Education Business Magazine 24.2 by PSI Media

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VOLUME 24.2

Business Information for Education Decision Makers IT & COMPUTING

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DESIGN & BUILD

CONSTRUCTING SCHOOLS OFFSITE How modular buildings are creating much-needed pupil places

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www.educationbusinessuk.net

A member of

VOLUME 24.2

Business Information for Education Decision Makers IT & COMPUTING

PLAY

CATERING

DESIGN & BUILD

CONSTRUCTING SCHOOLS OFFSITE How modular buildings are creating much-needed pupil places

A broadband boost for rural schools The government is running a pilot scheme to improve broadband speeds in rural primary schools.

Main cover image: Brampton Academy (credit Wernick)

This will give them gigabit-capable broadband which is much faster and reliable, meaning children in rural primary schools will have the same opportunities as their urban peers in preparing for a more technological future. On the topic of preparing children for a more tech-driven future, our EdTech panel of experts on page 53 discuss how schools can prepare pupils for the rapidly changing workplace, as well as how technology can support teachers, as well as make the running of schools more efficient.

Follow and interact with us on Twitter: @EducationBizz

Continuing the theme of technology, Julia Garvey, LendED project lead at BESA shares the latest on the association’s projects to support schools in their take-up of technology. This comes following Damian Hinds’ call last year for the tech industry to support schools and demonstate how technology can improve outcomes for pupils and reduce workload for teachers. Angela Pisanu, editor

P ONLINE P IN PRINT P MOBILE P FACE-TO-FACE If you would like to receive 11 issues of Education Business magazine for £250 a year, please contact Public Sector Information Limited, 226 High Road, Loughton, Essex IG10 1ET. Tel: 020 8532 0055, Fax: 020 8532 0066, or visit the Education Business website at:

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226 High Rd, Loughton, Essex IG10 1ET. Tel: 020 8532 0055 Fax: 020 8532 0066 Web: www.psi-media.co.uk EDITOR Angela Pisanu PRODUCTION MANAGER Dan Kanolik PRODUCTION CONTROL Lucy Maynard PRODUCTION DESIGN Sophia Mew WEBSITE PRODUCTION Victoria Casey ADVERTISEMENT SALES Raj Chohan, Matthew Kirsh, Aida Leal, Craig Medford, Jane Yeboah PUBLISHER Karen Hopps ADMINISTRATION Isabelle Hayes REPRODUCTION & PRINT Argent Media

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Volume 24.2 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

IN A CLASS OF ITS OWN. The Ransomes TR320. MADE FOR SCHOOLS. The TR320 is perfect for maintaining school pitches and surrounding areas. With the ability to cut and collect, you can rest assured that a clean, pristine finish will be achieved on cricket and football pitches, as well as longer grassed areas. The winning combination of narrow transport width, a productive width-of-cut and superior manoeuvrability makes negotiating tight spaces, courtyards, and building surrounds a breeze.

To find more information and to book a demonstration, please contact your local dealer. www.ransomes.com

ÂŠ 2018 Textron Specialized Vehicles Inc.

Contents

Contents Education Business 24.2 17 07 News

Over £31m of funding announced for educational psychologists; Ofsted: Schools need more support to tackle knife crime

17 Academies

How can multi-academy trusts build positive relationships with their schools, and maintain that positivity during times of change? Leora Cruddas, CEO of the Confederation of School Trusts suggests four key steps trusts should take to strengthen links between a trust and its schools

23 Design & Build

Modular schools are helping to resolve many of the problems encountered by the education sector, such as the need to meet growing pupil places within a quick timeframe and with minimal disruption, writes the Modular and Portable Building Association

Technology is rapidly changing the workplace. So how important is it for schools to get children tech-savvy? And how can technology streamline the running of schools and facilitate better teaching? Our panelists discuss

59 Catering

Healthy school meals remain a key tool in the fight against childhood obesity, but there is much more that can be done. LACA’s chair Michael Hales explains the key areas that can make a significant impact on improving the health of children

63 School Trips

READ MORE tinyurl.com/y5dngnyw

MUSIC

21 per cent drop in state school music over the last five years, says BPI survey A new survey published by UK record labels association the BPI reveals a growing disparity between the provision of music in state and independent schools. The BPI surveyed 2,200 teachers, and found that state schools have seen a 21 per cent decrease in music provision over the past five years, compared to a net increase of seven per cent in music provision in independent schools over the same period. Around 30 per cent of state schools have seen a decrease in curriculum time for music, or a reduction in the number of qualified music teachers. Only 12 per cent of the most deprived schools have an orchestra, compared to 85 per cent of independent schools. One in four schools serving disadvantaged communities offer no music instrument lessons to students that want them,

while almost all independent schools and those serving affluent communities do. Only 64 per cent of schools serving disadvantaged communities give students a chance to take part in a school musical or musical play, compared with 91 per cent of the most affluent state schools and 96 per cent of independent schools. Almost 40 per cent of state-funded secondary schools now have no compulsory music lessons in year 9. Students from disadvantaged communities are least likely to have regular music lessons by age 13/14. What’s more, only 44 per cent of music lessons in a primary school are delivered by a music specialist and one in five primary school teachers report there is no regular music lesson for their class. The BPI is calling on the government

to intervene to reverse the worrying trend of reduced music provision and curriculum time in schools, providing additional funding where necessary; as well as address the disparities in access to music instrument lessons.

READ MORE tinyurl.com/y4xn48ax Volume 24.2 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Peace of Mind is a Matter of Choice www.jkesecurity.com

Your peace of mind is JKE Security’s business

Anybody who has the responsibility for the security of people or places needs somebody who shares the same values and beliefs, somebody who ensures the right solution is put forward using their experience and expertise. Whether it is CCTV, access control, intruder alarm systems, barriers, gate automation, intercom systems or any

other electronic security system our mission is to provide the client the absolute best value and peace of mind. JKE Security ensures that training is paramount so that you can be sure that the highest level of competence is delivered on every job. When you meet JKE Security, you’ll notice that they’re different; their customers

are at the heart of everything they do. That’s why almost all the company’s business comes from referrals. Three of the core values that drive JKE’s business are communication, integrity and competence. It’s JKE’s mission to ensure you are always kept updated. This is provided via the company’s new online portal and regular phone updates. You will never have to ask for an update or be left wondering what is happening on works raised. JKE Security believes in building long term relationships with its clients and therefore offer full transparency with everything it does. All its clients have 100 per cent trust in its advice. With over 17 years experience working with a range of clients from the domestic market through to large NHS hospitals, schools, academies and shopping centres, you can be sure on JKE’s level of competence to provide you a fantastic service/installation. If you wish to discuss any requirements you have on your security systems, contact the company on the details below. FURTHER INFORMATION 0800 011 9242 service@jkesecurity.com

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

The growth of the multi-academy trust (MAT) has been remarkable. Since 2015, the number of MATs across the country has risen by a quarter, and it’s not unusual for some of the larger trusts to take on three or four schools in the space of 12 months. And each of these schools comes with its own set of qualities, strengths and challenges. Joining together as part of a trust enables each school to work towards improved outcomes for pupils, and can kindle a renewed sense of purpose in working towards a common goal. However, being part of a trust often involves changes in a school’s way of working. So what are the key steps a trust should take to manage change and keep schools on board with the trust’s aims and visions? One: keep communication open Trust leaders should never underestimate the importance of communication when it comes to engaging schools with trustwide initiatives. While many trusts have sound communications strategies in place to share major developments in MAT policy with their schools, it can be all too easy

Written by Leora Cruddas, CEO of the Confederation of School Trusts

Academies

Four ways to engage schools in your multi-academy trust

added reassurance about how the change to overlook the importance of the daywill affect them, and sending open, positive to-day news, information and updates. messages about how and why a process For Daniel Moore who is finance director is changing can make all the difference. at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic MultiSarah Appleby, finance director of the River Academy Trust, the best way to communicate Learning Trust recommends this effectively with schools across a approach. “If there’s a benefit, trust is to map out an approach there’s no reason why people that uses multiple channels W hen won’t buy into it. You need to reach school staff. change to understand how the “We have learnt i s on the hor system currently works, how to do this as we wide co izon, trustwhat the benefit is of have grown,” says changing it and if there Daniel. “We now becomemmunication are any unintended have fortnightly head s e v e n more crucial consequences that teacher briefings, news as might throw a bulletins and promote may ne some staff ed spanner in the works. all our good news reassur added “So we make sure we and success stories.” ance have talked to people and Good planning is the made sure they understand answer according to Daniel. why we think the change would “Plan out where you want to be beneficial,” explains Sarah. be in the end – allow plenty of time and try not to rush it. They key thing is to Two: maximise local knowledge get as many people on board as possible.” While schools in a trust join forces to work When change is on the horizon, trusttogether for improved pupil outcomes, they wide communication becomes even more still retain their own valuable skills and E crucial. Some staff members may need Volume 24.2 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Academies  experience. Trusts stand to gain by tapping into these local hubs of expertise, and by doing this, they are also sending the message that local-level knowledge is essential to the trust. At the River Learning Trust, schoollevel knowledge feeds into the central trust team, as Sarah Appleby explains. “We blend the local knowledge that the school has, which is invaluable, with the technical and accounting knowledge of the central school business partner.” “Our structure has several school business partners spread across the trust who each work with six or seven schools so that they retain local knowledge. The local school business managers do the majority of the work in terms of finance, but the central business partner supports the school business manager with the more technical things like budget monitoring and producing a forecast.” Each trust will have its own balance between centralisation and autonomy, but where trusts actively seek out local expertise, they are better placed to build positive relationships with their schools. Three: prioritise staff wellbeing To sustain these positive relationships, it’s also important to consider the extent to which staff members are content with their roles. The advantage of centralising some of a trust’s systems and processes is that school staff often have more time to spend on the central aspect of their job. With the essential back-office tasks such as administration and budgeting taken care of, teaching staff can focus on helping their pupils achieve their potential. Daniel Moore emphasises that most school staff entered the profession to do the job they are good at, and have trained for, and lightening the administrative load is something that would receive a widespread welcome.

Each trust will have its own balance between centralisation and autonomy, but where trusts actively seek out local expertise, they are better placed to build positive relationships with their schools. “It’s about making their job easier,” explains Daniel. “Letting them focus on education and school standards – the important elements of their role rather than being bogged down by finance.” Sarah Appleby agrees. “Our staff work incredibly long hours and are so dedicated. If we can save them 10 minutes in the day – every day – by centralising a process so they no longer have to do it, that means they have got a slightly better work/life balance. “If you times that 10 minutes over 20 schools, we are all then moving towards the same outcome. Whether it’s the school business manager’s wellbeing, or more money and time to spend on actually teaching children. It all leads to happier staff and happier pupils.” Four: Engage staff in the vision Having established stronger links with schools, and embedded a positive culture of staff wellbeing across the trust, it becomes easier for a trust to share its vision with schools. But helping schools to see the big picture for the trust involves engaging them in every step of the journey. For example, to achieve a trust’s mission to improve educational outcomes for pupils, schools may need to shift their focus onto specific subject areas, or adopt a new way to collect attainment data. This can involve an element of change, but schools will see the value of new processes if they share their trust’s overall vision. Daniel Moore suggests talking to schools

about a trust’s achievements in order to engage them in the journey. “It’s about winning hearts and minds, so whenever something works, like when we make a saving through pooling our purchasing might, we make sure everyone knows about it.” “These small wins allow trust members to see the advantages of being part of a bigger group on a daily and weekly basis, and this is how you start to get everyone on board,” says Daniel. Sharing a trust’s overall aims, from the very beginning is the best way to encourage schools to buy in and be part of those aims. Because, as Sarah Appleby says, “You can have the best idea in the world, or the best system, but if people haven’t bought into it – it will fail.” By engaging schools right from the start, and building on the firm foundations of a strong and positive relationship, trusts can harness the power of their schools to share their common goal – improved outcomes for children.

Leora Cruddas is CEO of the Confederation of School Trusts. The views in this article are explored in greater depth in a PS Financials white paper, Checks and Balance which is available for download at www.psfinancials.com/checksandbalance/ L FURTHER INFORMATION www.cstuk.org.uk

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

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With over 3,000 attendees, 150 exhibitors and the chance to hear education experts share best practice, Schools & Academies Show is the perfect opportunity to engage with the sector central government related issues. Teams from the Department for Education and the ESFA will be able to answer your questions on Capital Funding, Pupil Premium, Risk Protection and the National Apprenticeship Service.

Solutions for education We are passionate about the education of children and young adults, and we want to create a better future for the education sector. At the Schools & Academies Show, we connect educators with solution providers and fellow educators, building and supporting the education community. Product specialists Our specialist providers are on hand all over the show floor, where you will be able to find solutions to all the issues in education. Our 150+ exhibitors can provide you with everything you need to improve your school, from back-room data solutions to new play equipment, and from education technology to estate management. Finesse your curriculum with Cornerstones, economise your procurement process with ESPO and YPO. Simplify your back-room data with Iris Education and jazz up your playground with Community Playthings. Develop your school estate with LocatED and enhance your parent engagement with Schoolcomms. Solve your staffing problems with eTeach and get the latest IT and edtech advice with HP and Odyssey Education. With decades of industry experience, use their know-how to make your school the best that it can be.

The best of best practice We know you want to hear from the best, so we have brought them to you. Hear from education experts leading sessions on best practice from SEND provision to improved staff wellbeing. These sessions are found across both days and throughout all the theatres, with in-depth case studies examining and analysing what works and what doesn’t. Learn from their mistakes and their successes and apply these lessons in your own schools. Get a detailed breakdown of a MAT budget with Gareth Edmunds of Northern Education Trust, hear the pros and cons of a leadership job share at Frank Wise School and benefit from the knowledge of Dr Susan Ebbels’ work with pupils with Speech and Language difficulties to name but a few. Top quality research We have the leading lights of education academics and research groups with us too, ready to give you evidence-based advice. Get to the front of the pack and hear about the trends in education as they emerge. The EPI’s very own David Laws will be discussing social mobility with Professor Sonia Blandford and Social Mobility Commissioner Sammy Wright, and the government’s workforce guru Professor Becky Francis will be leading a panel on supporting early career teachers.

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Schools & Academies Show 2019 returns to London Filled with features New this year is our Wellbeing Area, complete with trained experts in yoga, mindfulness and mental health. They will be giving demonstrations on how you can bring calm to the staff room as well as the classroom, with sessions and talks dedicated to senior leaders. There will also be yoga and mindfulness sessions running on the day, for those needing a break from the busy exhibition or seeking some instant zen. All our theatres have specific themes, so whether it’s Business and Finance, School Improvement or Estates advice you require, we have the theatre for you. For example, in our Business and Finance Theatre, sponsored by Iris Education, join specialists from ESPO, ISBL and Tenet as they show you how to save your school money. The Department for Education will also be out in force with benchmarking tools, a financial reporting workshop and a special session from the Deputy Director of the ESFA. Networking Connecting with other educationalists is at the heart of the event, with over 3,000 attendees forecast over the 2 days. Hear what has been working at other schools, then meet with the product specialists right there on the day. You have the opportunity to engage with the sector at every level, from ministers to SBMs and SLTs at similar schools around the country. Sector bodies like the LGA, NGA, ISBL, ASCL, nasen and NAHT will be there too, ensuring that your voice is heard. Put simply, this is the event for delegates from all types of school to come together and make their school the best that it can be. The Schools & Academies Show takes place on the 3-4 April 2019 at the ExCeL, London. L FURTHER INFORMATION To register for free visit: saashow.london

The latest policy updates Hear from the Education Secretary himself, Damian Hinds, on the Main Stage where he will be giving a speech on the latest education policy. Shadow Minister Mike Kane MP will be with us again on Day 2, giving you a taste of what a Labour education ministry could look like. As ever the Department for Education will be out in force, with everything from benchmarking tips to their new recruitment portal. Join them in sessions across the day, or head along to the Government Education Village, your one stop shop for all your

Volume 24.2 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Following a recent government announcement, offsite construction must now be considered for all public sector building projects. Offsite manufacture for construction refers to building processes that are implemented away from building sites in factories which ensures the quality of prefabricated components. These components are then transported and installed onsite. It is often cited as the optimum offsite solution â&#x20AC;&#x201C; volumetric modular technology minimises waste while maximising safety and minimises costs while maximising quality. Because of this, UK demand for modular construction is on the rise. As the efficient offsite building method for timber, steel and concrete designs â&#x20AC;&#x201C; modular construction is considered a potential solution to meet the demand for high quality education facilities.

Volume 24.2 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE Brampton Academy. Photo credit Wernick

Written by the Modular & Portable Building Association (MPBA)

Meeting individual needs The demand for customisation in modular building compels the manufacturing industry to develop new methods for adaption of mass production to meet individual customer needs. Because of this, design processes have evolved in line with construction processes. The MPBA assists members in their collaboration with architects, designers and engineers Educational buildings to orchestrate design protocols, conceive With over 450 new schools and classrooms products for manufacturing processes and required per annum under the Priority School integrate these into final designs. Building Programme (PSBP), modular Production and building is most prevalent in the configuration processes education sector. However With have been developed by offsite building practices o ver 450 conducting functional are rapidly expanding into requirement analysis residential applications new sc to identify design too, including housing, and cla hools s parameters for modular hotels and student s r o o r e ms quired construction. These accommodation. p methods typically The MPBA is at the under t er annum constrain project forefront of offsite modula he PSBP, r buildi modularisation through manufacturing processes most p n four key parameters. and is supporting revalen g is These include customer members across numerous t i n e ducatio requirements for modular sectors to enhance n design; engineering view E innovation and technological

Modular schools are helping to resolve many of the problems encountered by the education sector, such as the need to meet growing pupil places within a quick time-frame and with minimal disruption, writes the Modular and Portable Building Association

Design & Build

The benefits of constructing school buildings offsite

advancement in the modular building industry. As a practical building method that delivers at scale and increases productivity â&#x20AC;&#x201C; volumetric modular construction is on the rise. Therefore, the MPBA is supporting member companies through specialised advice based on their ongoing research. The MPBA assists its members in introducing innovative methods and processes that are used in other industries, such as automotive and aerospace, to advance manufacturing techniques and improve productivity.

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Energy efficiency The demand for new school places is a pressing issue for local councils all over the UK. The situation is starting to improve thanks to government funding, but councils still face a number of challenges. With the increasing focus on the environment and growing energy costs, councils are under more pressure than ever to deliver energy-efficient spaces, within stringent budgets and timescales. Safety of pupils and minimising disruption during term time, remains a pressing and challenging issue.

The House of Lords Science and Technology Committee inquiry

Design & Build

 according to deflection, strength, wind loads, fire, acoustic and building regulations; product dimensions and transportation constraints according to factory regulations and capacity; and onsite assembly constraints according to site layout/plans. Rules of modular buildings can be integrated into architectural CAD drawings using Revit structures, where key features of steel, concrete and timber modules can be incorporated in ‘modular toolkits.’ Through detailed research, development of modular building methodologies enables developers and stakeholders to deliver projects with accelerated schedule and cost reduction, creating a panacea of cost-effective construction methods on consistent bases. Jackie Maginnis, MPBA’s chief executive, said: “customers appreciate cutting-edge building techniques, particularly with the short lead times of modular construction. “Modular buildings and extensions are energy efficient, fully compliant with building regulations and can be tailored to meet individual customer requirements.”

