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VOLUME 23.6

Business Information for Education Decision Makers DESIGN & BUILD

ENERGY

LANDSCAPING

EDUCATION BUSINESS AWARDS

PRAISE FOR HARDWORKING SCHOOLS The winners of the 2018 Education Business Awards have been revealed

PLUS: IT & COMPUTING | PROCUREMENT | FACILITIES MANAGEMENT | PAYROLL

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www.educationbusinessuk.net

A member of

VOLUME 23.6

Business Information for Education Decision Makers DESIGN & BUILD

ENERGY

LANDSCAPING

EDUCATION BUSINESS AWARDS

PRAISE FOR HARDWORKING SCHOOLS The winners of the 2018 Education Business Awards have been revealed

A celebration of hardworking schools The winners of the 2018 Education Business Awards were revealed on 5 July and recognised everything it takes to make a successful school – from excellent leadership and dedicated teachers, to those behind the scenes managing finances, ensuring health and safety or cooking up healthy food for pupils.

PLUS: IT & COMPUTING | PROCUREMENT | FACILITIES MANAGEMENT | PAYROLL

The awards were presented by Countdown’s Susie Dent to 22 deserving schools across the UK. Read about the winning schools on page 33. According to the DfE’s latest forecasts, the secondary school population is going to grow by 14.7 per cent by 2027, that’s 418,000 more pupils than in 2018. With schools needing to plan for the extra demand, Bob Mears from the Modular and Portable Building Association discusses how modular construction can benefits schools on page 20.

Follow and interact with us on Twitter: @EducationBizz

Meanwhile on page 24, Mary Jackson from Learning through Landscapes shares ideas about how school grounds can be designed with nature in mind to facilitate outdoor learning and enhance pupil wellbeing. Angela Pisanu, editor

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Volume 23.6 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

MAT ACHIEVES PROCESS AND RESOURCE EFFICIENCIES

SOUTH DARTMOOR MULTI ACADEMY TRUST South Dartmoor Multi Academy Trust consists of five primary schools based in Devon. With countless administrative hours and staff resource spent counting, handling and recording cash coming in and out of schools, the Trust were looking to introduce efficiencies, primarily redirecting valuable staff resource away from counting cash and tracking income as well as reducing the risk of money being lost.

SUITING A MATS REQUIREMENTS Head of Finance, Sam Tse explains how they came to a decision: “I put together a list of key factors we needed from an online payment provider to meet in order to help make the choice. These included competitive pricing, flexibility and ease of use for our schools and parents.

USEFUL TIPS AGREE A CASHLESS STRATEGY WITH SLT AND COMMUNICATE THIS TO ALL STAKEHOLDERS HAVE A PLAN THAT CAN DELIVER YOUR STRATEGY RAISE AWARENESS AND INTEREST TO SPARK UPTAKE

After researching a number of options avaialbe, we decided ParentPay met our requirements to help reduce the time-consuming administration and improve overall efficiency, as well as providing a safe and secure audit trail. What’s more, ParentPay could meet different requirements at each school within the Trust. For example, one primary school was keen to roll out online menu choices to ensure parents make their bookings in advance, whereas others opted to record meal attendance in school first, and introduce this later.”

BENEFITS ACROSS THE TRUST Sam says: “Since implementing ParentPay, the system has helped staff to work more efficiently, the main benefit is the time saved taking money at reception and preparing the banking.”

SHARING LESSONS LEARNED Sam offers advice to others schools considering making the move to online payments: “Communicating with parents is key. We let parents know well in advance the reasons behind the change, this not only gives them plenty of notice, but let’s them know the benefits both they and the school can expect. This gives parents the time to ask any questions, and for those who aren’t able to pay online, the time to understand the alternatives available such as PayPoint.”

ParentPay can meet different requirements at each school Sam Tse South Dartmoor MAT

parentpay.com

TO FIND OUT MORE OR ARRANGE A FREE VISIT PLEASE CALL 02476 994 870

Contents

Contents Education Business 23.6 11

07 News

Government not learning from academy failures; Secondary school population to grow 14.7 per cent by 2027; Survey finds SATs are bad for wellbeing; Measures announced to combat LGBT bullying

11 Procurement

27 IT & Computing

13 Payroll

30 Health & Safety

17 Facilities Management

33 EB Awards Review

It is vital to remain up to date and vigilant of change on the horizon when it comes to payroll. Samantha Mann, CIPP Senior policy and resource officer, shares the latest information

Increasing numbers of schools are offering computer science at GCSE and A-Level, however, relatively few students choose to take the subject. These are the findings from the Roehampton Annual Computing Education report. Education Business explores the report further Winter months pose a number of additional dangers to both pupils and school staff. RoSPA’s Nathan Davies offers advice on how to tackle them with a ‘risk aware’ attitude The winners of the 2018 Education Business Awards have been announced, recognising strong leadership, good teaching and operational excellence in UK schools from all sectors

20 Design & Build

As school grounds are the places where most children spend their time every day, it is hugely important that these spaces are designed for both children and nature. Mary Jackson, projects manager at Learning through Landscapes, shares some ideas

The ‘Good estate management for schools’ guide from the Department for Education gives advice on how to effectively maintain the school estate as well as plan new projects. Education Business summarises some of the advice

24 Landscaping

Modern methods of construction and new technologies have made modular buildings more appealing and a more viable solution for whole school buildings or extensions, writes Bob Mears from the Modular & Portable Building Association

22 Energy

Did you know that by 2020 the government is encouraging all schools to be sustainable? This ambition was outlined in the ‘Schools and Sustainability’ report in 2010, and the initiative is being managed by Ofsted. Jon Cowan from Utilitywise explains how improved energy efficiency can play its part

Education Business magazine

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News

ACADEMIES

Government not learning from academy failures The Department for Education is not learning lessons from high-profile academy failures, the Public Accounts Committee has found. In its rush to convert large numbers of schools to academies, the DfE did not pay enough attention to ensuring that its applicants were scrutinised sufficiently, the Committee reported. The DfE is now strengthening how it examines prospective academies’ financial viability and sponsors’ ability to improve the schools. But the Committee believes these issues should have been addressed much earlier and the changes do not go far enough. The Committee also finds it particularly worrying that the DfE still does not seem

to be learning lessons from high-profile academy failures that have been costly for taxpayers and damaging to education. The one-off costs to the Department for Education of converting schools to academies have been £745 million since 2010–11, but the full cost of conversion, including spending by schools and local authorities, is unclear. The Committee is concerned that the Department is failing to give a clear sense of direction for maintained schools, academies, local authorities, pupils and parents. Its policy for converting schools to academies is unclear, and there is substantial regional variation, not only in the extent to which schools have become academies but

also in the quantity and quality of support available to struggling schools. Meg Hillier MP, Committee Chair said: “Government’s haste in pushing ahead with academisation has come at a cost, with high-profile failures indicating significant weaknesses in its assessment regime. “The DfE accepts it should do better and we expect it to demonstrate it understands the reasons for these failures and will act on the lessons. It must strengthen scrutiny of prospective academies and sponsors.” READ MORE tinyurl.com/y86g8355

PUPIL PLACES

EDUCATION

Secondary school population to grow 14.7 per cent by 2027

SATs are bad for wellbeing, NEU survey finds

According to the Department for Education’s latest forecasts, the population boom in the early 2000s means that the number of pupils in English secondary schools is projected to reach 3,267,000 in 2027, which is 418,000 higher than it was in 2018, and an increase of 14.7 per cent. In 2018 the overall number of pupils in secondary school increased by 1.9 per cent compared to 2017, reaching 2,849,000. This is lower than the rate of increase forecast in the previous projections (2.4 per cent). However, the rate of increase is expected to reach around 3.1 per cent for the next two years before slowly dropping to 0 per cent by the end of the projection period (2027). It is a different picture for primary schools however. The annual rate of increase is expected to fall gradually to 0 per cent for 2020 and 2021 before decreases are

projected (between 0.3 per cent and 0.7 per cent each year) until the end of the projection period. This is primarily due to the lower birth projections. The overall population in state-funded primary schools was 4,607,000 in 2018 and is projected to be 112,000 lower in 2027 at 4,494,000.

READ MORE tinyurl.com/y8cd72sd

The DfE has published strengthened guidance on safeguarding children, placing greater accountability on the key professionals that come into contact with children. The new advice includes guidance on current threats to child protection, such as sexual and criminal exploitation, gangs and radicalisation. Senior police, council and health leaders will jointly be responsible for setting out local plans to keep children safe and will be accountable for how well agencies work together to protect children from abuse and neglect. They will be expected to work more collaboratively and make effective decisions that put the needs of local families at the heart of their work. There will be strengthened expectations on schools and other educational settings to co-operate with the multiagency safeguarding arrangements. The Government has also announced 17 areas of the country as ‘early adopters’, which will work with the National Children’s Bureau to implement the new local safeguarding arrangements before they are established across the rest of the country. The 17 areas include 39 local authorities and will develop new and innovative approaches to set up multi-agency safeguarding processes and produce clear learning which can be shared across other areas, which will have up to a year to publish local arrangements. READ MORE tinyurl.com/yb4amb6j

LEADERSHIP

SAFEGUARDING

Neglected older children often slip through the cracks Older neglected children are not always receiving the support and protection they need, a report has found. The joint report Growing up neglected: a multi-agency response to older children, from Ofsted, HMI Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS), the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and HMI Probation, says that professionals working with children often fail to spot the signs of neglect in older children as they are not as ‘obvious’ as in young children.

News

FUNDING

The report found that some local agencies see older children to be the ‘problem’ with little consideration of the underlying causes that contribute to this behaviour, such as neglectful parenting. The report calls for better training for professionals in identifying the signs of neglect in order children. It also calls for a ‘whole system’ approach to identifying and preventing neglect, including from adult services working with parents. A more co-ordinated, strategic approach across all agencies working with children and parents is also recommended, and the report urges for the behaviour of older children to be understood in the context of the trauma they have experienced. READ MORE tinyurl.com/y8ofm8pd

Institute for Teaching and Ambition School Leadership to merge Ambition School Leadership and the Institute for Teaching are to join together and become a new charity that supports teachers and school leaders, helping them to improve and develop in their profession. Both organisations work with schools in challenging contexts that serve significant numbers of disadvantaged pupils, and by joining, they hope to have a “bigger impact”. Work is currently underway to bring the two organisations’ programmes and participants together, leading to greater reach and impact in schools in challenging contexts across the country. READ MORE tinyurl.com/y8sp8dt4

Volume 23.6 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

OUTSTANDING HYGIENE SOLUTIONS

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There are so many different options to consider when choosing a new catering services provider as you are buying both a service and product. Food trends and student requirements are always changing and you want a service provider that can be responsive to your needs. Crescent Purchasing Consortium shares some tips Choosing a catering provider that best suits your requirements will not only provide your students and staff with delicious food and fantastic service, but there is also potential to save money and generate a return on investment. The right catering procurement choice can give you the opportunity to reinvest the savings made into learning and make potential savings that could equate to jobs! The benefits of a successful outsourced catering service can be brilliant for your institution. Often a new catering provider will review your current food outlet space and as part of the offer, invest money to update your facilities to provide an area for your students that increases dwell time and service use. Timing is key When you’re looking for a new catering provider, timing is crucial. Many institutions plan to start their new catering contracts from the start of the academic year but due to the volume of education institutions wanting to start at this time, the demand on providers is huge, so their time to respond to bids is limited as is their capacity to start a new service in September. Starting your contract at another time of year will mean that more providers will have the time to prepare an offer and tailor it to your needs. Remember to leave plenty of time for the procurement process, best practice is to notify providers at least three weeks before you issue your invitation to tender. Following this, allow a minimum of four weeks for providers to return with their service offer. Then, plan three to four weeks to evaluate and award the contract plus allow the successful provider time to prepare the service before the start date. It is important to allow at least three months to complete the full procurement process.

menus, pricing, opening hours, staffing and vending arrangements. Don’t be afraid to include photos as this will really bring your tender document to life. Include your current sales data for all outlets but don’t disclose your budget expectations in this section, let the provider make the offer. Footfall data would also be useful together with data on student numbers including those that regularly receive free meals. Providers may want to visit your institution and meet you. This is an ideal opportunity for them to get an understanding of your establishment and your location. Providers will review your financial status to determine the risk of investing. A good credit score means they are more likely to bid and invest in your institution’s catering facility. Safety for schools A safe and secure way to submit your catering tender is via a purchasing consortium deal such as the CPC catering deal. The CPC deal is free to use and is set up to provide a safe way for educational institutions to issue tenders and receive bids. It is designed to protect members from signing contracts that have unfair terms and conditions. They also remove the worry of getting tied into contracts that are more beneficial to the provider than the institution. Deal suppliers are subject to thorough checks and are monitored to ensure they can provide a quality service. Deals are designed to put you in control of the buying process, so that you can buy the service that is right for your establishment, rather than being sold an unsuitable service.

