Education Business 26.4 by PSI Media

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ISSUE 26.4

Business Information for Education Decision Makers DESIGN & BUILD

EB AWARDS

CATERING

EB50 MOST INFLUENTIAL

FIFTY INSPIRING PEOPLE Our pick of most influential individuals in education

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ISSUE 26.4

Business Information for Education Decision Makers DESIGN & BUILD

EB AWARDS

CATERING

Fifty inspiring people This issue of Education Business has our first EB50 Most Influential list – our pick of the people that have made an impact on the education system in England.

EB50 MOST INFLUENTIAL

FIFTY INSPIRING PEOPLE Our pick of most influential individuals in education

It includes government officials, head teachers, heads of MATs, charities, union representatives, lobbyists and so on. They are committed individuals that have played their part in bettering the experiences and outcomes of children and young people in education, as well as for those working in the profession. Read the list on page 41. The education sector is continuing to navigate the pandemic, with things still up in the air about how schools will function at the start of the next academic year. With Coronavirus very much still around, schools still have to ensure they can provide remote education to those self isolating - although there is talk that quarantining bubbles due to a positive case may end in the autumn. On page 55 Stephanie Glenister from The Key explains how schools across the country are nailing the blended learning approach. With changes to fire safety design for schools being consulted on, pages 23 and 29 look at what has changed in the guidance, particularly around sprinklers and safe cladding - and asks whether the guidance goes far enough to adequately protect schools.

Follow and interact with us on Twitter: @EducationBizz

The Education Business Awards take place on 8 July live online. Hosted by Jeff Brazier, the awards continue to celebrate excellence within the sector. Find out who’s been shortlisted on page 37.

Angela Pisanu, editor

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Issue 26.4 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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Contents

Contents Education Business 26.4 19

07 News

41 EB50: Most Influential

Covid-19 contingency framework for schools updated; Inspections to look at how schools prevent sexual abuse; First exam board to reduce qualification entry fees

Our pick of the fifty most influential people

15 Design & Build

Schools must still provide immediate remote

Trumpington Park Primary School, part of Cambridge Primary Education Trust, has signed up to  an international project that could fundamentally rethink space utilisation in the classroom

The enhanced levels of cleaning and hygiene practiced at schools to prevent the spread of Covid-19 will likely help reduce sickness levels for other infections that often spike each winter. Tony Sullivan, environmental and decontamination manager at the NHS Deep Cleaning and Advisory Service, explains why such standards should be here to stay Shield_White_2013

23 Fire Safety A major new consultation on building design for fire safety in schools has been published. We gather the industry’s reaction to the revisions and ask if the proposals go far enough to ensure the safety of staff, pupils, and premises

Version 1.1 – 25 October 2013

29 Fire Safety

41 55

33 Air Quality Environmental charity Global Action Plan has revealed research which finds 27 per cent of UK schools are in areas above World Health Organization air pollution limits. This equates to an estimate of over 3.4 million UK children learning in an unhealthy environment

37 EB Awards

Education Business magazine

55 IT & Computing learning to pupils who need to self-isolate, although typically on a smaller scale than during the strictest periods of lockdown. Stephanie Glenister from The Key explains how schools across the country are nailing this

59 IT & Computing

19 Cleaning

Sponsored by

that have shaped education over the years

The pandemic has shown just how much digital skills and computing are now a vital part of education – and are increasingly in demand from employers. Teachers can get ahead this summer with the NCCE’s Summer of Computing, which is an opportunity for teachers to develop their computing skills

63 Play Playtime in schools has been identified as a vital opportunity to support children’s recovery from Covid-19 lockdown. So despite pressure to increase classroom time for catch-up learning, schools need to continue to support and value the role of play

67 Sport Following school closures and a year in which sports days were forced to take place at home, schools across the country came together to celebrate a week of fun, play and sport between 19 and 25 June

71 Catering If you empower your kitchen teams to make food from scratch, you will soon have happier staff and pupils. Chefs in Schools – a charity working to transform school food and food education – explains how this can be achieved

74 Trips Longer school days, summer camps and increased tutoring have all been talked about as ways to help children make up for lost learning time. But outdoor learning and school trips also have a crucial role to play in helping children recover, not just academically, but mentally, socially and physically

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D A V F E

News

CORONAVIRUS

Covid-19 contingency framework for schools updated

The Department for Education has updated its Covid-19 contingency framework for schools, explaining what should be done in the case of local outbreaks. The previous framework published in November said that schools should not implement restrictive measures without the agreement of the DfE, but this updated version states that councils, directors of public health and Public Health England health protection teams can recommend certain measures for individual schools or clusters of settings. This would be to help manage outbreaks in schools, or if there is an high prevalence of Covid-19 in the community and other measures have not reduced transmission, or a if there is a variant of concern. The guidance says that schools’ outbreak management plans should cover the possibility they are advised to limit

attendance, though such restrictions should only ever be considered as a last resort, and says that schools should provide high quality remote education for pupils not attending school. If restricted attendance is put in place, early years and primary settings should be prioritised to continue to operate as normal, although the department may advise that other groups should be prioritised. If some attendance restrictions are needed at primary level, vulnerable children, children of critical workers, children in reception, year 1 and year 2 should still be allowed to attend. If some secondary restrictions are required, then vulnerable children and young people, children of critical workers, pupils in years 10, 11, 12 and 13, and other pupils who were due to take external exams this academic year should still be allowed to attend. If attendance needs to be restricted further at either phase, vulnerable children and young people and children of critical workers should still be able to attend. Schools should also make sure their outbreak management plans cover the possibility that the reintroduction of asymptomatic testing sites (ATS) is advised in their area. This could include advice to increase the use of home testing by staff, pupils and students in secondary schools and colleges.

CORONAVIRUS

BEHAVIOUR

School isolation rules could come to an end in Autumn

Behaviour consultation seeks views on mobile phone use

Groups of pupils having to self isolated if one tests positives could come to an end in the autumn. Ministers are instead looking at asking secondary schools to introduce daily testing. This comes following a surge in the number of pupils self isolating because of potential contact with a positive case. Health Secretary Sajid Javid has pledged to address the issue, and the Department for Education has written to secondary schools asking them provisionally to prepare for a change after the summer break. England’s Children’s Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza said there was an urgent need for children to get back to normal as lockdown restrictions had been a “real trauma” for many young people. CLICK TO READ MORE

The DfE has launched a call for evidence asking teachers, parents and other staff for their views and policies on managing behaviour, ahead of planned updates to Government guidance later this year on behaviour, discipline, suspensions and permanent exclusions. The six-week consultation seeks views on how schools maintain calm classrooms, the use of removal rooms and creating mobile phone-free school days, among other measures. Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said: “No parent wants to send their child to a school where poor behaviour is rife. Every school should be a safe place that allows young people to thrive and teachers to excel. “Mobile phones are not just distracting, but when misused or overused, they can have a damaging effect on a pupil’s mental health and wellbeing. I want to put an end to this, making the school day mobile-free. “In order for us to help pupils overcome the challenges from the pandemic and level up opportunity for all young people, we need to ensure they can benefit from calm classrooms which support them to thrive.” The call for evidence asks for information about schools’ behaviour strategies and practices, including questions on practices

The reintroduction of on-site testing may be advised by local directors of public health for individual settings or small clusters, or in settings across areas where an “enhanced response package” has been deemed appropriate. The latest guidance states that outbreak management plans for secondary schools should cover the possibility that face coverings should temporarily be worn more widely in settings in their area. This would be advised by local directors of public health. The guidance states ministers could agree to reintroduce shielding in the event of a major outbreak or variant of concern that poses a significant risk to individuals on the shielded patient list, and that schools should make sure their outbreak management plans cover this possibility, but the guidance states shielding can only be reintroduced by national government. The guidance also says that school outbreak management plans should cover the possibility that they are asked to limit residential trips, open days, transition or taster days, parental attendance in settings and performances. CLICK TO READ MORE

or interventions that have been effective in addressing low level disruptive behaviour. It will also gather responses from schools about how and when they might decide to transfer a pupil to another school in their best interest, known as managed moves. The survey asks how schools’ behaviour policies and approaches have changed in response to the pandemic and what successful practices they intend to maintain. CLICK TO READ MORE

Issue 26.4 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Advertisement Feature

How a historic university uses CCTV technology to improve staff efficiency Bath Spa University is a public university with seven major campuses and a number of teaching sites that span across the city. As Head of Facilities and Services, Andy Williams works alongside colleagues in the Estates Department to ensure that maintenance and operations across campuses provide a pristine environment for quality learning. The challenge The legacy Milestone system was installed and replaced over a decade in an ad-hoc manner due to various changes across the estate. Much of the system wasn’t GDPR compliant and coverage spanned across areas that might be considered intrusive or unnecessary. Additionally, the DVR system performed unreliably, which resulted in undetected downtime and extended gaps in coverage. Unpredictable costs associated with service fees and replacement parts that made maintaining the system incredibly expensive. “I needed a solution that was more manageable in terms of budgeting and operability; that, alongside the need to follow GDPR requirements, prompted me and my team to evaluate new CCTV vendors on the market.” Given the expansive campus and the number of faculty that needed access to cameras, Williams found Verkada’s hybrid cloud-based CCTV solution to be effortless to manage at scale. The ability to group cameras by sites and sub-sites, and grant role-based levels of access, removed much of the bottlenecks he experienced with the former DVR solution. “Because I can curate and control who has access to which feeds, it’s easy for me to ensure that data is guarded with utmost security. (Verkada) provides the necessary protections that allow us to be fully GDPR compliant.” Simple to install across campus One thing that greatly impressed Williams about Verkada was how simple the cameras were to install and bring online. With the exception of cameras that were installed at height, Williams and his team completed the deployment in a matter of days. By connecting cameras

to a single PoE cable, all feeds were instantly accessible via Command, Verkada’s cloud-based platform. “The desktop experience and app are both incredibly easy to use. I’m able to do everything, end-to-end, from wherever I am: activate the cameras, assign permissions, find footage, archive clips, or share feeds with outside folks.” Best of all, Williams and his team were able to adjust and position cameras in real-time. “In the process of mounting the cameras, we were already looking at the live feeds. Before getting off the ladders, we were able to make sure that everything was pointed in the right direction and covering the right angles.” Future-proof solution with immediate ROI With cost as one of the primary factors during the vendor evaluation process, Williams found Verkada’s straightforward pricing model and the 10-year product warranty to be highly cost-effective. “What I didn’t want to have to do in five or six years time was another rip-and-replace. The partnership (with Verkada) is something I know will sustain in the long-run. The speed at which we’re getting new features now, is just a glimpse at how the system will get better over time.” “My aim is to have fewer people on the ground and more of a reliance on the camera system. The ability for the existing team to access footage and respond immediately from wherever they are, makes this highly possible.” Williams is looking forward to the continued deployment of cameras across main and remote sites. Once CCTV systems are centralised on Verkada’s platform, he hopes to build a control room where his team can easily monitor cameras at a high-level and make greater use of the extensive features of Verkada’s software. To learn more about Verkada’s easy-to-use CCTV solution, join a weekly webinar session (and get a free YETI mug!).

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News

INSPECTIONS

Inspections to look at how schools prevent sexual abuse

Ofsted has published an updated education inspection handbook, clarifying how inspectors will assess how schools and colleges confront sexual harassment, abuse and violence among children and young people. The updates follow Ofsted’s recent ‘Review of sexual abuse in schools and colleges’, which found that sexual harassment has become ‘normalised’ for children and young people. The report recommended that school and college leaders should

develop a culture where all kinds of sexual harassment are recognised and addressed, including with sanctions when appropriate. The changes to the handbooks will take effect when routine inspection resumes in September. Inspectors will expect schools and college leaders to assume that sexual harassment, online sexual abuse and sexual violence are happening in and around their school, even when there are no specific reports, and to have put in place a whole-

school approach to address them. Inspectors will also consider how schools and colleges handle allegations and incidents of sexual abuse between children and young people when they do occur. Inspectors will look at the preventative measures schools and colleges have put in place to guard against sexual harassment and abuse, including behaviour policies, pastoral support and the relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) curriculum. Ofsted will also expect schools and colleges to be alert to factors that increase children’s potential vulnerability to sexual abuse, and to understand and address the barriers that could prevent a child or young person from reporting an incident. Where schools and colleges do have not adequate processes in place, it is likely that safeguarding will be considered ineffective. This can impact on the ‘leadership and management’ judgement and the overall grade is likely to be ‘inadequate’. CLICK TO READ MORE

TRIPS

EDUCATION RECOVERY

DfE challenged on advice regarding overseas educational visit bookings

Spielman: “Most catch-up learning will happen in the classroom”

A pre-action protocol letter has been sent to the Department for Education (DfE) on behalf of School Travel Forum (STF) and the Expedition Provider’s Association. The two organisations are challenging the DfE’s ongoing advice to schools not to book overseas educational visits for 2022 and beyond, citing the advice as ‘irrational’ and are seeking a Judicial Review to overturn this guidance. Gill Harvey, chief executive of STF, said: “Over half a million children benefit from school trips overseas each year. It takes schools 12 months and upwards to plan a successful and safe educational visit overseas. This gives families time to save and teachers time to build the trip into their yearly plans and to prepare students. “We aren’t talking about schools planning to travel in the next six months, this ban is preventing them planning ahead for 2022 and beyond, meaning even more children will miss out. “Our members have been unable to

operate or even take advance bookings since March 2020. There is a real risk with the current restrictions from the DfE that once we emerge from this pandemic there will be far fewer specialist accredited travel companies available to schools. Our members are the only companies that hold the DfEbacked LOtC Quality Badge which ensures stringent health and safety measure specific to educational visits are in place. The loss of these companies could put pupils at risk if schools are forced to use non-accredited companies.” Each year more than 560,000 students undertake an educational visit overseas. Since the start of the pandemic more than 1 million children and young people have missed out on these experiences and the immense benefits that they offer. Members of the School Travel Forum have been contacting their MPs to highlight the plight facing schools and students. CLICK TO READ MORE

Ofsted’s chief inspector Amanda Spielman has said that most pupils’ catch-up learning will occur in the classroom with their usual teachers. Speaking at the Festival of Education, she said: “So much has been said about catch-up – or education recovery, to use the language that sits more comfortably with the sector. Plans were hatched and then scaled back. New ideas are still being floated ahead of the next spending review. But as I’ve consistently said, for most children, most catching up will happen in their usual classroom with their usual teachers. “The magic of teaching – imparting knowledge, developing skills and building confidence – will mostly happen where it always happens. We should not let the pressure to fill learning gaps bend what schools and colleges do out of shape. “Broadening minds, enriching communities and advancing civilisation is still exactly what’s needed from our schools.” Spielman also said that Ofsted’s Education Inspection Framework is to remain in place. She said: “When I’m asked how we will inspect in September, I keep those purposes in mind. There are technical answers about methodology, and appropriate answers about meeting schools where they are. “But there is also the central truth – we still believe in the substance of education, and that’s what we want to see in action. So the Education Inspection Framework, the EIF, focused on the curriculum, is here to stay.” CLICK TO READ MORE

Issue 26.4 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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Issue 2.0

News

ASBESTOS

ASSESSMENTS

New campaign calls for government asbestos action

First exam board to reduce qualification entry fees

The Joint Union Asbestos Committee (JUAC), along with unions ASCL, GMB, NAHT, NASUWT, NEU, UNISON, Unite, UCU and Voice, have launched a new campaigning website to put pressure on the government to remove all asbestos from educational buildings. The unions released a statement saying: “The impact of the pandemic on children and young people cannot be overstated. As schools continue to support pupils’ return, it is critical that we can ensure that children and young people are able to return to a safe, clean and healthy environment where they can learn and play safely. “Yet we know this isn’t always the case – some twenty years on from the full ban on asbestos in construction, its presence in many older school buildings remains a national problem, with the latest DfE figures estimating that 83.5 per cent of schools in England contain asbestos, in some shape or form. “Much of the school estate is old and in a deteriorating condition, this makes it even harder to avoid asbestos fibres from being released. “According to figures from the ONS, since 2001 at least 305 teaching and education professionals have died of mesothelioma, a cancer almost exclusively caused by asbestos. Whilst there are not official figures for children and young people, we know they are more vulnerable to asbestos exposure, in part due to the increased life expectancy of children compared to adults, and the long latency period of the disease. “Given the very real risk, significant and urgent government investment is needed to fund its phased removal from all school buildings, starting with the most dangerous first. This is the only way to ensure the safety of school staff and pupils. The JUAC campaign is calling for an independent review of the government’s current policy of managing asbestos insitu instead of removing it and a funded programme for the phased removal of all asbestos starting with the most dangerous, with completion no later than 2028. The campaign also wants a government audit which collects and shares data centrally on the extent, type and condition of asbestos in all educational establishments, as well as support for duty holders by providing funded mandatory training, and adequate support and funding from the government for asbestos management and removal. It also calls for proactive inspections by HSE to ensure that educational establishments are managing asbestos effectively, and for the government to prioritise the development of school specific risk assessments, asbestos air tests and environmental levels which take into account the vulnerability of children to asbestos exposure. CLICK TO READ MORE

Exam board WJEC Eduqas has informed its schools and colleges in England and Northern Ireland that it has reduced qualification entry fees by 42 per cent this summer. However, with the majority of headteachers expecting 75 per cent of entry fees back this year, this may not be received well. A press release from WJEC Eduqas says: “As a charity, we would never seek to take advantage of the current circumstances and are committed to re-investing in continuously

improving the support we provide to schools, colleges, and learners, as we do every year. “Our fees not only cover the costs associated with running and delivering summer exams; they’re also needed to fund the development of new qualifications. This includes a new suite of Vocational Awards due to be launched in the coming weeks.” It goes onto say: “Following the cancellation of this summer’s exams, we have developed a range of new systems and processes to ensure learners receive a valid grade this summer. “We have also invested significantly in a new and extensive package of support to help schools and colleges assess their learners with confidence, including comprehensive training opportunities, assessment materials, exemplars, and detailed professional guidance.” CLICK TO READ MORE

DESIGN & BUILD

£483 million allocated through Condition Improvement Fund £483 million from the Condition Improvement Fund will go to 1,199 schools this year, it has been announced. The North East and North West are set to receive the largest allocation of funding across all the English regions, with £93 million for 273 successful schools. Many of the projects funded by Condition Improvement Fund will lead to improved classrooms, more energy efficient buildings and will reduce energy bills for schools. Local authorities, larger multi-academy trusts and Voluntary Aided school bodies

such as dioceses, were allocated condition funding earlier this year in accordance with the latest data on their estates. Smaller academy trusts and sixth form colleges have been able to submit bids to the Department for funding through the Condition Improvement Fund process, for essential maintenance and upgrades. The most pressing 1,199 projects across the country have been allocated funding. CLICK TO READ MORE

SPORT AND PE

£320 million confirmed for PE and Sport Premium The DfE has confirmed that it will continue to fund the PE and Sport Premium next year, with a £320 million investment. The PE and Sport Premium will encourage children to play more sport, increase their social skills, and improve their physical activity after lockdown. Schools will also be able to improve the quality of their teaching and make longerterm, sustainable changes to their lessons. The funding, for the next academic year, can be used by schools alongside any money leftover from the PE and Sport Premium grant this year or last. These underspends can be used by schools until 31 July 2022, and will help them to prioritise physical activities, sport and physical education with mental health and wellbeing support, or education catch up and tutoring.

Tim Hollingsworth, CEO of Sport England, said: “We welcome the confirmation of further PE and Sport Premium funding for the next academic year. Their time at school is a huge part of how children can engage with the activity they enjoy, and which can also support them to focus and learn. After a year of significant disruption to children’s activity levels and schooling, a highquality PE and sport offer, boosting their health and wellbeing, has never been more important.”

CLICK TO READ MORE

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News

SCOTLAND

Scottish Qualifications Authority to be replaced as part of reforms All 12 of the OECD review’s recommendations on Scotland’s school curriculum will be accepted in full, Scotland’s Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville has announced. This includes recommendations on curriculum, assessment and qualifications which will see the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) replaced and Education Scotland substantially reformed. The Scottish Government will actively consider what changes are required to Scotland’s qualifications and assessment system. This work will be heavily informed by the next OECD report, expected in the autumn, and by consultation with young people, parents, teachers and the wider education system. Education Scotland will no longer undertake inspections, with this work becoming a separate, independent role. The Scottish Government will engage widely on the options for the future of inspection. The OECD also suggests that the curriculum work currently undertaken by

Education Scotland might best sit with any new curriculum and assessment body which will replace the SQA. Publication of the OECD report into Scotland’s curriculum system, known as Curriculum for Excellence (CfE), meets another of the Scottish Government’s commitments for the first 100 days since the First Minister was elected. Ms Somerville said: “The last few years have accelerated a debate about the future of Curriculum for Excellence and senior phase education in particular. “The OECD report is crystal clear - Curriculum for Excellence is the right approach for Scotland. “In fact, despite all the criticism here at home, the OECD tells us it is viewed internationally as an inspiring example of curriculum practice. “However, 10 years on from CfE being introduced, it is right and proper that we review how it is being implemented. “We accept in full all 12 recommendations from the OECD.

