Education Magazine issue 76

Edition 1, 2018 UK teacher shortage laid bare in comparison of European education see p14

p13

Marvellous Mandarin

By Patrick Wenham Head of Bickley Park School

p24

Why it’s never been more important to nurture creative talent

p16

How to keep candidates engaged in your recruitment process

p26 Whole school approach’ seems to be the new big thing for mental health

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

Education Magazine Publisher Steve Mitchell

Edition 76 Annual Subscription £10

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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

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UK teacher shortage laid bare in comparison of European education

Why we use outdoor residentials to introduce and prepare Year 7 students How to keep to ‘learning expeditions’ at candidates engaged in their new school your recruitment process New Foundation

By Lee Biggins Degree in Sports Science with Outdoor Activity Leading academy trust develops new pay Revealed: UK system to transform the parents are spending over way teachers are paid £4,000 on school trips

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8

18

12 13

Marvellous Mandarin

By Patrick Wenham Head of Bickley Park School

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

24 Why it’s never been

more important to nurture creative talent

26

Whole school approach’ seems to be the new big thing for mental health – but what does it mean, and is it realistic?

28 The evolution of e-learning

20 New research

reveals the changing face of ICT needs in secondary schools

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.

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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

Boost to get more top professionals into teaching A scheme to encourage the best experienced professionals to swap the boardroom for the classroom is to be backed by government funding to expand into Hastings, School Standards Minister Nick Gibb announced on 5th Jan. Now Teach – a charity set up to help people put skills acquired during a successful career to use in the classroom – has encouraged nearly 50 talented professionals to change their lives and retrain as a teacher in maths, science and modern foreign languages.

The £350,000 investment announced will help the charity to drive this work forward, focusing on recruiting people from leading careers and sharing their skills in key subjects – with recruits to date including a former NASA scientist, a hostage negotiator and the head of a hospital trust.

It is part of the government’s plan to ensure that all schools can attract the teachers they need to give every pupil a world-class education. It builds on initiatives such as the Maths and Physics Chairs Programme, which recruits post-doctoral researchers into teaching.

School Standards Minister Nick Gibb said: “There are now a record number of teachers in our schools – 15,500 more than in 2010 – but we want to continue exploring every opportunity to attract the best and brightest into the profession.”

“Great teachers are at the heart of our plans to ensure every young person reaches their potential, and the expertise that these experienced professionals have can be put to great use in the classroom, teaching pupils valuable knowledge and skills.”

“Many existing recruits have been inspired by its founder, former Financial Times journalist Lucy Kellaway, who this year reentered the classroom at the age of 57 to become a maths teacher at Mossbourne Community Academy in Hackney.”

Co-founder of Now Teach Lucy Kellaway said: “We are delighted that the government is contributing to Now Teach to help us during our second year. We look forward to working closely with the Department for Education in years to come.”

“The package of funding will allow Now Teach to move into Hastings, one of the Department for Education’s Opportunity Areas, to attract a broader range of successful professionals into schools and to explore other areas of the country to extend its reach – and Now Teach will host a launch event at Hastings Pier on Saturday, 20 January for interested would-be teachers.”

The announcement builds on a number of measures to recruit and retain high-calibre

teachers, including a £75million investment in teachers’ professional development and a further £42million for training announced in the Budget.

Everything I see in my job, looking at the work of thousands of children’s homes, colleges, schools and nurseries shows me that isn’t an idle pipe dream.”

In addition, the Government has also announced:

“In fact, the areas of concern identified in the report are some of the last remaining barriers that stand in our way. Tackling them will not be easy. But the prize of doing so could be great – a country that is both caring and bold, innovative but unified, aspirational and at the same time fair.”

A student loan forgiveness pilot for teacher in shortage subjects working in areas of the country struggling with recruitment; A £30 million investment to support around 300 schools nationwide to recruit and retain talented teachers by creating new funded initiatives, ensuring schools have access to national teacher supply programmes and strengthening local partnerships with and between schools – facilitating the establishment and strengthening of local partnerships, such as working with Teaching Schools; and The introduction of the new, strengthened national professional qualifications, as well as a £10million fund to support teachers in the areas that need it most.

Ofsted Chief Inspector launches her first Annual Report.

This year’s annual report finds the overall quality of education and care in England is improving, but areas of persistent underperformance remain.

Launching her first Ofsted Annual Report as Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Amanda Spielman said the life chances of the vast majority of young people in 2017 are the best they ever have been:

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94% of early years providers are now rated good or outstanding 90% of primary schools and 79% of secondary schools are good or outstanding 80% of further education and skills providers of are good or outstanding 83% of children’s homes are now good and outstanding

More local authority children’s services are on a path to improvement.

However, she stressed that there are still areas of persistent under-performance in the education and care systems. It is here that policy-makers, professionals and Ofsted need to direct their support to improve outcomes for children and young people.

Speaking to an audience of education and social care professionals, local authority representatives and policy experts in Westminster, Amanda Spielman said: “Our collective mission – and by that everyone involved in education and care – should be to create a society where every young person, regardless of birth or background, can achieve their full potential.

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To help policy-makers tackle those barriers, this report identifies a small group of schools that have not improved over many years, including around 130 where under-performance has stretched for up to a decade. These schools share some similar characteristics, including unstable leadership, high staff turnover and difficulty recruiting. Many have high proportions of pupils from deprived areas and above average proportions of pupils with special education needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

These schools have all received considerable attention and investment from external agencies, but none of these interventions has worked. Yet schools in similar circumstances are achieving well, showing that improvement is possible.

The report also highlights problems in capacity within the school-led system. The best school leaders and strongest academy trusts are spread too thinly. They cannot provide all the support needed to help other schools improve. The Chief Inspector made clear that there is a challenge for both policymakers and the education system to break down ivory towers and ensure that the best schools and leaders are supporting those in need. Amanda continued: “There is no doubt that the leadership challenge facing some schools is great. But progress is possible and we should all be wary of using the makeup of a school community as an excuse for underperformance.”

“I do find myself frustrated with the culture of ‘disadvantage one-upmanship’ that has emerged in some places. Fixating on all the things holding schools back can distract us all from working on the things that take them forward. Schools with all ranges of children can and do succeed. Where this is difficult, what is needed is greater support and leadership from within the system.

That means making sure the system has the capacity to provide this support.”

“And this isn’t about just about incremental ‘interventions’ or ‘challenge’. Good schools teach a strong curriculum effectively, and they do it in an orderly and supportive environment: getting this right is the core job of any school. That is what we need to help these problematic schools to deliver.”

Ofsted’s commitment to being a force for improvement means focusing attention on those areas that are not yet good enough.

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News Evidence shows that this helps drive up standards of practice in these areas.

Other areas of concern identified in the report include: An increasing number of conservative religious schools deliberately flouting British values and equalities law. Illegal ‘schools’ are also being created in order to avoid teaching fundamental values of democracy, mutual tolerance and respect.

Weaknesses in the statutory framework for the early years foundation stage as a guide for children’s learning in Reception Year.

Schools that are best at preparing children for Year 1 are going beyond the framework and setting more challenging expectations, with an emphasis on reading and maths.

The apprenticeship levy is raising a substantial amount of money to fund training. Without adequate scrutiny we will risk repeating the mistakes of the past - attracting cowboy operators that are not committed to high quality learning.

Domestic abuse is the most common factor in the lives of children who need social care services. But more emphasis needs to be placed on tackling perpetrators and understanding what works to stop abusive behaviour.

Secure children’s homes are doing well for children and young people. But young offender institutions and secure training centres are sometimes extremely poor, closing down opportunities for rehabilitation of juvenile offenders.

Some children and young people needing SEND support are having a very poor experience of the education system. And some parents have been pressured to keep their children at home because leaders say they can’t meet their needs. This is unacceptable.

Over the next 12 months, Ofsted will continue to act as a force for improvement.

New inspections of local authority children’s services will begin in January, with a greater focus on catching areas before they fall.

Work will also get underway to develop a new education inspection framework for

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2019, building on recent findings and with a particular focus on the curriculum. And in FE and skills, Ofsted will closely monitor the quality of training to make sure learners get the entitlement they deserve.

Girls’ education to be central pillar of UK foreign, development and defence policy Ministers to launch the UK national action plan on women, peace and security.

Championing girls’ education to promote global stability will be at the heart of UK foreign, development and defence policy to positively transform the lives of women and girls in conflict settings, senior ministers have agreed.

At an event on 16th January at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt, Minister of State for the FCO and the PM’s Special representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon and Defence Minister Mark Lancaster launched the UK’s fourth national action plan (NAP) on women, peace and security. The plan sets out how the UK will support women in conflict zones around the world to play an active role in ensuring peace and security in their communities.

NEWS NEWS News

Minister of State for the FCO and the Prime Minister’s Special representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict, Lord Tariq Ahmad of Wimbledon said: “Conflict affects whole communities, but women and children are often the worst affected. This year the Foreign Secretary and I will focus on ensuring that girls in the poorest countries in the world receive at least 12 years of quality education because this is the single most powerful spur to development and progress.”

“Without question women must have a seat at the table. We know that when women and girls participate in political processes, conflict resolution and mediation their contribution helps to build a more sustainable peace.”

Defence Minister Mark Lancaster said: “Protecting human rights goes to the very heart of who we are as a nation, and our Armed Forces are leaders in this on an international level.”

“Our national action plan sets out to create a better future for women across the globe: in which there is zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse, and in which women and men make a full contribution to the peace and security of all.”

International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt said:

Women and girls are disproportionately affected by conflict and crisis and they are part of the solution. For example, evidence shows that when women participate meaningfully in peace agreements they are 35% more likely to last at least 15 years.

“From Somalia to Syria, and from Burma and Afghanistan, women have been instrumental in the development of the UK’s national action plan on women, peace and security.”

This NAP sets a bold new direction, putting women and girls at the heart of Britain’s work to prevent and resolve conflict for the next five years.

“It’s a sad truth that women suffer disproportionately all around the world during times of crisis. It’s essential to harness the huge potential of the next generation to work towards a more secure, more prosperous future. We know that women can be agents of change which is why DFID is placing women at the very heart of its peace, security, education, and humanitarian programmes.”

Three new countries have been added to the plan Nigeria, South Sudan, Iraq in addition to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Somalia, Libya, Syria, Burma and Afghanistan. The NAP sets out that to build sustainable and lasting peace and create stable societies, women around the world must be able to participate in peace processes and peacekeeping missions.

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Why we use outdoor residentials to introduce and prepare Year 7 students to ‘learning expeditions’ at their new school An innovative approach to preparing pupils for secondary school life is paying dividends at XP School in Doncaster. Here, CEO Gwyn ap Harri tells PIR Education Magazine about the ideas behind the action.

