Education Magazine edition 73 by Steven Mitchell

Edition 3, 2017

Talking periods with both boys and girls on the betty bus, see p12

p9 Redefining security

standards in education: regulation on the horizon

p10

Forget STEM â&#x20AC;&#x201C; think STEAM

p17 Term

time holidays and the legal position

p24 Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re

not flying a plane.....

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

Education Magazine Edition 73

Publisher Steve Mitchell

Annual Subscription £10

Production Editor Richard Shrubb

Free to Heads and School Financial Directors

Circulation research Mary Reale

Advertising Sales Team: Tracy Johnson, Martin Petty,

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 2017

Contents 4 6

News

The future of learning: is this what classrooms will look like in ten years?

Redefining security standards in education: regulation on the horizon

17 Term

time holidays and the legal position

leaders can learn that tracking compliance will help manage risk

20 Teaching the

teachers – BNF launches new nutrition platform

22 Prue Leith joins the

Forget STEM – think STEAM

campaign to get British children eating healthy food by becoming patron of the Children’s Food Trust

12 Talking periods

24 You’re not flying

with both boys and girls

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

How risk-proof are your school’s IT systems?

New report reveals UK schools are unprepared for heating system failure

Enhancing school security through body cameras and CCTV

a plane.....but school

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

Tax-Free Childcare launches for children under four Childcare support is now available for parents from 21st April 2017, working parents can apply for two new government childcare schemes launched this year – Tax-Free Childcare which begins immediately and 30 hours free childcare which starts in September. This means that working parents of children, who will be aged under 4 on 31st August 2017, can now apply through the new digital childcare service for Tax-Free Childcare and receive a government top-up of £2 for every £8 that they pay into their Tax-Free Childcare account. All parents of disabled children (under 17 years old) will also be able to apply for Tax-Free Childcare from today. In addition, parents of 2-3 year olds, who will be eligible for a 30 hours free childcare place in September, can apply through the childcare service and start arranging a place with their childcare provider. The Childcare Choices website provides information on the government’s childcare schemes and explains how parents can preregister or apply. It also includes a childcare calculator to show eligible families how much they could receive.

Employers in England can set up an online account to manage their funds and invest in training for apprentices working for them - currently around 100 accounts are being set up every day. The government will then provide a further 10% top up to levy contributions each month into employers’ accounts.

Government confirms funding for EU students for 2018 to 2019

The levy will encourage employers to invest in high-quality apprenticeships ensuring even more people have a chance to reach their full potential.

On 21 April 2017 The government confirmed that EU students will continue to remain eligible for undergraduate, master’s, postgraduate and advanced learner financial support in academic year 2018 to 2019.

Generous support will also be provided for smaller employers with an annual pay bill below £3 million and therefore not required to pay the levy. The government will pay 90% of the costs of training and assessing their apprentices. In addition, companies with fewer than 50 employees that take on apprentices aged between 16 and 18 will have 100% of their training costs paid for. This is on top of a range of support for apprentices who have additional needs, including around £60 million of funds towards training those from the poorest parts of England Robert Hafton said:

For parents across the UK, Tax-Free Childcare will cut childcare costs by up to £2,000 per year for each child under 12 years old, or £4,000 per year for disabled children under 17 years old. The programme will be rolled out through the year, with all eligible parents able to receive it by the end of 2017.

“There has never been a more important time for Britain to invest in the skills of our people and businesses. To make Britain stronger and fairer, we need to make sure that everyone gets the chance to climb the ladder of opportunity to gain the education and skills they need to be successful in life.

From September, working parents of three and four-year-olds living in England will also be entitled to the new 30 hours free childcare offer, worth around £5,000 per child. Parents will only need to make a single application for both schemes when their children become eligible.

“Our apprenticeship levy is a massive part of this. More than 90% of apprentices go into work or further training, and the quality onthe-job training on offer will make sure we have the people with the skills, knowledge and technical excellence to drive our country forward.

New levy to double annual investment in home-grown skills

“Building an apprenticeship and skills nation is essential in ensuring that we have the home-grown workforce we need in postBrexit Britain to address the skills shortages facing industry and give everyone the chance to succeed.”

The apprenticeship levy has come into force ensuring employers and learners get the skills they need. It was launched on 6 April 2017 as part of the biggest shake-up of skills for a generation. The levy will require all employers in the UK with an annual wage bill of over £3 million to pay 0.5% of it towards funding apprenticeships. The money will be invested in quality training for apprentices and double the annual investment in apprenticeships in England to £2.5 billion by 2019 to 2020, compared with 2010 to 2011 levels.

The introduction of the levy is the biggest shake-up of skills for a generation and further supports the government’s commitment to deliver three million apprenticeships by 2020 - there were a record 900,000 apprentices last year. In addition to the levy, the Institute for Apprenticeships was also launched this week (Saturday 1 April). Independent from government, the institute, which is to be chaired by Antony Jenkins, has been launched to ensure that all apprenticeships are top quality and deliver the skills that employers need. 4

EU students applying for university places in the 2018 to 2019 academic year will remain eligible for financial support.

The decision means EU students applying for an undergraduate or master’s course at an English university or further education institution in the 2018 to 2019 academic year will continue to have access to student loans and grants, even if the course concludes after the UK’s exit from the EU. EU students are eligible for home fee status, which means they are charged the same tuition fees as UK students. Other non-EU, international students do not have their tuition fees capped in this way. EU nationals will also remain eligible to apply for Research Council PhD studentships at UK institutions for 2018 to 2019 to help cover costs for the duration of their study. Universities and Science Minister Jo Johnson said: “We have been clear about our commitment to the UK’s worldclass higher education sector. Through our modern industrial strategy and the additional £4.7 billion committed for research and innovation over the next 5 years, we are ensuring the UK has the skills and environment it needs to continue leading the way in academia and research. A key part of our success is attracting talent from across the globe. This will provide reassurance to the brightest minds from across Europe to continue applying to study in the UK, safe in the knowledge financial assistance is available if needed.”

Families to benefit from £55 million boost to childcare schemes Nearly 18,000 new childcare places have been created to help deliver 30 hours of free childcare. Thousands of new childcare places for working parents around the country are being created thanks to a multi-million grant scheme, the Early Years Minister Caroline Dinenage has announced on 11th April. The £50 million capital grants double the government’s investment to help nurseries, pre-schools and playgroups invest in new buildings and upgrade facilities. This will

Education Magazine

News News NEWS News

News deliver more than 9,000 additional childcare places – helping to deliver the government’s commitment to give working families 30 hours free childcare from September. The money builds on the £50 million funding announced in January, doubling the total spend to £100 million and altogether providing nearly 18,000 extra childcare places. Alongside this, nearly £5 million will go to organisations that are helping children from disadvantaged backgrounds or with additional needs to access high-quality early education, so that every child can reach their full potential, regardless of their background. The 12 opportunity areas announced by the Education Secretary will also benefit from £5 million as part of the government’s latest capital investment. These areas, identified as social mobility ‘coldspots’, are already benefitting from a share of £72 million – today’s funding will be a further boost for families living there. As part of its Plan for Britain, the government is working to create a society where success is defined by work and talent, not birth or circumstance. Supporting parents with the cost and availability of quality childcare to enable them to work if they choose to is an important part of this ambition.

Education Magazine

Caroline Dinenage said: “In my visits around the country I have heard from families whose lives have been improved by access to 30 hours. As part of our Plan for Britain we want to make this a country that works for everyone, not just the privileged few, so that means removing the barriers facing parents struggling to balance their jobs with the cost of childcare. This investment will deliver more childcare places to working parents, giving them the benefits of 30 hours’ free childcare while giving their children high-quality early education that sets them up for life. This is backed by our record £6 billion investment in childcare per year by 2020.” Up to £5 million of voluntary and community sector (VCS) grants will be shared among 13 projects working to improve the quality of early education and supporting professionals to deliver the 30 hours offer. This includes:

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more than £1.5 million for five organisations working with parents of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), delivering workshops and training that will raise awareness of the support available for these families nearly £1.7 million to directly support disadvantaged children by boosting

NEWS NEWS News

outreach programmes in areas such as early literacy and home learning

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more than £1 million to groups working directly with providers, developing tools and resources to support the delivery of 30 hours

The government has also relaunched its Childcare Business Grant Scheme, aimed at supporting new childminders or childminder agencies who are looking to start their own businesses. Eligible professionals could receive grants of £500 or £1,000 to help with the costs of setting up, making it easier for those who want to offer 30 hours free childcare to prepare. Childminders will also benefit from grants to Action for Children and PACEY, worth £370,000 and £381,000, which will help upskill and empower them to deliver 30 hours and make sure their businesses are sustainable. The announcement is on top of the government’s record £6 billion each year investment for childcare by 2020 and follows the recent publication of a new fairer funding system for early years education. This formula will see the minimum hourly rate for councils increased to £4.30 per hour, ensuring the 30 hours free offer is sustainable for providers.

The future of learning: is this what classrooms will look like in ten years? Virtual reality school trips, AI teaching assistants and exams on blogging could all be regular sights in the classroom in as little as ten years, new research suggests. The results of the research have been made into a series of artist representations which give a glimpse into the future, and show what the classroom might look like in as little as ten years time. Immersive learning workspaces While the research found that the classroom itself will still exist, the way learning is delivered within that space could be radically different in ten years time.

Misco artist impressions show what UK classrooms could look like in 10 years

Dr Nick Smith, courses director and founder of Oxford Home Schooling, believes that technology will have a big part to play in how lessons are delivered.

He said: “Some learning may happen on your smartphone, some may be delivered by augmented reality and some may happen in a virtual reality, and these learning experiences will be incredible!”

These new ways of delivering traditional lessons will require new tools to assist learning as Terry Chana explains. “I expect that we will see artificial intelligence play a much bigger role in classrooms in the next few years.

Children are already using AI tools such as Siri, Cortana and Alexa to help find resources, and smart assistants could support more effective teaching, as well as helping with out of school hours mentoring for students.”