“We will replace the SQA. We will talk to young people, parents and teachers to build a system that works in line with CfE – exactly as the OECD recommends. “Responsibility for inspection will no longer sit with Education Scotland and we will look at what further reform of the agency’s functions is required. “Everyone across the education system, including at the SQA and Education Scotland, has worked tirelessly this year under very challenging circumstances. They are owed a debt of gratitude. “What comes next is a period of change. But it is change in order to improve, to achieve more and to deliver for Scotland’s pupils. Our commitment is to do exactly that and we will work with everyone and anyone willing to help to make that a reality.” CLICK TO READ MORE

ATTAINMENT

MENTAL HEALTH

£215 million to close poverty-related attainment gap

New resource to help staff deal with pupil mental health

The Scottish Government has announced £215 million of funding in 2021-22 to help close the poverty-related attainment gap. The funding will be distributed through five different programmes, and nine local councils with the highest concentrations of deprivation in Scotland, will share £43 million of investment. A further £7 million from the Schools’ Programme will be shared between 73 additional schools with the highest concentration of pupils from areas of deprivation. Headteachers will receive £147 million of Pupil Equity Funding (PEF) which they will decide how best to invest to support disadvantaged pupils. This includes a top up payment of £20 million, recognising the new and additional challenges schools face as a result of the pandemic. Local authority work to help improve the attainment of care experienced young people, including through mentoring programmes, will receive up to £12 million. A further £7 million is being invested in a number of a national programmes, including third-sector organisations, to support their targeted work to raise the attainment of young people. The announcement meets the Government’s commitment to pay the

first instalment of the expanded £1 billion Attainment Scotland Fund in the first 100 days of Parliament, and is the largest amount awarded for a single year. Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “Closing the poverty-related attainment gap and ensuring every young person has the chance to fulfil their potential remains central to this Government’s work. Our ambition is a long-term one and we know that the challenges presented by the pandemic mean our efforts to deliver equity in education are more vital than ever. “This first instalment of the expanded Attainment Scotland Fund, with record funding of more than £215 million, will allow headteachers, schools, councils and other partners to provide targeted help for some of our most disadvantaged pupils. “We are providing investment across a number of diverse programmes which will benefit looked after children, support pupils in our most deprived areas and empower headteachers to invest their funding on initiatives that are right for the children in their schools.” CLICK TO READ MORE

The Scottish Government has unveiled a new online learning resource to help school staff support young people’s mental health. The Mental Health Foundation, Children in Scotland and training provider Digital Bricks developed the resource that is open to all school staff in primary, secondary and special schools. The resource will allow staff to learn more about factors influencing mental health and wellbeing; prevention-based approaches in schools and tips on how to end mental health stigma and discrimination. Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “Children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing is of vital importance and this resource is a significant addition to the suite of resources that school staff can access. It will provide essential learning and knowledge on mental health and wellbeing that schools can adopt and embed across all aspects of the school environment. “Although aimed primarily at school staff, it can also be accessed and used by anyone who wants to learn more about mental health and how to support children and young people.” Councillor Stephen McCabe, COSLA spokesperson for Children and Young People, said: “The mental health and wellbeing of our children and young people must be a priority as we recover from the Covid-19 pandemic and beyond. “Ensuring those working with young people, in all capacities, have access to resources that develop their understanding of, and equip them to appropriately support mental health would be crucial; I welcome this comprehensive resource providing training and information for all school staff.” CLICK TO READ MORE

Issue 26.4 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Advertisement Feature

How the work from home revolution could boost school finances

Written by Chris Smith, Head of Kajima Community

In hiring out space beyond the usual playing fields, schools can generate even more alternative revenue, money which can then be reinvested in staffing, specialist resources, new equipment, or even to carry out essential maintenance As part of its response to the covid pandemic, in March last year the government closed schools and offices, telling people to work from home where they could. For most people, working from home was a new experience. While it’s not been for everyone, many have found they liked it and would welcome some sort of flexible working arrangement once normality returns. Indeed, a recent report by Demos and Legal & General suggests that of the more than two thirds (65 per cent) of the UK’s working population who were forced to change their place of work as a result of the pandemic, 79 per cent want to continue some form of remote working in future. A knock-on effect of these changes to our working and living habits could result in a lucrative opportunity for those schools with space to rent. Greater numbers of people spending time nearer to home – and able to make use of facilities nearby more often – may prove to be a potentialboom for schools, embedded as they are within their local community. Schools should open up their facilities to local businesses and communities to make the most of these changing work and lifestyle habits, which at the same time can bring in much-needed revenue. A number of schools have been letting out space for some time. Obvious school facilities for hire include football pitches, badminton courts, basketball courts and swimming pools. By hiring these out for use by the local community, including dance and sports organisations, social clubs, holiday camp providers and charities, schools can generate significant sums – on average £70,000 per year, and up £400,000 per year for some large secondary schools. Yet governors and business managers should

not stop at football pitches and swimming pools. Many schools have other space and facilities that could be hired out to those people who will now be spending more time working at home. Such less obvious facilities include carparks, classrooms and larger indoor spaces, such as assembly halls, that are attractive, flexible, and available to hire. The growing trend of utilising assets that are under-used outside of normal education hours comes at a time when schools face budget restraints from unprecedented funding shortages. According to the Institute for Fiscal Studies, schools in England are facing the biggest fall in per-pupil spending in 30 years. Fundraising has become an essential and integral part of school life, and those in charge of schools on the ground must be increasingly creative in looking for fresh ways to relieve budgetary pressures. In hiring out space beyond the usual playing fields, schools can generate even more alternative revenue, money which can then be reinvested in staffing, specialist resources, new equipment, or even to carry out essential maintenance. It is fair to acknowledge that after months of national lockdowns and ongoing uncertainties schools may be cautious about opening their doors. But it is important to remember that they can provide for their community, while securing vital extra funding. The role of technology Technology has become a vital part of this opportunity through helping schools to centralise what can be a complicated administrative process. Handling the logistical, legal and financial aspects of hiring out school facilities can seem like a time-consuming process,

but space lettings software and technology like Bookings Plus and Bookings Guru are empowering schools to manage room bookings, undertake online invoicing and processing payments in a time and cost-effective manner. It’s also crucial for schools to consider who might be interested in renting space. Institutions should draw up a strategy that will identify and reach out to specific audiences who would benefit the school and its students. A school’s website can play an important role in highlighting an offer, as can social media. Similarly, prices being charged should reflect the facilities being offered. It would be useful for schools to conduct a review of facilities being considered for hire, as would undertaking an analysis of the competition – if your school is thinking about doing this then you can bet that those nearby are doing so as well. Services such as BookingsGuru, which oversees the marketing and administration of lettings on the school’s behalf have the expertise and experience to carry out this valuable research as part of implementing the service. Such a review process can also help assess how to optimise space at different periods during the day and at what cost. It all helps to benefit both the school and those looking to rent space in it. As the country re-emerges from the pandemic, schools are ideally placed to take advantage of new trends among a population now working closer to home. They should grasp the opportunity with both hands. Bookings Plus and Bookings Guru BookingsPlus is a web-based, total administration system designed to streamline your lettings process and save you time. It includes a room booking tool, dedicated website, automated invoicing and online payment, and automated communication. BookingsGuru, meanwhile, is a service that enables schools to have access to a real team of real lettings experts who are on hand to take all of the hassle and headaches away from lettings management. L Kajima Community currently partners with over 300 schools across the country to deliver an efficient and cost-effective lettings programme for the benefit of schools and their community. Kajima Community offers a software product, BookingsPlus, and a service, Bookings Guru to help schools connect with the community. FURTHER INFORMATION www.bookingsplus.co.uk https://bookingsguru.co.uk

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Design & Build

Rethinking space utilisation in the classroom Trumpington Park Primary School, part of Cambridge Primary Education Trust, has signed up to an international project that could fundamentally rethink space utilisation in the classroom Planning Learning Spaces was published in October 2019 as a guide for anyone involved in the planning and design of learning environments. The book brought together educationalists and innovative school architects from all over the world to pool their collective expertise and inspire the design of more intelligent learning spaces. To support this, Planning Learning Spaces in Practice was launched to help schools translate their educational vision into learning space design principles, enabling them to create new, or refurbish existing, spaces that actively support their learning goals. Schools are guided through a reflective process, building the link between curriculum and design via a structured framework. Focusing on the school’s vision, values and ethos, the process helps translate learning behaviours and activities into design principles. A new approach to design Trumpington Park Primary School was invited to participate in the global pilot of this Planning Learning Spaces in Practice project. Offering a new approach to learning space design, the Planning Learning Spaces team is working with the Cambridge school to help colleagues align their physical learning environments with their educational vision, in a way that supports the children’s personalised and independent learning.

The school was heralded as state-of-the to develop what it wants to do next, looking art when it opened its doors in September at every aspect of school life, and how this 2017. Entering the central hall of the relates to the design of learning spaces. school, which opens onto the “We started from the galleried double-height ICT heart of our ethos and our Plannin and library resource centre, values, and looked at those it is easy to see why. in terms of what we Learnin g g However, the staff were wanted to achieve in our Spaces i n still presented with the teaching and learning, P r a c was lau tice inevitable standardised but then assessed help sc nched to classrooms (measuring the constraints of the h ools tra approximately current classrooms nslate their vis 55m2 for up to 30 we have in being i o n learning into children) in which able to get that vision space to work, and school to work,” said Mel design principl leaders were looking Shute, headteacher at es for innovative and costTrumpington Park Primary effective ways to transform School. “Whilst we want to these standard-issue rooms into emphasise collaboration and inspirational learning environments. ownership of learning, this can sometimes One advantage to a new school like feel restricted by the furniture and fixed Trumpington Park Primary is that not all features of a space and make it harder for classrooms are in use for the first few years, children to be able to do some of the things so by joining the Planning Learning Spaces we feel are fundamental in their learning. in Practice pilot project the school has the From there, we have looked at different opportunity to develop its learning spaces models to enable children to be able to in alignment with its educational vision. work in different ways in that space.” Meetings and workshops were held with the Planning Learning Spaces team to define The effect of social distancing the school’s vision, values, ethos and current With social distancing in place, Mel revealed practice. The school has then used the that “children have been more separated Planning Learning Spaces Design Framework than we would want, bearing in mind that E Issue 26.4 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

The impact of learning spaces Terry White, project director and co-author of Planning Learning Spaces, explained the philosophy behind the overall project. “We know the impact learning environments have on educational outcomes, yet the majority of school classrooms are over 40 years old and even new builds fail to learn the lessons of research like The Clever Classrooms report,” he said. “The project involves spending time

The Planning Learning Spaces in Practice process is suitable for schools looking to repurpose old spaces, or for those designing new buildings, and helps to ensure a successful transition into these purpose-designed learning spaces engaging with the teachers to help the school effectively recreate their learning spaces so that they align with their vision for learning and teaching. We have developed a structured framework that enables the school to reimagine their future environments for learning.” The Planning Learning Spaces Design Framework builds consensus throughout the teaching staff and the wider school community to support sustained change, empowering schools to be creators of a new, ongoing relationship between pedagogy and space. UK Lead Project Facilitator Bhavini Pandya works with key staff and students throughout the process to ensure all views are accounted for, and that the newly-designed spaces can be used as effectively as possible for all learning opportunities. As a former teacher herself, Bhavini understands the clear link between pedagogy and space and how this can lead to better learning outcomes.

Design & Build

 one of our key values is collaboration, and one of the key drivers of the space”, but she is focused on the expected longer-term impact: “What we anticipate, and what we have seen from small groups of children using the space at this time, is being able to have a high level of flexibility around the organisation of a space will have a huge impact on the way in which teaching and learning happens there. Now we are looking at all the different learning that can happen in that space in very different ways, and teaching children how they can have an impact on their independence and ownership within that space. Having the children as a very central part of the classroom environment will, I believe, make a significant difference to their overall development.” She added: “You look at a classroom and you take it as it is, particularly in a new build. This project has really forced our hand to look at that space in a very different way, go in with a different pair of glasses, and this has been refreshing.”

Professor Peter Barrett, author of the Clever Classrooms report, is monitoring the project to see how the learning outcomes of pupils are affected by this ‘hands on’ approach to creating their own learning environments. “The Planning Learning Spaces approach represents common sense about the positive articulation of spaces and pedagogy,” he said. “Delivering a methodology that makes this connection explicit, and ultimately driven by educational imperatives, is a really important potential contribution and I look forward to being involved in the rigorous assessment of outputs from this project.” The Planning Learning Spaces in Practice process is suitable for schools looking to repurpose old spaces, or for those designing new buildings, and helps to ensure a successful transition into these purpose-designed learning spaces. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.planninglearningspaces.com

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Covid-19 has been a much-needed eyeopener for cleaning and hygiene standards in many public spaces across the UK, not to mention those in the education sector. While health and safety has always been one the top priorities for schools, it has taken on a new meaning during the pandemic: students must stick to their bubbles, the journey from the classroom to the dining hall now follows a strict one-way route and learning moves from classroom to computer when students need to self-isolate. It’s fair to say these measures took some getting used to for most of us, however, a new perspective on cleaning and hygiene could be the fundamental change we need when it comes to preventing the spread of infection in schools.

for instance giving them guidance on proper handwashing techniques. Even the basic skills like handwashing make a massive difference when it comes to preventing the transference of infection in schools. Furthermore, the younger children are when they learn these techniques, the more likely they are to continue practicing those techniques, as they grow older. After all, who was washing their hands for 20 seconds while humming ‘Happy Birthday’ prior to the pandemic? Now, practices like this should simply be habit for the most of us. While we all appreciate the lengths cleaners go to keep public spaces safe and hygienic, I believe it is vitally important that everyone have at least the basic knowledge when it comes to cleaning practices. In schools, that includes teaching staff too. Eighty After all, cleaners cannot per cen be in the classroom school t of every hour of the day to conduct a deep surveye leaders clean, so it is those enhanc d want extra precautions like ed clea regime n i n wiping down desks g s and touchpoints in place a to stay in between lessons that fter the pand make a real difference.

The future of cleaning in schools When it comes to the cleaning routines adopted by schools after the Covid-19 pandemic, it’s important we understand what our school leaders want. In a survey conducted by the NHS Deep Cleaning and Advisory Service with our education contacts across the country, it was found that cleaning regimes and products were a top priority for schools when they reopened in March, with 63 per cent saying it was their highest priority. What is even more encouraging is 80 per cent of school leaders surveyed want enhanced cleaning regimes (such as those provided by the NHS Deep Cleaning and Advisory Service) to stay in place after the pandemic. These findings are really promising. While almost all school leaders surveyed recognised the importance of cleaning and hygiene during the pandemic, it seems this newfound appreciation of cleanliness standards is here to stay.

emic

Touchpoint cleaning So, what exactly is touchpoint cleaning? Touchpoint cleaning is the process of disinfecting surfaces and key features that people make contact with frequently throughout the day – in a classroom that could be anything from a whiteboard to a swivel chair. The touchpoint cleaning process eliminates the presence of pathogens and prevents their transference from one surface to another, ultimately helping reduce the spread of infection within that environment. However, in addition to identifying your key touchpoints in a classroom, it is also important for teachers to know how to clean them properly. This all comes down to knowing the right technique. Perhaps most importantly (and what many people do not realise) is that a new cloth must be used for each surface you clean. Without following this simple rule, you run the risk of cleaning one surface and contaminating each additional surface cleaned thereafter. In addition, surfaces should be cleaned using a figure-of-eight motion, ensuring all areas of the surface are disinfected. In order to stay updated with the latest cleaning techniques, its important sufficient training on best cleaning practices is extended to teachers as well as cleaning staff, too. E

Written by Tony Sullivan, environmental and decontamination manager, NHS Deep Cleaning and Advisory Service

The enhanced levels of cleaning and hygiene practiced at schools during the Covid-19 pandemic will likely help reduce sickness levels for other infections that often spike each winter. Tony Sullivan, environmental and decontamination manager at the NHS Deep Cleaning and Advisory Service, explains why such standards should be here to stay

Cleaning

Future-proofing hygiene and cleanliness in schools

Education is just as important for staff as it is for students Another key finding from the survey is that 77 per cent of schools believe it would be beneficial to teach students about the importance of cleaning,

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Future-proofing cleaning To summarise, while the Covid-19 pandemic has brought significant challenges to the education sector, the newfound appreciation for proper cleaning practices and protocols within the wider community will undoubtedly benefit cleanliness standards in schools in the long-term. While the current focus for schools has been to prevent the spread of Covid-19 within the classroom, enhanced levels of hygiene will likely help to reduce sickness levels for both staff and students by preventing the spread of infections we often expect

Cleaning

 Cleaning ‘the NHS way’ While cleaning has become a top priority for not only schools during the pandemic, but also the general public on a whole, it is important people invest in a reputable cleaning provider for professional support and guidance. For example, the NHS Deep Cleaning and Advisory Service has worked with hundreds of schools across the UK to extend the official NHS protocol for cleanliness. By providing its training course, Cleaning the NHS Way, which was developed within the NHS and is accredited by the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH), it sets an official standard that can be measured and audited against. Investing in such training offers reassurance to staff, students and parents that their schools are cleaned in line official set standards of cleanliness and adhering to the ever-changing policies and procedures during and after the pandemic.

What many people do not realise is that a new cloth must be used for each surface you clean. Without following this simple rule, you run the risk of cleaning one surface and contaminating each additional surface cleaned thereafter to spike each winter, such as norovirus and influenza. Ultimately, by enhancing the frequency and standard of cleaning regimes within schools now, we are making a huge step in future-proofing cleaning practices in the education sector for the long-term.

For more information and guidance on best cleaning practices, visit the website below. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.deepcleaning.nhs.uk

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Advertisement Feature In September 2020 Fireco achieved its one-millionth Dorgard sale! Over the past 25 years, Dorgard has been keeping buildings, businesses and people safe from the dangerous consequences of door wedging. Dorgard is an acoustically-activated door retainer that holds doors open until the fire alarm sounds, when it then releases to close the door and prevent the spread of fire. Since its launch, two more versions have been introduced to the Fireco range, helping customers even further with their fire safety compliance. Fireco started as a small business founded in Brighton and is now selling products worldwide. But how did we come this far? Focus on compliance Dorgard was originally created with compliance and fire safety in mind and this has laid the foundations for everything else we have done since - with our motto becoming “compliance made easy”. Over the years, we have worked with countless installers, fire safety consultants and associations, to ensure our products are suitable for all types of building scenarios. This led to the development of Dorgard SmartSound and Dorgard Pro. There are three different versions of Dorgard to meet different compliance requirements, Dorgard Pro being suitable for Category A. In more recent years, we have partnered with door manufacturers to carry out burns testing so that we

can reassure customers, especially councils and housing associations, that Dorgard is safe to use and will not affect the fire rating of a fire door. Meeting the needs of educational sites Dorgard Pro is controlled by ProHub, which is directly connected to the fire alarm panel. As this requires professional installation, Dorgard Pro is exclusively available to professional installers. We’ll recommend an installer in your area. • Suitable for high-risk zones including corridors, kitchens and stairwells • ProHub checks the status of all units for you • Peace of mind with a five-year warranty Fire safety is paramount, but it isn’t the only problem we can help customers with. Having a Dorgard installed, you can also improve ventilation and access throughout a building, which can be invaluable for schools, colleges and campuses. Since reopening in March, the message has been strong that schools need to abide by Sir Patrick Vallance’s advice of providing good ventilation to help keep infection cases down. The importance of good ventilation in schools cannot be underestimated and Dorgard door retainers can provide effective safety and hygiene measures in these uncertain times. Call us today to book a summer installation

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Fire Safety

Design for fire safety in schools A major new consultation on building design for fire safety in schools has been published. We gather the industry’s reaction to the revisions and ask if the proposals go far enough

The Department for Education is consulting on proposed revisions to its fire safety guidance for schools in England, called Building Bulletin 100: Fire Safety Design for Schools (BB 100). Originally published in 2007, the bulletin offers non-statutory guidance on designing a school building so that pupils and staff will have early warning if a fire breaks out and can evacuate the premises quickly and safely. BB 100 also advises how to minimise the spread of fire within a school and how to ensure the building structure is adequately resistant to the effects of fire. Now 14 years old, the guidance needed updating and reviewed to see if there were additional areas of fire safety that should be included. To that end a Call for Evidence was launched in March 2019. The consultation on the revised bulletin closes in August 2021. Sprinklers Measures such as sprinklers drastically reduce the amount of damage done when there is a fire, and enable schools to get upand-running quickly, reducing the cost, both economically and socially, to the public. The proposed guidance advises that automatic fire suppression systems – such as sprinklers – should be installed in new special

as they already suffer nearly twice the schools and new school buildings over 11 rate of blazes as secondary schools. metres tall. However, there has been a long “Pupil safety and education will become a standing call from fire safety campaigners lottery based on school height. Parents are for sprinklers to be made mandatory likely to be concerned that their children’s for all new and refurbished schools. lives are being measured in metres.” One such campaigner is insurer Zurich, who He added: “School fires cause major has accused the DfE of “measuring children’s disruption to children’s education, with lives in metres” after its plans for repairs leading to months or even only schools over 11m in height years of upheaval. They also to have sprinklers fitted. Measur result in the loss of spaces Tilden Watson, head e which local communities of education at Zurich such as s rely on out of school Municipal, said: automa hours. Unless Ministers “The government’s t i c s fi u re ppressio bring England into line proposals are a step n system drastica with other parts of the in the right direction s l UK, where sprinklers but still leave the amoun ly reduce the t of dam are mandatory, large vast majority of done w fires will continue schools and pupils hen theage to blight children’s exposed to blazes. r e is a fire education, already severely “By limiting sprinklers disrupted by the pandemic, to schools above 11m, and put lives at risk.” the government is effectively writing off a significant Not to be ignored proportion of the school estate. This will Analysis by Zurich of Home Office data create a two-tier system of safety, which covering all 44 fire authorities in England is arbitrary and ill-thought through. from April 2015 and April 2020 found that “As predominantly single-story buildings, school fires have destroyed the equivalent E primary schools will be hardest hit, especially Issue 26.4 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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The NFCC points out that as well as falling short on sprinklers, the new guidance still allows for the use of combustible materials on external walls if they are below 18 metres in height A retrograde step? The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) has also campaigned for the installation of sprinklers in schools, including the retrofitting of sprinklers in existing school buildings when relevant refurbishment takes place. The organisation has accused the DfE of “taking the standards of fire safety in schools backwards” following its proposed revisions to its fire safety in schools guidance. NFCC Sprinkler Lead, Jonathan Dyson said: “These new sprinkler proposals are immensely disappointing and, if implemented, represent a missed opportunity to make our schools safer.

