with the Bill & y Man e Melinda Gates Foundation. r a s r e h PRACTICAL TIPS To be held over two c a e t ut how o These insights, useful as days in early November b a l a they are, do not offer 2014 in Washington sceptic l CPD is – the practical strategies DC, the summit will usefu f think it and tools that school bring together 80 l a h only eir h leaders and teachers school leaders and t s e v have found to be teachers from a range impro e, low successful and would of countries including practic ational love to share with others the UK, US, Canada, n r by inte dards to improve observation Australia, Finland, Holland, stan and feedback in schools. Singapore and Hong Kong. The Some insights we hope will be participants will hear the latest revealed by evaluations we are carrying research evidence on professional out at the Education Endowment Foundation. One learning. But just as importantly they will study is assessing the impact of Lesson study, a bring with them their practical tools and collaborative peer observation programme created strategies for observation and feedback in Japan but currently much in vogue in English that will benefit other school leaders and schools. Another study will assess the impact of teachers around the world. The aim will be different frequencies of observations on teachers to create a practical guide for the effective and whether teachers trained as observers professional learning of teachers that is also improve their own classroom practice. currently so conspicuous for its absence.  But with such little research evidence available what wisdom can we gather from FURTHER INFORMATION teachers and school leaders who actually www.suttontrust.com

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Products & Services

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DESIGN & BUILD

BenchVent recently provided extraction to create a safe, practical and eco-friendly learning environment for a state of the art hair salon at Fife College which was being developed for hair treatment courses commencing in September 2014. The company was asked to supply a low energy system that would effectively extract the range of particulates, chemicals and clippings resulting from various hair treatments. Each of the 21 arms were ceiling mounted and then ducted back to a centralised digital extraction unit that filters the air through large labyrinth particle filters and carbon filters and returns the cleaned air back into the room with no loss of air temperature. With a flexible and user friendly design, the product can be manipulated into position over the client by the student prior to commencing the treatment. Benefits include: clear vision

Gardenature is a family run business which has fast become Europe’s No 1 manufacturer and supplier of high quality products designed specifically for watching all forms of wildlife from the relaxed comfort of your armchair, your garden, out in the wild, or any other natural habitat. The company has one of the most comprehensive websites available of its kind, dedicated to bringing you a diverse range of easy to use products from Wildlife Cameras to Wildlife Habitats, Eco Friendly and Garden Recycling products, to Garden Furniture for public and domestic use. The business has also become very well established with County Councils, Local Authorities, Schools and Colleges throughout the UK and today this market continues to grow Europe wide. Gardenature Bird Box Cameras

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maintained through use of transparent hood; innovative arms with incredible positioning capabilities; above head location, allowing for maximum collection of the upward moving particulates; digitally controlled with both particle and carbon filter monitoring; and hides tidy when not in use. Call for completely free advice on how BenchVent’s cost effective air extraction solutions can benefit your learning environments. FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 01423 790 039 info@benchvent.com www.benchvent.com

FIRE SAFETY

Professional fire risk assessments for schools, colleges & academies

Under the Regulatory Reform [Fire Safety] Order 2005 all educational premises need to have an up to date fire risk assessment document which demonstrates that their education premises meet the fire safety requirements of the current law. FIRE-STAT International is an award winning specialist fire safety consultancy with 25 years business experience staffed by highly experienced ex-senior fire officers who are both accredited fire risk assessors and qualified fire consultants. FIRE-STAT International is also fully insured for professional indemnity, public liability and employers liability and is a

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member of the Association of Fire Consultants and the UK fire protection industry. A fire risk assessment from FIRE-STAT International will extend to 40 pages, include plans, photographs and an action plan of essential fire safety precautions. The managing director of FIRE-STAT International is Gary Whitworth, former chief fire officer – Kent Fire and Rescue Service and former government fire advisor. FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 01293 823044 Tel: 01293 823921 Mob: 07949638071 www.Fire-Stat.co.uk

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Nest Box Cameras and Wildlife Watching products from Gardenature

can be found both on the web, some garden centres and in high street retail outlet Robert Dyas. The products are recommended and supplied to many different wildlife organisations and the company manufactures the RSPB branded nest box and garden camera kit. Whether it’s a single nest box camera kit for your garden or a multi camera system on a reserve, Gardenature makes sure that each and every customer is equally important. Educational discounts are available. FURTHER INFORMATION Visit the website at www.gardenature.co.uk or call the sales line on 01473 327775

FACILITIES MANAGEMENT

Spacevac launches new generation of gutter and high level cleaners

A new generation of high reach and gutter cleaning equipment has been launched by Spacevac Technologies. Operated from ground level the system has four major features. It removes operational guesswork as it has a close circuit TV camera on the cleaning head; it reaches higher than any other product – 4 storeys (16 meters) indoors or outdoors; has greater suction power from a Nilfisk Alto vacuum; and its carbon fibre tubes make it much lighter than any other. It’s 40 per cent quicker than any product and the poles have a new locking system to eliminate tube blockages. Unlike traditional high reach

cleaners, it’s extremely lightweight and can be assembled on the ground by one person. To the many health and safety benefits and the elimination of costly scaffolds or cherry pickers, Spacevac is economical on assembly time – a mere three minutes. The high powered vacuum ensures that gutters and high beams are cleaned faster and more efficiently with less operator time. You can see how effective the system is by viewing activity on a laptop or smartphone. FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 01604 760282 info@space-vac.co.uk www.space-vac.co.uk