The House of Lords Science and Technology Committee is conducting an inquiry into off-site manufacture for construction. The inquiry has been considering the potential benefits of off-site manufacture for construction and any drawbacks and obstacles to its wider use. It will also consider how government policy, particularly around public procurement, might need to change to encourage economically and environmentally sustainable practises in the construction industry that could facilitate off-site manufacture. The UK construction industry was worth nearly £100 billion to the UK economy in 2016. However, it suffers from poor productivity and has not experienced the improvements in productivity seen in other sectors. Off-site manufacture for construction involves bringing together a range of construction processes, components, elements or modules in a factory before installation into their final location. It is believed

This need to focus on a myriad of challenges means that councils are uniquely placed to take advantage of modern methods of construction. Modular schools, delivered to site in

that off-site manufacture could help to improve the productivity of the construction industry. Chair of the Committee, Lord Patel, said: “The construction industry is vital to solving some of the pressing problems facing the UK, such as a lack of affordable housing and replacing ageing infrastructure. Whilst off-site manufacturing is not a new idea, the level of technology now available means it is much more viable as a modern method of construction than it might have been in the past. “The inquiry will consider how offsite manufacture might contribute to improving productivity within the construction industry and how it will fit in with the Construction sector deal announced by the Government. The Committee encourage all those who are able to inform the inquiry to submit evidence.”

segments over two or three days are helping to resolve many of the problems encountered by the education sector. And new frameworks are revolutionising the school building procurement process. E

Brampton Academy. Photo credit Wernick

Volume 24.2 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Immediate Solution to Meet Rising Student Numbers

NEW! High quality temporary + permanent classrooms to hire or buy Pickerings modular buildings provide: • The highest levels of fire resistance • Compliance to building regulations • High quality finishes • Outstanding value for money • Hire or buy • Double & single classrooms with & without toilets available now • Delivery & installation nationwide • Bespoke design service available

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The highest level of fire resistance and compliance to building regulations can be provided in the new Integrum range of modular buildings introduced to the education market by Pickerings. Consisting of excellent levels of thermal and acoustic insulation and high-quality finishes, the Pickerings Integrum range of modular buildings not only provides a pleasant learning environment but also offers a cost-effective solution at outstanding value for money. Now available to hire or buy Pickerings has created a specially designed range of the most popular school classroom layouts to make it easier to select a suitable building solution. These include double and single classrooms with and without toilet facilities which are readily available for delivery

and installation at schools nationwide. Alternatively, for those schools with bespoke requirements Pickerings can offer an in-house design service to create a school building to suit a specific layout and in any configuration. And because Pickerings Integrum building modules can be installed either end-to-end or sideby-side to single or multi-storey there really is complete flexibility in design. The Integrum range is ideal to meet sudden increases in any number of students. Pickerings portable classrooms can be hired temporarily or used as a permanent solution to meet continual demands for teaching space. The hire option is preferred by many schools where their financial budget is stretched or minimal capital expenditure

is available. It also helps with financial planning, with agreed costs over a minimum hire period. Once the agreed hire period is reached the school has the flexibility to extend the hire contract if student numbers remain high. Alternatively, if student numbers decrease you can simply arrange for the temporary classrooms to be dismantled and returned to a Pickerings local hire depot. If you wanted to purchase a modular school building Pickerings can provide that too. One of the many advantages of buying a Pickerings Integrum modular classroom is the option of creating an aesthetically pleasing design by choosing the finish of the external wall panels to either blend in or stand out from the current school environment. Pickerings can offer a full turnkey solution from building design to maintenance after hand over. Pickerings celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2019 and has a wealth of knowledge and experience in providing modular building solutions. FURTHER INFORMATION 0333 300 2345 www.pickeringshire.co.uk

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

 Quicker and Safer The Scottish Government has announced a £1 billion fund for rebuilding and refurbishing Scotland’s schools, meaning a busy year for the construction industry. Edinburgh and The Highlands Council took receipt of nineteen new modular buildings from modular construction company Wernick last summer. Installation fit out and inspection took place over the summer vacation and the buildings were ready for pupils upon returning to school. Ben Wernick, director of construction at Wernick explains: “Modular building projects can be completed up to 50 per cent quicker than traditional construction methods as the factory controlled ‘offsite’ construction process can take place alongside site and foundations work which also means very little delay due to the weather. Finishing buildings over the summer holidays means no disruption to teaching and no risk to pupils.” Changing Perceptions More and more schools are switching on to the speed of factory manufactured buildings, but what about the aesthetic? The

characterless demountables of the past have given way to digitally-led, modern designs, indistinguishable from traditionally constructed buildings and lauded by architectural firms such as ÜberRaum and Glancy Nicholls. “The preconceptions are there but the reality is that when people walk into a modern modular building that Wernick has manufactured, they realise this is a big step up from what they’re used to,” commented Chris Hart, who has found that old feelings towards modular buildings die hard: “I’ve heard of teaching staff trying their best to avoid moving into the new building. Once the building has been handed over, they are trying to get in there first. They’re warmer, cleaner, bright and airy. From a teaching perspective, it’s a considerable improvement on a lot of the accommodation the teachers are currently working in.” Quality Control Constructing buildings offsite, in a controlled environment, means that a building can be made water-tight and weather resistant with quality controls ongoing throughout the build. Modern modular buildings are simple

to maintain, well insulated and achieve high EPC rating. Sustainable technologies can be easily incorporated into the design to further support their eco credentials. Chris Hart adds: “Using factory construction, we can build faster, to higher standards, and at any time of the year. There are also environmental benefits with reduced waste and less emissions. In modular construction we can really meet a lot of the requirements in the education sector – that’s why we think it’s a perfect match.”

Design & Build

Modular buildings and extensions are energy efficient, fully compliant with building regulations and can be tailored to meet individual customer requirements

The MPBA Founded in 1938, MPBA is core to the connection of sectors in the modular and portable building industry. MPBA work alongside specialist technical advisors to enhance innovation in the design and manufacture of modular buildings. These can be designed and manufactured in any size and shape to meet individual client needs while ensuring full compliance with building regulations. The MPBA is the single recognised voice for promoting and marketing members’ products and services. The association is represented on committees for BSI, LPCB-Expert Group D and works with BRE, LABC, CLG, NHS, Cskills-CITB, Carbon Trust, NHS and many more to represent the industry. L FURTHER INFORMATION For more information on the MPBA, visit www.mpba.biz

Volume 24.2 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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Providing schools with award winning quality buildings Having delivered award winning offsite solutions throughout the UK for more than 60 years, Premier Modular prides itself on its ability to provide the highest quality buildings, for temporary and permanent applications, offering a skilled and knowledgeable turnkey design and build service A collaborative partnership Manchester City Council engaged Premier Modular via its framework partner, ISG, to deliver eight schools over two phases in less than fourteen months. A collaborative partnership between ISG, Premier Modular and a full complement of design team partners from the outset of the tendering stage generated much greater cost and design efficiencies than if we had been brought in later. The benefits realised through knowledge sharing and collaboration resulted in reduced timescales in design and on‑site. This solution-focused approach meant Premier Modular and ISG were successful in delivering the whole package of works within the required timescale and budget of £25m. Contracts were awarded for the six schools in the second phase of these works in August 2017, all of which were delivered in time for the start of the new school year in September 2018 - a critical driver for using offsite construction.

Off-site manufacturing Off-site manufacturing takes the construction of the building off the critical path, which is why it is the approach preferred by many. Site works including foundations, services and external works can be simultaneously completed whilst construction of the building itself takes place in the factory. Working on a Lean production process, combined with justin-time manufacturing ensures materials and labour are in place and the buildings move down a flow line; as this all takes place within a quality controlled factory environment, there is no disruption due to rain, frost or snow delays – maximising programme certainty. Waco International Premier has the strong financial backing of being part of large multi-national industrial group, Waco International, enabling it to build a substantial modular hire fleet. With a strong commitment to research and development, Premier brings the most innovative products to market for both hire and sale.

Modular construction Premier Modular’s 25 acre site with five factories can deliver a minimum of 1800m2 of buildings per week, equating to a 2FE primary school every two weeks. Modules are constructed to exacting quality levels in a controlled environment, u-values are higher than building regulations and exceptional airtightness ratings can be achieved. Up to 75 per cent of the buildings are manufactured offsite, greatly reducing the risk of accidents on site. Disruption is minimised, with reduced transport to site and waste minimised as materials are cut to size. The scheme was Manchester City Council’s first scheme to be delivered with a fully integrated BIM Level 2 Asset Information Model, and all schools achieved BREEAM Very Good. Early engagement with the supply chain was crucial to ensuring all data required for this was captured smoothly and efficiently. Although one base model was developed for the overall scheme, using offsite manufacturing has meant that design changes could be accommodated to incorporate the differing end-user requirements of the various schools. Repeatable component designs were used at each with internal and external finishes being adapted to suit planners and match the new buildings in with existing buildings on the different sites. Award Winning The success of the whole scheme has been evidenced by two of the schools winning top Industry Awards: St Margaret’s CofE School won the Digital Construction Award in the North West Regional Construction Awards 2018; Beaver Road Primary School was named Education Project of the Year at the 2019 Offsite Awards. L FURTHER INFORMATION 0800 3160888 sales@premiermodular.co.uk www.premiermodular.co.uk

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Increasi ng t h e surroun d infrastr ing green plantin ucture by and creg more trees walls’ cating ‘green an im air qua prove lity

The drive towards healthy and comfortable environments in our schools is one which requires significant focus and is a priority for building designers and engineers in the industry. As professionals in building design, we play a key role in creating healthy indoor environments that protect and improve the wellbeing of school children, in both refurbished and new school buildings across the UK. The UK has the highest prevalence of childhood asthma among all European countries and in 2016, it was reported that 443 primary schools in London were exposed to levels of nitrogen dioxide that breach EU legal limits, which the government accepts are harmful to health. This number dramatically increased to over 800 when other educational

institutions, including nurseries, secondary schools and colleges, are included.

A complex issue School-aged children are more vulnerable to airborne pollutants than adults, and thousands of young people are currently breathing in our cities’ toxic air in playgrounds and classrooms. As a result, this issue needs to be met head on. Creating optimum Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) in schools is a complex issue and requires a holistic approach and ‘buy in’ from all parties, from building designers through to contractors or operators of schools. Factors such as the location of the school (urban or rural), room orientation, acoustics, window design and even materials such as carpets, paints and cleaning products with low or no Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) levels all play a significant part.

New regulations The recent updates to Building Bulletin 101 (2018) is a welcomed step in the right direction to improve indoor air quality in schools and as a result we will see more focus on passive design strategies and mechanical ventilation, as well as priority given to post occupancy thermal comfort. Within BB101 (2018), requirements for CO2 levels have reduced to a maximum of 2000ppm for mechanically ventilated buildings and 1500ppm for naturally ventilated buildings and whilst this is good news, this will have a significant impact on school design. In recent times the focus in the UK has been on natural ventilation and reductions in energy consumption rather than mechanical ventilation. Because of the new limit, we will see an increased requirement for mechanical ventilation, however if more mechanical ventilation is used then there will be a capital cost penalty for construction as well increases to both maintenance and operational costs. The challenge for building designers is how we can guide schools to explore how best to implement such systems into their buildings in the most cost-effective way and measure the social and economic benefits of improved IAQ.

Written by Graeme McCutcheon, associate, Ramboll

Graeme McCutcheon discusses the hidden danger of poor indoor air quality and how to protect children from exposure to pollutants by improving school building design

Indoor Air Quality

Designing-in air quality improvements

However, if occupants do not to use the building in the way it was intended, then even the best designed schools will fail to meet the intended standards of air quality. This is where ‘bridging the gap’ between design and operation comes into its own, requiring the correct sensors and monitoring equipment to be installed during design, so that we, and building designers and engineers, can better understand patterns, trends and uses during occupation. We can then adjust and advise as appropriate to ensure that the building is being used as intended.

Ventilation Expert research (Wargocki, Wyon – 2013) from the International Centre for Energy and Indoor Climate in Denmark concluded that improving ventilation rates in classrooms improved learning performance by 14 per cent. These are significant findings and evidence of how improved IAQ can improve our children’s ability to be smarter and improve attainment levels in schools in the UK. However, whether these new guidelines ‘go far enough’ could be up for debate. As a Danish organisation, Ramboll naturally looks at our peers for insight into their ways of designing. Danish schools have made significant steps to improve air quality in schools over the last 20 years, so we have naturally collaborated with colleagues in Denmark to learn how to further improve school design in the UK. Danish schools target a maximum of 900ppm of CO2 in classrooms, so most new build schools are mechanically ventilated: as this is not something ground breaking, we can all learn from their way of doing things. Through this collaboration we are ideally placed to work with our clients to find the best ways to implement good IAQ through previous experience. However, this is a complex issue that goes beyond building design. VOCs in materials E Volume 24.2 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Indoor Air Quality

 and furniture play a significant role. Human exposure to VOCs occurs through inhalation or skin contact, and they can be found in a wide range of materials. It’s always important to consult the latest guidelines and consulting the Accredited WELL Building Assessors can be invaluable in deciding how to deal with and mitigate these within design for new and refurbished schools. The WELL Building Standard restricts the inclusion of materials that contain such pollutants to minimise occupants’ exposure to VOC chemicals. It recommends reducing indoor sources of VOCs such as formaldehyde, phthalates, or halogenated flame retardants contained in furniture, waterproofing membranes, piping, insulation or composite wood products to a minimum. WELL encourages subsequent purchasing of compliant products for building maintenance or repair that meet this low-VOC threshold (such as paints or wallpaper) so the levels remain low throughout the building’s life. We can demonstrate that these VOC levels are maintained at a low level by Post Occupancy Formaldehyde Testing and sensors, and in turn can show that classroom IAQ can be improved this way. The link between design and operation also comes into play here as VOC levels can be impacted by one of the most mundane routines – cleaning. Cleaning products such as air fresheners or floor cleaners may contain VOCs. To lower the risk of increasing VOC levels from cleaning, WELL recommends providing safer cleaning products whose ingredients are not classified as carcinogenic mutagenic or reprotoxic, or otherwise listed under the Globally Harmonized System (the internationally agreed-upon standards for labelling material as hazardous or not). The use of protective equipment is also encouraged along with adequate ventilation. By encouraging schools to use these standards, we can help improve IAQ. Green Walls Of course, we cannot immediately upgrade the majority of our existing school building stock, and retrofitting of ventilation and façade upgrades may be extremely expensive or just not feasible. Cheaper alternatives such as increasing the surrounding green infrastructure by planting more trees and creating ‘green walls’ around the school can be used. These design ideas are more effective in an urban environment where external air quality levels are poorer, however these will have a positive influence on the environment in and around schools generally. What is clear is that we have an obligation as building designers to ensure that good quality indoor environments should be a key priority when designing new schools and refurbishing existing ones. Engineers and schools must work together to find the most cost effective, robust solutions to achieve better indoor air quality in schools. L FURTHER INFORMATION

Planting more trees and creating ‘green walls’ around the school can be used to improve air quality. These design ideas are more effective in an urban environment where external air quality levels are poorer, however these will have a positive influence on the environment in schools generally

Funding for pollution barriers in London schools The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has awarded more than £1.27 million in funding to help tackle the capital’s air pollution through projects such as ‘pollution barriers’ for schools The winning Community Green Space projects include help for 29 primary schools located next to some of London’s most polluted roads, which will receive a combined total of £400,000 for green infrastructure in playgrounds to reduce children’s exposure to harmful traffic emissions. The projects form part of a package of measures to protect children from toxic air that the Mayor is delivering, including helping schools through his air quality audits programme, working with boroughs to restrict road usage outside school entrances, upgrading boilers, tackling engine idling, promoting walking and cycling and piloting indoor air filters. Marner Primary School in Bromleyby-Bow, Tower Hamlets, has been

awarded £30,000 from the Mayor’s Community Green Space fund to transform its playground with a range of green measures to reduce emissions from the highly polluted A12 and nearby Devas Street. The school is one London’s most polluted primary schools, and was one of 50 assessed last year as part of the Mayor’s air quality audits programme. The school will install ‘green screens’ of evergreen climbing plants, such as ivy, to create a ‘barrier’ wall between the playground and Devas Street. Further trees and hedgerows will be planted along the school perimeter, and a ‘green gateway’ will be created at the main entrance to encourage children to walk through a tunnel of evergreen plants.

uk.ramboll.com

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Bringing more greenery to school children across the UK, one plant at a time! What if you can implement a fully automated vertical garden at your school of choice at no cost to the school? Plants4Kids is taking action to provide a healthier, cleaner environment for children We often can’t see or smell it, but it is now widely known that air pollution puts children’s vulnerable growing lungs at risk. The air-cleansing abilities of plants are well documented, but did you know that plants can also improve children’s mental health, alleviate stress, reduce noise pollution, improve concentration and increase urban biodiversity? With Plants4Kids (“P4K”), schools and communities can take action to provide a healthier environment and contribute to better air quality for all. What is the P4K campaign? The P4K Project enables schools to benefit from beautiful, self-sustaining, maintenance‑free living walls at no cost to the school itself. The living walls are funded by a simple plant sponsorship programme, which allows parents, grandparents, friends and local supporters of the school to make a small contribution which will make a big difference. Businesses are also invited to support schools (locally or nationally), either by becoming Ambassadors (providing sponsorship) or Partners (providing practical support).

Plants can be sponsored for as little as £15 – the sponsorship will not only pay for the plants themselves but will cover installation and maintenance of the living wall for 3 years. Names and messages of support of key sponsors will be displayed alongside the living walls themselves. Once fully funded, the living walls will take pride of place in schools or playgrounds within reach of the children. Whilst the plants will be monitored remotely using the latest technology, pupils will be encouraged to interact with and care for the plants, touch and smell the foliage and learn about the different species in their wall, whilst having unlimited access to our plant care experts for guidance. The children will be involved from Day 1, from raising awareness of the campaign, to fundraising, to helping out with the installation day! Pupils will learn about the amazing air cleansing abilities of plants and the many benefits that plants can bring. A full Schools Toolkit is available, providing all the resources a school or PTA will need to run their P4K Project without impacting resourcing levels or teaching time.

Help us support children’s innate tendency to explore and bond with the natural world and their love of nature. Find out how visit: cityairtech.com/p4k/. Campaign runs between 1st April -30th July 2019. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.cityairtech.com

P4K toolkit Handouts and instructions Plant list for indoor and out Design grids and examples Monthly tips for each season Unlimited access to plant care experts Sponsorship aids and information packs Video tutorials and more…

Volume 24.2 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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Specifying security fencing and gates for schools: a best practice guide Fencing and gates that secure a school have a critical list of functions, from preventing unauthorised entry and protecting the people within, to deterring theft and reducing the risk of malicious damage

When specifying security fencing for educational sites, fitness for purpose, low maintenance, sustainability, and image projection are the basic requirements you should look for. Always start with a security audit. It’s important that this takes place while walking around the site, viewing it from an intruder’s perspective, since the primary function of your boundary protection will be to prevent unauthorised access. Taking photographs and making notes or drawings will remind you of the layout of the site, its access points and the position of buildings, structures, elevated ground and trees. This will help inform the correct selection of security products. Once the audit has been completed, the right fencing and gating with the correct specifications should be carefully considered to provide an appropriate level of physical security, commensurate with the risks the school faces. Fencing for schools with lower and standard risks For these sites, fence heights should be a minimum of 1.8m and be capable of raking to maintain its height over different ground levels without resulting in gaps underneath. The design should be able to accommodate a security topping where necessary to deter attempts to scale into school grounds. Fence panels of a pale/slat design in timber or steel should be oriented vertically to avoid climbing points and being pried off. If of timber construction, pales should be no less than 25mm thick; in the case of steel, the wall thickness should be no less than 1.5mm. Fence panels of welded mesh design should feature small gaps between the horizontal and vertical mesh strands to prevent climbing. Secure fixings will ensure the panels/slats cannot be easily removed, and attack by pushing and pulling can be resisted.

With posts, consider whether they will be used to mount other security measures such as CCTV cameras or lighting, as these will need to be specified at the design stage. Gates for schools with lower and standard risks Pedestrian gates should be of a framed design and employ galvanised adjustable hinges and fixings mounted behind the attack face. On outward-opening gates, where the hinges/brace is mounted on the attack face, fixings should be of a galvanised ‘blind’ coach bolt design. Vehicular gates should be inward opening, of substantial framed construction and employ galvanised adjustable hinges and fixings mounted behind the attack face. They should be fitted with galvanised drop bolts and the facility for padlocking, or electro-mechanical locking. Where automated gates are used, ensure they are CE marked and compliant with EU Directive 2006/42/EC. The gates should be installed by DHF or Gate Safe Aware installers and maintained regularly for safe operation. Fencing and gates for schools in higher-risk areas Schools located in areas with higher crime should employ fencing and gates designed to deter and resist more determined forms of attack employing more advanced methods. In these instances, it is best practice

to ensure that the fence and gates are of a minimum height of 1.8m in a design certified to LPS 1175 Security Rating 1 (SR1) or Secured by Design. All gates installed within a higher-security fencing system must be certificated to the same rating as the adjoining fencing and be of the same height and similar style. It should not be possible to lift the gate from its hinges or pass under the gate, and the hinges and lock cylinder should be protected to prevent their use as climbing aids. If the gate forms part of an emergency escape route, the release mechanism will need to be of a keyless design and protected to prevent operation from the outside of the gate. Where crime risks dictate that there is a realistic chance of a vehicular-borne attack to enter the school grounds or penetrate school buildings, steel security bollards should be considered. There are many fixed and rising bollards available and, while some may look similar, you should only consider those that have been successfully tested to PAS 68-1:2013. For further information or to arrange a site visit and security audit, please contact us on 0800 408 13 59 or email education@jacksons-fencing.co.uk L FURTHER INFORMATION education@jacksons-fencing.co.uk 0800 408 13 59

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Shining a spotlight on leadership This year, ISBL will be focusing its national conference on ‘illuminating leadership’ to shine a spotlight on leadership across every role in school business leadership and demonstrate the impact that all school business professionals have in the sector

This year, the school business profession celebrates its 30th anniversary as a unique and identifiable role within the state education sector. The state school “Bursar” emerged following new levels of autonomy offered to schools (LMS 1989), and the role was initially designed to provide financial and administrative leadership support to what were then referred to as Grant Maintained Schools. The role subsequently evolved to School Business Manager (during the early 2000s), and latterly we have seen an expansion and greater breadth of school business leadership and management roles since the growth of Trusts and Academies (Academies Act 2010). It is important that we all reflect on the achievements made, the profile and recognition gained and the continuing opportunities available for the school business profession. Illuminating leadership As professionals, we have a collective responsibility to continue to assist in raising our own profile and that of the profession amongst our peers and colleagues. This year, ISBL will be focusing its national conference on this very theme – Illuminating Leadership. We want to shine a spotlight on leadership across every role in school business leadership and demonstrate the significance and impact that all school business professionals have in the sector. How are you illuminating your own practice and that of your colleagues – both peers and successors? It is through the encouragement, praise and support of our peers that we can all continue to grow and aspire as professionals. What does leadership truly mean? We will examine how all school business professionals across all roles and at every career stage are leaders who demonstrate the behaviours of leadership. The conference will explore leadership, the evolution of

the school business professional role over the last 30 years and shine a spotlight on good practice and what we can collectively do as a professional body and practitioners to further raise the profile of our profession and the impact of SBPs. We will be encouraging all professionals to shine a light on colleagues and illuminate their practice via social media to help to build and develop professional confidence across the sector. If you have worked with or engaged with a fellow SBL practitioner that demonstrates excellent practice, then shine a light on them and in turn the profession #SBLspotlight We want to tangibly demonstrate the impact of professionals and celebrate and share these successes, which will help to further demonstrate the influential and significant role that school business professionals have in the effective leadership of schools. The role of the school business professional continues to be a solus role in many schools across the country. By professionals coming together as part of their professional body and via other channels we can work together to build professional recognition.