Procurement

Five key areas to consider when sourcing catering

Specialist catering help With so many different aspects to consider when taking on a new catering contract, using a catering specialist such as Tenet Education Services can be extremely beneficial. Experts in education procurement, Tenet have a specialist catering team who are devoted to the industry and understand the market place. With a combined commercial experience of over 90 years, Tenet’s team can really help you get the most out of your tender and they have a record of ensuring institutions receive a return rather than paying a subsidy. Catering specialists can run the tender on your behalf, saving you both time and money. Tenet are experts in the field and have a deep understanding of the market and will use this knowledge to ensure you get a quality service for the right price. Be aware that using a catering specialist comes with a cost attached, Tenet’s fees are transparent, but not all catering specialists are the same. Some services look to be free of cost but you should ensure that you review the full terms of your contract when using a catering procurement specialist. Some ‘free services’ result in a charge to the supplier that is always inevitably passed back to the educational establishment in the agreed deal. Hidden costs of five per cent of the contract value are not uncommon and could mean you may end up paying significantly more in the long run. Manage your relationship Now that you have a new contract in place and a new provider, it is important to build a relationship with them to maintain a strong performance and quality service for your students. Having open and regular communication with your provider will help to continually improve the service, understand your needs and avoid disputes. Keeping open communication throughout the contract could bring savings and benefit both you and your supplier. A catering specialist will offer contract management services should you wish to retain their support throughout the contract term. L

Crescent Purchasing Consortium (CPC) is owned and run by the education sector and provides specialist advice to its members on how to obtain best value for money. FURTHER INFORMATION www.thecpc.ac.uk www.tenetservices.com

The catering procurement process Preparing your tender document is vitally important as it is your ‘shop window’. Make the content as attractive as possible to encourage interest in your institution. Contractors love to work with establishments that are enthusiastic about the opportunity and are more likely to respond. Detail your current service and support with

Volume 23.6 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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The way you process payroll is about to get easier EduPay has created efficiency within the payroll marketplace, delivering an upgraded software as an alternative to how traditional payroll bureaus are run

EduPay is an entirely different offering to the payroll marketplace, offering a refreshing and updated alternative to traditional payroll bureaus and software. For a start, EduPay has been designed specifically for education and, as such, easily facilitates things such as teachers and local government pensions, term time contracts, enhanced maternity, and so on. EduPay keeps on top of changes in legislation and carries all of the technical payroll knowledge within its standard features so you don’t need to employ any payroll trained staff. EduPay blurs the lines between software and a traditional bureau service. The system takes all of the positive elements of a bureau and incorporates them into the software, so that things like pension contribution calculations, maternity and paternity pay, and processing of expenses are automated within the system. Not only does this save time by cutting down on the many man-hours needed to successfully process a pay run, but it also eliminates inevitable human error. Breaking the mould and improving on traditional models With a traditional bureau, the risk of fluctuating levels of customer service can lead to unwelcome workload and stress as payday approaches. With information going back and forth between you and your service provider, any delay in response time could make the difference between your staff getting paid accurately and on time, and payday queries around missed payments. Because the clever systems within EduPay are built to handle the processes normally carried out by a bureau team, you’ll never need to worry about missing your deadline or

having to depend on a third party. You have access to all of your data and are able to easily manage it whenever needed – you’re in control. If you do feel more comfortable with the human touch that comes with a bureau, then rest assured that you’ll have access to one of EduPay’s dedicated payroll experts, who can help you out if things get tricky or you’re in need of reassurance. With intuitive screens and built-in processes that essentially guide users through the system, the need for technical payroll knowledge is eliminated. You won’t need to hire additional personnel to run EduPay – the system is built to handle and grow with an expanding MAT. Exceeding customer expectations Expectations when choosing a payroll provider are generally quite simple: accurate payments, reliable service, knowledge and experience in education, good value for money and high standards of customer care. A school business manager from a twelve school MAT in the south east said: “After having trouble with our previous payroll providers, we were initially apprehensive about switching provider. However, EduPay’s team ensured that we were supported and confident throughout set-up. We rolled out the system to our 600+ employees in April and were delighted with the ease and accuracy that EduPay provided us with. “EduPay is transforming how we run payroll. The finance team are not payroll experts, so we were relieved to find that EduPay actually does do the hard work for us. It’s accurate and it saves us time. The initial training session ensured that we had everything we needed

to get off to the best start. It’s reassuring to know that there will always be support at the end of the phone if we need it too.” EduPay’s unique portal and app gives your employees great visibility and control over their data. They can view payslips, complete electronic timesheets and expense forms, update their details and much more in the touch of a button. Employees can also request time off and calculate payments for maternity or paternity etc. As an EduPay customer, you can expect not only the best product, but the best levels of service for you and your employees. The ultimate business managers toolkit EduPay links seamlessly with Orovia’s budget planner, BPS, which also links into most major finance systems. These links save you countless man-hours as duplicate data entry is effectively eradicated. Your employee module in BPS supplies the information for EduPay, meaning that payroll reconciliation is automated and your budget monitoring simplified. With the addition of integrated HR modules in the coming months, EduPay really is the ultimate business managers toolkit. If you want more information, or a quick, free online demonstration, contact EduPay on the details below. But be quick: 2019 go-live availability is filling up fast. L FURTHER INFORMATION 0113 8800 995 www.orovia.com info@orovia.com

BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR DECISION MAKERS IN PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION | www.educationbusinessuk.net

Payroll

The latest challenges facing payroll professionals It is vital to remain up to date and vigilant of change when it comes to payroll. Samantha Mann, CIPP senior policy and resource officer, shares the latest information (Cymru) prefix that will be applied to the tax code when Welsh Income Tax becomes devolved from April 2019. As the responsibility for many aspects of income tax will remain with the UK government, and the Welsh Rates of Income Tax will continue to be collected by HMRC, the HMRC Software Developers Support Team (SDST) has recently circulated to Payroll Software Developers an update that confirms what changes are to take place and an indicative timetable of when they can expect further technical updates and information. Details of the proposed rates will be announced in the Welsh Government Budget later this year. What will be impacted? Income taxes regimes that will be impacted by this change include, PAYE (basic, higher and additional rates); income from pensions and other non-savings sources and Self-Assessment. However not all powers relating to the administration and collection of Income Tax have been devolved to Welsh Government by the Wales Act 2014 and so excluded from these measures are, the ability

to vary the tax free allowance or to vary the threshold of the existing tax bands; the ability to introduce further tax bands nor the ability for an individual to self-declare their residency status via a change to the starter checklist. Guidance relating to the operation of payroll can be expected by January 2019 following the ratification of Welsh rates. As we have seen in recent years with the Scottish rate of Income tax, the budget is only the first step in the setting of tax rates and agreement will be needed by the Welsh Assembly to enable HMRC to confirm the rates to be used from April 2019. The message for employees remains constant in that it is vital for them to keep HMRC informed where they have a change of address, for a number of reasons but not least to identify where they are a Welsh resident. HMRC continue to promote use of the Personal tax Account as the preferred method to update details however address details can still be changed via the telephone helpline service. E

Written by Samantha Mann, CIPP senior policy and research officer

The first Welsh taxes for almost 800 years came into being from April 2018 and included land transaction tax and landfill disposals tax which replaced stamp duty land tax. Landfill tax Income tax will become devolved from April 2019. From April 2019, the National Assembly for Wales will be able to vary the rates of income tax payable by Welsh taxpayers. The responsibility for many aspects of income tax will remain with the UK government, and the tax will continue to be collected by HMRC for Welsh taxpayers. From April 2019, the UK government will reduce each of the three rates of income tax â&#x20AC;&#x201C; basic, higher and additional rate â&#x20AC;&#x201C; paid by Welsh taxpayers by 10p. The National Assembly for Wales will then decide the three Welsh rates of income tax, which will be added to the reduced UK rates. The combination of reduced UK rates plus the Welsh rates will determine the overall rate of income tax paid by Welsh taxpayers. If the National Assembly sets each of the Welsh rates of income tax at 10p, this will mean the rates of income tax paid by Welsh taxpayers will remain the same as that paid by English and Northern Irish taxpayers. An information sheet was published earlier this year that looked to address many of the FAQs arising from this change. Employers will be able to identify affected employees due to the addition of a C

From April 20 the Nat 19, ional Assemb l y will be for Wales the rateable to vary s of tax pay income a by Wel ble taxpayesh rs

Volume 23.6 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Payroll  Student loans From April 2018 payroll software has been required to report the plan type in operation e.g. Plan 1 or Plan 2 when submitting the FPS. In addition, where HMRC issue an employer prompt, which will happen where an anticipated student loan deduction has not been made by the employer, we will see the plan type also confirmed on the employer prompt. The prompt however is not authorisation to begin to make deductions. A starter checklist aids an employer in making an assessment as to whether their new employee should be subject to student loan deductions and if so which type. However, authorisation from HMRC to begin making a student loan deduction is issued by way of a form SL1 and HMRC have confirmed recently that for all new employments (where deductions are applicable) an SL1 will be sent to the employer even if they have already sent in a Full Payment Submission showing they have already begun taking deductions. If you receive an SL1 for an employee who is already having deductions taken, then HMRC recommend that you check the student loan plan type to ensure there has been no changes; update your payroll software, if you need to change the plan type; and file the SL1 away. Looking ahead to April 2019 we can expect to see further additions to the Student Loan regime – but more about that in a future article. The importance of the payslip In their spring report of 2016 the Low Pay Commission (LPC) recommended the Government should consider introducing a requirement that payslips of hourly paid staff should clearly state the hours they are being paid where the worker is paid by reference to time worked.

From April 2019, the UK government will reduce each of the three rates of income tax – basic, higher and additional rate – paid by Welsh taxpayers by 10p. The recommendation was accepted by BEIS (The Department for Business Energy & Industrial Strategy) and earlier this year The Employment Rights Act 1996 (Itemised Pay Statement) (Amendment) Order 2018 (ERA) was laid which will impact employers and their agents as from 6 April 2019. The order amends section 8 of the ERA to add to the particulars required within an itemised pay statement to also ‘contain information regarding the number of hours worked by the employee for which they are being paid, but only in situations where the employee’s pay varies as a consequence of the time worked. In addition to this The Employment Rights Act 1996 (Itemised Pay Statement) (Amendment) (No.2) Order 2018 provides for an additional change that extends the right to receive an itemised pay statement, together with the ‘associated enforcement provisions’, to all workers and not just employees who work under a contract of employment. In short, all employees are workers but not all workers are employees and as the recent consultation on Employment Status highlighted, the challenges remain great as they relate to ensuring that all workers are correctly identified. So often focus falls on the tax status of an individual and not the employment status for the purpose of ensuring that a worker is granted their employment rights, which from April 2019 will also include the right to receive an itemised pay statement. During 2017 and as part of the informal consultation that BEIS carried out in advance

of laying the amendment orders, the CIPP ran several surveys that identified that a majority of respondents already provided this information on their payslips, however a significant number did not, nor were they sure whether their software would enable them to do this. The somewhat minimalistic wording in the order will need to be bolstered by good, clear, unambiguous guidance and we remain committed to working with BEIS to ensure its timely and accurate production ahead of April 2019, to enable software developers and employers, through their payroll professionals, to be ready to comply with this tight timescale. At the time of writing no detailed guidance has yet been published by BEIS however a range of questions are being submitted to BEIS to ensure that the guidance they provide is robust and fit for purpose. Conclusion There is never a shortage of subjects vying for position when it comes to drafting an article that aims to provide a payroll update – which demonstrates again – if such a demonstration is needed, how vital it is to remain up to date and vigilant of change on the horizon. The CIPP policy team provide a daily news feed to highlight current news and changes afoot which can be viewed at www.cipp.org.uk/news-publications.html. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.cipp.org.uk

BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR DECISION MAKERS IN PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION | www.educationbusinessuk.net

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Being ready for the New Year Analysing and reviewing data across national test results is key to tracking and monitoring progress for pupils. FFT is helping schools understand key trends and what the implications are for moving forward mean results day data next year will be available too. More and more people are now connecting the Aspire data exchange to their own school data. This ensures the FFT data accurately reflects in real time a school’s pupil list, meaning for KS1, KS2, KS4 and KS5 that forward-looking benchmark data is available at a touch of a screen for all pupils.

