Education Magazine Nov 2016

Edition 5, 2016

Changing the future through education with Bett 2017, see p8

Brian Hooper will just say it as it is‌ see p14

Fighting food waste, one step at a time, see p24

Prepare for the most connected academic year on record, see p10

Workforce planning to beat the talent crisis, see p18

Seated for success: Making the most of your outside space, see p28

It’s a mistake to think students get over the move to secondary school quickly, see p12

Disability and sport, see p20 Embedding food education through a whole school approach, see p22

Is outsourcing ICT Support becoming inevitable in education? see p32

www.education-magazine.co.uk - for ar ticles news and pr oducts

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Education Magazine Edition 70

Publisher Steve Mitchell

Annual Subscription £10 Free to Heads and School Financial Directors

Production Editor Richard Shrubb

Advertising Sales Team:

Circulation research Mary Reale

Tracy Johnson, Martin Petty, Paul Barrett

Design/Production Amanda Wesley

Published by Review Magazines Ltd, 53 Asgard Drive,Bedford MK41 0UR Tel: 01234 348878 Fax: 01223 790191 E-mail: info@education-magazine.co.uk Website: www.education-magazine.co.uk Copyright Education Magazine 2016

Contents 2

News

8

Changing the future through education with Bett 2017

10

How the education sector must prepare for the most connected academic year on record

12

It’s a mistake to think students get over the move to secondary school quickly

14

Brian Hooper will just say it as it is…

If you are building, developing new ideas or have some excellent examples of ‘good practice’, spread the word about them and contact PIR Education Magazine on

01234 348878 or

18 Workforce planning 28 Making the most to beat the talent crisis

20 Disability and sport 22 Creating a school food revolution: Embedding food education through a whole school approach

24 Fighting

food waste, one step at a time

of your outside space

32 Is

outsourcing ICT Support becoming inevitable in education?

34

26 Seated for success: Getting the most out of your classroom seating plan

Schools must prioritise their online experience

Cover Picture. Pupils at BETT.

The magazine for Heads and Financial Directors of Academies, Independent and Free Schools

email info@education-magazine.co.uk We are always looking for good news on Education issues.

We approve all articles prior to press.

Look forward to hearing from you!

The Publisher holds all copyright and any items within may not be reproduced in any way, for any purpose, without the written permission of the Publisher. While every care has been taken to ensure accuracy, the information contained within this publication is based on submissions to the Publishers who cannot be held responsible for errors and omissions. The publisher does not necessarily agree with the views expressed by contributors and cannot except responsibility for claims made by manufacturers and authors, nor do they accept any responsibility for any errors in the subject matter of this publication.

NEWS News News News NEWS News NEWS News

Order your free schools fundraising pack now!

Red Nose Day is back on Friday 24th March 2017

To help pupils understand why they’re fundraising, we’ve got powerful films and inspirational learning resources about Hassan and Ikmatu from Sierra Leone, whose lives were turned upside down by the Ebola outbreak. With materials tailored for primary, lower secondary and upper secondary age groups, there’s something to engage and motivate all your learners.

The money raised by schools will be used to help fund incredible projects that tackle poverty and injustice across Africa and the UK. Since last Red Nose Day alone, money raised has helped:

The government will continue to work with employers and providers as it introduces the reforms, to help ensure we transform our country’s skills for the benefit of all.

Main measures confirmed are:

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More support for younger apprentices and disadvantaged people

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100% of training costs will be paid by government for employers with fewer than 50 employees who take on apprentices aged 16 to 18 years old. This will also apply to smaller employers who take on 19- to 24-year-olds who were in care or 19- to 24-year-olds with an education and health care plan

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£1,000 each from government to employers and training providers who take on 16- to 18-year-olds and 19- to 24-year-olds who were in care or who have an education and health care plan

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providers that train 16- to 18-year-olds on apprenticeship frameworks will be given an additional cash payment equal to 20% of the funding band maximum in order to help them to adapt to the new, simpler funding model

• Over 860,000 children to be given life-saving vaccines

•

and we’ve got everything you need to get the whole school having fun, learning and changing lives for the better.

This year’s Free Fundraising School Packs, created by teachers for teachers, are bursting with fundraising tips, balloons, stickers and posters. There are separate packs for primary and secondary – get ahead of the game and order yours at rednoseday. com/resourcepack.

Over 47,000 people with a mental health condition to get the support they need

• Over 310,000 children, young people and their families, at risk of abuse, violence and exploitation, to lead safer lives.

So start thinking now about what your school can do! Order your Free Fundraising Pack today at rednoseday.com/resourcepack

New apprenticeship funding to transform investment in skills How apprenticeships will be funded as part of the drive to help millions get the skills they need for a successful career.

The government, on 25 October 2016, set out how apprenticeships will be funded as part of the drive to help millions get the skills they need for a successful career and make Britain a country that works for everyone.

Providers that train apprentices from the most deprived areas on apprenticeship frameworks will continue to receive additional funding from government.

More than £60 million will be invested in supporting the training of apprentices from the poorest areas in the country, equalling around one third of all apprentices. It is vital that we make sure that these funds are being invested in the right way, which is why we will conduct a fuller review into how to support individuals from all backgrounds into apprenticeships in future. This will look at the support employers should receive, as well as providers, and conclude next year.

More flexibility for employers:

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Longer for employers to spend funds in their digital account, now with 24 months before they expire, an increase from government’s original proposal of just 18 months

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A commitment to introducing the ability for employers to transfer digital funds to other employers in their supply chains, sector or to apprenticeship training agencies in 2018, with a new employer group including the Confederation of British Industry, Federation of Small Businesses, British Chambers of Commerce, Charity Finance Group and EEF - the manufacturers’ organisation - to help government develop this system so that it works for employers

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More funding for STEM apprenticeship frameworks and higher pricing of

Apprenticeships give people more control over their lives and can be the difference between just about managing and pursuing a skilled, long-term career. The government wants to give everyone this opportunity, regardless of their background or where they live, which is why we are giving more support for 16- to 18-year-olds and those from disadvantaged areas.

The funding policy will underpin the new apprenticeship levy, which will deliver much needed investment in the skills we need to change the lives of millions.

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NEWS News News News NEWS News NEWS News The apprenticeship funding system will be made up of 15 bands, each with an upper limit ranging from £1,500 to £27,000. The upper limit of each funding band will cap the maximum amount of digital funds an employer who pays the levy can use towards an individual apprenticeship or that the government will co-invest. All existing and new apprenticeship frameworks and standards will be placed within one of these funding bands and it will be up to employers to negotiate prices with providers.

apprenticeship standards to support improved quality, and providing greater flexibility to train those with prior qualifications. This will support the industrial strategy and provide wider opportunities for more individuals to develop new skills To ensure higher-quality apprenticeships, the government has also introduced a new register of apprenticeship training providers. All providers on the register will have to pass quality and financial tests.

Those with an ‘inadequate’ Ofsted rating for apprenticeship provision will not be eligible to apply to the register.

The new apprenticeship funding policy was outlined in August. It will underpin the levy which will be paid by employers will pay a bill of more than £3 million and will put the funding of apprenticeships on a sustainable long-term footing so we can support opportunities for all.

The measures announced are the first steps in upskilling the nation by giving millions a leg up on the ladder of opportunity to highquality jobs, and giving employers the skills they desperately need.

The proposal to pay 90% of apprenticeship training costs will apply to more than 98% of employers in England that won’t pay the levy when it is introduced in 2017.

By 2019 to 2020 government spending on apprenticeships in England will be double the level of spending in 2010 to 2011.

In March 2016 the government published a guide for employers on how they will pay the levy, access the digital system and pay for apprenticeships in future. This has been updated with the latest information for employers.

To help employers see how the levy and funding system will work for them, the government has created an online calculator. The simple-to-use tool will enable employers to understand how much levy they will pay and how they could use their digital funds to pay for training in future.

Providers who want to deliver less than £100,000 of apprenticeship training per year as a subcontractor can choose to apply for the register but it will not be compulsory.

The government has also launched a procurement for apprenticeship delivery for smaller employers who will not pay the levy.

Colleges, employers and other organisations have been lending their support to the apprenticeship levy.

Richard Atkins CBE appointed as Further Education Commissioner Richard Atkins takes on the role from current FE Commissioner Sir David Collins who will be retiring in November 2016.

The Department for Education, on 17 October 2016, announced that Richard Atkins CBE has been appointed to the role of Further Education (FE) Commissioner and will lead the government’s work to boost the quality of further education in England.

Richard Atkins takes on the role from current FE Commissioner Sir David Collins who will be retiring in November 2016.

A former Principal and Chief Executive at Exeter College and Yeovil College, Richard has an exceptional record of raising standards and improving outcomes for learners. During his tenure, he led Exeter from a ‘satisfactory’ rating, to a sustained Ofsted ‘outstanding’ grade. He is a past President of the Association of Colleges and currently Chair of AoC Sport.

In his roles in Exeter and Yeovil, Richard increased delivery of apprenticeships and higher-level skills and developed strong relationships with businesses, universities and schools.

The FE Commissioner heads the current programme of area reviews of post-16 education and training, and leads the commissioner intervention process to drive improvement in colleges when colleges fail an Ofsted inspection, or are found to be financially inadequate.

Richard will play a central part in the government’s plans to create a further 6

education sector that is responsive to the needs of learners, employers and the economy.

Alongside Richard, they have appointed three Deputy FE Commissioners - Steve Hutchinson, Cindy Rampersaud and Andrew Tyley - whom Richard will work closely with and who all have strong experience within the existing FE Commissioner team. They will join John Hogg and David Williams, who are existing Deputy Commissioners.

Marilyn Hawkins has confirmed that she will step down as a Deputy Commissioner alongside Sir David, after leading the completion of the area review process in London.

Bett Academies launches on 16 to 17 March at NEC Bett Academies, a new event developed in consultation with senior education leaders in the UK, launches this week to provide advice, guidance and inspiration to academies, MATs and schools exploring academisation. The event takes place from 16 to 17 March at the NEC in Birmingham.

Based on extensive research with schools, academies and MATs across the UK, Bett Academies has been designed to address key challenges and considerations relating to academisation. The peer-led programme covering topics such as change management, effective leadership and futureproofing education will help leaders build vital collaborative links with peers, key education stakeholders and suppliers.