Fire Safety

 of 1,100 classrooms in the last five years. This is more than 74,000 square metres, an area equivalent to 10 football pitches. Fire crews have been called to tackle 2,300 school blazes in England, which completely gutted 47 primary and secondary school buildings, and seriously damaged 230 others. Between April 2015 and April 2020, 1,467 primary schools and 834 secondary schools were hit by blazes. Just two per cent of these schools were fitted with sprinklers. Zurich estimates the average repair bill for large fires alone is £2.9m, with some fires costing up to £20m. Meanwhile data from inspections carried out by Zurich Municipal – which insures roughly half of all schools in the UK – shows that more in the 1,000 school inspections carried out by Zurich, 66 per cent were rated as having ‘poor’ fixed fire protection systems, such as sprinklers, which are proven to significantly reduce the damage caused by fire. Just 14 per cent were rated ‘good’ or ‘excellent’. A further quarter (24 per cent) were judged ‘poor’ for fire detection measures, such as smoke detectors and fire alarms.

“As the original guidance sets out, sprinkler systems can significantly reduce the degree of damage caused by fire and can reduce the risk to life, which is why it is even more puzzling as to why the Department for Education are intent on watering down the current guidance in England. “At the moment there is a loophole which means that the number of new schools being built with sprinklers has reduced from 70 per cent in 2007 to around 15 per cent. “We have called for the installation of sprinklers in schools, including the retrofitting of sprinklers in existing school buildings when relevant refurbishment E

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 takes place. We believe this is in line with the policy intent of the original guidance and that the evidence supports such a move. “School fires can be devastating and the use of sprinklers are proven to not only minimise the disruption to a pupil’s education, but also the impact on their family, the community and the wider education establishment. Schools are important community assets that need protecting. “Whilst there are proposals in this consultation that we would support, we are calling on the Government to think again on sprinklers and work with us to make our schools safer.” The Capital’s schools In 2019, London Fire Brigade revealed that none of the 57 schools in the capital that had a fire that year had sprinklers fitted. The Brigade has long been calling for sprinklers to become a mandatory requirement in schools. In particular, it wants sprinklers to be mandatory in all new school builds and for all schools to be retrofitted with sprinklers during major refurbishment. Sprinklers are especially important during the summer holidays when buildings are empty and fires can smoulder undetected, causing extensive and expensive damage.

Charlie Pugsley, deputy assistant Commissioner for Fire Safety, said: “It is shocking that we have been campaigning for a number of years to make sprinklers mandatory in new schools and retrofitted during major refurbishments and yet this year, every school fire we have been called to has had no sprinklers fitted. “Sprinklers are the only fire safety system that detects a fire, suppresses a fire and can raise the alarm. Sprinklers save lives and protect property. Millions of pounds are wasted every year repairing fire damage in London’s schools when sprinklers could have prevented the spread of fire. “This is not just about saving money; when a school is closed it disrupts a child’s education, impacts on the local community and affects parents by closing breakfast and after school clubs.” Unsafe cladding The NFCC points out that as well as falling short on sprinklers, the new guidance still allows for the use of combustible materials on external walls if they are below 18 metres in height. According to a study by the insulation manufacturer Rockwool, more than 70 schools

are likely to have used plastic foam insulation since it was banned on residential buildings over 18 metres in height in December 2018. The government closed a separate consultation on whether to extend its ban on combustible materials to shorter buildings a year ago, but has not yet announced its findings. Geoff Barton, the general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: “Action rather than discussion is needed now to remove and replace high-risk combustible materials and ensure the safety of young people and education staff.” Jane Duncan, who chairs the RIBA’s fire safety expert advisory group, said: “It’s been almost four years since 72 people lost their lives because our regulatory framework lacked appropriate measures to keep them safe – these shocking figures show the lack of progress that has been made. “Fire does not discriminate between building type or height. We urge the government to deliver a Building Safety Bill that considers schools “higher-risk buildings” and ensure all new schools are fitted with sprinklers, or retrofitted with sprinklers, when relevant refurbishment takes place.” The RIBA’s position is that restrictions on combustible materials should be extended to higher-risk buildings above 11m, and that schools should be classified as higher risk. L

Fire Safety

Zurich estimates the average repair bill for large fires alone is £2.9 million, with some fires costing up to £20 million

FURTHER INFORMATION See the consultation here: tinyurl.com/362679d4

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Issue 26.4 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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FIRE DOORS: The one stop solution from FIRE DOORS COMPLETE What ever your needs regarding timber-based or composite construction fire doors and escape doors, Fire Doors Complete Ltd is here to help Fire door training During the course of their life fire doors will require routine maintenance and repairs. We provide training for maintenance operatives so that they can understand the standards and requirements for the doors at your building to meet compliance requirements. We specialise in fire door installation and fire door maintenance training and at our training centres in Wolverhampton and Leicester we can accommodate the needs of your personnel so that they are able to install fire doors and maintain them to prolong the service life of the doors. At Fire Doors Complete Ltd, we specialise in helping our clients meet the requirements of the applicable legal requirements, regulations and standards. We can do that for existing buildings, new buildings and for refurbishment works. There are three key areas where we can help: fire door inspections; fire door consultancy; and fire door training. Here’s what we can do for you: Fire door inspections Fire doors should be inspected periodically for compliance in existing buildings and it advisable to inspect new fire doors during and post installation works. We provide these services across many sectors including education, healthcare, housing, and commercial and industrial properties. With regard to existing doors in schools and colleges it is important to identify the fire doors that are key to the safety of the people that use the buildings, we can help you identify the most critical fire doors and set-up an inspection and maintenance program to meet your legal obligations and help to keep the fire doors in efficient working order and good repair. Our inspection reports are easy to understand and will clearly identify which doors are compliant and which are not. We will not bombard you with unnecessary jargon but where doors are found to be non-compliant our reports will be clear about describing the necessary work required in order to make them compliant. The period of time between inspections should reflect the importance of the particular doors in terms of how critical they are to safety of the people at the building and the type of wear and tear they are subject to. By helping you to plan inspection intervals and by providing clear and concise inspection reports we can help you target resources to where they are needed and help you to avoid unnecessary expense. Our fire door inspection services will help you to stay legal, to stay safe and avoid unnecessary expense.

Fire door consultancy Of course, the best way to achieve compliance is to ensure the fire doors are specified and installed correctly from day one. Our consultancy service provides you with an efficient way to help ensure that the doors will meet the requirements of the building users and be compliant with the necessary standards and regulations. Not only that but because we have complete understanding and experience of the many different types of door construction available, we can help to ensure the doors will be durable enough to meet the demands of the building users. Too often, the specification is not sufficiently detailed and unsuitable fire doors are supplied and installed. Again, the end result is often that the building owner or operator is left with unsatisfactory fire doors and has to meet the cost of the necessary remedial works. We know our fire door products, therefore our consultancy services will help to ensure new or replacement fire doors are suitable for the type of use to which they will be put.

Our credentials Of paramount importance to us as a company is that our clients are always satisfied with the service we provide. We always work hard to do our best for our clients and help them to avoid the pitfalls of non-compliance with legal requirements, regulations and standards. We are able to do that every time for every client because we have many, many years of experience and because we possess the necessary qualifications. All inspectors will have not only passed the FDIS certificated inspector assessment but also hold additional fire door inspector qualifications. We are certificated to a UKAS accredited third party certification scheme for fire door inspections and we are assured by NOCN to deliver SiteRight fire door installation training. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.firedoorscomplete.com

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

Fire Safety Written by Iain Cox, Chair of the Business Sprinkler Alliance

Fewer than one in six schools are built without fire protection, such as sprinklers

According to recent statistics, there are more than 600 fires in schools across Great Britain each year costing on average £2.8 million for larger incidents. Iain Cox, Chair of the Business Sprinkler Alliance makes the case that money spent on dealing with the aftermath of fires in schools should be spent on sprinklers In the past 15 months the disruption to a child’s education caused by Covid-19 is sadly well documented but when it comes to fire, it too can have a huge impact on a child’s education. According to recent statistics, there are more than 600 fires in schools across Great Britain each year costing on average £2.8 million for larger incidents. Despite this alarming statistic, sprinklers are currently only mandatory in new school buildings in Scotland and required via funding in Wales, but not in England and Northern Ireland. Yet observations on the incidence of fires relative to the population of school buildings, indicates that the rate of fires in England is similar to that of Scotland and Wales. Iain Cox, Chair of the Business Sprinkler Alliance makes the case that money spent on dealing with the aftermath of fires in schools should be spent on sprinklers. A devestating impact School fires have a devastating impact on both a school and a community. Three school fires in Derbyshire last year are a painful reminder of the damage, the displacement of pupils, disruption to education and the costs incurred when they are not fitted with sprinklers. On the morning of Saturday 3 October, six fire engines and two aerial ladder platforms were called to attend a major blaze at St Mary’s Catholic Voluntary Academy in Darley Abbey, Derby. The fire quickly engulfed the building, which was largely destroyed and reported as a ‘total loss’. Just 48 hours later,

were on site and teachers and staff who in the early hours of Monday 5 October, were working in the building were able to there was a second severe fire only four evacuate safely. Despite the efforts of the miles away, this time at Ravensdale Infant Fire and Rescue Service, they were unable School in Mickleover which required 12 to save the building. Not only did the fire fire engines from the Derbyshire Fire and severely affect the education of the 235 Rescue Service. Whilst the Fire and Rescue pupils when they returned to temporary service brought the fire under control there classroom accommodation after lockdown, was extensive damage to the building. the school will have to be rebuilt. The Neither building had sprinklers fitted. temporary classroom accommodation was The 110 children from the St Mary’s Catholic noted to cost £500,000 and is expected to Voluntary Academy were originally sent to be in place for two years during the rebuild. work from home for three weeks before The cost of the rebuild was further being displaced into two separate reported to be £5.5 million and local schools. They have now will require central funding. been reunited in temporary How Whilst many may be accommodation within a many m struck by the financial refurbished office block ore fires ne consequences the key over three floors. There ed to o item is that across these is no firm date for the c before cur three events 570 pupils replacement school s prinkler installa have been displaced but it is noted it will t i o and have seen weeks take 24-36 months a prere n becomes q of disruption to their to complete. The 227 u i s i t e school lessons, which were children from the design of a already disrupted by the Ravensdale school are n d s afety? pandemic. That disruption being moved to temporary has meant parents adjusting locations and may move childcare, trying to continue again during the £8 million lessons at home and dealing with rebuild of their schools which is the impact of the event with their children. expected to be completed late in 2022. That impact continued until they found These two devastating fires come in the temporary accommodation but that was wake of a blaze in the same area four months not always in the same place as the original earlier at Harrington Junior School in Long school. Children can be resilient to such E Eaton, Derbyshire. Thankfully, no children Issue 26.4 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Fire Safety

Over 1,100 classrooms destroyed by fire in five years School fires have destroyed the equivalent of 1,100 classrooms in the last five years, according to analysis of Home Office data by Zurich Municipal.

School fires have a devastating impact on both a school and a community. Three school fires in Derbyshire last year are a painful reminder of the damage, the displacement of pupils, disruption to education and the costs incurred when they are not fitted with sprinklers  changes but we must remember that in the background to this is an insistence from the Government prior to the pandemic that a week’s interruption to education would have an impact on attainment for children. In thinking about each of these fires, it is clear that they have each had such an impact. Currently, sprinklers are currently only mandatory in new school buildings in Scotland and centrally funded schools in Wales, but not in England and Northern Ireland. Yet observations on the incidence of fire relative to the population of school buildings, indicate that the rate of fires in England is the same as in Scotland and Wales. According to a 2019 study by Zurich Municipal, education insurer for half of the schools and universities in the UK, two-thirds of schools have ‘poor’ fire protection and are not properly prepared for a potential damaging fire. It also found that schools in England are ‘twice as likely’ to suffer fires than other school buildings. The insurer has stated that a change to government legislation to make sprinklers mandatory will not only protect children in school but will also contain a fire to the room it starts when it begins out of school hours. Building Bulletin 100 The government is currently consulting on a revised version of Building Bulletin 100 (BB100): Design for fire safety in school. The consultation document was written with no known input from the fire sector and there is no business case supporting the assertions in the document. Furthermore, the insurance

industry has a higher figure for school fires and damage costs than the government. The BSA has always highlighted that BB100 sets the right expectations around the protection of schools and the continuity of education. It sets an expectation that the school should be fully functional within 24 hours of a fire, apart from the room where the fire occurred. The BSA wants the government to explicitly maintain these objectives in the revised BB100 so that fewer schools are damaged and destroyed by fire. Better still, the government should make property protection a consideration for the fire safety Building Regulations to effectively protect all buildings of significant social and/or economic value from fire. Automatic sprinklers would be a key tool in achieving this outcome. Fires continue Whilst writing this piece a fire impacted a further primary school in Ormskirk on the evening of the 17 June. The fire is reported to have damaged three rooms within the building and this reminds us of a key point. Whilst we may focus on fires that damage entire school buildings, it is also about teaching spaces. A fire that damages a teaching space has an impact on the smooth running of a school. In this case the loss of teaching space at the Armsall Primary School will see children displaced to a local university for the last few weeks of term. However, when the children return after the summer temporary buildings or further alternative spaces will be needed. Fire can have a lasting and devastating impact on both schools and communities

Fire crews have been called to tackle 2,300 school blazes in England, which completely gutted 47 primary and secondary schools, and seriously damaged 230 others. More than 74,000 square metres, an area equivalent to 10 football pitches, of teaching facilities have been damaged by fire in this time. Zurich Municipal now estimates 390,000 teaching hours could be lost in the next year as a result of large fires alone, causing disruption for 28,000 children, who may already be struggling to catch up following school closures during the pandemic. The findings – based on Home Office data from all 44 fire authorities in England – has led to renewed calls for mandatory sprinklers to be fitted in new and refurbished schools, bringing the country into line with Wales and Scotland where they are already compulsory. Between April 2015 and April 2020, 1,467 primary schools and 834 secondary schools were hit by blazes. Just two per cent of these schools were fitted with sprinklers. Zurich estimates the average repair bill for large fires alone is £2.9m, with some fires costing up to £20m. and must be avoided and minimised. Schools should be designed to withstand the risks they will be exposed to whether that is fire, flood, theft, earthquake or storm, etc. Too often a building is conceived without due consideration as to the impact of those risks over the life of the building. Ensuring the safety of a building’s occupants is considered the minimum under current regulations, but it is clearly not the optimal outcome. A sprinkler system would serve to protect both the occupants and the building, allowing students to return to normality far more rapidly and with considerably less disruption to teachers’ already hectic schedules during this pandemic. Fires in schools must be avoided. How many more fires need to occur and children’s educations be disrupted before sprinkler installation becomes a prerequisite of school design and safety? L FURTHER INFORMATION www.business-sprinkler-alliance.org

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

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Complete solutions for fire prevention works and the government’s design guidance for fire safety Novus’ extensive experience gives academic institutions assured protection against all requirements of fire prevention and compliance regulations They also cover pipe penetration seals including metal/combustible pipe penetration; cable penetration seals; wall cavity barrier seals; and linear gap seals. Novus also undertakes large cable tray fire stopping; loft compartment fire barrier installations, and the installation of new fire safety signage They are also highly experienced in carrying out the installation of fire dampers for ductwork that passes through fire compartment fire walls, and M&E installations, to prevent the escape of fire and smoke through rooms. It is also possible for Novus to carry out maintenance works to existing fire doors including replacement door seals, door closers and frame packers. Novus Property Solutions specialises in providing a fully bespoke compliance service to cover all passive fire protection and active fire protection including sprinkler system installations. As a Firas-approved contractor, Novus offers a comprehensive range of certified passive fire protection services, giving you the peace of mind and reassurance that your buildings will provide adequate protection for occupants in the event of a fire. The company, which has 22 offices throughout Great Britain, also has a strong portfolio for providing FD fire doors and maintenance, penetration sealing systems, and compartmentation – all accompanied by the requisite Fire Safety Certification. The fire sprinkler system specialists also provide a complete service for the installation of bespoke fire sprinkler and misting systems, including fit-outs within new build properties and retrofit to existing educational, residential, commercial and industrial properties. Automatic water suppression systems (AWSS) are the most effective way to ensure fires are suppressed, or even extinguished, before the fire service arrive. The government’s ‘Fire safety in new and existing school buildings’ guidance explains what education institutions have to do to comply with fire safety law. The guide is intended for premises where the main use of the building or part of the building is for educational purposes. These include schools, colleges, universities, Sunday schools, academies, crèches, adult education centres, after-school clubs, outdoor education centres and music schools. All educational premises are expected to have a system in place for the management of fire safety. One of the requirements is that it is essential to ensure that fires are unlikely to occur; that if they do occur they are

likely to be controlled or contained quickly, effectively and safely; or that, if a fire does occur and grow, everyone in your premises is able to escape to a place of total safety easily and quickly. The guidance is designed to help you ensure that your fire safety procedures, fire prevention measures, and fire precautions (plans, systems and equipment) are all in place and working properly. In the education sector, Novus has delivered numerous projects nationwide to install or improve fire prevention capabilities in leading universities. One significant long-term relationship has been with the University of Manchester, where Novus has delivered projects for over 20 years as part of the university’s minor works programme. The contract has been renewed a number of times due to their successful service delivery, most recently in 2020. The business has established a strong working relationship with the University Estates Team over the years, which significantly contributes to the delivery of an effective and seamless planned maintenance programme in line with the University’s fire risk assessments for their buildings. The university undertakes Fire Risk Assessments (FRAs) for passive fire upgrade works on all buildings across the campus estate including corridors, offices, labs, lecture theatres and student accommodation. These works are then categorised by urgency and works orders are issued to the Novus team.

In-house expertise Having a specialist fire protection compliance team in-house allows Novus to provide dedicated contract management teams including Quantity Surveyors, Contracts Managers, and Certified FIRAS and BM Trada Approved Supervisors. All operatives allocated to their fire prevention projects have recognised trade qualifications gained through formal apprenticeships and/or vocational qualifications to ensure they carry out their work in a safe and professional manner. Novus not only delivers passive fire prevention works but is also a leading provider of property refurbishment, building maintenance and new build construction solutions to both public and private sector organisations. Their broad offering gives clients the opportunity to work with a ‘one stop shop’, bringing together a full range of services under one roof. Get in touch with Novus to discuss how they can ensure you are fully compliant with fire prevention and safety regulations. L FURTHER INFORMATION 01782 237249 www.novussolutions.co.uk

All types of protection covered All of their regional offices including their head office based in Stoke-On- Trent carries out all types of fire protection works including new door set installations; existing fire door maintenance; and fire rated partition and ceiling installations.

Issue 26.4 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Classroom mechanical ventilation with heat recovery saves £120 per year…

…in heating bills when compared to traditional ventilation. An aluminium heat exchanger recovers up to 92% of the heat from the warm air in the room, and avoids classroom air recirculation.

Visit www.sav-systems.com/smart or call: +44 (0)1483 771910

Air Quality Written by Global Action Plan

Over 3.4 million UK children attend schools with toxic air Environmental charity Global Action Plan has revealed research which finds 27 per cent of UK schools are in areas above World Health Organization air pollution limits. This equates to an estimate of over 3.4 million UK children learning in an unhealthy environment According to research from charity Global Action Plan, 27 per cent of all 28,965 UK schools are located in areas which are above World Health Organization (WHO) air pollution limits for the pollutant PM2.5 (10ug/m3). The data collected by EarthSense is the most comprehensive and up-to-date sample of air pollution taken from all schools across the UK and is based on data input from a 2019 annual average data set. The data measures concentrations of PM2.5 (Particulate Matter with a diameter of 2.5 microns or

less). PM2.5 is formed of tiny particles that can cross from the lungs into the blood and then move around the body causing conditions such as heart and lung disease. The WHO Air Quality Guidelines offer global guidance on thresholds and limits for key air pollutants that pose health risks. Of the 7,852 schools above the WHO PM2.5 limit of 10ug/ m3, including nursery, primary, secondary and sixth forms, 98 per cent (7,692) are in England. In London, 25 per cent of schools (1,973) are above the WHO PM2.5 limit

– with notable boroughs including 158 in Lambeth & Southwark, 146 in Romford, 129 in Croydon, 119 in Twickenham, 116 in Brixton, and 95 in Ilford. The charity reviewed the air quality outside schools because children are particularly vulnerable to its impacts and spend a significant amount of time at school. Starting in the womb, toxic air can harm children’s health, causing or triggering asthma, damaging lung development, and as revealed on Clean Air Day 2020, it can even affect their ability to learn. E Issue 26.4 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Air Quality

Closing roads at school-run times Research into the School Streets shows that closing the roads around schools to traffic at pick-up and drop-off times has reduced polluting nitrogen dioxide levels by up to 23 per cent and is strongly supported by parents.