Networking opportunities ISBL believe that engaging in both face‑to‑face and digital networking opportunities are essential to continuous professional development (CPD). These events also provide the opportunity for self-reflection and space to consider our own practice and impact on our school and wider colleagues and profession. There are many opportunities that exist for this engagement from local and regional group meetings (find your local group at www.isbl.org.uk), via social media (Twitter: @ISBL_news) or by attending ISBL events either our regional conferences. The ISBL ‘Illuminating Leadership’ national conference, on 20–21 November 2019 in Birmingham, will open for bookings on 14 March 2019 and if you want to be the first to hear then follow us on social media or email conferences@isbl.org.uk and we will send you the booking link. As professionals, we can only embrace change if we ourselves are prepared and keep our practice up to date; therefore, we must regularly assess our skills, knowledge and behaviours based on the current demands of the profession. There may be occasion when we need to undertake specific training in addition to the shared learning that we gain from networking and attending events. ISBL Professional Standards The revised ISBL Professional Standards were released at the end of November 2018. The revisions made focused on Leading Support Services, Behaviours and Ethics and particularly considered the growing focus on collaboration, which can lead to a revision of governance arrangements. ISBL would encourage all school business professionals at every level of practice to use the standards both to assess their own practice and to reflect on their own school’s organisational design. The new standards are available to download from the ISBL website www.isbl.org.uk/standards Let’s work together during 2019 to illuminate, promote and celebrate the role of school business professionals. If you would like advice on your career and future development, then please visit www.isbl.org.uk or call 02476 231221 L FURTHER INFORMATION 02476 231221 www.isbl.org.uk

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Setting protocols When setting protocols to deal with blood and body fluid spillages and clinical waste, the key areas that the policy needs to include and help employees to understand are the types of blood‑borne viruses that exist; the types of work where exposure to a blood‑borne A virus may occur; and how raft of blood-borne viruses measur e can spread. Other s c be used an areas that need to be t o p revent infectio included are the legal n duties of the school from gos, ranging (as the employer) and o d hygiene hand employees; the action t control o strict to be taken after s aroun possible infection with d pets a blood‑borne virus; and the special considerations to be taken by employees who are trained first aiders. In addition to the above protocols, prevention and control measures are the most effective way of managing the risk. This includes ensuring the prohibition of eating and drinking in working areas where there is a risk of contamination and the prevention (where possible) of open wounds, cuts and abrasions, especially in the presence of blood and body fluids. The use of, or exposure to, sharp objects such as needles, glass and metal should be avoided. If use or exposure is unavoidable, care will be taken when handling and disposing of these objects. Devices which incorporate safety features such as safer needle devices and bluntended scissors should be used. Waterproof dressings and suitable gloves where employees have breaks in skin that may be exposed to a blood‑borne virus, should be used. E Volume 24.2 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Written by Fiona Riley, chair of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health’s Education Group

What can schools do to prevent infections spreading? Fiona Riley, chair of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health’s Education Group and health & safety manager at an independent day school, examines the controls that can be put in place

Health & Safety

Preventing and containing outbreaks

The importance of good hygiene in schools cannot be overestimated. A raft of measures can be used to prevent infections, ranging from good hand hygiene to strict controls around the keeping of pets in the building. While most school settings will have considered the need for protocols for dealing with the cleaning of blood and body fluid spillages, clinical waste, laundry and the use of personal protective equipment, consideration should also be made on the impact to those more vulnerable to the risk of infection. Some medical conditions make children vulnerable to infections that would not normally be serious by reducing immunity. These conditions may include children who are suffering from cancer and those who are taking steroids. Such individuals are particularly vulnerable to chickenpox and measles. During pregnancy, German measles (rubella) and slapped cheek disease (Parvovirus B19) can occasionally affect an unborn child. Additionally chickenpox can affect the pregnancy if a woman has not already had the infection. It is important to remember that not all pupils may have current vaccinations.

Health & Safety

Infection control doesn’t just need to be considered in and around the school premises. What about when children go off site? When undertaking external visits it is important to clean your group’s shoes, pushchairs and so on after farm or countryside visits, to avoid contaminating cars, toys, nursery floors or other surfaces.  Visors or goggles or safety spectacles and a mask should be worn where splashing may occur, as should water-resistant protective clothing. Compliance with good basic hygiene practices, such as hand washing is essential, as is the use of disinfectant where contamination of surfaces may occur. Good waste management is key Employees who come into contact with contaminated materials and those who are required to dispose of the materials will be required to cover any cuts or grazes they have with a waterproof plaster or dressing prior to the handling and removal of the materials. They must also wear protective disposable gloves and an apron if contaminated materials need to be handled, as well as dispose of contaminated materials in specially-adapted containers. The school will provide suitable containers appropriate to the contaminates that are to be removed. Those involved must also place all contaminates, including personal protective equipment (which may also be contaminated), into two bags (double bag) and place in a yellow plastic refuse bag. Keeping the area clear One of the most effective tools for preventing the spread of infection is

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to ensure that both pupils and staff remain away from the setting for the recommended periods (usually 48 hours) following an infection. By returning too soon following an illness, the rate of further outbreaks can climb considerably and this regularly results in further absence among fellow pupils and staff. This can be particularly problematic in the early years sector, where parents often do not have alternative childcare arrangements and are keen to return their child to the setting at the earliest opportunity. Be mindful of when the likelihood of infections occur in the academic year and introducing targeted reminders to all pupils and staff can impact on the likelihood of outbreaks of common issues such as norovirus and seasonal influenza. For example, posters in toilet areas reminding of the importance of good hand hygiene and ensuring that consumables are always fully stocked is a good start, as is an increased frequency in housekeeping attendance. At our school, one area we saw considerable benefit in was the positioning of hand sanitisers in communal areas. For example we ensure that all pupils have clean hands before entering the dining hall. Meanwhile the cleanliness of water fountains and water machines, including drip trays, is paramount as these are high-traffic areas. Regular infection control audits can help to ensure housekeeping standards are being met, while regular disinfection of items in communal areas such as play equipment, toys and sand pits can also assist. Off-site visits and pets Infection control doesn’t just need to be considered in and around the school premises. What about when children go off site? When undertaking external visits it is important to clean your group’s shoes, pushchairs and so on after farm or countryside visits, to avoid contaminating cars, toys, nursery floors or other surfaces. Outdoor shoes should be changed in environments where children are crawling. Laundry is a key area for hygiene control. With the increased use of wash cycles at lower temperatures this may not be enough to actually kill bacteria. It is important that you do not handle soiled clothing by hand. Place it directly into a named plastic bag or container and seal to prevent further handling, prior to the child’s parent or guardian collecting. The parent or guardian should be advised that the clothing is dirty and should be washed at the highest possible temperature for the fabric. There are of course other potential infection threats, such as supervising children when exposed to pets. Pets must be clean and healthy. Exotic (non-domestic and unusual) animals, such as reptiles should not be kept as nursery pets due to the high risk of salmonella, which they carry. Rodents are also not recommended (if in a childminding setting, they should be excluded from the area children are cared for). Pet living quarters must be kept clean and away from food areas. Activities such as farm visits, or bringing animals into childcare settings, or having pets can expose children to a range of potentially harmful germs including E. coli O157. All animal droppings should be considered infectious. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.iosh.co.uk

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Chris Wakefield from GOJO Industries-Europe advocates teaching children healthy hand hygiene behaviour for reduced absenteeism and improved learning outcomes

Certain illnesses are highly contagious, especially in environments such as schools and nurseries. Coughs, colds, sickness and diarrhoea are just some of the infections that can spread like wildfire, and commonly afflict children, causing their absence from school. According to the Department of Education, the total number of days missed due to overall absence in 2016/17 was 56.7million. Of this, illness was the main driver, accounting for 55.3 per cent. Hand hygiene is key It is not surprising that infections are able to spread amongst children so easily. After all, they have immature immune systems, play and work in close contact with each other, and often have a poor understanding of healthy hygiene practices. It is therefore key, when equipping or designing washrooms of schools and nurseries, to encourage healthy hand hygiene behaviour. Educating children from a young age about healthy hand hygiene behaviour, and providing them with the right products to make the activity pleasant rather than a chore, is crucial. Hundreds of studies published over the last 20 years have proved that it can break the chain of infection, and make a huge difference to health. One study also demonstrated a 50 per cent reduction in absenteeism within primary schools after a comprehensive hand hygiene programme was implemented.

A total solution As a founder member of the Private Organizations for Patient Safety group, GOJO Industries-Europe advocates making hand hygiene second nature to everyone. We take a ‘total solution’ approach, which recognises and combines three key strategies to influence behaviour: Accessibility; Formulations; and Signage. Accessibility Handwashing facilities must be accessible and dispensers simple to use – consider situating these at a lower height, to enable children to

Formulations Soaps can come in gel or foam format, with or without fragrance – but the formulations must be both effective against germs, as well as gentle to children’s delicate skin. GOJO® foam soaps have a soft feel that kids love – and that also encourages use. The PURELL® Hygienic Hand Sanitisers also make it easier to create a healthy learning environment, and can be stationed within classrooms as well as washrooms. Factory-sealed refills for soaps and sanitisers can also help in the fight against infection – these products simply snap into place on site and are a smart, safe and sustainable option. The product inside is protected from contamination as it is sealed at the point of manufacture. This means that the soap or sanitiser is never open to the environment and so cross contamination from the air or other sources is prevented.

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Creating a healthier learning environment

reach them easily. Touch-free dispensers have become increasingly popular in education settings too. Intuitively sensing the presence of hands, they dispense just the right amount of product every time, and the fact that they are touch-free also increases their hygiene rating.

Signage Eye-catching posters are very effective as a prompt. Teachers should also dedicate time to discuss the importance of good hand hygiene and to demonstrate the best technique. At www.GOJO.com, there is a host of free educational materials available to download. Aimed at children aged 3-12, resources include posters, colouring sheets, activity sheets, crosswords, word-searches, and finger puppets. Teaching and encouraging healthy hand hygiene behaviour to children from a young age not only helps to reduce absenteeism and improve learning outcomes, but is a life skill which will benefit their health throughout adulthood too. L FURTHER INFORMATION +44(0)1908 588444, email: infouk@GOJO.com www.GOJO.com

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

Written by Emily Smith, data scientist, BJSS

A positive change Despite the current challenges the tech sector faces, a positive change is occurring. There is a heightened awareness across the industry of the benefits a diverse workforce Girls need to be engaged at a young age before they reach can bring. Having a team of talented men negative conclusions about the STEM industry. Emily Smith, data and women brings out the best results – men are often objective, while women have the scientist at BJSS, shares some advice on how schools can do this creative skills to unite teams to work towards a common goal. We are seeing positive changes in the field with a range of diversity and inclusion programmes being introduced Some of the most powerful leaders in the uptake of coding clubs in schools and getting in the workplace, but we’ve still technology industry today are women. Think more girls involved. Having companies got a long way to go. More Sheryl Sandberg, Susan Wojciki and Meg invest in workshop programmes needs to be done across Whitman – inspiring female role models offers a fun, creative learning Getting the board to address paving the future of the tech sector. It’s an environment for kids to girls to gender equality in the exciting space hot on innovation and creativity. understand why digital skills s t a r c t oding a tech sector. Mindsets In the UK, the industry is growing at 2.6 are important. As digital age wil t a young need to change, and times faster than the overall economy, technology becomes an l this needs to start bringing with it the high-skilled, highever-larger part of our get exc help them i from an early age. paying jobs of the future. However, last lives, demand for people t e d a bout building year only 17 per cent of those working adept at coding will only in tech in the UK were female – that’s a increase. Getting girls to About the author: scripts their own significant gender imbalance. But why? start coding at a young age Emily Smith gained various or solving The fact is women are often put off entering will help them get excited an Honours degree problem the sector due to a lack of opportunities and about building their own scripts in Statistics from the s the prevalence of a male dominated culture. or solving various problems University of Glasgow. Popular TV shows like ‘The IT Crowd’ and so they can get to grips with the Following this she moved to ‘Silicon Valley’ play on the tech stereotypes, applications of coding in the real world. the South of England to work as a presenting the sector as a 21st Century boys We also need to address the role parents data scientist in the cyber security team at BAE club and this negative perception needs to play in influencing girls’ opinion of the tech Systems Applied Intelligence. Emily then joined change, and it starts in the classroom. sector. Kids are impressionable and if their the BJSS data science team in January 2018 We need to engage with girls at a young parents aren’t actively encouraging tech as and now lives and works in Manchester. L age before they reach negative conclusions an exciting career path then it’s no surprise about the industry and it can’t just be left that kids’ awareness of the opportunities FURTHER INFORMATION to schools. Businesses, charities and the available are relatively low. Parents are government all have a role to play in breaking responsible for laying the foundations, so www.bjss.com down gender clichés and inspiring the next generation into pursuing careers that are often underrepresented. While there is no simple answer, there is a combination of factors that can help address the gender gap.

STEM

Inspiring girls today into the tech roles of tomorrow

it’s crucial that schools and businesses look further than the classroom to tackle the gender imbalance in STEM-related subjects. By encouraging parents to get involved in the coding workshops and inviting them to school career discussions led by female industry experts will only help showcase the diversity of roles the tech space has to offer.

Taking the subject A large part of the problem is a lack of girls choosing STEM subjects in schools. Only seven per cent of those who take computer science A-level courses are female and just half of the girls that study IT and Tech subjects at school go into a job in the same field. However, thanks to global movements like #MeToo, there has been a growth in not-for‑profit initiatives like ‘Digital Her’, introducing girls to female role models and visible mentors within the tech industry. By exposing girls to inspirational women who have been successful in their field is a good starting point in building excitement around STEM-related school subjects and the confidence and desire to explore digital and tech as a viable career route. It’s about giving them the options, so they are free to make their own choices. Another vital element is encouraging wider

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IT & Computing

Last year, the government urged the technology industry to work harder to help teachers and schools harness the power of technology to improve outcomes for pupils and reduce workload for teachers. So how has this manifested itself in recent months? Back in August, Education Minister Damian search and trial EdTech solutions for free. Hinds issued a call to arms for the technology Here are some of the key findings that industry – demanding they work harder to are coming out of these initiatives. help teachers and schools harness the power of technology to improve outcomes for pupils Build it and they will come and reduce workload for teachers. So how We’ve run four LearnED roadshows so far has this manifested itself in recent months in Rotherham, Newcastle, Cambridge and and are schools benefitting from the added Manchester and the response has been focus on education technology? overwhelming. We’ve averaged We, the British Educational 150 teachers per event and By Suppliers Association (BESA) had over 300 registered bringin have been working for Manchester alone. alongside the DfE on two There is a real thirst teacherg s togethe initiatives to help deliver for knowledge and a on this promise. The first desire to hear from experie r to share n c is a series of one-day other teachers about e s , we hop that the CPD training events what works and e r around the country called what are the pitfalls will resu ipple effect LearnED, where senior to be avoided. All schools lt in more leaders and ICT leads have schools are juggling the benefit ing the opportunity to hear from demands of impossibly from Ed Tech other schools about how they tight budgets, pressure have successfully used education for results and the desire to technology in their schools. The do the best for their students. second is the launch of our online lending Many of the teachers who attended platform LendED which enables teachers to LearnED have said they see EdTech as a

Written by Julia Garvey, LendED project lead, BESA

The power of technology to improve outcomes

possible solution to all of these problems by offering cost savings, time savings and products that deliver measurable results but they just don’t know where to start. Failure is an option Each of our speakers have stressed that EdTech is not a fix all solution. There are just as many bad products out there as there are good, but when properly sourced and introduced, there are solutions that have the power to deliver great change. Many of the speakers shared stories of failure with common challenges including not having sufficient support both within the school or from the supplier; not embedding the technology in every day teaching of using it as a ‘sticking plaster’ or a bolt on and hoping that everyone will get on board; or of technology that was just too complicated to set up and use and so became redundant pretty quickly. Pretty much every speaker stressed how technology needs to be introduced as a whole school approach or with whole school support, if it has a chance to make a difference. Top down, bottom up So just how do you create a whole-school change? Should you drive this from the top down, or hope that it develops organically from the bottom up? Well both, as it turns out. Initiatives that are borne out of a need identified by the classroom teacher, or are championed by teachers themselves, are those that are going to be readily accepted and possibly the easiest to implement. But there are times when the type of programme being introduced or the type of change required can only happen with clear leadership from the top. Chelsea Sandbrook, assistant head teacher at Manor Leas School showed how her school had eliminated marking through E Volume 24.2 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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Follow in the footsteps of giants It’s been clear from the feedback that teachers have most enjoyed hearing from and learning from other teachers. This peer to peer platform is unusual and yet shouldn’t come as a surprise that it is a popular approach. Schools have long formed both formal and informal networks amongst themselves for the sharing of information and best practice. The challenge comes when you have exhausted your own network for advice, or when you are seeking answers to questions your colleagues can’t answer.

Here we had panels of teachers offering examples of what they had tried in the real world; practical solutions and advice that attendees could take away and use for themselves. From tiny primary schools with no IT support as highlighted by Sam

It is this need to ‘try before you buy’ which is also behind our second initiative LendED. org.uk – a free-to-use online platform that designed to match teachers with EdTech products and services that best meet their need, and give them the opportunity to trial it

IT & Computing

 their use of Renaissance Learning’s tools, saving teachers hundreds of hours. But she also shared how they had to work hard to persuade some of the more traditional teachers to move away from paper-based marking. The transition would not have worked if only some of the school was on board, it needed to be a whole school change. Nowhere are these two approaches more apparent than in multi-academy trusts (MAT). Whilst member schools may be free to pick and choose the teaching and learning resources that best suit them, assessment regimes and IT infrastructure are likely to be a central decision enabling economies of scale and like for like comparison of data across the group. Dominic Norrish, group director of technology at United Learning Trust spoke passionately about the need to support every school and ensure that all schools have equal access to the same high quality provision within the MAT. And for some this will be a steeper learning curve than others.

While EdTech is not a fix all solution, the schools we’ve showcased are all positive examples of the type of transformation that EdTech can deliver. By bringing teachers together to share their experiences we hope that more schools can benefit Hankin, head of the computing deptartment at The Priory School who had to learn on the job to become the IT specialist; through to busy secondary schools rolling out one to one devices throughout their school. Do your homework The driving force behind attending the days, and the mood that Damian Hinds had rightly picked up on, has been the need for teachers to see for themselves what is on offer. With not much choice and such tight budgets nobody can afford to make a poor purchasing decision that results in products that are cast aside like Wheezy the Penguin. LearnED has given teachers the chance to learn from their peers and to see some EdTech in action via the demonstrator classroom and exhibition.

for free before making a purchasing decision. Overall the mood is positive. While EdTech is not a fix all solution, the schools we’ve showcased so far are all positive examples of the type of transformation that EdTech can deliver when done right. By bringing teachers together to share their experiences we hope that the ripple effect will result in more schools, and ultimately students, benefiting from these types of transformations in the future. To book your free place on the remaining LearnED roadshows visit www.besa. org.uk/events-learned-roadshows. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.LendED.org.uk

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Toshiba display screens make school life smarter Toshiba collaborates with content management system specialists SignStix to meet the complex requirements that modern education establishments need

Oathall Community College Oathall Community College has installed eye-catching digital signage and interactive touch solutions at its premises in West Sussex, fully installed and managed by Toshiba. The digital signage provides engaging information about forthcoming events and curriculum information, along with other news and updates. The screens have had a really positive impact on pupil and staff engagement levels and have led to an enhanced modern image for the school which helps attract students and parents alike. Specialist CMS software Incorporating software from specialist CMS (Content Management System) providers SignStix, the Toshiba display screens offer a convenient and cost-effective way of meeting the complex requirements that all modern education establishments have for timely distribution of information. To better communicate with students and staff, Oathall Community College has installed these versatile and innovative display solutions throughout its premises in strategic locations, especially those that have high footfall. Investing in the future The school started a multi-million-pound renovation project for the science and mathematics block in summer 2017, which was completed in readiness for the start of term in September 2018. As part of the investment, the school made the decision to use interactive touch screens and digital signage, so they contacted Toshiba.

