17 minute read
Air Quality
by PSI Media
Schools sought to take part in SAMHE air quality project
Poor air quality can impact pupils’ concentration levels and their health, so it is important to understand what is in school air and how to improve it. To do this, the SAMHE project has been launched, with support from the Department for Education, and is recruiting schools to take part
Supported by the Department for Education, the SAMHE project, which stands for Schools’ Air quality Monitoring for Health and Education, will distribute free high spec air quality monitors to schools, linked to a specially designed interactive Web App. This will enable pupils, teachers and school leaders to view and interact with the data on the air they are breathing.
Poor air quality can impact pupils’ concentration levels and their health, so it is important that we know what is in school air and when and how we should take action to improve it.
The quality of our air is important. After all, around 10,000 litres of air passes through each person’s body every day. However, air often contains pollutants that can have impacts on our health, ability to concentrate and levels of attainment. Young people spend lots of time at school so we want to make sure that the air in classrooms is good, and give schools access to data that will enable both students and teachers to make informed decisions about ventilation.
SAMHE is bringing together scientists, pupils and teachers to establish a network of air quality monitors in schools across the UK, creating an unparalleled dataset which will help researchers better understand schools’ indoor air quality. It is funded by the Department for Education and EPSRC (Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council) and run by a team of scientists, software engineers and communication specialists from six institutions across the UK.
What schools get Schools will get a free high spec air quality monitor that measures carbon dioxide (CO2), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), particulate matter (PM2.5), temperature(oC) and relative humidity (%). Teachers and pupils will be able to access their data through a specially designed interactive Web App, seeing how air quality changes over the course of hours, days or weeks and months. The Web App will also offer a range of related activities and experiments, creating opportunities for pupils to be scientists and do hands-on experiments with their monitor. There will be activities for a range of learning aims, group types and session durations (subject lessons, extension activities, extracurricular clubs, careers activities, extended projects, five minute tasks).
There will also be activities for different age groups (key stages 1-4 plus sixth form, and of different types including data analysis, environmental actions (e.g.opening windows), people actions (e.g. exercise), and data entry (e.g. telling us where the monitor is and what activity is taking place).
There will be clear curriculum links for a range of subjects including, but not limited to, Science, Maths and PSHE. Lesson plans, videos and other resources will also be provided.
There will also be activities focussed on career links, including information about the SAMHE project team members and their career pathways.
We’re also designing activities to teach specific skills such as data handling and analysis, developing scientific enquiry, and reasoning with evidence, and also art and design activities. Taking part in SAMHE will give pupils the opportunity to be part of something bigger, working together with scientists and thousands of other school children towards a cleaner, healthier school environment. It will also look great on a personal statement!
Co‑designed with schools Schools have been involved from early in the project, helping us design, refine and test our plans. About twenty schools helped design the project logo and the initial version of the Web App. We’re now looking for schools who are willing to help us test the initial version of our Web App before we launch it more widely early in 2023. We want to know how well the Web App works for students and teachers, to ensure it meets schools’ needs. Could your school be a SAMHE Pioneer School? We’ll be asking pioneer schools to install their monitor, login to the SAMHE Web App to check that they can see the data it is recording, play with the Web App to check that it functions properly and try out some of the activities it suggests. This will be an early version of the SAMHE Web App which we’ve been working closely on with a small number of schools to codesign. We’ll be asking schools to share their feedback with us and providing a variety of channels through which they can do so. Of course, Pioneer Schools will have access to the full version of the Web App as soon as it is finished, and in addition will know that they have helped to create it! If your school would like to become a SAMHE pioneer school and you are available to help with testing starting in November, please sign up now using the registration form on the SAMHE website samhe.org.uk.
Stay in touch If this is too soon for you, or you do not want to work with the early version of the Web App, you are very welcome to defer your school’s involvement until the Web App is fully up and running, meaning your school would receive a monitor as part of our UK wide launch in early 2023. You can stay in touch with developments by following @SAMHEproject on twitter or using the contact form on our website to sign up to the SAMHE newsletter.
Wider context and connections SAMHE is a follow on from the COTRACE project, which monitored CO2, temperature and humidity in a limited number of schools, with the aim of reducing the spread of Covid-19 in schools. It is a collaboration between five UK universities (University of Cambridge, Imperial College London, University of York (through the Stockholm Environment Institute’s York centre), University of Surrey, University of Leeds) and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). SAMHE also has close links with the TAPAS (Tackling air pollution at school) network, The Association for Science Education (ASE) and the National STEM Learning centre. L
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Warneford Consulting provides a tailored funding consultancy service to academies
Warneford Consulting is a specialist academy funding consultancy, providing personal and tailored services, including School Condition Allocation management services and Condition Improvement Fund bid writing and management
We value quality over quantity and high levels of customer service. With us, you won’t get lost in the chain and passed on to a junior executive. We promise you director level involvement from the first to the last interaction with us. This differentiates us from the competition and we find that because we are a bespoke service with a focus on capping our CIF bids, our success rate is high in terms of successful bids.