Education Magazine

Virtual learning Virtual reality has been on the cards for years and in 2016 finally made its breakthrough into mainstream use. With the technology set to change everything from the way we play games to watch concerts, it is no surprise that classrooms in the future will also make use of the new technology. Experts predict that VR will play a huge part in how lessons are taught; we are already seeing schools adopt virtual reality technology to conduct field trips from the classroom. As Terry Chana explains: “I can see educators devising lesson plans around this technology and integrating it deeper with their cloud based learning tools, to enhance learning outcomes and development.” Dr Smith explained that he had experienced a VR tour of the human body, covering all aspects right down to being a cell nucleus:

However, as Dr Smith explains, the teacher will remain a central part of the classroom. “There are some basic facts about secondary education that won’t change … teachers will still be at the heart of the classroom or learning experience.”

Education Magazine

“As a biological science graduate, I found it astonishing. Gone is the day of the 2D diagram in a textbook or looking at a slide on a microscope. Tomorrow’s generation will truly know a cell as a 3D system rather than as a 2D diagram in a book.”

Changing methods of assessment Students must learn how to collaborate, communicate, be critical thinkers and be goal-oriented. As a result of this and our

rapidly advancing technological world, Christy Traore, executive dean at GSM London, believes the way students are assessed must change. “Assessment is a way of creating more learning opportunities and offers students the opportunity to use technology and enhance their skills. This might include the use of video presentations and blogging, or encouraging students to be able to design their own websites and online CVs, as part of the assessment process.” Commenting on the results of the research, Terry said: “Technology is undoubtedly shaping the way we live and learn, and it’s fascinating to see how experts in the industry are predicting the ways in which new technological advancements will shape how lessons are delivered in the classroom. “Educators are already being tasked with introducing technologies which will further aid teaching and learning, and it’s exciting to think that in as little as ten years time, students could be using everything from virtual reality headsets to artificial intelligence to learn. There’s no doubt that the classroom is only going to get more exciting in the next decade.” To read the full findings and see images of the classrooms of the future research, go to: www.misco.co.uk/public-sector/education/ future-classrooms

Are Your Staff and Students Ready for Lockdown?

Due to recent events, safety and security in UK schools are a paramount concern. There have also been reports of violent attacks on staff and students all over the country, including Dulwich1 in London, Dorset2 and Somerset3 in the South, and Leeds4 and Bradford5 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 robbery6, a secure unit abscondee on the loose in Conwy7, a man wielding a gun outside a Cambridge school8 and a shooting outside a Liverpool school9. All these resulted in schools going into lockdown. It is essential that accurate information is communicated clearly and quickly throughout the school, no matter whether the situation warrants evacuation or lockdown. 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 pre-recorded voice messages. As well as routine announcements such as class change, lunch or the end of school, in the event 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.

References

1. 2. 3.

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.

4. 5.

Richard Manby is managing director of Bodet Class Change Systems

Website: lockdown.bodet.co.uk Tel: 01442 418800

6. 7.

h t t p : / / w w w. b b c . c o. u k / n e w s / u k - e n g l a n d london-34868503 h t t p : / / w w w. b b c . c o. u k / n e w s / u k - e n g l a n d dorset-30534259 http://www.thewestonmercury.co.uk/news/education/ school_in_security_lockdown_1_4238794 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-27194984 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bradfordwest-yorkshire-33857626 h t t p s : / / w w w. p re s s a n d j o u r n a l . c o. u k / f p / n ew s / scotland/748968/scottish-schools-lockdownfollowing-attempted-armed-robbery/ http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-walesnews/neuadd-manhunt-schools-lockdownllanfairfechan-10107863 http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2911904/ Primary-school-forced-lockdown-mystery-gunmanspotted-outside-lunch-break-turns-police-anti-terrorexercise.html http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/anfield-roadshooting-school-lockdown-6889474

Education Magazine

Redefining security standards in education: regulation on the horizon Safeguarding is an issue that governing bodies and senior staff within the secondary and tertiary sectors have a direct responsibility to engage with; one that often includes a close interconnection with education safety and security systems. The Department for Education regularly updates its statutory guidance, Keeping Children Safe in Education, according to new government requirements. While references to the Data Protection Act 1998 are made, it does not currently take into consideration regulations on the horizon, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) set to come into motion in May 2018. As education institutions look to better support safeguarding initiatives through the use of security systems, an updated knowledge of the changing regulatory landscape will be key to ensuring both their effectiveness and compliance into the future.

Room for improvement: shortfalls in security standards It is clear that there is significant progress to be made, with a number of institutions adopting an ‘implement and forget’ approach to security systems. This type of practice clearly falls short of regulatory requirements, with a report by the University of Salford, for example, identifying that several schools were breaking data protection laws by failing to inform pupils that they were being monitored by CCTV after installation. It comes as no surprise then that Tony Porter, the Surveillance Camera Commissioner, has been pressing for increased regulation to deliver more effective surveillance. Keen to put an end to the sector’s legacy of poorly-specified and maintained systems plus ensure public space surveillance is used transparently and effectively, he set out a strategy to do just that in the National Surveillance Camera Strategy for England and Wales earlier this year. The need for guidance continues to grow partly as a result of the shift the surveillance industry has undergone over the last decade, with most institutions having made the transition from analogue to increasingly connected, IP systems. As security technology has become more advanced, higher quality footage has become possible, with more data captured than ever before. With this trend becoming increasingly prominent, regulations around data protection and student safeguarding continue to tighten. A number of education and government Education Magazine

Colin McKeown, discusses a regulatory landscape set for change and the impact of existing and upcoming regulations on education institutions making use of security systems in safeguarding students.

bodies such as The Education Union, The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and the Department for Education have issued updated guidance relating to surveillance and safeguarding technologies for schools, colleges and universities.

Security and data: the regulatory landscape GDPR, set to supersede the Data Protection Act, is a key driver for change for any organisation responsible for safeguarding Personally Identifiable Information (PII). GDPR contains a number of new requirements regarding how institutions should process and store data. It includes ensuring data breaches are reported to relevant authorities within 72 hours; implementation of policies to secure data portability and the employment of a Data Protection Officer, an investment in time and money that many in the education sector are likely to find challenging. The regulation’s primary objective is to strengthen data protection for individuals and simplify regulatory environments for institutions. Due to the sensitive nature of the information held by education security systems, from images of children to exam results, GDPR adherence will require significant planning around the people, systems and processes to enforce it. The Education Union, ATL, is very clear about the need for regular review of security systems. It states that “CCTV systems should be constantly reviewed to monitor their effectiveness and impact. It is not acceptable for a school simply to install CCTV cameras and forget about the impact they may be having”. In its guidance on the use of surveillance systems in education, it stipulates that not only should the purpose of surveillance and the type of data collected be made clear, but also that the security of that data is made paramount with clear restrictions to its access. Similar to the requirements in the upcoming GDPR, it also recommends the appointment of a data controlling officer from the school’s management team to oversee and control the use of surveillance technology. The Information Commissioner’s Office is another body emphasising the importance of the upcoming GDPR with Information Commissioner Elizabeth Denham telling businesses there’s no time to delay in preparing for the “biggest change to data protection law for a generation.” In its 9

CCTV Code of Practice, targeted directly at education institutions as well as other industries, it outlines the need to establish a clear basis for the processing of personal information including what is recorded; how the information is used and to whom it may be disclosed. It also reiterates the need for recorded material to be stored in a way that maintains the integrity of the information, and an audit trail showing how information is handled if it is ever to be used as evidence in a court.

Preparing for change: Solidifying security standards A common theme running through the various regulatory standards is that all information must be sufficiently protected to avoid a breach, including careful consideration of technical, organisational and physical security. Considering the recent proliferation of breaches, including the well-publicised ransomware cyber-attack on NHS hospitals, the consequences of noncompliance for public sector organisations are becoming increasingly clear. Regulations such as GDPR are expected to be taken very seriously, with clear penalties for noncompliance, including fines of up to 20 million euros or 4% of an institution’s annual turnover, whichever is higher. The impetus for schools, colleges and universities to fully understand the scope of regulations and ensure the effectiveness and security of systems is clear – from both a safeguarding and compliance perspective. With a tighter regulatory landscape on the horizon, senior education professionals have an opportunity to review systems and ensure compliance is achieved ahead of schedule. Institutions must be up to date with the latest regulations to ensure the safe and effective use of security systems, with the risk posed by growing crime and the complexity of technology used to manage it set to grow. With the amount of data captured in education on the rise, combined with an evolving threat landscape, risk is an element all institutions will continue to grapple with. Knowledge of best practice procedures followed through with informed systems and processes in place to preempt and rapidly deal with incidents will be key. Education professionals can then demonstrate that through regular risk assessments, they are not only mitigating security risk, but implementing best practice. continues overleaf u

Redefining security standards in education: regulation on the horizon continued To find out more, download the newly released white paper on the topic: Security – A Need for Effective Risk Mitigation in Education. Here www.nwsystemsgroup.com/security-effectiverisk-mitigation-education Colin McKeown – Senior Consultant, NW Systems Group. With early experience as an ICT consultant in schools during the National Grid for Learning (NGfL) era, Colin brings over 25 years of experience in the education sector. He has a background in ICT consultancy, having previously run the Schools & Colleges Education Team at Compaq and HP as well as managing a regional ICT services company. Colin believes in transforming security solutions into safeguarding aids, with experience as a director of a leading Safeguarding Monitoring Service Provider. This approach has proved invaluable in ICT environments; with the right tools helping institutions to benefit from added value. As Senior Consultant, Colin is responsible for understanding customer challenges, providing solutions that protect stakeholders while balancing funding and staff workload constraints. NW Systems Group is dedicated to serving organisations that are increasingly dependent on specialist security providers to overcome operational challenges through the installation and maintenance of advanced security systems and IP video monitoring solutions.

Forget STEM – think STEAM

Few question if STEM (science, technology, engineering, maths) subjects should be part of the core curriculum. But why not the arts? Schools and higher education programmes can help to cultivate a generation of highlyskilled computer programmers or mechanical engineers. But what’s the benefit if they aren’t able to communicate their ideas? If they don’t think creatively? If they can’t drive innovation?

to real-world problems is useful (STEAM) which incorporates the arts, is a better solution to cultivate creative and skilled leaders and to prepare them for the modern world of work.