Two video wall installations, each comprising three individual screens, have been fitted in stairwells that provide readily accessible class-specific information and details of upcoming events. The stairwell locations for the screens were chosen because of the high footfall during breaks when pupils and staff are moving between rooms. “Having display screens in the areas where most people circulate has truly transformed the school,” said Edward Rodriguez, head teacher at Oathall Community College. “The screens are now a key part of our operations and integral to the way we do things. Pupils pay increased attention to notices and we find that the screens are so much more effective than traditional methods at getting messages across.” He continues: “The display solutions have been carefully configured to suit the available space and our operating requirements – and we are very proud of the results.” A further four screens have been installed high up in the foyer of the oldest part of the school, which dates back to 1938 - an area fondly known as ‘Piccadilly Circus’ by the staff and students. These screens can be programmed to work independently, or together, and are principally used by the English and humanities faculties. They typically show subject-specific information, such as the rolling programme from the English department which is updated every week. They are also used to advertise forthcoming events in the school. A 55-inch screen has also been set up in the reception area. This screen is programmed to welcome guests and communicate upcoming events. The school finds the screen to be particularly effective in reception where it makes a positive first impression and helps to create a professional and welcoming environment.

The school is also utilising a large interactive touch screen mounted on a mobile stand that can be wheeled between rooms. It has Windows 10 built in and offers access to Microsoft office applications and Windows Apps such as whiteboard software. It is most often used for presentation purposes and giving interactive and engaging demonstrations. “The interactive touch screen is a great way of presenting information and ideas during meetings or lessons. It’s very easy to use without any complicated cables or software. The image and sound quality is impressive, and we find that everyone pays attention when we use it.” enthused Mr Rodriguez. For the screens used as digital signage, the SignStix CMS makes the process of deploying content easy and enjoyable. SignStix is an intuitive digital tool that allows end-users to easily create, edit, manage, deploy and report on digital content in real-time. As it is cloud-based, there is no requirement to download special software. The screens deployed at Oathall Community College are robust and can be used in both landscape and portrait orientations. As standard, they have a removable receiver, and secure USB socket ensuring the screens are tamper proof. “We are pleased to have provided a display solution that accurately meets the needs of the college,” said Glen Matthews, support manager at Toshiba TEC. “The education sector is very important for us and we work hard to support schools’ digital ambitions for better and more engaging communications.” L FURTHER INFORMATION www.toshibatec.co.uk education@toshibatec.co.uk

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IT & Computing

Improving the internet infrastructure of rural schools

is taking gigabit broadband to the hardest to reach rural areas first. As well as making a dramatic difference for students in the classroom, by using the schools as broadband hubs we are also making ultrafast broadband available to thousands of rural homes and businesses across the country more quickly.” Mary See, headteacher at Cheselbourne Village School, Dorset said: “Having new super-fast broadband reach our school has revolutionised the way we work. The much faster and reliable access to the web has allowed staff to work more efficiently; while the children, although still geographically remote, are no longer technologically isolated and will have the same opportunities as their urban peers in The government has committed to spend £3 million on a pilot preparing for a more technological future.” Education Secretary Damian Hinds said: programme to connect primary schools in rural areas with “In our inter-connected world, a fast, reliable gigabit-capable broadband. Education Business reports internet connection has never been more important. The schools will be connected to the world of technology, enabling Over 100 rural primary schools to 100Mbps, and have the capability teachers to realise the benefits will be receiving gigabit-capable to be upgraded to 1,000Mbps Those that fast and reliable broadband connections as part of (1Gbps) in the future should broadband has to offer, from the government’s drive to improve they wish to do so. schools reducing teacher workload internet infrastructure in rural areas. These new speeds are already to improving access to Under the £3 million pilot programme, three enabling whole classes connec high-quality resources. schools have already been connected, and 52 to simultaneously t ed have seen th “I don’t want schools have signed contracts. There are also ongoing surf the internet on e i in villages and rural discussions with another 72 schools who tablets, and gives speeds r broadband j u areas to be left in the are interested in participating. The trial was schools easier access m p from 0.5 Me slow lane when it comes originally planned to reach 100 schools, but to online training second gabits per to broadband, and the the project has been delivered under-budget, and educational (Mb funding announced today allowing even more schools to benefit. learning. Access to 100Mb ps) to will benefit the schools The trial is part of the government’s £190 cloud services not only p s that are most in need.” million Local Full Fibre Networks (LFFN) means savings as staff Kim Mears, managing director for programme to stimulate and speed up the go paperless, but it has also Strategic Infrastructure Development at roll-out of full fibre networks, as well as drive enabled the decommissioning of the Openreach said: “We’re really pleased to be the next generation of mobile connectivity. school’s local servers to reduce hardware, able to support the government’s drive to maintenance and IT support costs. connect up schools with full fibre broadband Faster speeds Minister for Digital, Margot James said: through our Full Fibre Infrastructure Build Those schools already connected under the “This project is a great example of the programme, which enables schools not in our programme have seen their broadband speeds government’s new “outside in” approach commercial roll out plans to still E jump from 0.5 Megabits per second (Mbps) to rolling out full fibre broadband, which Volume 24.2 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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Targus joins forces with Tech Data to make adoption of technology easier for the education sector

The digitisation of education means today’s education establishments spend a significant amount of money on IT tools and hardware to support teaching, improve productivity and facilitate students. However, technology devices come with short lifespans – the average life cycle for laptops is three years meaning that they should ideally be replaced with newer models regularly. With limited funding, however, such an approach might not be feasible for most establishments. Targus, a leader in laptop cases and mobile computing accessories is joining forces with Tech Data, a global distribution company specialising in IT products, to support the roll out of its Tech-as-a-Service (TaaS) subscription services for the Education industry. TaaS is a strategic investment that can reduce the total cost of ownership while allowing organisation to regularly upgrade technology and ensure it is up-to-date. Analysts at IDC report that an average

repair costs approximately £130 and six lost hours per device. Comparing that to the average cost of a protective bag to carry and protect your devices, which is a much more affordable £15, brings to light the crux of the issue – organisations and educational establishments alike are paying the price by not investing in the right accessories to safeguard their valuable technology products. The business case for investing in TaaS is clear. Educators can save up to 30 per cent on total cost of ownership of hardware and software solutions. They can get up-to-date equipment faster and more often to ensure they get the best from the technological advances available, all while being fully compliant with UK State Education Legislation. The TaaS programme has already made a big splash within the public sector, with over 43 schools and 17 NHS trusts already using the programme to

procure equipment worth millions of pounds. “TaaS is the way forward for the education industry,” said Marcus Harvey, sales director EMEA at Targus. “In today’s digitally connected world, having the right tools & technology forms the basis of any successful education programme. However, the costs associated with owning the latest technology tools coupled with repairing damaged devices can cause a big hole in the pocket for education establishments. “We are thrilled to be working alongside Targus to extend the benefits of TaaS subscriptions to the education industry,” added David Nelson, services director at Tech Data. “With technology evolving at breakneck speeds, educators need to be armed with the latest devices to provide students with the best possible education. We strongly believe that our partnership with Targus’ Designed for Education range of products will help educators achieve this.” FURTHER INFORMATION For more information, visit uk.targus.com

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

 connect to our full fibre network – without incurring any build costs. Without fast reliable connectivity there is the risk that children will miss out on what is now an essential learning tool, so being able to connect up schools in this way is great news.” Increasing connectivity The new connection being provided to schools has had the added benefit of increasing connectivity for the surrounding homes and businesses. Once the fibre has been laid (with the school acting as a “hub”) connecting other premises in the area becomes much more commercially viable to broadband providers. The trial will shape the new £200 million Rural Gigabit Connectivity Programme, targeting the hardest to reach areas in the UK. Building on the same principle, the programme will deliver gigabit capable

connections to key public and business buildings, including schools, as well as encouraging broadband providers to create additional connections to local homes. Committing to full fibre In the Future Telecoms Infrastructure Review (FTIR), the government has set targets for the availability of full fibre and 5G networks. It wants to see 15 million premises connected to full fibre by 2025, with coverage across all parts of the country by 2033. It wants the majority of the population to have 5G coverage by 2027. The Future Telecoms Infrastructure Review was announced in the government’s Industrial Strategy, with the aim of examining the market and policy conditions that will enable greater investment in future telecoms infrastructure at pace. The Review

addresses key questions that could affect the evolution of the UK’s digital infrastructure such as the convergence between fixed and mobile technologies, and the transition from copper to full fibre networks. To ensure that the hardest to reach areas are not left behind an ‘outside-in’ approach will be needed to connect these areas at the same pace as the rest of the country. Sharon White, Ofcom chief executive, said: “We welcome the government’s review, and share its ambition for full-fibre and 5G networks to be rolled out right across the UK. The government and Ofcom are working together, and with industry, to help ensure people and businesses get the broadband and mobile they need for the 21st century.” New builds The government also wants full fibre broadband to be compulsory for all new builds. New build developments are a clear case in which opportunities for boosting full fibre broadband coverage are not being seized. Whilst there are examples of the most proactive developers and network providers delivering good connectivity, sites with no, or slow, connections are inexcusable. Minister for Digital Margot James said: “Too many new build homes are built with slow, or no, connections. This needs to change. Making full fibre mandatory for new builds will help us meet our ambitious broadband goals, connect people and places and strengthen our digital society.” Poor connections have a disproportionate impact on residents and communities. E

Volume 24.2 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

IT & Computing

These new speeds are enabling whole classes to simultaneously surf the internet on tablets, and gives schools easier access to online training and educational learning. Access to cloud services not only means savings as staff go paperless, but it has also enabled the decommissioning of the school’s local servers to reduce hardware, maintenance and IT support costs

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IT & Computing

 When children cannot do online homework at home, and grown-ups cannot work from home, pay bills online or run small businesses it is not just the individual who suffers; slow, unreliable connections hamper innovation, stop collaboration between groups and make it harder for local economies and communities to thrive. To address this, the government plans to ensure delivery of gigabit-capable connections to all new build homes, reversing the trend of new build homes being associated with poor connections. The policy will also enable wider deployment of fibre technology across the UK. A consultation is currently seeking views on how developers and network operators should share the cost of connecting new build sites to gigabit-capable networks, and on introducing a ‘duty to connect’ provision upon network operators. The consultation also wants views on amending building regulations which will mean all new build sites will be built with the necessary infrastructure in place to support gigabit-capable networks. DCMS Secretary of State Jeremy Wright said: “Through our modern Industrial Strategy it’s our ambition to have a full fibre Britain that is fit for the future. By changing our approach and investing in the hardest to reach places first, we will ensure that the whole country can reap the benefits of full fibre broadband. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.gov.uk

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

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

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

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TECHNOLOGY

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EXPERT PANEL

Expert Panel: EdTech

Business Information for Education Decision Makers

Leonard Sim, head of key accounts, Kyocera Document Solutions UK Leonard Sim is the head of key accounts for Kyocera Document Solutions UK, one of the world’s leading document output management companies. He has been promoting the use of technology to help the public sector in time and cost for seven years.

Ji Li, managing director, Plum Innovations Plum Innovations is a London based technical service provider for schools. Plum’s aim is to help reinforce the positive impact of EdTech products on pupils’ learning outcomes and assisting schools to employ technologies in the most effective way. Ji is the vice chair of EdTech group at BESA and a member of board at Naace. @lijiukcn

The Parliamentary Education Committee is investigating how best to prepare young people for future careers brought about by technological change, as part of its inquiry into the fourth industrial revolution. The Fourth Industrial Revolution refers to the emergence of a range of new technologies including artificial intelligence, robotics and the Internet of Things. The changes are likely to have a major impact on both productivity and the labour market, with low and medium skilled jobs most at risk. The inquiry has heard from technology companies and experts on educational technology (EdTech) and its impact in the classroom, as well as issues around social disadvantage and whether or not the current curriculum is suitable. There has been a mixed response, with some evidence showing that schools do not have adequate infrastructure to support IT, or that they are using old, outdated computers. But many schools lack the vital funding they require to get adequately kitted out. BESA’s research found that only 33 per cent

Alan O’Donohoe, specialist leader in education, exa.foundation

Andrew Cowling, business development and channel marketing specialist, PFU EMEA

Alan has more than 20 years experience teaching and leading technology, computing and ICT in schools in Northern England. He converted to teach computing in 2010, and first introduced computing into his school in Preston, then supported others to do the same through professional development

PFU EMEA is responsible for the marketing and sales of Fujitsu Scanners. Andrew is a strong advocate of the drivers and opportunity that digital transformation can bring to organisations and the benefits thereof that technology driven processes can offer.

we understand where of secondary schools and 60 per BESA’s things are changing cent of primary schools consider researc and introduce into that they are sufficiently h found t the curriculum equipped with ICT h a t o per cen n technology driven infrastructure and devices. t of sec ly 33 ondary schools teaching methods So how important is cent of and 60 per and making it for schools to get technology an children tech-savvy so consideprimary schoo integral part of they are prepared for the ls r t h at they sufficie how children future world of work? a r e n t with IC ly equipped are learning.” “When primary children T infras Ji Li from Plum hit work age, there will t r u ct and de Innovations points be a huge percentage of vices. ure out that the digital jobs for that don’t currently skills gap is currently a exist,” says Andrew Cowling major issue for the future from PFU - a Fujitsu company. economy. He says “Based on the “What this means is that the workplace is British Chambers of Commerce’s research, rapidly changing and what may be popular the skills shortages are reaching critical industries now will change and evolve and levels. Consulting Firm Accenture has in some case be replaced by totally new also announced digital skills gap could areas such as AI and stem cell research. cost UK £141 billion in GDP growth.” “This makes it even more important that But, echoing Andrew’s earlier point, Ji children now are being equipped with the points out that the job market will look skills they will need for when they reach very different in the future and E working age and it is imperative that Volume 24.2 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Expert Panel: EdTech

 even the tech savvy may have to re-train and upskill for future jobs. He says: “In 10 years time, year 6 pupils would be in their early twenties. When they look for jobs in a decade, it will certainly be a very different market layout. Many researchers forecast digital solutions and automation will be taking place in most of businesses by then. Workforce re-training and up-skilling will become one of the top challenges for businesses and departments.” Alan O’Donohoe from exa.foundation believes that while it is important for children to get these EdTech skills, we must be mindful of the fact that schools are under huge amounts of pressure. He says: “It’s absolutely important for us to ensure that children have a full complement of digital competencies ensuring they are adequately prepared for the world of work, but we need to be realistic about the enormous pressures schools face. “As long as the strong accountability culture in schools exists, their performance and effectiveness continues to be judged largely on exam results. This means that no matter how compelling the argument may be for developing next generation employability skills, schools just can’t risk prioritising this over exam results.” Females in STEM Recent data published by the Department of Education shows school girls in England are substantially less likely than boys to consider taking STEM subjects at A Level than boys. Whilst the number of girls taking STEM A Levels has increased by 26 per cent since 2010, the research shows 15-year-old boys are more likely than girls to see STEM subjects as being useful when it comes to getting a job and that girls are less likely to consider a STEM subject as their favourite. When asked about which subjects were most likely to lead to a future job, 69 per cent of male pupils ranked a STEM subject first compared to 51 per cent of females. Home Office research shows 60 per cent of the roles on its shortage list are in the STEM sector, while the 2017 Employer Skills Survey found that there is significant demand for skilled and qualified professionals in IT and engineering, as well as a need for complex numerical and statistical skills. So what can schools do to ensure girls are engaged in STEM and digital subjects and are not put off by stereotypes? Alan believes that pupils should be introduced to inspiring female role models that work in STEM careers. He said: “ Invest a little time reading about some inspiring stories and activities of STEMettes, WISE, #GirlsinSTEM, Black Girls Code, Ada Lovelace Day, Women in Tech, and the work of Jess Wade, who took it upon herself to create a Wikipedia article every single day to celebrate all the great women who have contributed to STEM worldwide.” Andrew believes that the curriculum should be address: “By making the curriculum more relevant and engaging we should start to see a broader spectrum of students including females to get involved in and interested in areas such as computing,

important for schools to check what kind of programming and using tech to learn.” training and support they could get before “The generational shift should also help employing any new EdTech solution. as technology is becoming engrained “Apart from direct support from vendors, with how children are consuming and teacher meetings or forums are also good expecting to learn from a very early age,” opportunities to share great EdTech practises continues Andrew. “This in turn should and provide support for each other. have school starters wanting to experience “In real life, class teachers are way too first hand technology driven teaching busy to even ask for help. So technical methods and knowing that certain skills support, consultants and software vendors are integral to a successful working life.” need to work together with schools to Ji Li believes that it is not just up to provide the best support possible for schools to change stereotypes of a male our teachers in order to maximise the dominated industry. He says: “To change positive impact of EdTech on children’s preconceived views about girls in STEM learning outcomes,” concludes Ji. or computing, it cannot just rely on schools only, but joint efforts from parents, Know the problem first businesses and institutions. It’s a cultural Alan believes that schools need to identify change rather than pedagogical approach. what ‘problems’ they are trying to address Successful girls working in STEM should be before finding the technology to correct it. celebrated as much as modern pop stars. He said: “Where I’ve witnessed the most Career talks, role modelling and better effective use of technology in education, opportunities offered by employers should it has typically been an initiative led in all help to break this industry stereotype.” school by staff to solve problems that already exist and at the same time save Teacher skills and confidence money, save time, and increase access For pupils to benefit from EdTech, teachers or improve educational outcomes. need to feel confident when teaching “Unfortunately while peddlers of snake it. What support can teachers get to oil try to persuade schools of the virtues of make them proficient in EdTech? untested technological solutions that haven’t Andrew shares the details of a recent yet found a problem to solve, it makes it scheme Fujitsu has introduced to upskill difficult to find the real nuggets of gold teachers: “Fujitsu’s CoDE (Certificate of especially when there are all these Digital Excellence) has come shiny distractions clambering about from recognising that for our attention. times are rapidly changing “In my opinion, the along with student The ry decision about which demands and needs. a t n e particular EdTech “By realising that Parliam ommittee C product to use and teachers need to n o i t Educa stigating how g the subsequent be equipped with training and support, the knowledge and is inve repare youn p should only be confidence to help o t e r t u s t be fu r o considered after their pupils, this f e t l peop ought abou the problem has scheme allows for br been acutely defined the skilling in six key careers chnological and analysed. If it’s areas such as cyber e t y b not immediately clear security, Internet of change to you which particular Things, AI, VR and so on. problem the EdTech solution “There are free modules solves or that it’s a problem on each that teachers can your school is trying to fix, then it’s take and receive certification which probably not the solution you’re looking for.” will enable them to coach young people on technology and the workplace drivers A more efficient school that are impacting our world. Visit digitalTechnology that facilitates a better and excellence.co.uk for more information.” more efficient way of working is another Ji Li shares how teachers can get area that schools can make use of. support to harness various tech solutions: The government has announced that “Solutions designed to support teachers, that more than 100 rural primary schools like assessment tools or Management across England are set to get gigabitInformation Systems are often targeting capable broadband connections as teachers and staff as end users in the part of the its commitment to improve product development cycle and have more internet infrastructure in rural areas. direct product support. Their GUIs are also The new speeds are enabling whole classes designed for ease of use for teachers too. to simultaneously surf the internet on tablets “For learning tools like online numeracy / as part of structured lessons, and gives literacy platforms, their GUIs are designed schools easier access to online training and for children as end users and a section of educational learning. Access to cloud services admin area for teachers. Therefore there not only means savings as staff go paperless, are several levels of support teachers can but it has also enabled the decommissioning get from these product throughout product of the school’s local servers to reduce life cycle such as initial setup training, hardware, maintenance and IT support costs. teacher workshop, end user support and On the subject of paper-less processes, trainings for new updates or features. It’s

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Home Office research shows 60 per cent of the roles on its shortage list are in the STEM sector, while the 2017 Employer Skills Survey found that there is significant demand for skilled and qualified professionals in IT and engineering, as well as a need for complex numerical and statistical skills. Leonard Sim from Kyocera Document Solutions UK shares some research his company has conducted: “Late last year we partnered with iGov to survey organisations in the public sector. Over half (58 per cent) of respondents reported that the majority of their documents are stored digitally and 93 per cent stated that ‘going paperless’ is a priority. Probing this further, 87 per cent admitted to relying on paper-based documents, with 17 per cent stating that this was a heavy reliance. Adopting a digital approach to document management, including the storage, retrieval and updating of student records, can make the running of a school easier and more efficient.” Taking a look back, Alan refers to the timesaving abilities of the old Lyons Electronic Office computer. He said: “It’s worth taking a brief history trip back to the 1950s to look at LEO (Lyons Electronic Office) one of the earliest computers. Commissioned by Lyons Tea Company, it was developed at enormous cost and huge risk specifically to automate many of the clerical and administration tasks that were previously undertaken by 100s of clerical workers. The story of the LEO computer helps us to see that technology offers fantastic potential to reduce workload, human error, cost while improving speed, accuracy and efficiency. “However, while LEO was able to successfully transform the business and later became a business entity in its own right, the computer was not developed overnight, and neither was it an immediate success. “Years before the first valve was wired up, representatives from Lyons studied other computers to see what they could learn from the others. If you truly want to use technology to make the running of your school easier and more efficient - save yourself some time and money by visiting other schools who are already reaping the benefits.” Reducing workload Leonard gives other examples of how technology can save schools time. He said: “Embracing technology that is designed to help teachers spend more time teaching (such as virtual assistants) or reduce admin time will aid greater efficiencies. Kyocera’s Teaching Assistant app reduces the time it takes to mark tests and gives additional insights to aid the understanding of students’ knowledge in the test subjects. The CopyScanPublications app from Kyocera is another solution that improves efficiency by removing manual processes around logging the reproduction of copyrighted material.