For our School Condition Allocation management services, Warneford Consulting and Immortalis have combined estate management, procurement, cost and programme management expertise to develop a sector specific academy trust, estate management service.
Designed specifically to help trusts navigate through each stage of the estate management journey, this client tailored service provides trust estate managers with the tools and route map to plan, budget and execute works cost efficiently.
We pride ourselves on delivering a tailored, quality service, key to which is our ongoing consultation with the trust, to confirm that the service we are providing meets your specific needs, preferences and expectations.
We commit to assisting you through every step of the journey, tailoring our system as required to meet the trust’s exact and evolving needs. Whether you are considering how to achieve the best return on your School Condition Allocation for your prioritised capital works or whether you are a school that is eligible to submit a Condition Improvement Fund, Warneford Consulting provide a bespoke estate and bid management service to meet your needs.
As well as our SCA and CIF services, we provide strategic energy funding and procurement services and income generation strategies for academies to maximise their ‘out of hours’ income potential.
The key to all of our services being successful is our partnerships with key providers be that in energy services, the Condition Improvement Fund supply chain or the SCA data driven strategy. And we don’t just select ‘any old company’ to work with, we have built our relationships on similar values and trust over the years and the results prove that.
Why not visit our website and have look at our suite of services, our partners and our commitment to exceptional customer service.
If you’re attending any forthcoming academy sector conferences, Tim may well be on the panel and /or exhibiting and would very much welcome thy opportunity to speak to you face to face. L
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People management for school business professionals
With the need for specialised strategic HR leadership across schools and trusts, the ISBL is pleased to announce that from January 2023, the CIPD Level 7 in Strategic People Management will be offered as part of its portfolio of qualifications. Find out more here
During one of his recent blog posts, Stephen Morales, ISBL CEO, said: “As the role of the local authority continues to diminish, the burden of complex functions including technical finance and accounting, HR, premises and procurement now resides with schools and trusts. The range of specialist skills required to effectively operate a school or trust is on the increase.”1
With the recent Schools White Paper emphasising the trajectory towards a trust-led system and in light of the recent ISBL & Hays Survey2, which identified skills shortages and the need for increasing recruitment over the coming years across the sector, now may be the time to consider upskilling and specialising to stand out. With the need for specialised strategic HR leadership across schools and trusts, ISBL is pleased to announce that from January 2023, the CIPD Level 7 in Strategic People Management will be offered as part of its portfolio of qualifications.
Why should I take the CIPD Level 7 course through ISBL? For a school business professional (SBP), the benefit of studying as part of an ISBL closed cohort is the education contextualisation that is offered compared to other similar courses. All content and materials used are tailored to SBPs and reflect the unique HR requirements of the sector. This includes the contextualised adaptation of session case studies and vocation-specific components, which are specifically tailored by the CIPD tutor around key issues relevant to educational environments whilst keeping within the academic framework of the advanced diploma.
How is the course delivered? The programme is delivered through a live online programme, with scheduled sessions from an expert tutor, allowing candidates to collaborate with peers to gain extra support and share experiences from an educational perspective. Learners will also have access to a virtual learning environment offering interactive online activities, engaging topic-based videos, and opportunities for collaboration with peers and tutors, plus learner forums for questions and feedback.
You will study eight units across the two-year programme including People Management and Development Strategies for Performance, Business Research in People Practice, Strategic Employment Relations, and Advanced Employment Law in Practice.
What can this lead to? As a master’s-level programme, this is the most prestigious CIPD qualification you can attain. Many schools and trusts are looking for HR directors and managers to have a level 7 CIPD qualification, so not only can this allow you to improve your career progression chances but it may also lead to increased levels of pay and responsibility in the long term as specialist HR skills become a necessity across the sector.
For further details and to book on to this programme, please visit https:// isbl.org.uk/cipd-level-7/ L This is a sponsored article posted on behalf of the Institute of School Business Leadership.
FURTHER INFORMATION
www.ISBL.org.uk
1Stephen Morales (2022). ‘How we decide on the right structures and delivery models for a particular context’. ISBL online blog.
2Hays plc. (2022). ‘Skills shortages creating hiring and retention challenges’.