Fischer Family Trust FFT is a not-for-profit organisation helping with the use of good data. Fischer Family Trust data has been well used for the past 16 years and has included for much of that time value added progress data and forward looking projections. FFT provide free special reports and dashboards, blogs and research via FFT Education DataLab and a subscription service, FFT Aspire. The time is here that many school leaders and managers are making sure they have their school and pupil data at their fingertips ready for the new academic year. At FFT we work with over 14,000 schools to ensure this happens smoothly and effectively and this summer is no exception. Analysing Data Recently our Key Stage One Early Results Service, a free service for schools who already use FFT Aspire, has been saving people time by giving an early analysis of the 2018 data before the end of term. The 2018 dashboard with teacher assessment and scaled score comparisons has allowed analysis not only at a whole school level but also for groups and subjects. An important and unique aspect of the reports have been early ‘EYFS to KS1 Value Added Progress’ analysis using FFT estimates. Progress for 2018 For a first sight of 2018 progress, the Year 6 pupil reports are being used to review the Scaled Score predictions (based on starting points) to compare with the recently released national test results. Aspire Data The Aspire data exchange has just completed its pilot and is now being deployed. This will

The FFT Roadshow 3,000 people attended an FFT roadshow last autumn. This year’s roadshows look at the potential impact of the new assessment arrangements at a national, regional and school level, in particular the new baseline assessment. Delegates are exploring with FFT new ways to look at progress and finding out more about the tracking and results day services. Like last year the roadshow delegates have an analytical overview of this year’s results. What are the key messages and trends? How do they impact on your school and what can you learn going forward? Plus an overview of the latest new reports and analyses for schools in ASP and Ofsted’s IDSR. Those planning to attend a roadshow will be one of the first schools to get early access to the new Aspire progress dashboards and an exclusive FFT ‘Early Impact Assessment Report’ for KS1 or a Secondary School report. User Feedback Feedback from FFT Aspire users this year has shown that the new features have proved useful with navigation giving clear and quick access to all the dashboards, targets and expectations automatically aggregating and the extended dashboards helping with a more detailed subject-based analysis for subject leads.

This autumn new Key Stage 5 reports will be used, giving robust analysis of sixth form achievement. This will include the measurement of progress from 9-1 GCSEs to A-levels and BTECs for post-16 pupils. FFT tracking and monitoring The last major new development to discuss is FFT tracking and monitoring. With most pupils in schools now having Scaled Scores and working towards either national standards or 9-1 GCSE grades, FFT is starting to help measure progress for all pupils though each year. FFT will soon be piloting a pupil tracking feature in Aspire allowing you to input interim pupil assessments and monitor progress. L

The FFT Top 10 tips for the summer: Check the scaled score in FFT Aspire. Go to the target setting module for each pupils’ score Are your pupils on course to meet expectations? Check estimates in our target setting module Use the Early Results Service with the target setting module to find early KS2 estimates for Year 3 pupils at the start of September Check that your new pupils in Year 3, Year 7 or Year 12 are reflected in FFT Aspire, using the data exchange or the simple uploads Match pupils to GCSE or A Level subjects Find early estimates and predictions for Year 3, Year 7 and Year 12. Check out the range of special reports from FFT Keep an eye on the FFT Education DataLab blog for the latest impacts of this summer’s results Be knowledgeable and ahead of the game with a booking on the FFT roadshow Create FFT Aspire users, ready to access the 2018 evaluation dashboards

FURTHER INFORMATION Call now 01446 776 262 for help, advice, roadshows, special reports or a subscription.

Volume 23.6 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Fireco’s new eBook ‘Seven common questions about school fire safety’ makes compliance easy There are approximately 700 school fires a year in England. The cost can be huge. Lives are at risk. Fire damage is not only costly to repair, it causes widespread disruption which can affect exam results and staff and student morale. This is why compliance matters – having the correct fire safety procedures in place saves lives. Prevention is the best form of firefighting. Fireco’s new eBook ‘Seven common questions about school fire safety’ makes compliance easy. The eBook is free to download and is aimed at anyone in a school responsible for fire safety. Fire safety can seem complicated to those that are unfamiliar with fire regulations. The eBook simplifies the topic, with a step‑by-step guide that clearly explains how schools can remain safe and compliant. It covers the duties of the Responsible Person – the person in charge of fire safety. The eBook gives guidance as to who is the Responsible Person and their duties and legal obligations. The guide covers fire risk assessments. These are covered in detail, and the eBook has a checklist to take you

through the process. Examples of common hazards are included, as well as sources of ignition and fuel. The eBook also coveres fire prevention. The more people are aware of what could be a fire risk, the safer the premises. The guide covers what to look out for, and how to ensure everyone knows what to do if they spot a fire hazard. Training is also covered, including the frequency of training and what needs to be covered, as well as fire wardens and drills. The eBook features a detailed checklist of what you need to think about when preparing your emergency plan. It also covers arson, as schools are at high risk of arson. The guide covers how to minimise the chances of it happening. The eBook also covers the penalties for non-compliance. If fire regulations are not complied with, what are the legal implications? Fireco’s free guide to school fire safety takes the complicated out of compliance. To download visit fireco.uk/schools Fireco makes simple and trusted solutions for your common fire safety problems. Its products meet all regulatory requirements and are

designed with your safety in mind. Fireco’s wireless products keep fire doors open legally and safely, releasing them when the alarm sounds. Fireco also has solutions to alert deaf and hard of hearing people when the fire alarm sounds. FURTHER INFORMATION To download the guide visit fireco.uk/schools

Compliance Made Easy

Download your free fire safety eBook today Are you currently reviewing your school’s fire safety measures and not sure where to begin? Fireco’s eBook provides a step-by-step guide on how to remain safe and compliant. • • • • •

Fire risk assessment checklist Fire safety training and wardens Evacuation strategy Fire prevention The Responsible Person explained

Download for free at fireco.uk/schools

BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR DECISION MAKERS IN PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION | www.educationbusinessuk.net

Information needed for maintenance planning The estate might include buildings of different The ‘Good estate management for schools’ guide from the ages and construction types. These will all have different requirements and challenges Department for Education gives advice on how to effectively for undertaking maintenance and repairs. maintain the school estate as well as plan new projects. If a building is of historic interest Education Business shares some information from the guide or is listed in a conservation area there may be more stringent controls when carrying out maintenance work, The Department for Education has Facilities managers should therefore plan which may require permission. released a guide on good and costfor and maintain the buildings so they are Accurate data about the condition effective estates management. safe, warm, weatherproof and provide a of buildings is the starting point for The ‘Good estate management for schools’ suitable teaching and learning environment. longer-term maintenance planning. (GEMS) guidance allows schools to assess Increasing pressure on resources can You’ll need a variety of information their current arrangements and identify lead to cuts in a school’s maintenance about the estate, such as fire safety where improvements can be made. budget. An evidence-based maintenance measures, location of hydrants, location It covers issues ranging from guidance on plan can help you understand the of utility meters and incoming services. health and safety management to advice on impact of any budget reductions. A plan of the site with utilities information how to minimise energy and water usage. Having clear stewardship and such as mains drainage, stopcocks, cabling It also includes a set of self-assessment maintenance regimes for all buildings and isolation points, will also be required. questions to help headteachers and governing will ensure they remain safe and that An inventory of important components boards to gauge where they are doing well the value of the asset is protected. and their life expectancy, such and which areas require more attention. Poor or irregular maintenance of as boilers and pipework There is also information on the school buildings can result in The will be needed, as will important policies and processes that adverse effects on the provision ‘Good e up-to-date statutory schools should have in place, guidance of education, closure of s manage tate compliance records. on how to plan estate projects, and tips buildings and invalidation of A schedule on making the most of property assets. insurance, to name some. schools ment for ’ guidan of maintenance Maintenance of land ce allows contracts such as Maintaining the estate and buildings is often annual portable School buildings are an important and categorised as either to ident schools ify whe appliance testing valuable long-term asset. They may also be planned preventative re improve (PAT), gas safety, E open to the public as community facilities. maintenance (PPM) or

Facilities Management

Maintaining the school estate

reactive maintenance. You should consider the balance between PPM and reactive maintenance. It is recognised good practice to allocate PPM and reactive maintenance budgets in the region of a 70:30 ratio (CIPFA).

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Volume 23.6 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR DECISION MAKERS IN PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION | www.educationbusinessuk.net

Identify critical elements that need to be inspected on a regular basis to minimise the impact on school accessibility and the risk of closure of the estate. If you need to undertake any refurbishment work in a building that contains asbestos, you may need to commission a refurbishment and demolition survey.

Condition surveys Condition relates to the physical condition of buildings in the estate. This is determined by undertaking condition surveys. Condition surveys are normally nonintrusive surveys, carried out by suitably qualified professionals. They cover fiveyear planning periods for the purpose of strategic estate management. Condition surveys will help you to identify what work is needed to maintain the estate, consider how much works might cost, prioritise work within available funds, and understand if the nature of the buildings change. Academy trusts, dioceses or local authorities may carry out condition surveys on behalf of their schools and prepare a long-term maintenance programme. The condition survey should identify specific building condition issues, deficiencies and maintenance requirements for aspects such as the roof or windows and doors. It should also provide an estimated cost for repair or replacement. Condition surveys should identify critical elements that may require further investigation. This would include possible structural problems and health and safety risks. Any condition and maintenance issues that are identified should be prioritised using condition grading and prioritisation ratings, as per industry standard. Consider how frequently buildings should be surveyed. This will depend on the condition, age and the type of buildings.

Maintenance planning Planned and prioritised maintenance is an important part of strategic estate management. To support this you should have an overall maintenance plan for the estate and a plan for day-to-day planned maintenance. These will help you develop an estate strategy and asset management plan (AMP). As part of your planning, you should consider the cost-benefit of replacing items that incur significant and ongoing maintenance costs. Your maintenance plan may cover a five-year period, but should schedule a list of works to be undertaken in each year. These should be based on the current condition of the buildings, identified from condition surveys. Prioritise works in your maintenance plan, taking account of any legal duties or works which may impact health, safety or security. When planning longer-term works, you should take account of the findings of regular maintenance cycles. This allows you to plan and budget effectively, minimising the risk of failure. A clear plan for managing any works will help to minimise risk and disruption to the running of your school premises. Procuring and managing maintenance works Maintenance work will include relatively minor works as well as larger projects. You may have responsibilities under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM). This will depend on the type, scale and complexity of the works.

Facilities Management

î &#x2020; boiler maintenance and fire measures will be needed, as will building condition surveys and asbestos management surveys and plans. This information may already be held by your organisation. For school with religious character, information may be held by the trustees of the school or the relevant Church of England or Catholic diocese.

Planning for smaller jobs should be simple, short and proportionate to the risks. You may wish to enter an arrangement with a professional technical advisor or property consultant. They will be able to advise you independently on building fabric and building services issues. This may be advisable if you are considering maintenance projects such as a capital repair or replacement based on comprehensive condition surveys or need an independent assessment of repair or replacement works recommended by maintenance contractors. This may also be advisable if you have concerns about the safety of systems or need accurate project cost plans. If you do seek external advice, you should be aware of the possible application of procurement rules. This will depend on the value of the consultancy services. You may want to consider the use of frameworks to procure professional services. Before undertaking any maintenance work, you should appoint a competent representative to manage and advise on contractor activities. The representative should have sufficient health and safety knowledge for the planned work and be available throughout the duration of the contractorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s activities. Appoint a competent contractor who is experienced in the type of work you are planning and has liability insurance that reflects the risk involved. You should ask your contractor to explain how they will manage the risks they will create. Your contractor should be able to explain the steps they will take, the risks at each step and the measures to control the risks and produce documents that are specific to your site and work activity. You have a duty under CDM to provide contractors with relevant information about your estate, for example the asbestos register. This will enable work to be undertaken safely without risks to the contractorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s health or others. You should agree with the contractor how the site should be set up. Any changes should be communicated, considered and agreed before being implemented. Where a proposed change may increase risk, you should challenge this and get assurances that the risks are to be actively managed. You may need to issue a work permit to authorise works to take place. This could relate to works with specific risks such as hot works. Once the works commence, the person appointed to administer the contract should make sure that it is well managed. They should make sure that the terms of the contract are met, or any variations are formally agreed. This will help reduce or prevent the risk of errors, including overcharging. It will also ensure the work is delivered and achieves value for money and reduces the risk of contractual disputes. L FURTHER INFORMATION View the guide at tinyurl.com/y98d82et

Volume 23.6 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Design & Build Written by Bob Mears, marketing committee, Modular & Portable Building Association