‘Traditional’ teaching and learning needs an overhaul By one popular estimate, ‘two thirds of children entering primary school today will ultimately end up working in completely new job types that don’t yet exist’, so says the World Economic Forum in its Future of Jobs report. Traditional, didactic teaching methods are no longer appropriate or useful in today’s ever-changing world. Subjects like science and maths cannot simply be taught in a standalone way if students are to develop the skills they need to thrive. Young people must develop and apply transferable skills and be able to think across subject boundaries, and beyond the classroom.

This focus on STEM education comes from the continued push to develop UK talent and plug a shortage of critical skills in the modern workforce. Dr Neelu Sharma, Head of Science at ACS Hillingdon International School

Recognising this, STEM education encourages students to understand how subjectspecific skills can be applied in

Though the STEM approach, which focuses on learning across core subjects and applying skills 10

different ways, across different subjects, and consider wider possibilities. For example, a biology student can incorporate basic maths to develop their knowledge of anatomy, by measuring a heartbeat. This application and cross-over of skills enables them to understand the engineering concepts that support the natural dynamic and flow of blood through the heart, and how a pacemaker works. This practical and interdisciplinary learning that the STEM approach promotes helps students to become highly effective thinkers, doers, problem-solvers, collaborators and life-long learners, with an understanding that their knowledge of a subject area is not finite; it does not stop at school or when they leave the science classroom.

Adding the arts Add any form of art into the curriculum and students are encouraged to think differently and approach problems in a new way. A big difference in STEM vs. Education Magazine

STEAM is the ability to not only know the ‘hard sciences,’ but to be able to communicate more effectively. The ‘A’ adds the ability to look at a situation from new and creative angles and express concepts and information clearly. Developing methods of combining STEM facts, figures and ideas with storytelling, community and creativity, takes subjects out of the laboratory and into the ‘real world’. The combined effect can only enrich the learning experience for educators and learners alike. For example, our school’s Advanced Technology Club, which meets once a week, created, coded and built the ‘100 iPad Wall’ within the school’s IT Lab. The 100 iPad Wall, a huge screen made of one hundred tablets, is able to receive and display images simultaneously in real time. Combining science, technology and art, Lower and Middle School classes used the Wall to create a piece of art to exhibit their findings from a science project. After carrying out a scientific investigation Education Magazine

into the microscopic world around ACS Hillingdon, by attaching ProScopes to iPads, and sampling the natural and man-made worlds, students collected over 700 images and created an original piece of art to explain what they’d learnt in a creative way.

the app Puppet Pals, overlapping their knowledge across technology and science, while utilising their creativity, to create multi-media artistic projects which explain an anatomical process in a new way. STEAM has the power to enthuse and motivate young people, drawing in larger numbers and underrepresented groups to higher level STEM training. It can break down the subject silos between the STEAM subjects fostering greater creativity and innovation in science, technology, engineering and maths.

The inclusion of the arts component into STEM can also make core subjects more fun to learn, and more approachable to younger students. A child who has never seen code or learnt about computer science will be less intimidated and more engaged if it includes something they are familiar with, whether that is learning via a creative teaching method that incorporates visual art for example, or whether they are learning by actually creating something on an iPad.

Preparing for the future The STEAM movement isn’t about spending 20 per cent less time on science, technology, engineering, and maths to make room for art. It’s about sparking students’ imagination and helping them innovate through hands-on STEM projects. And most importantly, it’s about applying creative thinking to STEM projects so that students can imagine a variety of ways to use their skills at university and

Our Lower School students for example, were recently studying the human body in particular the respiratory system. As part of their assessment, students presented what they’d learnt by creating a film to explain the different anatomy and systems. They used 11

beyond, in their future careers. Educators can begin to bring STEAM education to life simply by challenging students to present a topic differently or look at a lesson from another angle. At ACS Hillingdon, for example, Lower School students use apps like Hopscotch and Floors as an artsbased way of learning to code. This cross-curriculum approach, combining art, technology and computer science, nurtures logical thinking, problemsolving and persistence, encourages collaboration and communication, and provides the opportunity for students to develop practical, future-focussed skills, in an imaginative, fun and creative way. The STEAM approach, combining all the core subjects, will help to cultivate a generation which is able to express new innovative ideas and perspectives across subjects and projects AND bring these ideas to life with a highlydeveloped, transferable skillset, ready to face the challenges of the modern world.

Talking periods with both boys and girls Betty for schools is a new, curriculum-linked free period education programme designed to support teachers of students aged 8-12. Its aim is to create a generation of both boys and girls who are truly informed and at ease talking about periods. The interactive, digital resources have been designed by betty together with education experts and young people to encourage open, respectful and honest conversations about periods and how they affect girls. the human body, the results of our survey clearly show that we still have a long way to go in applying the same approach to the subject of periods.” said Rebecca Martin, Head of Partner Relations – Education at betty for schools. “The betty for schools programme has been designed to challenge the overwhelmingly negative experiences that women have during their first period.

The free resources are suitable for PSHE lessons and are accredited by the PSHE Association’s Quality Assurance Mark. Film-led, with a mix of animations, quizzes and interactive activities, the 90-minute lesson comprises of animations of the reproductive system and drag and drop activities. There are extensive teacher notes to support and empower teachers to deliver sessions with confidence. The PSHE Association stated: “It is essential that children and young people be prepared for the physical and emotional changes they undergo during puberty.” Research by betty for schools carried out in March 2017 has highlighted the need for better education and a more open and honest dialogue amongst boys and girls around menstruation and puberty. The

findings showed that almost half (47%) of women felt unprepared and didn’t know what to expect when their period started, and just 22% recalled feeling excited or happy about it, whilst nearly a third (32%) admitted to feelings of shame around this perfectly natural part of puberty. The study, which surveyed over 2,000 women aged sixteen and upwards from across the UK, was released just weeks after it was announced by the government that sex and relationship education (SRE) is to become compulsory in all schools in England. PSHE education is also likely to be made compulsory in the future following further consultation on what it should include. “Despite the common belief that we live in a much more open and enlightened age when it comes to issues around sex, sexuality and 12

Jade Dalrymple, Head of RE, PSHE and British Values at The Pines school, Berkshire commented: “I was really pleased to be part of a panel of teachers asked to consult on the new betty for schools resources. I’ve always struggled to find free teaching resources about periods and it’s been great to have material that my pupils can really engage with. They have helped us all feel a bit less awkward talking about periods.” The betty for schools programme highlights the importance of engaging both girls and boys with the topic of periods. The programme also offers a complimentary free workshop aboard the specially designed betty bus which enhances the resources on offer. During the immersive one-hour session aboard the betty bus, the trained facilitators help girls explore how periods can affect their emotions, and what they can do to deal with them. While the girls are on the bus, the boys have the opportunity to take part in a separate session on empathy, and learn about the menstrual cycle and different emotions girls experience during their period. As the bus is a ‘girls only zone’, the boys’ workshop takes place in a classroom within Education Magazine

the host school. The boys are invited to participate in discussions and activities designed to encourage them to view events from different perspectives, and develop empathy and understanding for girls and their experience during their period. “The girls get excited when they see the bus and buy into the session almost immediately. It takes a bit of time for the boys to warm up once they know the bus isn’t for them, however they soon get into the swing of their own session with the learning resources we provide. It’s always interesting to see them share their different experiences of betty once their sessions have finished and we have been overwhelmed with how positive the feedback has been so far.” enthused Joe Rynhart, betty bus facilitator. The purpose of the boys’ session is not only to facilitate a discussion about what boys can do to help a friend or family member who might be having their period, but also to empower the boys with knowledge and empathy so they have some tools to help and sympathise. During the sessions, the boys will study four different images as stimulus for frank and open discussion. The images progress from fantasy to reality, reflecting the boys’ journey from the deconstruction of a fictional event to empathising with a real one. “Through carefully chosen games and discussion points, we take the boys on an experience that covers both complex and subtle learnings. Through the different images and resources provided, we teach boys how to read a situation and help them to realise that there are lots of things they can say or do to help girls feel a little bit better.

“The great thing about the session is that we don’t tell the boys what to say or do, they come up with it themselves” continued Joe. The data gathered from feedback of the betty workshops so far has shown that 91% of boys attending the boys’ workshop had a positive experience with betty with 51% rating it as ‘very good’ and 40% rating it as ‘good’. The workshop has been successful in increasing boys’ A screenshot of part of the workshop

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continues overleaf u

Talking periods with both boys and girls continued About betty for schools

empathy towards their female peers with around two thirds (65%) now feeling better prepared to comfort a friend or sister who were suffering because of their period. Furthermore, half of boys now feel more comfortable talking about periods and over a third of boys feel they know more about periods (39%). Feedback from teachers has been very positive so far. Kara McWilliam, P7 Teacher at Prestonfield Primary School, Edinburgh speaking of her students experience of the bus said: “The betty bus was an absolutely fantastic experience! The girls loved the

bus and the boys had a very enjoyable and informative session. The betty team were fantastic in creating a safe and welcoming environment which allowed the children to talk about a topic which often causes them embarrassment. The resources provided for use before the bus were also excellent. They were at the perfect level for the children and helped them to understand things clearly.”

All aboard the betty bus! The betty bus is currently on a tour of UK schools. Once on board, students will take part in a range of activities, including augmented

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betty for schools is a new, curriculumlinked period education programme designed to support teachers of students aged 8-12.

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The betty for schools programme has been designed by betty, together with education experts and young people, to create a generate of girls and boys who are truly at ease talking about periods. It encourages open, respectful and honest conversations about periods and the way they affect girls.