Advertisement Feature The future of education with EdTech and smart procurement
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If you’re interested in attending, just email us below confirming your interest. L
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www.ypo.co.uk
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The Education People Show
The Education People Show on 10 November focuses on the development of effective school management, learning and teaching – offering a range of inspirational speakers, practical workshops, and a showcase of specialist suppliers for the schools and academy sector
Are you looking for new inspiration on creating an exciting and dynamic education environment? Could your school benefit from innovative products and services? Would you benefit from a programme of relevant, unbiased content from sector-leading speakers?
If you answered yes to any – or all – of the above, make sure to add Thursday 10th November 2022 in your calendar and join 500 education leaders, managers and policymakers at The Education People Show at The Kent Event Centre.
This entirely free-to-attend event has become a key platform for the promotion and development of effective school management, learning and teaching – offering a range of inspirational speakers, practical workshops, and an extensive showcase of specialist suppliers for the schools and academy sector.
Each year The Education People Show brings together hundreds of school leaders from across Kent and surrounding counties to share ideas on improving outcomes for their pupils and to discuss current challenges.
The Education People Show welcomes all members of the school leadership team, including head and deputy headteachers, school business managers, bursars and finance directors, facility directors, department heads and governors from across the state, private, early years and academy sectors.
There is no upward limit to the amount of delegates schools can send – for the whole day or just a portion – to benefit from a comprehensive programme of engaging content and to catch up on the latest developments and resources for a modern learning environment. All you need is love This year, the opening keynote comes from inspirational headteacher Chris Dyson of Parklands Primary in Leeds.
One of the most deprived schools in Leeds, with 74 per cent Pupil Premium, when Chris arrived at the school eight years ago, it had been deemed inadequate and had 150 exclusions in a year. Today exclusions are one, the school has the highest progress score for maths in the country, and Ofsted has recently judged the school outstanding. Chris still has largely the same team as when he arrived, but has changed the culture of the school, with the proverbial ‘carrot’ being used rather than a stick, coaching used with staff, and the wellbeing of staff and children becoming the driving force. Chris is now an NLE and sharing the story of how he achieved this transformation with leaders from other schools.
During lockdown he distributed over 100,000 meals (including 36,000 in three hours – 19 tonnes) and sourced over 350 laptops and iPads for all his school community. His book, Parklands: A School Built on Love was a best seller this year on Amazon. Follow him on Twitter for joy, excitement and positively aplenty, @ChrisDysonHT. What’s in a Word? Susie Dent, etymologist and lexicographer will host a fascinating lunchtime workshop, “Escape from Countdown’s Dictionary Corner.” Best known for her role on the Channel Four programme Countdown, where she judges the letter rounds of the show, it is Dictionary Corner where her true expertise in lexicography and etymology is put to the test. After studying for a degree in modern languages at Somerville College, Oxford and later Princeton University, Susie joined the cast of Countdown 1992 and is now the longest-serving member of the Countdown team, having made an astonishing 2,500 appearances since her early Nineties debut.
In addition to Channel Four’s Countdown and 8 Out of Cats Does Countdown, the BBC’s Not Going Out and Would I Lie to You, Susie infused humour and etymology to produce her own ‘Susie Dent’s Guide to Swearing’ which saw her investigate the fascinating etymology the English language’s most popular swear words. Susie also produces and co-hosts her podcast, ‘Something Rhymes with Purple with Gyles Brandeth and has published several books including ‘Word of the Year’, ‘How to
Talk Like a Local’, and ‘Susie Dent’s Modern Tribes: The Secret Languages of Britain’ to name just a few. Now that’s quite a CV! To suit any budget: the largest education supplier showcase in Southeast England The Education People Show is the perfect The Education People Show brings together hundreds of school leaders to share ideas on improving outcomes for their pupils opportunity to meet over 100 specialist education suppliers in a major exhibition of innovative products and services designed to future-proof and increase your school’s efficiency. Expect exclusive at-show discounts, free trials, giveaways, and product demonstrations, with something for every budget. It is an unrivalled opportunity to not only compare the latest offerings on the market, but also a chance to see, feel and use products in real-time. Moreover, you’ll be able to chat, network and build valuable business relationships with leading school catering suppliers, recruitment & HR providers, legal & compliance advisors, health & safety experts, ICT and software specialists, buildings maintenance & refurbishment contractors, landscapers, utility providers, SEN specialists, pastoral care and safeguarding experts, leadership and development trainers and specialist media services including photographers, website designers, education-marketing specialists and more. It is the most comprehensive exhibition available to school leadership teams in the Southeast. This free-to-attend event is organised in association with The Education People to provide a single one-stop-shop for school leadership teams across the Southeast. Make sure your school is represented on Thursday 10th November 2022. L
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