Anita Pal, event director at i2i Events Group, said: “Academies are undoubtedly an increasing part of UK education. With the reach and trust of Bett, combined with the unprecedented number of schools involved in their communities, we have the ideal platform to give schools the support and advice they need to make informed decisions. We look forward to welcoming academies and schools that are looking to the future of academy status”.

Bett Academies will unite senior members of academies and MATs with the leading and most forward-thinking solution providers in the education market, giving them an insight into the available opportunities to improve the learning and teaching experience their schools provide.

Bett Academies takes place from 16 to 17 March at the NEC Birmingham, with limited spaces available. For more information and to get in touch with the Bett Academies team, please visit www.bettacademies.co.uk.

Education Magazine

Are Your Staff and Students Ready for Lockdown?

UK schools are experiencing a growing trend for violent attacks on staff and students. In 2015, there were reports of incidents all over the country, including Southfields1 and Dulwich2 in London, Dorset3 and Somerset4 in the South, and Leeds5 and Bradford6 in the North. However, it’s not just direct attacks on school property which are causing concern, but other incidents which potentially put staff and students at risk. Examples of dangerous occurrences include armed raiders running into a school after a robbery7, a secure unit abscondee on the loose in Conwy8, a man wielding a gun outside a Cambridge school9 and a shooting outside a Liverpool school10. All these resulted in schools going into lockdown.

Whether the situation warrants evacuation or lockdown, it is essential that accurate information is communicated clearly and quickly throughout the school. Schools must have a working fire alarm

fitted by law, but many use the same fire bell to announce class changes.

This can lead to confusion, and whilst a bell can provide a clear alert that an emergency situation has arisen, it cannot differentiate between lockdown or evacuation. In the event of a possible violent intruder on the premises, the last thing any school wants is pupils streaming out onto a playground and gathering at assembly points.

To solve this issue, some schools have installed integrated class change and PA systems such as Bodet’s Harmonys, which store a range of different tones, melodies and prerecorded voice messages. As well as routine announcements such as class change, lunch or the end of school, in the advent of an emergency they enable specific alarms to be broadcast across the entire site. That way, both staff and pupils know what’s happening and what action to take.

Due to the random nature of these attacks and threats, there is little schools can do to prevent them. However, by having clear and effective communication systems installed alongside robust lockdown and evacuation procedures, schools can be certain they are doing all they can to ensure the safety of staff and students.

Richard Manby is managing director of Bodet Class Change Systems Website: lockdown.bodet.co.uk

Tel: 01442 418800

References 1. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-34784854 2. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-34868503 3. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-30534259 4. http://www.thewestonmercury.co.uk/news/education/ school_in_security_lockdown_1_4238794 5. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-27194984 6. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bradford-westyorkshire-33857626 7. https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/ scotland/748968/scottish-schools-lockdown-followingattempted-armed-robbery/ 8. http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-walesnews/neuadd-manhunt-schools-lockdownllanfairfechan-10107863 9. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2911904/ Primary-school-forced-lockdown-mystery-gunmanspotted-outside-lunch-break-turns-police-anti-terrorexercise.html 10. http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/anfield-roadshooting-school-lockdown-6889474

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Changing the future through education with Bett 2017 Since Bett 2016, the education sector has experienced some significant changes, with plenty more still to come. Issues such as academisation, governance, selective schooling, teacher retention and the outcome of the EU referendum have been sources of lively debate. Bett 2017 is returning to ExCel London from 25 to 28 January, and will provide an arena for open and informed discussions about the future of education, and how each attendee can play a part in creating it.

For more than three decades, Bett has been uniting everyone with a passion for improving the future through education, and its focus this year will be on educational game changers. Featuring high-profile speakers including Sir Ken Robinson, Heston Blumenthal and Tony Robinson, and programmes dedicated to policy and practice, governance, continued professional development (CPD), education technology, special educational needs (SEN), STEAM subjects (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics), and creativity in education, Bett 2017 is set to offer invaluable insight into the future of education worldwide.

The key features of this year’s show include: School Leaders Summit The growing emphasis on school leadership will be addressed in the School Leaders Summit, which will explore the most significant challenges facing senior leadership teams (SLTs) and how they can be tackled.

This summit will also provide an opportunity for school business managers and senior leaders to network and collaborate to come up with forward-thinking solutions to improve school leadership.

Practitioner-led Learn Live seminars A range of practical ‘Learn Live’ seminars and workshops will address key issues in contemporary education, providing a useful insight into the latest research, practices and policies affecting education worldwide.

Visitors will come away from these sessions with innovative teaching techniques that they can easily implement in their own classrooms.

Bett Futures Bett Futures, a platform designed to nurture start-up companies in the education sector, is returning to Bett in association with the British Educational Suppliers Association (BESA) after two successful years. Bett Futures celebrates brave thinking, innovative new products and education game changers.

It was designed as a unique, global platform for emerging learning solutions that would improve the lives of students everywhere.

Bett Futures 2017 now looks set to shape the global education landscape, while also supporting the British economy.

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Exhibitors Here is a flavour of the kind of solution providers that will be exhibiting at the show: Bett Futures: Entreprenaws is a game-based app for teaching children about business, enterprise and life skills. Funded by Innovate UK, it has been designed with children at every step, connecting schools, teachers, students and businesses to help everyone find their talents through fun, playful and experiential learning.

Stand A140: Doddle is a powerful online teaching, homework and assessment resource which brings together over 16,000 engaging and interactive resources across 18 subjects, mapped to the latest exam board specifications for KS3 and KS4. Doddle promotes independent learning, fosters meaningful communication and provides a comprehensive ‘Life after Levels’ progress tracking system.

Stand G89: KUBO Robot: Coding is the most influential language in the 21st century, which is why many countries prioritise it as a crucial skill to teach students. KUBO Robot is a robot that teaches children coding from the age of three, and can be easily implemented into classroom teaching regardless of the teacher’s prior experience with coding.

Bett 2017 is free to attend and will take place from Wednesday 25 to Saturday 28 January 2016 at ExCeL London. For more information or to register, please visit www.bettshow. com. You can also follow the conversation on Twitter @Bett_Show.

Education Magazine

Registration now open for re-branded Music & Drama Education Expo!

Rhinegold Media & Events is delighted to announce that visitors can now register for their free ticket to Music & Drama Education Expo; Europe’s leading free CPD event for music & drama teachers.

Taking place on 9 & 10 February 2017 at London Olympia, the free show will offer two days of high-quality CPD, unrivalled networking opportunities and the chance to try out hundreds of products at our comprehensive exhibition.

New brand – Music & Drama Education Expo Following the successful launch of the Musical Theatre and Drama Education Show, we have rebranded to Music & Drama Education Expo for our 2017 show which is set to be the biggest and best show yet, with a host of new elements to engage, inspire and entertain both music

teachers and their drama colleagues.

More than 60 sessions/44 hours of CPD As well as adding more sessions, we’re aiming to improve the conference programme by tightening the submission process, ensuring each session has tangible learning objectives.

We have also recruited a new advisory board of practising teachers and education experts to help us plan the programme.

A truly international event With educators from over 40 countries, last year’s show proved to be the leading free CPD event in Europe. This year we are aiming to not only repeat this success but to top it. We are currently working hard with associations and organisations around the world to ensure teachers from other countries can meet and share their experiences.

Fire-side chats One of the highlights of last year’s event is back: our fire-side chats will give you the chance to listen in on Q&As with leading industry figures and artists while enjoying tea or coffee in the Networking Café.

Plus: • Free wifi for all visitors, suitable for tweeting and checking emails • Exhibition ‘zones’, making it easier to find your way around • New and improved floorplan to reduce noise overspill from the exhibition stands • More performances on our dedicated performance stage to host our range of performances Reasons to attend • Benefit from free high quality CPD and go home with a raft of new ideas for your teaching • Network and share ideas with 2,500 other teachers from 40 countries around the world • Try out a large range of education products all in one place and get exclusive on-site discounts The event takes place at Olympia Central, Hammersmith Road, Kensington, London W14 8UX. It is quicker and easier to travel to Olympia by public transport.

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How the education sector must prepare for the most connected academic year on record are therefore having to learn how to innovate their teaching and learning experience.

Meanwhile, technology and delivering a connected learning programme is becoming a key differentiator for universities and Higher Education institutions, particularly in light of the hike in tuition fees that have been passed on to domestic and international students in recent years.

Students expect a premium service to account for raised fees.

Richard Agnew.

The pressure is mounting on the private and Higher Education sector. This year’s influx of students will be the most technology-focused and connected to date, expecting digitally enabled, seamless learning experiences.

Students now see technology as second nature and demand access to data at all times. Therefore, ensuring the availability of this data has never been more important for the education sector, so organisations need to think about their infrastructure to support the shift to digital.

Education goes digital On the whole, the UK Higher Education sector is placing increasing importance on technology. In the UK in 2015, £900m was spent on technology in schools, according to the British Educational Suppliers Association (BESA), while £95m was spent on software and digital content in schools in the same period. The UK has one of the highest levels of technology deployments in schools, with 1.4 students per computer and an expected 939,000 tablet devices to be used in schools this academic year.

However, tech spending needs to be channelled in the right areas. Research has shown that top-level classroom success grows by 36 percent when the right approach is taken to technology (according to BESA), and there is a clear trend towards a more enhanced digital learning experience.

With the rise of blended learning, universities are also under pressure to meet students’ demands and adapt to the digital age, while facing higher levels of competition. Institutions

Availability is essential Having essential education materials, such as learning resources, library files and assignment documents, digitised and stored centrally in university-owned repositories is all well and good. But it is no longer enough for Higher Education institutions to simply ‘have’ learning materials – however good they are – as they must be constantly available to students at anytime, anywhere.

Delivering critical application and data availability to the university’s diverse user community is a basic requirement. Both students and staff are demanding a more effective IT infrastructure to meet their needs – whether that’s bringing a personal device onto campus networks or being able to retrieve materials at any given moment.

The same applies to primary and secondary schools, who must have in place a rapid and reliable mechanism for protecting and recovering student data, while providing real-time access to centralised services, including class programmes, research materials and in-class services.