A modular solution for education Modern methods of construction and new technologies have made modular buildings more appealing and a more viable solution for whole school buildings or extensions, writes Bob Mears from the Modular & Portable Building Association As a baby boomer, being in secondary education in the mid 70s meant being in a school with 1,100 other pupils which had originally been designed to cater for 600. A large percentage of education was carried out in “prefab” classrooms, which were too cold in the winter, too hot in the summer and always felt as though you were walking across a trampoline. The modular industry has come a long way since those days, with modern methods of construction and new technologies making not only temporary classrooms a more appealing and viable solution than they once were but also permanent modular an option for whole school buildings or indeed extensions. Plans announced on 11 May 2018 by Education Secretary Damian Hinds stated that “new good school places in areas where they are needed most will give more children from all backgrounds the world-class education they deserve.” “The package of measures will create more school places, giving parents greater choice and raising education standards.” Amongst other things the plan includes £50 million funding to expand the number of places at existing good or outstanding selective schools alongside measures to give more disadvantaged pupils the opportunity to attend these schools. So, with the plan in place and the funding available, why should the education sector consider a modular solution? A modular solution The modular construction process is in the majority about manufacturing

rather than building and the fact that a good deal of the process is carried out offsite in a controlled factory environment means projects can be fulfilled in a much more time specific manor and to a high standard of finish. The accuracy of timing involved and the lack of work required on site means that school projects can be scheduled for completion during school holidays, which makes for minimal disruption and a safer environment. We also know that production is far more environmentally friendly than construction. Whether you accept that construction waste is five per cent or 15 per cent, manufacturing in a controlled environment produces less than one per cent waste. Take this a step further: at five per cent waste this means that for every 20 classrooms you build using traditional methods on site you throw one away. First hand experience Financially, it has long been argued that modular building is far more economical when compared to traditional construction, but can we now evidence that? Wernick Buildings recently completed a new classroom block for Sir Henry Floyd Grammar School in Aylesbury. Assistant head Ian Bryant shares his experience: “Part of the school’s strategic plan was to grow student numbers across all year groups. This had both financial and space implications –

we could not achieve our objectives without gaining funding and using this to provided additional facilities for teaching and learning. “We aim to deliver the best value for the funds provided to us, and modular buildings deliver this compared to a traditional build. The cost per square metre is well below the Department for Education guidelines and this enabled us to have the space we wanted within the funding made available. “We had previous experience of modular building having erected both a building with classrooms and a more specialist facility for teaching dance. Both these, built in 2011 (by Wernick Buildings, as it happens) have delivered as required, and as a result our confidence in this type of building was high. “Apart from the value for money that modular buildings provide, the build timetable is also much shorter than for a traditional building. Therefore the impact on the school operation is minimised and that is to be welcomed. “We have a new building exactly as we wanted. It was delivered on budget, on time, and to the standard we wanted – so we are pleased with the result.” Commenting further on the details of the building project, Ian said: “The new building houses nine standard class rooms (some of which can have a central partition removed to create larger spaces), an IT suite, a large sixth form study area incorporating an IT area and a catering facility, a kitchen, offices, toilet areas, and space for lockers. All areas have sufficient light and incorporate ceiling mounted heat/cool units (and so remove the need for radiators). All movement areas

Financi it has loally, ng been ar g u e d modul that far mor ar building is e when c economical o to tradimpared constru tional ction

Sir Henry Floyd Grammar School

BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR DECISION MAKERS IN PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION | www.educationbusinessuk.net

Design & Build

Sir Henry Floyd Grammar School

have non-slip flooring that continues up the walls to minimise the impact of scuffs from pupils bags (a continual problem that all schools will be familiar with). “The quality of the build, including the surrounding courtyard area, is to a high standard, as we would expect from our previous experience of working with Wernick. “What’s more, pupils and staff have been delighted by the new building. Of course we have incorporated certain design improvements in the five years since the last building was erected by Wernick – some from them and some from our own operational experience.” Commenting on whether he would recommend a modular build for another school, Ian said: “Absolutely, and without reservation. We now have three modular buildings on site; each delivers what we want at a cost to build far below traditional builds.” The interview has been shortened for the purposes of this editorial but if you wish to read the whole thing go to www.wernick.co.uk/case-study/buildings/ education-buildings/henry-floyd. Misconceptions Unfortunately, in the UK there appears to be some ill-informed perceptions that modular buildings are somehow inferior to traditional building methods. If you look across Europe and North America, modular buildings have been widely and successfully used for many, many years. They incorporate the latest materials, provide flexibility in design, offer high levels of energy conservation, are quick to erect, are cost effective and provide long term solutions. There is another misconception about modular, which is that it has to be considered as a standalone solution. This is simply not the case. Indeed the term “hybrid” has been adopted by the offsite industry for a number of years now and relates to the process of adopting two or more different technologies on the same project, thus attaining the benefits from each.

There appears to be some ill-informed perceptions that modular buildings are somehow inferior to traditional buildings A good example of this is the Global Academy project in Hayes, West London, which was completed by Portakabin using both Modular and traditional site-based construction solutions. The Global Academy has an iconic, futuristic design which has created an inspiring environment for learning. A spectacular roof-lit central atrium provides a dynamic circulation space and focal point for the college. There is a sculptural feature staircase and a high level of glazing to the classrooms. The colour pallet is bold and expressive with strong graphics. Anodised Aluminium mesh cladding encloses the north and south elevations from first floor to roof level with areas of full height glazing around the ground floor. Will Harding, global academy’s chair of governors said of this project: “The building

makes a real impression on everyone, and the students and teachers very much enjoy the facilities. The design has created a fantastic learning environment for our students. Thanks to Portakabin, we achieved an ambitious building programme in less than a year.” You can read the full case study details at: www.portakabin.co.uk/ global-academy-case-study.html L FURTHER INFORMATION www.mpba.biz

Sir Henry Floyd Grammar School

Volume 23.6 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Energy Written by Jon Cowan, chief marketing officer of Utilitywise

The link between energy and Sustainability Did you know that by 2020 the government is encouraging all schools to be sustainable? This ambition was outlined in the ‘Schools and Sustainability’ report in 2010, and the initiative is being managed by Ofsted. Jon Cowan from Utilitywise explains how improved energy efficiency can play its part As the 2020 deadline approaches, all schools are expected to take measures to show their commitment to sustainability across energy and water usage, as well as becoming models of efficiency in terms of budget – ensuring that they represent best practice for the communities they operate within and the children they’re developing. However, out of the 24,288 schools in the UK, the majority have their utility contracts negotiated in bulk by the Local Education Authority (LEA). This means that most schools are set up to fail as they strive to become more sustainable for two reasons. First, under the LEA’s current purchasing deals, schools have no clarity on their specific energy usage or costs as they don’t see their energy bills. There is no transparency as each school is bundled within a wider cost. Second, despite government targets, under the LEA’s arrangement there is no renewable option or preference that schools can raise. Given the government’s pro-sustainability agenda, it seems that the current status quo

of utilities procurement in most schools is at odds with the broader commitments being made in the sector. If there are obvious downsides to having contracts negotiated in bulk by the LEA, why are so many schools signed up? The answer is simple. It’s seen as convenient. As decision makers face crippling demands on their time, it’s easy to understand why this option appeals. Best of both worlds There is an alternative that offers the best of both worlds. It combines convenience with an easy way for schools to boost energy sustainability and efficiency – whilst benefitting the bottom line.

By opting out of the LEA’s purchasing deals and taking control of their utilities, schools can take a more strategic approach – buying better, buying less. Especially at a time when procurement managers are feeling the burden of tight budgets, schools can save money and energy by shopping around. To make the most of the freedom to choose supplier, schools should go for one that takes the hassle out of the whole process; one that provides expert advice and keeps a view of usage and energy budgets, so that schools can secure more time and money to focus on the day job of helping children to learn. As one of the leading utilities consultancies in the UK offering independent, impartial advice and expertise to over 40,0000 customers, Utilitywise occupies a unique position in the sector – we’re neither supplier nor a traditional single source broker. Because of this, we’re able offer advice on the right tariffs and insight on consumption reduction, as well as compliance and regulation. With a proven track record working with businesses of all sizes across the country – to deliver average savings of up to 20 per cent – Utilitywise hopes to bring similar success to schools. That’s why this year we’ve launched our ‘Greener Schools Campaign’. Greener schools Our Greener Schools Campaign allows schools to boost energy sustainability whilst saving money. Proving that there is no premium for green energy, we compare the market to find the most suitable tariffs. In fact, the Carbon Trust suggests that by boosting energy efficiency, UK schools could collectively save £44million a year. In contrast to the LEA’s current purchasing deals, with Utilitywise, schools can switch to renewable energy tariffs and reduce

The governm challeng et’s schools e for all more su to become st 2020 w ainable by ill s a green hape er future

BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR DECISION MAKERS IN PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION | www.educationbusinessuk.net

Energy

waste by keeping a close watch on usage through insight provided by the Utility Hub. There is also the option to enhance energy efficiency by implementing energy management systems and solutions. While the biggest drain of energy in schools is heating, lighting and hot water, there is also an increasing cost associated with IT equipment. By providing schools with transparency of what is used where, it allows them to take action to reduce overall costs. As well as getting schools ready for the short-term target of 2020 by helping them to show their commitment to sustainability across energy and water usage, Utilitywise’s Greener School Campaign also offers classroom programmes on energy sustainability and efficiency to educate the next generation. Package details Schools can utilise as much or as little as our Greener Schools Campaign has to offer, but the full package includes a 100 per cent renewable energy tariffs starting at the same rate as non-renewable energy tariffs. It offers access to the Utility Hub which gives schools visibility of usage and bills, enabling them to track and report savings. For multi-academy trusts, there is also the option to manage all sites. Utility Hub can be used in classrooms to educate pupils on energy usage and efficiency.

As well as helping schools to show their commitment to sustainability across energy and water usage, Utilitywise’s Greener School Campaign also offers classroom programmes on energy sustainability and efficiency to educate the next generation It also offers CPD accredited energy awareness course for staff and ensures compliance with Display Energy Certificates (DEC) and Air Conditioning Inspections. The programme also offers a complete School Energy Management Plan (that no one else is offering). It also makes the connection between schools and energy efficiency solutions by providing on site energy audits that inform a bespoke 360-degree action plan that shows where wastage can be reduced and investment made in energy saving measures Quick fix The government’s challenge for all schools to become more sustainable by 2020 is a good thing and will help shape a more sustainable future for the sector, as well as educating our children about the importance of the environment.

Schools with a bigger budget can make substantial upfront investments that will create long-term energy and cost efficiencies – such as installing solar panels, for example. However, for the majority of schools, this is out of the question. Instead, a cheap, quick-fix is preferred – this is what our Greener Schools Campaign caters for. As ever, the greatest barrier to taking action is inertia. That’s why we’re encouraging schools to realise the opportunities that these targets bring. As well as showing their commitment to sustainability across energy and water usage, schools can take more control over their utilities and pocket some welcome savings. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.utilitywise.com

Volume 23.6 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Landscaping Written by Mary Jackson, projects manager, Learning through Landscapes

School grounds matter to children and research tells us that they can have a significant impact on mental and physical health as well as how children learn. Daily contact with nature has also been shown to have a positive impact on wellbeing and, as school grounds are the places where most children spend time every day, it is hugely important that these spaces are designed for both children and nature. Learning through Landscapes (LTL) is a UK-wide charity that supports schools in making the most of their grounds for learning, play and enabling children to get close to nature. Over the last three years we have run Polli: Nation, a project with for 28,000 pupils aged 4 to 19 from 260 schools. Whilst the project has focused on improving school grounds for pollinating insects, the changes are also helping other wildlife to thrive. The UK-wide project has seen thousands of pupils undertake scientific surveys – discovering which insects are present in or visit their school grounds. Pupils have learnt why pollinating insects are so important including to our food security and what changes can be made to school grounds to provide suitable habitats and food sources. And it’s not just bees that pollinate our plants – butterflies, moths, beetles and flies are all vitally important. A haven of wildlife With the planting of fruit and vegetables and other flowering plants helping to extend the flowering season, the participating schools are now havens for wildlife. Many feature bug hotels and new areas of meadow – some made by simply changing the mowing regime. Other schools can learn from Polli: Nation and make big or small changes too. A pot of pollinator-friendly plants on an asphalt playground and an orchard of apple trees will both bring pollinating insects to school grounds. Where there are insects, birds and mammals will soon follow. St Alban’s Church of England (Aided) Primary School in Havant, Hampshire has embraced the potential of the Polli: Nation project. Pupils at the school have created the ‘Pollinator promise’ a commitment that everyone can make to develop a 1m square patch of land for pollinators. As Isabella, age 11, said: “Pollinators are very important for our environment and the state of the world. Polli: Nation gives people the chance to make a difference. Both people and pollinators need more colour in the world.” More than three hundred signatories have already made the commitment, including the school’s MP. You can sign up at: www. opalexplorenature.org/polli-promise and help pollinating insects in your schools’ grounds. Polli: Nation concludes this year but the changes made to school grounds will have an impact on pollinators and pupils for years to come. Grounds developed with nature in mind become greener spaces for children and young people to spend time in. They provide enhanced opportunities for play, for learning and the potential for experiencing the natural world.