 Clean air day 2021 This year’s Clean Air Day took place on 17 June with the theme “protect our children’s health from air pollution”. Following the negative effects of the pandemic on children and young people, Clean Air Day called for an environment where children can learn and play free from the damaging effects of air pollution. Schools took part in Clean Air Day with a host of activities. This included hosting assemblies to raise awareness on air pollution, to encourage parents, carers and teachers to leave the car at home and to tell their local council what they would like to see happening to tackle air pollution by writing or tweeting them to protect children’s health. Local authorities were asked to communicate the health risks of air pollution and how to tackle it to schools, residents, businesses and health groups with the need for action and say what they are doing to protect children’s health from air pollution. Schools were encouraged to make use of “The Clean Air Schools Framework”, a free online tool that gives teachers, headteachers, parents and local authorities a bespoke blueprint of actions for tackling air pollution in and around the school. Harmful for children Dr Maria Neira, director at WHO says: “These figures are unequivocally too high and harming children’s health. Schools should be safe places of learning, not places where students are at risk of health hazards. There is no safe level of air pollution, and if we care about our children and their future, air pollution limits should reflect WHO guidelines.” Larissa Lockwood, director of Clean Air

at Global Action Plan says: “The fact that 27 per cent of UK schools are above WHO air pollution limits is extremely alarming. Air pollution is not a fact of life. If we all do our bit, it can be solved with collaborative action and education. “We have seen the power of Clean Air Day to unite a movement, to bring confidence to talk about the importance of tackling air pollution even in trying times, and to push for change, but it can’t stop there. Tools like the Clean Air for Schools Framework are available for free to help any school set up a clean air action plan, but schools cannot do this alone. If we all come together - individuals, schools, businesses, local authorities across the UK to collectively act and seize this moment we can create and support change, for good.” Dr. Roland Leigh, technical director at EarthSense says: “The MappAir national annual average air quality model uses information from variety of sources including reference site data, traffic data, weather data and Zephyr air pollution measurements to model air pollution concentrations across the UK. By combining these types of data, we can ensure that we’re providing validated and credible air quality information. Using longitude and latitude coordinates supplied by Global Action Plan, we extracted data from our 2019 annual average MappAir dataset for NO2 and PM2.5 for each location. Using this data, the model indicated the locations experiencing levels exceeding WHO limits.” Sarah Hannafin, policy advisor at the National Association for Head Teachers (NAHT) says: “One thing the Covid-19 crisis has shown us is that we can do things differently. As we now begin to try and return to a more normal way of life it’s important we don’t just automatically take up old habits but try

To measure the air quality benefits of the new School Streets in London, 30 cutting-edge sensors from the Breathe London network were installed at 18 primary schools across Brent, Enfield and Lambeth to record nitrogen dioxide levels. Around half of London’s emissions come from road transport, and London’s toxic air already leads to thousands of premature deaths in the capital every year as well as stunting the development of young lungs and increasing cases of respiratory illness. Roads surrounding schools are closed to motor traffic at drop-off and pick-up times, enabling children to walk or cycle to school, reducing car trips and improving air quality. Since April 2020, almost 350 School Streets, which provide space for social distancing and help to reduce road danger around schools, have been delivered across London with funding from Transport for London and the boroughs to tackle children’s exposure to air pollution and improve their health. TfL has also published new survey results which suggest that interventions outside schools to make walking and cycling safer are popular with parents and carers and have contributed to a drop in car use. It found that 81 per cent of those surveyed at schools where measures had been implemented believed a School Street is suitable for their school. A further 73 per cent of parents and carers at these schools agree with School Street measures remaining in place while social distancing is still required, with 77 per cent supporting the changes being kept in the long term subject to consultation.

to use this opportunity to find better options, for ourselves and the planet. The impact of the pandemic on children has been huge; we need to do everything we can to make sure we safeguard their futures. One vital way of doing that is to ensure they return to a safe, clean and healthy environment where they can learn, play and thrive.” L FURTHER INFORMATION www.globalactionplan.org.uk

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

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Heating, fresh air and heat recovery for schools from Dunham-Bush The events of 2020 have focused even more attention on indoor air quality, and while some new technologies have emerged, the fundamental approach of bringing more fresh air into buildings is still the most effective way to improve indoor air quality buildings not equipped with a full BMS, such as refurbishment projects but where a level of central control is desirable. The Smart Vent controller is configured with on/off switches and the central time clock, to simplify set up and operation.

As awareness of indoor air quality in classrooms and other buildings grows, both new and established products from DunhamBush are making a difference. The fast warm up and quick response of fan convectors have made them a popular choice in schools. Dunham-Bush have been manufacturing fan convectors with fresh air introduction for many years, allowing CO2 levels in a space to be monitored and controlled. These products have been improving the environment in classrooms quietly and often unnoticed. The success of these products has prompted the development of new and improved products to suit today’s requirements. Good air quality in classrooms is good for academic performance as well as the safety of occupants. With air pollution levels continuing to rise in the UK, it has become increasingly important that these issues are addressed. Released by the government in 2018, BB101: ‘Ventilation, thermal comfort and indoor air quality 2018’ has been instrumental in the most significant changes in ventilation design, since 2006. Working in parallel with BB93: ‘Acoustic designs for schools, performance standards (2015)’, it gives a detailed approach to the internal environment in schools with the emphasis very much on energy efficiency. The events of 2020 have focused even more attention on indoor air quality and while some new technologies have emerged, the fundamental approach of bringing more fresh air into buildings is still the most effective way to improve indoor air quality. Improved monitoring and better controls have provided more opportunities to optimise energy efficiency while providing better indoor air quality. Fan convectors with fresh air introduction Dunham-Bush offer a range of products from Series AM fan convectors equipped with fresh

air dampers and CO2 controls to networks of fan convectors with additional features. The Smart-Vector range of fresh air fan convectors offer further innovative options to the client, ensuring recommended indoor air qualities (IAQ) are achieved. Smart-Vector’s provide demand-led tempered fresh air and heating using a stand-alone controller with local setpoint adjustment. Multiple heaters can be operated in master / slave configuration to ensure effective control in larger spaces. There are five models in the Smart-Vector range: floor standing front outlet models SV19 and SV22; top outlet model SV88; high wall model SV53; and ceiling mounted SV80. With nominal outputs ranging from 1.4kW to 14.6kW, comfortable conditions in the space can be maintained. All units incorporate variable air volume (VAV) control function, to maintain design conditions. The Smart-Vector digital controller incorporates an integral CO2 and air temperature sensors. The controller provides modulating outputs to the fan, fresh air damper and control valve, ensuring optimum use of energy, low noise level and low CO2 levels, whilst achieving comfort in the space. The controller is compatible with Modbus or BACnet BMS. Each unit is complete with a frost protection thermostat and spring return actuator, two or four-port valve and actuator, and energy efficient EC motors. Fan speed is infinitely adjustable to attain the necessary air flow without low noise. Stand-alone and master units also have low temperature cut-out (LTC) thermostats. The Smart-Vent controller is used to provide additional features to a network of Smart-Vectors and utilises a central clock function to imitate pre-occupancy purging as well as day and night time free cooling. Smart-Vent can manage 32 zones and is particularly suited to

Improved indoor air quality with heat recovery The next step in the improvement of indoor air quality for schools can include heat recovery, not heat recovery by mixing fresh air with room air and exhausting a mixture of both but the use of a high efficiency metal heat exchanger, a design which ensures excellent specific fan power and very low noise in a compact unit. The Classmaster heat recovery ventilation unit has been developed specifically for classrooms and along with all the VHR range of units now available from DunhamBush, fully complies with the latest BB101 and BB93 guidelines. With airflows ranging from 50 to 600l/s, Classmaster delivers the very highest standards of air quality. Key features include a patented variable air mass flow heat exchanger, which maintains thermal efficiency at both 100 per cent and 50 per cent airflow. The unique configuration of low resistance heat exchangers, used in conjunction with EC fans, delivers minimal sound levels and excellent heat reclaim efficiency while monitoring and controlling levels of CO2 in the space. Classmaster units have the option of ePM2.5 (F7) filters for inner city installations. With a height of only 300mm, Classmaster 260 can be installed within a ceiling void or surface mounted. Space heating coils and frost coils are also available for the Classmaster range. Versatile control options The factory fitted Eco-Pro 3 controller offers stand-alone control for the Classmaster products, with simple BMS interface connections when required. Individually adjustable fan speeds on trickle and boost settings with frost protection, automatic summer by-pass and night time free cooling options are included as standard. Fans that respond automatically to increasing levels of CO2 is detected. Where full BMS integration is required almost any industry standard controller can be incorporated into the Classmaster. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.dunham-bush.co.uk

Issue 26.4 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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Presented live online by celebrity host Jeff Brazier on 8 July, the Education Business Awards will recognise the outstanding work, commitment and achievements of schools and academies across the country. We look at some of the schools on the shortlist Schools continue to have to navigate through the difficult situation of the Covid19 pandemic, balancing the need for a Covid-safe environment while still educating pupils and ensuring they catch-up on any lost learning caused by the closures. What’s more, they are expected to provide quality remote learning for those self isolating. The Education Business Awards will celebrate the outstanding work, commitment and achievements of schools and academies across the country. Sponsored by Philips, the awards will be presented live online by celebrity host Jeff Brazier on 8 July. Now a weekly presenter on BT Sport Score, an ambassador for People’s Postcode Lottery and a regular presenter on TalkRadio, Jeff is a qualified Life Coach and Grief Counsellour. His first book The Grief Survival Guide was published in 2017. The Awards are also sponsored by Community Playthings, Big Dug, Honeywell, and Junkers. Outstanding progress – primaries The Outstanding Progress award is presented to the UK Primary School that has made outstanding progress in the management of its facilities, finances and human resources and can demonstrate an increase in the educational performance of the school. Eldersfield Lawn CofE Primary School in Gloucestershire is one of the schools on the shortlist for Outstanding Progress. With just over one hundred children or roll, Eldersfield puts a range of experience based learning opportunities to good use in order to meet the needs of pupils. It has adopted the 17 Global Goals for Sustainable Development as a key curriculum driver, which gives a real context to the children’s learning and will enable them to make informed decisions as they move through life. After school clubs cover a range of sports and physical activities as well as helping pupils with real-life experiences. 100 per cent of pupils reach the expected standard in reading, writing and maths. Ashurst CofE Primary School in West Sussex has also been shortlisted for the award. As one of the highest performing primaries in the South East region, Ashurst, which opened

Education Business Awards

Who’s up for an Education Business Award in 2021?

school was originally built in 1852 and is now a Grade II listed building. It has three classrooms mixing old and new with high beamed ceilings and the latest interactive whiteboard technology, as well as separate, dedicated room for art and a well-used library. Catering for 4-11 year olds with 99 pupils currently on roll, the school has been referenced by Tatler’s Good Schools guide as ‘the cream of the country’s crop’. Carsington and Hopton Primary School in Derbyshire has also made the selection in the Outstanding Progress category. Part of the three school Village Federation, the small number of pupils at Carsington enjoy a high quality primary education. Investments in the building infrastructure have been made to provide light, airy spaces where pupils can concentrate on learning and school leaders have strived to tackle areas of improvement identified in Ofsted inspections. Highly effective networking with local schools is increasing staff expertise and improving progress and outcomes for all pupils. Parents feel very much involved in their children’s education.

its doors in 1873, works hard to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare – Ofsted rates this as outstanding. Pupils have many opportunities to learn about a wide range of different cultures. The school’s link with a primary school in Gambia helps Outstanding progress – to develop their social, moral, spiritual and secondary cultural education, helping to prepare them City of Norwich School (CNS) has made the for life in the modern world. KS2 scores are shortlist for outstanding progress in the consistently above the national average, secondary category. Established in 1920, Another school contending to be winners City of Norwich School, part of the Ormiston of the Outstanding Progress Award is Academies Trust since 2014, puts its students Hogsthorpe Primary Academy in Lincolnshire. at the heart of everything it does. Two awards Originally built in 1857 to serve the local from SSAT’s Framework for Exceptional community, Hogsthorpe Academy, part of Education - for Curriculum Design the 34 school David Ross Education and Professional Learning – Trust, has consistently performed indicate that the school well above the national is amongst the most average in SATS. A T he exceptional in the modern building houses Educati country, with particular classrooms equipped o n B usiness attention paid to with interactive will be Awards the professional whiteboards, laptops live onl presented development of and iPads which help ine by c staff CNS works in deliver an exciting e lebrity host Je partnership with the range of co-curricular ff Brazi London Guildhall activities as well as a e r o n 8 July School of Music and new dining area and hall Drama and is home to that offers an excellent the Norfolk Centre for space for assemblies, sports Young Musicians (NCYM). and much more. Being part of a Another school gunning to win the large academy trust offers pupils at outstanding progress award is Heartlands Hogsthorpe opportunities for shared learning. Academy in Birmingham. Despite being Great Tew County Primary School in situated in the 16th most deprived ward in Oxfordshire has been nominated for its the entire country, Heartlands, and E-ACT E pupils impressive KS2 performance. The

Issue 26.4 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Making schools and colleges safe and secure

Honeywell Security is a leading global provider of access control, intruder detection, video surveillance and integrated security solutions for the commercial markets. We focus on delivering innovative security products and services across Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA). Giving our customers the power to make buildings healthier, safer and more secure by providing secure cloud-based ecosystems that are available at any time, from anywhere.

Reducing daily disruptions, MAXPRO® Cloud makes it easier to manage and monitor critical security and business intelligence needs – on the go. This allows you to continue focusing on your bottom line, from wherever you need to be. Find Honeywell solutions for your educational institution by contacting the UK team.

FURTHER INFORMATION www.security.honeywell. com/maxpro-cloud/uk/

Furniture and play equipment for primary schools and early years

Children need simple, natural toys and furniture that promote open-ended, imaginative play. Our conviction that children come first has driven every aspect of our business since 1947. Our furniture is modular and adaptable enabling you to change and configure your environment to suit the needs of each child and staff member. Made and designed in our workshops in the UK; the solid wood construction and robust joinery makes for products that last decades. These products are free of any elements that are harmful for children and the environment and the wood we use is chain-of-custody certified and sustainably grown. All our products carry our standard 15-year-warranty

and we provide free 2 week delivery regardless of order size to anywhere in the UK, products come fully assembled and ready to use. Investing in the highest quality materials can produce long-term benefits for children and staff; few other one-time investments offer such a return. Don’t forget to ask us about our complimentary room layout service and free staff training resources.

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School safety The School Safety Award is presented to the school which has provided an effective, timely response to the challenges posed the Covid-19 pandemic in order to minimise the risk to staff and pupils. Up for the award is St Mark’s C of E Primary School in Pensnett, which is one of just four schools nationally to be directly referenced in a Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) report. The school used its Community and Wellbeing Leader to maintain a strong link between school and home. This has been reinforced by regular phone calls by staff and the Attendance Officer, open email access and home visits to develop strong relationships with parents during a difficult period. Different approaches were adopted for

The Outstanding Progress award is presented to a school that has made outstanding progress in the management of its facilities, finances and HR and can demonstrate an increase in the educational performance of the school different pupils depending on need. Cranbourne School, meanwhile, has been praised for its work supporting pupils during the pandemic in its latest Ofsted monitoring visit. Approximately eight out of ten pupils were educated at home in the spring term, with around eighty per cent of vulnerable pupils, and just over half of pupils with an education, health and care plan, educated on site during this time. Where needed, individual support has included staff delivering food parcels from the school’s own food bank. Another school hoping to win the School Safety Award is Ulverston Victoria High School in Cumbria. Its well organised and highly successful lateral flow testing programme has helped to break the chain of transmission of COVID-19. More than 4,500 lateral flow tests were carried out across nine days in the school sports hall - equal to three tests per pupil – which meant a huge scaling up of the school’s testing programme. Hanson Academy, in Bradford, used a combination of “live” and pre-recorded lessons for those working from home during the national lockdown. Roughly nine out of 10 pupils were educated at home during this period, with around two thirds of vulnerable pupils and all pupils with an education, health and care plan attending school. Parents have been particularly positive about the school’s approach to remote learning. Ryders Green Primary School in the West Midlands has also been nominated for the School Safety Award. After two people from Ryders Green Primary School school tested positive for the B.1.617.2 variant, it has been applauded by public health officials for its work to minimise transmission. Testing was ramped up as part of increased surveillance for the variant. Parents, guardians, students and staff members were advised of the situation and if they need to be tested. Online learning is offered using a Google Classroom, which can be accessed via the popular X Box or Playstation consoles. A focus on the environment The Environmental Practice Award is presented to the school project that can demonstrate a benefit to the environment and the environmental education of its pupils. One such school up for winning the accolade is Ysgol Y Foel in Wales. A decarbonisation project at the school has resulted in energy costs being reduced by 70 per cent. Built in the 1960s, it was essential to come up with a way to power the school using renewable technologies. A complete refit of the energy source

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 Academy, achieved a progress 8 score of 1.46 in the 2018-19 academic year and is ranked the number one sponsored academy in the country for progress - sixth overall in the national league tables. It was named Secondary school of the year and Overall school of the year the 2020 Tes Schools Awards and continues to offer pupils a first class education. Carleton High School in West Yorkshire has been nominating in the outstanding progress category for its dramatic turnaround. Since Carleton High School, part of the Pontefract Academies Trust, was rated inadequate and placed in special measures in 2017, a dramatic turnaround has occurred with improvements made at breakneck speed. Now ranked as the most Improved School in the North of England by the Fairer Schools Index, a series of specialist workshops operated during the COVID pandemic half terms which helped students catch up with ‘lost learning’. Now rated ‘Good’, sights are set on ‘Outstanding’ at the next inspection. Kingsley Academy in London has also made the shortlist for outstanding progress. Part of Academies Enterprise Trust, Kingsley has performed well under the new GCSE exams that have been introduced over the last couple of years and is now placed in the top 15 per cent of schools nationally. A new headteacher appointed in February 2019 has led the school turnaround by making drastic changes to its every day running, including a staff overhaul. This has led to Ofsted now rating the School as ‘Good’ - a dramatic turnaround and a solid base for further improvements. Also hoping to scoop the outstanding progress award is Twickenham School in Middlesex. Part of Richmond West Schools Trust, Twickenham School’s headteacher, appointed in 2016, has taken a dedicated approach to raising standards inside and outside the classroom and has been nominated as a Pearson’s ‘Headteacher of the Year’. Teaching quality has improved considerably, placing a solid foundation for further improvements. This is evidenced by significantly improved GCSE results across all subjects, improving both English and Mathematics by an impressive seven per cent on the previous year.

and heating system was undertaken, with the old oil-powered heating system replaced and Air Source Pumps installed on the roof. School governors were able to source most of the refit via a substantial grant from the National Association for Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. St. Francis Xavier School in North Yorkshire has also made the shortlist. Formed in 2016, the St Francis Xavier School (SFX) Eco Team holds annual elections where students wanting to lead are asked to write a brief eco-manifesto to assist in its journey towards becoming a zero carbon school. Energy use was reduced in 2017/18 directly due to behavioural change, which saved the school £8,000pa on bills. The school also saved a further £1,500 from the Feed in Tariff associated with its 48 solar panels. Worle Community School Academy in North Somerset has been praised across the world in a competition involving 105 nations. Climate Justice Revolution, which has grown from 4 pupils in 2019 to over 20, won a commendation for Social Media Champions as well as being semi finalists in the international Global Social Leaders competition involving over 600 teams. The school has recently installed two electric car chargers. Leeds East Academy in West Yorkshire has made the shortlist for the environmental practice award. Pupils and staff at the school were commended in the UK Parliament’s annual awards due to the staff and students’ passion for environmental issues and community transformation. A significant impact has been made in the local community to reduce singleuse plastics and raise awareness about sustainability issues. Campaigning with a nearby primary School, negotiations with a waste management company have led to the development a new recycling system. Another school on the shortlist is Northgate High School in Norfolk. In the last two years, Northgate High School has become a collection point for the Terracycle BIC Instrument Writing Scheme and Walkers Crisp Packet recycling scheme. Involving a number of local primary schools, the local library and Girl guide groups, they are encouraging students to think about their environmental impact and do their bit to help. To date, 140Kg of pens and over 190Kg of crisp packets have been collected which also raises money for Cancer Research UK. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.awards.educationbusinessuk.net

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Less noise, more learning: The benefits of acoustic fencing for schools Schools have many factors to consider when it comes to choosing fencing, from security and privacy, to aesthetics, sustainability, and noise. If only one product could provide all this and more; enter timber acoustic barriers Constructed from kiln-dried, pressure treated timber boards secured between unique tuning fork posts, timber acoustic barriers provide a natural aesthetic which can easily blend into any environment, and can reduce noise by up to 32dB. The boards have a deep V tongue and groove design, which minimises gaps that sound could travel through, reflecting it away from the fence. While noise from traffic, construction, and other environmental factors entering the school grounds is mitigated, acoustic fencing doesn’t just benefit the school. Schools are naturally noisy environments, and are often situated in residential areas. Noise leaving the school from sports and playgrounds can also be reduced by acoustic barriers, which helps to keep neighbours happy. With a 25 year guarantee, timber acoustic barriers are comparable to steel fencing in terms of longevity, and they’re equally secure – their flat profile offers no hand or footholds for intruders to climb. Noise has been found to have an extremely harmful impact on our health and wellbeing, with problems ranging from poor sleep and mood swings, to severe health problems including cardiovascular diseases. Lower noise levels in schools can instantly improve learning; reducing distractions within the classroom and helping students to concentrate. Students’ wellbeing isn’t just impacted by noise within the school grounds. If your school

is on a major thoroughfare or in a densely populated area, students are also at risk from passers-by. With their completely solid construction, timber acoustic barriers are ideal for providing privacy and preventing outside contact. We’ve supplied acoustic barriers for many schools to help reduce noise, from installations to mitigate the sound of loud hockey games within the school, to reducing noise pollution from a busy main road to help create a better learning environment. In 2019, we became the first UK company to offer a UKCA/CE mark on a comprehensive timber acoustic barrier system. Our Jakoustic® Commercial and Highway range is type tested by BSI to BS EN 14388:2005 in both reflective and absorptive variants. CE marking to BS EN 14388:2005 is a statutory requirement of all European Highways authorities for the supply and installation of acoustic barriers designed to reduce and mitigate road traffic noise. While other manufacturers’ individual components may be CE marked, for an acoustic barrier to be compliant, the whole system including posts, panels, fixings, construction and installation, must be successfully tested together. The other critical requirement for CE marking is that the overall system is supported by a Declaration of Performance (DoP), a document confirming the manufacturer’s

proven performance of a product and its ability to meet or exceed the declared data. Be sure to use a reputable installer when installing acoustic fencing around your school. There are many issues that can occur a result of poor installation. For an acoustic barrier to successfully reduce noise, avoid the following mistakes. Leaving gaps between or under boards The fence should be flush to or dug into the ground to minimise gaps which sound can travel through. Boards should interlock to eliminate gaps, so noise reflects away from the surface or is absorbed. Acoustic fences from Jacksons Fencing have a unique interlocking V board design. Not high enough Noise reflects off the flat plane or absorbs into a fibrous layer, causing sound waves to bounce off and travel in different directions or be diffused. If the fence is too low in comparison to the noise source, then sound waves will simply travel over the fence. A sound consultant will suggest the best height for your site. Additionally, the fence should be installed as close to the noise source as possible. Using the wrong type for different applications Rely on experts when installing a noise reduction solution. Always employ a sound consultant for an expert opinion on whether you need absorptive or reflective acoustic fencing, as they provide different ways of mitigating noise. Not choosing treated timber with a long guarantee Acoustic fences can be costly and the decisionmaking process is likely to be lengthy, from awareness of the noise disruption, to research into the different solutions. The product you choose should be seen as a long-term investment; this means it should be free from rot and not fall into disrepair years down the line. Not using the correct posts for the height Timber posts should be supported using steel spur posts above 2 metres, and steel I beams should be used for any height above three metres to provide strength and durability. L FURTHER INFORMATION 0800 408 1359 www.jacksons-security.co.uk/school