According to the 2016 Veeam Availability Report of more than 1,000 IT decisionmakers, 36 percent of respondents from the private and Higher Education sector are currently investing in private cloud (including automation, self-service and billing), while 23 percent are investing in public cloud infrastructure.

A further 44 percent of respondents from the private and Higher Education sector are currently investing in virtualising their workloads and applications, with 54 percent planning to invest in the next two years. But will that accommodate the exponential data growth that is taking place in the increasingly digitised education sector?

Infrastructure investment required As short-staffed IT teams work to save money and modernise their data centres, by combining server virtualisation, modern storage applications and cloud-based services, they face new demands, including exponential data growth, users demanding access to data 24/7, and no patience for downtime. All in all, the figure of 36 percent

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should be much-nearer to 100 percent if schools and universities are fully buying into technology as an enabler of better education standards. In addition to this, while institutes are upgrading their services to appease their employees and students, a massive 58 percent have experienced downtime due to unforeseen problems.

The report also highlights that only 43 percent of respondents from the private and Higher Education sector are currently investing in data protection and disaster recovery. This technology goes a long way towards ensuring an ‘Always-On’ approach to education, which enables students to be reconnected to essential resources quickly in the event of downtime. However, only around one third (34 percent) are planning to invest in these services in the next 12 months, while just 11 percent are considering it in the next two years.

With increased data and learning resources digitally connected, a like-for-like set of contingencies and technologies must be put in place to protect students from going without essential materials for too long. This poses a potential financial risk for Higher Education institutions and, potentially more worryingly, it may threaten a university’s ability to attract future talent if they gain a reputation for low technology provision.

The report also states that over four in 10 (43 percent) see their current workloads as being mission critical, with a further 41 percent expecting their workload to be mission critical in the next two years. This is a worrying figure as, in the event that their servers malfunction, it could not only have a negative effect on students and employees, but their business as well.

Schools and Higher Education institutions must future-proof the large investments that are being made in technology and digital learning resources. By enhancing their IT infrastructure these organisations can ensure mission critical data is always available and that their business remains operational. The education sector must guarantee data is constantly available and can be easily restored to ensure the learning process is as seamless as possible.

Richard Agnew is NW VP EMEA, Veeam, where he is working to continue strong regional growth, ensuring that organisations across the UK and Ireland benefit from the Always-On business. Richard has held previous roles with converged infrastructure company VCE, where he served as Regional Director for its UK & Ireland business. He has also previously held leadership posts at NetApp, Decru and EMC.

By Richard Agnew is ‎VP NW EMEA at Veeam Software

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It’s a mistake to think students get over the move to secondary school quickly

It’s a mistake to think students get over the move to secondary school quickly, warns Greg Watson. The latest research shows negative attitudes to school persist well into Years 8 and 9.

Teachers do not need to be told how difficult some children find the move from primary to secondary school. Many schools assess students in Year 7 precisely because they think Key Stage 2 tests provide a partial or overcooked summation of student capabilities, which the long summer holidays rarely do anything to improve.

But what happens once a teacher has a more accurate picture and pitched their teaching accordingly and a student still fails to improve?

What should they do if the same problems not only persist well into Year 7 but also recur after the summer break in Year 8 and Year 9? Could it be that the obstacles these students face are attitudinal rather than narrowly academic?

And if that is the case, could they last for a lot longer than the relatively short period traditionally associated with transition?

Researchers have long known that student attitudes play a vital role in academic achievement, and studies from the OECD and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation have also underlined the importance of student selfbelief and perseverance in academic success.

Unfortunately, our latest research indicates that when it comes to student attitudes teachers face a significant challenge. The survey, which is one of the largest studies ever conducted into student opinions and which was based on data from almost 32,000 students in England and Wales, suggests that positive attitudes to school not only decline once students move to secondary but also keep on falling for two or three years afterwards.

While a whole host of factors come into play at this point in a child’s development – hormones, friendships, growing up, taking control – the transition to secondary school marks a significant change for students and it’s at this point that we begin to see a notable decline in student attitudes. As their school careers progress, of course, the greater the burdens on students as the pressures to pass

exams, apply for university and ultimately get a job increase.

The proportion of children who feel good about school, for instance, declines from 94 per cent in Year 3 to 84 per cent in Year 9.

Positive attitudes towards teachers fall from 93 to 84 per cent and towards attendance from 90 to 82 per cent over the same period.

The biggest declines in all these factors occur after Year 7 and not before.

The proportion of children who think the rules in school are fair declines from 94 per cent in Year 7 to 86 per cent in Year 9. Those who say they are bored at school increases from 18 per cent in Year 7 to 32 per cent in Year 9. And the number of children who say they like their teacher falls 7 percentage points between Years 7 and 9. The fall isn’t precipitous, but that equates to some 70,000 students in each year group who have a much more negative perception of teachers.

Attendance, too, becomes more of an issue for children the older they become. The proportion of students who say they would rather be somewhere else than in school rises from 22 per cent to a third (33 per cent) between Years 7 and 9.

When it comes to how prepared children feel they are for learning and their own capabilities, there is also in a decrease in positive attitudes, though it is less marked than their feelings towards teachers and schools. Preparedness for learning declines from 92 per cent in Year 7 to 87 per cent in Year 9. Perceived learning capability drops from 88 to 85 per cent over the same period, while children’s confidence with challenging tasks decreases from 83 to 78 per cent between Years 7 and 9.

Once again, responses to the underlying questions are instructive. The proportion of children who think that problem solving is fun declines from 88 to 81 percentage points 12

between Year 7 and Year 9. The percentage of children who think they are clever falls from 93 to 90 per cent.

It’s not all bad news. Youngsters’ confidence in themselves as learners and their general work ethic remains remarkably constant and consistently high at both primary and secondary school. And some negative attitudes actually decrease.

Contrary to received wisdom, children tend to respond well to increased academic demands as they get older, for instance. The proportion who say they get anxious when faced with new work halves between Years 3 and 9 from 35 to 18 per cent. While the percentage saying the work they have to do in class is too easy declines from 43 per cent in Year 3 to 14 per cent in Year 9.

What is more, negative attitudes can be turned round if they are accurately assessed and identified. Bright children whose low selfesteem handicaps their academic performance can be helped to become more confident.

Bored students can be stimulated. Youngsters who feel they are unprepared to tackle new tasks can be equipped with new skills.

However, that requires schools to have a grasp of what it is their students are actually feeling about themselves and their education.

And, as our survey shows, it requires all of us to acknowledge that negative attitudes can persist well past transition into Years 8 and 9.

Children’s poor attitudes to school and learning can be turned around. But we have to accept that the task won’t be accomplished in a term or two in Year 7. Meaningful engagement is a matter of years not terms.

And if underlying issues are left unaddressed, they could have a detrimental effect that will last for a student’s entire school career.

By Greg Watson is the Chief Executive of GL Assessment.

Education Magazine

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Get your printing and scanning under control, visit brother.co.uk/education-print

Brian Hooper will just say it as it is…

Phil Minns (left) replaced Brian Hooper (right) as the new CEO of Ambitions Academies Trust (AAT).

Mrs Pat Marchiori, (middle) is AAT’s Chair of Trustees.

Brian Hooper talks about the progress made by the Trust whilst he was Ambitions Academies Chief Executive.

In 2007 he was appointed as a National Leader of Education and was made a consultant head teacher and took part in the National College Fellowship Programme.

He also achieved a diploma in life coaching in order to enable him to better develop his staff.

Manorside Academy in Poole got itself into all sorts of difficulties – poor behaviour and disappointing academically. The local authority invited us in to turn it around, we used the experience and the model we had developed and now that school is doing very well.

I wanted to know how the Trust came about, what it did to the schools that joined it, his opinions of the benefits of Academies forming groups and his opinions of Grammar Schools.

A special school, Longspee in Poole, was also struggling and would have been graded special measures. It was rated Outstanding

by Ofsted in 2016

Education Magazine (EM) The Trust expanded from one school to six quite rapidly. How did this happen and what did you do within the schools?

Brian Hooper (BH) With the first two schools it was by request ; however by

Brian was the head of education at a large secure unit for young offenders in Scotland, a post he held until 2000. Working there was a huge eye opener for him as he met some apparently ordinary kids who had committed arrange of crimes including murder. In his eyes, every one of them had been led to where they were by their personal circumstances. It opened his eyes to the reality that no matter the child’s background, you can still help that child to improve their future.

EM Taking Aldhelm’s as an example, what did you do to improve it?

BH When you go in you must portray a very strong belief that no one can question your ability to turn the school around quickly.

There should be no debate that the school will be a good school within the year. There should be no casual language such as ‘We’re hoping we might…’ You need to change the language and belief to ‘We ARE going to be a good school…’ and ‘We WILL get that result.’

From 2000 to 2009 he had the role as head at a special school in Bournemouth. The pupils were similar to the children in the secure unit, though they were there for behavioural and social reasons. When he joined the school was struggling, however after a few years it received a very good inspection and as a result the local authority asked him to work with the pupil referral unit. With his help it too achieved a good inspection result.

In 2009, when the government introduced the process of collaborations and federations, the school formed the Bournemouth Alternative Needs Federation and started working with the local mainstream schools supporting them with behavioural issues. Soon after, when the national agenda changed to academies, he received a call from the Director of Children’s Services asking him to help with a primary school that had gone into special measures.

The current head was removed and Brian took the role of Executive Head Teacher. He remained at the primary school for three years. It joined the Trust and is now one of the top performing schools in Bournemouth.

The resulting group of schools became the Ambitions Academies Trust in around 2012. It began as two special schools and a primary school. It’s now grown to 6 schools with a variety of types and age groups.

We also have St Aldhelm’s in Poole. At one stage it only managed 3% GCSEs A-C in English and Maths. The regional schools commissioner Sr David Carter asked me to visit and do a report for him. To keep a long story short there were very serious problems. I subsequently went in , taking one of my head teachers who took over after two terms. This established a strong leader in place very quickly. Within a year we (with a strong team) managed to move it from Special Measures to Good.

then we had achieved a reputation that we could turn around schools that were really struggling, particularly with behaviour. I personally had a reputation of being able to mentor and lead other leaders to more effective leadership. Because of this we had a reputation that we could very quickly have a positive impact on a failing school. That was a key factor in the growth of the group.