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The programme is suitable for PSHE lessons, has been accredited by the PSHE Association, and the resources are designed to empower teachers to deliver sessions with confidence. Teachers can access the free resources by registering via www.bettyforschools.co.uk

reality, touchscreen quizzes and group presentation work to enhance their learnings. Register today to access our free period education resources and request a visit from the betty bus at www.bettyforschools.co.uk The research was conducted by Censuswide between 1st and 6th March 2017. There were 2,000 female respondents from across the UK. *Additional research carried out by EdComs in February 2017 with KS2 primary and KS3 secondary teachers

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Term time holidays and the legal position

to do so”. She also considered research demonstrating that unauthorised absences have a disruptive effect, and the effect on other parents of this father avoiding a fine. She ruled that Parliament could not have intended that parents should be able to act in blatant disregard for the school rules when it brought into force the Education Act. Breaching Section 444(1) was an offence of strict liability, meaning that the offence was committed even if there was no intention to do so.

Following the ruling of the Supreme Court on whether parents should be punished for taking children out of school during term time, what should schools be considering now? A ruling was recently given in the case of a father on the Isle of Wight, who took his 7-yearold daughter out of school for one week to take her on a “once-in-a-lifetime” family trip to Disneyland. He was initially fined £60, increased to £120 as he did not pay within 21 days. He argued that even after the holiday, his daughter had 93% attendance at school, and this was accepted by the High Court in May 2016. They ruled that this constituted “regular attendance” at school, as required by Section 444(1) of Education Act 1996. Isle of Wight Council appealed

to the Supreme Court, and the judgement was given by Lady Hale. Her ruling considered the interpretation of “regularly” contained in Section 444(1). She also took into account Section 1 of Administration of Justice Act 1960, which states that in deciding whether a child’s attendance has been “regular”, account should be taken of their attendance generally.

The legal position for schools therefore has not changed. The guidance previously published (School attendance: Guidance for maintained schools, academies, independent schools and local authorities. November 2016) remains the guidance that schools should continue to use. Points to remember are:

Lady Hale looked at various interpretations, including whether “regularly” means attendance at regular intervals (such as going to church on Sunday), “sufficiently regularly” or regularly as in “when required

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Pupils are expected to be punctual to lessons.

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Schools and local authorities are expected to promote good attendance and reduce absence.

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Parents are expected to perform their legal duty by ensuring their children of compulsory school age who are registered at school attend regularly.

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School are required to keep an admission register and an attendance register.

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Schools will be aware of the relevant codes used in the attendance register; the most relevant here are:

Code C (Leave of absence authorised by the school) “Only exceptional circumstances warrant an authorised leave of absence. Schools should consider each application individually taking into account the specific facts and circumstances and relevant background context behind the request”; Code H (Holiday authorised by the school) “Head teachers should not grant leave of absence unless there are exceptional circumstances. The application must be made in advance and the head teacher must be satisfied that there are exceptional circumstances based on the individual facts and circumstances of the case which warrant the leave. Where a leave of absence is granted, Education Magazine

the head teacher will determine the number of days a pupil can be away from school. A leave of absence is granted entirely at the head teacher’s discretion”; and Code G (Holiday not authorised by the school or in excess of the period determined by the head teacher) “If a school does not authorise a leave of absence for the purpose of a holiday but the parents still take the child out of school, or the child is kept away for longer than was agreed, the absence is unauthorised. The regulations do not allow schools to give retrospective approval. If the parents did not apply for leave of absence in advance, the absence must be recorded as unauthorised.” Exceptional circumstances are not defined, and so head teachers have discretion. There should not be a blanket policy of refusal however, as each application is required to be considered individually, taking into account the circumstances. Where a parent has fails to obtain permission to remove a child from school, the Local Authority or the school may issue a penalty notice if:

•

The Local Authority’s code of conduct under regulation 14 of the 2007 regulations states that taking an unauthorised term time holiday is grounds for issuing a penalty notice; and The leave was not authorised by the head teacher.

Clearly, it would be prudent to communicate with a parent before taking this step to ensure that exceptional circumstances do not apply (although the regulations do not allow schools to give retrospective permission for leave). The Local Authority may prosecute the parent if they fail to pay the fine. Rachel Giles is a solicitor in the Family Team at the national law firm Blake Morgan. She advises clients in matters including divorce, financial proceedings and private children matters. Blake Morgan’s Family Law team is one of the most wellrespected practices in the UK and has a reputation for providing clear family law advice with sensitivity and integrity. More information: www.blakemorgan.co.uk

DBT STEPS-A Curriculum & DBT Skills Training for Emotional Problem Solving for Adolescents 10-12 July 2017 Chester

Course Description This course is for teams of professionals who want to deliver a DBT Skills intervention as part of the Secondary School Curriculum. Teams attending should comprise of teachers, educational psychologists or school counsellors and CAMHS professionals with experience of DBT. The DBT STEPS-A curriculum is designed to help adolescents develop coping strategies and decision–making abilities especially under emotional distress. DBT Skills Training for Emotional Problem Solving for Adolescents is a social emotional learning curriculum designed for middle and high school adolescents in educational settings. The curriculum is based on the skills components of Dialectical Behaviour Therapy that have been shown to be effective with high risk adults and adolescents. There are four modules of skills that are taught in DBT STEPS-A: core mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. The training is designed to establish four basic elements that are necessary in implementing the curriculum Effectively: Background and Development of DBT STEPS-A , Structure and implementation. Issues, Acquisition of Skills and Practice of Skills.

Prerequisites There are no specific prerequisites to attend this 3 day workshop — Open Registrations Dr. Elizabeth Dexter-Mazza is a certified DBT therapist and co-author of the DBT STEPS-A social emotional learning curriculum for middle and high school students. She received her doctoral degree from the School of Professional Psychology at Pacific University in 2004, and completed her predoctoral internship at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center’s Adolescent Depression and Suicide Program. Dr. Dexter-Mazza completed her postdoctoral fellowship under the direction of Dr. Marsha Linehan at the Behavioral Research and Therapy Clinics (BRTC) at the University of Washington. While at the BRTC, she was the Clinical Director and a research therapist for Dr. Linehan’s research studies, which provided both individual DBT and DBT group skills training. She has published several book chapters and peer reviewed articles on DBT, Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), and graduate school training in how to manage suicidal clients. Dr. Dexter-Mazza is a licensed psychologist and maintains a private practice in Seattle, providing comprehensive DBT and skills based coaching and support to family members and friends of individuals with BPD. Additionally, Dr. Dexter-Mazza is a trainer for Behavioral Tech, LLC, a training company that provides DBT trainings to mental health professionals around the world. Dr. Dexter-Mazza provides individual therapy to adolescents, young adults, adults and parent coaching. She has been providing DBT since 2000 and is considered an expert in training mental health professionals around the world in DBT. She also provides consultation on the implementation of DBT and DBT STEPS-A to clinicians and schools.

Dr. Dexter-Mazza specializes in providing treatment for the following areas: • Suicide and Non-suicidal self-injurious behaviors

• • • •

(e.g., self-harm behaviors)

• Borderline Personality Disorder • Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and other related trauma disorders

Problems with Emotion Regulation Depression Anxiety Parent Coaching for parents of adolescents and adult children Education Magazine

DBT STEPS-A Curriculum & DBT Skills Training for Emotional Problem Solving for Adolescents

10-12 July 2017 Chester Dr. James J. Mazza is the co-author of the DBT STEPS-A social emotional learning curriculum for middle and high school students. He received his masters and Ph.D. in school psychology from the University of Wisconsin – Madison. He is a professor at the University of Washington – Seattle where he has been for the past 20 years teaching and conducting research in the field of adolescent mental health. Dr. Mazza’s research interests focus particularly on adolescent internalizing disorders such as depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder, exposure to violence and especially suicidal behavior. His research examines the complex relationships of how mental health issues impact adolescent social emotional abilities and academic skills through a multitiered system of supports (MTSS). Dr. Mazza’s research has focused on school-based settings and has written extensively through peer-reviewed articles and book chapters on how to identify youth who are at-risk for suicidal behavior as well as developing social emotional learning (SEL) curricula to help all students learn emotion regulation skills. Dr. Mazza has worked with over 30 school districts and thousands of school personnel in developing and implementing comprehensive suicidal identification and prevention strategies for school-based adolescents.

** Price: £875 PP (Excl VAT) ** ** Limited Discounted places available at 30% (Excl VAT) ** The Skills Training for Emotional Problem Solving for Adolescents (Mazza et al. 2016) text book included in Course Fee Lunch and refreshments provided

To Register your places visit www.regonline.co.uk/STEPS-A-2017 Tel: 0800 056 8328 Email: info@dbt-training.co.uk www.dbt-training.co.uk

British Isles DBT Training reserves the right to alter aspects of the training programme. British Isles DBT Training are affiliated with the Linehan Institute and Behavioral Tech LLC. British Isles DBT Training, Croesnewydd Hall, Wrexham Technology Park, WREXHAM LL13 7YP +44 (0)1978 346900 info@dbt-training.co.uk www.dbt-training.co.uk

Education Magazine

Teaching the teachers – BNF launches new nutrition platform The British Nutrition Foundation (BNF) has launched a new professional development platform for primary school teachers, in response to the results of research which shows that many teachers are getting

little training in the area of nutrition; yet poor nutrition and an unhealthy lifestyle is detrimental to health and academic performance. Launched at a London conference for health professionals and educators to mark its 50th anniversary, the BNF hopes that the online training will provide much needed additional education for teachers.

Professor Ashley Adamson, University of Newcastle

is also important to academic attainment. The brain is affected by levels of physical activity, body fatness, and physical fitness. Using new evidence on the effects of lifestyle on the brain might be a way of improving educational attainment in the Professor John Reilly, future.”

Scientific experts presenting at the BNF conference, entitled ‘Talking about the next generation: Nutrition in school aged children’, discussed the importance of good nutrition in the wellbeing, growth and academic development of children. Professor John Reilly, professor of Physical Activity and Public Health Science at the University of Strathclyde, said: “Lifestyle in childhood and adolescence is not ‘just’ about health, but

University of Strathclyde

The BNF’s new professional development course (Teaching food in primary: the why, what and how) delivers seven different training modules, including: food origins, the Eatwell Guide and healthy eating, nutrition understanding, food safety, and cooking in the classroom. It provides downloadable guides for reflective practice, and culminates in an assessment and BNF certification for those teachers who successfully complete the full course.