This allows teaching staff to focus and spend more time doing the most important tasks.” Leonard continues: “Content Services simplified is automating processes and workflows to support more efficient operations. Today, education shares the challenges of businesses in many other sectors – capture data from scanned documents, emails and other sources that can be imported and used to automatically and ‘intelligently’ fill out e-forms, launch specific workflows, compose documents and initiate associated processes. The adoption of a complete end-to-end solution is another area efficiency can be found.” Ji Li agrees that running a school is like operating a company in many ways. There are HR procedures, running CRM or MIS system, dealing with enquiries and maintaining a healthy cash flow. Ji says: “Many great products have been designed especially for schools to digitalise and standardise administrative processes. For example, online asset register, digital sign-in and parent communication systems. They could save lots of resources and time compared to traditional paper processes. Maybe one day when chatbot and automated telephone system are ready for schools, it will reduce considerable amount of workload for admin office staff too. “I think this will be similar to how EdTech could help teachers’ lives easier in schools. By looking into how teachers spend most of their time inside and outside of classrooms, you could then search for solutions to simplify those processes, which could help reduce teachers’ workload.” Another way that technology can helps schools become more efficient is through scanning solutions, believes Andrew. He comments: “Fujitsu scanning solutions are one key component that enable processes within schools to become more efficient, saving money and importantly freeing up time to be spent on enriching the learning experience and developing the curriculum, making it relevant and more engaging. “By moving from paper based processes to digital ones, schools can very quickly experience the benefits, such as enhanced collaboration between all parties, compliance, security and the ability to better monitor how a child is progressing by capturing evidence of progress for teachers and parents alike. Digital processes using technology take away the risk associated with manual input errors, disaster recovery concerns, lack of audit trails and extra costs associated with time, storage and paper.” L

Ji Li The Fourth Industrial Revolution is already reshaping our lives and businesses. From smart home device Alexa to the latest automation success SpaceX Dragon capsule, we are right in the eye of this digital perfect storm. Based on the British Chambers of Commerce’s research, the skills shortages are reaching critical levels. Consulting Firm Accenture has also announced digital skills gap could cost UK £141 billion in GDP growth.

Expert Panel: EdTech Expert Panel: EdTech

Final thoughts

Alan O’Donohoe In my opinion, the decision about which particular EdTech product to use and the subsequent training and support, should only be considered after the problem has been acutely defined and analysed. If it’s not immediately clear to you which particular problem the EdTech solution solves or that it’s a problem your school is trying to fix, then it’s probably not the solution your looking for. Leonard Sim Embracing technology that is designed to help teachers spend more time teaching (eg. virtual assistants) or reduce admin time will aid greater efficiencies. Kyocera’s Teaching Assistant app reduces the time it takes to mark tests and gives additional insights to aid the understanding of students’ knowledge in the test subjects. The CopyScanPublications app from Kyocera is another solution that improves efficiency by removing manual processes around logging the reproduction of copyrighted material. This allows teaching staff to focus and spend more time doing the most important tasks. Andrew Cowling By realising that teachers need to be equipped with the knowledge and confidence to help their pupils, Fujitsu has introduced a scheme called CoDE (Certificate of Digital Excellence) which allows for the skilling in six key areas such as cyber security, Internet of Things, AI, VR and so on. There are free modules on each that teachers can take and receive certification which will enable them to coach young people on technology and the workplace drivers that are impacting our world.

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Getting the best out of ultrafast internet in education #exabytes keynote presenter - Phil Bagge’s Youtube channel (just search Philip Bagge in YouTube) for a range of excellent exercises exploring Computational Thinking. Exploring VR worlds Although the jury’s definitely out on whether VR is a real winner for schools, if you’re interested in the in-depth exploration possibilities created by the tech, there’s no doubt that you’ll need an effective Internet connection to back it up, in most cases downloading new experiences and opportunities. We’d recommend checking out the free VR resources provided by Google VR (search google expeditions), while several other sites like Virtual Reality for Education (http://virtualrealityforeducation. com/) compile a selection of free resources.

While internet connectivity is a standard feature in practically every school around the UK, there remains a disparity between the extensive possibilities held by online resources and the practicality of their implementation. Simply put, many schools’ connections are no longer up to speed, and there is a growing need for ultrafast internet – defined by Ofcom as speeds of 300Mbps or more – to become the standard in education; allowing schools to get the best possible results from using their connections Through our not-for-profit exa.foundation (www.exa.foundation), we’ve worked to help schools get a stronger grip on the possibilities of technology and online resources. With our CPD events and free resources, we’ve been able to directly support educators around the country, but there’s still a lot of cases where schools and academies aren’t getting everything that they could be from their internet connection. Bringing in ultrafast connectivity opens up a huge range of useful, genuinely effective possibilities previously unavailable through standard connections. In this article, we’ve put together some information about the key online resources capable of making real differences for schools, exploring services available through both standard broadband and ultrafast options like our full fibre DarkLight® connectivity. Here are a few key categories of online resources and services, along with Exa Education’s picks of some great free/low-cost options. Online programming sites If you’re teaching Computer Science, it’s important to give learners a real look at how

Rolling backup options Having an effective backup service is critical for any school, but the vast amount of data that needs to be backed up with hundreds of students in the picture has traditionally created some problems for schools. With ultrafast connectivity, we’ve seen a lot of schools, even large Secondary establishments, adopting real-time backup services, with the symmetrical upload speeds provided by many ultrafast providers opening up the doors to effective Cloud-based storage.

Getting ultrafast internet to education It’s no secret that many schools g still suffer from a lack of the code they’re creating Bringin st a connectivity options, affects real‑world f a r in ult y opens relying on ageing environments, and online ivit t c e copper infrastructure programming sites open n e n co e rang ly g or having to pay over up a lot of possibilities u h a e up in u n the odds to have a for this, offering fun and e g l, dedicated line. At Exa engaging exercises for of usefue possibilities iv le Education we are rolling learners. For a couple t b c a effe navail u out full fibre services of great examples, ly s u previo gh standard across the country, with head over to www. exceptional speeds and code.org for some fun throu ections surprisingly low costs. exercises backed up with conn Having said this, ultrafast popular children’s characters, connectivity is more accessible or check out Kodu at www. than ever before and schools now have kodugamelab.com, a free resource that lets the ability to fully harness the educational learners build extremely customisable games. resources that are available online. If you would like to speak to us about Streaming educational videos seeing how fast we could make your school’s While it’s important to have a grasp of internet connection, or if you would like what kind of videos students are accessing to discuss how to fully benefit from this through sites like YouTube, there’s no doubt by speaking with our exa.foundation, just that both staff and learners can benefit from get in touch on the details below. L the vast range of educational videos out there. For a couple of starting points, we’d recommend checking out our own ExaLens FURTHER INFORMATION Webinar Archive at www.exa.foundation/ exalens-webinars for Primary and Secondary 0345 145 1234 teachers, or heading over to this year’s education@exa.net.uk

Volume 24.2 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Catering Written by Michael Hales, LACA national chair

Transforming the way children eat

Survey for England statistics, at age 10-11 (year 6), 20 per cent of children are obese and 14.3 per cent are overweight. For children aged 4-5, (reception) the figure is 9.6 per cent obese and a further 13.0 per cent overweight.

Making kids healthier But how do we bring these obesity figures down? LACA’s work throughout the year aims Healthy school meals remain a key tool in the fight against to promote healthy eating to as many children as possible. We have four key priorities for childhood obesity, but there is much more that can be done. 2019 – extending the school food standards LACA’s chair Michael Hales explains the key areas that can make to all schools including academies and free a significant impact on improving the health of children schools; extending UIFSM to all primary school children including pupils in Key Stage 2; combatting the The food a child eats in their early years year 2 children by the Collation Accord proliferation of fast food influences their dietary habits later in life, Government in 2014 was restaurants near schools so it is vital to instil good habits and a a welcome first step to to the l ing a and finally supporting a healthy relationship with food from an achieving this, but there t e s H t ealth S Healthy Rating Scheme early age. As the lead voice of the school is still much work to u rvey fo Englan which the government food sector, serving 3 million lunches in be done. LACA would r d s tatistics age 10 22,000 schools everyday across England, like to see UIFSM , at has delayed until now. -11 (ye Wales and Scotland, LACA plays a key role extended to all primary a p r er cen 6), 20 A commitment to in encouraging healthy eating at school. school children and are obe t of children healthy eating Sadly, there are still too many hungry we urgently call for a se and Each year we run children who are not getting the right nutrition review of the £2.30 paid 1 4.3 per cen National School Meals that they need. The Environmental Audit for the delivery of every t a overwe re Week (NSMW), to provide Committee in the House of Commons recently meal under the scheme. ight pupils with engaging, highlighted that one in five children live in a Our report into UIFSM educational and fun activities home where adults don’t have enough money policy, working together with surrounding healthy eating. This year, to buy food and around three million children the Education Policy Institute last NSMW celebrated its 25th anniversary and across the UK are undernourished. Therefore, it year, gave a clear indication that school we were delighted to host a parliamentary is imperative that all children have the benefits meals remain a key tool in the fight against reception which was attended by both of a hot, healthy and nutritious school meal. childhood obesity and bring a range of Ministers and Shadow Ministers alike. benefits for children, schools and families. Our NSMW roadshow visited schools the Free infant meals Nevertheless, the current numbers of length and breadth of the country during The introduction of Universal Infant Free children who are overweight and obese are the week, focusing on five key themes E School Meals (UIFSM) to reception, year 1 and concerning. According to the latest Health Volume 24.2 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Catering

 – education, concentration, attainment, energy and nutrition – all powered by school meals. In addition to this, LACA run an annual School Chef of the Year Competition (SCOTY) across the country with regional heats, followed by a national final. Competitors’ menus are expected to reflect the School Food Standards of the government’s Universal Infant Free School Meals (UIFSM) Programme. This benchmark is important as the friendly but fierce competition also highlights the ability for healthy, great quality food to be served within the government’s spending guidelines. I am greatly looking forward to this year’s final. LACA also runs a menu checking service which helps schools and caterers by providing an independent external validation that menus meet the required standards as well as recommendations of how to address any areas where the standards are not currently being met. Building on this, we are currently devising a new accreditation mark which we hope to introduce in the second half of 2019. What needs to be done? In the updated Childhood Obesity Plan, LACA welcomed the government’s commitment to extend the School Food Standards to all schools, including academies and free schools. LACA would like to see the Childhood Obesity Plan go further. Obesity cannot be solved through school meals alone and encouraging children to eat healthily outside of the school premises is essential. One of my key priorities as National Chair is to focus our efforts on improving the quantity of healthy food that is available to children. This includes a campaign to reduce the number of fast food outlets near schools, to stop children from being tempted by fatty, unhealthy meals. LACA is keen to work together with other organisations in order to achieve this. Whilst Government departments and public bodies acknowledge the scale of the task in hand to combat childhood obesity, it is a challenging task to get everyone on board collaborating on a common goal. Action is needed fast. In London alone, nearly 40 per cent of all London’s children are overweight or obese. We recently welcomed the announcement by TFL to ban fast food advertsting across its network. Putting into place a Healthy Rating Scheme The government needs to take more action to encourage healthy eating. The Childhood Obesity Plan in 2016 included proposals for a Healthy School Rating Scheme to begin in September 2017. The scheme plans to demonstrate to parents that schools are taking evidence-based actions to improve their pupils’ health, as well as focus on promoting healthy food both in the dining hall and out, by supporting healthier eating, physical activity and the shaping of healthier habits. In addition, it would also be linked to Ofsted inspections ensuring that school food is a priority for school leadership. Finally, it would also run an annual competition to recognise impactful and innovative projects. These plans have sadly

Michael Hales (LACA National Chair) and MP Sharon Hodgson at LACA’s NSMW Jubilee Celebrations in the House of Commons

been delayed on numerous occasions. In May 2018, the Health and Social Care select committee produced a report, ‘Childhood obesity: Time for action’. The report said the Healthy Rating Scheme “should be mandatory” and expressed “significant concerns” that the Department for Education had not made any “significant contribution” to the government’s Childhood Obesity plan. When the government then published their updated childhood obesity plan later in 2018, the only mention of the Healthy School Rating Scheme was that the scheme “will ensure that schools have a framework for self-evaluation for promoting healthy eating and physical activity during the school day.” Whilst the government continues to be preoccupied by Brexit, we do not expect a healthy rating scheme to be rolled out in the immediate future. In the meantime, the

British Nutrition Foundation’s Healthy Eating week, running from 10-14 June 2019, should be commended. It is a dedicated week in the year to encourage organisations from across the UK, including 2,000 schools and nurseries, to celebrate healthy living and I would encourage everyone to get involved. The government has made it their mission to halve childhood obesity by 2030 and to transform the way that children eat. By extending the school food standards, stopping the proliferation of fast food outlets around schools, and by extending UIFSM to all children, in addition to the proposed Healthy School Rating Scheme, can we begin to tackle this epidemic. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.laca.co.uk

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ISS has considered how they might architect their school meals service to optimise lunchtimes for children; ensuring diners feel relaxed, confident and free of any anxiety, so that they are positive about the whole meal experience – not just the food

Award‑winning FEED ISS Food Services’ Education sector is transforming how young people experience lunchtimes at school. The caterer’s award‑winning concept, Feeding Excellence Every Day (FEED), heralds an exciting new approach to school food, focused on engaging diners’ senses and emotions from the moment they enter the dining hall, through to when they leave. FEED focuses on the customer journey of pupils in their school dining halls. Whilst ‘customer touchpoints’ and ‘user experience’ are often associated with adult consumers, the logic has rarely been applied to environments where children are the end users. ISS school meals service ISS has considered how they might architect their school meals service to optimise lunchtimes for children; ensuring diners feel relaxed, confident and free of any anxiety, so that they are positive about the whole meal experience – not just the food. They began by reviewing their service at various schools and then mapped a typical pupil’s lunch journey under five

FEED touchpoints: meal ordering; queuing; getting food; eating, seating & environment; clearing & leaving. They then gave children headcams to wear at lunchtime to see how they interacted with each touchpoint and analysed the footage to explore what they could do to make mealtimes more positive. Their research presented 16 common themes and opportunities such as “make it easier for children to see food on counters” and “remove uncertainty around where to sit” which they then translated into eight overarching FEED principles. Each principle is supported by one or more service promises – a set of commitments for ISS’ catering teams to follow and bring FEED to life. FEED principle – a setting that encourages better behaviour from everyone We encourage excellent lunch time attitudes and help develop every child’s social skills and table manners. FEED promise We offer healthy snacks while queuing to improve behaviour and alleviate impatience. Why? Children are often feeling hungry when entering the dining room, which can lead to excitable behaviour that is not of the standard that teaching staff, the head or parents would usually expect of them. The snack stations are a great way to encourage vegetable intake, stem hunger, keep them occupied and relieve boredom during those inevitable times of lunch service where queues are slightly longer than usual.

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Transforming school meals for improved wellbeing Each element of the customer journey is covered in ISS’ ‘Your Guide to Feeding Excellence Every Day’ booklet for their catering teams, which educates employees in how best to engage with children at each service moment. The guide also proposes tools which can be used to further enhance the dining experience such as hydration stations, ‘meet the team’ boards, age appropriate cutlery, snack stops and more! Myles Bremner, former director of the School Food Plan said: “The innovative FEED initiative from ISS sets a new benchmark for the school food sector. They have taken the School Food Plan’s phrase of ‘looking through the eyes of the child’ to a new level ensuring that ISS understands and responds to the needs of our children, schools, parents and teachers.” FEED was developed during the summer of 2018 and is now being shared with primary schools across the country. As well as helping ISS’ catering teams to understand how best to engage with their customers, FEED also encourages caterers and schools to partner together to make positive changes to the service which matter to children the most. All of this, they hope, will see more children enjoying nutritious, balanced school lunches and subsequently, healthier, happier children reaching their full potential at school and beyond. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.uk.issworld.com/ services/food-services

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Transformative educational visits We hear so often about children today being some children will have to explore the world ‘cooped up’ in their homes and classrooms. beyond their four walls will come from Three quartres of young people in the UK the educational visits offered at school. spend less time outdoors than prisoners; Venues all over the UK are providing more than one in nine children have not set inspirational opportunities for children foot in the natural environment in the last to learn outside the classroom, whether 12 months; and last year only 57 per cent in a museum or gallery or outdoors in of children aged 11 to 15 visited a farm or adventurous activity a museum (a drop of six per centre. These hands on cent on previous year). The experiences enable children Schools reality is the only chance to see, hear, touch and s

hould an eme have respons rgency covers e plan that w there is hat to do if an away frincident om school

Appoint an educational visits coordinator Schools should appoint an educational visits coordinator and make sure they have the training they need. They should be an experienced visits leader and have the E

Written by Kim Somerville, CEO of the Council for Learning Outside the Council (CLOtC)

Five things you need to know about the Department for Education’s new guidance on health and safety for educational visits, to unlock these transformative experiences for your pupils

explore the real world as part of their learning, deepening their understanding and teaching them to appreciate and be inspired by the world around them. Teachers agree that children learn best through first-hand experience. Ofsted also endorses the power of learning beyond classroom walls, finding that getting out and about in small, frequent doses improves understanding and standards as well as helping social and emotional development. The Department for Education’s (DfE) has recently released new straight forward guidance on health and safety for educational visits. Here are five things you need to know to make your educational visit run smoothly, so that you can enjoy the transformational changes when you get back to the classroom.