One of the schools we worked with, King’s Park, had a lot of behavioural problems and was also bottom of the league tables. We had developed a model for turning around a school in this predicament so we knew exactly what to do, and I had a team around me who had already done this a couple of times. We helped Kings’ Park to the point it is now performing extremely strongly and is part of the Trust.

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Another policy I have is that for the first year no one is going to be in their office during the day. They should all be out on the shop floor. If this means staff will meet and talk in the corridor then so be it, however we will not hide in our offices. Staff need to be seen in order to reinforce and model our beliefs and our standards at all times.

During breaks, lunchtime, whatever: staff must be constantly re-enforcing those standards. One of the leaders ‘following me around’ St Aldhelms School said to me, ‘You know? I have blisters on my feet from all this walking.’ I told him to get a more comfortable pair of shoes as we were going to keep doing it!

EM How do you address the issues around getting staff in a failing school to be positive?

BH I go into a school and say, ‘The past is the past. I’m not interested in who’s a good teacher and who isn’t. From today you’re all going to be ‘good’ and that’s where we start.

The next thing I explain is, ‘Let’s forget whatever has gone on in the past, I will treat you as equals. If you want to come with me to make this a good school, then come with me. If you don’t then you need to move on. continues overleaf u Education Magazine

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Brian Hooper will just say it as it is… continued ethos to say, ‘I’m out of here!’

EM What’s the benefit of academies being in groups when it comes to maintaining standards?

BH It’s massive in my experience. Good schools know how good schools work and local authorities and governments do not. Good schools improve and challenge each other, however that doesn’t happen by default, you have to create a culture where schools are openly challenging and improving each other, not just coalescing and saying ‘I’ll leave you alone if you leave me alone…’

If you’re prepared to stay on until 7 o’clock at night I will stay with you. If I ask you to prepare your lesson by a certain time and you can’t so need to stay after school hours, I will stay with you. I am not asking you to do anything I wouldn’t do myself.’ You then have that kind of ‘bind’ where it is very difficult for teachers to say, ‘this is not fair’.

They know I’m walking in there and I didn’t create the mess, and so they are obligated to do the same. The resulting attitude then becomes ‘let’s just move on and get this sorted out’.

If, as a Head, you are in the corridors chasing kids to class, and you’re in the classrooms, you’re supporting teachers very visibly and so they’re not bringing the pupils to your office you get a ‘binding’ and an general emotional feeling of ‘We’re going somewhere’. When the staff feel that they have someone behind them who’s not judging them then the majority will come with you. The ones that don’t usually leave, which saves on the horrible process of sacking them for not being good enough.

EM How do you go about moving someone on?

BH When I have to have a conversation of this nature I frame it around one of our organisation’s great mantras. All the kids and staff know them. For instance one is ‘High expectations lead to high achievers.’ So If I was having a conversation with one of the staff where I was disappointed with one of their lessons. I would say, ‘Talk me through how that plan reinforces our mantra of ‘High expectations leads to high achievers? Because I’m struggling to see it from that plan. If you can show me it, that’s fine: talk me through it.’

Normally the member of staff will admit their failure so I would say, ‘You’re letting me down, you’re letting yourself down, and more importantly you’re letting the children down.’

One conversation like that is usually enough for people who have not bought into our

Through our group of primary, secondary and special schools, I have seen the effect that professional dialogue within a group of schools has, and it’s fantastic. For example; we regularly bring teachers together and tell them to bring all their pupils’ books.

We will look over each other’s marking and ask whether we agree that that the mark given would meet that grade and. A senior leader will then compile this information and produce a report. Each school then benefits as teachers have been challenging teachers.

I will occasionally go into one of these meetings and say, ‘No one liks to show off their weaknesses.

However here we don’t need to put on a show for Ofsted or anyone here and make everything look better than it is. If one of our academies fails then we all fail. If one of our academies has a problem with a subject then by dong this we can sort it out together.’

This approach works!

EM Is there a common theme as to how schools get into problems?

BH Yes a very simple one. Head teachers!

I know that there are considerable benefits to distributed leadership, and I really enjoy helping young leaders coming through, but I don’t know an outstanding school without an outstanding head. Equally, failing schools have failing heads. Except where it has recently been taken over through sponsorship, etc. So there is a logical explanation for failing schools to have their head teachers removed. It’s obvious: the same applies to captains of ships and generals. Heads must be charismatic, strong leaders and every school needs one. It’s one reason I’ve always been a great supporter of Sir Michael Wilshaw. I believe he says it as it is, not everyone agrees with him, but he gets the job done and he’s had a great impact.

There are simply not enough outstanding heads to meet the demand of every school. Multi Academy Trusts help secure outstanding progress across a number of schools by a collegiate approach to leadership. Outstanding leaders across the Trust have a vested interest in ensuring all academies in the Trust are successful 16

therefore actively supporting all to achieve this. There are no barriers to intervention, challenge support.

We have had a lot of young leaders who’ve moved toward distributed leadership and that kind of leadership is good. There is no either / or though. We still need strong, focused leadership at the top. I know the RSC and national schools commissioner think the same. Sir David has a very strong vision, knows where he’s going and is going to make it happen. Schools are the same: put a good leader in the corridor and it will improve.

EM What are your thoughts on grammar schools and could they work in academy groups?

BH I have no problem with grammar schools. I think it is strange that everybody’s up in arms about a selective system. I think that education is as selective as you can get; we have all boys schools, all girls schools, we’ve Catholic, CofE , we’ve all through school education and have everything else too! Grammar schools are always oversubscribed, and if that’s what parents want then let’s provide them! If I was staying on as CEO of a multi-academy trust, I would open one.

I think it is a false argument that if you have a grammar school then it will undermine the other schools. That is very defeatist in my opinion. Providing a grammar doesn’t mean to say that the secondary moderns have to be inferior, they should be challenging the schools to be better! Their progress can and should be as good as or better than grammar schools. Their standards, the GCSEs for example, probably would never be the same as the grammars will have the academically brightest kids but the value that they add to their children will be.

EM One of the criticisms is that it is selection at 11, so to stop this could a pupil who improves after 11 move to a grammar school within the Trust?

BH I would not see a problem with that.

If I was starting the Trust now I would be thinking that I need a centre of academic excellence. We need to provide an opportunity for children to reach that height.

If we had a child that could get 5 A Stars at A level and could go on to be a doctor then I would want to give them every opportunity I could. If a parent said it is unfair I would respond ‘If your kid works hard then I will work hard with them. If they have the ability then that’s where they’re going’. If the child does not go the Grammar then they will still progress as the school they are at will still be an outstanding one.

EM Thank you for speaking to Education Magazine.

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ATTENTION ALL EDUCATION AUTHORITIES & TEACHERS WORLDWIDE

Human Rights Education Insert within the curriculum:-

ways to avoid global conflicts ways to spread global happiness

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Challenge Children’s Hearts and Minds!

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Inspire a fulfilment for creating positive ideas!

They are ambassadors for a happier world!

www.global-caring-ethics.com

NOTE: This Global Message has the support of UNESCO, UNICEF, DEA, OXFAM and over 85 registered charities! Our research confirms the need for a 4th R within the curriculum to include Human Rights Education. This input has been shown to inspire young minds and hearts to dwell on ways to seed Global Peace and Friendship. This is NOT a fantasy!

Education Magazine

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Workforce planning to beat the talent crisis

By Baljinder Kuller Having the means and ability to plan workforces strategically is key to the ongoing success of an organisation.

However, while private sector enterprises often have the benefit of healthy HR budgets, cutting-edge technology and access to a plentiful supply of talent, schools and academy trusts are unlikely to enjoy such luxuries.

It’s no secret that the current teacher shortage is now reaching crisis levels. The Public Accounts Committee’s latest report reveals that the Department for Education has ‘repeatedly’ missed its own targets to fill teacher training places and warns of ‘significant’ shortfalls for teachers in 14 out of a possible 17 subjects.

Furthermore, it criticises the DfE for showing ‘little curiosity’ about the size and extent of teacher shortages, claiming it does not understand the gravity of the situation and assumes that head teachers will deal with gaps. Since the Public Accounts Committee released its findings, it has been reported that of those NQTs who do enter the profession, almost a third leave within five years.

Against this backdrop, it is perhaps no surprise that a recent Association of School and College Leaders survey revealed the acute concerns that school leaders had about teacher recruitment and retention, with some 84 per cent of respondents confirming that teacher shortages were having a detrimental impact on the education they were able to provide.

One way school leaders can help to mitigate against the risks associated with this talent drought is by implementing a strategic workforce plan (SWP). Broadly speaking, a SWP is designed to ensure that there are the right number of people, with the right skills, in the right place, at the right time – not just today or this term, but for the rest of the school year and beyond. Successful plans include skills gap analysis, forecast future demand, preempt when skills are likely to be lost (through retirement or maternity leave, for example) and map external talent.

other local schools or academies.

It’s also worth renegotiating with existing suppliers in terms of fees and margins – remember these are commercial organisations. If cover shortages are an ongoing struggle, it may be worth taking advantage of the Department for Education’s workforce structure tool which may indicate if it will be more efficient to increase permanent headcount.

While you can’t take your eye off the ball in terms of short term staffing needs, now is also the time to start planning pipelines for the future. A recent report by the Education Policy Institute (EPI) suggested that England has one of the highest proportions of teachers under 30, and only 48 per cent of this workforce have more than 10 years’ experience. With this in mind, you should ensure that skills are shared within your establishment so that they are not lost when individuals leave.

Of course, the fear that staff sickness and absence will leave a class without a teacher means that managing supply is the number one recruitment challenge for many leaders.

Every school or academy leader should take time to revaluate how they source supply teachers and cover supervisors to ensure that they are getting the best possible service and value. While recruitment consultancies can be a life-line in ensuring that schools are never caught short, decision makers should consider alternative options, such as building local supply banks, perhaps in conjunction with

Meanwhile, it is worth keeping front of mind that teaching is largely a lifestyle vocation, and many professionals have longterm aspirations to work with specific schools or in a certain location. Heads and business managers can improve their

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chances of attracting top talent by building their employer brand. Communicate the spirit of your school to potential recruits by sharing sporting achievements, school trips and exam results online and through local media to increase the probability of potential staff members contacting you directly.