Groun developds with na ed ture mind b ecome in spaces better and yo for children ung to spenpeople time in d .

Pupil and pollinator-friendly school grounds

As children spend so much time in their school grounds every day, it is hugely important that these spaces are designed for both children and nature. Mary Jackson, projects manager at Learning through Landscapes, shares some ideas

BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR DECISION MAKERS IN PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION | www.educationbusinessuk.net

A nature friendly school However, you don’t have to have participated in Polli: Nation to become a nature friendly school – a school that not only encourages wildlife into its grounds but ensures that its spaces are used by pupils for play, learning and just being. Visit the Polli: Nation website at www.polii-nation.co.uk to learn how to undertake the survey yourselves and make those all important links to the curriculum. If you would like to develop and use your grounds in other ways, LTL can help. Our on-line resources provide a good starting point while the Learn and Play Out toolkit helps schools keen to make physical changes to their sites. We can also visit your school and run training for your staff. Our Local Schools Nature Grant programme (www.ltl.org.uk/naturegrants) provides successful schools with free training and resources for their grounds. Busting myths We can also help you bust some myths about your grounds – here are just a few answers to concerns we know many teachers have. Do teachers need a special qualification to teach a class outside? As a teacher you are qualified to teach your class inside and outside your classroom – after all, if you are a primary teacher, don’t you already teach PE outside?

If you are not confident in taking your class outside, see if you can team teach with someone who is. You don’t have to take everyone out for all of the lesson either, start small and take a group, or the whole class, out for a short time, with a specific goal so that pupils have a task to focus on when they are outdoors. What about the curriculum? Research has shown that academic performance can improve when teaching takes place outdoors and that pupils gain skills in transferring that knowledge to real life situations. In fact it has been shown that regular classes in outdoor settings can promote students’ learning. Practical learning may take a bit longer but often that learning sticks better so it doesn’t need repeating as often. Learning outdoors is generally very practical and hands-on – and many pupils respond well to this approach. Some teachers wonder if they need to do a risk assessment every time they take pupils outdoors. Once you have assessed your school grounds, unless you are doing something unusual or with a particular element of risk, you don’t need to repeat this every time you go outside. However, you should review this every year, just as you would all other school policies. We recommend a risk-benefit approach rather than a risk assessment. This means looking at the benefits as well as the risks and balancing them against each other. An activity with greater benefits might just be worth increasing the risk level slightly. After all, the most dangerous activity in a school

day is likely to be the journey to and from school and that is a risk that families believe is worth taking as the benefits are so great.

Landscaping

As a result, pupils become more active and there is a positive impact on their mental health.

The control element Some teachers fear that their class will behave badly outside, they won’t be able to control them and they won’t get any real work done. Often pupils who struggle and who may be your troublemakers indoors are the ones that excel outdoors. Outdoors, different skills come to the fore, so pupils which struggle to shine in a classroom may well suddenly be the ones solving the problems outside. Set firm ground rules about where pupils can go and when they need to return to you and make sure you have some extra activities in hand. You may well discover that poor discipline isn’t the issue you expect it to be. Take things one step at a time. Go outdoors for short activities rather than whole lessons to start with and build up as your pupils demonstrate that they can go outside sensibly and work well. Polli: Nation is a Heritage Lottery Funded project and is a finalist in the National Lottery Awards 2018. If you think that children and young people should have access to nature everyday please vote for Polli: Nation at www.lotterygoodcauses. org.uk/awards/environmental L FURTHER INFORMATION www.ltl.org.uk

Textron Specialised Vehicles launches Ransomes® HM600, a versatile heavy duty flail mower Textron Specialised Vehicles has announced the launch of its new Ransomes® HM600 flail mower. The mower features heavy duty flail heads from the revered manufacturer, Müthing. Building on the foundations of the Ransomes MP wide area mower platform, the HM600 features a powerful 65.2hp Kubota turbo diesel engine and has been developed to meet the expanding needs of grounds maintenance teams. The HM600 has a cutting width of 3.2m (1.6m at front) with all mowers engaged, combining a high cutting capacity with exceptional productivity. In fact, the HM600 has the potential to save operators up to 21.5 per cent on cost per each m2 cut over established less productive models. The size and design of the HM600 brings new levels of versatility to flail mowing. It is superbly manoeuvrable, can turn fast and cut close to parkland furniture. The fingertip control of individual units makes trimming around obstacles easy. Operators can then fold up all units securely to transport easily between work areas and access confined sites. The unique combination of this versatility and productivity can eradicate the need for a second mowing

team to travel to the same location. “We have developed the HM600 to tackle some of the issues that grounds maintenance teams face such as extended cut cycles and an increase in the variation of topographies,” Lee Kristensen, Ransomes’ product manager, said. “The HM600 features mulching technology from Müthing, ensuring a superior after-cut appearance, and an even spread of clippings even in wet conditions. The cutting units also feature rear rollers so the option to stripe sports pitches or finer turf is available.” This combination of technology from Ransomes and Müthing will allow users

to work with a single machine in a wider variety of conditions. Leaving a clean, fine, rolled finish on sports pitches, easily managing the routine cuts, leaving a perfect spread of mulched clippings. It is also able to tackle irregular cuts, bringing the lesser maintained areas back under control. The HM600 can visit one work site with the versatility to do it all, the productivity to do it fast and the technology for a superior finish. FURTHER INFORMATION For more information, visit www.ransomes.com

Volume 23.6 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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IT & Computing

Assessing the positives and negatives of computing Increasing numbers of schools are offering computer science at GCSE and A-Level, however, relatively few students choose to take the subject. These are the findings from the Roehampton Annual Computing Education report. Education Business explores the report further Computing as a subject was introduced into the curriculum in England in 2014. Numbers taking it have grown steadily, and 2017 saw 67,000 students sit the Computer Science (CS) GCSE. However, there are still areas of concern surrounding the subject. While increasing numbers of schools are offering computer science at GCSE (52.5 per cent) and A level (36.2 per cent), relatively few students choose to take the subject. These are the findings from the Roehampton Annual Computing Education report, by the University of Roehampton. It analysed the uptake of computing and computer science qualifications at GCSE and A-level by looking at the schools that offered the qualifications and the students sitting them in 2017. Although numbers taking the subject continue to rise, the report finds that relatively few students choose to take the Computer Science – 11.9 per cent at GCSE and just 2.7 per cent at A-Level.

Patchy provision Provision of computer science remains ‘patchy’. Grammar schools are more likely than comprehensives to offer the subject, with independent schools rather less so. What’s more, there are differences among local authorities and multi-academy trusts, with some leading the way, and others lagging behind. At GCSE, the typical CS student is academically strong, mathematically able, likely to be taking triple science, from a relatively affluent family, and overwhelming likely to be male, the report finds. Girls continue to be heavily underrepresented. At GCSE 20 per cent of entries are from female students and only 10 per cent at A-level, even though girls do better than boys at GCSE. There were 25 local authorities with A-level CS provision but no female participation.

Some schools and local authorities are doing well in addressing the gender gap in CS, but there are 382 mixed schools where the CS students are all boys. A niche subject The report finds that A-level CS remains a niche subject. Students typically have good maths grades, but their overall academic performance is not strong. CS is often taken in combination with maths and physics. Again, students are likely to come from relatively affluent backgrounds, but rather more of these students will be on the school’s SEN register than for most subjects. CS and ICT are quite different qualifications, and therefore taken by quite different students. ICT participants are (on average) from less affluent backgrounds, weaker academically, closer to a typical mix for ethnicity, E

Few studen choose ts Compu to take – 11.9 ter Science GCSE a per cent at nd ju per cen st 2.7 at A-Le t vel

Volume 23.6 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

IT & Computing

 and more likely to be female. Therefore, the decision to remove ICT as qualifications at GCSE and A level seems likely to result in fewer and rather less diverse students overall taking qualifications in computing. The study also concluded that GCSE and A level computer science are hard. At GCSE, students typically get half a grade lower in CS than in their other subjects; at A level, CS grades are also a little lower (about a sixth of a grade) than those students get for their other subjects. Geographic provision There is substantial variation in GCSE Computer Science provision between English regions. In particular London (49.2 per cent) and the West Midlands (47.3 per cent) see the lowest percentage of providers offering the subject, compared to 55.3 per cent of providers in North West. Uptake ranges from 13 per cent in the North West to 10.2 per cent in Yorkshire and the Humber. There are some excellent examples of GCSE CS provision and uptake across the country with Bournemouth, Knowsley, Trafford and Hartlepool local authorities (LAs) having more than one in five of their students studying the subject. However, schools in many local authorities still have a lot of work to do, with low uptake amongst several local authorities, e.g. Kingston upon Hull (3.9 per cent) and Luton (5.1 per cent). Recommendations The report findings have lead the authors of the report to call for an urgent inquiry into the long-term impact the removal of ICT will have on the digital education of young people. In particular, the analysis should examine if the current suite of available qualifications is truly inclusive and of benefit to all children. They believe there is a need for clarity on vocational qualifications and a need for a replacement for the ICT GCSE and A-level, or a ‘single subject’ computing GCSE that encompasses the CS, IT and digital literacy elements. The report also highlights the need to grow the numbers of students sitting the subject. Most providers appear to be only offering one class of computer science provision; schools should be encouraged to enter a wider ability range of students into the subject. This will of course require that there are enough qualified teachers to deliver the subject. There also needs to be continued effort to address the gender gap in computing participation. Given girls are generally better represented when taking digitally ‘creative’ courses, compared to computer science, the report authors call for research to explore the concept of ‘creative computing’, in which computer science might be combined with creative work in a range of digital media. Furthermore, we found there are areas in which female uptake is good; the reasons for this engagement need to be explored, with the lessons learned widely shared. The report also says that the reasons for the differences in CS participation from students across social and ethnic backgrounds needs to be investigated, and that discussions

around inclusion in computing must include other factors in addition to gender. A-level CS students are more likely to be receiving SEN support than other students taking an A-level, including their peers taking ICT or physics. Research is needed into the functioning profiles of those classified as having special educational needs and taking computer science, their reasoning for taking the subject and their performance in CS. The report also recommends looking at size classes, as the authors are concerned about the viability of small class sizes in computing. Given the small cohort sizes of A-level computer science providers, there is a need to review the sustainability of CS at A-level. Rise to the challenge The report states: “Overall, these findings suggest that we now must rise to the challenge of encouraging (or perhaps allowing) more students to have a go at CS, learning from the good practice in schools, local authorities and trusts that are already succeeding here. This issue is particularly acute at A level, where less than 15 per cent of colleges or sixth forms have cohorts that the DfE would regard as viable.” The authors of the report said they welcomed the introduction of computer science into the curriculum but they now believe ICT should be retained as an alternative. “The government’s refusal to renew GCSE and A-level IT, against the will of the teaching community, is making computing more exclusive,” says Peter Kemp from the University of Roehampton. “The overemphasis on computer science seems likely to lead to fewer students, particularly girls, studying any digital qualification at school. I think it’s time to rebalance what’s on offer.” L FURTHER INFORMATION Read the report: tinyurl.com/yajddce2

Google grant for computer science teachers in Northern Ireland Teachers in Northern Ireland can now access funding to take the BCS Certificate in Teaching Computer Science, thanks to a special grant from Google. The £23,500 ($31,000) grant awarded to Computing At School (CAS) Northern Ireland is part of Grow with Google’s commitment to train and equip teachers with the right skills to prepare the future workforce. The CAS Regional Centre for Northern Ireland is based at Stranmillis University College in Belfast. To ensure all young people have the opportunity to learn computer science (CS), it’s critical that educators are prepared and supported to teach with confidence and competence. Google believes every student should have the opportunity to learn CS; with that comes the responsibility of preparing teachers to deliver a CS curriculum with competence and confidence. The certificate enables teachers to demonstrate their teaching competence in the computer science elements of the new computing curriculum. The certificate has been devised and implemented by Computing At School (CAS) and is accredited by BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT. Teaching computing requires a good understanding of computer science as it is taught in school as well as the development of appropriate skills. The certificate provides professional recognition for this.

BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR DECISION MAKERS IN PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION | www.educationbusinessuk.net

and 3D printers and light sensitive resins has now certainly reached this point. xoxoxoxo Awesome Apps Ltd is a European Distributor forFURTHER the new MoonRay series of DLP printers INFORMATION that are revolutionising the worlds of dental production, investment casting applications xxx and rapid prototyping, among others. A lot of the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work is actually an education process to explain how and where 3D printing fits within the modern workflows and while education is adapting to 3D printing; where it fits and how to use it practically is less clear. The art class is the easiest of introductions but the needs of accuracy and the adoption of suitable materials is yet to be fully addressed.

The MoonRay 3D printer The MoonRay 3D printer works using the newest technology with an led based light source of defined wavelength. It uses an array of microscopic and individually controlled mirrors to project an ultra violet light onto very thin slivers of a UV resin held in a shallow tray. The layer is cured and begins to solidify before the light is re-focussed on the next layer and cured in the same way. The layers can be as little as 20 microns in height or

applications. The technology prints particularly accurate models that are dimensionally consistent across the entire build platform and items are not distorted by where they lie on the platform. Driven by easy to use software for the Mac or Windows platforms, the user can position, scale, rotate and duplicate the model at the click of a button. The software runs on a perfectly normal PC or laptop and requires no specialist training to operate. For parts requiring supports during the process the software automatically generates these, such that they are both easy to remove and useful in ensuring a correct solidification process. The system is commanded by the software via an Ethernet or wireless link and is free to perform other tasks during the actual printing. This type of 3D printing technology has the net advantage that its is faster than the earlier laser driven (SLA) printers and can produce multiple parts in the time that the laser generation printers take to produce just one and is much less fussy in its handling and life span requirements. Within the education sector, 3D printers have been used largely to demonstrate how they

Written by

Like many technologies 3D printing has taken its time to find its true vocation where the gains in digital processing are discovered by both leaders and followers. Education is adapting to 3D printing, but the needs of accuracy and the adoption of suitable materials is yet to be fully addressed Udae nonsend icidisquid quam elisimincim facepro et et, sed quodi blaborum ut molorem aut ationse nos eumque laboribus work and nearly all using a technology that Often, new technologies about a quarter of the widthnullacianti of a human hair. et quoditiat doloneed quitime de volecab orerisqui nitibusdae to be matched with other skills and The detail produced is more than enough rest, sitiatis ut idem quodi consequat facimagnime pernatemquae is related to fusing an already solid material. processes in order to be fully efficient. for many applications and there are three nimus earibus, tem es net et Saving money with low costs The advances in software, 3D ipsaest scanners moluptatium differing resolution versions to match the

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These printers have the benefit of relatively low costs but suffer in terms of speed and precision. Resins available for model making or rapid prototyping not only include the full range of colours but also varying material strength properties and amazing flexibility. Prototypes are not just confined to engineering. For example, the fashion sector now use 3D printing in producing adornments or accessories to handbags, belts and shoes. With very tight deadlines to adhere to several times a year, the design, make and delivery of these Zamac (a zinc alloy) components can be quickly substituted by a 3D print model and plated as prototypes for next weekâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s catwalk show long before traditional methods can produce them. Many educational entities have rightly prioritised the digital connection between departments, populations and suppliers, but there are areas where greater digital communication can be further enhanced by more tactile productions. Pictures and presentations are all good for getting the points across but to really get the feel of a project or new device, an in-house 3D model not only provides a realistic rendition of the idea but also details with room for improvement or modification. While such investments were initially restricted to outside of the office environment and often costed as major capital spend items, todays 3D printers cost less than a communications server or a web site update. What seems like a design concept difficult to grasp and even more difficult to relay to students and colleagues can often become straightforward when demonstrated in the form of a realistic model. The rapid turnaround of ideas into concrete examples is the essence of 3D printing and applicable to many more enterprises than are currently in use. The MoonRay 3D printer offers a compact, speedy, professional and elegant solution backed by the software and thirty-year, technology expertise of Awesome Apps Ltd. L FURTHER INFORMATION

012 4237 0453 info@awe-apps.com www.awe-apps.com

Volume 23.6 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Health & Safety

Preparing now for winter’s arrival

Written by Nathan Davies, RoSPA

Winter months pose a number of additional dangers to both pupils and school staff. RoSPA’s Nathan Davies offers advice on how to tackle them with a ‘risk aware’ attitude Months before the autumn leaves fall, many schools will have devised a winter safety plan in order to safeguard the young people in their care. After all, ensuring students and staff safety has been part of the ethical framework for decades and schools also have legal responsibilities for safety as an integral part of the Ofsted framework. In order to keep children safe during the winter months, schools need to be prepared for adverse weather conditions, such as heavy rain, flooding and cold temperatures. School winter safety arrangements need to be implemented now. These arrangements should be designed to protect everyone on school property from injury, and help to prevent potentially unsafe situations being allowed to occur on and off site. Have a plan So, how do schools ensure their pupils are safe during the cold snap? Well, first of all they need to have a functional plan of what is needed to make the school safe. As you may know, schools have a legal duty to carry out ‘suitable and sufficient’ risk assessments. The risk assessment should detail

the foreseeable risks that roof collapses on poorly constructed In are significant and that or maintained structures. Only order to are associated with local knowledge and a keen keep ch the schools facilities eye can decide if this is or activities. The a real issue for you. safe du ildren r main element of With every winter comes i n g t he winter the assessment is the chance of snow and schools months, to make provision ice, therefore headteachers for the precautions need to be sensitive to the be prep need to needed to minimise dangers winter weather a r e d fo adverse the risks identified. can pose to children and weather There is no need to most importantly they need r c onditio document each and to be prepared to prevent ns every hazard that exists, significant problems arising and but you should think about to have arrangements to deal with the likelihood and effects of, periods of extreme weather, when it is ice, snow, excessive water unacceptable for normal activities to continue. and high winds, and the effect of these, e.g. tree and Know the risks branch falls, excessive We encourage school leaders and assessors leaf fall in walkways and to consider the real risks; is it appropriate damage to buildings. for a school to close due to 75mm of snow More unusual on the playground, when all teaching staff hazards can exist, and parents know full well that 80 per cent such as ice of the pupils will take the day free to go and snow sledging and snowballing while carers will sliding from have to take an enforced days leave of work, pitched roofs or other planned activities? While everyone that are poorly may enjoy the seasonal, unplanned break, insulated, or fear of litigation or prosecution shouldn’t be used as the cause without very good reasons. So, to prevent accidents from happening during icy conditions, it is essential that

BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR DECISION MAKERS IN PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION | www.educationbusinessuk.net

Health & Safety

schools stock up on salt or grit and arrange for preventative gritting and clearance to prevent ice and snow settling, rather than relying on post ‘fall’ gritting and clearance, which is much less effective. Preventative work needs to be a priority when frost, ice and snow are forecast, when walkways are likely to be damp or wet, or the ground temperatures are at or below freezing. Be risk aware RoSPA encourages children to get outside and to enjoy the wintry weather, wrapping up well to keep warm and dry. Therefore, if conditions are not too dangerous, there is nothing to stop children from playing outside, so long as there is plenty of supervision. But we do advise that a consistent approach is taken to deciding when it is appropriate not to allow play externally and when out of school activities should be rearranged or curtailed. Reminding children and carers that additional cold weather sports equipment is required is always useful to ensure that exercise can be conducted as planned. This is because it is important for schools to help pupils become more ‘risk aware’ as opposed to ‘risk averse’ and equip them with the skills and knowledge they need to keep themselves and others safe. Nevertheless perhaps a short assembly session on not playing on ice might be prudent. As an employer, schools should treat risk assessment and risk management as important tools to enable children to undertake activities safely but ‘health and safety’ should not be used as an excuse to cancel activities that can be conducted perfectly safely with a bit of pre planning. All of these things can leave headteachers with a difficult decision on their hands – whether or not to close due to the weather. Headteachers should arrange for consultation about potentially contentious issues with those affected e.g. teachers, student representatives, the PTA, sports teachers and the maintenance staff. This will give all parties confidence that the right approach is being taken. All in all, schools have a statutory duty to take all reasonably practicable steps to ensure the safety of pupils and staff on school premises. However, it is also vital to share with pupils the skills of recognising hazards, assessing risks and taking steps to control risks. Otherwise we all run the risk of promoting a culture where fear of litigation and criticism restricts learning, growth and enjoyment. L FURTHER INFORMATION

Schools should arrange preventative gritting to stop snow settling, rather than relying on post ‘fall’ gritting

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Service Operation Following a weather warning at your site(s), you will receive an email/SMS notification informing you that we plan to grit. During our visit we will spread salt on all agreed areas (access roads, entrances, exits, parking areas, foot-paths & playgrounds). Following our visit you will receive a gritting confirmation email, informing you of the time we attended your site(s). Please contact us today for a free site survey and quotation.

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Volume 23.6 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Advertisment Feature

Make administration more efficient with Fujitsu Fujitsu scanning solutions support administration, enable GDPR compliance and improve the learning and teaching experience in schools As schools, colleges and universities attempt the tricky balancing act of cutting costs while improving service levels, more and more are discovering the benefits of deploying Fujitsu scanners in the classroom and administrative offices. They allow schools to experience enhanced collaboration, productivity and more effectively address GDPR compliance concerns such as Subject Access Requests. Contact us today to understand how a partner solution can help make GDPR Subject Access Requests simpler, more compliant and efficient and save up to £50,000 per annum. Primary and secondary school teachers are working almost 60 hours a week according to the DofE and a lot of this time is spent carrying out bureaucratic tasks such as form filling and general paperwork. By implementing digital working practices including the scanning and digitisation of material, a school will very quickly see the benefits bought about from the enhanced collaboration between staff members, pupils and parents as well as supporting SENCO in the use of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) which is laid out in their code of practice 2001. The speedier capture of correspondence such as permission slips, catering requests, HR material, bursaries and paperwork related to special needs as well as the implementation of technology driven teaching methods for a more enriched learning experience and marking will additionally see time being freed up whether for teaching or personal recreation. By the time children start school many are already familiar with technology, giving teachers a platform of knowledge on which to build. Infant and junior schools that have the technology to enhance learning are setting the benchmark, both in terms of actual achievement and parent or government recognition.

Enhanced Learning For many customers in the education sector, the ability of Fujitsu scanners to aid learning is as important a benefit as improved administration. It is also a major priority for Fujitsu, who are working with a number of establishments to explore how scanners can be used to improve learning in the classroom. Capturing evidence of progress An important aspect of this programme is to discover how technology can help early learners develop confidence in their abilities and recognise the progress that they have made. Fujitsu scanners can help in this regard by capturing a pupil’s work throughout the term so that children, teachers and parents can see how their work has evolved and improved as ell as providing a discussion point in school. Providing digital files at the end of term instead, or as a supplement to, the actual artwork is also convenient for parents. Some schools are even charging for this service to recoup the cost of the scanner. Improved Communications Schools are making use of Fujitsu scanners, both to improve their administrative processes and to enhance collaboration with students and parents. The Student Services department at Ryburn Valley High School is a case in point. It is using a Fujitsu ScanSnap iX500 scanner to digitise and distribute the large number of financial documents handled by the bursaries office and to streamline everyday administrative processes, including the management of absence notes. Pre-planned absence notes handed in by parents used to be photocopied by the department, stored in filing cabinets and handed out to teachers spread across the school grounds – a slow, time consuming and unreliable process. Now, absence notes are digitised on the iX500 and, using the scan-to email function, circulated instantly to the teachers concerned.