In 2014, we opened the first XP School in Doncaster admitting 50 Year 7 students.

In July 2017 we received an ‘outstanding’ judgement across all aspects of the school’s performance in our first Ofsted Report. Inspectors commented not only on academic progress but on the strength of relationships peer to peer and between students and teachers. We feel that this success reflects the underlying principles on which our school is based. So, what do we do that is different?

My story goes back to 2012 when I spent a fascinating time in San Diego visiting High Tech High, a charter school that practices Project Based Learning (PBL). High Tech High actively works with Expeditionary Learning (EL) and during my visit I spent time talking with Ron Berger, EL’s Chief Academic Officer. This meeting completely changed my professional life and my approach to pupil learning and led to opening a school based on EL principles Expeditionary Learning EL has operated in the USA since 1993 and now has over 150 schools in thirty states.

The schools use ‘learning expeditions’ - project-based, interdisciplinary, group learning experiences, which eschew subjectbased teaching methods and emphasise meaningful, in-depth learning processes.

Assessment comes through cumulative products, public presentations and portfolios with tasks requiring perseverance, craftsmanship, imagination, self-discipline and achievement.

Kurt Hahn – EL and The Outward Bound Trust

Underlying the approach is the belief that children’s learning is best facilitated through engaging with their emotions and by supporting them to realise their potential; that if children can overcome fears, they can do far more than they think possible.

Children need to experience the unexpected and to this end, learning often takes place in locations other than the classroom.

Several key principles underpin the way EL works: ‘The Having of Wonderful ideas’ emphasises curiosity and creativity, ‘Responsibility for Learning’ combines personal discovery and collective responsibility, ‘Empathy and Caring’ is a key component of the socially-orientated, value-driven approach instilled in pupils and teachers. ‘Success and Failure’ places weight on celebrating achievements and learning from the things that inevitably go wrong.

Valuing ‘Collaboration and Competition’ is a way of teaching both individual and group development, but places greater emphasis on personal excellence than on beating others.

Other principles reinforce the ethos of care, individual and group strength, alongside love of the natural environment. Since the schools are built on the idea that we learn better through the differences between us, learning groups are heterogeneous, rather than streamed.

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During my inspirational visit to the States, I had something of a ‘light-bulb moment’ when a number of elements of my thinking came together. I had long been a fan of outdoor education, and in particular the approach taken by The Outward Bound Trust.

I discovered that EL schools are based on the principles of Outward Bound’s co-founder, Kurt Hahn, who believed that ‘we are all better than we know’. Hahn’s ideas became the foundation of EL schools, and I realised that these connections in philosophy and methods chimed with my own. Back in the U.K. I teamed up with Andy Sprakes, a Doncaster Head Teacher, and together we resolved to adapt the principles of EL for the U.K. system.

XP Schools Working with principles of diversity and inclusion, our intake is divided into groups chosen randomly, not based on catchment area, class or ability. Before our students begin school they participate in a four day residential programme at The Outward Bound Trust’s Aberdovey Centre in Wales.

We want all our students to be ‘school ready’ and prepared from the outset for a different way of learning.

XP’s character values are those of ‘Courage, Respect, Craftsmanship & Quality, Compassion and Integrity’. We focus on “character growth and beautiful work”. The National Curriculum is delivered through interdisciplinary ‘learning expeditions’ where students work on projects chosen for their relevance to their local community, with the finished products designed to affect positive Education Magazine

change. A sense of community and common purpose runs throughout and it is vitally important to the school that children begin the school year ready for seven years of working together in a new way.

Exercises designed to increase these skills are practiced in a wilderness setting where students’ awareness of and concern for the natural environment is part and parcel of the overall experience.

Because we operate an unusual school year calendar, this allows school to begin with the Aberdovey residential in August.

This sounds daunting, considering that the random allocation and small intake means it is very unlikely that students will know one another, but the decision is purposeful, as the residential is the first introduction to ‘learning expeditions’ and prepares students for their school year ahead.

Activities are done in crews, as are daily reflections that explore ‘appreciations’ of individuals who have excelled in their crew that day. We believe that those four days are worth six months in school because we see Year 7s forming meaningful, purposeful bonds with peers and teachers. Every student has a voice and the relationships developed at this early stage are intense and powerful. It’s all about connections that last throughout school.

Being in a ‘Crew’ An essential element at our school is its pastoral system, which is built on the idea of ‘Crews’. Students are put into a group of 12 or 13 - their crew - of which they will be a member for the duration of their time at XP. The crews spend 45 minutes each school day together in quality, in-depth discussion and activity.

During the four day course in Aberdovey, the question ‘What is Crew?’ becomes the focus of learning and team work for the residential.

Transition from Primary to Secondary school courses are run regularly by The Trust, with the aim of supporting young people as they move into secondary education. Learning Outcomes include increasing awareness of the students’ skills and abilities, improving confidence, self-belief, and the ability to listen and communicate effectively.

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Since we started in 2014 the school has gone from strength to strength and is better than we ever imagined. The kids are in a school they want to be in, we have 7 applications for every available place and we opened our second XP school in September 2017, based on the same small-school ethos.

In October 2017 the charity think tank Relational Schools Foundation published a report for our school called “Building relationships through expeditionary experiences” and produced a film about our work which was launched in the Houses of Commons in January 2018.

We will continue to work even harder to deliver on our pledge that all students will be successful and ready for the modern world.

Our next goal is to ensure that our first

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set of GCSE results in 2019 reflect this hard work and the outstanding progress that all students are currently making.

Gwyn ap Harri (CEO) Gwyn is the cofounder of XP alongside Andy Sprakes, and is the CEO of the XP MultiAcademy Trust which currently consists of the secondary schools XP and XP East, as well as the primary school Green Top, based in Doncaster, UK. After working in the technology and music industries during his early career, in 2000 Gwyn became a teacher at Hatfield Visual Arts College, Doncaster, leading the ICT department.

In 2006, Gwyn left full-time teaching to form realsmart.co.uk where he designed his learning portfolio software used in over 300 schools in the UK and around the world. Gwyn has designed further systems for the DfE amongst others, using technology to underpin whole school improvement at a national scale.

In 2011, Gwyn achieved National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH), mentored by Andy Sprakes, which ultimately led to Gwyn and Andy creating XP in 2014.

New Foundation Degree in Sports Science with Outdoor Activity A new course designed to give students the opportunity to turn their love of sailing, paddlesports, climbing or archery into a career has been launched at Writtle University College in partnership with Essex Outdoors. qClaire Campbell (Photo by Essex Outdoors)

The two-year Foundation Degree in Sports Science with Outdoor Activity will give students the chance to gain invaluable experience and recognised qualifications with outdoor learning provider Essex Outdoors alongside an academic education.

The aim is to give college-leavers, serious hobbyists, career changers and those who love the outdoors the chance to gain vocational employment, undertake further study or go into support roles for the outdoor activity sector.

As well as graduating with a Foundation Degree from the University College, students will gain practical qualifications in their chosen discipline. They will also be given the opportunity to apply for CV-boosting (and paid) experience at Essex Outdoors or a similar company.

Dr Greg Deacon, who heads up the Higher Education Sports courses at Writtle University College, said: “This course provides students with the opportunity to undertake a substantial amount of real-world placement, National

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Governing Body qualifications in their chosen discipline and complementary academic study in Sports Science, such as anatomy and physiology, coaching, psychology, leadership development and strength & conditioning.”

“What makes this course different is that, on successful completion, students can apply to top-up to a full degree in Sports and Exercise Performance at Writtle. It enables them to keep their options open.”

“There are major opportunities in outdoors sport. In 2015, Sport England produced a report that stated that the outdoor market has huge potential with 8.96million people at that time active outdoors. Approximately 70% of regular participants (1.7m people) are participating in adventure sports and the sector is expanding. With our coastline and facilities, Essex provides exciting opportunities for graduates with the right mix of academic skill, practical qualifications and experience.”

The course takes advantage of its partnership with Essex Outdoors and the dedicated facilities at its four centres in Danbury, Harlow, Mersea and Bradwell as well as those

Education Magazine

Participants enjoying activities at the Essex Outdoors centres (Photographs supplied by Essex Outdoors)

on-site at Writtle University College, including a sports performance laboratory.

Ricky Hooper, Learning and Development Officer for Essex Outdoors, said: “Providing outdoor learning experiences with an organisation such as ours requires a high level of skill, maturity, leadership and organisational ability – skills that can be transferred into a range of careers.”

“As well as delivering outdoor activities, a graduate could become a teacher and embed outdoor learning into their everyday practice – which is becoming increasingly popular with schools. They could become an outdoor activity instructor in the UK or travel internationally and do this seasonally.

They could also go into managing a centre, business development, new activities and product creation, or forest school provision.”

“The academic element is extremely valuable in the latter stages of a career related to outdoor activity but entry into the industry depends on experience and nationallyrecognised qualifications. This course offers students the chance to gain both those elements while benefiting from the variety of multiple disciplines or concentration on the sport that is their passion.”

Claire Campbell, from Essex, is currently studying Writtle’s three-year BSc (Hons) Sports and Exercise Performance and has chosen to work seasonally at Essex Outdoors.

She said: “The new two-year Foundation Degree with Outdoor Activity is going to be a fantastic opportunity for other students like myself to enjoy studying at Writtle whilst broadening their knowledge and skills in the outdoors should they choose to do so. I thoroughly enjoy working at Essex Outdoors - aerial trekking and climbing activities such as Leap of Faith are two of my current favourites. I have recently completed my British Canoeing Level 1 Certification and I’m looking forward to continuing my studies at Writtle whilst working at Essex Outdoors.

“Study at Writtle is enabling me to turn my love of the outdoors, sport and adventure into a career. What’s brilliant about this new course is that it wraps up continues overleaf u

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New Foundation Degree continued Participants enjoying activities at the Essex Outdoors centres (Photographs supplied by Essex Outdoors)

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In the second year, students will be given a £750 bursary to enable them to undertake National Governing Body awards in their chosen discipline through the RYA (Royal Yachting Association), Mountain Training, British Canoeing, and/or Archery GB – or in a discipline bespoke to them.

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Essex Outdoors provides high-quality outdoor learning opportunities, from activity days and Forest Schools through to residential experiences and adventurous expeditions.

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Essex Outdoors has facilities in four locations:

o Bradwell – coastal outdoor education centre

o Danbury – woodland centre based in 70 acres of countryside

into one course applied study, professional qualifications, and the opportunity to gain practical experience elsewhere. This will make for an interesting two years of study and give students a great start to their careers.”

FACT FILE:

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The course can be completed over two years full-time or four years part-time.

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Includes five two-day training sessions in the core activities.