Make sure your website has a careers page that doesn’t steer visitors directly to an agency.

Even if you have no immediate vacancies, invite those interested in working with you to share their details and keep in touch by sharing newsletters. When a position does come up, you’ll have a bank of candidates ready and waiting instead of being at the mercy of a third-party recruiter. The overall rate of teacher vacancies in state schools in England doubled since 2011 by nurturing relationships with potential future employees now, you can help ensure that your school or academy stands the best chance of filling positions when they do arise.

Baljinder Kuller of The Supply register.

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Disability and sport In 2012, 97,800 children took GCSE PE - 71% of pupils achieved grades A*-C, compared to 53% in 2001, and there is no difference in the percentage of boys and girls achieving those grades.

However, a 2011 survey featuring hundreds of disabled schoolchildren revealed a third said that they felt they did not participate in PE lessons as much as their non-disabled peers.

Of those, 33% felt this was because of their disability; for wheelchair users, it was 54%.

Sainsbury’s Active Kids for All Inclusive PE Training, which the English Federation of Disability Sport (EFDS) oversees and promotes, is primarily designed to support PE teachers in mainstream schools to include young disabled people within the PE curriculum, to prevent disabled pupils from feeling excluded and improve their lesson experience.

“I didn’t have a great time at the start of my school career, with fellow pupils not being very understanding of my disability and teachers not understanding that I could do sport, just in a different way,” explains Chloe Ball-Hopkins, a 19-year-old from Gloucestershire who attended mainstream secondary education in the 2000s.

“My impairment is muscular dystrophy - as I have got older it has affected me more and more. People at school struggled with the concept of someone being able to walk and also be in a wheelchair. I received a lot of comments from people telling me I could either be disabled or non-disabled, not both.”

Chloe says that that lack of understanding extended to teaching staff.

“My PE teachers, because they saw that I could get up onto my feet, assumed I could do sport just as well as everybody else, rather than adapting it for me. I was told PE worked in black and white, so someone who wanted things modifying was too difficult a concept for them. There were times when I was told to get up out of my chair and join in with things like gymnastics, hockey and so on.”

These days there are approximately 900,000 children aged under 16 in the UK with a disability, 7% per cent of the child population, and young disabled people are more likely to experience bullying.

This proved, sadly, to be the case for Chloe.

“If you’ve seen Little Britain, you’ll know the character Andy Pipkin, who uses a wheelchair but can secretly walk. I used to get called Andy all the time, because I could

still walk but I had to use a chair. I was a fake, an Andy, and I had a lot of online bullying through social media.

“If my teachers had helped me with my PE earlier then some of the other issues that arose may not have. Ask anybody who is disabled who plays sport – it’s a really good coping mechanism. If my teachers had helped me, maybe the other stuff wouldn’t have happened.”

However, Chloe’s story is ultimately a positive one. Motivated to defy the teachers who told her sport wasn’t for her, and inspired by a day of wheelchair tennis experienced thanks to Active Gloucester, she took up tennis, basketball, track events and more recently archery.

different areas where Sainsbury’s Inclusive PE Training is designed to make an impact.

The short films have titles including ‘An inclusive approach is of benefit to all pupils’ and ‘Don’t be afraid to try something new’.

Chris Greenhalgh, a wheelchair basketball, rugby and tennis player attended a school in Bolton, Greater Manchester, in the 1990s.

Despite being one of only a few disabled pupils, his story is positive – he felt included and catered for.

“I stopped walking when I was nine or 10, because I have spina bifida. I was always going to stop walking, and I was using a chair full-time by the time I got to secondary school. The school did a great job for me. In terms of adapting lessons, my teachers were excellent. They would modify equipment for me – I remember them cutting down a hockey stick in the woodwork shed so that I could use it in my chair.”

This adjustment and encouragement reaped success – Chris secured a C grade at PE GCSE, developing into an international athlete and representing Great Britain at three different World Cups playing three different sports.

“My passion for sport was always within me.

My problem at school was confidence – my self-confidence took a knock and I hadn’t yet got my head around my disability, because it was evolving as I grew.

“Looking back on it it’s quite clear to me that my school wasn’t accommodating because they simply didn’t have the experience of working with someone like me. I had a rubbish time there, but I hope if nothing else that they learned from me.”

Fortunately, the difficult experience of Chloe is not replicated across the board. The current situation, in terms of inclusive PE provision within mainstream schools, is much improved, thanks in part to development opportunities such as Sainsbury’s Active Kids for All Inclusive PE Training being made available to teachers.

Indeed, EFDS is aware that current Ofsted standards include a requirement that all young people being included and challenged in PE. A new series of videos on the charity’s YouTube channel nicely summarise the

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Now, at 32 years old, he continues to travel across Europe playing wheelchair basketball for Oldham Owls, as well as wheelchair rugby for Leyland Warriors.

Looking back on his school days, how does Chris regard his PE experience?

“At the time I didn’t notice what the teachers were doing for me. I felt like everyone should feel, that I had as much right as anyone else to do PE at school.

But now that I look back I realise just how hard people fought for me to be able to do what I wanted to do. Looking back, I wouldn’t have become a sportsman without them. Everyone should have the same opportunities, and now things are so much better than they were. There is expertise and training out there for teachers to utilise.

For teachers, it’s just about a willingness to adapt. Anything’s possible.”

To benefit from the final year of the Sainsbury’s Active Kids for All Inclusive PE Training Programme and receive your free place on a workshop or to find out about hosting your own workshop, please visit the programme webpage or contact EFDS via email ak4a@efds.co.uk or call 01509 22 77 51.

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Creating a school food revolution: Embedding food education through a whole school approach The last three years has seen the subject of school meals and food education rarely out of the spotlight, beginning with the publication of the ‘School Food Plan’ in 2013.

At the heart of the plan was a vision: “This plan is about good food and happiness. It is about the pleasures of growing, cooking and eating proper food. It is also about improving the academic performance of our children and the health of our nation.” It also set out a clear list of actions needed to achieve this and to improve school food provision for millions of children nationwide.

There has been good progress on many of these actions, including the introduction of the flagship Universal Infant Free School Meal policy which was implemented in September 2014.

That year also saw practical cookery and food education put firmly back on the curriculum, with an emphasis on providing pupils in key stages one, two and three with the skills to prepare a range of savoury dishes and apply the principles of healthy eating and nutrition. This was further supported by the introduction of new School Food Standards, which champion the use of fresh, sustainable and local produce in healthy school meals.

The new Ofsted Common Inspection Framework published in 2015 means that inspectors are required to look at how schools are ‘supporting pupils to keep themselves healthy’. Most recently, the importance of the role that schools have to play was further reinforced by the government paper ‘Childhood Obesity: A Plan for Action’ which states that schools are a ‘vital part of their plan’ and should have the opportunity to ‘support healthier eating, physical activity and shape healthy habits.’

Three years on, the School Food Plan’s vision and accompanying seventeen actions are still being championed by the School Food Plan Alliance, a group of leading organisations who are working together to ensure that school food continues to support improved health and educational outcomes for children.

Allowing children to experience the pleasures of cooking, growing and eating proper food is undeniably a vital part of their learning, but how can do teachers incorporate it into an already jam-packed curriculum? And more importantly, how can food education be used to enrich and enhance core subjects?

Adopting a Whole School Approach

for engagement in virtually all areas of the curriculum; teachers begin with planning themes and exploring ways that food can be used to support cross-curricular links, whether it is using percentages, measuring or number work, or looking at where ingredients are sourced, the miles they have travelled or the cultural use of the food in religious festivals.

Providing healthy school meals, great lunchtimes, opportunities to grow food and delivering food education that has a positive impact on both pupils and the wider community is a formula that has already proved to be successful at the Washingborough Academy in Lincolnshire.

By successfully adopting a ‘whole school’ approach to food they have improved lifestyle choices both within school and in the wider community.

Head teacher Jason O’Rourke believes that the provision of food education can offer a wide range of benefits; “Our children’s health is paramount. We are living in an era where childhood obesity is a worldwide problem.

Children’s knowledge of where food comes from, what effect it has on our physical and mental wellbeing, the cultural aspects of food and the enjoyment of learning about an area that everyone engages with every day is a vital part of their education.

At Washingborough, teachers know that by using food education in lessons, the children are going to be fully engaged in learning objectives. Food is used as a catalyst

“In our experience, children absolutely love the Food Education lessons that we deliver.

This is also supported by the enthusiasm and creativity of our staff who, through focused

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CPD, have become keen Food Education educators. A clearer focus on the use of food and skills and techniques in the Primary curriculum has ensured that our children become more engaged and enthused about the food they eat.”

Supporting schools on their journey Washingborough Academy draw on the expertise of two national school food programmes to support the delivery of their food education work. They cite both the Food for Life Schools Award programme and Jamie Oliver’s Kitchen Garden Project as providing them with both resources and focus to optimise food-based activities in their school Following very positive feedback from schools like Washingborough who are working on both programmes, Food for Life and the Kitchen Garden Project have now formalised a national partnership with the goal of providing an even greater range of support to schools.

The partnership means that the Kitchen Garden Project resources, which provide Jamie Oliver recipes, alongside lesson plans and curriculum-linked activities, will be available to all schools who subscribe to Food for Life support and resource packages.

As a result, schools will not only have even more options to support practical cooking, growing and learning about nutrition, they will also have the opportunity to take their

activities to the next level by adopting the whole school approach to food advocacy by progressing through the Food for Life awards programme.

Jason O’Rourke said: “At Washingborough Academy we have been using both the Food for Life and Kitchen Garden Project resources throughout the whole school. Children learn best when they are presented with links to real life and the shared ethos of children growing their own food and then cooking with the produce has engaged both pupils and adults within the school and wider community.”

“The superb Food for Life and Kitchen Garden Project resources have been crucial to the success of our food education curriculum. When planning lessons, they

are the first resources we turn to, and for less confident teachers, the easy to follow simple recipes allow them time to become more confident cooks. The many recipes that require no ‘cooking’ allow any school to begin their food education journey.”

The Food for Life Schools Award includes a comprehensive range of printed and digital resources, full access to the online application system and one to one expert support from the Food for Life team.