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Volume 24.2 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Apprenticeship training for schools with LMP Education

LMP Education specialises in apprenticeship training for schools and is one of the leaders within this sector, currently working with several large multi-academy trusts such as Oasis Community Learning, Ormiston Academies Trust and Outwood Grange Academies, and local authorities. LMP Education supports schools to upskill existing staff using the Apprenticeship Levy Funds; recruit new apprentices to fill support staff vacancies (free recruitment service); and host apprentices to fill new support staff vacancies. LMP Education recruits and employs, you host – risk free. LMP Education’s courses include school business professional, teaching assistant, IT infrastructure technician, facility services, laboratory technician, sports coach, HR (with CIPD), accountancy (with AAT), catering, team leader,

business administrator and many more. There are a lot of benefits to taking on an apprentice but here are the top five. Firstly, you can mould them to fit your organisation’s culture and ways of working. Secondly, you are likely to increase staff retention rates. Apprentices often become loyal long-standing employees. Statistics show that 80 per cent of companies that hire apprentices report a significant improvement in employee retention rates. The third benefit is that apprentices are motivated, flexible and loyal to the organisation that has provided them with the opportunity. An apprentice is with you because they want to be. They have made an active choice to learn on the job and commit to a specific career. Forthly, you can boost productivity within your company. Statistics show that

76 per cent of companies say apprentices provide a higher level of productivity and 81 per cent say that they help boost the productivity of the whole company. The final benefit is that by hiring an apprentice, you are giving back to the local community by providing a valuable route into employment for young people – think about how you could perhaps recruit someone from your own cohort of graduating school leavers. Don’t let your Apprenticeship Levy fund expire. “Funds will expire 24 months after they enter an employer’s account unless the employer spends them on apprenticeship training and assessment,” according to the Education & Skills Funding Agency, June 2018: Apprenticeship technical funding guide for starts from May 2017, p15. For example, funds entering an employer’s account in April 2017 will expire in April 2019, unless they are spent. LMP Education operates nationwide and has excellent Tutors that are ready to deliver training at your school. For a no obligation chat with one its account managers, please get in touch. FURTHER INFORMATION 020 3475 7511 / info@lmpeducation.org

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

Rope course (Credit Kingswood)

Farm Visit (Credit Country Trust)

School Trips

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 status to be able to guide the working practices of other staff and be confident in assessing outside activity providers. The headteacher has this duty if there is no coordinator. Local authorities or academy trust outdoor education advisers can advise on appointing and training coordinators. Coordinators can get guidance on the Outdoor Education Advisers’ website oeapng.info Know when to get consent For children over nursery age, written consent is not needed for most trips, as they’re part of the curriculum. However, it’s good practice to tell parents about them. Written consent is usually only needed for trips that need a higher level of risk assessment or are outside normal school hours. Schools can ask parents to sign a copy of a consent form when their child enrols. Schools should still tell parents about these trips and give them the opportunity to withdraw their child. The LOtC Quality Badge Schools using an outside organisation to provide an activity must check they have appropriate safety standards and liability insurance. The Council for Learning Outside the Classroom (LOtC) awards the Learning Outside the Classroom Quality Badge to organisations who meet nationally recognised standards. The accreditation is awarded to organisations offering good quality learning experiences and managing risk effectively. Choosing accredited providers makes life easier for teachers organising educational visits as they can feel confident that their pupils are receiving good quality and inspiring educational experiences in an environment where any risks are well managed. Trips abroad can have extra risks and need a higher level of risk assessment. If

the trip includes significant risks, such as challenging terrain, going to remote places or extreme climates, follow the guide to the British Standard for adventurous activities outside the United Kingdom as the basis for the planning and risk assessment. Organisations employed by the school should follow this too. If they have LOtC Quality Badge then they follow this standard. There are around 1,000 LOtC Quality Badge holders which can be searched at: lotcqualitybadge.org.uk/search Know what to do in an emergency Schools should have an emergency response plan that covers what to do if there is an incident away from school. Schools should also have a communications plan that covers how routine communications should be handled, including regular check-ins and calls to reassure people and trip leaders should be familiar with these plans. Schools can get advice on these plans from their outdoor activity adviser or the Outdoor Education Advisers’ website oeapng.info Evaluating educational visits Schools should set up a clear process for evaluating all visits once they have been concluded from the planning through to the visit itself. The educational content of this should be evaluated like any other lesson would be. For residential trips there is a free evaluation toolkit designed to help those responsible for planning or leading residentials in schools evaluate the experience to understand the impact and what could be improved on the Learning Away website:learningaway.org. uk/free-resources/evaluation-tool-kit/ Schools should keep a record of any incidents, accidents and near misses. This

will help the school evaluate whether its planning has worked and learn from any incidents which took place. It is imperative that you follow the legal requirements of your employer for planning and risk assessing all educational visits. Department for Education guidance can be found on its website. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.lotc.org.uk

The LOtC Mark To support schools to develop learning outside the classroom across all subject areas, the Council for learning Outside the Classroom offers schools the ‘LOtC Mark’. This national accreditation is intended not only to recognise existing exemplary provision, but also to assist and support schools in developing their learning outside the classroom offer to enable all children to have access to meaningful experiences in a range of spaces and places.

Volume 24.2 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Sunken Trampolines are the experts in providing trampoline solutions for schools, care institutions and families across the UK.

For a free consultation and site survey please contact us and we would be more than happy to help. Contact: Joel: 07801 573278 / Angus: 07765 256537 sales@sunkentrampolines.co.uk / www.sunkentrampolines.co.uk Sunken Trampolines - Advert - school - Jan 2017.indd 1

15/02/2017 11:31:56

Innovation Skills Training Technix is an environmentally responsible company manufacturing from recycled materials. We are one of the largest suppliers of playground safety surfacing in the UK. We are the originators of SafaGrass™ and the manufacturers of GrassLok™ which gives assurance of quality compared to other less genuine copy products on the market.

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GrassLok™ - The superior fire resistant playground safety surface that is flame retardant as standard, NOT an extra!! Fire resistance to BS EN ISO 9239-1:2002 Manufactured from the highest quality primary & recycled materials Can be installed on existing grass surfaces & new turf Allows easy access for disabled users More than two million square metres of Technix Grass matting have been installed worldwide.

There has never been a better time to enhance your creative thinking and innovation capabilities. Especially if you want to stay ahead of the curve. At the Brainsparker Academy we coach and train people like you, and your teams, to be more innovative. So that you can solve problems in new ways, and create better solutions. gym* program: Learn on-the-go with one innovation workout lesson emailed to you every week for 52 weeks. spark* at work: Deep-dive into creative thinking skills, brainstorming techniques and design thinking methods. catalyst* coach: Mentor and coach others to be more innovative with our train-the-trainer program. Want to learn more? Lets talk… Gabriella Goddard, Coaching Director E: gabriella@brainsparker.com T: 0207 096 1469 W: www.BrainsparkerAcademy.com Free Taster: Download our “Ideas Challenge” eKit www.brainsparker.com/ideas-challenge

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A place to play during the school day Latest research shows that community playgrounds continue to close at an alarming rate despite the government’s claims that they are tackling childhood obesity and mental health problems. In April 2017, the Association of Play Industries Nowhere to Play report first uncovered the state of playground decline in England, revealing the closure of hundreds of playgrounds. The report showed that between 2014/15 and 2015/16 local authorities across England closed 214 children’s playgrounds, and when asked about future plans they admitted their aim to close a further 234. Using the Freedom of Information Act, the API once again asked local authorities in November 2018 to disclose current and planned playground closures. It found that by 2020/21, there will have been a decrease in spend on play facilities of 44 per cent since 2017/18. In 2016/17, local authorities closed 63 playgrounds and in 2017/18 a further

Schools and Play As the number of play spaces in the community declines and children spend their free time on screens, school playgrounds have become increasingly important. They often represent the only opportunity some children have for outdoor play, particularly in the most deprived areas. As such, the play opportunities that school playgrounds provide have a pivotal role in alleviating the crisis in children’s health. Screens are displacing play Play is absolutely fundamental to children’s More recently, the API released A Movement healthy physical and mental development. for Movement, which shows, for the first time, Free, unsupervised play, where children a strong link between recreational screen develop their own games and rules, helps time and children’s inactivity. Children are them to develop their creativity, choosing to spend their leisure time on imagination and problem-solving screens instead of playing outside. skills. Play also improves a Children are experiencing School child’s ability to focus and a strong inducement playgro concentrate as well as from screens to stay to learn vital social indoors coupled with often re unds present skills. The calculated a lack of suitable play the onl y opp risks that children E provision outdoors. 70 playgrounds have been closed. Since 2014 local authorities have closed a total of 347 playgrounds across England. What’s more, the research found that there will be a decrease in spend on playgrounds of over £13m each year on average across England, and local authorities estimate a decrease in their spending on playgrounds of £25m by 2021.

Written by Mark Hardy, chair of the Association of Play Industries (API)

Children’s physical and mental health is under threat, says Mark Hardy, chair of the Association of Play Industries. Children are increasingly sedentary, isolated and indoors on their screens, and with dwindling community outdoor play provision, investment in school playgrounds is a key component in the fight against childhood obesity and poor mental health

Play

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or some c hildren tunity h for out door pl ave ay, particu l a r l y i n deprive d areas

Volume 24.2 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Play

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 naturally take in free play enables them to develop resilience and builds confidence in their own judgement and abilities. In addition, incorporating this kind of physical activity into the school day has a positive effect on pupils’ behaviour and their ability to focus for longer periods of time. A Movement for Movement By the time they finish primary school many children have the highest levels of body fat on record. Rates of child Type 2 diabetes and mental illness are also the highest in our history. Children now sleep less and have the highest level of admissions to NHS hospitals for sleep disorders. At the same time British children are spending the highest ever amount of their discretionary time in front of screens, and young children have never moved so little. There is growing evidence that these contemporary observations are not entirely unrelated. Increasingly, interrelationships are being identified between physical activity (PA), free play, sedentary behaviour, discretionary screen time (DST), sleep, mental illness, body fat and type 2 diabetes. Yet these health issues are often presented as separate lifestyle factors, with separate bodies of evidence and debates surrounding each one. The evidence presented in A Movement for Movement points to an urgent need to reconceptualise these behaviours not as separate components but as inextricably linked, joint 24-hour movement behaviours. Parents, teachers and local and national policy-makers must now work in tandem to ensure that all of the elements of children’s movement behaviours are considered together, rather than being seen as the responsibility of separate government

departments and initiatives. This requires a far more muscular and visible public health approach, with joined-up thinking from national and local government. Getting children playing outdoors again The changes needed to avert this crisis for an entire generation and the ones to follow are varied, addressing families, schools, and local & national policy-makers. Reducing children’s recreational screen time and increasing the provision and use of accessible playgrounds and play areas must occur in a wider context of public health education: an understanding of how and why these screen time and physical activity behaviours should be integrated into children’s lives from an early age and on a regular basis. The consequences if we fail to make these changes will be nothing short of disastrous: this is one of the biggest issues of our time. We have a moral obligation to ensure that this becomes a public health issue; we don’t allow our young children to drink alcohol or take drugs, we insist they wear seatbelts, cycle helmets and suncream. And yet, we are allowing the silent killer of excessive recreational screen and inactivity to go unchecked. The vast majority of families and children live in urban areas where playgrounds are their only opportunity for free play and movement. Playgrounds are a central part of the community, uniting not only children but parents and carers too. Without access to attractive and free playgrounds which, crucially, are safe, local and accessible, communities suffer and children quite simply have nowhere to play.

As we lose community playground provision it is ever more incumbent on schools to bridge that gap – to provide the kind of environments where children can play freely. Of course, organised school sports and physical education are important, but it is qualitatively different from free play. School playgrounds give children an added opportunity for physical activity and to develop a love of play, both integral to physical and mental health in childhood and beyond. Help for schools Playground improvements can be a significant investment but beginning the process can be daunting prospect. To provide the very best support for schools in helping children get active, the Association of Play Industries’ Schools Get Active hub has useful advice and information – from using new facilities to take different aspects of the national curriculum outside – to how schools can make the most of small budgets to get the best from their outdoor play areas. API members are backed by a professional code of conduct and use exceptional design to complement a school’s surroundings, often transforming unusable, damaged spaces into high quality facilities. They can create facilities for children of all ages and abilities and work closely with school management teams. For advice on planning improvements to school playgrounds and outdoor facilities, and the benefits of using an API member, visit the website. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.api-play.org/resources/ school-zone-schools-get-active

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Advertisment Feature

Dragons’ Den win means more outdoor play for kids Welsh carpenter Craig Hill has secured the backing of Peter Jones in the new series of Dragons’ Den for his affordable range of outdoor learning equipment aimed at cash strapped primary schools, nurseries and day care centres From mud kitchens and balance beams to sandpits and scales, Craig’s business ‘Landscapes For Learning’ offers a quality, affordable alternative to the pricey catalogue based equipment, or cheap palletbased items currently on the market. Craig commented: “Having been a teacher working in secondary, primary and special education needs settings over a 13 year period and in speaking to many of my teacher friends I know that, despite their wishes, primary schools, nurseries and day care centres across the country are unable to offer enough outdoor, messy, exploratory play opportunities to their children because they lack the budget _ and often they receive poor Ofsted inspection ratings as a result. “Merging this insight with my skills as a carpenter, I set about to readdress the balance working in consultation with schools to create a range of accessible outdoor equipment so that children can continue their education outdoors in a fun, safe and inspiring environment whilst also reaping the rewards of sensory play.” A change in direction The catalyst for Craig’s change in career from teacher to carpenter came after his daughter Eirian, aged 2 at the time, suffered a ‘drop attack’ and fell backwards in to an open fire. Craig was able to put out the flames but not before significant burns to her back and legs requiring months of intensive care and skin grafts. Craig struggled to deal with the emotional impact of this tragedy and

found himself sinking in to depression as he tried to juggle his work and home life with difficulty. Ultimately Craig made the decision to give up his teaching career and took on some decking jobs for friends during the summer that followed. He found he was good with his hands and enjoyed the work. Jobs flowed in through recommendations and referrals until he trained and qualified as a carpenter and began his journey creating ‘Landscapes for Learning’. Craig commented: “As the main bread winner for our family, taking the decision to quit teaching was incredibly stressful. But I was really struggling after my daughter’s accident and couldn’t continue as I was. I needed to find a way to support my family that also helped improve my mental health and I found working with my hands, creating something from nothing, to be extremely therapeutic. When I qualified as a carpenter it felt like a new beginning and soon everything started to fall in place once again.” In the Den, father of five Peter Jones immediately saw the business’s potential and agreed a deal to invest £50,000 for a 30 per cent stake in the business. Peter Jones said: “Getting children outside to continue their learning is vital and is rightly being emphasised in the curriculum. The benefits are unparalleled. Children are better engaged and inspired, concentrate for longer, develop their fine motor skills and enjoy the many physical and emotional rewards of sensory, exploratory outdoor play. I know my own children would have loved

Craig’s products when they were younger and I recognised that, as well as his passion and determination, immediately. I want to help Craig make this type of learning accessible for everyone because ultimately if our children benefit, so do we all.” Determined to succeed Craig added: “No one expected anything of me growing up which is probably why determination is so ingrained in me. I grew up in a single parent family on a Welsh council estate. My parents divorced when I was three and my father was in and out of prison until he died two years ago. I have dyslexia but started teaching aged 23 having completed an additional two years of high school to gain the qualifications needed to access the teaching course. I’ve worked since I was able, building up a window cleaning round and carrying out garden maintenance jobs at the age of 16 and then in bingo halls and bars throughout my degree to help fund my course. I’m lucky that my mother met and married my step father who has been the only positive male role model in my life growing up and is someone I greatly admire. “I hope that with Peter’s help I’ll avoid some of the pitfalls that many new businesses succumb to, standing on the shoulders of giants as it were. I’m ambitious and I want to succeed but I believe capitalism can have a heart too. ‘Landscapes for Learning’ will never be about simply flogging products. “Our range of equipment is constantly evolving in line with the needs of schools and each item must be purposeful, affordable and of high quality. We also want to continue our philanthropy. Customers have the option of adding £1 to their bill and once we have enough money for materials, we build a mud kitchen for free and gift it to a deserving recipient.” If you would like a free site visit at your school or setting, please call 02922 403777. FURTHER INFORMATION Website: www.landscapes4learning.com Email: hello@landscapes4learning.com Telephone: 02922 403777

Volume 24.2 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

It’s...Where Champions Play® Taraflex® is the most widely specified indoor sports surface in the world. Chosen by top international athletes for its unique construction and technical performance, it has been fitted at every Olympic Games since 1976. Taraflex® provides industry leading innovation and is widely recognised and installed in the education sectors with over 6 million children everyday enjoying the benefits of Taraflex® sports flooring. Contact us now for your free survey.

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Ransomes TR320 triplex cylinder mower delivers on versatility ensuring strength, longevity and durability

The Ransomes TR320 triplex cylinder mower is the perfect balance of power, manoeuvrability cut quality and comfort. It has been designed for a number of uses across the sports turf industry including rugby, football, cricket outfields, parks and gardens. Cutting these areas requires a mower that offers strength, longevity, durability and a high-precision cut and with these features combined with the industry’s narrowest transport width, the TR320 is the perfect multi-area cylinder mower. The industry leading machine uses a powerful 24.8hp Kubota diesel engine that sits transversely in the chassis enhancing the low centre of gravity and helping even weight distribution between the wheels. These characteristics in turn ensure

maximum traction, reducing turf damage. This design allows the hydraulic tank to be mounted at the rear of the unit adding to the weight distribution, traction and importantly the slope working and approach angles. Traction is further enhanced with the standard fit of a rear wheel drive system and an optional weight transfer kit that ensures enhanced traction on wet slopes. The lightweight footprint of the machine allows it to operate in varying weather conditions whilst always putting minimal stress on the turf. Operating the mower in tight spaces is aided by the three-wheel drive configuration which also ensures maximum traction and manoeuvrability even on steep slopes. The TR320 is unique in its class with the ability to raise the cutting units to a vertical position. Doing this reduces

the cutting width from 1.83m down to 1.64m, making it easier to access smaller areas, drive through ornamental gardens and store the machine in limited space. Ransomes renowned high-quality cutting units come in a number of options to suit a variety of surfaces with a choice of five or seven bladed cylinders. The three cutting units are hydraulically driven with outboard motor drive and can be configured in either a full lift with vertical fold up of the front units or lift horizontally only allowing the motors to be tucked inside the units for a close cut to borders, hedges and fence lines. The units have the flexibility to offer forward or rear discharge of the grass clippings with optional grass collection boxes providing a clean finish to quality turf areas. Operator comfort and safety are also at the forefront of the TR320 design. The ergonomic operator platform provides exceptional comfort with a fully adjustable control arm and seat. A one-piece hood is easily raised for access to the engine and all common service parts. FURTHER INFORMATION www.ransomes.com

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This generation is facing a health crisis as childhood obesity levels soar and children experience the lowest levels of physical, social and emotional wellbeing on record. More money is being allocated to primary schools to help cut childhood obesity through the ‘sugar tax’, but chief executive of the Youth Sport Trust has warned ‘if we do not support schools to spend the funding in the right way, it will be a wasted opportunity’. The Youth Sport Trust (YST), the leading children’s charity on a mission to pioneer new ways of using sport to improve children’s wellbeing and give them a brighter future, works with almost 20,000 schools across the UK and has been supporting many primary schools to help ensure the funding boost has the maximum long-term impact. Ali Oliver, chief executive of the Youth Sport Trust, said: “By 2020, we want to see every primary school teacher professionally developed to help teach physical literacy with the same skill and passion as language literacy and numeracy. We know that for all the training a primary school teacher receives, they often get very little guidance on how to educate their pupils in and through movement, exercise and physical activity. “Children’s first formative experiences of PE at primary school has an impact which can last a lifetime. Get it right and we will transform the life chances of a generation. Get it wrong and

too many children will continue to miss out Spending wisely on the benefits that physical activity brings The average state-funded primary school now to their health, happiness and wellbeing. has 281 pupils on its role according “There is so much potential for to the Department of Education’s what schools can achieve latest ‘Schools, pupils and with this extra funding – it The their characteristics presents the best chance Youth S report’ – this means the we have in a generation Trust w port average school could to really transform see more than £18,750 PE and harness its to see a ould like c extra funding to help potential to improve t i v e school plans in make PE fit for the children’s wellbeing.” 21st century, so it active mplace for 30 i n must be used wisely. Transforming u t e s day for Birmingham school, schools every c per hild Paget Primary, is a YST The charity has set out five member school which has goals to improve children’s been supported to transform formative experiences of PE its approach to PE and use and school sport for a generation. the funding to create a legacy. At the heart of these bold ambitions The school has launched a ‘Sports Crew’ is better support for primary teachers who to engage more children in sport and E currently receive an average of just six

Volume 24.2 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Written by the Youth Sport Trust

The Youth Sport Trust’s chief executive Ali Oliver believes the ‘sugar tax’ offers a once in a lifetime chance to transform PE – but warns it must be used wisely

Sport

Using the ‘sugar tax’ wisely to transform PE

hours of initial teacher training in physical education. Using the Primary PE and School Sport Premium, the YST believes it is possible to transform schools through supporting every classroom teacher with further training to help children develop physical literacy, and helping to close the gender and disability gaps which exist in participation in physical education and sport. The funding could also help transform school sport by introducing national standards for coaching children in sport and for every school to offer two hours per week of physical education with a holistic focus on physical and emotional development. Finally, the YST would like to see active school plans in place for 30 active minutes per day for every child through active travel, playgrounds and classrooms.

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The school also said it had introduced a whole school sports week as opposed to the traditional sports day. Victoria Nussey, head teacher, said: “Since the appointment of a pastoral manager at our school for enrichment and motivation, Paget has gone from strength to strength. The children have gained a wealth of skills and experiences through PE and sport and have started to experience what success feels like which is filtering back into the classroom.” Opportunities for PE and school sport to play a fuller role in tackling some of the big issues facing young people are often being missed because they are too often treated in isolation. The funding given to schools through the Primary PE and Sport Premium can help turn the tide on the crisis in young people’s wellbeing. Primary schools can use the funding to

The average state-funded primary school now has 281 pupils on its role according to the Department of Education’s latest ‘Schools, pupils and their characteristics report’ – this means the average school could see more than £18,750 extra funding to help make PE fit for the 21st century, so it must be used wisely.

join the Youth Sport Trust’s primary school membership for PE, school sport and physical activity. The charity’s wide range of pioneering member benefits will transform the power of PE in schools across the country. L

Sport

 physical activity and encourage them to be role models for younger children in the school. It is also boosting extracurricular opportunities for its children to get active and enjoy school sport with clubs before school, during lunchtimes and after school. Before it received the funding, school attendance was below national average and there were key children who were displaying challenging behaviours and were becoming disengaged from learning. Now, the school is using the vehicle of sport to change attitudes and behaviours of staff, parents and children. Its lunchtime staff have received training in co-ordinating effective play in each of the three key stages with further training for teaching staff also. As a result of staff training, teachers and teaching assistants are much more confident in delivering higher quality PE lessons.