The iX500 doesn’t just save paper and time; it has also enabled Ryburn Valley High School to improve the learning experience. When a pupil is absent, missed classwork can now be scanned and emailed to them so that they can catch up on coursework remotely. The Anglia Ruskin University Since implementing a scanning solution, survey response rates have trebled – rising from 15-20 per cent to 65 per cent – while the total volume of documents scanned has increased 20-30 per cent and is expected to double by next year as the solution is expanded beyond module evaluation surveys. The scanners have already been drafted in to process surveys from other departments which are heavy paper users, processing surveys on accommodation, catering, the union environment and other student services which are increasingly becoming as important to the student experience as teaching and learning. The solution is saving time and resources, making data more easily accessible from the automatically archived files, and streamlining reporting of corporate key performance indicators – of which an increasing number are satisfaction based and can be pulled directly from the survey figures. To comply with legislation, the University of Bristol needed to store passport and visa details for foreign students. They have implemented an easy-to-operate data capture and management solution based on Fujitsu scanners. As a result, it is now able to fulfill its statutory obligations in an efficient manner, processing information quickly and accurately. For further information on how we can help on your GDPR journey, for case studies, white papers and videos visit the link below. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.emea.fujitsu.com/ scanners-in-education

BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR DECISION MAKERS IN PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION | www.educationbusinessuk.net

Education Business Awards

WINNERS REVEALED Twenty-two catergories were recognised at the Education Business Awards, which took place on 5 July at the Grange Hotel in London

Volume 23.6 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Sponsor’s Comment Written by Don Babbs

Awesome Apps were honoured to sponsor the Education Business Awards At Awesome Apps, we were honoured to be a main sponsor of the Education Business Awards on 5 July. Virtually in the shadows of St Paul’s, nearly 300 education leaders came together to celebrate the achievements of a very diverse array of heads, teachers and administrators I met many of those with outstanding projects in the technical and arts fields who all had a common enthusiasm or their work and it was great to see this rewarded and recognised. Having a rather European background, with much or our work outside of the UK, I should like to say that the event was exemplary in its scope and compared very favourably with other international events held at exhibitions and shows elsewhere. It was refreshing to take part in the awards that, for once, were not primarily a platform for product promotion. Of course, products and technology and sponsors were there but the real stars were from the education sector itself. The right technology mix We are in technology business and frequently advise on the right mix of software, 3D printing an specific materials. However, without new project ideas, these products do not expand into specific applications that are best discovered by those working and driving education. By way of example, we recently introduced a video camera within the 3D printer to better show the whole class the more intimate workings of the machine. This project was the result of sensible suggestions from the enthusiastic proponents of extending the technology to new applications more suited to both the curriculum and the individual freedom of design or artistic expression, so often sought after. The event also indulged us in allowing a short presentation to point out how the number of evident and inspiring opportunities for young people in technology has actually diminished from 30 or 40 years ago. It’s not that the number or sophistication of technologies has fallen but the publicity surrounding advanced ideas and projects is now a relative rarity. The BBC Tomorrow’s World (for those that can remember it) has been removed and replaced with very light technical programming aimed at pure entertainment such as Top Gear. As a result the child or teenager with a thirst for such projects is left to search for them in the dimmer and more lonely world of YouTube or worse. I was recently at an exhibition in Japan where quite young children applied to produce design boards of their ideas in the show and to discuss what they wanted from the project and where it might or

had failed. It was refreshing to see the level of involvement from supporting and visiting engineers, artists and professors. At the awards, I was delighted to see some advanced open projects developed into far sighted and evolving possibilities while involving and encouraging their young talents. As the formal projects allied to large and technological industries diminish maybe the school led and university backed inventions can show a new way forward. I feel the Education Business Awards could also be a non commercial showcase for these projects, in the future. Art mixes with technology There are also a number of developments where art mixed with technology, as in fashion, is becoming a mainstream process. It challenges and sparks some older gender stereotypes while awakening young eyes to the possibilities of applying new technologies to an older fixed process. Few of us think about how the objects around us come into being; the level of design thought, manufacturing efficiency or choice of materials. When we explain the efforts in producing apparently simple articles and the thought behind them, our audience divide into two. The majority clearly glaze over and long for a more emotional topic but there are some who become instantly involved

and need to know more. These are the future icons of invention and must not be lost to boredom or lack of support for their enquiring minds. Once again some of the award winners and runners up were already promoting projects for these icons and adopting advanced techniques for future projects. Needless to say we attended and sponsored the event to promote the MoonRay and Guider IIS amazing 3D printer range as well as our software, expertise and ability to make technology productive for educational units. However, achieving an understanding of the current level of school project definition and aspirations was of equal importance. So the Business Education Awards event isn’t just about winning, lunching and meeting but offers wider opportunities to learn, listen and reflect on what possibilities are on offer or becoming available to inspire. It would be both impolite and remiss of me not to warmly thank all those involved in organising and running a truly quality event that was much appreciated by all those that attended. L FURTHER INFORMATION 012 4237 0453 info@awe-apps.com www.awe-apps.com

BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR DECISION MAKERS IN PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION | www.educationbusinessuk.net

Education Business Awards

Deserved praise for hardworking schools The winners of the 2018 Education Business Awards have been announced, recognising strong leadership, good teaching and operational excellence in UK schools from all sectors Schools are mini communities that nurture our future generations. A good school will have excellent and supportive leadership and dedicated teachers. But there are also numerous people behind the front line, ensuring the school is safe and clean, that health and safety standards are kept-up, and that children are well fed. There are staff procuring equipment to compliment the curriculum, managing finances, making sure sports facilities are up to scratch, and so on. All the hard work that goes into running a school should be rewarded and the Education Business Awards serves to recognise this. Countdown’s Susie Dent presented the awards, which were sponsored by Awesome Apps, to the 22 winning educational establishments at the glittering ceremony at St Paul’s Grange Hotel in London on 5 July. Outstanding progress The Outstanding Progress award for Primary Schools, sponsored by Merlin, was

presented to Ernesettle designated a National Teaching School Community School. and has to date supported over All For the last three 40 schools. Technology aids t he hard academic years, learning and is one of many work th attainment figures contributory factors to its a t goes into run put Ernesettle students’ academic success. should ning a school Community Welfare provision improved be rewa School in the top markedly from 2015-17 rd the Edu 1,000 schools cation B ed and with the alignment of all usine nationally student welfare services. Awards serve to ss overall and the The Outstanding Progress recognis top 100 schools award for the Independent e for disadvantaged sector, sponsored by Ant this pupils’. Extended Education, was presented to Schools provision, Bromley High School. The school’s subsidised educational trips GCSE results in 2018 were the best in and the continued appointment the history of the school with 49 per cent of a Family Support Advisor all help to A* and 77 per cent A*/A grades. Some improve the life chances of its pupils. examples of the exceptional performance In the secondary school category, of its academic departments are the Royal Acklam Grange scooped the Outstanding Geographical Society’s Excellence Award Progress Award. With a history of strong and the Junior School winning first prize in community values and equality, in the Primary Science Association’s National September 2017 Acklam Grange was Practical Challenge Competition for KS1. E Volume 23.6 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

 Efficient procurement St. Peter’s School won the School Recruitment Award, sponsored by E teach. Three years ago, St Peter’s School relied heavily upon agency staff to fill vacancies, but a comprehensive recruitment schedule which begins in December of each year includes attendance at recruitment events, hosting Teach in Cambridgeshire events and several training programmes. Trainee testimonials state that they have been ‘positively influenced by their professional development and experiences during their time at St Peter’s School’. The School Music Award, which was sponsored by Stage Systems, went to Ellesmere College for its excellent music department which continues to grow and thrive and give opportunities to students and the wider community. The Chamber Choir have enjoyed their most successful year yet, reaching the finals of both the Barnardo’s National Choir Competition at the Royal Festival Hall, and the BBC Youth Choir of the Year competition. This year has also seen the launch of a new community orchestra. The Art & Craft Award, sponsored by KidZania, was presented to King’s Ely. The Art department at King’s Ely incorporates specialist studio areas for fashion and textiles, fine art, sculpture and photography. Regular internal exhibitions showcase the passion of all students while external exhibitions of fashion design have taken place at ExCeL, Alexandra Palace and Olympia. Fine art and photography have been shown at the Apex Gallery and close links were forged with the local community when 200 children exhibited at Babylon Gallery. Radley College meanwhile were crowned worthy winners of the Sport Award. A new strength and conditioning centre forms the latest addition to Radley College’s state of the art sports facilities and sits alongside the athletics track and rowing centre, as required to support the college’s curriculum. The new stand-alone building is split into two distinct wings; an athletics warm-up space and indoor rowing training room. Replacing two temporary sheds, the new training room provides space for 24 rowing machines for effective indoor training.

The Community Award, sponsored by the Recruitment and Employment confederation, was awarded to Eastbourne College. As a major employer in the area and a significant part of the local economy, Eastbourne set up the Eastbourne Schools Partnership (ESP), which works to provide community, educational and sporting activities involving pupils, staff and the general public. ESP now comprises 12 schools and colleges and accounts for 14,000 children in the surrounding area. The Academy Partnership Award, sponsored by Evac + Chair, was presented to Thomas Clarkson Academy (TCA), which recently became the first school in the area to start regularly donating its leftover food to the homeless. The Academy has teamed up with the Luminus Ferry Project, a charity which offers support and services to the homeless in Fenland. TCA donates hot and cold food leftover from lunchtime meals. The Academy’s catering team work with the shelter on a day-by-day basis and if there is anything suitable to be handed over, they call the ferry team after lunch to arrange a collection that afternoon. Students and families have also collected toiletries for the charity.

Education Business Awards

Ernesettle Community School won Outstanding Progress Award (Primary)

Innovative technology Leighton Park School scooped the ICT Facility Award, sponsored by Fujitsu, for its recognition of being a Centre of Excellence for Computer Science. It has been able to disseminate support and guidance through its vast and varied experiences that it provides young people, both within the school and the wider Thames Valley Community through its whole school iSTEM+ initiative. This has included trips to leading IT organisations such as Google, Microsoft and Cisco, empirical academic research, all of which has been shared with many primary and secondary schools across the UK and Europe. The ICT Innovation Award, sponsored by Awesome Apps, was awarded to Open Academy Norwich for its ‘Project Refurb Club’. This involves students refurbishing old PCs to distribute throughout the local community, a cause close to the hearts of both students and staff. The idea was devised by students in Years 7, 8 and 9 and championed by students in Years 10 and 11, who study Creative Media and Computer Science. This was achieved by integrating the project units. ‘Project Refurb’ is currently managed by ‘Digital Ambassadors’ in Years 7 to 13, whose roles are diverse and include mentors who teach at ‘Codeclub’ an after-school club to learn how to programme. Bromley High School scooped the STEM Award, sponsored by Create Education. A key aim of the curriculum at Bromley is that girls should appreciate how STEM subjects can help them make their mark in the world. This year saw the appointment of a STEM Co-ordinator, whose remit it is to promote challenging science and technology experiences throughout the school including a biennial trip to CERN. The school has also worked with a grant from HSBC to provide robotics equipment. Supportive ethos The SEN Provision Award was awarded to Clare Mount Specialist Sports College, which provides an outstanding education for youngsters with Autism. Since gaining NAS Autism Accreditation in June 2014, E

Countdown’s Susie Dent presented the awards

Volume 23.6 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Embedding 3D printing across the curriculum

Recruiting better, smarter and faster with eTeach

The CREATE Education Project is an open-source community platform providing inspiration and support to schools who wish to benefit from 3D printing technology. The website contains a wealth of ideas and resources for embedding 3D printing across the curriculum at all levels as well as providing case studies, professional development materials and a platform for connecting and sharing. The CREATE community consists of a network of industry partners, experienced hub schools, inspirational education ambassadors, creative organisations and teachers who are passionate about 3D printing, all sharing their ideas and experiences to benefit everyone. A growing collection of free education resources are available to download from the CREATE website to help educators across all sectors and subject areas to understand 3D

eTeach is the UK’s number one education job site and leading global education recruitment specialist, helping schools recruit better, smarter, faster by providing the tools that deliver relevant teachers, leaders and support staff to your school, MAT or college. eTeach believes that recruiting good quality teaching staff does not have to be expensive. Last year our 7,500 schools, colleges and academies took back control of their recruitment spend and placed more than 65,000 vacancies in front of eTeach’s one million new site visitors a month and 1.7 million registered candidates. Run by teachers for teachers for 17 years, and trusted by over

printing technology and use it as a tool to increase pupil engagement and attainment. Resources include curriculum guides, 3D printing projects, lesson plans, teaching materials and guides, student worksheets and tutorials. In addition to the resources the CREATE blog contains ideas and inspiration from our education community. You can also access professional development workshops and technical training, utilise the free 3D printer loan scheme and purchase 3D printers (starting from £445), materials and accessories.

FURTHER INFORMATION www.createeducation.com

a quarter of the UK’s schools, eTeach is the education sector’s thought leaders, delivering innovation and real value to all of its schools every day. Combine that with eTeach’s legendary customer service, and it’s easy to see why more than 95% of its schools renew every year. With value for money at the heart of everything it does and an honest and consultative approach, eTeach works in partnership with you to deliver great teachers for less, so you can get on with what you do best: inspiring your learners.