Independent evaluation has shown that pupils in Food for Life schools are twice as likely to eat five a day and a third less likely to eat no fruit or vegetables than pupils in comparison schools.

For more information visit www.foodforlife.org.uk/schools

Temporary Catering Facilities for Education Mobile Kitchens Ltd specialises in the hire and sale of temporary catering facilities and foodservice equipment.

We regularly provide our services to clients in the education sector when, for example, they are undergoing a kitchen refurbishment or carrying out other building works that necessitate the closure of existing facilities.

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We offer a free design service, and project management from concept through to delivery and installation on site, plus full technical support throughout the hire period.

Other past clients include Godolphin & Latimer School, Radley College, Sevenoaks School, Harrow School, Merton College, Bath College, West Kent College, Leicester College and many more…

For further information or to arrange a site visit, please email: mark.kingston@mobilekitchensltd.co.uk ,

call us on 0345 812 0800 or visit our website: www.mk-hire.co.uk Education Magazine

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Fighting food waste, one step at a time David Nuttall, Catering Manager at Harper Adams University and TUCO board member, discusses the steps that universities have taken to cut down food waste, increase sustainability and save on costs…

The Foodservice Industry, which includes the Education Sector, throws away almost 920,000 tonnes of food every year, 75 per cent of which is avoidable.

That’s a staggering figure and one which the Industry is looking to address. Here at TUCO, we are constantly looking at this issue and seeking new, innovative ways to minimise the environmental impact within HE/FE catering sites. The starting point for any university aiming to improve on its waste levels is to identify where the waste comes from, what to do with it and crucially, how to reduce the amount produced to a sustainable level? This is not only from a budget perspective, but importantly an environmental one.

- which in turn had a positive impact on serving size. A food waste audit procedure was then introduced, monitoring operations and identifying where the majority of waste was occurring. Methods of production were also altered, such as increasing batch cooking and making fresh gravy and stuffing from existing ingredients. And finally, cooking food closer to service times helped to determine customer numbers more accurately.

From these steps, there has been an overall reduction in food waste by 20 per cent. This translates into £9,500 per year saved in food procurement costs alone.

Analysing and working to reduce food waste in specific areas of catering can make what seems like a vast job seem less daunting.

Areas that can be concentrated on range from reassessing portion size, the type of waste bins available and how food waste is dealt with on a student and staff level.

The next steps for the Swansea catering team include sharing best practice tips and looking into the redistribution of surplus food through local charities. The University is also opening a city centre café using extra food from its outlets and educating the local community on health and nutrition.

One of the great things about our Industry is the sharing of best practice and success, so that we can all learn and grow by example.

To demonstrate how to kick-start a waste reduction scheme, here are a couple of examples of universities which have won awards for their forward-thinking waste reduction methods:

The University of Manchester also set itself a number of aspirational and environmental sustainability targets to reach. From this, the University has developed an award-winning food waste reduction scheme, resulting in a dramatic reduction of food finding its way into general waste bins, as well as a decrease of plate waste in general – resulting in shrinking associated costs.

Swansea University implemented its first sustainable food policy in 2010 and has since won a number of awards for its successful solutions. As part of its commitment to continuous improvement, the University undertook a review of its catering operations, combined with waste monitoring procedures. This identified key areas of food and packaging waste.

Overfilling of plates was one of the major sources of waste, so the first thing the catering team implemented was a reduction in the size of the serving plates to 10 inches

In catered halls, students are able to return for second helpings. However, the perception of value for money held more prominence for students than how much food they were wasting from over filling their plates - this resulted in a massive 1.3 tonnes of food waste per week over a four week period.

To gain insight into students’ perception of food waste, 200 students from catered halls took part in a questionnaire, which found that 88% of respondents would use facilities 24

to recycle food waste if they were available.

This demonstrated an appetite within the student community to be able to dispose of their food waste in a more environmentally friendly way.

To respond to this, the University introduced a food waste-only recycling stream, which is treated and used to produce gas for energy and fertiliser for crops – also helping to reduce the number of ‘general’ waste bins in catered hall dining rooms and kitchens.

Students are now required to scrape their own plates into a new bin area, making them feel more accountable for their waste and freeing up members of staff to help the team in other areas.

The average weekly student plate waste has now decreased from 723kg in 2015 to 527kg in 2016 - a massive saving of 27% - even though students are still permitted to return for seconds. The 2015/16 academic year has also been predicted to reduce the amount of food waste by 6.7 tonnes.

Kitchen food waste is also weighed daily, to ensure staff are monitoring and actively seeking to reduce excess wastage. As a result, this waste has also decreased from 532kg to 511kg per week.

Because of the amount of food waste that has been reduced, the number of ‘general waste’ bins needed for catered halls has shrunk from 30 to 18, and the overall monetary cost associated with the collection of general waste has fallen due to associated environmental benefits.

The steps mentioned above demonstrate that small but wise changes can have a whole world of difference when it comes to being environmentally friendly and cost efficient. It’s all about trying new things and seeing what works for each individual campus. By working together, we can tackle the issue of food waste head on and make a real difference to the environmental impact of our sector for years to come.

Education Magazine

Groundbreaking anti bullying film The film was set for 12th of November debut and is set to play vital role in preventing bullying in UK schools A new anti-bullying film that could play a vital role in transforming the way schools, youth services, charities and community groups across the UK deal with the current bullying epidemic will receive its premiere at a special screening event on 12 November at The Gwyn Hall, Neath.

The 45 minute long film - My Life As A Bully – is a mix of mockumentary and drama, produced by Port Talbot-based educational film and theatre company, Firehorse Productions.

Released in time for National Anti-Bullying Week 2016, which is coordinated by The Anti-Bullying Alliance, the film will help both adults and young people aged between 7 and 13 recognise, prevent and take action against bullying. Statistics featured by the Anti Bullying Alliance from the TellUs4 national report quote 46% of children and young people in England and Wales having said they had been bullied at some point whilst at school. 25% of children and young people said they worried about bullying.

Firehorse Productions, a core member of The Anti-Bullying Alliance, has an established reputation of producing innovative bullying

awareness and prevention work and My Life As a Bully has the support of Baroness Newlove, the UK Victims’ Commissioner, who is delivering the introduction to the film.

Victims’ Commissioner Baroness Newlove said: “It is not right that almost half of children and young people say they have experienced bullying at school - we need to make sure they can learn in a safe environment and not feel isolated or victimised by others. This film rightly raises awareness to bullying, as the impact can be traumatic and often continues into adulthood. So let’s stand up for others and take action against this issue.”

My Life As A Bully has involved students from Dyffryn Comprehensive in Port Talbot and members of the surrounding community to work alongside professional actors and crew.

The film’s story, which highlights the experience of a young person who, through a series of mishaps and information is treated as a bully herself, and soon discovers the pitfalls and hurt that bullying behaviour causes. The script has been written for young viewers to relate to and aims to make a real and lasting impact on the issue of bullying. The film is accompanied by a comprehensive educational resource pack, in line with the national curriculum.

Denise Francis, Founder Member and Artistic Director of Firehorse Productions said

“At Firehorse we are committed to offering practical solutions to tackling the bullying problem. Pupils from Dyffryn Comprehensive are at the heart of the production, which offers an unique and often humorous take on the issue. It aims to empower young people about the importance of speaking out against the injustices of bullying. Equipping them with the knowledge they need to deal with situations appropriately as featured in the film, is close to my heart.”

My Life As A Bully will be available to purchase, following the premiere on the 12 November, from www.firehorsefilm.com and £1 from each purchase will be donated to the Anti Bullying Alliance.

For updates, follow @mylifeasabully1 on Twitter and see the official website www. firehorsefilm.com.

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Seated for success: Getting the most out of your classroom seating plan Allie Palmer, a former teacher and now a training and support manager explains how teachers can use their pupils’ diverse personality traits and attainment levels to facilitate smooth and productive teamwork in their classrooms.

In the education sector, the schools’ inspectorate Ofsted requires all schools to show reports of seating plans, which demonstrate the management of pupils to optimise their learning.

Pupils learn best when they work together; they learn how to communicate, express their ideas, play to their strengths and work collaboratively. But trusting pupils to work together without getting distracted means that, all too often, teachers revert back to lecture-style lessons and silent working.

Teachers may dream of their pupils working together harmoniously, listening to each other’s ideas respectfully and taking on an equal share of the work. However, in reality, the brunt of the work is often left to a couple of diligent pupils while the others compete for attention within the group or try to assume the lead role – inevitably resulting in more chaos than good. This is because each and every classroom forms a microcosm of society at large, where numerous different personality types co-exist, sometimes productively and sometimes disruptively.

In almost every workplace, family and friendship group you’ll find a mix of leaders, followers, team players, introverts,

National Children’s Bureau aims to help schools tackle mental health with a brand new toolkit The National Children’s Bureau (NCB) has created a new toolkit for schools to help them face the ever growing issue of student mental health and wellbeing.

Earlier this year an NCB and Association of School College Lecturers (ASCL) survey amongst school leaders reported more than half (55 per cent) had seen a large increase in anxiety or stress, while 79 per cent reported an increase in self harm or suicidal thoughts amongst students.

With such increasing numbers of complex mental health issues, the NCB and its

extraverts, creators, communicators and so on. Put five natural leaders in one office and the atmosphere will swell with fiery competitiveness; put five introverts at a single dinner table and you’ll find the conversation to be as dry as the house wine.

So each situation needs a healthy mix – and classroom groups are no different. By using the age-old classroom seating plan in a whole new way, teachers can create productive and harmonious groups by seating complementary personality types near each other.

Picking personalities After the first few weeks of the school year, each pupil’s natural personality traits will begin to surface. Teachers will start to recognise the familiar signs of the quiet yet studious worker, the passionate leader, and the much beloved ‘class clown’. Once they do, they should start using these innate characteristics to their own and, more importantly, to their pupils’ advantage.

Rather than looking solely at attainment levels, or behaviour types, teachers should consider placing students together based on their personalities. Instead of seating three shy and modest pupils in a row, why not seat a more vocal and confident student between them? This may just encourage them to partake in class discussions and help bring out their inner confidence through chatting to them and putting them at ease during class discussions. And, in the same vein, why not seat one of your more studious pupils next to someone whose level of attainment is often inhibited by their tendency to get distracted by those around them?