Kick start the new school year with good hand hygiene With preparations for the new school term well underway, it is crucial that all new pupils are taught good hand hygiene habits in order to minimise the spread of common, contagious infections such as colds and flu. As more lessons seek to inspire and engage their pupils by progressing from the classroom to the great outdoors, teaching staff need to provide hand washing facilities. Manty Stanley - managing director at Teal Patents – says: “The rise in popularity of outside learning is sweeping the UK. A growing number of primary schools and nurseries incorporate outside learning into their curriculum, hand hygiene is a top priority. “Hand washing is such a simple task yet so important in preventing unnecessary suffering. During play time, bacteria can spread easily from pupil to pupil. As we approach the next school term and anticipate the arrival of the new cohort of pupils, it is essential that pupils are educated on good hand hygiene and the perils of poor habits from a young age,” says Manty. 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. The Kiddisynk can hold up to eight litres of warm water. It is a freestanding unit which can be wheeled into position. For further information visitw ww.kiddiwash.com T: 0121 770 0593 E: enquiries@tealwash.com

Education Magazine

guidelines in schools, and will equip teachers to be able to implement engaging food lessons and healthy school initiatives, for the benefit of all their students.”

Roy Ballam, Managing Director and Head of Education at the BNF, said: “It is critical that teachers lay the foundations for children to make good dietary and lifestyle choices now and as adults. But most primary teachers have received virtually no formal training in food, nutrition and physical activity. It is because of this that the BNF believes that there is an urgent need to support these teachers during their training and when they are practicing.” “Our professional development programme is inline with the curriculum demands, as well as government food teaching

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Leeds, presented a case study describing his local work on the impact of hunger, academic achievement and food waste issues. He said: “Our work has three key objectives: to remove hunger as a barrier for learning; improve wellbeing outcomes for children and families, both physically and mentally; and lastly to highlight the global issue of food waste. We use food as a medium to engage with children, families and the wider school community. The outcomes have been extremely powerful improving community cohesion being just one.”

Delegates attending the BNF conference heard from a panel of eminent scientific experts including Professor Ashley Adamson from University of Newcastle, Dr Graham Moore from University of Cardiff, Professor John Reilly of University of Strathclyde, and Professor Jeanne Goldberg from Tufts University in Massachusetts, USA, about the role and impact of a whole school approach to nutrition; the association between breakfast consumption and education outcomes in primary schools, with particular reference to deprivation; the impact of obesity, and of physical activity, on academic attainment; and research which points to the most effective methods of communicating about nutrition with school children.

Roy Ballam concluded: “Evidence for the benefits of good nutrition and physical activity on the academic achievements of children is accumulating. Our platform enables busy teachers and trainees alike to supplement and enhance their subject knowledge, skills and experience. This will facilitate their work with students, helping them to make healthier choices that will benefit their physical and mental health now and in the long term.”

Nathan Atkinson, Head Teacher, Richmond Hill Primary School in

About the British Nutrition Foundation (BNF) Making nutrition science accessible to all BNF was established 50 years ago and exists to deliver authoritative, evidencebased information on food and nutrition in the context of health and lifestyle. The Foundation’s work is conducted and communicated through a unique blend of nutrition science, education and media activities. BNF’s strong governance is broad-based but weighted towards the academic community. BNF is a registered charity that attracts funding from a variety of sources, including contracts with the European Commission, national government departments and agencies; food producers and manufacturers, retailers and food service companies; grant providing bodies, trusts and other charities. Further details about our work, governance and funding can be found on our website (www. nutrition.org.uk) and in our Annual Reports.

The Children’s Food Trust’s Let’s Get Cooking programme welcomes Prue as its patron as it continues its campaign to see more children eating better. Prue Leith said: “I’d like every child to cook and Let’s Get Cooking is a fantastic programme by The Children’s Food Trust that sets out to achieve this.

Prue Leith joins the campaign to get British children eating healthy food by becoming patron of the Children’s Food Trust Celebrity chef, author and food campaigner Prue Leith has become the patron of the country’s leading voice on children’s food.

“Cooking is an essential skill and should be taught in schools year in year out. Let’s Get Cooking is doing a great job but we’re filling a gap we shouldn’t have to. If food education was part of every child’s curriculum at school, so that every child was taught about food, learned to cook, and was encouraged to eat a decent diet, we’d go a long way to solving the obesity problem in the space of one generation. “Children who live on junk food and snacks are at a disadvantage from the start. We are risking their health and that is nothing short of shameful. “We need our children to grow up healthy but millions of them are not. Overweight and obese children generally perform worse at school, take part in less sport, are less happy, and likely to die younger than children on a healthy diet. Besides, obesity is costing the NHS a fortune. “Of course there are head teachers who recognise children need to be properly fed to do well and they see that their pupils all learn to cook. But some schools struggle with tight budgets, tight timetables, parents who themselves don’t recognise the value of a good diet and inadequate facilities. For them a Let’s Get Cooking club can be a boon. They know that the food will be good and healthy, the teaching will be excellent, and the children will enjoy it.” Children’s Food Trust CEO, Linda Cregan, welcomed Prue Leith’s endorsement: “As patron of Let’s Get Cooking Prue lends her voice to our campaign for children

everywhere to gain the skills to cook. It is only by learning to cook that children can learn about healthy diets and how to feed themselves in the future. “Children are growing up in a society in which we have made it easiest and cheapest to buy foods high in fat, sugar and salt. Our portion sizes are out of control and for too long we have failed to teach children how to cook. “If we can get children eating better now, they’ll be healthier adults. At the moment, the situation is crippling our NHS.” Let’s Get Cooking has the largest network of cooking clubs in schools in the United Kingdom and has reached more than three million people with healthier cooking skills. In a new video Prue Leith talks in more detail about how people can get involved with Let’s Get Cooking as well as her passion for helping kids grow up to be healthy adults. For more information visit www.childrensfoodtrust.org.uk/

Education Magazine

You’re not flying a plane.....but school leaders can learn from the aviation industry that tracking compliance will help manage risk Ian Armitage is chair of SGOSS Governors for Schools, a charitable enterprise offering a free governor search and selection service for schools keen to bolster the existing skills of their Boards of Governors by recruiting candidates with commercial experience. Here he discusses how governing bodies can learn from the aviation industry when looking to improve their attitude to compliance and risk management A failure to track and manage risks compliance tracking in short - has allowed blackmailers to install malware on the servers of over 200,000 enterprises worldwide. Close to home these risks turned into reality recently, when many NHS units suffered a temporary but serious degradation of service and the unnecessary costs associated with a shut down of their systems. These problems could have been avoided by the relatively inexpensive process of keeping their software up to date - a risk that is easy to identify and include in a risk register. Yet the use of a standard risk management register - a first line tool for identifying and managing risks - did not work. Happily our schools do not appear to have been affected. Only a negligible number of the 10,000 member schools of The Key national information service for school leaders were in touch with questions about IT security in the days following the attack. But there is no reason to be complacent, as this month’s outage at BA serves to remind us. Schools manage many other risks; indeed in an effort to support school improvement and manage risks schools must comply with between 60 and 80 statutory requirements. But the question remains; why do we fail to manage risks even when we think we comply with regulations and recommendations? A good answer can be found in Mathew Syed’s excellent book; “Black Book Thinking” in which he contrasts healthcare and the legal professions with aviation. In our healthcare system more people die from mistakes made by doctors and hospitals than from traffic accidents. Aviation, on the other hand, “has created an astonishingly good safety record because mistakes are learned from, rather than concealed”. He arrives at the positive and common sense conclusion that “success can only happen when we confront our mistakes”.

Improving the odds against failure After every “disaster” or highly publicised mistake, leaders and non executives, including school governors, will ask themselves whether their school could

fall foul of a similar attack or a serious safeguarding failure. We all know the answer is, “yes, probably, at some stage”. So the question arises - how do we improve the odds against failure?

Systems which track risks and compliance with actions to monitor, mitigate and improve processes, clearly address the awareness problem. Moreover, providing they are used, they help build the right culture because every item includes an element of reporting, review, analysis, initiatives to improve. This is the basis on which the aviation industry - an inherently dangerous activity - has been so successful in setting high standards of safety. When examining risk management I want to use a system that has the following features:

• • • •

Syed’s points to two behavioural barriers to overcome; attention and cognitive dissonance.

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Busy teachers under pressure have many things on their minds. Syed noted an obstacle to effective risk management is the mind’s tendency to cut things out; “Attention is a scarce resource: if you focus on one thing, you will lose awareness of other things.”

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He suggested that “the problem is not a lack of diligence or motivation, but a system insensitive to the limitations of human beings. A study of aviation disasters concluded that; “In each case the investigators realised that crews were losing their perception of time”. In this case how many minutes fuel they had left in the tank. Monitoring this factor you would think was blindingly obvious/critical but, under pressure, the brave pilots feel for how fast the sand was falling through the glass timer failed them. Secondly, we are all aware of the well established phenomenon of cognitive dissonance. It occurs “when mistakes are too threatening to admit to, so they are reframed or ignored. This can be thought of as the internal fear of failure: how we struggle to admit mistakes to ourselves.” It is a common feature in the thinking of leaders in the majority of businesses or enterprises that fail – as in, “We will win a big new contract” or “our quality will improve overnight”.

The effect on school governance So how can we translate this into school governance? Syed suggested that a cornerstone to success is a progressive attitude to failure. “Only by redefining failure will we unleash progress, creativity, and resilience.” In practice this means “creating systems and cultures that enable organisations to learn from errors, rather than being threatened by them.” 24

Comprehensive - so nothing is missed. Easy and inexpensive to use - low overhead of time to load and use data. People are busy so remove excuses for failure to keep up-to-date. Allows for regular updates and access to external data feeds. Regulations change all the time. Allocates clear responsibility to manage the task/risk with time bound targets to assist follow up and management Transparent - allow many eyes to contribute and examine the data. Flexible - to adapt to change that is derived from experience.