FURTHER INFORMATION For more information and to sign up visit www.youthsporttrust.org/ school-membership-primary

What is the ‘sugar tax’? The Soft Drinks Industry Levy is a tax on soft drinks and is commonly referred to as the ‘Sugar Tax’. It is designed to incentivise drinks manufacturers to reduce the sugar content of their drinks, but if they don’t reformulate, they pay the levy. This money goes towards doubling the Primary Sports Premium, has created the Healthy Pupils Capital Fund to help schools upgrade their sports facilities, and gives children access to top quality PE equipment. The levy will also give a funding boost for healthy school breakfast clubs.

School lettings: smart software and supportive service can help schools to save and succeed

As schools continue to experience budget cuts, educationalists should consider more innovative ways of generating fresh revenue that go beyond the traditional fund raising activities. By hiring out their facilities for use by the local community, such as dance and sports organisations, social clubs, holiday camp providers and charities, schools can generate on average £70k per year, and as much as £400k per year for some large secondary schools. Obvious facilities for hire include football pitches, badminton and basketball courts, and swimming pools, but other, less obvious facilities include carparks, classrooms and

larger indoor spaces such as halls that are attractive flexible spaces to hire. Technology is forming a critical part of this opportunity – enabling educational institutions 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 and burdensome process. However, space lettings software and technology like BookingsPlus is empowering schools to manage room bookings, undertake online invoicing and payment in a time, resource and cost-effective manner. Sam Revell, sports centre manager at Parmiters School described his experience of using BookingsPlus: “BookingsPlus has revolutionised the way we manage school lettings. The ease of use and efficiency of BookingsPlus has allowed us to focus more time on other aspects of managing the sports centre, which has improved the experience for the customer. The website included has provided us with an excellent space to advertise the many facilities we have here, as well as the range of activities our customers have to offer.” Tricia Sammut, finance administrator at Stanley Park High School agrees: “We

are very happy with BookingsPlus. It is easy to use and enables users to see at a glance spaces available for hire, which simplifies booking clients onto the system. Invoicing has become more streamlined and admin time has been reduced. The support and help available is excellent with any queries resolved immediately and I would definitely recommend this service.” Sheila Namiq, lettings manager at City of London Academy also appreciates the service provided by the Kajima Community team: “Kajima [Community] have a fantastic duty of care to their clients. They are extremely informative and responsive so there is no need to stress if you are struggling with something.” Used well, technology has the powerful ability to drive costs down through time and administrative efficiencies in schools and generate an important additional source of revenue, all of which ultimately contributes to improved learning outcomes for students – and that has to be the ultimate goal for schools. FURTHER INFORMATION www.bookingsplus.co.uk

Volume 24.2 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Procurement Written by Crescent Purchasing Consortium

Insider insight into procurement consultancy Over the next few issues, Crescent Purchasing Consortium will examine the cost models used by education sector procurement consultancies to provide schools with the tools they need to determine which is best for their institution Budgets are getting increasingly tighter and some institutions are looking towards professional procurement consultants to help them reduce costs and make their budgets go further. Almost every professional service comes with a cost but with the best procurement consultancies, the money you invest generates savings of a higher value or deliver a better quality of goods/service. Each consultancy will have its own cost model and your results will depend on your individual institutions needs and the cost model the consultancy uses.

Over the next few issues weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to examine the cost models used by education sector procurement consultancies and provide you with the tools you need to determine which is best for your institution. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll provide detailed analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of each cost model and detail the questions to ask to ensure you fully understand the offer and cost before you sign on dotted line. The cost models we will be covering are a percentage of contract value, a share of savings, and fixed price. We will also cover the cost of using a

public sector buying organisation framework (deal); understanding the difference between a procurement consultancy franchise and a sub-contractor model; and standard questions to ask procurement consultants before appointing them. This series has been written by professional procurement consultants who are employed by a registered charity which operates a Public Sector Buying Organisation (PSBO). The articles offer unbiased opinion and are designed to help buyers seek the best solution for their individual institution. Cost model 1: A percentage of the contract value The model enables the buyer to pay a variable fee, subject to the outcome of the procurement process. A fixed percentage of the total contract value is paid to the procurement consultant in exchange for their expertise and time to undertake the tender process. The total contract value will be the cost of the goods or service over the duration of the contract. Most service contracts will be for three to five years. Within the education sector fixed percentage figures of up to five per cent of the total contract value can be charged by consultants and invoiced annually to take account of changes implemented each year of the contract. Buyers can forecast

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

Advantages and disadvantages There are advantages to this model. The buyer pays a fixed percentage of the contract value, and successful suppliers

It is imperative that the buyer retains decision making authority and the procurement consultant is utilised for advice only. Delegating it to a consultant could result in decisions being taken that financially benefit the consultant over the buyer. Additional to the income you are receiving from the buyer (whether that be direct or indirect via the successful supplier), are you receiving any other income by completing this assignment? An honest procurement consultant will be willing to put their income for the assignment in writing. Some

Procurement

to the consultant they will include the expense into the price charged to the buyer. Consultants may get paid using the ‘profit share’ monies which are calculated annually in some catering service tenders. Choosing the option of the successful contractor to pay the fixed percentage direct to the procurement consultant or using the ‘profit share’ income does not avoid the fact that the buyer sustains the cost.

Choosing the option of the successful contractor to pay the fixed percentage direct to the procurement consultant or using the ‘profit share’ income does not avoid the fact that the buyer sustains the cost

what the value of the fixed percentage model could be by simply using the current contract value as a benchmark (remember to multiply the cost by the number of years you are planning on contracting for). Factors that may increase or decrease the contract value may include a change to the existing specification; a change to student numbers; a change in the size of the buildings being serviced; or the level of investment required by the successful supplier. Payable charges The following figures have been used to calculate the charge payable to a procurement consultant using this model. These are for financial illustration purposes only. £90,000 charge per annum for a cleaning service to a school. An average contract term of four years equates to a total contract value of £360,000. A five per cent fixed percentage of the contract value would result in a payment of £18,000 to the consultant. Tender process would typically require 8-10 days of consultancy time, which equates to a day rate of £1,800 - £2,250. The fee payable to the procurement consultant may be paid directly by the buyer or the successful supplier. When a supplier is instructed to make the payment

consultants may have agreements with may pay the procurement consultant direct, ‘preferred’ suppliers that enables them allowing the institution to only have to to receive extra income from the supplier make payments to the successful supplier’s if they are successfully appointed. service fee rather than needing to make Who are the main providers of the goods/ two payments, one for the delivery of service to education? Network within the service and one for the consultant. the education sector to seek guidance so However, there are disadvantages. When that you have something to benchmark signing-up, the actual cost is unknown as the the procurement consultant’s answer supplier’s tenders have yet to be submitted. against. Many PSBOs have deals which Successful suppliers will be aware they will have vetted suppliers but have to pay the procurement some may not be comfortable consultant and will recover the bidding for this model. cost by simply incorporating Are What steps will you take the expense within the fee you to engage with the offered to the buyer. receivin marketplace to ensure the The model can equate g the best off number of responses to to a day rate that is the tender is acceptable? highly inflated for the the ma ers from r k Pro-active procurement service. The education e t p supplie consultants will ‘warm sector standard rs are u lace if nwilling to bid b up’ the marketplace for procurement ecause to expect the tender consultants is a t h o e chose f documents so that they day rate between n cost have resource ready to £400 - £500 + VAT. model? respond. They will advise the Some suppliers buyer (based on the responses will not bid under this received) on an appropriate route model as the cost or a large to market to ensure the best response. proportion of it is payable in advance, Look out for our next article which resulting in the supplier being ‘out of will cover more cost models to help you pocket’ before the contract starts. find the best one to suit your needs. Are you receiving the best offers from the marketplace if suppliers are unwilling to Crescent Purchasing Consortium bid because of the chosen cost model? CPC is owned and run by the education sector and provides safe deals designed Questions to ask a procurement for educational establishments covering a consultant offering this model wide variety of products and services. The Is the percentage fee negotiable? When Department for Education recommends the buyer is appointing a procurement 13 of CPC’s deals. CPC’s sister company consultant it is their responsibility to Tenet Education Services provides negotiate the price. Referencing the procurement consultancy support. financial illustration, a percentage fee of CPC membership is free of charge to 1.125 per cent would bring the overall all educational establishments. L charge in line with industry day rates. What measures are put in place to ensure that the buyer makes the FURTHER INFORMATION final decision on all elements of the contract terms and conditions? www.thecpc.ac.uk

Volume 24.2 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

E Q U I P M E N T A N D S O L U T I O N S M A N A G E M E N T, PA R K I N G

All aspects of parking control and enforcement using the latest technology and software on the market Warden Patrol Ticketing Parking Charge Notices have been widely used throughout the UK for many years by local authorities and now, housing associations, managing agents and private land owners can also benefit from this enforcement system.

Pay and Display Machines

(no mains power supply required)

We can supply and install pay and display machines, which take cash or credit card payments. These are battery operated machines with integrated solar panels, therefore no mains power supply is required.

ANPR Ticketing ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) uses hi-tech CCTV cameras that are monitored using wireless GPRS to automatically issue Parking Charge Notices.

DIY Ticketing This is the enforcement method that puts you in total control and can be tailored to any clients needs, from single to multiple spaces.

Vacant Land Wanted Start making money from your wasted car parking spaces or vacant land. We could turn that wasted space into a cash generating asset by charging people to park there. Line marking can also be arrange if required.

t 0333 533 4540 e info@parkingticketing.co.uk www.parkingticketing.co.uk

Air pollution is the UK’s top environmental risk to human health. Between 28,000 and 36,000 deaths a year are estimated to be attributed to long-term exposure to poor air quality (Report by the Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants). Transport emissions are the biggest cause of air pollution and the fact that they are largely invisible to the eye does not help. When it comes to exposure to air pollution, children are classified as a vulnerable group and schools are hotspots with great potential to improve the air quality around them. The latest National Travel Survey in 2017 revealed over 40 per cent of five to 10-yearolds travelled to school by car or van. Public Health England released their air quality evidence review last month part of which specifically focuses on what interventions are needed to reduce the ill effects transport emissions have on the development of children’s lungs and links to increases in asthma. The report says we should be: “working with children and their parents to implement no-idling zones outside schools, make it easy for children to walk or cycle to school and increase public awareness in relation to air pollution and children. This will reduce air pollution in the vicinity of schools and reducing children’s exposure accordingly.” Action to take So, what other practical steps can schools take so that children are less exposed to vehicle emissions? Clearly the first priority is to reduce vehicle emissions from occurring

in the first place; secondly, to reduce the concentration of emissions around schools and thirdly, reduce exposure to the emissions. There are suggested steps that schools can take. They could put pressure on local government to improve road and pavement layouts; have urban greening schemes; create active travel routes through green spaces; have infrastructure that encourages walking and cycling; and provide more school buses. Schools could also request local government to work with schools to create no-idling zones outside schools and ask local government to do an air quality audit of local primary schools. What’s more, a school travel survey could identify hot spots where children travel from and the mode of transport they take each day. Another way to help tackle the air pollution is to ask car users if they are willing to use alternative transport like car share, cycle or walk, and identify from the hotspots where a walking bus or a ‘park and walking bus’ would be most popular. Parent, carer, staff and governors could be nominated as Air Quality Champions to create and incentivise regular walk to school days, as well as join local and national campaigns such as Clean Air Day on 20 June, Walk to School Week on 20-24 May, and Big Pedal on 25 March to 5 April. Air quality and the benefits of leaving the car at home could also be included on the school curriculum. Schools could ask local government Civil Enforcement Officers (formally known as traffic wardens) to do regular checks to ensure the ‘school keep clear’ zones are clear of vehicles To reduce exposure to emissions, schools could retain existing hedges and consider planting new hedges or trees if practical, as they can be good at catching some particulates. They can also raise childrens’ awareness of the dangers of breathing in car emissions which can generate pester power. Pupil power Over the last few months we have seen the power of grassroots action. 15-year-old Swedish school girl Greta Thunberg formed

Written by Sarah Greenslade, the British Parking Association

Car free and anti-idling zones are some of the ways that schools are helping to reduce children’s exposure to harmful vehicle emissions. Sarah Greenslade from the British Parking Association discusses other practical steps schools can take

Opportunity to work with local government With pressure on many local authorities to start implementing plans to reduce nitrogen dioxide levels by 2020, it creates an opportunity for schools to work with them to help achieve this. A few local authorities are adopting some creative approaches. For example, Glasgow City Council plans to trial car-free zones outside seven primary schools across the city, in effect creating temporary pedestrian areas. Leeds City Council has given hundreds of scooters to 30 primary schools to help reduce the number of cars outside schools at peak times: these schools will be within the Leeds Clean Air Charging Zone which comes into effect on the 6 January next year. Reducing emissions is one area where the British Parking Association (BPA) is trying to make a difference. Our research shows that the average motorist in the UK spends nearly four days every year looking for parking spaces, highlighting the importance of having clear signs for car parks and technology such as apps to help drivers search and navigate to available parking spaces. One third of our members are local authorities, most of who are signed-up to an initiative we support called the Positive Parking Agenda. One of its key aims is to improve air quality, reduce congestion and dwell time to find parking spaces. So why not find out what your local authority and neighbouring ones are doing to reduce vehicle emissions and share good practice? The British Parking Association is a not for profit organisation that represents, promotes and influences the parking and traffic management profession throughout the UK and Europe. Our membership of more than 750 organisations and individuals includes local authorities, car park operators, retail parks, healthcare facilities, universities, railway stations, technology providers, trainers and consultants. We work with our partners to support growth for our communities, improve compliance by those managing and using parking facilities, and encourage fairness to achieve our vision of excellence in parking for all. L

Parking

Reducing vehicle emissions around schools

a School Strikes global youth movement for climate change last August which has quickly gained momentum across the globe. Also a new study in the United States on the power of involving school children has been published. It found three quarters of parents whose children entered a poster competition on clean air reported their children had talked to them about air pollution. Just last month, the direct action of Steve Marsland, headteacher at Russell Scott primary school in Greater Manchester made national headlines when he appointed children to issue fake parking tickets on cars parked outside the school to highlight parents’ inconsiderate parking or idling cars. This was done following a rise in asthma cases at the school.

FURTHER INFORMATION www.britishparking.co.uk

Volume 24.2 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

False alarms cost the UK in excess of £1 billion a year*

Reduce False Fire Alarms

with STI’s range of protective covers which protect a wide range of electrical switches and call points. Ideal for education establishments which are vulnerable to unwanted activations.

 www.sti-emea.com  info@sti-emea.com  01527 520 999 * https://www.fia.uk.com/cut-false-alarm-costs.html

 

Fire Safety Written by the Fire Industry Association

Are your smoke detectors correctly installed?

through a poorly installed alarm, or where the alarm activates but there is no fire (a false or unwanted alarm), are best avoided. Sadly, schools are common targets for arson, so it is vital to ensure that the fire detection systems in place are correctly installed and maintained regularly.

Legislation In a school setting, having the right fire protection is vital because legislation dictates that all public buildings such as schools, nurseries, or any other education facilities should have adequate fire protection. If a fire detector isn’t installed correctly, it might work when Failure to provide adequate fire protection tested, but might not actually activate in the event of a fire. The can lead to fines and prosecution. In Fire Industry Association explains what you need to know recent years schools failing to provide adequate protection have been fined anywhere between £7,000 and £70,000 The problem with smoke detectors is that it to either failing to activate, or perhaps just – though it’s worth noting that the figure can be difficult to tell just by looking at them as bad – activating all the time from things could easily be hundreds of thousands of whether they have been correctly installed. like steam, dust, aerosol sprays (think about pounds if the failings are bad enough. If you’re the average individual, you’re the aftermath of the average PE lesson!), In England and Wales, the likely to believe that a smoke detector or heat from the school kitchens. legislation is called the is much like any other detector. Fire Regulatory Reform (Fire happens, and it activates the alarm – and False alarms If Safety) Order 2005. In hopefully, all the children and staff are False alarms and unwanted you hav e Scotland and Northern safely evacuated from the building. At alarms are a real problem the wro Ireland, different least, you’d hope that’s what happens. in schools – especially n g type of legislation applies: Perhaps it might shock you to know this, around exam time. Even then th detectors Fire (Scotland) but it’s vital to know: if a detector isn’t just an unexpected false Act 2005 and the installed correctly, it might work when alarm in the middle of more p ese could be r o associated Fire tested but might not actually activate in the a lesson can be hugely n e t o failing t Safety (Scotland) event of a fire. Why? Because a detector disruptive – leading o activaeither Regulations 2006 for in the wrong location – for example, too to teachers having to t activati ng all t e, or Scotland, and The close to a wall (feel free to look up at the repeat the lesson after he Fire Safety Regulations ceiling and check where yours are now) getting everyone to line time (Northern Ireland) 2010 – might not pick up the plumes of smoke up and march (quietly) out respectively for Northern as they rise and then curl back towards into the playground and back Ireland. Each sets out what the floor, totally missing the detector. after a roll call and a check to see employers, business owners, and landlords The other thing to know is that there are if there really was a fire. We all know how must do to comply with the legislation. They different types of detectors – and they all much time that can waste – time that are referred to in the legislation as either function in different ways and are more would be much better spent on learning the ‘Responsible Person’ (England and sensitive to different types of fire and smoke. rather than standing in the cold. Wales), the ‘Duty Holder’ (Scotland), or the If you have the wrong type of detectors Both incidences, where either the alarm ‘Appropriate Person’, (Northern Ireland). E installed, then these could be more prone fails to activate when there really is a fire Volume 24.2 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Coaching Stories is “FAB-U-LOUS” according to Strictly Come Dancing judge, Craig Revel Horwood Being a coach is a deeply rewarding profession, but even the best coaches encounter moments of uncertainty and doubt. In Coaching Stories: Flowing and Falling of Being a Coach, Karen Dean and Sam Humphrey intimately share their varied experiences as executive coaches in 48 stories – some where they were flowing and glorious, and others where they were falling and ashamed. This book provides an insightful look at what being a coach is really like and will be a compassionate and pragmatic companion for coaches of all kinds. Craig Revel Horwood, director, choreographer, and Strictly Come Dancing judge, said: “Karen and Sam have done a FAB-U‑LOUS job in bringing the reader closer to an understanding of what ‘really’ goes on in the mind of coaches.” John Amaechi OBE, organisational psychologist, Chartered Scientist, New York Times best-selling author, and CEO of APS, said: “I’ve been coached and in turn coached others, first in sport and now far beyond. I know my journey in coaching would have been enhanced by this book, where key elements of coaching practice are illustrated with heart-warming stories, all

within a cogent coaching framework, from which we can all take something – no matter our coaching background or experience.’ Steve Radcliffe, leadership expert, author of the UK’s top leadership book Leadership Plain and Simple, said: “Karen and Sam are up to something, inspiring you to dream, learn and be more of who you are as a coach and leader.” Wendy Johnson, founder and President/ CEO of the Worldwide Association of Business Coaches (WABC), said: “What a rare treat, to walk alongside two pioneer coaches as they navigate the challenges, set-backs and triumphs emblematic of the journey from beginner to master coach. Their journey is even more admirable when we consider that they began their careers before most of the major professional coaching bodies were in their infancies. Through humility, humour and grace, their stories illuminate how coaching holds the promise of tremendous value, is not for the faint of heart, cannot be done by just anyone, and requires highly specialised knowledge, skills and abilities on the part of the coach. This book shows us how courage, critical reflection, appropriate education and training and a fierce commitment to an

ongoing learning journey are imperatives for any coach wishing to offer credible personal or business coaching services today.’ FURTHER INFORMATION www.coachingstories.org

DB FIRE SAFETY Fire Risk Assessments Fire Awareness Training Fire Warden Training E-Learning Courses FPA MEMBER