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Education Business magazine’s pick of the fifty most influential people that have shaped education over the years

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Education Business: 50 Most Influential Shield_White_2013

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EB 50

MOST INFLUENTIAL

Education Business magazine’s pick of the fifty most influential people that have shaped education over the years

Welcome to our first EB50 Most Influential – our pick of the people that have shape the education system over the years. All schools, in whichever model they’re run, have the same fundamental goals – to offer the best possible education for pupils. The Coronavirus-pandemic has shaken-up the education system in the last 18 months, with unprecedented school closures forcing the majority of pupils to learn remotely from home. And while schools are open, they are expected to provide a quality remote education should pupils have to self isolate. Schools have risen to the challenge and adapted their practices to provide a virus-safe environment for pupils and staff, and address the learning-gaps caused by the pandemic. In recent years, education has gained a greater focus on levelling-out the playing field, so that children from disadvantaged backgrounds or poorer areas are given the same possibilities as their wealthier peers, and that those with special educational needs or disabilities are not held back from achieving their academic goals. There is a huge expectation on schools to provide an outstanding education against a backdrop of the pandemic, shrinking budgets, rising pupils numbers, and teacher recruitment and retention issues. Thankfully there are plenty of outstanding individuals that are committed to improving the educational experiences and outcomes for pupils and those that work in the profession – whether they’re working on the frontline, shaping policies, or lobbying for change. Our first EB50 Most Influential list is our pick of the people that have made an impact on the education system in England. It includes government officials, head teachers, heads of MATs, teachers, charities, union representatives, lobbyists and so on. They have all played their part in shaping how schools are run, how teachers teach, and how pupils are assessed. Congratulations to those on the list.

50 Hywel Roberts Author, speaker, and former teacher

Known for being able to ‘trick’ children and young people into learning, former drama teacher Hywel’s award winning book ‘Oops! Getting Children to Learn Accidentally’ has proved very popular with educators around the world and is now on the reading list of many university teacher training courses.

49 Andrew Hammond Senior Director of Learning and Community, Discovery Education

Andrew Hammond has worked in schools for twenty years, in both leadership and as class teacher. He is currently senior director of learning & community at Discovery Education, leading on professional development for teachers and leaders. Andrew regularly visits schools, colleges and conferences to deliver CPD training and workshops on a range of teaching and learning issues, specialising in the ‘hidden curriculum’: how we observe, track and report on the attitudes, behaviours and skills that lie behind academic grades. His latest work is the Invisible Curriculum Series published by John Catt.

48 Caroline Wright Director General, British Educational Suppliers Association (BESA)

Before heading up BESA, Caroline worked in communications across a range of government departments, including the Department for Education, Ofsted and Partnership for schools. Caroline was the recipient of the Education Investor’s prestigious ‘Outstanding Contribution to Education’ award in 2017, and is currently a member of the Worlddidac Council, the Education Investor Advisory Board, and is a school governor at Chingford CofE Primary School. Caroline is also Director of EdTech start-up network organisation, EdTech Exchange.

47 Hilary Spencer Chief Executive Officer, Ambition Institute

Hilary has held a range of senior positions in the Civil Service, including more than a decade at the Department for Education, leading Civil Service Learning, and leading the Government Equalities Office. She is a school governor, and helped set up an outstanding secondary school in Lambeth.

46 Tom Sherrington Consultant

Tom Sherrington is an experienced teacher and headteacher, having worked in schools for 30 years. Through his consultancy – Teacherhead Tom works with teachers and school leaders to explore and implement contemporary educational ideas to deliver an excellent all-round education for young people. He regularly contributes to conferences and CPD sessions and is the author of a several education books.

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45 Matthew Burton Headteacher, Thornhill Community Academy Matthew shot to fame when he appeared on the TV show Educating Yorkshire when it aired in 2013 and captured the hearts of the nation by helping one of his pupils overcome his stammer and deliver an emotional end-of-year assembly speech. Burton was promoted to headteacher at Thornhill Community Academy and remains influential in the education community, most recently speaking out about the challenges of delivering remote learning during the pandemic.

44 Mark Anderson Head of Education, NetSupport Known as the ICT Evangelist, Mark is a former school leader with more than twenty years of experience in the classroom. He is a passionate advocate for the purposeful use of technology linked to pedagogy. His ICT Evangelist blog won the Education Blog of the Year award in 2015 and he has picked up numerous other accolades over the years. His book ‘Perfect ICT Every Lesson‘ has topped the Amazon education charts on numerous occasions and he has contributed to many more books, such as ‘There Is Another Way: The Second Big Book of Independent Thinking‘.

43 Dr Debra Kidd Teacher, author, consultant Debra has worked in every phase of education, from nursery and EYFS all the way through to further education. Her first book tackles the conflict schools face trying to balance government expectations with doing the best thing for pupils and provides reassuring ideas about how schools can do the best possible job all round. Her second book encourages us to take a fresh look at the nature of teaching, learning, human interactions and possibilities in every classroom.

42 Dominic Norrish Chief Operating Officer, United Learning Dominic is an experienced teacher, school leader and educational researcher. He joined United Learning - a large group of academies and independent schools in the UK - as group director of technology, having led the development of technology-enhanced projects across two new-build academies within the group. Prior to this, Dominic spent five years working as an ICT Consultant for Becta and various Academy and BSF projects supporting schools in the development and realisation of their visions for technology. This was preceded by ten years teaching in schools, with the last four as a Deputy Head teacher.

41 Fiona Aubrey-Smith Director, One Life Learning Fiona Aubrey-Smith is a former teacher and school leader who founded and now leads One Life Learning. Fiona provides education consultancy services to schools and trusts, professional learning providers and EdTech companies. She is also an Associate Lecturer at The Open University, a Founding Fellow of the Chartered College of Teaching and sits on the board of a number of multi academy and charitable trusts.

40 Professor Max Coates Senior Lecturer, University College London Version 1.1 – 25 October 2013

Former head teacher Dr Max Coates has worked for 15 years for the Institute of Education, now part of University College London. During this time, he has lectured on leadership, coaching and team development. Max has published a number of books and has contributed to other publications including research into pupil underachievement, place and belonging and most recently into the emerging role of chief executive officers of Multi-Academy Trusts.

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39 Ross Morrison McGill Founder and Chief Executive Officer, TeacherToolkit

A school leader for 20 years, Ross has worked in some of the most challenging secondary schools in London. Today, he works with pupils, teachers and school leaders across the world, supporting teaching and learning, workload and teacher mental health. In 2015, he was nominated as one of the ‘500 Most Influential People in Britain’ by The Sunday Times.

38 Joe Perkins Education Leadership and Learning Manager, Apple

Joe leads the strategy and development of Apple’s learning and leadership programmes for schools, colleges and universities. His previous role within Apple still focused on education, supporting teams in the areas of curriculum, transformational learning, school change management, professional development, educational research and strategic planning.

37 Chris Rothwell Director of Education, Microsoft

Chris leads on Microsoft’s work with education customers, to help them use Microsoft technology to achieve their goals. Office 365 for Education was widely used during home-learning, keeping pupils in touch with the classroom during school closures. Chris’ passion is to help teachers learn digital skills that they can pass on to pupils and to help schools embrace modern technology to help them work and teach more effectively.

36 Liz Sproat Global Head of Learning Outcomes, Lego Education

Liz headed up the education devision of Google for seven years, and has recently moved to Lego Education. With more than 15 years’ experience in education, Liz was responsible for working with schools to bring technology into the classroom. Google Classroom has been instrumental for many schools operating during the pandemic.

35 Emma McCrea Head of Curriculum, Oak National Academy

Emma leads on Curriculum at Oak National Academy. She is taking leave from her role as senior lecturer at the University of Brighton, where she specialises in the design and delivery of evidence-informed teacher training for both trainee and experienced teachers. She is a Fellow in Teacher Education, an EdTech start-up founder and author of ‘Making Every Maths Lesson Count’. E Issue 26.4 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Sponsor’s Comment

Towards a greener classroom next semester with Philips monitors The pandemic showed that technological equipment in most educational institutions was inadequate for today’s computerised world. What’s more, the climate emergency has become more apparent than ever. So before equipping schools and universities with up-to-date technology, decision-makers must certainly factor in this crucial point

After a disruptive year that challenged the education sector, pupils and teachers have now returned to their physical classrooms. During the past year, the expectations of teachers, pupils and students changed quite a lot. With remote working and teaching, the importance of computers, displays and related devices became abundantly clear and e-learning, which was underutilised in the past, became the primary means of education. Now that “the genie is out of the bottle”, many realised the benefits and shortcomings of remote learning. However, this development will change how we think about education, forever. Philips monitors is ready for the next step. Innovative solutions, such as the 24” Philips 243B9H monitor with a built-in webcam, turned out to be one of many future-proof solutions that were in high demand to meet today’s challenges. With the increased need of webcams, a built-in webcam is a lifesaver in remote learning classes. Now, as the education system has returned back to classrooms, another challenge is waiting for the institutions. The pandemic showed that technological equipment in most of these institutions was inadequate for today’s information-focussed, computerised world, and in dire need of catching-up. Furthermore, our planet has another large – or even the largest by far – problem, the climate emergency. So before equipping schools and universities with upto-date technological gear, decision-makers must certainly factor in this crucial point. Philips monitors created some of the most environmentally-friendly displays available, the greenest monitor series, which

includes the 24” Philips 242B1G and the drafts, writing formulas in the math/physics 27” Philips 272B1G. Not only are these classes, interacting with dynamic multimedia monitors as proficient as regular screens content for a more comprehensive learning with their IPS panels and ergonomic session, these are all possible with touch stands, they are packed with several displays. Philips monitors has an extensive energy-saving features. Thanks to their touch monitor portfolio, with options new LED backlight technology, the monitors especially suited for educational institutions. maintain brightness and colour with The 24” touch-display Philips 242B1TC significantly less energy (8.6 W in ECO uses the Advanced In-Cell Touch technology mode), and are certified with the new Energy alongside a modern and slim look with thin Label Class C. Furthermore, all body plastic bezels as well as an anti-glare surface – parts, metal chassis parts and packing perfect against bright school lighting. This materials use 100 per cent recyclable Full HD monitor with its IPS panel supports materials, and up to 85 per cent postsimultaneous 10-point touch input, which consumer recycled plastics are used. Also, means all fingers can be pressed at once the PowerSensor and LightSensor features and recognised precisely. The touch input can reduce the power consumption even is supported natively in Windows 10. The more and lengthen the life of the product. innovative Philips SmartStand uses a Z-type To underline this green approach, structure with smooth tilt, height adjustment Philips monitors plants trees in Tanzania and folding capabilities. Users can set the in collaboration with ForestNation, a stand in an upright position for better touch foundation that encourages natural control or recline it backwards, making it and sustainable reforestation. More easy to draw or annotate. It even allows the than 50.000 trees are to be planted in screen to be put almost flat on the table Tanzania’s Usambara region, which for some applications when required. experienced heavy deforestation in the Whatever the model, it is apparent that past 15 years. By creating jobs in tree educational institutions benefit from nurseries, planting sites and involving the updating their gear to get in line with local students in the planting process, today’s challenges, and Philips monitors the campaign has a positive impact not is here to support this process. L Shield_RGB_2013 only on the environment but it is for the benefit of the local communities as well. FURTHER INFORMATION Affordable options Institutions that need to level up their equipment in large numbers might prefer to focus on affordable options with great value, such as screens from Philips monitors S1 line. The reliable and essential 24” Philips 242S1AE is equipped with an IPS panel offering vivid, natural colours and features a slim, modern look and a fully ergonomic stand for each pupil or student to adjust it to their comfort. Similar to the green monitors, the S1 line also uses 100 per cent recyclable packaging and uses up to 85 per cent post-consumer recycled plastic. With all these great features, this model’s cost doesn’t even go past the £150 mark. It is now as clear as day that Gen Z has experience with touch-sensitive displays from a very early age. In fact, it might be the first and the primary method of interacting with digital content for them. So why not implement this intuitive input method into the classroom? Drawing shapes and

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34 John Moore Director, Renaissance Learning

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John heads up Renaissance Learning, which creates educational software that tests, marks and analyses pupils’ knowledge. Renaissance Learning UK and the Education Policy Institute are working together on a DfEfunded project exploring whether and how learning loss due to the pandemic is recovered over the academic year.

33 Robert Gasson Chief Executive, Wave Multi Academy Trust

Rob has worked extensively with pupils who exhibit challenging behaviour and those who are unable to access school due to their health. He has contributed to developing leading policy and practice in this field and is a passionate advocate of inclusion.

32 Dame Joan McVittie Consultant

Dame Joan has had a long career in teaching and in school leadership. Her work as head of Woodside High in Haringey resulted in the school being rated outstanding by Ofsted in two successive inspections. Dame Joan was a School Improvement Partner for two London local authorities and was a member of the Governing Council for the National College for six years. In 2011 – 2012, Dame Joan was the President of ASCL. In July 2011, Woodside High was designated as a National Support School and Dame Joan as a National Leader in Education. In December 2012, Joan was awarded a Damehood in honour of her contribution to education at both local and national level.

31 Sarah Hewitt-Clarkson Head, Anderton Park Primary

Sarah has been recognised for her unwavering commitment to teaching children about LGBT equality, despite enormous adversity. Anderton Park School in Sparkhill became the focus of a campaign to halt LGBT equality messages being taught in the classroom, with protesters claiming the school was “promoting homosexuality” by teaching equality of gay people to pupils. Sarah led her school through eight weeks of protesting and a court battle, from which the school emerged victorious.

30 Ian McNeilly Chief Executive, The de Ferrers Trust

Ian McNeilly has worked in education for 27 years. He has an unusual breadth of experience having held prominent leadership roles in three different, distinct areas of education: Curriculum, as head of a national professional body for English teachers (NATE); Accountability, as Senior Her Majesty’s Inspector for Ofsted for several years; and now back in more frontline education as the CEO of The de Ferrers Trust which has both primary and secondary schools in the Midlands. He is known for his forthright approach and is never afraid to challenge in the interests of children, particularly those who are disadvantaged. His Trust is underpinned by the very simple values: Work hard, be kind, choose wisely.

29 Tom Bennett Independent Behaviour Advisor, DfE

Tom Bennett is the founder of researchED, a teacher-led project that aims to make teachers research-literate and pseudo-science proof. Since 2013 researchED has grown from a tweet to an international conference movement. In 2009 Tom was made a Teacher Fellow of Corpus Christi College at Cambridge University. He was a weekly columnist for TES and is the author of four books on teacher-training, behaviour management and educational research. In 2015 he was long listed for the GEMS Global Teacher Prize, and in that year was listed as one of the Huffington Post’s ‘Top Ten Global Educational Bloggers’. He recently chaired the Behaviour Management Group for the UK Department of Education and is currently their Independent Behaviour Advisor.

28 Professor Dylan Wiliam Emeritus professor, UCL Institute of Education

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Dylan Wiliam has had a significant affect on classroom practice over time. He stared in BBC2’s 2011 documentary series on teaching techniques, The Classroom Experiment, but became a guru in the world of education research after his paper ‘Inside the Black Box’ – written with Paul Black, made waves offering teachers practical, evidence-based advice on how to improve pupil learning through formative assessment.

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27 Marcus Rashford Footballer and campaigner

Professional football player Marcus Rashford is using his popularity to help end food poverty in children and is campaigning for the expansion of the free school meals programme and the provision of meals during the school holidays. His campaigning was credited as a major turning point in governmental talks in June 2020 which resulted in a change in policy regarding the extension of free school meals for children during the summer holidays.

26 Alex Quigley National Content Manager, Education Endowment Foundation

Alex joined the EEF in 2018 after fifteen years working as an English teacher. Alongside his teaching role, he was the Director of Huntington Research School, in York. He is author of books including ‘Closing the Vocabulary Gap’ and ‘The Confident Teacher’ and he regularly writes columns for TES and Teach Secondary magazines. Alex also co-authored the ‘Metacognition and self-regulated learning’ guidance report’.

25 Daisy Christodoulou Director of Education, No More Marking

It was Daisy’s time training as a teacher that developed her interest in evidence-based practice – methods that have made a big impact in the classroom and made her a big name in the world of assessment. In 2013, she published ‘Seven Myths About Education’, which addressed some of the most common preconceptions in UK education. Her second book, ‘Making Good Progress? The future of Assessment for Learning’ was released in February 2017. Prior to joining No More Marking, Daisy was head of assessment at Ark Schools.

24 Damian Hinds MP EdTech APPG Chair

Former Education Secretary Damian Hinds chairs the All-Party Parliamentary Group on education technology, which reviews the use of digital technology in delivering remote and classroom learning. He also chairs a newly created all-party parliamentary group for T Levels - a qualification that he oversaw while heading up the Department for Education. Damian has served on the Education Select Committee, and chaired the All Party Parliamentary Groups for Social Mobility.

23 Dame Christine Lenehan Director of the Council for Disabled Children

Christine fights to challenge barriers faced by children and young people with SEND. She has carried out reviews for the Department for Education in the past, and more recently, has spoken out about how many children with special needs haven’t had their additional needs met when learning remotely during the pandemic. E

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EB 50 Most Influential

22 Matt Hood Oak National Academy 

Matt is the Principal at Oak National Academy, an online classroom and resource hub created in response to school closures during the coronavirus pandemic and very widely used during home learning. Matt is an economics teacher by training and was a founder at Ambition Institute. He is Chair of Governors at Bay Leadership Academy in Morecambe, a Trustee at the Brilliant Club, and an independent government adviser on professional development.

21 Shelagh Legrave OBE Further Education Commissioner As Chief Executive, Shelagh successfully led the Chichester College Group through two mergers to achieve an outstanding judgement from Ofsted in 2020. As Further Education Commissioner, Shelagh leads a team of 18 deputies and advisers, working closely with the Education and Skills Funding Agency, to support and strengthen the leadership and governance of colleges, ensuring they are well run and continue to offer high quality education and training.

20 Dr Patrick Roach General Secretary, NASUWT Dr Patrick Roach was appointed General Secretary of NASUWT in 2019 and previously served as the Deputy General Secretary of the union for ten years. He taught politics and sociology in colleges and lectured on social policy issues in universities, before working on projects focusing on teacher education, disaffected and excluded young people and engaging parents and local communities. He is also chair of an anti-racism task force.

19 Kevin Courtney and Dr Mary Bousted Joint general secretaries of the National Education Union Kevin and Mary are joint general secretaries of the National Education Union, the largest education union in Europe, supporting and representing more than 450,000 members. Both Mary and Kevin have been vocal about ensuring schools are safe places for staff and pupils during the pandemic, as well as calling on the government to address funding cuts, teachers recruitment and retention, and rising class sizes.

18 Paul Whiteman General Secretary, National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) Paul is general secretary for the NAHT, speaking out for school leaders and working to create a better education system for both education professionals and students alike. Most recently during the Covid-19 pandemic, Paul has fought to keep school staff and pupils safe and the association has helped schools navigate the guidance on operating during a pandemic.

17 Geoff Barton General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) Geoff Barton will serve a second term as the union’s General Secretary after being re-elected unopposed. Barton was first elected as General Secretary in 2017 following a career in education which included 15 years as headteacher of King Edward VI School, Bury St Edmunds. Barton is not afraid to work with those in power to create positive change for the union’s members and wider education system.

16 Sir David Carter Executive Director of System Leadership, Ambition Institute Sir David Carter started his career as a music teacher before spending thirty years in school leadership. He became one of the first Regional Schools Commissioners and then National School Commissioner in 2016. He has used his experience of being responsible for multiple schools to write his recent book, ‘Leading Academy Trusts: Why some fail, but most don’t’. In November 2018 Sir David took up the role of Executive Director of System Leadership at the Ambition Institute, leading the training programmes for trust leaders as well as designing and leading a new model of reviewing and assessing Multi Academy Trusts.

15 Professor Becky Francis CEO of the Education Endowment Foundation Throughout her career, Becky has worked closely with teachers and policy-makers to maximise the impact of academic research. She has led high-profile research programmes assessing the impact of major reforms in the English school system on educational inequalities, and is sought out internationally as an advisor to Governments on education policy.