STATIONERY

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BIC®, the UK’s leading brand in writing instruments*, introduces its new BIC® Cristal® Fun range, large ballpoint pens, part of the iconic Cristal® family now available with a colourful twist. The large 1.6mm ball pens are now available in fun, fashion colours: pink, lime green and purple to make your writing even more vivid. It is not just for organising written notes but with a renewed focus on marking dialogues and peer marking, they will be a new staple in the classroom. These pens provide a bolder line width of 0.6mm for smooth, flowing handwriting. As the cap and end plug matches the bright ink colour in each pen, they will brighten up any pencil case, pen pot and desk. BIC® has been producing simple, innovative and reliable products for over 60 years, and millions of customers around the world

have come to rely on products such as the BIC® Cristal® Fun. The years of research and design BIC has undertaken in developing its stationery range means these products consistently impress customers with their usability, writing performance and colour. The BIC® Cristal® Fun Ballpoint Pens are an exciting alternative to the standard ink ballpoint pens. *Source: GFK GB, Writing Instruments, Panelmarket, Sales Value, Oct’13 – Sep’14 FURTHER INFORMATION www.bicworld.com

RECRUITMENT

IT SOLUTIONS

XMA and Viglen – a compliant route to purchase XMA and Viglen develop, deliver and maintain innovative IT solutions that enhance how people learn, teach, govern, deliver healthcare and do business. They have are a team of over 500 specialists, based across the UK in a business that has over 70 years combined experience, with strong roots and a deep understanding of the markets in which they work. As part of an independently owned British group, XMA and Viglen have strength and stability with nimbleness and an entrepreneurial spirit that challenge traditional approaches. Principle offices are in London, Reading and Nottingham with regional bases in Altrincham, Halifax, Glasgow and Cwmbran. They have national reach and a local touch. XMA and Viglen are proud to have onshore UK

manufacturing facilities and world class vendor partnerships, with broad service delivery capabilities on the ground and in the cloud. XMA and Viglen are a compliant route to purchase, with presence on local and national frameworks for hardware, software, supplies and services. Accreditations with BSI - ISO 9001, 14001, 20000-1 and 27001 - are a hallmark of excellence and demonstrate our focus on meeting quality, environmental, service and information security management standards. FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 0115 8464000 www.xma.co.uk

LABELLING

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The simple solution to labelling school uniform

Accredited with REC Audited Education status, IQ Education is a niche recruitment business specialising in providing top quality teachers to local schools in the London Boroughs’ and Home Counties. The company achieves the highest level of client and candidate satisfaction by understanding and listening to the needs of the school and the teacher. IQ partners with schools to provide the best quality and value solution to ensure the needs of the pupils, school and teachers alike are met. IQ takes its safeguarding obligations very seriously and all teachers put forward for roles would have undergone a through vetting and clearance process. This includes a face-toface interview (with at least two consultants at IQ), identification, right to work and proof of address checks, qualification checks (including UK NARIC),

Snappy Tags is the fastest, most cost-effective way to label clothing. Recommended by The Guardian, they take seconds to apply, are secure, and can be re-used. Snappy Tag is a small button with your child’s name etched on, which is applied to a care label, using an applicator, onto your child’s uniform. Snappy Tags is a quick, simple and cost-effective solution for school uniforms, PE kits and other school kit. Just let them know the name you would like etched into the tags and they will send you the Snappy Tags and applicator, together with simple instructions.

TA (GTC) registration checks, List99 barred database checks, and they will have a valid DBS Enhanced Disclosure checked against the DBS Update Service. IQ goes over and above the DfE Safeguarding requirements to ensure the best service. The company is dedicated to providing a first class, quality service that adds value to the pupils, is cost effective to the schools and inspires top quality teachers. The right teacher to the right school every time, whether the requirement is for emergency general cover, specific subject daily or long term supply, permanent positions or project specific recruitment.

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The name is guaranteed not to fade or wash off. One customer said: “As a busy mum of three, and a Year 1 Teacher, I highly recommend Snappy Tags. They are easy to apply, stay securely fastened and can be re-used when children grow out of their school uniforms. I would have no hesitation in recommending Snappy Tags to parents at my school. Snappy Tags offer a quick, reliable and helpful customer service.” FURTHER INFORMATION www.snappytags.co.uk hello@sayitpersonally.co.uk Tel: 08445 611994

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HEALTH & SAFETY

VENDING

ActiveSHE is a lifecycle system that actively manages all aspects of your proactive and reactive safety, health and environmental operations. With powerful and interactive workflow management, reporting and analysis capability, the fully featured web-based system addresses both leading and lagging indicators. From behavioural safety and occupational health to audits and site inspections, its exceptional scope enhances, supports and optimises SHE strategies, policies, procedures and activities across the board. Simple to implement and easy to use, ActiveSHE provides peace of mind and productivity. It plays a key role in ensuring and evidencing legal compliance, minimising personal and corporate risk and