0800 246 1945 info@dbfiresafety.com 80

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

Fire Safety

 To simplify things, we will only refer to the Responsible Person in this article. In order to ensure compliance with the legislation, it is vital to have a good understanding of what the duties of the responsible person or duty holder are. One of those duties is to ensure that the people hired to carry out any work related to fire protection are ‘competent’. Competency There’s a real issue with competency in the fire industry right now that responsible persons should be made aware of. Are your fire alarms installed correctly? Well, you might not be able to tell, but a competent fire detection and alarm technician should be able to. The trouble is, the law doesn’t define what competency is – nor does it give any guidelines about how to select a company, or a technician, who is truly competent. Additionally, there are no real barriers into the industry, so just about anyone with a van and a set of tools can claim to be a professional fire detection and alarm technician (even if they have no training and have never done the job before). So how do you sort through the different companies and decide who should be installing or maintaining

your fire alarm system? There are a couple of things that you can check. First of all, you can see if the company holds Third Party Certification. Third Party Certification is when an independent certification body assesses a company against a strict set of criteria. If the company meets those criteria, then the company will be awarded Third Party Certification status. This audit is usually completed annually – so ask the company to see their certification records. Helpfully, all FIA Member companies hold Third Party Certification status. Another thing to look out for is the training held by the individual technician that the company sends out to you. Most companies that hold Third Party Certification will have had their training checked as part of the process of certification. However, it may be interesting to know that the FIA has recently rolled out qualifications for those that work with fire detection and alarm systems. At the moment, the first few hundred people have gained the qualification and it is expected that eventually this qualification will become the norm over the next few years. Whilst holding a qualification alone won’t tell you if a technician is competent (experience is also necessary), it may help you in your decision about which

company to hire to install and maintain your fire detection and alarm systems. The key thing to remember when making those initial enquiries is just to make sure you ask lots of questions and ask to see their certification and training records. After all, in a school setting, the safety and wellbeing of all staff, children, and visitors is paramount. Helpful Resources The Fire Industry Association, the largest trade association and non-profit for fire protection in Europe, has developed a page on its website to help you get a better understanding of your fire safety responsibilities. Because the advice has been developed by industry experts, you can be assured of the accuracy of the information. On the page you’ll find more in-depth information about Third Party Certification, a best practice guide, further information about fire safety law, and lots of advice and useful information on fire detection and alarms. Just go to www.fia.uk.com, hover over the ‘Resources’ tab, and then click ‘Fire Safety Advice’. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.fia.uk.com

Volume 24.2 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

PLAY

Safe and accessible trampolines for schools Since 2011, Sunken Trampolines have been working with schools across the UK in providing safe and accessible trampolines. Having a Sunken Trampoline offers all the benefits without the access and safety problems associated with above ground trampolines. Sunken Trampolines has worked with Rebound Therapy.org to add a new in ground option for Rebound Therapy to their portfolio. The new ST110 trampoline is ideally suited for therapy, recreational and sporting use. Sunken Trampolines has also developed a unique lid system enabling a school to have their a trampoline in the floor of their sports hall whilst being able to close the lid and continue with using it for everyday use. Paul Kaye from Rebound Therapy says: “An issue that all schools have, if they do not have

a purpose built rebound room, is having enough hall time available to provide all the Rebound Therapy sessions they would like. Halls are used for dinners, PE and other lessons and so time on the trampoline is limited.” A Sunken Trampoline solves this issue. Examples of the company’s work can been seen on the website www. sunkentrampolines.co.uk

FURTHER INFORMATION For more information, visit www.sunken trampolines.co.uk

PLAY

Muddy Faces challenges plastic play resources

Muddy Faces is passionate about the outdoors and connecting to nature. Its website offers a comprehensive, free, online resource with activities, events and information all related to the outdoors in the Outdoor Hub. Muddy Faces offers an inspiring range of products to support your outdoor provision, with kits, safety, tools, clothing and much more all available in its one-stop Outdoor Shop. Muddy Faces is unique; the company supplies many UK grown wood products that have been sourced from sustainablymanaged woodlands. To play and learn with wood is a full

sensory experience. The unique character of each piece can be explored, with its bends, knots, ﬂaky bark, different colours, textures and smells. The company’s wood range challenges the use of plastic education resources by providing a tactile natural alternative. Sign up for the Muddy Faces e-newsletter, which has regular bulletins with events, activities and news about the outdoor play, learning and Forest School sector.

FURTHER INFORMATION www.muddyfaces.co.uk 0114 2219617 info@muddyfaces.co.uk

PLAY

Creating climbing walls that are creative, challenging and unique

Established in 2007, Climbing Wall Solutions builds the best and highest quality climbing walls, traversing walls and bouldering walls in school throughout the UK. Climbing Wall Solutions works every day with a range of clients through from small youth clubs to local authorities to deliver climbing walls that meet their requirements. Being climbers ourselves we have a passion for creating climbing walls which not only last but are also creative, challenging and unique. Climbing Wall Solutions works

hard every day to bring you the climbing wall you need, on time and on budget first time. With the company’s wide collection of skills, Climbing Wall Solutions brings the you the very best, new and inventive design that your school or centre deserves. Climbing Wall Solutions specialises in traversing walls; school climbing walls; bouldering walls; and roped climbing walls.

FURTHER INFORMATION www.climbingwall solutions.com

EDUCATIONAL ARTS WORKSHOPS

Culture and urban art workshops for your school If you are looking to motivate and educate children in a fun, engaging way, then arts workshop activities are a terrific way to achieve this. Nugent Education provides DBS checked and liability insured artists for schools across England and Wales. They travel to and deliver these workshops at your school. The kind of things on offer include cultural arts workshops such as African drumming, Japanese origami and Chinese dance. Also, urban arts workshops such as graffiti art, rapping and beat-boxing and DJ skills and street dance. In addition, they deliver other performing and creative arts workshops such as environmental crafts, various types of art, mural painting and drama and poetry and more. These workshops have been used to make curriculum areas such as art or music more

interesting. They’ve creatively used rapping, for example, to revise for exams, teach aspects of citizenship and give an antibullying message and so on. Nugent Education’s website feedback from dozens of teachers and head teachers, is testimony to the fact that they are a company you can rely on to deliver terrific arts workshops. To book, just call or email dates, times and the genres you require.

FURTHER INFORMATION 0345 113 0000 www.nugenteducation.co.uk

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

STEM

EDUCATIONAL TRIPS

Explosive education from the Royal Institution A science show from the world famous Royal Institution enhances science education through one or two shows for your children, and helps meet mandatory CPD requirements through training for your teachers. What’s more, it generates support for science in the home and has fundraising potential for PTAs through an evening show for families. For primary school pupils, the Royal Institution’s shows inspire a sense of wonder and excitement with science; for secondary, they sustain and re-energise a passion that may have waned. Its shows are for everyone and showcase the endless possibilities of science that skilled teachers can exploit for the children’s benefit. The Royal Institution is the home of the annual Christmas Lectures, with a 220 year pedigree of promoting public

engagement with science. Here’s what some teachers have said about a science show from the Royal Institution: “All the children lucky enough to attend – and all the staff – were absolutely blown away and thoroughly energised by the show. They are all now planning careers in Science.” “The parents who attended the evening show could not have wanted for a better way to engage their children into science.”

FURTHER INFORMATION schools@ri.ac.uk www.rigb.org

A premier IT repair service for schools and colleges

TechLab Repairs is based in Barrow in Furness, Cumbria and was established in 2012. It specialises in phone, laptop and tablet repairs. The company provides large businesses, schools, colleges, insurance companies and traders with high volume repair contracts. Not only do TechLab Repairs provide hardware repairs such as broken screens, overheating problems or liquid damage, it also offers software repair, such as virus and malware removal. TechLab Repairs is proud to work in partnership with schools across the UK. It offers a competitive volume discount for schools and has a team of dedicated technicians working

hard to ensure that Britain’s students aren’t separated from their vital learning tools any longer than necessary. TechLab Repairs is proud to offer schools its premier repair service with benefits for staff and students. TechLab Repairs offers volume discounts to school systems who contract them to handle their school’s computer repairs. All schools get a fixed percentage off and a generous guarantee of 12 months on parts and labour and the company provides free postage labels for ease of repair.

FURTHER INFORMATION techlabrepairs.co.uk www.techlab4schools.co.uk

Take your class on a train ride through the original Post Office railway tunnels

Visit The Postal Museum, an award-winning attraction for your school. Five interactive galleries reveal stories from 500 years of communications innovation through the post. Book a workshop to make the most of your visit. Delivered by engaging facilitators, interactive workshops and science shows bring history alive for all key stages and support learning across the curriculum.

Ride Mail Rail. Take your class on a specially-made underground train through the original tunnels of the Post Office railway. Stay and play in Sorted! The Postal Play Space. A miniature mail themed world for children aged eight and under to have sack loads of fun.

FURTHER INFORMATION To book visit postalmuseum. org/for-schools

Improving readiness to learn for SEN Mind of My Own understands the demands facing schools in supporting pupils with wideranging needs. You want to feel properly equipped to deal with challenging behaviour and children with additional needs and it can also be difficult to capture pupils’ authentic voices in education, health and care plans. To help you address these concerns, Mind of My Own has developed an innovative, accessible app called Express. Designed for use with a teacher, it uses minimal text, images and affirming sounds to help children communicate their views and preferences in a fun way. Our multi-award winning apps have been used by over 18,000 children, adding a whole new dimension to understanding individual pupils whilst saving teachers valuable time. Recognised by Ofsted as ‘revolutionary’, the apps

‘empower young people to have a real voice and ensure their views, feelings and opinions are heard.’ Elizabeth Quinn, SENDCo designated safeguarding lead said: “Mind of My Own is a big hit, the kids love it! I have used it for a range of kids from SEN to CiC and Safeguarding.’ Mind Of My Own apps are safe, private and secure with ISO27001 certification for information security. Contact us now for a free demonstration.

FURTHER INFORMATION Alexb@mindofmyown.org.uk www.mindofmyown.org.uk Quote Ref: EBP1

Volume 24.2 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

RECRUITMENT

Bespoke solutions for your recruitment needs

Drama-based workshops and touring theatre

With over 136,000 website visits per month, Kent-Teach is the leading education recruitment platform in Kent, providing schools and multi academy trusts with bespoke solutions for their recruitment needs. Kent-Teach’s friendly and informative service offers expert recruitment advice and empowers schools/trusts to recruit quality staff. It offers alternative recruitment solutions including a large focus on the benefits of social media. Kent-Teach also provides education and resources on its website including its successful blog which is largely contributed to by the teaching community. Kent-Teach’s advertising portal provides an efficient, hassle-free and safe recruitment service. Advertising accounts enable complete autonomy over recruitment processes allowing schools and trusts to track online

Divergent Drama is a pioneering educational company that encourages creativity and learning through the exploration of many possible solutions. The company delivers drama based workshops and professional touring theatre shows for schools throughout the UK. Its workshops and shows complement the national curriculum so that facts learnt in the classroom can be brought to life. In the day long workshops your students can create their own play, scenes, or participate in guided interaction with characters from your chosen topic. The shows are all geared towards PSHE topics that are then followed up with workshops that cement the messages explored in the show. Regardless of their title, all of Divergent Drama’s sessions encourage divergent

submitted applications, view advert statistics and contact candidates to effectively shortlist. To attract digitally engaged teaching staff and raise awareness of Kent school jobs, all Kent-Teach adverts are published on its Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn social media channels. In addition, Kent-Teach works closely with The Guardian where all adverts are published on the education jobs section of the reputable website.

FURTHER INFORMATION 03000 410203 kent.teach@cantium.solutions

thinking, making sure that each child’s voice and ideas are listened to and included in the creative process. The company offers workshops and shows at affordable prices for schools with a range of options. The silver package (a days workshop with one facilitator) is just £350. The gold package (a days workshop with two facilitators) is £595 and the platinum package (a hour’s show with two actors and follow up workshops throughout the day) is from £650.

FURTHER INFORMATION info@divergentdrama.co.uk 0208 004 5557 www.divergentdrama.co.uk

RECRUITMENT

CATERING

Finding the best recruits for your education setting

Bespoke professional kitchens for schools

Day in, day out, we read endless headlines about the UK facing a severe teacher shortage; making it even more crucial for new hires to have the right skill set and qualities to fit your school and its ethos. Only recently ministers were accused of “lowering the bar” on teacher recruitment in order to beat England’s classroom shortages; but making it easier to be a teacher is not the answer. Recruit Mint Education is a specialist education recruitment agency based in Peterborough that understands the challenges that schools face when making all-important hires. The agency knows that every school is different and therefore offers a personalised, flexible service that is tailored to suit the needs

MUSIC & DRAMA

of each individual school, federation and trust; supporting education providers by supplying temporary and permanent education professionals into primary, secondary and special educational needs settings. Understanding that ‘one size does not fit all’, the team works hard to listen to all client and candidate requirements; allowing them to match school and position with the right personal characteristics, motivations, career aspirations, experience and skills.

FURTHER INFORMATION www.recruitmint education.com 01733 308 444

CCE Group specialises in the design, fabrication and installation of bespoke professional kitchens. The company offers a complete, turnkey solution from concept and design to installation and everything in between. CCE Group manages the entire project for you including all trades on site, removing the stress from your operation. CCE Group has premier dealer status with all major catering equipment brands. This means the company can offer you the latest equipment at highly competitive prices with exclusive, enhanced warranties on many makes of equipment. The company can assist in selecting catering equipment that is not only suited to a school or college’s menu but also offers significant energy savings when compared to existing or traditional equipment.

CCE Group can design, build and install work benches, sinks, dish wash systems, cook stations and pass counters, as well as servery counters and drop-in heated and refrigerated display units to suit the proposed scheme. The company also do on-site welding, alterations & repairs to existing stainless-steel fabrication. For added peace of mind, Planned Preventative Maintenance contracts are available and service call outs can be made seven days a week, 24 hours a day.

FURTHER INFORMATION www.ccegroupltd.co.uk sales@ccegroupltd.co.uk

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

DESIGN & BUILD

ENERGY

Sunshade Services – bespoke outdoor solutions

Reduce your school’s energy costs with Solar PV

Sunshade Services’ superb range of eye-catching bespoke structures can be designed to complement any outdoor area for almost any purpose: outdoor classrooms, P.E. and activity areas, seating and quiet areas, outdoor dining & much more. Depending on the type of structure being supplied, Sunshade Services’ construction materials include structural grade timber, aluminium, stainless steel and mild steel, either hot dipped galvanised to provide a long-lasting hard-wearing finish or powder coated in any standard RAL colour to provide a superb eye-catching custom finish, or both. All Sunshade Services’ structures, when being installed in any educational environment, are fitted with 1.5m long x 50mm thick bumper pads as standard to create a safe, secure environment for children of all

Over the past few years, the demand for solar panels in schools, colleges and other educational establishments has grown. Elco Group has installed several solar PV systems in schools, colleges and educational buildings across the South East. With benefits including a reduction in the cost of energy bills plus a reduction in carbon emissions, the installation of solar PV is a win-win. The switch to renewable’s sends a great message to pupils too, inspiring them with the latest in technology and teaching them how they too can look after their world. Investing in solar PV will enable you to pay less than 2p per watt for your electricity, reduce energy bills by up to 90 per cent, and gives you guaranteed returns (ROI in excess of 20 per cent). One hundred per cent asset

ages. Sunshade Services does not charge any additional fees for supplying its pads in any combination of different colours. All fabric & bumper pad colours can be viewed on the website at: www.sunshadeservices.co.uk/ fabrics&bumperpads.html Sunshade Services’ aim is simple. To provide the best service, the best products and the happiest customers, all at an affordable price.

FURTHER INFORMATION info@sunshadeservices.co.uk www.sunshadeservices.co.uk Tel: 01782 398848 Mob: 07807 063734

HEALTH & SAFETY

finance is available. Solar PV also allows you to meet your CSR objective and gives you secured electricity for 25 years. Solar PV is also low maintenance and gives no disruption to your business. What’s more, free solar is available via a Power Purchase Agreement. To discuss installing solar on your school please contact a member of Elco Group’s commercial team who will be able to talk through the options available to you.

FURTHER INFORMATION 01322 479957

PARKING

Forty-years experience of health and safety training

Independent car park management advice

John Green Training and Consultancy advisors have a combined experience of over 40 years, providing health and safety consultancy to construction, manufacturing and public sector companies. All aspects of health and safety advice, documentation, implementation and training is carried out to the highest standards in line with current legislation. John Green comes highly recommended by its clients who frequently commend the company for its professionalism and knowledge. John Green’s portfolio of services includes all aspects of health and safety from fire risk assessment to fire warden training and many more. As well as assisting companies with the development and implementation of health and safety systems, John Green also works closely with both clients and the HSE

Park Consult is a car parking focused consultancy firm. We provide specialist and uniquely independent car park management advice. Our aim is to identify parking limitations, provide parking solutions and maximise usage levels. We also aim to identify opportunities, improve the motorist experience, enable data collection, reduce costs and maximise revenues. Our market knowledge, relationships with suppliers, knowledge of new emerging technologies and operational experience enable us to provide our clients with dynamic and robust car park management solutions. We form long-term relationships to keep our clients up to date with the latest industry news, legislation, best practices and technology to ensure their car parking operations are evolving and achieving

to achieve the best possible outcomes and reduce major fines to the companies involved. John Green works with companies to improve their health and safety standards, to protect both the company and employees by putting in place and updating health and safety management systems. Individual training can be offered to employees/employers in a number of courses either classroom based or via the company’s eLearning pages.

FURTHER INFORMATION www.johngreenhealthand safety.co.uk info@johngreenhealthand safety.co.uk

the highest possible standard of customer satisfaction. Put simply, we provide independent advice which enables us to provide our clients with the best parking solutions for their specific requirements. For example, we can assist your organisation with its car parking management strategy development, payment systems, access control and bay monitoring and way-finding systems. What’s more, we can help with your organisation’s signage strategy, surface markings, electric vehicle charging point solutions and car park decking systems.

FURTHER INFORMATION www.parkconsult.co.uk

Volume 24.2 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

ASSET FINANCE

PLAY

Leasing solutions for the educational sector

Making the most of your outdoor spaces

Are your budgets under greater pressure every year? Do you need to replace existing equipment or acquire new assets? Are you considering leasing instead of using your precious capital? Maxxia arranges leasing solutions for a wide range of equipment and school improvements, from minibuses to temporary classrooms, or computers to catering equipment. Whatever funding requirements your educational establishment has, Maxxia gives you the most cost-effective, compliant and transparent leasing methods available. Maxxia already works with many education establishments across the UK and has helped them save money whilst keeping their assets up to date and making the student experience better. The company’s funding solutions meet the needs and regulatory

RSJ Play is a Midlands based company specialising in the design and installation of playgrounds for schools and nurseries. It can provide a range of products to suit your needs, such as outdoor furniture, play equipment, shelters and outdoor sports and fitness equipment. RSJ Play know how critical physical development is for children of all ages and abilities. All its products are designed and chosen to be challenging and stimulating. RSJ Play’s aim is to create safe, adventurous playgrounds that have great play value and are cost effective. The most popular products are parents waiting shelters and gazebos which also double up as outdoor classrooms which are a great way to increase classroom space and provide an open environment. RSJ Play’s polycarbonate roof canopies provide good value

requirements of each segment of the educational sector. In addition to funding, you can benefit from Maxxia’s relationships with numerous suppliers. So as well as the finance, Maxxia may be able to help you negotiate a better deal for the equipment you require. Need something even more innovative, like an iPad or laptop access scheme that is provided through the school, but where the items are actually funded by the parents? Talk to Maxxia to find out more about how its leasing solutions benefit your school.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel. 0845 643 1319 www.maxxia.co.uk/education contact@maxxia.co.uk

shelter from the elements as well as UV protection and are available in a range of designs. RSJ Play can also supply outdoor gym equipment to help you get the best out of your Sport and PE Premium budget along with multi use goal ends and agility trails. RSJ Play’s experienced team is there to help you transform your area into a much more effective, creative and active space.

FURTHER INFORMATION www.rsjplay.co.uk

ADVERTISERS INDEX

The publishers accept no responsibility for errors or omissions in this free service Brainsparker 66 CCE Group 84 Climbing Wall Solutions 82 Cohesive 53 Dainton Group Services 27 DB Fire & Safety 80 Delaware North 62 Demsports 72 Diabolo 80 Divergent Drama 84 eBuyer UK 44,45 Elco Group 85 Evac Chair 6 EXA-Networks 40,57 Floorbrite Cleaning 36 Fujitsu 52 Gerflor 70 Gojo Industries-Europe 37 HM Government 14 Ice Locker Group 19 Institute of School Business 34 ISS Mediclean OBC,61

Jacksons Fencing 32,33 JKE Security 16 John Green Training 85 Kajima Partnerships 73 Kent Teach 84 Kidzania IFC Landscape for Learning 69 Let Me Play 64 Loxit Products 51 Maxxia 86 Mind Of My Own 83 Muddy Faces 82 NCFE 20 Nugent Education 82 Office Depot IBC Park Consult 85 Parking Ticketing 76 Pembrokeshire College 8 Pickerings Hire 26 Plum Innovations 54 Postal Museum 83 Premier Modular 28

Ransomes Jacobsen 4,70 Raynor Foods 58 Recruit Mint 84 S+B UK 24 Safety Technology 78 Secom Networks 38 SEND Group 62 Sunken Trampolines 66,82 Sunshade Services 85 Talk Straight & Schools 42 Targus 48 Tech Lab Repairs 83 Technix Rubber and Plastics 66 TG Escapes 22 The Kings Ferry 10 The Royal Institution 83 Thinkers in Education 38 Toshiba Tec UK 46 Tree Box 31 Unicol Engineering 50 Yeoman Shield 12

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

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If you would like to learn more about how ISS can support your school community, please get in touch. isseducation.commercial@ uk.issworld.com 0845 057 6300