Opposites attract By encouraging pupils to interact with Partnership for Well Being and Mental Health and in Schools has produced ‘A whole school framework for emotional wellbeing and mental health - A self-assessment and improvement tool for school leaders.

The framework is broken down into four stages, which are:

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Stage 1: Deciding to act and identifying what is in place already

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Stage 2: Getting a shared understanding and commitment to change and development

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Stage 3: Building relationships and developing practices

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Stage 4: Implementation and evaluation

Each step includes development questions to answer and activities to complete. The aim is to encourage the whole school come

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classmates they may not initially relate to, teachers can open up more opportunities for them. It is human nature to look for the safe familiarity of what we know; children have a habit of forming friendships with others who share their likes, dislikes and personality traits. However, this can discourage them from exploring other ways of being and growing into rounded adults. If, for instance, an introverted pupil only ever works and plays with similarly shy and reserved children, they’ll never gain the confidence to speak out or step beyond their comfort zone, as this would put them outside of the nature of their group – the thing that binds them together. So, by encouraging them to work closely with more extroverted pupils in the classroom, teachers can help them learn how to communicate with people who think and act differently from themselves – something that will be invaluable to them in later life.

Learning in harmony It is not the place of a teacher to orchestrate friendships within their classroom, this should be organic. However, it is their responsibility to ensure each pupil learns to interact, communicate and work with others confidently and effectively. In order for pupils to perfect the art of teamwork by learning to express their ideas while listening respectfully to other people’s, teachers should group different yet complementary personality types together so that they can learn from each other, as well as from their lessons.

So, when drafting next term’s seating plan, consider the types of personalities you’re seating together and whether they’ll prove to be a harmonious match within the classroom, or a potential cause of chaos. together to combat and prevent mental health issues in students and staff. It will help schools build on and develop existing practices, identify and implement new programmes, set priorities and evaluate the new ways of working.

Enver Solomon, Director of External Affairs at the National Children’s Bureau, said: “The tool kit is an accessible easy to follow guide that will help schools improve the mental health and well-being of all pupils.

We know supporting children and young people’s emotional health contributes to a positive academic environment. It can enhance attainment levels, reduce exclusions, and re-engage students who may have experienced problems.”

The toolkit is available to download for free on our website with supporting resourses.

For more information visit www.ncb.org.uk

Education Magazine

Help prevent infection outbreaks

Established back in 1966, Herok educational furniture makers have developed a first class reputation within the educational and library furniture industry for combining quality with unbeatable value.

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Good hand hygiene, achieved through hand washing with soap and warm running water, is considered to be the single most important practice in reducing transmission of infection as hands can harbour over 150 species of bacteria.

Over the years, we have embraced new technologies as they have been developed and made our manufacturing processes more refined to enable us to drive down production costs and deliver savings to our customers.

Manty Stanley, managing director at TEAL Patents, a world leading, UK manufacturer of portable hand washing units, says: “Infections take a heavy toll on schools and nurseries across the world. It’s well-known worldwide that the gold Reply standard in infection control is washing hands under running water with No. soap.Yet, many countries still use alcohol rubs and gels.

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With over 50 years’ experience, we understand the importance of excellent service, durability and reliability for your educational and library furniture needs. In an age where the customer is often discouraged from calling the supplier, we encourage our customers to call, as we believe that offering good communication is at the heart of excellent service.

“Alcohol-based hand gels and rubs only provide a protective layer they do not remove germs. Hand washing with soap is the most effective and inexpensive way to prevent the spread of germs and infections ,” says Manty.

From our base here in Hertfordshire, we can comfortably cover and service all of the UK via our nationwide network of distributers. Wherever you are in the UK, we can provide friendly, professional advice on all of our educational and library products, design service and delivery service.

In support of teachers and pupils alike, TEAL Patents has created the Kiddiwash range, hand washing facilities designed exclusively for smaller hands. Portable and lightweight, the units can be located wherever and whenever a warm-water hand wash is needed.

Our staff are trained to the highest standards and our aim is to keep your ordering experience as easy as possible for you. And remember, from selecting which school or library furniture products you need, to receiving your delivery, we are just a phone call away.

The Kiddiwash Xtra is the ideal teacher’s accessory for indoor or outdoor use. The unit is lightweight and portable providing young pupils with the gold standard of hand hygiene wherever it might be needed.

Providing a minimum of 15 handwashes per filling, the Kiddiwash Xtra makes hand hygiene fun and educational.

Call us on 01992 462943 www.herok.com or info@herok.com

For further information, visit W www.washyourhands.co.uk T 0121 770 0593 E enquiries@tealwash.com

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Making the most of your outside space

By Mark Hardy, API Chair If you thought the best classrooms have four walls and a roof, think again.

Getting children out into the fresh air brings a host of benefits. Children look at the world with fresh eyes when outdoors. You don’t need to travel far – stepping out into your school grounds can open up a world of exciting new learning experiences.

A large outside space is every head teacher’s dream, but for many schools, this simply isn’t possible. Having a small outside space needn’t limit opportunities for children to play, learn and be active.

With expert planning, creative design skills and some great resources, an accredited member company of the Association of Play Industries (API) will transform an unloved, unused spot into a hub for outdoor learning.

Improving your outside space can be a significant investment so you want to be sure the company you choose knows what it’s doing, knows schools inside out and has the experience and expertise to provide a solution that meets your objectives and budget.

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Physical activity boosts concentration, learning behaviour and mood

For guaranteed peace of mind, insist on that company being an API member.

API members are the UK’s leading play companies. They are reputable, committed to high standards and quality, abide by a Professional Code of Conduct, and agree to be rigorously checked for financial stability as part of our membership criteria. That means you can be sure they will be in business long beyond the completion of your project.

Children have natural energy and enthusiasm so make the most of it by building physical activity into the whole school day. Use your playground and outside spaces to get children moving during lesson time, break and lunch times, before and after school, and for extra-curricular activities, as well as during sport and PE. It’s not just physical literacy levels that will improve. Schools report improvements in behaviour and wellbeing too.

There’s a wide range of ways to embed physical activity into school life, and API members are experienced at creating playgrounds, outdoor classrooms, garden, grow and nature play areas, fitness trails and tracks, multi-use sport and games areas, indoor play equipment, early years spaces and other facilities.

If you’re looking for good reasons to improve your school’s outdoor facilities, here are just five:

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Children of all ages learn through play

Learning through play is a Trojan Horse for all the learning experiences that will

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School is the only safe place for some children to play

For children in deprived communities, school may provide the only safe outdoor place to play and be physically active.

follow in a child’s school life. Without even realising, children develop knowledge, skills and lessons for life, from confidence and endurance to communication and leadership.

Providing time, space, opportunity and a positive attitude to play benefits children of all ages and abilities.

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There’s government funding to improve school sport and PE provision

The Primary PE and Sport Premium is designed to help schools improve the quality of sport, PE and active play they offer, and to maintain those improvements. Outdoor play continues overleaf u

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Making the most of your outside space continued dedicated hub for schools. Here you’ll find a host of useful advice, information and inspiration, including details of API members in your area.

Play matters The API campaigns at the highest levels for policy recognition of the value of play. We do this because the government is yet to acknowledge its vital importance in creating positive early experiences of physical activity for children. Physical activity is a habit, so starting early in a child’s earliest years is likely to entrench healthy, active behaviours in adulthood. This improves health and wellbeing which reduces the burden on the NHS.

equipment promoting physical activity and movement skills is eligible for this funding.

The soft drinks tax, announced as part of the government’s new obesity strategy, is set to further increase investment for schools to improve provision for physical activity.

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Advice for schools Knowing where to turn for advice on making outdoor improvements can be challenging.

That’s why we’ve created Schools Get Active (www.api-play.org/schoolsgetactive), a

Open your facilities outside of school hours

So why not visit our schools hub today and see how other schools and settings are making the most of their outside space. It’s a great place to start to get your school moving more.

Many communities lack high-quality facilities for sport and physical activity. Why not open your facilities to clubs and the local community outside the school day and raise your school’s profile? You could even generate an additional income stream.

For advice on improving your school playground and outdoor facilities, and information about the benefits of using an API member, visit www.api-play.org or contact: Deborah Holt, API Association Manager, tel: 024 7641 4999 or email api@ api-play.org

Our member companies work with hundreds of schools, academies and early years settings every year. Here’s what they’ve found:

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At a time when physical inactivity poses as big a threat to public health as smoking, it’s hugely important that children have time, space and opportunity to be active and schools have a vital part to play. If we are serious about tackling the root causes of inactivity and obesity, then every school should be able to provide well-designed, high-quality outdoor facilities. School budgets are under pressure, of course, but the relatively low capital cost required to improve outdoor facilities delivers farreaching benefits.

Schools want to help children be as active as possible - the top 3 objectives for school customers to improve their outdoor facilities are to increase opportunities for active outdoor play (85.7%), physical activity (68.5%) and outdoor learning (62.8%).

Children move more when schools improve their outside space - 68.5% said schools report an increase in children’s physical activity following outdoor improvements.

Behaviour and classroom learning improve too - 45.7% said schools report better behaviour and 28.5% report more positive attitudes to learning as a result.

Enquiries from schools are increasing - over a third (34.2%) say increasing numbers of schools are getting in touch for advice on how to make more of their outside space.

Many schools have big ambitions for their outside spaces - 75.7% report that schools want major improvements or complete makeovers of playgrounds and outside spaces.

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Is outsourcing ICT Support becoming inevitable in education?

Martin Pipe explores the growing trend in schools seeking to outsource or co-source their IT support services.

According to an annual survey*, a growing number of schools are now considering outsourcing and co-sourcing their IT support in order to keep up with the constant changes in technology and minimise overall support costs.

As moving to the cloud continues to help schools drive down expenditure and enhance learning, educational institutions of all sizes are also beginning to look for IT partners who can not only help them transition to the cloud, but provide ongoing IT support and expertise as the breadth of available technologies develops.

In guidance issued in July this year, the Department for Education (DfE) reiterated that the marketplace is increasingly seeing cloud services as the way forward, but also stipulates that ‘as the complexity of locally hosted, school based ICT solutions increases, it can become more and more challenging to ensure the same level of reliability in respect of the ICT provision in schools’ – making the support of a trusted partner in this journey to the cloud essential.