FURTHER INFORMATION 0845 226 1906 www.eteachgroup.com

The safe place to store student belongings

Norse Group’s prosperity through partnership ethos

For over 50 years, Garran lockers has been one of the country’s leading manufacturers and suppliers of lockers and cloakroom equipment, specialising in both standard and bespoke solutions to fit any requirement. Having worked with over 700 primary and secondary schools, many higher education colleges and universities, Garran Lockers has designed specific storage and changing room solutions to meet the ever-changing requirements schools have when related to safely storing student belongings. Garran Lockers offers a wide selection of locker ranges each with its own defining characteristics, from its heavy-duty Titan range to its modern style premier lockers and cloakroom collection all are already being used in schools today. Garran Lockers’ latest product development incorporates

Norse Group is recognised as one of the UK’s most dynamic and fast-growing facilities management and property services providers to the education sector. Working as a partner that offers experience and stability, Norse’s ‘Prosperity through Partnership’ ethos helps to ease the financial pressures of its 1000+ educational establishments portfolio through cost efficiency savings, typically well over eight per cent. Schools and academies benefit from the added value of a trusted, financially secure and sustainable partner that delivers first class service. Through careful financial management, and a selective, organic approach to business development and growth, Norse ensures long-term stability for its 9,000 directly-employed staff and its UK-wide client portfolio. Operating from a network of

technology into its already established locker ranges, including a new dual charging locker and fully integrated networked locker which offers advanced security and detailed analytics Get in touch with the team today to learn more about Garran Lockers and the products and services that the company can offer you.

FURTHER INFORMATION 02920 859600 www.garran-lockers.co.uk Info@garran-lockers.co.uk

local offices and depots across the UK, Norse is recognised by the education sector as a safe pair of hands; a reputation clearly justified and evidenced by the group’s 96 per cent client satisfaction, high business and staff retention, all well above the national averages for the industry. The group is unique in the range of services it provides to the educational sector. It offers cleaning, catering, building and grounds maintenance, property services, project management and compliance, and many more.

FURTHER INFORMATION www.ncsgrp.co.uk

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School Recruitment Award St. Peter’s School School Music Award Ellesmere College Sports Award Radley College Community Award Eastbourne College

Education Business Awards

Winners at a glance

Art & Craft Award King’s Ely ICT Facility Award Leighton Park School ICT Innovation Award Open Academy Norwich SEN Provision Award Clare Mount Specialist Sports College SEN Inclusion Award Ernesettle Community School STEM Award Bromley High School Parking Management & Travel Planning Award The University of Leeds Educational Visits Award Marine Primary Academy

 the college has recorded exceptional exam results, with 58 per cent of pupils achieving five or more GCSEs or equivalent, an improvement of 26 per cent from the previous year. The SEN Inclusion Award meanwhile, sponsored by Alan Patient & Co, went to Ernesettle Community School for its inclusive ethos where every teacher is a teacher of SEND. Rigorous systems for tracking children’s progress are managed by a highly dedicated team and strong relationships with other supportive agencies to foster an environment where children who have had difficulty accessing a mainstream environment are able to thrive. Environmental considerations Hever Church of England Aided Primary scooped two awards; the Environmental Practice Award, sponsored by Zenergi, and the School Building Award. The new double classroom block at the school is as an extremely energy efficient and low-carbon building. Designed and built by Net Zero Building, the block is fully powered by electricity removing the need for a gas supply. The annual electricity consumption is around 30kWh per m2 per annum as opposed to 120kWh for a traditionally built alternative. This approach eliminates energy bills and carbon emissions associated with producing the energy that less intelligent buildings need to operate. The rapid assembly of the building kept disruption to a minimum.

Marine Primary Academy was crowned winners of the Educational Visits Award, sponsored by Rainforest Cafe. Throughout their time at Marine Primary Academy, pupils are provided with a huge range of subject specific educational visits, all of which are fully funded by the Academy at no cost to Parents/Carers. Children from Year 5 were provided with the opportunity for a once in a lifetime trip to Lapland. The Academy worked with experienced polar explorers to plan and fundraise for the trip, which combined interactive workshops with outdoor learning and confidence building. Recognised for educating pupils about healthy eating and providing them with many opportunities to try different foods, Charlton Manor Primary won the School Catering Award, presented by JJ Foodservice. The varied palette of flavours ensures pupils receive the necessary nutrition for their developing bodies. The chef together with his team continually finds ways of reducing sugar and cutting out salt and fat. Fresh produce is grown in the school garden and community garden as well as the eggs from the hens and the honey from the bees. The chef also runs the school café, which is open to parents and the community every day before and after school and on Saturdays from 10am–2pm. Health & safety Clare Mount Specialist Sports College won the Excellence in Health and Safety Award, sponsored by the Norse Group. For the Community Café at Clare Mount, pupils have to complete a health and safety checklist

Environmental Practice Award Hever Church of England Aided Primary School The School Security Award Barnston Primary School Building Award Hever Church of England Aided Primary School School Catering Award Charlton Manor Primary Academy Partnership Award, Thomas Clarkson Academy Excellence in Health & Safety Award Clare Mount Specialist Sports College School Procurement Award Stour Academy Trust Outstanding Progress Award (Primary) Ernesettle Community School Outstanding Progress Award (Secondary) Acklam Grange Outstanding Progress Award (Independent) Bromley High School

before opening. To ensure the produce is stored safely, the checklist includes checking the fridge temperatures, making sure the fridge is stocked properly and throwing away any out-of-date produce. The pupils are trained to identify fire exits and to maintain clear exits at all times. They are also trained to E Volume 23.6 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Teaching the importance of the rainforest

Better parking facilities for the education sector

The Rainforest Cafe provides educational tours with a variety of curriculum links across all the primary school years. Its education officers all have an active interest in rainforest conservation and undergo detailed training to learn the information of the tour, as well as being encouraged to do their own ongoing research into the most current events and new discoveries. They all have experience working with children, many in a school environment, and are passionate about inspiring the next generation about the importance of the rainforests. Most of the team are also experienced theatre in education performers, allowing them create a learning environment that’s both entertaining and engaging. The Rainforest Cafe is proud to be a major sponsor for the Rainforest and is working with UK-based charity, World

The British Parking Association (BPA) is the voice of the UK’s parking profession and has more than 50 years of experience providing support, knowledge and best practice for those working within this diverse and ever constantly evolving sector. The BPA is a not for profit organisation, representing, promoting and influencing the parking and traffic management profession throughout the UK and Europe. Its membership of more than 700 organisations and individuals includes local authorities, car park operators, retail parks, healthcare

Land Trust, whose Patron is Sir David Attenborough, to try to save as much tropical forest as possible while there is still time. Together with the World Land Trust, the Rainforest Cafe is directly responsible for purchasing and replanting the equivalent area of 10 Hyde Parks (London), in Ecuador. Rainforest Cafe is also proud to support smaller more community based charities and events, and to date has donated in excess of £49,000 to a variety of different schemes, school projects and requests.

FURTHER INFORMATION www.therainforestcafe.co.uk

facilities, universities, railway stations, technology providers, trainers and consultants. The BPA works with its partners to support growth for its communities, improve compliance by those managing and using parking facilities, and encourage fairness to achieve its vision of excellence in parking for all. The BPA is proud to support the Education Business Awards and sponsor the Parking Management & Travel Planning Award.

FURTHER INFORMATION For more information, visit www.britishparking.co.uk

Fujitsu: supporting admin & improving learning

Bringing stages to life with creative designs

As schools, colleges and universities attempt the tricky balancing act of cutting costs while improving service levels, more and more are discovering the benefits of deploying Fujitsu scanners in the learning environments and administrative offices. By implementing digital working practices including the scanning and digitisation of material a school will very quickly see the benefits bought about from the enhanced collaboration between staff members, pupils and parents. The speedier capture of correspondence such as permission slips, catering requests, HR material, bursaries and paperwork related to special needs as well as the implementation of technology driven teaching methods for a more enriched learning experience and marking will additionally see time and

Portable staging from Stage Systems creates temporary performance platforms. Simple designs from kits, standard stock or bespoke solutions produce excellent results with flat, multiheight and tiering systems. Stage Systems is dedicated to staging and brings spaces to life with creative designs in primary and secondary schools, colleges and universities along with commercial and community establishments. First to develop the portable staging market, Stage Systems set the standard for quality, versatility and service. Throughout your journey the expert team will ensure that you receive the dedicated advice and support required. With Stage Systems’ inhouse product demonstrator and designer, the firm can provide a free (no obligation) demonstration (depending on your location/availability)

resources being freed up as well as cost savings. Capturing Evidence of Progress can help early learners develop confidence in their abilities and recognise the progress that they have made. Fujitsu scanners can help in this regard by capturing a pupil’s work throughout the term so that children, teachers and parents can see how their work has evolved and improved. Providing digital files at the end of term instead, or as a supplement to, the actual artwork is also convenient for parents. Some schools are even charging for this service to recoup the cost of the scanner.

FURTHER INFORMATION www.fujitsu.com

and produce drawings from a detailed survey. Stage Systems will consult with you to ensure that you get the very best from your available space. Stage Systems is confident that the resulting performance space will surpass your expectations of what can be achieved with our products. Alongside its staging solutions, the company has a full range of educational furniture for early years and primary schools which is functional, flexible, and fun for its young users.

FURTHER INFORMATION www.stagesystems.co.uk

BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR DECISION MAKERS IN PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION | www.educationbusinessuk.net

had three external catering providers and two in-house school catering services, all of which were hard to manage. The Trust sought the help of Schools Buying Club to assist as an independent consultant with the tendering process. The three year deal with a single supplier created a saving of £62.5k, with the supplier also investing in new equipment – a considerable saving in the current financial climate.

A guide to emergency evacuation for schools Evac+Chair International has launched an interactive guide to emergency evacuation for educational buildings. ‘Safe Education: a guide to ensure schools and universities are educated in safe, emergency evacuation’, is packed with practical advice and information to make sure schools, colleges, universities and academies are well-prepared in the event of an emergency. The guide explores best practice, roles and responsibilities and the legal framework for evacuation procedures. Packed with practical advice, it is aimed at headteachers, principals, governors, vice-chancellors, facilities managers, occupiers and owners of educational premises. It specifically looks at who is responsible in an emergency evacuation, the law and regulations that apply, how to do a risk assessment and prepare personal, emergency, evacuation

plans for the mobility-impaired as well as how to identify and address training needs. Gerard Wallace, managing director at Evac+Chair International said: “We’ve been manufacturing evacuation chairs for 35 years and have used our experience in the education centre to create this easy-to-use, interactive guide that we hope will be an invaluable resource. “This latest version incluses real-life examples of how schools have specifically addressed the needs of the mobility-impaired.” For a free evacuation site survey, a copy of the guide or advice on training, contact Evac+Chair on the details below.

FURTHER INFORMATION www.evac-chair.co.uk 0845 230 2253

Education Business Awards

 know the emergency evacuation procedure which includes a method of roll call for staff and any visiting customers. In May, the café was inspected by the Food Standards Agency and given the top rating of 5. For saving its schools much needed cash, the School Procurement Award, sponsored by Awesome Apps went to Stour Academy Trust. The Stour Academy Trust currently comprises seven schools. In July 2017, it

The School Security Award, sponsored by Garran Lockers, was awarded to Barnston Primary. Due to its declining budget, Barnston began leasing car parking spaces to parents in order to raise money for improved security, which includes a high definition CCTV system, a sophisticated key fob system at the front entrance of the school and a lock down system which alerts staff and children of an intruder, distinctive from the fire alarm procedure system. This includes a signal call out for the head teacher and a separate one for the deputy. The Parking Management & Travel Planning Award, sponsored by the British Parking Association, went to the University of Leeds. With 8,000 staff and 33,000 students, the University of Leeds has introduced a number of car parking management systems to address demand for parking on campus, including a needs based permit application process, automatic number plate recognition cameras, paystations and back office systems to help manage the complex needs of the organisation. The University also decided to process enforcement notices in-house which involves dealing with the DVLA and debt recovery firms. In order to encourage the growth in electric vehicles, the University offers free electricity charging and has expanded the number of charging points. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.ebawards.co.uk

3D printing finds its mark Like many technologies, 3D Printing has taken its time to find its true vocation where the gains in digital processing are discovered by both leaders and followers. Often, new technologies need time to be matched with other skills and processes in order to be fully efficient. The advances in software, 3D scanners and 3D printers and light sensitive resins has now certainly reached this point. A lot of Awesome Apps’ work is actually an education process to explain how and where 3D printing fits within the modern workflows. While education is adapting to 3D printing, where it fits and how to use it practically is less clear. Many educational entities have rightly prioritised the digital connection between departments, populations and suppliers, but there are areas where greater digital communication can be further enhanced by

more tactile productions. What seems like a design concept difficult to grasp and even more difficult to relay to students and colleagues can often become straightforward when demonstrated in the form of a realistic model. The rapid turnaround of ideas into concrete examples is the essence of 3D printing and applicable to many more enterprises than are currently in use. The MoonRay 3D printer offers a compact, speedy, professional and elegant solution backed by the software and thirty year, technology expertise of Awesome Apps.

FURTHER INFORMATION 012 4237 0453 www.awe-apps.com

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