Liquid Culture is passionate about all things refreshment; experts in coffee first and foremost, and specialists in providing the complete drink and snack service. Liquid Culture supplies a comprehensive range, from vending machines to professional coffee machines, and the best ingredients and products to serve with them. The company also shares its expertise and knowledge, offering businessto-business consultancy and a ‘Your Brew Buddy’ barista training service. Liquid Culture’s colleagues are knowledgeable and friendly and always willing to go the extra mile, whether they are chatting to you about new coffee blends, delivering your ingredients, or filling and maintaining your vending machine. Ideal for both retail and commercial venues, the Liquid Culture Espresso Tower offers exceptional quality at the touch of a button. It is exactly

ActiveSHE helps drive profitable operations

responsibility, and drives productive and profitable business operations. It is also a superb resource for tender responses, with any required information effortlessly collated. ActiveSHE – a product developed by measure2improve. FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 01884 841884 www.measure2improve.co.uk

Well Educated Banking www.lloydsbank.com/ schoolbanking

Liquid Culture – the experts in coffee

the same concept as Costa Express and Starbucks to-go but supporting the independent coffee provider. Liquid Culture can also fully brand the towers to your requirements. So if your organisation serves refreshments to customers or staff, the company can design and deliver the optimum refreshment service. Liquid Culture strongly believes that every refreshment break deserves to be enjoyed – how totally refreshing. FURTHER INFORMATION www.liquid-culture.co.uk

ADVERTISERS INDEX

The publishers accept no responsibility for errors or omissions in this free service 4 Delta Group 88 Active IQ 4 AEL Solutions 102 Aquila Shelters 28 Arithmetics BM 82 Aspire 84 BBB Printing 74 Bellrock 32 Bench Vent 104 BIC UK 105 Bridgwater 86 BSKC 70 Cambridge Style 66 Cantel Medical 26 Capita Specialist 20 Casio 48, 49 Chas 2013 36 Cirrus Research 39 Computers Unlimited 46, 47 Corporate Risk Associates 21 Costco 57 Dataplan Payroll 17 DC Thomson & Co 96

106

Decorative Panels 6 Edublinds 82 Eureka 71 EXA – Networks BC Fawns 61 Fire Stat 104 Four Square 34 Gardenature 104 Global Tree Vision 87 Grange Services 12 Group Call 45 IQ Education Recruitment 105 Jass 87 Jigsaw PSHE 78 Jolly Roger 62 Kyocera Document Solutions 8 Langley Waterproofing 30 Lark Energy 24 Leading Education 86 Liquid Culture 106 Living Space UK 38 Lloyds Bank 14

EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE | Volume 20.1

Lock n Charge Technologies 10 Measure 2 Improve 106 Merlin Environmental 56 MISL 22 NEC Display Solutions UK 40 Nomadic Schools 98 Now Press Play 88 O’Brien Contractors 58 OKI Systems UK 92 One Education 88 Opus Pharmacy Services 88 ParentHub 44 ParentPay 50 Patoss 91 PC Werth 52 Pied Piper Walks 71 Piota 85 Planbee Resources 89 PrintME 3D 76 Redspot HR Solutions 16 Risk Management Partners 18

Rock UK Adventure Centres 67 Rubb Buildings 60 Santander 94 Scholastic 80 Smooga 86 Snappy Tag 105 Spacevac UK 104 Stabilo International 84 Sundeala IFC Suregreen 35 Sussex & Surrey Partitioning 100 Target Live 68 Technology Supplies 73 The Edinburgh Dungeon 70 The Kings Ferry IBC The Scout Association 84, 85 Travel Bound 64 Ultimaker 42 Walkers Snacks 54 XMA 105 Yamba UK 89

The Schools’ Pack Service includes: • • • • • • •

Pre packaged transport and venue deals Preferential school rates Venue guide CRB checked and knowledgeable drivers Health and Safety declaration Legal compliance Letter templates for parents

The School’s Pack: Complete educational trip advice, guidance and resource package

0845 257 9906 | www.thekingsferry.co.uk/school-travel

Upgrade your Increase their classroom... engagement.

...with an internet connection as dedicated as you are. As an authentic ISP and member of the Internet Service Providers’ Association (ISPA), we are dedicated to providing you with the fast, reliable connection you require. As we run our own network, we are able to ensure that your service remains uncongested. This means that each school receives a dedicated connection and its speed is assured - enabling the internet to run consistently and reliably throughout the day. SurfProtectⓇ, our industry-leading content filtering system is inclusive with all connections, providing you with complete control over which websites are accessible through your internet service.

Going to Bett? - visit us at Stand 228 to find out why thousands of schools nationwide choose Exa Education as their Internet Service Provider as well as ‘hear from the industry’ - we are running a series of mini-seminars on our stand. Follow @exaeducation to see who’s presenting, we will post the times and topics a week before the event. See you there...

0845 145 1234 education@exa.net.uk www.exa.net.uk