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Includes three to four weeks’ work experience in March.

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Students will be in a strong position to apply for paid, seasonal work with Essex Outdoors for their placement but could also apply to other organisations.

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o Harlow – featuring one of the

largest indoor climbing walls in the South East

o Mersea – 60 acres of grounds and

specialising in adventure activities

Find out more about the course at writtle.ac.uk and about Essex Outdoors at essexoutdoors.com

Education Magazine

New app to revolutionise the UK’s PE curriculum A new, digital app designed to equip primary school teachers with better skills to improve children’s movement and help them to become active for life has been launched.

Designed by a project team formed of academics from Sheffield Hallam University and international experts, and funded/partdeveloped by national children’s charity the Youth Sport Trust, the ‘Start to Move’ assessment app will equip teachers with the techniques and confidence to assess fundamental movement skills, like running, catching and balancing, in four to sevenyear-olds.

The project team spoke to primary school teachers about how they would like the app to work, consulted international experts around what movement should be assessed and trialled earlier versions of the app in schools across the country.

As a result, the project team built the app using interactive, iPad technology, to provide crucial, user-friendly, information relating to the child’s movement competence that can be accessed by teachers, pupils and their parents.

The app was designed after the Youth Sport Trust developed and delivered the

‘Start to Move’ one-day, teacher-training course. Since 2011, the course has been delivered to over 7,000 primary school teachers and 4,200 trainee teachers involved in primary school PE lessons, which has helped to encourage nearly half a million four to seven-year-olds to stay active throughout their life.

The course gives teachers the competence and confidence to teach children the fundamental movement skills which are necessary for their active participation in sport and physical activity for life.

Professor David Morley, Head of the University’s Academy of Sport and Physical Activity and project lead alongside Tom Van Rossum, said: “Physical Education in schools provides the opportunity for children to become physically literate and, in doing so, creates the foundation for them to participate in lifelong physical activity and sport.

“Evidence suggests that, despite a statutory PE curriculum, the movement competences of four to seven-year-olds in the UK, is average or below average when compared to their peers in other countries. This ‘movement deficit’ has serious consequences for the health of our children, nationally.

“The ground-breaking, ‘Start to Move’ app goes some way in addressing this movement deficit amongst children by providing muchneeded information for teachers to act upon and make a positive impact on a child’s lifelong

It’s the season to sneeze in schools As we start the new year, it is more important than ever for both teachers and pupils to be aware of the NHS’ seven, simple, hand washing steps to prevent the spread of germs and illnesses.

The best preventative measure to combat illnesses, from the common cold to norovirus, is proper hand washing. Manty Stanley, managing director at TEAL Patents, says: “As it’s the season to sneeze, it is vital that everyone, teachers, pupils and support staff alike, know the dangers of not thoroughly washing hands after sneezing or blowing their noses.

“Schools and nurseries must take the initiative and give children better access to washing facilities this winter.”

“TEAL has worked with educational establishments for many years and we’re trying to ensure everyone in school and nursery environments is germ-free. It’s all about doing what we can to remove or at least mitigate the threat of catching a common illness such as a cold or the potentially deadly influenza.”

TEAL Patents is the world’s leading manufacturer of portable, hot water, hand wash units which require no access to mains water or drainage and has designed the Kiddiwash range to meet the specific requirements of educational institutions.

For further information: T: 0121 770 0593 E: enquiries@tealwash.com Education Magazine

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health and wellbeing from an early age.”

The app will be showcased nationally and internationally at a series of launch events and plans are already in place to develop the next app for seven to 11-year-olds to ensure movement across their lifespan is supported effectively.

Will Swaithes, Head of PE and achievement at the Youth Sport Trust, a charity which works to build a brighter future for young people through sport, said the development will be a welcome tool for teachers and coaches.

He said: “We are really excited to see how teachers use the app as a reference library for competence against the 14 fundamental movement tasks and as a tool to support assessment and then subsequent intervention/teaching to improve these skills as a significant contributor and marker of physical literacy.

“We anticipate this will be a life changing tool for teachers and coaches in their day to day lives and ensure all children are supported in being the best they can be through sport and PE. The app supports our suite of Start to Move training and resources and is the next step in nurturing physical literacy in the next generation.”

To access the Start to Move Movement Assessment Tool App, go to the app store.

Revealed: UK parents are spending over £4,000 on school trips •

UK school children are attending an average of three trips a year

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Nearly half of parents (46%) think children learn more from school trips and visiting places than in a classroom

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Science and transport attractions found to be the most popular for a school trip

School trips are an eagerly anticipated event in the school calendar for children, and it seems that this sentiment is shared by parents too, with nearly half (46%) believing children learn more from school trips and visiting places, than they do in the classroom.

A new study¹ considers how many trips children at different levels in the education system attend, alongside parent’s thoughts on the value of these trips, and the benefits of educational versus fun school outings.

Of those willing to spend money, the average amount that parents pay for one school trip is £140. With an average of three trips a year, during their child’s education from KS1 to KS4, a parent is spending £4,620.

Interestingly, it is dads who are willing to spend more, with nearly a quarter (21%) admitting to spending between £101 - £200, compared to 13% of female parents paying within this price range.

The research conducted by the home schooling provider found that parents overall have a positive attitude to school trips. Over

The research revealed the top five types of attractions for school trips as: 1. Science and transport (63%) 2. History and heritage (60%) 3. Wildlife and nature (56%) 4. Museum and galleries (52%) 5. Activities (41%)

a third of parents (34%) think there should be more school trips available for school children, and 38% think it’s still important for children to go on school trips, whether it’s a treat or not.

However, not all British parents share the same reasoning. One in five (20%) think school trips are a waste of money, and 17% of men think school trips should purely be about educational benefits rather than a treat, versus 11% of women sharing these thoughts.

The research also found the cities which think school trips are a waste of money; these are: 1. Edinburgh (38%) 2. London (29%) 3. Glasgow (27%) 4. Dublin (25%) 5. Birmingham (24%) School trips are often seen as a nice treat for children, or a chance to get out of the classroom and enjoy visiting somewhere new, or taking part in an unusual activity.

Suzie Ross, a GP Receptionist based in Bradford has a son in Year 2, she said: “I think school trips are important for both a child’s development and education. Any time to get out of the classroom and explore, is beneficial in my opinion.

“Trips help to aid academic skills as well as essential social skills and much more.

Personally, I would only be willing to pay £20-£30 for one trip within the UK, and I think five to six trips each year is fine, as long as they are educational in some way.”

UK county leads the world in offering the newest IB programme

Children in Key Stage 2 (7-11 years) and Key Stage 3 (11-14 years) both attend an average of four trips a year, compared to those in Key Stage 1 and 4 who attend three. In addition, it seems schools in Ireland are the most relaxed when it comes to allowing children to leave the classroom, with 14% of parents in Dublin admitting their child goes on over 10 trips a year, followed closely by 11% in Belfast.

Dr Nick Smith, Principal at Oxford Home Schooling, said: “School trips are fundamental to a child’s education both academically and in terms of their understanding of the wider world.

“Our research revealed that in general, parents think school trips are very important and they think children learn more on these trips, than in the classroom.

“There is more flexibility when it comes to home schooled children attending trips, outside of their studies; it is up to an individual parent to decide on the location and purpose of the trip, as well as how many their child goes on each year.

“There should be a balance between spending time learning the curriculum and also attending school trips to enhance their academic performance, but also enjoy time away from learning, to have some fun.”

To learn more about school trip destinations in the UK, please click here: https://www. oxfordhomeschooling.co.uk/blog/parentsopinions-on-school-trips/ ¹The research, for conducted by home education provider, Oxford Home Schooling was an independent survey of 1,697 parents of children aged 4-18 year old in full time education in the UK, conducted by The Leadership Factor in November 2017.

The programme is specifically designed for students aged 16–18 who wish to engage in career-related learning, while also continuing to gain transferable and lifelong skills in applied knowledge, critical thinking, communication, and cross-cultural engagement.

Twenty-four state schools across Kent are now authorised to offer the International Baccalaureate (IB) Career-related Programme (CP), with first teaching starting this term. This equates to almost 30% of state schools in the county. With over 500 students studying the programme in Kent alone, the UK is now home to almost a quarter of the schools across the globe that offer the CP.

The CP combines a career-related qualification (for example a BTEC), with at least two IB Diploma Programme (DP) courses, and the unique CP core, which consists of a reflective project, a foreign language, a community project, and personal and professional skills.

A CP “package” for students wishing to enter the engineering world, for instance, might include: a BTEC Extended Diploma in engineering (double), IB DP business and management, mathematics and chemistry, as well as the core.

The CP is currently offered by 177 schools in 25 countries around the world with 1,965 candidates registered for the 2017 examination sessions. The newly authorised schools were all part of an initiative jointly run by Kent County Council and the IB in a bid to raise the aspirations of students who previously may not have considered continuing with their academic education post-16 or aiming for university post-18.

For further information please contact Robert Cummings, International Baccalaureate Organisation: robert.cummings@ibo.org.

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Education Magazine

Marvellous Mandarin

By Patrick Wenham Head of Bickley Park School

Across the world, it is estimated that there are around 6,900 languages spoken, with 230 different native tongues in Europe and, remarkably, 2197 in Asia alone.

In the UK, when we choose to learn a foreign language, we usually look to our neighbouring European counterparts and take inspiration from them. In a school environment, second languages are normally Spanish, French or German, and occasionally you may see Latin, but why are we shying away from the largest spoken around the world, Mandarin? With one in five people fluent, and around 800 million people speaking this ancient language, should we be exposing our children to this instead?

The argument against it would possibly say that most people won’t visit China, unlike our favourite holiday destinations across the channel, or that it’s easier to learn something European as we share the same basic alphabet - but these reasons shouldn’t hold people back.

In Chinese, there are around 50,000 characters, and it’s said you would need to know between 2000-3000 of these to be able to read a newspaper. A stark difference to our 26 letter based words. But, for example, unlike learning French where you must grasp gender and possessive adjectives before you can begin to create your sentence, Mandarin has no gender attachments, cases, plurals or tenses. The absence of these grammar elements surely makes learning far easier for us than if a Chinese student was to study English.

What you do need to know is that there are different tones needed to become an expert in speaking Mandarin. The wrong pronunciation can give an entirely different

Education Magazine

Just as we celebrate the New Year, the Chinese New Year is commonly noted and recognised across many different establishments, not just schools.

It conjures up images of dancing Dragons, lit lanterns, red and gold colours and of course, fireworks. So, as we enter the year of the dog – a year that’s associated with honesty and loyalty – Patrick Wenham, Headmaster at Bickley Park School discusses the challenge of studying Mandarin:

Experts predict that our increasingly populous world will become even more internationalised and inter-connected.