14 Professor Dame Alison Peacock Chief Executive Officer, Chartered College of Teaching

Prior to becoming CEO of the Chartered College of Teaching, Professor Dame Alison Peacock was Executive Headteacher of The Wroxham School in Hertfordshire. Her career to date has spanned primary, secondary and advisory roles. In 2018, she became an Honorary Fellow of Queen’s College, Cambridge, one of the first ever female Fellows admitted. She is also a Visiting Professor of both the University of Hertfordshire and Glyndwr University.

13 Baroness Berridge Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the School System

Baroness Berridge was appointed Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the School System at the Department for Education in 2020. With responsibilities including the intervention in underperforming schools, and school capital investment (including pupil place planning, new school places and school condition), Baroness Berridge is in a position of great influence on the schools system.

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

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12 Chris Russell National Director of Education, Ofsted

Chris Russell has recently become the new national director of education for Ofsted, replacing Sean Harford. A former headteacher at the Grange School in Christchurch, Russell was appointed as a Her Majesty’s Inspector in 2006. He has been a regional director since 2014 and is now national director. Ofsted’s national director of education leads the development of policy and of guidance for inspections and so holds significant power when it comes to how schools are held accountable.

11 Simon Lebus Interim Chief Regulator, Ofqual

Simon Lebus is the interim chief regulator of Ofqual until Dr Jo Saxton takes her position pending further approval. He had the difficult task of calming the storm after the 2020 exam cancellation fiasco – with disruption still ongoing. Simon has a wealth of experience in education technology and curriculum delivery, most notably as Chief Executive of Cambridge Assessment from 2002 to 2018. Lebus was said to have driven Cambridge Assessment through major organisational change, including the introduction of on-screen marking and computer-based testing.

10 Samantha Twiselton Director of Sheffield Institute of Education

Samantha has dedicated much of her career to ensuring trainees and newly qualified teachers get the support needed to start and stay in the profession. She has been heavily involved in influencing government policy in this area, and was a member of the Advisory Panel for the DfE Carter Review of ITT in England, the DfE Expert Behaviour Management Panel and the Ofsted Expert Advisory Group for the Ofsted Curriculum Research Project.

9 Sir Michael Wilshaw Former Chief Inspector, Ofsted Former Ofsted boss Sir Michael Wilshaw, 74, returned to the classroom last year to help out during Covid-related staff absences, and has now taken over as interim head of JFS – a large Jewish mixed comprehensive school in Kenton, northwest London. He served as Ofsted Chief inspector from 2012 to 2016. Prior to joining Ofsted, Sir Michael had a long career as a teacher for 43 years, 26 of these as a headteacher in London secondary schools, and most recently as executive principal at Mossbourne Community Academy in Hackney. Sir Michael was also director of education for ARK, a charitable education trust running a number of academies across England.

8 Dominic Herrington National Schools Commissioner

Dominic Herrington was appointed National Schools Commissioner in April 2019, after holding the position on an interim basis since September 2018. Drawing on four years’ experience as Regional Schools Commissioner for South London and South-East England, he works closely with the eight regional schools commissioners and plays a big role in intervening when schools are underperforming. His previous roles include director of the Academies Group at the Department for Education.

7 Leora Cruddas Chief Executive Officer, Confederation of School Trusts (CST)

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Leora Cruddas believes in education for the common good. She is the CEO of the Confederation of School Trusts (CST) – the national organisation and sector body for school trusts in England. She has advised successive governments and sits on several DfE Advisory Bodies. She is the vice chair of the Head Teacher Standards Review Group. Prior to establishing CST, she was director of policy and public relations for the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL). Leora has six years of experience as a Director of Education in two London local authorities.

EB50 Most Influential

Sponsored by

6 Sir Peter Lampl Chairman of the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) and Founder and Chairman of the Sutton Trust Sir Peter Lampl is acknowledged to be the UK’s leading educational philanthropist. He founded the Sutton Trust in 1997 to combat educational inequality and remains the Trust’s chairman. Sir Peter is chairman of the Education Endowment Foundation, an independent charity with the aim of breaking the link between family income and educational achievement. Lampl was appointed an OBE in 1999 for services to Access to Higher Education, and knighted in June 2003.

5 Sir Kevan Collins Former Education Recovery Commissioner Sir Kevan Collins was, until recently, the government’s education recovery commissioner, tasked with ensuring pupils catch up on their learning following school closures during the Covid-19 pandemic. He resigned after the next phase of the government’s catch-up plan was released, saying successful education recovery wasn’t credible with support of such size. Sir Kevan has worked in the education sector for over 30 years as a teacher, a director of children’s services and most recently as chief executive of the Education Endowment Foundation. He continues to be a prominent figure in education.

4 Dame Rachel de Souza The Children’s Commissioner for England Dame Rachel de Souza is tasked with improving the life chances of disadvantaged children. Dame Rachel turned around two schools from struggling to outstanding, before founding and leading the Inspiration Trust, a family of fourteen schools in East Anglia. She has, however, been criticised in the past for potential “offrolling” at one her former schools as a deliberate strategy for turning it around – an accusation that de Souza denies. Dame Rachel is currently conducting what is reported to be the biggest ever consultation with children in England, to find out what their priorities are post-Covid. She was made a Dame in 2014 for services to education. E

Issue 26.4 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

EB 50 Most Influential

3 Gavin Williamson Education Secretary 

Whether liked or not, the current education secretary Gavin Williamson is the frontman of the Department for Education. Unlucky for him, he was only in the position for a few months before the Covid-19 pandemic hit, and then had the unenviable task of seeing the sector through such an unprecedented situation. Needless to say, he was criticised for his handling of the pandemic, including the lack of clear guidance on how to navigate online teaching, rules that were changed at moment’s notice, as well as the predictive grades fiasco following cancelled exams. He has also been criticised for the package of support for education recovery. His allies however say that he has been unfairly condemned for decisions driven by the changing pandemic. Virus-talk aside, the education secretary is pushing to get more local-authority maintained schools to become academies and join multi-academy trusts, saying that this would end the “pick and mix” of school types in England, and is continuing to drive forward T Levels and reforms to technical education.

2 Nick Gibb Minister for School Standards While education ministers come and go, Gibb has enjoyed a long career within the Department for Education, serving as Shadow Minister for Schools from 2005 until 2010, and as Minister of State for Schools from then until September 2012, a position he returned to in 2014 and retains. He has had significant influence on education policy, particularly around phonics and children’s reading. As Minister for School Standards, his responsibilities include the recruitment and retention of teachers, funding, assessment, and school accountability, and in more recent times – Covid recovery. His consistent career in education politics has enabled his views to carry weight within the education sector.

1 Amanda Spielman Chief Inspector, Ofsted As Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector since 2017, Amanda holds a significant amount of influence over how schools are run and the quality of the education system in England. While never a teacher, she chaired exams regulator Ofqual between 2011 and 2016, and helped set up academy chain Ark Schools in 2005. She was also a council member for the Institute of Education and an education adviser to Ark, the education charity. Spielman has made substantial progress in hailing the importance of the curriculum in schools, and dropping the focus of inspections on exam results so they reflect more about what and how children are taught. She’s had the difficult task of overseeing the quality of education during the Covid-19 pandemic – which saw a blend of remote and in class learning for many. Ofsted is now looking at the extent school closures had on creating learning gaps and has published two reports on the matter, including the experiences of children with SEND.

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

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At a glance: EB50 Most Influential 1

Amanda Spielman Chief Inspector, Ofsted

24 Damian Hinds MP EdTech APPG Chair

Nick Gibb Minister for School Standards

25 Daisy Christodoulou Director of Education, No More Marking

Gavin Williamson Education Secretary

26 Alex Quigley National Content Manager, Education Endowement Foundation

Dame Rachel de Souza The Children’s Commisioner for England

27 Marcus Rashford Footballer and Campaigner

Sir Kevan Collins Former Education Recovery Commissioner

28 Professor Dylan Wiliam Emeritus professor, UCL Institute of Education

Sir Peter Lampl Chairman of the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF)

29 Tom Bennett Independent Behaviour Advisor, DfE

and Founder and Chairman of the Sutton Trust

30 Ian McNeilly Chief Executive, The de Ferrers Trust

Leora Cruddas Chief Executive Officer, Confederation of School Trusts (CST)

31 Sarah Hewitt-Clarkson Head, Anderton Park Primary

Dominic Herrington National Schools Commisioner

32 Dame Joan McVittie Consultant

Sir Michael Wilshaw Former Chief Inspector, Ofsted

33 Robert Gasson Chief Executive of the Wave Multi Academy Trust

10 Samantha Twiselton Director of Sheffield Institution of Education

34 John Moore Director at Renaissance Learning

11 Simon Lebus Interim Chief Regulator at Ofqual

35 Emma McCrea Head of Curriculum, Oak National Academy

12 Chris Russell National Director of Education, Ofsted

36 Liz Sproat Global Head of Learning Outcomes, Lego Education

13 Baroness Berridge Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State

37 Chris Rothwell Director of Education, Microsoft

for the School System 14 Professor Same Alison Peacock Chief Executive Officer, Chartered College of Teaching 15 Professor Becky Francis Chief Executive Officer of the Education Endowment Foundation

38 Joe Perkins Education Leadership and Learning Manager, Apple 39 Ross Morrison McGill Founder and Chief Executive Officer, TeacherToolkit 40 Professor Max Coates Senior Lecturer, University College London 41 Fiona Aubrey-Smith One Life Learning

16 Sir David Carter Executive Director of System Leadership, Ambition Institute

42 Dominic Norrish Chief Executive Officer, United Learning

17 Geoff Barton General Secretary, National Association of School and College

43 Dr Debra Kidd Teacher, author, consultant

Leaders (ASCL)

44 Mark Anderson Head of Education at NetSupport

18 Paul Whiteman General Secretary, National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT)

45 Matthew Burton Headteacher at Thornhill Community Academy

19 Kevin Courtney and Dr Mary Bousted Joint General Secretaries of the

46 Tom Sherrington Consultant

National Education Union

47 Hilary Spencer Chief Executive Officer, Ambition Institute

20 Dr Patrick Roach General Secretary, NASUWT

48 Caroline Wright Director General, British Educational Suppliers Association (BESA)

21 Shelagh Legrave OBE DL Further Education Commissioner

49 Andrew Hammond Senior Director of Learning and Community

22 Matt Hood Principal, Oak National Academy 23 Dame Christine Lenehan Director of the Council for Disabled Children

EB50 Most Influential

Sponsored by

at Discovery Education 50 Hywel Roberts Author, Speaker, and former Teacher

Issue 26.4 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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Developing your leadership team The Institute of School Business Leadership has created three documents to help head teachers, school business professionals and governance colleagues to identify the best development opportunities within their school

School leadership professional development can be surprisingly difficult, as the range of opportunities have significantly grown, and we have seen convergence at executive leadership. That is why, the Institute of School Business Leadership (ISBL) has created three documents to help head teachers, school business professionals and governance colleagues to identify the best development opportunities within their school. 1. ISBL professional standards This article contains the ISBL professional standards within which all school business professionals (SBPs) should work. They are recognised and endorsed

by the sector, and more than 1,000 SBPs contributed to their development. The standards underpin national qualifications such as the L4 ILM Diploma for School Business Managers and the L4 School Business Professional Apprenticeship, as well as being used to contextualise the Chartered Manager Degree Apprenticeship (CMDA) and others. 2. Head teacher and governance guidance It is important that the ISBL professional standards are understood by senior leaders, the head teacher, and governors. This professional framework can be used in organisational development, recruitment, training and development, performance management, and pay structures. Many schools are embedding the professional standards in their performance management systems to help assess what skills exist across the organisation and what gaps might need filling (development opportunities and

succession planning). This evidence can then be used to create development pathways for all staff and feed into performance goal settings and appraisals. This document has been produced for senior leaders within schools to make them aware of how the professional standards can help their school and staff, and it is useful for SBPs too. 3. Professional development guide This new guide provides information on all the main qualifications available specifically for SBPs. It helps show the qualifications that have content specifically developed for SBPs or that have been contextualised using the ISBL professional standards as guidance. These three documents are designed to help you question the investment and development you are making across your school workforce. Are you and colleagues, asking the right questions on organisational design and growth (see imae below): A qualification can be a big investment in terms of time, energy and resource, so selecting the best qualification to undertake is essential. Feedback from practitioners who have completed the programme can point to the difference(s) it has made to their careers and schools, providing assurance of its value. About the ISBL ISBL’s principal function is to provide confidence to all education stakeholders in this vital cadre of educational professionals. The school business professional workforce provides schools with access to unique, highly skilled and experienced practitioners. The ISBL sets the benchmark for effective practice through sector-endorsed professional standards and provide development opportunities for its professional community and their institutions through a portfolio of quality-assured qualifications, training, resources and events. L Download the documents here: ISBL Professional Standards ISBL Employer guidance ISBL Qualification guidance FURTHER INFORMATION www.isbl.org.uk

Issue 26.4 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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Selby College improves the student experience with high-density WiFi. Selby College has improved wireless connectivity and delivered the coverage and capacity required to support BYOD services for its high-density learning environment with an upgrade to Cisco Meraki WiFi 6 from Redway Networks. Selby College, in North Yorkshire provides A Level, degree, adult education and work-related business vocation from its state-of-the-art campus. It has an open BYOD policy and can see more than 1,500 devices connected to its WiFi simultaneously. Mike Pilling, Network Services Manager at Selby College says: “During normal circumstances we have between 1,000 and 2,000 students on-site all with smart phones, ipads and laptops accessing the College and guest WiFi. Times have moved on since we installed our existing Netgear WiFi and it was struggling to provide the capacity we needed to support this number of devices and we felt the students were missing out.

When we analysed our network, we found that 90% of its usage was for social and only 10% for the College side, so that really highlighted the need to improve our bandwidth.” The College decided to improve its WiFi with a more sophisticated solution that would support its high-density needs and future proof its network and needed a wireless vendor who had the expertise to meet its requirements and who could work around tight timescales. Redway Networks demonstrated the best technical ability, product knowledge and pricing and was chosen to provide the College’s new WiFi. Mike says: “I was looking for a cloud-solution rather than an onsite wireless controller and when Redway Networks demonstrated Meraki I really liked it and knew it would meet our requirements for connectivity and performance. Plus, Meraki’s 10-year software licence (with the free year

offer) was cheaper than the 5-year support deal offered by the other vendors, so we decided on Meraki.” Mike says: “Everything was done off plan. Redway literally went from building-to-building using video conferencing to discuss our requirements and designed our bespoke network using Ekahau and from our initial RFI to project completion was done in less than eight weeks. I was over the moon with the service I received from Redway Networks and couldn’t be more impressed with our Meraki WiFi and I’m confident that even when we start seeing new educational technology coming onto our network, we have the wireless in place to build the digital College of the future.”

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IT & Computing Written by Stephanie Glenister, specialist content editor at The Key

Blended learning: the picture in schools Schools must still provide immediate remote learning to pupils who need to self-isolate, although typically on a smaller scale than during the strictest periods of lockdown. Stephanie Glenister from The Key explains how schools across the country are nailing this While fewer pupils nationally need to learn from home these days, remote learning requirements are much stricter than this time last year. For example, current guidance states that schools must provide immediate remote education for any pupils who need to learn from home for coronavirus-related reasons. This should be a minimum of three hours per day, on average, for KS1, four hours for KS2 and five hours for KS3 and KS4. It should include recorded or live direct teaching time, as well as independent tasks. Schools are also expected to use a digital platform, for which you can get help from the DfE’s support programme. With the basic requirements sorted, here are some tips, shared with The Key by schools across the country, that will help you make

possible, so that pupils at home can hear you and you can interact with them. For the rest of the lesson, share your laptop screen with the pupils Your classroom set-up Schools at home, so that they can can make or break have fo see what’s on your digital remote engagement board. (If you don’t in live lessons that res und p have a digital board, Once your tech is set o n ding to pupi point your webcam up, it’s crucial that your l s ’ n eeds ‘in the mo at the whiteboard.) classroom is too. This m Direct some approach to delivering live less ent’ during o questions at remote a live lesson where n s saves time an pupils throughout some pupils are learning d is but remember that at home can reduce engagin more they won’t reply as teacher workload and g quickly as a child in promote pupil engagement. class, as they’ll need time Set up a laptop with the camera to unmute themselves. E on as close to you (the teacher) as your blend of remote and in-classroom provision as effective as possible.

Issue 26.4 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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Tried and tested tricks to check understanding during live lessons Teachers can’t just walk around the room to see how pupils at home are doing mid-lesson, so they’ve had to find alternative approaches. It has also been important to come up with regular, accurate formative assessment methods that inform whether and how teachers need to adapt their approach to these newer ways of working. Quick-quizzing platforms have proved popular as an engaging way to do knowledge retrieval at the start and end of lessons. Teachers can also save time by using these for end-of-unit assessments. For example, if they base each lesson in a unit around a question they want pupils to be able to answer by the end of it, they can then simply load these questions into an end-of-unit quiz. It’s not just about what type of formative assessment you’re using, it’s about when you’re using it, too. A number of schools are mixing and matching their approach, to make it most effective: for example, by using quick quizzes at the start of a lesson, integrated polling tools (in their digital platform) in the middle, and word cloud-generating platforms at the end to visualise new knowledge. Giving low-effort, high-impact remote feedback – in just seconds Schools have found that responding to pupils’ needs ‘in the moment’ during live lessons saves time and is more engaging than giving written feedback later. One way to do this is to watch pupils as they work on collaborative platforms and provide personalised verbal feedback directly. Some teachers create breakout groups via their digital platform, and listen for common misconceptions that they can address when the class comes back together. These approaches work even if you only have a handful of pupils learning from home – in fact, this will make them even more effective. We’ve all been in a situation this year where we’ve felt inhibited by the number of people on a video call; pupils are no different. Having designated small-group feedback sessions makes for a more candid and productive discussion with individual pupils about their learning. Schools also overwhelmingly rate using voice-note comments as a quicker, more

Make sure the pupils in the classroom are aware of what’s happening, so they can allow their remote classmates the silence and space they need to participate personal alternative to written marking. As well as being more accessible for younger learners or those with limited language skills, this feedback method sometimes lets teachers see when pupils have opened it, which can help with monitoring engagement. Tips for getting parents on side From the over-involved to the overwhelmed, schools have dealt with the entire spectrum of parents’ engagement with children’s remote learning. Head off both of these extremes with a clear communication plan. Upload short videos to your school’s website, explaining key features of your home-school agreement; these will be easier to understand for parents with limited time or language skills. Let keen parents get involved – up to a point. To help these parents channel their enthusiasm, teachers can pre-record key explanations and concepts, so parents can pause and replay them for their child as many times as they need. Also let parents come along to their child’s feedback sessions, if this is mutually agreeable. This will discourage them from doing the work themselves, as they’ll feel they have their own part to play in their child’s learning journey. If parents are struggling to support their child’s learning, highlight top-priority tasks to help them concentrate on quality over quantity. Focus on the child’s wellbeing and remind them and their parents that it’s okay if not everything gets done today. Consider, also, whether your school’s digital platform is easy enough to understand, or whether some families (for example those with English as an additional language) might benefit from a tutorial or the option to email their child’s work to the school instead of uploading it to a specific place.

IT & Computing

 Make sure the pupils in the classroom are aware of what’s happening, so they can allow their remote classmates the silence and space they need to participate in the lesson.

In some cases, tech is even becoming the preferred option where pupils aren’t learning remotely Schools haven’t thrown the baby out with the bathwater now that most pupils are back in school. Platforms such as Oak National Academy give schools a wider range of engaging homework activities to choose from. Teachers can lean on these resources for quick-win homework and knowledge retrieval activities. When they want all pupils to come to a lesson refreshed on last year’s lesson on, for example, the Romans, they can ask pupils to watch a lesson online rather than expecting them to remember it or look back at old notes. These platforms also ease the headache of cover lessons. Cover teachers, who may not be experts in the subject they’re covering, can in many cases defer to the experts readily available on Oak. In terms of engaging with families, virtual parents’ evenings have also proved a resounding success, breaking down common barriers for parents such as having limited time and feeling anxious about going into the school building. With all of this tech at schools’ disposal, it’s unlikely they’ll ever need to be ‘closed’ again – is the era of ‘snow days’ already behind us? L

Stephanie Glenister is a Specialist Content Editor at The Key, a provider of up-to-the-minute sector intelligence and resources that empower education leaders with the knowledge to act. The advice in this article is taken from various resources in the ‘Remote and blended learning’ section of The Key’s COVID-19 resource hub. FURTHER INFORMATION www.thekeysupport.com

Issue 26.4 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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The Summer of Computing programme has brought together the NCCE’s short courses, full-day CPD, and residential summer schools delivered online and face-to-face in venues across England through July and August. The focus is on enabling teachers to deliver the digital skills that will be vital for post-covid recovery and that have been in the spotlight through this past year. ICT and computing skills are increasingly in demand, both within an education setting and in the wider economy. “We’re thrilled that face-to-face courses are back – especially our August summer schools which proved so popular last year. But we’re also aiming to make access to training as convenient as we can with a wide range of online courses too,” said Prof Simon Peyton Jones, Chair of the NCCE. Supporting secondary teachers The NCCE’s main offering for secondary teachers is its Computer Science Accelerator (CSA) programme which develops the subject knowledge needed to teach computer science up to GCSE level. It is designed for teachers who are newcomers to the subject as well as those with a computing background. More than 4,300 teachers have now received training through the CSA. It’s a programme which has continually evolved since its launch in 2019 to meet the needs of teachers. This year CSA in the Summer is a key part of the wider Summer of Computing event. “Following the success of last year’s CSA in the Summer, we have extended our provision,” said, Steve Clarke, CSA Programme Manager at the NCCE. “This year CSA in the Summer is back bigger than ever. With five pathways to choose from, and summer schools taking place across the country, there’s something for all abilities, from beginner to advanced level. “Our summer schools also offer face-toface events for our beginner, intermediate and advanced tracks. We have courses across the country including Southampton, High Wycombe and York. Any of our courses taking place at the National STEM Learning Centre in York are residential, and include free accommodation.” Rohini Shah, who teaches at Queens Park Community School in London, is one of the 4,300 teachers who have

NCCE courses provided the “time and space to ask questions and explore ideas.” He added: “The courses are informative and teachers receive practical ideas which can be easily adapted to their own setting.” Holly Newell, teacher and computing subject leader at a primary school in Leicester, agreed. “The courses have been invaluable to me as a subject leader. I’ve developed my own subject knowledge and been able to engage all learners in exciting computing lessons. I’ve gained confidence in many new skills and have cascaded these concepts down to staff and pupils.” Wendy Heide is a Year 2 class teacher and Computing Lead at Abbeyfields First School in Morpeth, Northumberland. She said; “Not only have we been able to identify training needs within our staff and pick and choose relevant content, but we’ve also had the opportunity to up-skill ICT our current knowledge a through learning about compu nd t i n new concepts and g skills are incr teaching ideas.” eas

received training via the CSA. “I love bringing in new initiatives and pedagogy to our school and in all honesty our department is considered cutting edge!” she said. “QPCS has been moving from strength to strength in teaching computer science to our students. However, to refresh my skills and have access to new materials I joined the CSA programme. “I enjoyed doing the courses because they gave me new insight and pedagogy, and more confidence in my teaching techniques, which in turn benefits your students. Computing can be a tough subject to teach as it is so fast-moving, but we exceed the national grades boundaries with our students.”