I have found that the standard risk register schools use (normally based in an Excel spreadsheet) will probably fall far short of what a leadership team and a board needs. For example how do I know xyz has actually been done? And is managed by an individual? How do I know we are up to date? That we have many eyes on the problem and are promoting good habits? In short, as a governor or indeed a head, I need some sort of tracker to make it easy to stay on top of things. As for creating the right culture, beyond the use of systems, I think it starts with the need to redefine failure as the bedrock of learning. Lasting improvement and good risk management does not happen unless risks are owned and the culture of the school embraces learning from every experience. In every organisation that I work with we have used a set of dials that ensure that every critical factor to the success of the organisation is captured and studied. We try to copy the modern aircraft by insisting that the most critical dials are the most prominent on our ‘dashboard’. The job of the governing board, and the chair in particular, is to check that the organisation has the right dials, with the right prominence, and that the management team is not getting distracted by activity that may seem to be critical, but which, when weighed against the rest, is not. The British army manual, studied carefully by its officers, insists that leaders do all they can to ‘keep the main thing the main thing’. Boards should guarantee that this is happening in schools. Education Magazine

Fynamore Primary recommends the Duplex floor cleaner Fynamore Primary School in Calne, Wiltshire purchased their first Duplex floor cleaning machine in 2003 and finding it to be perfect for their needs went on to purchase a further two over the years with the most recent one delivered only recently to work alongside the older models which are still in use. The school’s Office Manager, Cathy Moger commented “We can thoroughly recommend the Duplex floor cleaner. We use it every day and it does a great job on our hall floor and then adapts easily to the carpeted areas with a quick and simple change of brushes. It is invaluable during the school summer clean when all the carpets are cleaned. We are excited about using the latest model with its new OPC handle feature. We found the installation and training session both useful and informative. The machines are robust and very durable and we like the fact that parts can be replaced keeping the machines up and running in good condition for many years”. “With the benefit of the preventative maintenance agreement which gives us two planned service visits per year we receive excellent aftercare by Duplex’s own trained service engineers.” The cleaning products which are recommended for use with the machine work really well and the machines are perfect for a school setting.” For more information contact Duplex Cleaning Machines (UK) Ltd Tel. 01227 771276 Web. www.duplex-cleaning.com

Education Magazine

How riskproof are your school’s IT systems?

Most schools have excellent risk management strategies in place to minimise these eventualities, but for those who don’t, it’s worth conducting a full audit of your IT systems to identify any anomalies and ensure they’re covered.

consumers, it makes even greater sense for schools. As well as alleviating budgetary pressures and safeguarding against changing technologies, a leasing model means devices can be used at home by pupils – enabling them to continue learning outside the classroom.

Silvana Tann and Chris Taylor of RM Education work with schools every day to help them consider these risks and develop clear strategies to manage them. Here, they examine some of the most potentially catastrophic situations schools could face, and present practical solutions for minimising these risks.

You have an IT problem you can’t solve – and it brings learning to a halt “When you think about the whole ICT estate, from infrastructure to software to security, there are so many pressure points on your Network Manager or IT support staff,” explained Silvana Tann.

Your current technology is going out of date and you can’t afford new devices

“And if they’re ill, absent or on annual leave and something goes wrong, it can create a log jam that could lose hours of teaching and admin time.”

Technology is moving at a pace many schools struggle to keep up with, and this trend is at odds with the fact that historically, schools have become used to investing huge, one-off, lump sums into hardware because that’s what they’ve always done.

While some schools might think it’s more cost effective to run all their IT systems ‘inhouse’, Silvana believes there are substantial risks in doing this because schools are limited to one person or one skillset. If something happens which can’t be fixed ‘in-house’, schools then find themselves having to bring in outside expertise at an additional cost.

But there’s a constant risk of this technology going out of date – so leasing your school’s devices, instead of constantly buying and upgrading them, presents a clear solution for mitigating that risk. Chris Taylor suggested that there’s often a fear of leasing equipment in state schools because of the notion of spending public money without actually owning anything.

Kevin Robinson, explores the risks to school IT systems, with expert insight at ground-level from Silvana Tann and Chris Taylor. Managing risk has always been a critical part of any school’s agenda, but in today’s climate of overburdened budgets and countless claims on a School Business Manager’s time, there are numerous technology-based risks which can easily be overlooked.

“Governing bodies can often have quite a traditional mind-set from that perspective, and feel that if they’re going to invest over a five year period, they want physical assets to show for it,” said Chris.

“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,” said Silvana.

“But in technological terms, the only thing you ever own is the technology of today – as soon as it goes out of date, all you’re left with is the debt from that redundant technology when it changes.

“This puts schools in a vulnerable situation as it could ultimately lead to hours of lost teaching time and major classroom disruptions. Schools need access to a team of experts with a real sense of what’s going on in education generally, staying on top of the latest whitepapers, cloud strategies and emerging technologies – and that simply can’t be done entirely in-house.”

“In our everyday lives, consumers lease everything, from smartphones to cars. You don’t have to worry about the initial cost outlay and if your phone is lost, stolen or damaged, it’s easy to get it replaced. And if it’s superseded by something newer and shiner, you simply upgrade your package.” Chris explained that while leasing makes sense for

Outsourcing IT support allows

schools to 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. 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. Alternatively, co-sourcing IT support can fill in gaps in internal expertise and save schools time, money, and effort in recruiting additional staff. By combining services from within the school and from a well-chosen partner, both parties can work to achieve the same goals.

You open an email that turns out to be malware, and lose critical school data Most of us have, at some point, opened an email that looked relatively benign, but turned out to be a phishing scam or something else that aroused our suspicion. But if someone in your school opened an attachment that turned out to be ransomware or malware – and you don’t have your data backed up – your critical school information could be at risk. The prevalence of malware (malicious software) and ransomware (which encrypts your network and charges you thousands in a ransom to decrypt it) is a growing cause for concern, and it’s more of a case of ‘when’ rather than ‘if’ your school is targeted. “You’re only as good as your network or disaster recovery plan,” warned Silvana. “And in an age where data is so critical, schools must ensure they’re armed against these kind of attacks and that their backup systems are as robust as possible. “This is an area where schools rely heavily on the strength of their anti-virus software and the capabilities of their Network Managers – but that won’t always mitigate the risk because so many security threats are developed every day, and it’s incredibly difficult to be aware of every new virus as it’s launched. “I’ve known schools attacked by

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a serious piece of malware which their own systems didn’t detect, but we found it remotely and removed it before it could do any damage – that’s why having remote technical support can be essential in managing this risk.” Ultimately, a good governance policy should be the starting point, outlining clear protocols for what all staff should do if they receive an email from an unrecognised sender, or an odd attachment from someone they know whose account may have been compromised.

Your pupils are accessing inappropriate or extremist material in school The internet has undoubtedly brought a myriad of benefits to learning, but as the breadth of content available to pupils increases every day, so do concerns over online safety and the risk of pupils accessing inappropriate content. “The key to managing risks associated with online safety is to empower pupils to understand those risks for themselves – from stranger danger to cyber-bullying to sexting - and be able to pro-

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actively reduce them,” said Silvana. “But that can’t be done without a strong, clear and up-to-date e-safety policy that identifies every potential risk and outlines protocols for managing them. These policies also need to be updated frequently, because technology is evolving so rapidly that new risks to internet safety emerge every day.” However, no policies can prevent a pupil searching for inappropriate content, so integrating filtering and monitoring tools into your school’s network is fundamental to mitigating these risks. These tools allow schools to filter age-appropriate content and to track and monitor keywords or topics which could highlight a major cause for concern – such as students looking for information on suicide or self-harming, or content which could be considered radical or extreme.

You’re not sure where all your school’s data is stored New General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) will come into force in April

2018 to replace previous Data Protection laws, and they’ll set significantly higher standards for the way that all organisations – including schools – manage and store their data. Amongst a litany of other changes, schools must be able to show complete transparency with their systems for data storage and management and have clear procedures in place to deal with a suspected data breach.

“Ultimately, these regulations exist to protect the people whose data is held by any type of organisation, and if organisation’s aren’t able to show exactly how their data is stored and managed, they could face hefty fines,” explained Chris. “As data owners, schools can benefit from being much tighter on security and storage of that data, both in-school and beyond. For example, what

would happen if one of your SLT was carrying around removable media like disks or data sticks which could identify pupils, and that data was accidentally dropped on a bus or train?” Chris suggested this is another area where using cloud-based systems can support schools in the transparency and security of their systems. “If your critical data is stored in the cloud, your team can use tools like Google Drives, which removes the need memory sticks and it has the added benefit of increasing collaboration and sharing,” said Chris. “Being able to access your work in the cloud from anywhere – using secure passwords – gives schools much greater control and transparency over where and how their data is stored.” For schools who work with multiple IT support partners, Chris advises them to carry out careful checks and due diligence on their supplier’s data systems to make sure they are completely reliable and in line with GDPR standards too. continues overleaf u

How riskproof are your school’s IT systems?

area where moving your systems to the cloud gives you greater security and peace of mind. A school’s Management Information System (MIS) holds critical data that schools can’t run without, but hosting it in the cloud ensures your data can be locked down and stored safely – and you can access it using a single sign on for multiple sites, removing the need to remember lots of different passwords.”

continued

“Investing in new technology can be a risk if it’s not properly planned and implemented,” explained Silvana. “If you don’t have the in-school knowledge to fully leverage the benefits of the technology you’re bringing in, or a clear plan of how it’ll support teaching and learning, it’s likely your shiny new hardware will end up in a store cupboard.”

Someone cracks your passwords and accesses confidential information Silvana estimated that 60 per cent of schools have passwords that can be cracked in less than a minute. This tends to happen when staff rely on the same passwords for years because they’re easy to remember – but they could be putting your systems at risk. “With a school’s permission, we can test the strength of their passwords for them by deliberately attempting to crack them – and it’s pretty scary how quickly that’s possible,” said Silvana. “Today’s generation of techsavvy pupils might even see it as a challenge to hack their school’s systems, and it does happen – we’ve known pupils to crack admin passwords and access – or even try to expose – confidential information on other pupils.” Schools have an obligation over how long they hold pupil data, as well as financial information and correspondence between staff and SLTs, and with forthcoming changes in data protection law, it’s going to become essential for schools to be able to lock down confidential data. However, Silvana pointed out that this risk can be mitigated if schools adopt and enforce effective password policies, and change them regularly. The industry standard is that passwords must be at least eight letters long and contain one uppercase letter and one digit. “Schools are obliged to keep data safe and this is another

and learning – rather than bringing in the latest devices and trying to shoehorn them into your pedagogy – schools risk paying for things they can’t use or don’t actually need.