The ability to form good relationships will be facilitated by having the capability to communicate, even at a basic level, with nonEnglish speakers. More critical to cultivating positive relationships with people from other races will be gaining an understanding of their cultural norms: something that has traditionally been gained through the learning of modern foreign languages, exchange visits and trips to non-English speaking countries. There is, potentially, a cost attached to the decline in learning languages: Professor James Foreman-Peck was commissioned to write a report by the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills to assess the impact of the UK’s deficiency in language skills. He believes that the financial impact will be to the tune of £48 billion.

meaning to the word you were looking to say and you don’t want to be insulting people by mistake!

As with learning any new language I believe it is vital to understand the culture too. China is steeped in history and, as a country, it is fascinating too. Giving children something to learn without substance doesn’t work.

Children are naturally curious about the world outside, so we should feed their imaginations with an insight into this unique country. As such, we have introduced World Culture Lessons at our school.

The written word is beautiful too. In fact, initially learning to read Chinese before speaking it is a great starting point as their symbols help you understand the language better. For example, some letters look like their meaning. The word ‘wood’ is depicted by the symbol 木. Combine this with a second and it means the plural, ‘woods’ (木 木). Add a third and you have ‘forest’ (木木 木). It simply fuses together related words to create a new word. Combining logical components pictorially means the learner can instantly start deciphering words in minutes.

In some ways, you could compare the ideograms (Mandarin letters) to hieroglyphs – the two most ancient writing systems in the world. However, unlike Mandarin, glyphs could be laid out in various directions, but only ever read in the way the symbols faced. And, like them or hate them, people regularly use emoji’s now, which is just a modern version of ancient script. If children can understand these, then their minds should adapt easily to Mandarin.

The benefits of learning Mandarin are also vast. China’s economy is booming: it hit a record high last year with more than half of the country’s trade being with the US. Their major economic growth will have an impact on our workforce and the job scene as more people will need to be able to communicate effectively in the language. However, there are still very few English speaking people who can converse fluently in Mandarin.

Having this skill is not a wasted talent: it’s a selling point and can make a person invaluable to employees.

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These sessions expose younger learners to a major world country for a term, using native speakers to introduce the language, at a conversational level, and the culture of the country. The boys have learnt about Russia and conversational Russian, as well as Arabic and Arab customs.

The lessons have excited an interest in learning languages whilst engendering an awareness of the amazing world in which we live. The educational rationale behind World Culture lessons is that they contribute towards developing an awareness of other mainstream cultures that will hopefully facilitate the boys’ ability to forge relationships in a more globally interconnected world.

Finally, we mustn’t forget that some words we use in everyday life derive directly from China. The expressions ‘gung-ho’ and ‘chin-chin’ have their base in Mandarin, and the popular condiment ketchup came from ‘ke-tsiap’. Ke-tsiap was originally a fish based sauce which the Western world later replaced with tomato as the main base flavour.

So next time you’re enjoying your cup of ‘char’ – another fantastic Chinese word – raise a toast to marvellous Mandarin.

UK teacher shortage laid bare in comparison of European education With the UK’s education system under constant pressure, it can be easy to lose sight of how those in other countries fare. Dr Nick Smith explains what the home learning provider discovered through a European comparison.

For all the news of struggling schools, battles over catchment areas and child literacy, it’s good to have the knowledge that the UK’s education system is one of the best in the world. Certainly, we have some schools that cause parents to move across the country to have their children attend.

But how does the UK really match up? How good is the majority of the population’s life at school, and how long do they spend there?

That’s why we decided to look into how systems across Europe compare. What we found for some countries was expected, but for others was definitely a surprise.

We looked at three key areas, using nationally reported data for the whole country - not just a sample survey. These were the ratio of pupils to teachers, the level of investment by the state in schools and the length of time pupils actually spend at school.

theoretically have the most attention, with just 8.1 per teacher. With that said, the spread of these figures across the continent is relatively even.

The UK, though, still doesn’t have much to shout about. At 14.3 pupils per teacher, the figure is only lower than that of the Netherlands (16.0) and France (15.1). Still, it’s clearly better than the 26.1 for upper secondary teachers.

The biggest surprise is how the UK compares in the statistics from Eurostat for the number of pupils per teacher at the level of upper secondary education. That’s between the ages of 14 and 16, or what would be Key Stage 4 in the UK. Where the average EU country has 12.9 pupils for every qualified teacher at this level, the UK has more than twice as many, at 26.1.

It’s with lower secondary pupils, however, that things become more interesting.

When it comes to the education of children aged between 10 and 13, or Key Stage 3 in the UK, a very distinct trend appears across the continent when shown on a map.

The UK is out on its own by a long way with this figure. The closest, the Netherlands, has 18.0 pupils per teacher at upper secondary level, while pupils in Lithuania should

The average across the EU is similar to that of upper secondary ratios, at 12.6, while Malta has a qualified teacher for every 6.9 children at this level.

Apart from Belgium, no Western European countries have nine or fewer pupils per teacher at this level. Meanwhile, no European country east of Germany has more than 12 pupils per teacher.

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The significance of this is that the number of pupils per qualified teacher in a country directly affects schools’ abilities to employ enough teachers to keep class sizes at manageable levels.

The fact that the UK struggles with teacher shortages at such a crucial time in children’s education - when they are studying for their GCSEs - is a particular cause for concern, as that is when close contact with teaching staff is likely to have the greatest impact upon their future.

It might be one thing to notice a perhaps surprising difference between Western Europe and other countries on this, but that geographical difference becomes even more apparent in other aspects of the research.

The length of time that children actually spend at school on average - rather than the legal requirement for them to do so, is particularly notable.

Education Magazine

According to Eurostat figures for the percentage of countries’ GDPs that are spend on secondary education, Serbia equals Denmark for the top spot, with 1.4% of each country’s GDP spent on secondary education.

According to statistics from UNESCO, students in all Western European countries spend 16 to 17 years in school. The Netherlands sits way out in front, where pupils average a school life of 17.9 years. The UK sits solidly amongst the crowd here, at 16.2 years.

However, move across to countries in Central and Eastern Europe, and this falls to 15 or 14 years. Children spend the shortest amount of time at school in Serbia, at just 13.6 years.

Curiously, though, Serbia experiences a reversal when it comes to levels of investment in secondary education.

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Only these countries, together with Finland and Cyprus, spend more than the UK, with our investment being the equivalent of 1.2% of the country’s GDP. Although the majority of countries that invest lower amounts in relation to their GDP are in Eastern Europe, with Romania spending the least at 0.6%, there are significant anomalies.

In Western Europe, for example, Spain, Luxembourg and the Republic of Ireland invest only 0.8%, with Belgium and Italy only just ahead at 0.9%.

This measure is, in general, a good indicator of how highly each country prioritises education. A greater percentage suggests

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more investment in teacher training and school resources.

The trouble is that this doesn’t always mean better results. Some countries may be able to spend less by having a more efficient system.

Although the UK fares well in the latter two categories, it’s the comparison of pupils per teacher in upper secondary schools that’s the most eye-opening finding. It sheds more light on why more and more parents are choosing to home educate, if their local schools are struggling to find enough teachers.

For more details on the research, sources of the information and insight into the results, visit: https://www.oxfordhomeschooling. co.uk/blog/european-education/ About Dr Nick Smith: Dr Nick Smith is a leading figure in the distance learning sector. He founded the Oxford Open Learning Trust 25 years ago, as a distance learning college for adults.

He then founded Oxford Home Schooling as a sister organisation in 2004, to provide course materials and tutor support for families who wish to educate their children at home.

As well as leading the two sister organisations, he regularly comments on a variety of issues affecting education in the UK.

How to keep candidates engaged in your recruitment process The beginning of the year is traditionally a busy time for recruitment, so it’s important that both employers and candidates are prepared.

However, our data suggests that many employers in schools, colleges and universities still haven’t perfected their hiring process. In fact, 85.5% of candidates within the education sector believe that organisations need to do more to keep them engaged throughout the process.

Keeping candidates engaged and interested can be tricky. Especially as institutions across the industry are under pressure to meet a whole host of demands, in order to attract and secure the top talent. To help, CV-Library has put together some top tips on how to keep candidates engaged throughout the recruitment process.

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1. Keep them in the loop Understandably, it can be frustrating for candidates to have to wait a long time to hear back from a job application - no one wants to be left in the lurch! Yet one in five (20%) education professionals admitted that a lack of response from employers was what they disliked most about their job hunt. It’s important to get back to people in a timely manner, even if it’s just a couple of email updates to inform them on the status of their application, or to let them know that you’re going to need longer to make a decision. This simple step lets them know that you haven’t forgotten about them. And remember, not getting back to candidates at all can damage your employer brand.

Even after a candidate has initially accepted your offer, it’s not set in stone. They might still be waiting on other offers or are continuing to look for other opportunities.

Therefore, you need to remain proactive.

Keep in touch over phone or email, or even invite them in for a welcome lunch so they can get to know the team and feel more comfortable when starting their role. Your

Education Magazine

By Lee Biggins main priority is to ensure that they don’t get a better offer elsewhere, so show them how great your workplace is!

2. Provide constructive feedback After putting time and effort into an application, it is understandable that candidates want to know how they did. In fact, a third (34%) of professionals working in the education sector said that constructive feedback was important to them after an interview. Keep this in mind throughout your hiring process – even if you’re rejecting someone. After all, it shows that you appreciate their interest and your feedback could help them in the future. They may even go away, improve, and be able to join you at a later date.

Often, interviews for education roles will include set tasks such as a group discussion around current issues within the sector, examples of lesson plans or ideas for future curriculum. If you have asked your candidates to complete any tasks like this, you should provide extensive feedback.

Not only does this help your candidates to improve, it also ensures that you don’t cut

Education Magazine

ties or leave negative feelings, which could potentially damage your employer brand.

3. Offer the right package Offering the right package is important and many candidates have high expectations.

In fact, our data found that professionals in the education sector will negotiate on factors such as salary (76.5%), working hours (50.6%) and benefits (38.3%), to receive the package that they want. You also need to ensure you are fair with the salaries you offer; you should base these on candidate experience and the value they can add to your workplace, pupils and other members of staff.

While many schools may be restricted to what salaries they can offer depending on budget allowances, you can find other ways to boost the package if you can’t offer the most competitive salary. For example, you may be able to offer discounts at a local gym, free eye tests and lunches or even payment for online courses. Figure out how these can work alongside the budget and practical requirements of your institution.

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Getting this package right is important if you want to keep candidates interested in your job. Be sure to advertise your perks in your job description and discuss them in the interview.

Shout about anything great you do, even if it’s a regular staff get together on a Friday; it could sway your candidate’s decision.