Written by Victoria Temple, Community engagement officer, NCCE

IT & Computing

Make this the summer of computing

Boosting confidence It’s not only secondary teachers who can benefit; the Summer of Computing includes courses to develop skills for primary ingly in deman teachers too. d A level boosters Will Rogers is an edu , both within cation s It’s not only teachers programme manager etting and in who can benefit from for the NCCE, based t h e w i d CPD through the summer: at STEM Learning, one e r econom the Summer of Computing of the NCCE’s three y includes special events also consortium partners. running for Y11 students looking “Our courses give at studying A level Computing. primary teachers the Isaac Computer Science is confidence to inspire young pupils, running a special series of booster events boosting their enjoyment and long-term for Year 11 students between 1-9 July. engagement with computing,” said Will. Each session is directly linked to a topic “New for 2021, the NCCE’s Summer of available on Isaac, with more material Computing primary programme includes a available to explore in more depth after range of remote and face-to-face courses the event so that they can experience a which really help to boost teachers’ skills. taste of what’s to come for A level. “The aim is to teach the essential subject The Summer of Computing aims to be knowledge and pedagogy to become a skilled fun and engaging, inspiring teachers, and teacher of primary computing, confident to students, for the new academic year. teach key concepts such as algorithms and As Steve Clarke said: “It’s been a programming, to all ages of children.” challenging year for everyone in education The NCCE’s live remote summer but we’re looking forward to a new courses include Primary programming and academic year and supporting teachers to algorithms and Introduction to primary build skills for 2021/22 and beyond!” L computing and there are online and face-to-face courses in assessment of computing at venues across England. FURTHER INFORMATION James Jerrold, who teaches primary www.teachcomputing.org computing in Buckinghamshire, said the

Issue 26.4 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

COV I D - 1 9

Seeing friends again? M a ke s p a c e .

Around 1 in 3 people who have Covid-19 have no symptoms and are spreading it without knowing, so meet outside and keep a safe distance.

Let’s take this next step safely.

Written by Nina Iles, head of EdTech, BESA

BESA’s Nina Iles casts her mind back to how the education industry responded during the Covid-19 pandemic – and looks ahead to when BESA’s LearnED events are scheduled to become live

Looking back over the long, long months of lockdown, the stand-out memory, for me, is the way in which humankind, for the most part, stepped-up and helped each other. Whether they were running errands for elderly neighbours, organising foodbanks, or delivering socially distanced workouts in the streets, people rallied. I hope, as life snaps back into its pre-pandemic rhythms, that a bit of that camaraderie stays with us. I remember feeling quite moved the first evening the country was encouraged to publicly clap for the NHS; such a ubiquitous appreciation for the medical profession was something to behold. I also remember

wondering what makes a person choose to devote their lives so tirelessly to care for people they do not know. I don’t meet many doctors and nurses where the circumstances afford me an opportunity to ask such questions, but I know that for every student who chooses to become a doctor or a nurse, there will be a village of teachers behind them; inspiring, empowering and motivating them to achieve their dreams. In the absence of a weekly clap for teachers, I showed my appreciation by correcting anyone and everyone I heard talking about schools being closed during lockdown. “Many still open, not closed,” I’d say, fully aware

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Look-up and lean-in at LearnED that everyday thousands of teachers all over the country were still teaching in-person, planning, and delivering remote learning, often while juggling their own children’s home schooling. SLTs continually revised digital strategies, arranged the delivery of hard-copy resources, prepared and shared online resources for others to use, delivered food parcels, and made calls to the children not connecting online and so much more. BESA members also went above and beyond to support teachers in need of additional software, resources, or training. It was a time of all-hands on deck and I was as equally moved to see that, when delivered properly, the customer-experience between teacher and supplier is so much more than a sales relationship. With no in-person LearnED events during lockdown, I was humbled to find teachers willing to give up their time to join an online edition of LearnED, eager to share with their peers all they had learned during the pandemic. LearnED online was great, but for me, it could not match the magic of watching the audience lean-in to listen as our teacher-speakers deliver in person at the regional roadshows. I am indebted to all of the teachers who have shared their stories to date, authentically revealing how, why, and when they have chosen to teach with technology: what problems that technology is solving for them; how they researched the equipment and solutions they needed; what work – and infrastructure- was required to implement said solutions and most importantly, how they evidence the impact on outcomes they’re seeing as a result of that implementation, be it within their teaching and learning environments – in-person and remote – or school-wide, driving efficiencies across administrative and communication requirements. At the time of writing, lockdown restrictions are being eased. Subsequently, I am allowing myself to looking forward again, excited for the September return of LearnED, starting in Liverpool. I cannot wait for the moment when, at our first LearnED of 2021, I am able to look up and see over a hundred local teachers waiting patiently for me to get on with the introductions then get off the stage and let the teachers do their thing.L BESA’s LearnED roadshow is a series of free, regional CPD events for teachers wanting to learn about the effective use of EdTech from their peers. FURTHER INFORMATION Email: nina@besa.org.uk

Issue 26.4 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

THE PLAYGROUND SAFETY EXPERT Playground Equipment Maintenance Equipment and Surface Repairs Registered RPII Annual and Operational Safety Inspections Playground Surface Cleaning

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In these uncertain times, play has become a hot talking point, not only amongst educators but with parents too. With additional pressure on schools to ‘catch up’ their pupils academically following the pandemic, increasing numbers of education professionals are concerned that the often overlooked idea of ‘play’ will be further neglected which could be detrimental to children’s emotional, social and academic development in the long term. With my background as an early year’s teacher, knowing the value of play and seeing a trend emerging where play was pushed further into the sidelines, it’s what has inspired me to delve deeper into ‘play’ in my work as an educational consultant and founder of the Positive Playtime Programme and has influenced my latest book 101 Playground Games. During the COVID-19 pandemic there has been a vast amount of research into the effects of the pandemic on children, both developmentally and physically. Notably play is a common theme that runs throughout the findings. There are three main factors that have impacted children’s physical and mental health: being confined to

their homes, lack of outdoor activities and play. This is further compounded by the statistic that one in eight households in the UK do not have access to a private or shared garden (Ordnance Survey (OS) map data (May 2020). Concerningly, Save the Children reported that 92 per cent of children felt that the way they play had changed since the COVID pandemic, this includes 51 per cent saying they play outside with their friends less, with 34 per cent playing alone more regularly. Twenty-three per cent stated that they are playing less sport than they were before. Why encourage children to play games? It is evident to us all that play and playing games is beneficial to a child’s wellbeing. Play England (2021) describes play as ‘an essential part of every child’s life and is vital for the enjoyment of childhood as well as social, emotional, intellectual and physical development.’ Furthermore, in a recent clinical report, ‘The Power of Play,’ from The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) (2018) comments on the importance of play

and states, “the importance of playful learning for children cannot be overemphasized.” According to the AAP, play is not frivolous, rather play is “vital for brain building,” and a central part of healthy child development. A key to executive function skills, “play allows for increased cognitive functioning/improving academic skills, relationships (social-emotional resilience) and helps children, “buffer toxic stress.” The report recommends that doctors write a prescription for play because ‘play is fundamentally important for developing a suite of 21st century skills, including social, emotional, language and cognitive skills, all needed by the next generation in an economically competitive world that requires collaboration and innovation.’ This report also states, ‘the most powerful way children learn isn’t only in classrooms or libraries but rather on playgrounds and in playrooms.’ It goes on to say that ‘Educators, pediatricians and families should advocate for and protect play and playful learning in preschools and schools because of its numerous benefits.’

Written by Therese Hoyle, author, 101 Playground Games

Playtime in schools has been identified as a vital opportunity to support children’s recovery from the Covid-19 lockdown. So despite pressure to increase classroom time for catch-up learning, schools need to continue to support and value the role of play

Play

Making play a priority In children’s recovery from lockdown

Protecting play We would advocate and protect other elements of our education system, so why shouldn’t we protect and advocate for play too? Over my time of working with schools, I have discovered that children just want to have fun and are eager to play and learn new games. Once I start a game, I almost always have E

Issue 26.4 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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Play

The Bean Game Time: 10 minutes Age Range: 5–adult Ideal Number of Players: 8–30 Equipment Needed: None

 the whole school joining in. Games have the capacity to be hugely inclusive of all children, no matter what age, culture, race, creed, or ability. They offer opportunities for everyone in the school playground to get involved. Le Fevre (2007) comments that, ‘Games create a universal language with which people can relate to each other.’ We know from research that when children have a happy playtime, they learn better in the afternoon. An added bonus I continue to hear from schools is how much happier their lunchtime supervisors, teaching assistants and teachers are, walking calmly into the staff room after play commenting on their happy playtime, so it’s not just the children who benefit – we all do! That’s what inspired me to write my latest book, 101 Playground Games 2nd Edition because wellbeing is important for us all. We ignore play at our peril Currently play isn’t prioritised enough in our education system as schools face continued pressure to ‘catch up’ children of all ages. Panksepp (1993), a neuroscientist and psychologist, says ‘We ignore play at our peril. Research shows that if infants don’t get enough socially interactive play, they will make up for lost time and play harder, often at the wrong times.’ In other words, their play impulse comes out inappropriately. If children don’t get enough play they also end up with what Stuart Brown (2010) describes as a ‘serious play deficit, much like the well documented sleep deficit,’ which subsequently impacts social, emotional, mental and physical health and wellbeing. The benefits of play What is noticeable when I am outside playing games with children is the freedom that children experience to really be themselves and the incredible joy that games bring. There is evidence that by making children feel brighter and happier, games can prevent illness. Studies now show that prolonged dark feelings actually harm the body and cause disease. Psychologist Dr Robert Holden states, ‘The child who does not play, runs the risk of serious setbacks in life. This setback will manifest itself, physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. Play can be a natural therapy, a medicine and a natural healer that promotes humour, happiness and

wholeness. An absence of fun, little or no playtime and a lack of laughter are common symptoms of stress, sickness, and disease. Little or no time for play can also be a significant cause of illness and disharmony. On the other hand, frequent prescriptions of play can inspire rest, relaxation and recovery. Play is also an act of ‘re-creation’. Through play we can recharge, revitalise and re-energise ourselves back into life.’ How to make playing a priority? In our current school system, children have a morning playtime, lunchtime break and if they are lucky an afternoon playtime. Anthony Pellegrini, a professor of early childhood education, suggests more frequent breaks, such as those in Finland where students have a 15-minute outdoor free-play break every hour of every single school day (regardless of the weather) until high school. Perhaps longer play times should be a new consideration for us all? During the years that I have run Positive Playtime training courses, a frequent cry from teachers and lunchtime supervisors has been that children just don’t know how to play and that they no longer play the old traditional games that we used to play. They say, ‘it wasn’t like this in our day, children knew how to play. We played street games, the roads were safe, and we didn’t have screens!’ Therefore, it is crucial in our world today, that as educators, we continue to support and value the role of play. It is also vital that we remind children to play old games and teach and encourage them how to play new ones. I believe that many games are not lost, only forgotten, and that with a little help and support from us in teaching games, we will reignite the flame in our children and they will thus pass these games on to the next generation. Lots of play can be facilitated equipment free including playground games. You can even use your Sports Premium funding to support your school in creating active playtimes. When you are implementing games within your school there are no hard and fast rules. Feel empowered to change and adapt the activities in ways that work best for you and the children. I can almost guarantee that they will come up with interesting and creative ideas and additional rules and rhymes that adults haven’t even heard of.

How to Play One person is chosen to be the leader. The leader explains the different categories of beans and demonstrates the actions for each. French bean – the players say, ‘Bonjour’, and bow down. Jelly bean – the players wobble like jelly. Baked bean – the players lie down on the floor in a stretched-out position. Broad bean – the players make a standing starfish shape. Kidney bean – the players lie curled up on the floor. Chilli bean – the players shiver. Frozen bean – the players freeze (stay still). The leader calls a bean and all the players have to do the actions of that bean. Variations Since this is a co-operative game, children do not get ‘out’. However, an adaptation of this, which would make the game more competitive, would be for the last child doing the bean action to be out, the winner being the last person left in. This is a great energising game and is also good for wet play days. It is extremely popular with older children and adults love it too!

Here’s some games you might like to try in your school. Download 10 free traditional playground games taken from 101 Playground Games here. As we emerge out of this pandemic it is important to remember that our children spend 20 per cent of their school day in the playground. That’s one day a week spent playing. On my courses I encourage school leaders to include the development of outdoor play and learning in their school development plans so that we make play and child wellbeing a priority. Please join our movement to make play a priority in the school day #playmatters2021 L

Therese is the best-selling author of 101 Playground Games 2nd Edition and 101 Wet Playtime Games and Activities. She runs Positive Playtime and How to be a Lunchtime Superhero programmes in person and online, nationally and internationally. This article includes sections from 101 Playground Games, 2nd Edition by Thérèse Hoyle, published by Routledge.

Save 20 per cent through the Routledge website with discount code APR20. www.routledge.pub/PlaygroundGames FURTHER INFORMATION www.routledge.pub/PlaygroundGames

Issue 26.4 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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Human-powered gyms It’s time to find out about the financial, environmental and curriculum benefits of ECO-POWR™ technology, which captures human exertion during fitness and turns it into usable electricity three quarters of the energy they generate through their effort on the machines goes back into the local grid to offset energy costs. From our perspective the early adopters of this change are the education sector in particular FE colleges, independent clubs, indoor cycle studios, universities, hospitality and corporate facilities, are the market segments driving the adoption of our new products & solutions. On our website we have created a section called Customer Projects, dedicated to showcasing selected groups of early adopters where we highlight the positive impact green fitness is having on their business and education facilities in terms of differentiation, attraction, retention and savings; all in their own words.

Transformational innovation (TI) is not something we would ordinarily associate with gyms in the education sector, in fact the innovation is coming from disruptors to the market in the form of on-demand training brought into your homes by companies such as Peloton. However, TI that is happening from SA Green Fitness is coming from a strong environmental angle. SA Green Fitness are a sustainable company working in the health and fitness sector in the UK. We offer a unique value proposition that has the potential to change the fitness industry into a net positive contributor for a greener planet. With rows of cardio machines, air conditioning and fluorescent lighting, traditional gyms are an energy bill’s worst nightmare. But with an innovative approach using sustainable solutions, for business or home, SA Green Fitness working alongside our sustainable partners to supply a total or partial fit out and design to create an innovative health and fitness solution, could change all of this. Most education facilities use traditionally supplied gym equipment. Why waste all that home-produced energy; just imagine if all the health clubs within education facilities had the revolutionary ECO-POWR™ technology that captures human exertion and turn it into usable electricity! Ideal for cross curricular activities, many children benefit from thinking about curriculum areas when they are embedded in real life contexts. SA WELL+™ functionality cross curicular for education SA WELL+™ includes energy production tracking, leader board, asset management and a user app to track individual workouts and lifetime watts produced. The user app tracks user’s workouts and energy generated data in real time. Our asset management software displays equipment usage stats and device

error codes, sets reminders on when your equipment needs to be serviced, and shows how much electricity your members are producing. The Coach App allows fitness trainers and indoor cycle instructors to monitor and coach users on our G516 indoor cycle to maximise the user’s performance and energy production. Energy production display The leader board shows the top energy producers, and the home screen provides real-time data on energy generated. Through the SA Well+ System, you can truly visualise your energy. SportsArt’s new Elite ECO-POWR™ series is a full line of cardio products with built-in micro-inverters that harness wattage from human exercise, convert it to AC power and by simply plugging it into a standard 220v power outlet, feeds power back into the local grid. In one hour, ten ECO-POWR machines can generate up to 2,000 watts of power. This line of products attracts progressive and environmentally conscious consumers looking to integrate sustainability in their everyday fitness lifestyles and provides a particular draw for tech-savvy, environment sensitive, Generation Z Millennials, the fastest growing population segment, seeking sustainable wellbeing for themselves and for the future generations. ECO-POWR™ puts these users in a position to simultaneously burn calories and generate energy at 74 per cent efficiency, meaning that

Watts used for standard appliances at school and home A desktop computer uses 400 watts an hour and a hairdryer 1,200 watts an hour, while a circuit of 10 SportsArt machines could generate an annual saving of £1,300 of electricity in one school gym. Leading the way in eco-friendly gyms is SO51 all kitted out in recycled materials, from rubber studio floors to reclaimed wood walls – which are also covered with airfiltering plants such as ivy. Its rowing machines use water for resistance instead of electricity. S051 based in Romsey is also a major partner in combating climate issues. Just 3 ECO-POWR™ units have generated 537,600 watts over a period of 11 months. Leeds City College are another great example of a human-powered gym, harnessing members’ energy on indoor bikes, treadmills, ellipticals to power the facility. How to create a sustainable gym We are a turnkey provider, bringing other environmentally focussed organisations into your solutions. We have been on the lookout for likeminded sustainable companies (like Optimise Energy) who share our passion and drive to hit that net positive contributor for a greener planet. We have created the first Sustainable guide to achieving your own sustainable facility: ‘How to create a Sustainable Gym’.L FURTHER INFORMATION www.sagreenfitness.com

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

Sport Written by the Youth Sport Trust

A week-long celebration of school sport Following school closures and a year in which sports days were forced to take place at home, schools across the country came together to celebrate a week of sport between 19 and 25 June More than 800,000 young people enjoyed a week of inclusive ‘Together Again’ school sports days for National School Sport Week 2021. The Youth Sport Trust’s National School Sport Week campaign ran from Saturday 19 to Friday 25 June and saw a weeklong celebration of school sport. Everyone from sporting stars, teachers and politicians united to promote the importance of school sport and PE. More than 2,000 schools, organisations and communities signed up to take part in the week. Sporting stars Hannah Cockroft and Lucy Shuker, along with dozens of politicians, joined in to support the week and champion the importance of school sport. Minister for Sport Nigel Huddleston visited a primary school in London along with former Team GB swimmer Jazz Carlin. Using free resources provided by the Youth Sport Trust, schools found innovative ways to

up and down the country as they learned bring this year’s theme of Together Again to life, from St Elizabeth’s School in Manchester a special National School Sport Week basing their events around a thank you dance routine choreographed by to the NHS, to Plantation Primary Pussycat Doll and Youth Sport School in Liverpool putting Trust Ambassador Kimberly More on its own Highland Wyatt. Youth Sport Trust staff than 1, Games for pupils to get also joined in the fun. schools 600 involved in from home. Inspired by UEFA Euro More than 1,600 2020, football festivals to hold pledged schools pledged to were held by schools up sport d a school hold a school sport and down the country a y as pa the cam day as part of the promoting equal access paign, rt of after so campaign, after so to the game for girls. many y oun many young people England legend Kelly missed g people missed out last year. Smith inspired girls at out last Analysis by the an event put on by The year Youth Sport Trust FA and Youth Sport Trust shows this would at a London school, part of equate to sports days for the Game of Our Own Leadership at least 818,000 young people. Programme - supported by Barclays. Pupils of all ages got moving in classrooms Separately, the Manchester United E Issue 26.4 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Advertisement Feature 5-a-day Fitness is the ultimate fun fitness resource for primary schools. Increase daily physical activity in your school with 5-minute exercise routines designed specifically for projection onto classroom screens. The resources can be used at any time of the day to enhance learning with ease. There’s no need to rearrange the classroom or change into PE kits. 5-aday provides the perfect opportunity to get pupils up and active first thing in the morning, a mid-lesson brain break, a refocusing tool, or to use up any excess energy they may have after lunch or break time. There is also a collection of 2-minute chillout routines concentrating on relaxation, imagination, coordination and mindfulness. There’s no teacher preparation required. Simply watch, join in, have fun, get fit and learn! The themed fitness routines are also available with Modern Foreign Language voice-overs and on-screen translations, making 5-a-day a great cross-curricular PE and language learning resource. Many of the videos are already available in French, Spanish and Welsh. Each routine enhances kinaesthetic learning, and utilises both audio and visual instructions and demonstrations. The music and choreography are written, created and licensed by 5-a-day Fitness with education and school appropriateness in mind. The

routines are differentiated by complexity, and the language learning resources each have 3 levels of difficulty making 5-a-day Fitness an amazing crosscurricular Physical Education and Modern Foreign Language learning tool for Key Stage 1 and 2 (K-6+). The Primary School Sport Premium Funding can be used to purchase 5-a-day Fitness for your school. Designed with this in mind, the resource steadily ticks many requirements within the Government Schools Sports Premium. 5-a-day Fitness aims to help schools meet the Government target of providing an extra 30 minutes of daily exercise for pupils within their obesity strategy. The first Key Indicator of the Government’s initiative is, “Engagement of all pupils in regular physical activity”, 5-a-day Fitness can be used easily and effectively to help directly address this. Offered as a yearly package, subscribing schools get unlimited access to 5-a-day’s easy to use video-ondemand service. Schools are able to support whole families to stay active by upgrading to Pupil Home Access, allowing pupils and parents to engage in fun, easy to follow, 5-a-day Fitness routines at home. Over 1,000 primary schools now subscribe and have access to 5-a-day’s proprietary video-on-demand service (hosted at www.5-a-day.tv), for an annual full price of just £380!