You’re losing money by paying for technology you don’t use - or need

environment, schools need a broadband provision that can cope,” said Chris.

From software to interactive whiteboards to gleaming new iPads, Silvana said she’s seen thousands of pounds worth of technology effectively go down the drain, because of a lack of pedagogy, leadership, ICT expertise or foresight.

“Do they have a line with enough capacity for all their users to log on at the same time? Do they have a back-up line if the first line goes down? There’s no point having a cloudbased learning environment if your systems can’t handle it because if the internet’s not available, then teaching and learning stops.”

“My advice to schools would be that if you think you’ve already made all the cost savings you can – think again,” said Silvana. “A full audit of your IT systems and software will help you determine how you can be more efficient, and reveal what you need, and what’s potentially draining your resources.”

Chris said that while it’s understandable for schools to be adverse to new investments in the current climate, technology often requires a short term investment for a long-term gain – and if schools can get their infrastructure right today, they’ll reap the benefits for years to come.

Your broadband capacity can’t cope with the demand Some countries, such as the Baltic states, have nationwide policies in place to ensure optimum wifi provision across the whole country – but in the UK, we’re still behind the curve. As schools explore new ways to improve their technology provision, make cost savings, increase collaboration and facilitate anytime-anywhere learning, having the right infrastructure in place to support these things is essential.

This risk seems relatively obvious, but it’s a surprisingly common one. When schools haven’t taken a methodical approach to implementing technology to support teaching

“We know that moving to the cloud brings tremendous benefits to schools, but as more elements are stored in a cloud

Kevin Robinson is the Services Consultant at RM Education For more information and advice, visit www.rm.com/outsource

3 more ways to minimise risks in your school today 1. If you don’t already, make sure you have an up-to-date and accurate asset register. It may seem unlikely, but if your school gets broken into and you don’t have the serial numbers for each of your devices, your insurance claim could take twice as long to complete. 2. Check when your server’s warranty expires, and set up alerts so you know when the expiry date is approaching. If it’s out of warranty and your server crashes, the cost of having to replace it with an upgraded model could be significant. Longer-term, consider removing the need for servers by moving your school’s systems to the cloud. 3. Sit down with your Network Managers and make sure they have clear and complete documentation on all your systems. If they left or were absent, would your school have all the documentation you need for someone to keep your network running without them?

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New report reveals UK schools are unprepared for heating system failure The UK’s schools and educational facilities are regularly experiencing problems with their heating system which increases the risk of unexpected closure, according to a new report published by Bosch Commercial and Industrial. ‘Out of sight, out of mind? A report on the heating and hot water challenge in UK schools’ exposes that the majority spend less than 20% of their maintenance budget on ensuring their heating system is running efficiently. This is despite the fact that up to 50% of a typical school’s energy usage is attributed solely to heating. Over a third of respondents are concerned with finding the funds for replacement when it comes to resolving heating system breakdowns, which are often seen as unavoidable or unforeseeable. Pete Mills, Commercial Technical Operations Manager at Bosch Commercial and Industrial, who helped

author the report said: “Ultimately, a school without heating and hot water must close, so viewing heating and hot water technologies as much more than ‘out of sight, out of mind’ appliances is essential. With significant cuts to funding and increased pressure to reduce energy consumption, it’s more important than ever for schools to be proactive in tackling their heating and hot water challenges.” The report goes on to explore how latest condensing boiler technology can significantly reduce running costs, as well as providing details on available grants and effective maintenance schemes. Pete Mills concluded: “As our report details, it is clear that schools are having to contend with the unreliable systems currently in place and are therefore finding themselves at risk of an unexpected breakdown and unprepared to provide a long-term solution. We hope this report will

help schools to enhance their heating comfort and energy performance, and consider a boiler replacement project well ahead of an outdated system letting them down without warning.” ‘Out of sight, out of mind? A report on the heating and hot water challenge in UK schools’ is available to download from: http://bit.ly/heatinginschools

Making home safety child’s play

Children are being asked to get the home safety message across to their parents via a new competition - and win £1,000 for their school into the bargain.

winning children to prepare their posters if necessary and provide a series of top tips for kids to help them get involved. He said: “Children see things so clearly, in a way that adults don’t, which makes the idea of getting them to come up with a safety poster an inspired one.”

Boiler cover and home maintenance firm CORGI HomePlan has launched Keep Me Safe - the search for a simple, hard-hitting safety poster.

“The message is simple, but the possibilities are wide open for the children to get creative. I look forward to seeing the entries when they come in.”

Primary school children are busy coming up with ideas for posters that spell out to parents the most dangerous things that can go wrong in the home - and how to avoid them.

The Keep Me Safe competition will run through summer term and the summer holidays, closing in September. So children have plenty of time to get involved, either at school or during their long break.

This could be electricals, gas, radiators, cookers, boilers, heaters or fires or any other danger flashpoint in the home.

A network of 5000 Gas Safe registered engineers will then distribute the winning designs over autumn and winter to their customers.

The competition is split into two categories seven to nine years and 10-11 - and two winners will earn their schools £1,000 each to spend on art and crafts materials, with £250 for runnersup in each category.

Peter Southcott, chief executive, said: “Keeping homes safe is what its all about. The premise of home safety is simple, but as adults we often forget the most important things due to our busy lives. We are hopeful that a simple message, thought up by a child and displayed prominently, will bring the message home.”

All winners and runners up will also receive a £50 goody bag for their efforts. The entries will be judged by celebrated children’s illustrator Nick East, who has most recently worked with astronaut Tim Peake on his book Goodnight Spaceman.

Entries can be submitted by post to Keep Me Safe c/o Democracy, Unit 2 The Boxworks, 62 Beech Road, Chorlton, Manchester, M21 9EG

As well as judging, Nick will work with the

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Enhancing school security through body cameras and CCTV A report *has established that teachers at two schools in the UK are soon to trial wearing a body camera in the classroom. Early ideas about how the technology would be implemented around the pair of unnamed schools are being looked into; however, a plan that has already been touted is that the trial would see teachers wearing the cameras on their clothes. While the camera would be filming at all times, a switch on the device would need to be activated in order for incidents to be recorded and encrypted footage saved.

As a result of this design, any teachers who are making use of a body camera are being advised that they should switch their cameras to recording mode whenever they feel cautious that a “lowlevel” incident is taking place. Furthermore, teachers are also being made aware of the fact that notice will need to be given before they begin any recording.

schools and by the UK’s police forces. He explained: “It can be used for self-reflection. It can be shown back to the pupil, one-onone, and that can have a positive impact without the need to resort to disciplinary process.”

a certain area of the school.

 The analysis of CCTV

images in order to identify specific patterns, like smoke when addressing arson attacks.

Teachers in the UK also appear to be largely in favour of bringing body cameras into the country’s schools, if a TES poll reported on by the Independent involving more than 600 teachers is anything to go on.

Commenting on this strategy, Tom Ellis, a principal lecturer at the Institute of Criminal Justice Studies at Portsmouth University, acknowledged: “There’s very much an emphasis on getting rid of lowlevel disruption or disorder in the classroom.”

According to the study, 37.7 per cent of teachers expressed that they were in favour of introducing body cameras into the classroom and around two-thirds were confident that such surveillance technology would make them feel safer in their working environment. 10.9 per cent even went as far as to state that they reckon there will come a time when the devices will become compulsory in schools.

The trial in the UK schools follows on from schools throughout the US previously adopting similar technology. There has also been a comparable strategy seen across the policing sector, whereby Greater Manchester Police and the Metropolitan Police Service have been pioneering the introduction of body worn video technology through both helmet and vest-mounted cameras. Further details about the latter strategy can be discovered via this Security Systems and Alarms Inspection Board article.

While the use of body cameras in classrooms is a new idea, it should also be noted that CCTV systems have already been seen in schools across the UK in the following guises:

•

Mr Ellis believes that introducing body cameras into classrooms across the UK can prove just as effective as the strategies that have been looked into at US

Video Content Analysis systems so that analysis of CCTV images can be carried out, in order to provide meaningful information. For example…

 The identification of

 The ability to establish

virtual tripwires that trigger an alert, should someone attempt to cross a specific boundary – eliminating the need to erect walls or fencing at these locations.

•

CCTV in classrooms to address issues of bullying and also assist with teacher training — for the latter, this technology can be used as an alternative to having a teaching colleague present in the classroom throughout the entire lesson.