In summary, it’s important to keep your candidates engaged throughout your recruitment process. Remember what candidates want: to be kept in the loop, receive good feedback and be offered the right package. These are all key steps towards keeping your candidates happy and ensuring your organisation secures the best talent.

Lee Biggins is founder and Managing Director of the UK’s leading independent job board, CV-Library. The business, founded in 2000, is still run by Lee, who holds 100% of the shares and he has grown the business consistently year-on-year, re-investing a significant amount to ensure that aggressive growth targets are achieved. As a result, CV-Library is one of the fastest growing websites in the country.

Leading academy trust develops new pay system to transform the way teachers are paid A new pay and rewards system developed by a leading academy trust to recruit, retain and reward teachers has been backed by the country’s biggest teacher union.

The Thinking Schools Academy Trust’s pay framework will be introduced from September 2018 in its 13 schools in Medway and Portsmouth after the National Education Union (NEU) endorsed the new framework, with some 93.5% of NEU members voting in its favour [NC1] .

The new system will:

• Ensure newly qualified teachers have

a stable financial platform from which to begin their career, guaranteeing a minimum starting salary of at least £25,000 from September 2018 – more than £2,000 above the national average.

• Base all progression, including within the

upper pay levels, on performance only, so teachers will move up the main pay scale based on excellent teaching.

• Reward teachers at the top of the pay

scale, recognising those who exceed performance objectives through a three per cent non-consolidated pay award - providing a financial incentive for teachers to continue delivering the best standards of education.

o In short, this is a bonus, thereby

protecting the financial viability of the structure while also providing a rewardbased culture for those who otherwise would not be able to benefit from exceptional performance because they are at the top of scale. This provides a financial incentive for teachers to continue delivering the best standards of education in the classroom, because this will provide great teachers with incentives to remain as teachers

New book looks at the changes in teacher education in England Models of teacher education in England have undergone major shifts in recent years and a new book from Manchester Metropolitan University explores how these changes impact educators.

Teacher training models have shifted increasingly from universities in to schools, with government-backed programmes like School Direct and Teach First.

Teacher Education in England by Tony Brown, Professor of Mathematics Education at Manchester Metropolitan

rather than taking management responsibilities which come with larger salaries. This chimes with what the Secretary of State spoke about earlier this month.

• Remove the bureaucratic barriers to teachers receiving these rewards.

o Teachers within the national system

have to go through the arduous process of submitting an application to gain access to the upper pay scale, but TSAT’s teaching staff will be automatically entitled to these rewards from 2018, so long as their performance merits it. All TSAT staff are set objectives around pupil progress, teaching standards and professional development, and this is checked against the performance management cycle of meetings that happen throughout the year. The criteria for meeting these have been approved by NEU.

o While teachers working within the

national pay framework have to wait two years before their pay is reviewed, TSAT is introducing annual incremental increases, to recognise teacher performance in the year it has been achieved.

Crucially, the pay structure does not simply leave teachers to pursue high standards and financial rewards alone. It acknowledges that teachers in their first three years of teaching, at NQT +1 and NQT +2 level, are still developing their skills, and therefore differentiated objectives and targeted support will be introduced to guide them in meeting and exceeding their objectives.

Lee Miller, Deputy Chief Executive of Thinking Schools Academy Trust (TSAT), said:

“Our new pay structure will transform the way teachers are paid – for their benefit, for their employers’ benefit and, most importantly of all, for students’ benefit. The current national pay framework no longer provides the path ahead.

“By providing the environment for teachers to be financially secure and motivated, TSAT’s new pay model will directly benefit students through the excellent standard of teaching they will continue to receive. This is about rewarding teachers, with the aim of retaining great staff and improving student outcomes.”

Mr Miller added: “TSAT’s new pay model may not prove to be the exact path that other academies choose to go down. Different academies face different circumstances, and need to adapt their practices as a result. But a system based on financial security, reward and fairness will provide immediate and tangible benefits for both teachers and students.”

Amanda Martin, Executive Member of the NEU said, “The agreement on pay at TSAT means that teachers are not only placed on a higher level of pay compared to most colleagues in other maintained schools, but also provides them with a very clear and accessible means of career progression. Fundamental to this is the emphasis on positive incentives and professional development.

“Teacher retention and a reward systems that values staff rather than penalising them are key to the long term and sustainable success of a good education system and more Trusts, as well the Secretary of State, should take note of the approach introduced at TSAT schools.”

University, is the first substantial study to focus on School Direct since its implementation in 2013.

help teacher educators, as well as teachers and trainee teachers understand evolving education structure and policy.”

Following seven years of research into the ways in which teacher education has changed, the book draws on 150 interviews with teacher educators and trainees across ten countries.

Professor Brown also explores the opportunities that are opened up by the new education models.

Professor Brown said: “England is alone in Europe in pursuing such models and my research looks at how the changes to teacher education have been implemented here.

“I also wanted to go out and speak with people directly involved and impacted by these decisions. They have transformed the challenges faced by students, teachers and teacher educators so this book will

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The research was presented at a House of Lords parliamentary seminar. Lord Watson, Labour’s Shadow Education Minister, chaired the event and provided a Foreword to the book.

Published by Routledge, Professor Brown’s book is part of series on the topic of Teacher Education, which presents the latest research on Teacher Education and also provides a forum to discuss the latest practices and challenges in the field.

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New research reveals the changing face of ICT needs in secondary schools In an education landscape where restricted budgets remain the biggest challenge for UK schools, gaining maximum value from ICT spend is still a key priority for today’s ICT leaders.

Recent research conducted into the external ICT support marketplace, which surveyed ICT leaders at over 300 maintained secondary schools across the UK, revealed some interesting insights into the way schools are managing their IT support services, both now and in the future.

The research reflected that while average network team sizes currently comprise of around four or five internal network staff, there is an increasing expectation from ICT leaders that due to continued budgetary pressures, network team sizes will fall over the next two years.

The only exception to this trend is in schools that already have significant external support with their ICT provision, where it is

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. 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 robbery, a secure unit abscondee on the loose in Conwy, a man wielding a gun outside a Cambridge school and a shooting outside a Liverpool school. 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

expected that in some instances, network team sizes may actually increase.

However, less than a fifth of those surveyed reported using a fully managed service, and over two thirds of schools said they prefer a modular approach where they can select specific support options that best suit the unique needs of their school, its pedagogy and its chosen technologies.

enhanced system software deployments and data management implications such as the new GDPR requirements.

“However, while a smaller network team size can help alleviate some of these budgetary pressures, it can also decrease the capacity and knowledge held within an onsite team to deal with the volume and range of support queries they receive each day.”

Chris Burgess, Senior Product Manager at RM Education, says: “The prevalence of cloud technologies is making lives much easier for network teams; they no longer need to manage kit, install updates and, in most cases, fix servers, as this can all be done much more cost effectively through cloud technologies.

Chris suggests that an external support service can fill this deficit and help schools to achieve their ICT needs by bringing in the knowledge and experience of a wide pool of external specialists, enabling existing network teams of any size to access support and freeing them up to focus on supporting teaching staff with classroom technologies.

“Naturally, this has impacted on the amount of network staff required in a typical secondary school, so it’s unsurprising that most schools are expecting their network teams to shrink over the next few years.

This trend is also being driven by BYOD implementation becoming increasingly widespread, coupled with things like

“Network Managers are rightly starting to look at ways to reduce their workload and free up more of their time, so that they can reinvest those resources into making the most of technology in the school and staying on top of technology trends,” says Chris.

“This is an area which does need much greater focus, so while budgetary pressures

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.

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

Richard Manby is managing director of Bodet Class Change Systems

Website: lockdown.bodet.co.uk Tel: 01442 418800 20

Lease Options Lease options for Lockdown Alert Systems are available from Bodet’s financial leasing partner, over periods of either two or three years. For example, a financial amount of £10,000 plus VAT over a 36 month period would equate to monthly payments of £284.78 plus VAT plus an agreed residual payment. Please contact us for further details and to obtain a lease quotation for your school.

Bodet Limited is regulated and authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority. We act as a credit broker in this finance transaction and work with an asset finance lender to find a suitable arrangement for you. We do not make a charge to you for helping you to find a suitable asset finance lender, however, we may receive a commission payment from the lender for our work. Business customers only.

For further details and to obtain a lease quotation for your school, please contact Bodet.

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are the main driver to an ICT support service, freeing up much-needed time to help develop teachers’ skills and give them more confidence with technology in the classroom is also becoming a priority.”

As this research has indicated, schools are increasingly seeking modular support, and their ICT leaders are therefore focusing on exploring flexible and scalable solutions that will best compliment their existing – albeit shrinking – network teams.

So what are the options for schools taking this approach? The first is an escalation support model where schools can select specific support or functions; this approach can be particularly beneficial where a network team is small and there is a clear gap in the technology knowledge required to perform a specific task, such as migration from Microsoft to Google.

If an additional level of support was required, schools could also explore proactive remote services which are focussed on freeing up network teams by performing automated or standardised tasks such as

Education Magazine

system updates and security checks; tasks which are necessary, but often overlooked when network teams are busy firefighting more pressing issues.

Building on the pro-active service model, schools could also explore remote network management services, which can help them to stabilise their costs, widen their internal knowledge bank and, crucially, to transfer the risks associated with of day-to-day mishaps to the service provider.

The survey also asked ICT leaders what elements of ICT support were most beneficial to their school; the majority of respondents reported that the provision of unlimited usage, multiple platform coverage and expert technical knowledge were key.

Respondents also indicated that their school is most likely to use native tools from Microsoft and Google for identity and access management, while a significant proportion of respondents named RM Education as providing the highest levels of expertise in the provision of support.

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“By conducting this latest research, we wanted to explore the current landscape of school IT and the issues that were most important to ICT leaders. The results reflect to us that in-depth technological expertise is a critical driver in selecting a support contract, while budgetary pressures continue to drive ICT leaders to explore options that could offer them much greater security and value for money,” says Chris.

“Conversely, we understand that schools are reluctant to be tied into a contract that isn’t specifically tailored to their needs. Therefore, we anticipate that modular support models which are flexible and scalable will begin to take on much more prevalence over the next 12 to 24 months.”

RM Education can provide schools with a range of hybrid support services on a single flexible contract, from running pro-active overnight checks on your school’s network to security audits, vulnerability scanning and SIMs support.

For more information on ICT support options, visit www.rm.com/products

NEWS News News NEWSNEWS News News ews New study reflects the need for extra funding in maths John Underhill, reveals the findings of recent research, which surveyed 3,421 tutors across the UK and found that 32 per cent of respondents listed maths as the most popular subject they tutor.