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New research Many school events saw young people leading and designing their own activities. It came after new research – released by the Youth Sport Trust at the start of the week highlighted the importance of empowering young people to lead sporting activities. The charity believes empowering young leaders holds the key to getting a generation of young people more active. The study of young people aged between 5 and 16, carried out by Foresight Factory on behalf of the Youth Sport Trust, found that a majority of young people want to do more sport and exercise (54 per cent agreed with this now vs 44 per cent who said the same in a study published in 2015). There has been a significant increase in young people who say they would play more sport if it was led by somebody their own age. 36 per cent of young people agreed with this, compared with 23 per cent who said the same in the 2015 study. Taking part in sport led by somebody their own age is particularly important for young

disabled people, with 46 per cent saying this would lead to them playing more. The full findings of the research are due to be released over the summer as a follow-up to the Youth Sport Trust’s original Class of 2035 report, published in 2015. Active recovery Ali Oliver MBE, Chief Executive of the Youth Sport Trust, said: “We’re thrilled that so many schools and partners have held Together Again school sport days this National School Sport Week. It is a real celebration of togetherness and the important, powerful role of sport in helping young people to recover from a year like no other. “Sports days don’t have to be about being the best, strongest or quickest, they are a celebration of bringing us together and learning key skills like communication, empathy, teamwork and resilience. “As our new research highlights, this is not just about getting young people taking part but also empowering them to lead and drive change. This is why it has been so good to see many participating schools giving pupils the opportunity to create and lead their own activities. “Harnessing the important role of sport and activity to support the nation’s recovery from the pandemic will be a long-term challenge, but the activities that have taken place throughout National School Sport Week will be an inspiring celebration of what is possible.” More ideas on helping young people to recover from the pandemic can be found through the Active Recovery Hub, thanks to funding from the National Lottery. L FURTHER INFORMATION

Sport

 Foundation was one of several club foundations to get involved, inviting children from local schools to hold sports day events on the pitch at Old Trafford. As part of an initiative with Purplebricks, schools encouraged pupils to unleash their creativity by designing artwork in support of Team GB ahead of this summer’s Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games. Olympic legend Denise Lewis helped launch the first mural, in Hertfordshire. And young people at St Alban and St Stephen Catholic Primary School in St Albans helped to lead a national Pause to Play to kick off the week, which featured on CBBC Newsround.

£320m confirmed for PE and Sport Premium The DfE has confirmed that it will continue to fund the PE and Sport Premium next year, with a £320 million investment. The PE and Sport Premium will encourage children to play more sport, increase their social skills, and improve their physical activity after lockdown. Schools will also be able to improve the quality of their teaching and make longer-term, sustainable changes to their lessons. The funding, for the next academic year, can be used by schools alongside any money leftover from the PE and Sport Premium grant this year or last. These underspends can be used by schools until 31 July 2022, and will help them to prioritise physical activities, sport and physical education with mental health and wellbeing support, or education catch up and tutoring. Tim Hollingsworth, CEO of Sport England, said: “We welcome the confirmation of further PE and Sport Premium funding for the next academic year. Their time at school is a huge part of how children can engage with the activity they enjoy, and which can also support them to focus and learn. After a year of significant disruption to children’s activity levels and schooling, a high-quality PE and sport offer, boosting their health and wellbeing, has never been more important.”

www.youthsporttrust.org

Issue 26.4 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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A waste management service that doesn’t cost the earth From environmentally-responsible waste management, to STEM resources for schools, SUEZ has been working hard to deliver meaningful social and environmental benefits through its services

While traditionally the measure of success for a business has been centred around profitability, recently a more sustainable approach has gained ground. More organisations are appreciating the benefits of considering the ‘triple bottom line’ approach – people, planet and prosperity, which fundamentally rests on the belief that companies should focus as much on social and environmental impacts as they do on financial aspects. There are many cross-industry organisations doing remarkable things to show how much social, environmental, and economic value can be created by following a triple bottom line approach. SUEZ recycling and recovery UK is one of them. They are a leading waste and resource management company, delivering environmentally responsible solutions for more than 30,000 local authority and business customers across the UK. Some of you may know SUEZ already, as their customer portfolio in education sector is large and well-established. Embracing triple bottom line, SUEZ has recognised the importance of embedding this approach even further into their business and reporting on performance based on its impact on the planet, people and prosperity. Teaching and inspiring the future generations In 2019, a survey commissioned by Oxfam found that 69 per cent of teachers believe there should be teaching more about

climate change in UK schools. It also found that 75 per cent of teachers don’t feel they’ve received adequate training to educate students about climate change. Last year during the COVID-19 crisis, the pandemic made lesson planning challenging for teachers at schools up and down the country. An opportunity was identified to help support them and SUEZ launched a suite of educational resources designed to bring STEM education to life in classrooms for primary and secondary school students. STEM education creates critical thinkers, increases science literacy and enables the next generation of innovators to help solve the environmental problems we all face. Developed by SUEZ, the resources for primary school children cover both key stage 1 and 2 with detailed lesson plans for teachers and home educators accompanied by supporting resources. There is also a range of step-by-step upcycling activities to transform everyday household packaging and items that might otherwise be discarded to promote reuse. For older students, SUEZ has produced a series of videos aimed at secondary school students at key stages 3 and 4 who are considering their future career options. Featuring SUEZ employees, these promote the varied roles available within the recycling and resource management sector, explaining the different paths that brought people into these roles and how studying STEM subjects supports their career choices. Linked to STEM subjects, these resources encourage children to think of materials as a valuable resource and consider how we can reduce the amount of waste produced, and

reuse or repurpose waste before recycling. Free resources for schools are available here. SUEZ sought feedback from teachers before launching the resources to ensure they aligned with the national curriculum and worked in a classroom setting and has been delighted by the reaction so far. Jo Higgon, Careers Leader at Claydon High School in Suffolk said: “These are a fantastic resource for careers education in schools. Each video answers key questions which allow students to find out the important information about these roles as potential jobs for the future. This set of videos includes a focus on skills and qualifications as well as favourite school subjects for a range of STEM related careers, allowing students to see how their GCSE and post 16 subjects link into these jobs. The job roles are equally represented by different genders helping to raise aspirations in those students looking for a STEM related career pathway. Thank you team SUEZ!” Liz Sampson, Key Stage 1 Teacher at Gorran School in Cornwall said: “These resources have been meticulously planned to meet the curriculum for primary schools and to address the wider focus on the environment, addressing reduce, reuse and recycle through a series of well planned, engaging and investigative lessons.” Claire Payne, a Year 1 Teacher at St Mary’s School in Evesham commented: “The lessons are well-planned, and jam packed full of interactive activities, the children have thoroughly enjoyed them.” Practice what you preach From an environmental perspective, SUEZ has developed a number of projects to assist with preserving and improving biodiversity. For example, their facilities in Severnside, Suffolk, Teesside, and others have run an initiative to improve local biodiversity, by providing education activity days for local schools, as well as helping to halt the declining bee population. With beehives installed onsite, there are now over 100,000 bees calling it home. SUEZ has been working hard to deliver meaningful social and environmental benefits through their services. If your organisation is looking for a reliable waste management service that doesn’t cost the earth, contact their friendly team today. L FURTHER INFORMATION 0800 083 0504 www.suez.co.uk

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Catering Written by Danielle Glavin, head of communications at Chefs in Schools.

How to improve school lunches and food education If you empower your kitchen teams to make food from scratch, you will soon have happier staff and pupils. Chefs in Schools – a charity working to transform school food and food education – explains how this can be achieved Fish Friday for forty London schools begins around shipwrecks off the South West coast, where small fishing boats are catching pollock using rods and lines. That fish is packaged up by Brixham Seafish and whizzed up the motorway to school kitchens. There, the teams fillet, bread and bake it, serving it alongside school-made chips, salad and freshly minted peas. The Fish Friday lunches are low in salt and sugar, yet high in nutrients – and they don’t break the bank. Plus, the kids love it. But rewind a few years and it was a very different story at these schools. The fish arrived frozen, it was poor quality, mass-produced and bunged into the oven to heat up. The same could be said of the chips and peas. So, what changed? Those schools all decided better is possible when it comes to school food. They now train their kitchen teams to make all food from scratch. They pay a living wage. And it doesn’t have to cost any more money. This way of working can be replicated across the country. The first school, from the forty above, that started changing their food, was Gayhurst Community School, part of the LEAP Federation of state schools in Hackney. Louise Nichols, the exec head, recruited Nicole Pisani, head chef at a top London restaurant, to run the school kitchen. Louise’s motivation was to serve up good, nutritious food, but she found the benefits went further than that. Louise says: “Nicole brought passion, commitment and a real desire to share her skills and demonstrate how great food can be. “Five years on, the school is thriving, academic performance is some of the highest in the country, attendance is great, behaviour brilliant and the school is 200 per cent over subscribed with parents very keen to get their children in. I don’t know how much of all that the food has contributed to; it is hard to quantify, but the boost to the school community’s esteem in so many ways is palpable.” In-house expertise Nicole’s expertise at making the most out of produce allowed Gayhurst to save money and

reinvest in continual training of the kitchen team. They now make bread from scratch, prepare all sauces and meals in house, and source the freshest of fish from Brixham. Food education improved too. Nicole started teaching pupils how to make soda bread, how to butcher chickens and make soups and sauces. Things went so well at Gayhurst, that the idea for a charity, Chefs in Schools, was born. The charity – led by Nicole, Louise and Henry Dimbleby, author of the National Food Strategy – is working with schools across London and branching out further afield. Nicole says: “Our aim is to challenge the perception that poor school food is acceptable because it isn’t possible to do better with the budget available. We’re showing that it’s possible to educate and nourish young children – school food can be innovative and exciting.” Job satisfaction A recent survey from Chefs in Schools showed record satisfaction levels with the kitchen teams working to its ethos: 96 per cent of chefs the latest tips and tricks on making healthier reported feeling satisfied or very satisfied in choices more appealing to students. their job; 92 per cent had experienced a shift The charity also works hands-on with schools, in food culture within their school; and 100 training teams in person. And, in collaboration per cent of chefs would recommend working with the LEAP Federation, they’ve opened in a school kitchen to a friend. the Hackney School of Food. The chefs were proud to be One school that’s working ‘making a difference’ and ‘able The with Chefs in Schools to raise to help develop the next Chefs in the bar in school food, is generation of foodies’. Schools Woodmansterne, a state In contrast, research school in London. The by Unison indicates of prod ’ model ucing m Head Chefs cook for the wider school from fr primary and secondary kitchen workforce esh pro eals require d u aged pupils. They often feel undervalued c e s also offer education and excluded as staff an both skilled d a su – they’ve introduced a member of the a koji fermentation wider school team. workfo fficient rce lab which is used in They also expressed science and food education concerns around workload, classes. And they’ve enlisted pay and job security. famous chefs to guest chefs for Chefs in Schools is developing the day and hold Q&As with pupils. a qualification and online training that Nicole says: “This demonstrates to us the will help all schools ensure their kitchen importance of having people in a school E teams have basic nutritional knowledge and Issue 26.4 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

50% LESS SUGAR HOT CHOCOLATE DRINKS DELICIOUS Hot Chocolate – with 50% Less Sugar – with hot chocolate being the most popular hot drink between 11 to 18 year olds, and with ever increasing levels of obesity in our society – the compact table top hot chocolate dispensers have been designed especially for schools to offer a 50% less sugar hot chocolate drink. There are two models available – just hot chocolate on its own, or with fat free skimmed milk for added Choco-latte, this offers a healthier option than all the leading brands of hot chocolate.

OBESITY – has been much publicised across the Media and many voices within the NHS over the increasing costs year on year in treating obesity and rising and concerning levels of diabetes in our children. The government introduced a sugar levy/tax on soft drink manufacturers in April 2018 on soft drinks – highlights the concerns and effects of high sugar levels in our food and drink. HFactor – Healthy Vending doesn’t have to cost the earth– with unlimited school complaint soft drinks and an ever-increasing range of healthy snacks available, vending can once again, become popular in school and generate profits again. With 75% of student cash spent outside the school gates to and from school, schools can capture some of this revenue for themselves – just like the bad old days!

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Catering

 kitchen who love food and want to pass that passion on. Food builds relationships, confidence and can offer a rewarding career – where better to sow the seeds for all of this than in schools?” Begin the change If this is whetting your appetite for change – where do you begin? Firstly, you have to value your school kitchen team. On inset days, they should receive training. Not just the legal requirements, but craft skills and professional development. They should be mentioned in comms to parents, and they should feel part of the school community. It’s also key to recognise how food served in the dining hall, or taught about in the classroom, can be linked to health and educational opportunities for children. Harrington Hill and Grasmere Primary Schools started putting food at the heart of the school back in 2019. Head teacher, Nick Mallender, says: “Our head chef, James, splits his time between both schools, overseeing and training the different kitchen teams. We’ve been blown away by the difference it makes at the school. Children are excited to be eating lunch much more than they were, they’re asking about it and interested in the food. The number of teachers who have school dinners has shot up. They’re eating with the kids in the hall,

Chefs in Schools is developing a qualification and online training that will help all schools ensure their kitchen teams have basic nutritional knowledge and the latest tips and tricks on making healthier choices more appealing to students talking with them. We want to build on that and make mealtime a real focus of the day.” What are the next steps? The Chefs in Schools’ model of producing meals from fresh produce requires both skilled staff and sufficient workforce to prepare everything from raw ingredients. Sit down and eat the food. Be honest, what’s good, what’s not, would you pay to eat it? Then an audit is needed. Assessing the existing kitchen team and identifying any gaps in skills or staffing are crucial. Naomi Duncan, chief executive at Chefs in Schools, says: “We need to all realise how important the job of a school chef or cook is. This is a workforce that not only feeds children every day, but also has the opportunity to shape their life-long relationship with food.

“If you empower your kitchen teams to make food from scratch, you will soon have happier staff and pupils. Schoolmade food will always taste better than something taken out of the freezer.” The process does take time and effort, but for Louise Nichols, at Gayhurst, Mandeville and Kingsmead it’s been worth it. “I’m incredibly proud of all the kitchen teams at LEAP who’ve helped transform the food. They have had to keep the faith with the changes. I hope they would all say that they’ve now enjoyed the journey as they are very much a part of the whole school community and their cooking skills are far more appreciated than they were.” L FURTHER INFORMATION www.chefsinschools.org.uk

Issue 26.4 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Trips Written by Mark Castle, chief executive of the Field Studies Council

Taking away the four walls of the classroom Longer school days, summer camps and increased tutoring have all been talked about as ways to help children make up for lost learning time. But outdoor learning and school trips also have a crucial role to play in helping children recover, not just academically, but mentally, socially and physically When you take away the four walls of a classroom, something magical happens to the children inside. They bubble with excitement and curiosity. They sit up and they’re suddenly engaged by the overwhelming sense of freedom and adventure that washes over them. For these reasons and more, Mark Castle, chief executive of the Field Studies Council, explains why it’s vital for schools to look ahead and start planning a residential trip in the great outdoors. After a challenging 12 months and more, the Government gave England’s outdoor education sector the green light to be able to start operating Covid-safe residential trips for schools from May 17 onwards.

embark on a week-long residential school For FSC it was a landmark moment in trip youngsters will develop skills they never our own roadmap to recovery from the thought possible, find confidence within Coronavirus pandemic and one which themselves that they never knew signalled to us that we could existed and create memories finally get back to doing what which will last an entire we do best – providing lifetime. I for one can still fun outdoor learning Learnin g recall my first overnight experiences for primary outside school trip to the Mull of and secondary pupils. the clas Galloway – Scotland’s Children thrive in s most southerly point the outdoors and promot room with miles of beaches there is no substitute healthy es the and spectacular views. for hands-on , p develop hysical And this is before we practical experiences me even touch on the array in the natural world. childrennt of of health and well-being Given the chance to

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Trips

benefits of being active outdoors and the positive impact on mental health. For more than a year, children have missed out on fun and friendships and have been forced to spend time indoors, isolated, and in many cases inactive, due to the Covid19 restrictions that have been placed upon them as the nation has attempted to steer its way through this challenging global crisis. We’ve seen a growing reliance on technology and an increase in screen time for many as home-learning lessons switched online and now, back in the classroom, teachers and pupils are facing the prospect and pressures of academic ‘catch-up’ learning programmes. Longer school days, summer camps and increased tutoring have all been talked about as ways to help children make up for lost learning time, but as we see it, outdoor learning and school trips also have a crucial role to play in helping our children recover, not just academically, but perhaps more importantly mentally, socially and physically from the restrictions placed upon them. Social recovery One of the biggest impacts of the Coronavirus pandemic is the social disruption it has caused. For large chunks of the year, children have worked from home, isolated without their peers around them. Furthermore,

ongoing Covid restrictions within schools means, in many cases, there is far less mixing of classes and year groups than there may have been pre-pandemic. As strides are made to further ease restrictions, come the Autumn term, overnight school trips will provide a chance for pupils to rebuild their friendships and relationships in a positive and fun way. Having the opportunity to explore together and being away from the school environment allows time for children and their teachers to share experiences and get to know each other better. There are other benefits too of course. Waking up in the place that you are studying, being out of the classroom environment and away from the usual class hierarchy brings about positive change within children. Suddenly the quieter, less confident children find their voice and the louder ones, begin learning how to listen. Indeed, being part of a shared experience, whether that is time away from home for the first time, surveying in bad weather or watching wildlife late at night, can bond a group together. Many of our learners comment that it was the encouragement of their peers that helped them try and succeed at new and scary things. Sharing space – whether that is at mealtimes or by sharing rooms with others that they may not usually mix with, develops social skills and cross-cultural understanding. For younger children, simple life skills such as making their own bed or creating a packed lunch adds to a sense of independence and confidence. Mental recovery The Covid pandemic has had a profound impact on the mental wellbeing of children and young people and it’s easy to see why. They’ve had to deal with multiple pressures and a lot of uncertainty when it comes to their education. Many more will have experienced grief from bereavement or perhaps loss linked to friendships and freedom. On top of this, they’ve also had to adapt to new and different ways of living. It is why well-being should form a central part of the ‘catch-up’ programme for our younger generations alongside the academic focus. Numerous studies have found positive links between participation in outdoor learning and significant improvements in mental well-being and children need this now more than ever before. Being outside can reduce stress and anxiety, boost confidence and self-esteem and help nurture positive emotions so the case for taking children away from the classroom in the form of a school day trip or extended residential break is easily made. Physical recovery Learning outside the classroom promotes the healthy, physical development of children. It gives them a sense of freedom to try new activities and explore landscapes that they might not otherwise get to experience. Children by their natural curiosity are drawn to physical play and learning

outdoors enables them to develop skills and build confidence that they might not be able to demonstrate inside the four walls of a classroom. As I mentioned at the start of this article, something magical happens when you give children freedom in nature. They become more aware, engage better and if given enough opportunity to spend time outdoors when they’re young, they will grow up to appreciate the benefits of a healthy lifestyle through physical activity. Through active play outside in nature, youngsters will also begin to appreciate and care for our environment, adopt valuable problem-solving skills and make sense of messy data – the very skills and attributes which will all be necessary for our children to gain future careers and support the UK’s growing green agenda. Academic recovery We can all learn from textbooks and screens but they can only teach us so much. There is nothing like seeing the real thing. Experiencing a landscape and the natural world first-hand for example is what engages all our senses. It is this that can really fix something in the minds and memories of young people and they themselves have told us that they have been in exam rooms and been able to recall those first-hand experiences. Seeing and experiencing helps consolidate learning and it often enables learners to make sense of a subject. Furthermore, there’s not a single subject on the school curriculum that cannot be taught outdoors. Take even the most reluctant mathematicians outside into the natural world, connect their learning to nature, and they will rediscover their enthusiasm for learning. Planning a safe trip For teachers and schools looking to plan a safe school residential trip, it’s probably easier than they think as the sector itself has had plenty of time to do its homework, put in place covid-secure arrangements for sleeping, eating and socialising and develop a range of protocols to ensure those visiting stay as safe as possible during their trips. Providers of outdoor education are adept at dealing with health and safety protocols and are experts when it comes to developing and adopting robust risk assessments so schools can be confident, we know what we are doing when it comes to creating safe environments for children to learn and play. At FSC, we have transformed our centres and put in place a range of new Covidsecure measures and our staff work with individual schools to support teachers to ensure all the appropriate risk assessments have been carried out prior to arrival. L FURTHER INFORMATION For more information or to discuss your school trip requirements please visit us online at https://www.field-studiescouncil.org/courses-and-experiences/

Issue 26.4 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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