•

Access control systems which are specifically designed for educational establishments, so that security personnel can keep updated about who is in a facility once they have been added to turnstiles, gates and barriers throughout the institute. *Report by the Times Education Supplement (TES)

whether objects have been removed from

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News

Moving into employment with help from.. The Chronicles of Riddoch

The Chronicles of Riddoch is a humorous comic book (in the style of Marvel / DC) which features four teenagers who acquire superpowers and how these complicate their lives. By including content that relates to the challenges of moving from education into employment, the comic is an engaging medium that informs young people of important employability skills in an accessible and familiar format. By utilising a format that is familiar, it is anticipated that there will be an additional medium that influences positive destination outcomes for young people, especially those

School subject squeeze: education recruiter responds New research from teaching unions, the ATL and NUT, has found that schools are not only cutting hours of teaching for core subjects, but also stripping entire subjects from the curriculum. A survey of 1,200 union members found that almost three quarters (71%) of the secondary staff said there had been cuts to teaching posts in their schools in the past year. Consequently, 64% of this group said there had been a reduction in vocational subjects in their schools. Commenting on the research, Baljinder Kuller, who has over 15 years’ experience in education recruitment, and is now Managing Director of online supply teacher portal, The Supply Register, said: “It’s shocking that subjects such as design technology, RE, music, modern languages, drama, PE, and art, as well as Education Magazine

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who may be disengaged from the mainstream. In Episode 1, the four principal protagonists, Hamish, Laura, Shona and Rory, AKA Ignition Kid, Spark Girl, X-Ray Lass and Vegetable Boy, fall down an old mine shaft and develop what, at best, can be described as limited superpowers. These prove to be more of a complication than a benefit to their quiet lives in the remote West Highlands of Scotland, especially with exams and mock job interviews on the horizon. It is anticipated that schools will have input into the design and creative process of future episodes, as members of The Chronicles of Riddoch creative team run workshops in schools on the various components of creating a comic narrative, artistic layout and illustration. Copies of The Chronicles of Riddoch are available to schools at the price of £0.90, excluding postage and packing (the comic retails at £2.99). Schools are at

vocational subjects including engineering, construction, childcare and business studies are being cut from some school curriculums. While it is, of course, natural for leaders to focus attentions on core subjects when resources are squeezed, the teachers of subjects not included in league table measures have vital skills and expertise to share with our young people.”

during work hours. Other key findings revealed:

Education workers are spending less time on social media in a bid to restore work-life balance

•

Over a third (35.1%) of workers in the sector admitted to taking time out of their working day to contact friends or family on the phone

•

However, of those, the majority (73.1%) would only do so for a maximum of 15 minutes

•

A further 56.8% said they would not check personal emails whilst at work

•

And over three quarters (83.8%) would not waste time browsing the internet and looking at irrelevant sites during work hours

Hampshire, 12th June 2017 Technology in the workplace continues to be a hot topic, but according to a recent survey by CV-Library, the UK’s leading independent job board, over three quarters of workers in the education sector (79.7%) don’t use social media whilst at work, and of those that do, the majority (33.3%) will only do so for up to 15 minutes. The study surveyed 1,200 workers on their opinions around technology in the workplace, and whether it is a distraction or an enabler to professionals. Interestingly, the survey found that despite 47.3% of education professionals admitting that they use smart phones while they’re at work, the majority (86.5%) do not use technology to do personal tasks 31

For further information on The Chronicles of Riddoch, contact: email: douglas.ormiston@ dywwesthighland.org Web: www. thechroniclesofriddoch.co.uk Facebook: www.facebook.com/ TheChroniclesOfRiddoch

So long, social!

…As the majority reveal that they rarely use technology for personal matters during work hours

“According to the Education Policy Institute (EPI), an average secondary school will lose almost £300,000 per year by 2019/20, while primary schools will be about £75,000 short in the same period. Schools are being squeezed hard - and against this backdrop, it may seem a logical choice to cut man-hours to help reduce spend. However, decision makers should consider other available options. For example, negotiating prices with existing talent providers or looking for alternative suppliers who provide better value to ensure that pupils’ options are not narrowed any more than is vitally necessary”.

liberty to pass the comics on for free or at any price up to and including £2.99, with any proceeds being available to the school to use as they see fit.

Furthermore, the study found that 67.6% of employers in the education industry have rules in place regarding the use of technology for personal use, and for the majority (48%) this means they cannot use their phone at work. A further 28% said they are not allowed to use social media and 14% are not allowed to surf the internet during work hours. continues overleaf u

NEWS News News News NEWS News NEWS News Lee Biggins, founder and managing director of CVLibrary commented: “With new technologies always emerging and access to emails and shared working spaces from almost anywhere, the lines between our work and our private lives are becoming increasingly blurred. It is therefore very positive to see that professionals in the education sector are being careful not to spend their working hours doing personal errands or making calls; drawing a more definitive line between their work and home life. By ensuring your work hours are spent dedicated to staying on top of your workload, you can leave work behind at the end of the day and enjoy your free time as you please.”

saves time (19.4%) , allows them to be more creative (19.4%) and enables them to connect with customers and clients from all over the world (17.9%).

The survey also found that the majority (90.5 %) of professionals in the industry think that using technology at work is beneficial. When asked why they felt is it useful to them, respondents said that it helps them to communicate with people in real time (25.4%),

Case study: Bedwas High School

standards and expectations and it encourages and supports its students to achieve their very best. Indeed, the school was challenged by the Welsh Assembly Government, Caerphilly County Council and Education Achievement Service, to further its academic progress.

Biggins concluded: “It’s clear that technology is both important and useful to education professionals, enabling them to work remotely and connect with people all over the world. That said, it’s important that workers stay focused when using these technologies. The odd 15 minutes here and there may be passable, but if you find yourself falling behind as a result, or having to put in overtime, it could be time to ditch the tech and focus on a healthier work-life balance!”

As one of 40 schools in ‘Challenge Cymru’, Bedwas High School is tasked with improving at a faster rate than other schools in Wales and, as a result, teachers at Bedwas have improved many of the school’s practices and afforded students new opportunities. “Our drive to enable our students to perform as best they can means it’s vital to provide the best facilities and resources that students need to excel,” said Mr Peter Ward, Headteacher at Bedwas High School. “We realise therefore that first rate technology and IT infrastructure is vital to modern day teaching but are also aware that providing such equipment comes with a cost,

Bedwas High School in Wales is a secondary school for boys and girls aged 11-18. The school prides itself on setting high

at a time when budgets are tighter than ever. By doing our research, however, and working with a provider like Hardware Associates where we were given sound, solid advice and offered very flexible packages, we have been able to equip our school with first class infrastructure at a fraction of the cost.” By working closely with Hardware Associates, Bedwas High School was able to invest in 40 refurbished DellOptiPlex systems. By opting for refurbished hardware systems, with up to date software, purchased via Hardware Associates and not direct from the vendor, the school saved £6,000 and were able to replace an entire suite with its budget, rather than piecemeal replacement. Now, if Bedwas needs any additional PCs or associated equipment, the staff ask Hardware Associates to guide them through the best choice for their needs at the best price.

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generation showing an interest in responsible business and we hope we demonstrated the benefits of operating responsibly.”

Outdoor learning puts LOGS pupils at natural advantage Hands up - who wants to go wild at school? Well, Lewes Old Grammar School’s junior pupils have the headteacher’s permission to do just that. LOGS’ Morley House students will abandon their desks for one day a week next term to visit an outdoor classroom at Plumpton College.

Responsible business week panel sees students put Novus in the hotseat again Novus Property Solutions’ chairman Stuart Seddon has chaired a ‘Question Time’ style panel of Staffordshire firms that faced a grilling on responsible business from more than 60 students from five local schools: Cooperative Academy, Thistley Hough, Ormiston Horizon Academy, Excel Academy and Ormiston Sir Stanley Matthews. The event gave local students the opportunity to ask representatives from six different businesses how their organisations endeavour to behave responsibly. This was followed by a networking session, where students were encouraged to share their ideas for improving the way businesses work, making workplaces better and helping communities thrive. Stuart Seddon chaired the panel of local businesses that included Keele University, Lucideon, Waterworld Group, Stoke College and Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce. The companies were joined by a group of enthusiastic young people from schools that

Run by Forest School – the learning movement that aims to reconnect a whole generation of youngsters with the natural world – pupils will be taught handy survival skills, including how to light a fire with nothing but two sticks. The real education, however, will be going on at a much deeper level, said Forest School Manager Lynn Clark.

Stuart Seddon, Novus’ chairman at BITC panel.

are part of Business in the Community’s Staffordshire Business Class Cluster. Organised by Business in the Community (BITC), the event took place for the second consecutive year as part of Responsible Business Week, an annual awareness week run by Business in the Community to inspire and challenge more businesses to take action which creates positive change in society when businesses and organisations share ways they can work together for a fairer society and a more sustainable future.

“A recent study showed children only play outdoors for an average of five hours per week. It’s sad how many have never done ordinary outdoor things like jumping in a puddle or blackberry picking. It’s having a negative impact on our children’s learning and development. “Here we allow them to explore and discover the wonders of

The schools and businesses taking part are all part of Business in the Community’s Stoke Business Class Cluster, a group of schools and businesses who work together all year round to ensure that young people attending local schools gain the workplace skills they need to build successful working lives.

Nature. It boosts their emotional intelligence - their selfconfidence, communication skills and even spatial awareness.” Children from Reception through to Year 6 at Morley House will take part in the outdoor learning programme at Plumpton, making LOGS the first in the area to sign up an entire school. Last year, more than 500 pupils from the state and private sectors took part in activities at the site, which includes a unique opportunity to join archaeologists in unearthing a Roman villa. While all learning is individual and ‘child-led’, Key Stage science, biology, botany, anatomy, geography, D&T, history, maths, literacy and IT can link to the programme. Younger children are encouraged to observe, explore and learn about the natural environment and our impact on it, while older years also acquire bushcraft and tool work skills. In doing so, they will learn important lessons in how to evaluate and moderate risk, said Lynn. LOGS headteacher Robert Blewitt said: “The senior school already has a well-developed programme of activities that take students out of the academic environment and into situations where they have to work as a team, be inquisitive about the world around them and act on their own initiative. We wanted Junior School pupils to also benefit from that kind of learning in a safe environment appropriate for their age. The Forest School is the perfect partnership for that.”

Product showcase High output, low running cost radiators for schools Autron natural convector LST radiators can start to deliver effective room heating within 2 minutes of hot water entering their emitters. This compares with up to 20 minutes for conventional panel LST radiators. The responsiveness means that heating in a school equipped with Autron radiators, only needs to come on when required. The reduced need to ‘buffer’ the heating can help deliver fuel savings and contributes to a more comfortable learning environment. In addition, the safe-to-touch casings make them ideal for use in schools. A short video at www.autron. co.uk/autron-school-case-studies-video/ explains the benefits of Autron radiators.

The pupils had prepared a series of questions which they put a series of questions to the panel, covering issues such as Brexit, business ethics, technology, and opportunities the businesses can offer school leavers in Stoke. Stuart Seddon said: “We’re thrilled to be taking part in this worthwhile event for a second year. It’s great to see the next

Visit www.autron.co.uk Email sales@autron.co.uk Tel: 01952 290498.

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