There are a number of factors that I believe have led to our most recent findings, which show that maths is the most popular subject that students seek tutoring for. We know that schools are under increasing pressures to deliver more with less, with shrinking budgets and tougher GCSE courses to prepare students for, maths in particular has been neglected. One of our previous surveys found that within the top five reasons for investing in private tuition, students sited improving exam results (44 per cent) and poor quality of teaching at school (9 per cent).

Tutors agree too, with an overwhelming 77 per cent saying they felt the pressure on students to perform has increased over the last year to 18 months and a further 75 per cent felt teachers are unable to give the support students need in the classroom.

According to research from the National Numeracy Trust, the percentage of working age adults in England with numeracy skill levels equivalent to GCSE C grade or above reduced by 4 per cent between 2003 and 2011. Maths skills help our workforce remain competitive with our international peers and are also linked to higher employment rates and salaries.

Furthermore, for students wanting to study towards A levels and attend university, it is imperative to achieve at least a C (approximately grade 4 or 5 under the new structure) in maths, English, and for some courses, science too. Therefore, in order to give students the best chance in life we need to ensure every child has access to engaging maths lessons tailored to their educational needs.

So what can be done?

We have so many wonderful and dedicated educators in the sector, so the question isn’t about finding quality teachers, but rather about what can be done to support them in delivering engaging maths lessons at school, and recognising the opportunities to provide extra help to ease pressures for students and teachers alike.

While external resource in the form of tutors and online learning tools provide additional support to students, reassuring parents that they are able to reach their full potential, ultimately we need increased funding to support our efforts. With shrinking budgets causing concern among schools, 72 per

cent of headteachers believe that in two years’ time, school budgets will become unsustainable (National Association of Head Teachers).

Mark Hobson, a tutor from Doncaster said: “Teachers are under significant pressure to deliver results and this sometimes filters down to their students. Recent changes to the GCSE and A-level mathematics syllabi and assessment methodology have made the subject even more demanding, making the role of the private tutor essential in helping to complement and support this process.

If the required grade is then achieved, then both student and teacher have been supported appropriately.”

Recently, Phillip Hammond offered new investment in an effort to boost maths teaching standards in schools, including a £40 million package to train more maths teachers and a £600 boost to schools and colleges for every extra sixth-former who takes A-level or core maths. This is welcome news, but if exams continue to be redesigned and become tougher, pressures on students (and by default, teachers too) will also increase.

Mark continued: “The Chancellor’s announcement is welcome. Funding for the Level 3 Maths Support Programme will help as both students and teachers can use this resource. However, the incentive of £600 per-student at A-Level might be better spent making maths a subject more students enjoy and are successful with at GCSE, which in turn would make A-Level maths a more attractive proposition. Then there would be less need for additional support.”

struggle to offer competitive salaries and work-life balance. For teachers, tutoring offers another income stream. In fact, on average, a private tutor earns almost £9 more per hour (£31.35) than a full-time secondary school teacher (£22.73). However, they are able to take control of their workload too, by choosing when and where to work according to demands and their own personal commitments.

Although steps have been made to increase funding to maths teaching, in order to fully support our students there needs to be a sustained approach, addressing wider issues such as staff retention and exam pressures.

Tutoring can offer a valuable extra resource to schools struggling to recruit maths teachers, give existing teachers the chance to take control of their source of income, and support students in preparation for their exams.

The Tutor Hunt survey was sent out to 62,066 tutors who used the Tutor Hunt service between Sep 2016 and Aug 2017.

3,421 tutors responded to this survey.

A copy of the survey can be found on the following link: https://www.tutorhunt.com/ research/tutorsurvey/survey2017.asp

Smallpeice and Arkwright merge to offer co-ordinated STEM learning for all

What’s next?

With uncertainty surrounding the impacts of Brexit, 2018 and following years are hard to predict. However, throughout it all, we must be able to provide students with the appropriate level of support in order to give them the opportunity to realise and fulfil their potential – whether that’s inside the classroom, through independent learning or one-to-one tutoring sessions.

What is interesting to note is that all STEM subjects (maths, chemistry, biology, physics, etc.) appeared high on the survey as being popular subjects that tutors support students with. Traditionally these are difficult subjects to engage children with but being able to give tailored lessons and a personalised learning pathway to students, tutors have found their pupils also have a boost in confidence, which transcends into their classroom learning too.

Tutoring can also offer an important source of extra support when mounting pressures on schools leave them struggling to offer additional guidance. With more budget cuts expected, schools will continue to face recruitment and retention issues as they

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The Smallpeice Trust is the largest STEM education charity in the UK, delivering over 700 STEM programmes a year.

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A record 1,594 students applied for an Arkwright Engineering Scholarship in 2017, with a record 425 Scholarships awarded.

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The merger is the natural next step in the formal relationship between the Arkwright Scholarships Trust and The Smallpeice Trust, which dates back to 2002.

Two of the UK’s leading educational charities, The Smallpeice Trust and the Arkwright Scholarships Trust agreed to formally merge on Thursday 7th December.

The combined organisation will operate Education Magazine

News News NEW News

News future world of work, to the CEOs of UK advanced manufacturers who are looking for new skilled engineering workers to meet demand. ” “I and the Board of Trustees believe that a combined organisation can support young people, irrespective of their background or academic ability, on a STEM journey that transforms their lives for the benefit of UK engineering, be that as an apprentice, graduate, technician, or future leader.”

under The Smallpeice Trust name. Dr Kevin P Stenson, Chief Executive of The Smallpeice Trust, has been named as CEO of the combined organisation, which in addition to being the UK’s largest STEM education charity will now also deliver the UK’s most prestigious engineering Scholarship programme for 16 – 18 year olds.

The move will offer students between the ages of 11 and 21 years access to leading STEM education and scholarship opportunities throughout their school careers and beyond. This integration will also offer educational institutions, parents and young students a single point of contact for a wide range of STEM resources, courses, scholarships and mentors already working within the engineering and science sectors.

This new model will ensure there is contact with students at the key points in their educational career, to help cultivate a passion for engineering in the critical 14 to 18 age range, when so many students currently decide to look elsewhere for careers.

The Arkwright Scholarships Trust awarded 425 Scholarships to students this year, and The Smallpeice Trust reached 50,000 school students, through 700 programmes organised across the UK. The significant success of both organisations in recent years provides a real platform to help solve a ‘once in a generation’ challenge, with over 1.8 million engineers needed by 2022. There is hope that a more integrated approach will provide a catalyst for a change in culture throughout the education system by ensuring enthusiastic children do not run out of opportunities to develop engineering and science skills, and for schools and institutions to provide a clearer path to achieve their goals at every stage of education.

Dr Kevin P Stenson, Chief Executive of The Smallpeice Trust and Arkwright Scholarships Trust says: “The full integration of the two fantastic charities within the Smallpeice Group of charities will offer so much to all of our stakeholders, from the teachers at schools and universities entrusted with the task of preparing UK students for the Education Magazine

The benefits of the merger for school leaders and teachers is the creation of access to a single point of resources for co-ordinated STEM lesson kits, school STEM Days, residential courses, all the way through to Engineering Scholarships offering financial incentives to students and affiliated schools. This will allow schools to work with the joint organisation to develop a STEM programme that serves each stage of school life from age 11 to 18 and then through higher education to 21 years, and provide access to a generation of STEM ambassadors that have developed through the ranks.

Rachael Warwick, Executive Headteacher of Ridgeway Education Trust, comments: “Education institutions are committed to providing opportunities which provide all young people with a route from education into work. Schools often have initial success inspiring children with the possibilities of engineering careers through STEM lessons, but maintaining interest and passion, particularly during the critical years of 14 to 18, can prove challenging. This merger between two highly respected, wellresourced organisations provides the allthrough programme of STEM support that the education sector has been seeking.”

For corporate partners that are looking for a STEM partner to help develop a line of exciting new talent with high qualifications, it will now become even easier to work with the organisation on a co-ordinated programme that will encourage much needed skills among the next generation of trained workers.

RedSTART launches online learning portal for teachers and students Charity aims to improve confidence in handing money for one million young people by 2025 RedSTART, the charity set up to improve financial education for children, has launched a learning portal for primary and secondary schoolchildren and teachers.

This new hub will provide ready-made lesson 23

NEWS NEWS New

plans and training resources for both primary and secondary school age groups. The materials, which are free to access, combine interactive games with more traditional knowledge sessions, giving a balance between fun and practical learning.

This initiative is part of the charity’s commitment to improving financial literacy and to teach children how to budget, save, invest, and give back. Its core principle is creating accessible financial education materials and collaborating with partners worldwide to give one million young people confidence in handling their money.

Despite financial education being a formal part of the UK’s national curriculum in secondary school, only 40% of 7-17year olds say they’ve received financial education in school. Research from the Money Advice Trust has also shown that 1.8million young people are falling into financial difficulty by adulthood.

RedSTART, which celebrated gaining its charitable status at a launch event on 23rd November, has been working with schools across the UK since 2012 to deliver its faceto-face educational workshops. Expanding this to an online offering will allow unprecedented numbers of students and teachers access to financial lessons outside of the classroom. This is part of the charity’s commitment over the next two years to partner with more schools across the UK and allow teachers to deliver financial education directly to students.

Upton Cross Primary School took part in several of RedSTART’s Money Matters workshops earlier this year. Charlotte Moore, Deputy Head Teacher at the school, said: “Initiatives such as this are vital if we’re going to improve financial education among young people. It was so inspiring to see that the children didn’t just sit back and listen but actively participated and applied their knowledge to different tasks.”

RedSTART Co-founder, Jonathan Letham said: “Financial literacy among adults in the UK is low and an obvious way to combat this is by starting financial education at an early age, equipping school children with the basic skills they need to effectively manage their money.

“We’ve had amazing feedback on our interactive learning days but now we want to do more. We know that we can reach more children by giving teachers the skills to deliver education straight to the classroom and our new online portal is a great way to achieve that. We’re passionate about partnering with more schools across the UK to help students engage with financial education, but also to make sure that they have fun while they’re doing it.”

All materials can be accessed at https:// redstarteducate.org/

Why it’s never been more important to nurture creative talent With BAFTA having just opened its its prestigious Young Game Designers competition for an eighth year this January, Education Magazine met up with Tim Hunter, Director of Learning and New Talent at BAFTA to find out why he believes it has never been more important to nurture the UK’s future creative talent…

Tell us a bit about BAFTA Young Game Designers?

We established the competition in 2010 to open young people’s eyes to the amazing opportunities available in the dynamic UK games industry, which is the fifth largest in the world (Newzoo, June 2017).

The awards encourage the talent of the games makers of tomorrow by giving them a national stage to show off their games creation and development skills.