Central motivators So what are the key influencing factors driving a growing number of schools to outsource or co-source? It largely depends on the long-term and unique issues each school faces, but there’s often a more critical driver - such as their existing systems aren’t working well enough, technology is too slow or failing during lessons, infrastructure isn’t supporting new apps and software, the cost of in-house IT support is too high or they’ve had a change of senior leadership who has brought in new ideas.

Cost is still a prominent factor in the decision to outsource IT support and services, whilst risk management is another key driver.

Outsourcing IT support lets schools transfer the risk of day-to-day mishaps and any other risks associated with IT to the service provider, as well as providing cover for sickness and holidays.

additional staff. By combining services from within the school and from a well-chosen partner, both parties can work to achieve the same goals.

Bridging the gap However, perhaps the greatest motivator of all is no longer simply about cost, but about addressing the widening technology skills gap; in today’s competitive marketplace and with technology moving at a rapid pace, schools are finding it increasingly difficult to attract the right type of IT specialists to support them. This trend is again reflected in the survey, with 60% of schools citing the need for additional skills and expertise as the most important motivating factor.

Schools have so many of their own challenges that recruiting top IT talent – quite understandably - tends not to be their main priority. However, the problem is that when they do try to find the right staff, the marketplace is tough – they’re competing with the enterprise IT market and candidates can often get much more from an organisation than from a school.

As technology becomes an increasingly integral part of education, schools need IT expertise in multiple types of technology, which leaves them with two choices; to find a single IT support specialist with the knowledge and expertise of five different people, which is almost impossible – or to employ multiple experts to cover the vast range of technologies, which is very expensive.

When an IT issue occurs that goes beyond the expertise held locally – such as server failure, or pupils not being able to log into something – schools have to rely solely on their Network Support Manager or IT technician, who may not always be able to help. This puts schools in a vulnerable situation as it could ultimately lead to hours of lost teaching time and major classroom disruptions.

And that’s where outsourcing or co-sourcing IT support can become a major advantage for schools, as whatever the issue, they have access to the infinite expertise of a much larger organisation with every possible skillset they need.

It also minimises any disruptions from technology, as IT partners providing managed services to schools can run proactive checks on the schools’ systems throughout the day to instantly pick up and rectify issues before they become a problem.

Reclaiming time But while existing IT support staff may perceive outsourcing as a threat, the reality is often that they are not only benefiting from broadening their skillset by working with third party IT support providers, but are actually freed up to concentrate on offering more practical, hands-on IT support around the school.

Conversely, co-sourcing IT support can fill in gaps in internal expertise and save schools time, money, and effort in recruiting

When you think about the sheer scale of what an IT technician has to do – from in-class support for teachers using ICT and 32

proactive and reactive management and repair to monitoring security updates and load times and everything in between, it’s becoming almost impossible for them to achieve everything on their list without the support of a third party.

For Network Managers, the plethora of responsibilities is even more pronounced; in addition to network and server management they have to manage tight budgets, monitor performance, implement and manage filtering and safeguarding policies, produce monthly reports and manage their team – as well as staying up to date on the changing technologies.

Ultimately, that model isn’t sustainable.

Kirsty Alderton is Director of ICT & Learning Technologies for both curriculum and noncurriculum IT at The London Oratory School.

Through adopting a co-sourcing model, Kirsty says the school have been able to drive down costs and reinvest funds back into ICT. The on-site engineers at the school have gone from being locked away in a server room managing back-end issues to being freed up to support the day-to-day IT needs of the school, taking up an efficient helpdesk role based on the shop floor so that students and staff can approach them with issues directly.

“Moving to a co-sourced model has allowed me to forget about the day-to-day IT issues and focus on strategy, training and future direction,” says Kirsty. “I can see outsourcing becoming a major trend because schools no longer need to worry about their infrastructure and IT facilities, and can get back to focussing on school matters.

“And when you factor in the long-term benefits and add in all the extra services - such as specialists, escalation points, strategy, knowledge, background support, sickness cover and valuable access to best practice from other schools they support.

“You’re not only getting more value for money but you’re helping to futureproof your school. And in a world where technology is changing so quickly, that’s absolutely essential.”

Martin Pipe is Head of Service Scope & Design at RM Education. He has been with the company for nearly 20 years and specialises in managed services, IT strategy, cloud computing and SaaS. His team supports schools across the country in providing a range of fully scalable education IT support and reliable ICT services for primary and secondary schools.

For more information, visit www.rm.com * The survey was carried out by RM Education.

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Schools must prioritise their online experience to make sure information is being given to parents where they want it – and our research suggests this is online.

Importantly, 36% of parents stated specifically that they would be happier and engage more with their child’s school if its website or online approach was improved. As multiple studies have shown that parent involvement and engagement with their child’s education is often crucial to their success, this needs to move up the priorities list.

Earlier this year, Ofsted announced it was incorporating schools’ online strategies - namely websites - as an inspection criterion, which should be another push for any school decision-maker to think about them more carefully.

A good website doesn’t have to be costly

Phil Holt, Managing Director.

When was the last time you thought about changing your school’s website? If I were to give it a guess, I’d say altering it has fallen towards the bottom of your to-do list - way behind priorities such as writing reports, preparing for Ofsted inspections, and creating lesson plans. This is understandable, with the lack of resource you have to spare - and you probably think (or hope) that your current website does a good enough job anyway. But, according to our latest research of 1,000 parents with children in school, one in four of them think that these websites need to be improved. This is concerning, as nearly all parents (93%) use these websites.

Our world is very much digitised these days, with people wanting to be able to access instant updates 24/7, and on the go.

What’s concerning, is that parents might not be getting all of the important information they need regarding their child’s school life, if these websites aren’t user-friendly and updated regularly enough.

One of the main pieces of feedback we got from the parents we spoke to was that school websites aren’t easy to use. Another was that they’re not updated regularly enough.

Our research found that only 36% of parents find school websites easy to use, which could also explain why so few of them (17%) will access these websites on a weekly basis.

On top of this, a fifth said that these websites need to be updated more regularly.

Why websites are important for communicating

By having a website that offers a good user experience for parents, and adding news and information regularly, schools can communicate with them more efficiently. And, as everything can be collated in one place, parents can access what they need when they want it.

Bad websites could be contributing to the dilution of communication between schools and parents. Indeed, as a parent with children in school, I sometimes feel that way.

Traditionally, letters and parents’ evenings have been the main channels of communication between schools and parents.

But we’re in a digital world now, so steps need to be taken

Although it’s understandable why an online strategy might not be a big priority when it comes to time sensitivities and budgets, this still needs to be addressed.

One of the biggest misconceptions about robust websites is that they are costly.

And understandably, this could be a big concern for schools that have dwindling budgets. But this doesn’t necessarily have to be the case.

It’s not costly to make a userfriendly website as long as the content management system (CMS) is chosen carefully. For example, a brilliant website can be created on the cost-effective CMS, WordPress. Then once the build of the website is complete, control can be handed to the school so they are able to update information as and when they please – cutting out the cost of having to go back to the design agency to do minimal amends.

And this means that information can be updated all the time.

Ultimately, schools need to evolve with parents when it comes to how they want to receive information. And as a decision maker, if you didn’t know this already, please let this article be a reminder that websites can no longer be ignored as an important communication tool.

Our research of 1,000 parents from across the UK, with children at school, set to uncover parent’s thoughts on the quality of school websites.

You can find the full research here: www.web-foundry.co.uk/ blog/education/304-do-schoolshave-more-to-learn-when-itcomes-to-their-online-strategy For more information, please visit: www.web-foundry.co.uk/ Phil Holt is the Managing Director at digital agency, Web Foundry.

Product showcase Safe-to-touch radiators offer high heat outputs and low running costs Autron LST (Low Surface Temperature) radiators provide the ideal heating solution for schools and nurseries. The emitters in every Autron LST, contain less than a third of Reply No. the water found in a typical flat panel emitter, producing the same wattage. As a result a boiler 33 can use less energy to heat the water, thereby saving on energy costs. Plus, these emitters transfer heat to a room far more quickly, and in a more controllable manner, than with both flat panel radiator LSTs and underfloor heating systems. Critically, the radiator casings provide a safe-to-touch surface temperature and are protected by BioCote® anti-microbial coating, helping to optimise classroom hygiene.

A new case study featuring the installation of Autron LSTs at Monkshouse Primary School in Spalding, Lincolnshire is now available to read and download at www.autron.co.uk.

For further information call +44 (0)1952 290498 or email sales@autron.co.uk.

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Let SPATEX 2017

Show You How to Pool Your Resources Here’s five reasons why attending SPATEX 2017, the UK’s largest wet leisure Exhibition, at Coventry’s Ricoh Arena, Tuesday January 31st to Thursday February 2nd could be your soundest business decision of 2017.

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One-off opportunity - SPATEX is the one and only time that all the leading manufacturers and suppliers of pool, spa and wet leisure equipment from home and abroad converge in the UK in 2017.

Showcase - source and shop all the latest innovations.

You can potentially save your school thousands of pounds by researching the latest renewable technology and energy saving innovations. Discover the latest generation heat pumps, heat retention covers, enclosures, ingenious variable speed pumps and time saving chemical dosing systems.

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Free expertise on tap – SPATEX brings together the world’s leading wet leisure experts. If you have any queries about your own school pool or a future project, these are the people to consult.

Expand your skill set – SPATEX offers a free double seminar and workshop programme on all three days.

Topics include the latest health and safety guidance and government legislation and the latest thinking on minimising a pool’s maintenance costs.

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Don’t just take our word for it …Richard Baum: “I visited SPATEX in my capacity of Bursar of Godstowe School (a leading prep school in High Wycombe) in order to source equipment and find out costings and the viability of embarking on the construction of a school pool.

The day was well spent as I had access to all the leading wet leisure suppliers, manufacturers and installers. I would recommend it to anyone who is in charge of a school pool or embarking on a project of this kind.”

SPATEX 2017, Tuesday January 31st to Thursday February 2nd, Ericsson Exhibition Hall, Ricoh Arena, Coventry. Easy to get to with 2,000 free on-site car parking spaces. Visitor registration is FREE and open now at www.spatex.co.uk.

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