All of our finalists attend a glittering awards ceremony at BAFTA in London, while each of the winners has the unique chance to see their game idea developed further and to be mentored by leading lights in the UK games industry.

What are the categories open to secondary school students?

There are two main categories available for young people to enter. The Game Making Award is for those with an interest in coding and in creating their games from scratch, while the Games Concept Award is designed for those interested in creating stories and ideas for games.

For each category our games industry juries select winners in the 10-14 year and 15-18 year age categories, and young people can enter the awards individually or in teams of up to three people.

Several of our winners have used the competition as a launch pad for their careers – for example Nic Gordon, whose game You Are Being Followed is being developed as a virtual reality project by Uncommon Chocolate.

Why should schools encourage their students to enter the BAFTA Young Game Designers competition?

Yet over a third who subsequently gave up on their dream have been explicitly advised to try something with ‘more reliable prospects’ .

Playing video games is often seen as a barrier to learning and ambition.

Whilst we would never want to peddle the belief that these are easy industries to get into, it’s vital to the future prosperity and cultural richness of our world renowned creative industries that we encourage and nurture real talent from as wide a range of backgrounds as possible to pursue their dreams in a sector that is booming.

Yet, if an interest in playing games can be turned into a passion for creating them, we can help young people hone valuable life skills such as problem solving, information gathering, creativity and communication, prized by employers today.

Games creation also links naturally to many parts of the national curriculum. It helps young people develop coding and pattern spotting skills that are central to the Maths curriculum and narrative building skills that are prized in English. In many cases linking formal learning to a passion like gaming can be the key that ignites a new zest for learning and potentially creates a path to an exciting career.

Our free curriculum linked resources available at www.ygd.bafta.org help teachers make these links and make it simple to set the competition as interesting classroom work or homework or as valuable content for lunchtime or after school Maths, IT or coding clubs.

Why is BAFTA so passionate about increasing awareness of industries like games creation in which competition for places must already be fierce?

A career in the games industry might once have been regarded as a ‘pie in the sky’ option but it’s now a valid and exciting choice for young people, with the UK games industry one of the most highly regarded and fast growing in the world.

To give an indication of how rapidly jobs in this dynamic sector are being created, over two thirds (68%) of the UK’s 2044 active video games companies have been founded since the beginning of 2010 (UK Games Map, Oct 2016).

We need educators to spread the message that this is an open industry actively seeking young, exciting new talent from a wide range of backgrounds.

How else can teachers help foster and nurture creative talent within a relatively restricted curriculum?

Our own research shows that in many cases aspirations and dreams are being too quickly relinquished as a result of out-dated advice, misconceptions and perceived hurdles.

Our Careers Pathway Survey discovered that over half (57%) of young people have at one time considered working in the film, television or games industries .

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To do that organisations like ours need to work in partnership with educators.

Together we need to help young people understand the opportunities that exist, to dispel myths, to foster a new culture of openness and to give young people high profile platforms from which to showcase their talents.

What type of resources can teachers access through BAFTA? We recognise that teachers and careers advisers are time pressed. We also recognise that with routes into the film, games and television industries typically being less formal and structured than in other sectors, it can be hard to advise students.

That’s why we’ve created a host of free educational careers resources and forums that help teachers access quality advice, inspiration and information from the best creative minds working in film, games and television.

BAFTA Guru http://guru.bafta.org is a free online learning channel featuring everything from information on networking events through to videos from inspirational award winning mentors talking about the best routes into their sectors.

While a great resource for parents’ and options evenings is our new online personality and aptitudes based Careers Quiz (suitable for young people aged 11-16 years) that matches young people to a variety of roles within the creative sector http://guru. bafta.org/careers-quiz.

So if you’re a teacher that believes, like us, that the UK is a hotbed of creative talent, make 2018 the year that you help awaken your students’ awareness of the wealth of opportunities out there.

With the UK’s creative industries growing at twice the rate of the UK economy the appetite for talent has never been as voracious. And the opportunity for the stars of tomorrow – the coders, the directors, the visual effects artists, the performers – has never been as rich and exciting.

Review report commissioned by government and led by current Chair of ITV, Sir Peter Bazalgette 3

Education Magazine

Red Panda Workshops

We take our workshops to Primary Schools (key stages 1 to 2), Secondary Schools (key stages 3 to 5), universities, nursery, colleges, SEN, youth projects, independent school, dance school, music schools, extended services, after school clubs, assemblies, council services and private clients.

Whoever you are, we are sure we can provide you with a top quality service to suit your budget.

We only provide the best professionals for our workshops and we pride ourselves on our ability to provide workshops bespoke to your requirements. We have been trained by extended services in how to teach, engage and get the best out of young people.

Each service we provide is tailored to suit you and your requirements. If you need a workshop for children or adults with additional needs, we can do it – or if you need an activities package for the summer, we can do it too!

Our workshops range from short half day to full day workshops as well as specialising in full services and tailored packages ideal for arts/activities weeks or the half term holidays.

www.redpandaworkshops.co.uk Tel: 02035605893 / 07851764628

Education Magazine

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Whole school approach’ seems to be the new big thing for mental health – ‘Over the last few years, there’s been a lot of discussion about the state of young people’s mental health, and the responsibility of schools.

Charities and NGOs have released figures evidencing the pressure put upon teachers and students and the impact on the mental health of both. Tom Madders, Director of Campaigns and Youth Engagement at the YoungMinds children’s and young people’s mental health charity, explains the issue.

We’ve been seeing a lot of discussion about the mental health crisis in the classroom in the news recently, but what do people mean when they reference the mental health crisis?

At YoungMinds, we’ve been working in children and young people’s mental health for 25 years. The last prevalence survey that gave a reliable measure of prevalence of mental health problems among children and young people between the ages of 5-16 years old was taken in 2004, before the online world was as big a part of everyday life as it is now. This report found that 1 in 10 children had a diagnosable mental health problem, that’s about three children in every classroom. 1 Since then, there have been numerous studies finding that the problem is getting worse. Freedom of Information figures show that the number of young people arriving to A&E with a serious mental health problem has more than doubled since 2010, and a recent study by the BMJ found that there has been a 68% in self-harm among girls between the ages of 13-19.

We also know that, while the rates of young people in crisis are rising, all young people are facing a huge range of pressures and might go through times of difficulty. As part of a campaign we ran in 2014, we spoke to 5,000 young people who said that the main things that they were worried about included school stress, bullying and worries about finding a job.

The prevalence of the online world has changed the landscape that young people are growing up in, in many ways for the better – with access to information, communities and new creative outlets. But the everyday use of social media may mean that young people feel pressured to live

their lives in public and compare themselves to pictures of ‘perfect lives’ they see on newsfeeds. So, it’s important to teach young people about the responsibilities of being online, and about introducing their own boundaries into behaviour, in the way that we do with the offline world.

Schools YoungMinds have been working with teachers and schools for 25 years, and we hear frequently about how difficult it can be for teachers to juggle their workload, as well as cope with the pressure on schools to get high grades and compete in league tables.

We know that teachers and other school staff go into their profession because they want to give the best possible start to the children that they teach and support. But it’s no surprise that, to some, mental health can feel like another thing added to their todo list without any support or idea of where to start.

Teachers shouldn’t be expected to be mental health professionals, but we know that they can have (and many do have) a huge impact on young people by helping to build their resilience, and in intervening early if they suspect that something’s wrong.

Many teachers agree that things need to change, and would welcome more recognition of the work that are already doing to support their student’s mental health – 71% teachers said they would welcome a duty on schools to promote wellbeing, and 91% of teachers would welcome greater recognition of the work they do to support wellbeing. The problem 26

is that, at the moment, teachers aren’t given any training in mental health, and it can be really hard to find time or resource for wellbeing initiatives Teachers are often the ones to notice when mental health problems first emerge, with a recent survey from teacher’s union, NASUWT, finding that 98% of teachers said they had come into contact with pupils who were experiencing mental health issues.

But teachers’ own mental health is put under a huge amount of strain as well, and the problem is too big to be solved by any one teacher or school professional. That’s why we talk about the need for a ‘whole-school’ approach.

At YoungMinds we don’t think that mental health can be covered in just one lesson or the responsibility of just one person in the school. Of course it’s fantastic to plan specific lessons in which to talk about mental health and looking after yourself. But to truly address the mental health crisis in our classrooms requires every teacher and staff member in schools to have mental health and emotional wellbeing on their agenda, and crucially, it needs to be a priority for the education system too.

In March 2017, we launched our Wise Up to Wellbeing in Schools campaign. We, and 10,000 people, including 2,000 education professionals, wrote an open letter to Theresa May asking her to rebalance the education system to focus on wellbeing to address this crisis. The focus on education and the direction of travel of the proposals in the Government’s Green Paper for children and young people’s mental health are encouraging. But the proposals don’t go far enough.

What’s the solution?

Education Magazine

but what does it mean, and is it realistic?

In the Green Paper, published late last year, the Government proposed bringing in mental health leads for every school. They also proposed £215 million to introduce mental health support teams who could come into schools to help assess or provide some less specialist treatments, and suggested reviewing current teacher training. These plans are welcome, however the support leads will not be in place until 2025, and mental health support teams would only be available in 20-25% areas within the next five years. These timelines do not reflect the urgent nature of the mental health crisis. The country’s schools and young people need more support now – which is why we are continuing to campaign for these reforms to go further and faster.

We also launched our YoungMinds 360° Schools Community in January, which offers school staff free resources, lesson plans, information and ideas straight to their inboxes. The community will also provide a place for teachers to share content and best practice such as their own coping strategies or things that might have worked particularly well for them in the classroom.

Bi-monthly emails will also include blogs, case studies and videos to help teachers look

Education Magazine

after their own mental health, and make wellbeing a rewarding and core part of their everyday job.

Palgrave MacMillan. http://digital.nhs.uk/catalogue/ PUB06116

For teachers or schools who want more support, our 360° Schools Hub also includes our training and workshops. These can range from working with schools to bring in their own whole-school approach to mental health, or one off training for teachers and school staff.

YouGov’s teacher tracking survey reached 810 teachers in Britain, from all types of schools.

Fieldwork was undertaken between 1/19/2017 2/1/2017. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of the UK teaching population by phase and region.

YoungMinds is also a partner in the Heads Together Mentally Healthy Schools website, launched by the Duchess of Cambridge earlier this week. The website will help all staff working in primary schools find quality assured resources from across the mental health and education sector. We are currently piloting this in 50 schools across the UK, and it will be publicly available by the end of this term.

To find out more, please visit youngminds. org.uk/360schools References

1. Green H et al (2005) Mental health of children and young people in Great Britain, 2004. Basingstoke:

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2. From YoungMinds’ Wise Up campaign.

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The evolution of e-learning

Jeremy C Bradley is an EdTech industry expert, organisational strategist, and noted speaker and writer. He is a fellow of the Chartered Management Institute and studied law and educational leadership at the universities of Leicester and Harvard respectively.

The objectives facing higher and further education providers are transforming. One largely unanticipated aspect of blending modern technology with education delivery methods has been the introduction of and increases in tuition fees, which has caused a shift in power when it comes to higher education stakeholders. Since £1,000 per year tuitions fees were introduced in the UK in 1998, fees have skyrocketed, with many universities now setting fees at £9,250 per year.

supply and demand. However, it is probable that in the future the cost of e-learning for students will fall as demand rises. With this in mind, it is decisive that colleges and universities are now able to adopt a sustainable model for the provision of online learning that moves away from the traditional expenses associated with the design and implementation of new campus programmes. In this regard, notable institutions such as Harvard University and MIT have been able, along with other prominent education institutions, to validate and further these positive movements in e-learning.

As a result, higher education is rapidly moving from being a predominantly public sector concern to more of a commercial concern. Encouragingly, this means that education standards can be raised through competition between learning providers. Yet, it also signifies a change in how students view themselves. Firstly, it shifts their expectations - students are now education consumers and have the right to demand value for money. Furthermore, as paying customers they feel justified in deciding by what measure their own satisfaction is valued. It is becoming clear that universities need to retain a modernised approach to take account of this shift in the balance of power.

Just as significantly, private companies of all sizes have also been persuaded by the quantifiable value e-learning can now bring to their businesses.

The improved convenience of delivery has been crucial, and these companies see increases in productivity and higher rates of employee retention within their workforce. Naturally, investing in training enables a business to improve the expertise of their managers and employees.

Beyond this, the positive climate of ongoing professional development, for students and academic staff alike, produces an environment of collaboration, investigation, and continuous self-development.

Against this backdrop, e-learning has been steadily gaining ground. There is now a definite trend toward e-learning as a recognised and respected means of education, and it is essential for e-learning providers to pick up the baton and run with it – whilst bearing in mind that it is a marathon, not a sprint.

Due to the very nature of modern technology, advances and upgrades to e-learning are progressive and rolling. Materials and modules can be maintained and updated according to new discoveries, innovations, or industry developments; there is no need for modules to be redesigned in their entirety as any of the relevant academic content can be written by an expert in the field and updated as necessary. The process is not only cost-effective, but can also be carried out in a relatively short time period so that newly updated content can then be inserted digitally into the online programme in a way which does not unduly interfere with the

During my years of working at the leading edge of developments in e-learning, I have observed the industry’s progress first-hand. Over this time, approaches to e-learning have been amended and refined alongside the technology it utilises. Importantly, education institutions can now operate within an environment that conforms to the standard models of business, and to some extent to the classical model of

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rest of the syllabus content.

This ensures that the education provided is always current and relevant.

The successes of e-learning can also be continued by engaging with the consumers of e-learning products and services themselves – students. In 2017, the first major changes in the UK’s National Student Survey (NSS) questions were introduced, including new sections on the learning community, learning opportunities, and the student voice. There are now also nine new questions focusing on student engagement specifically.

That said, as the purpose of NSS is to inform student choice and provide reassurance about the quality of UK higher education, it really shouldn’t be long until any useful evaluation of distance learning considers LMS reliability and usability, the quality of course materials such as e-books, HD videos, case studies, and audio files, as well as the level of tutor support and supervision received. From the students’ side, these are the key markers in their satisfaction.

Any future challenges are certainly there to be met, and it seems that there are positive solutions to the modern expectations of students and businesses as consumers of education. The unremitting task in successfully sustaining higher education is to constantly improve standards of learning, to maintain the credibility of educational qualifications, and to ensure that the student experience is both satisfactory and viable. As it has evolved, e-learning has begun to provide a feasible approach to ensure the commercial viability and the educational integrity of higher and further education as it continually moves forward.

Jeremy is currently the Executive Director at Edology.

Education Magazine

Caldicot School boosts classroom interactivity and eradicates dusty hardware

Caldicot School in Monmouthshire, Wales, aims to enrich the experiences of pupils through a dynamic education based on traditional values, coupled with innovative learning. First opened in 1958, Caldicot became the first school to be re-built in Monmouthshire under the 21st Century Schools Programme – a long-term strategic investment in Wales’ educational estate. The new £36.5m development opened in 2017 with vastly improved facilities, including 80 Epson EB-695Wi interactive projectors.

“Epson supplied an EB-595Wi model on a long-term loan that was fitted by an AV installer. We set up a demonstration classroom and Barry Blake – the ICT teacher at Caldicot School – ran professional development sessions with the teachers to guide them on how to use the projectors.

Finding a dust-busting solution Caldicot worked with Monmouthshire’s 21st Century Team and Shared Resource Services (SRS), which supported and provided the school with AV solutions. Together, they identified the school’s problems with its existing projectors – and decided to look for fresh solutions for the new AV set-up.

One of the major physical problems with Caldicot’s existing projectors was the amount of dust in the old school; projectors were overheating due to excess dust that had built up in the hardware. Another major problem was that the lamps in the projectors were turning yellow from their original white colour – which quickly became expensive for Caldicot, who had to replace the lamps frequently.

the recommendation of two schools that used Epson’s ultra-short-throw projectors. After conducting its own research on the devices, the school approached Epson to find the right solution to meet its requirements, and worked closely with Swansea based Comcen AV, an experienced provider of AV solutions.

Epson suggested its EB-595Wi, Epson’s first finger-touch interactive, ultrashort-throw projector, featuring both dual pen support and widescreen resolution. This projector appealed to Caldicot as it would allow teachers to present large-scale content from a very short distance, with minimal shadows or glare.

Outlining a commitment to improve pupil learning

More than 50 per cent of students in an average UK classroom find the content displayed on a 70 inch screen difficult to read – which impacts negatively on pupils’ learning. Caldicot School wanted to make sure that each student received the same visual opportunities in the classroom with a larger high definition display that was suitably sized and clearly visible to all, compared to the previously smaller standard definition displays.

The 21st Century team and SRS visited a number of schools in the area to identify potential solutions to its projector needs. It decided to take

The school was very impressed with the service it received, as Paul Miller, School Technician at Shared Resource Services, explained:

These physical problems essentially meant that pupils couldn’t see the image in a light room – and were thus having a substantial negative impact on students’ learning and teachers’ educational methods.

Education Magazine

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“The loan itself was brilliant and enabled the teachers could become familiar with the projectors. It was one of the deciding factors when we made the final decision about our chosen AV solution. When the new model, the EB-695Wi, came out in January 2017, Epson was kind enough to give us another long-term loan and swapped our old projector with the new one.

“Epson was happy to support us in any way possible, so it’s a relationship that is working really well for us.”

Achieving a more interactive way of learning When the old projectors were in use, Caldicot noticed that very few teachers were using the interactive whiteboards to support their teaching.

However, once the Epson projectors were installed, the school saw a dramatic increase in staff using the boards during lessons, as well as staff asking for information about their further teaching potential.

The new projectors have brought a fresh way of learning into the classroom. The school is now using interactivity to its full potential and thus increasing pupil participation and interactive learning. The teachers are already seeing the positive short-term results from this, such as increased pupil engagement in specific subjects that require visual projections, and are confident that this will be reflected longer-term in the students’ achievements.

Epson (UK) Limited prcommunications@epson.co.uk 0844 409 8010

Duplex working with Kimbolton School for over 27 years

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Duplex Cleaning Machines have been a leading specialist in the supply of high performance floor cleaning and steam cleaning equipment since 1986. The Duplex floor range has the ability to clean virtually all types of floor surfaces including carpets, Altro, sports floors, vinyl, ceramic tiles, profiled rubber and wood. We also supply a wide range of steam cleaning equipment to tackle a variety of tasks from cleaning curtains/ upholstery to toilets, basins, washrooms and walls. These machines work without the need to use chemicals making for a healthier, greener environment. From classrooms, corridors, staffrooms and sports halls to kitchens and toilets, we can supply a solution to most cleaning needs.

Mobile Kitchens Ltd specialises in the hire and sale of temporary catering facilities and foodservice equipment.

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

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Duplex are proud to supply prestigious Kimbolton School in Cambridgeshire who purchased their first Duplex floor cleaning machine in 1990 and finding it to be ideal for their needs went on to add to their fleet regularly over the years and still have some of the older machines working alongside more recent models. The School explained that the reliability of the machines, backed up by an annual preventative maintenance agreement, was important along with the fact that Duplex equipment proved very effective in dealing with the variety of floor surfaces found throughout the campus.

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

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Education Magazine

Oundle Mathematical Enrichment Conference Following on from the success of the inaugural Oundle Mathematical Enrichment Conference for Year 9 and 10 pupils over the summer, ten schools from East Northants and Peterborough attended a mathematics event for pupils in Years 7 and 8 presented by the Thomas Deacon Education Trust (TDET) and Oundle School.

The eighty pupils who attended were guided through a variety of stimulating practical problems to uncover the mathematics behind them, including the famous Towers of Hanoi problem presented by Oundle School Maths teacher, Richard Atkins. Richard has trained UK National Mathematics teams in the past and is the recipient of a lifetime service award from the UK Mathematics Trust.

Mo Ladak from the Thomas Deacon Academy, a well-known name in local mathematical circles, led a session where pupils completed the first stages of a proof of Fermat’s 2 Squares Theorem. For many, this was their first step into this important mathematical concept and helped to push the boundaries of their experience.

Accompanying teachers took part in a training session led by Rachel Rayner (Essential Mathematics) on the Bar

Education Magazine

Modelling Method. Her session was thought provoking, practical and very well received by the teachers who also had an opportunity to meet and discuss recent undertakings within the departments of their schools and to share best practice, as well as observing some of the pupil sessions.

The event finished with a circus of activities where schools competed against each other on some practical but taxing mathematical logic problems. The standard of pupils’ mathematics was very high from all participating schools but ultimately Uppingham Community College were the winners, closely followed by Prince William School, Oundle and University Academy, Holbeach.

Event organiser Gordon Montgomery commented, “We were pleased to be able

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to run this event and to have ten schools take time out to join us. Oundle’s link with TDET has helped a great deal in making this happen and it demonstrates clearly the benefits of an independent school working in partnership with their neighbouring schools.

Visiting teachers commented that ‘the best aspect was just watching the pupils enjoying Mathematics’. We are delighted with how well this event was received and plan to repeat it next year.”

A similar event for Primary School pupils (OMEC 5&6) will take place on Tuesday 23 January, presented by Oundle School in partnership with Oundle Church of England Primary School. More information about this event is available by emailing partnerships@ oundleschool.org.uk

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